A Tale of Two Movies

I occasionally make comments on movies that I have seen. The following is my opinion about two that are starkly opposed to each other.

Happy Feet –
I’m sure you’ve probably seen the advertisements for this cute little movie about a tap-dancing penguin in a community of penguins that sings only and doesn’t much go for the dancing bit. Looks pretty cute and cuddly doesn’t it? Well don’t be fooled. It has a PG rating, and for good reason. The movie has sexual innuendo in a few places, and sensual music in much of it. Even if you don’t mind the music, the words of some of the songs are very suggestive. I know, I know, it’s a penguin movie. It’s supposed to be for kids right? Well, trust me, it’s in there and I was rather surprised.
It also has a significantly environmentalist wacko ending, which was ridiculous, but typical for the Hollywood weirdos who have to look cool at the parties they go to so they use their movies to preach liberal ideas. (Of course, I would probably do the same thing, preach Biblical ideas, if I were in their shoes.) But it is disturbing none the less. (Plot Spoiler Warning!!!)  Basically man is causing a fish shortage for the penguins through their selfishness and carelessness, and Happy Feet convinces the humans to stop fishing anywhere in Antarctica. Yeah right.
But the most disturbing thing to me was the portrayal of older elders in the penguin community as religious bigots and close-minded “fuddy-duddys” who never smile cause it might be a sin. In the movie, the penguin community worships and gives honor to a “god” of sorts. One whom they call “Guin” (or maybe “Wind”, there is some debate over that) is the one they sing to and worship, the one who brings the light and fills their bellies with fish. Now, this is not paganism, it is meant to be a picture of Christian worship of the Lord. (In my opinion.) I even whispered to Anna at the beginning of the movie, “Hey, they’re Christians” because it clearly looked that way to me. Some of the Elder penguins even use what sounds like “King James” english, saying things like “thou” and also “He giveth and He taketh away.” They insist that Happy Feet must repent of his backsliding ways (dancing) or be banished. He refuses, but by the end of the movie the entire group, including the Elders, are dancing away like crazy. Not that I have a problem with dancing per se, but in the movie dancing is portrayed as the fleshly sensual thing to do, and the Elders are portrayed as religious kooks who are finally convinced by the facts that they are wrong and they compromise. I felt like it was a slam against Christians, and their belief that people should live pure lives and resist their sinful desires. (Which is only possible through Christ.)
Over all, I do not plan on seeing it again, nor would I recommend anyone seeing it. It’s just a waste of time. And it’s not a movie children should watch ever, because of the innuendo and the philosophical messages that are clearly sent. 

Facing the Giants –
This movie is also rated PG, but because of “overly religious content.” (You may have heard about it.) It’s the story of a high-school football coach who just cannot seem to have a winning season. Nor can he afford a decent car, nor can he find the serious stink in his house, nor can he and his wife conceive a child. He’s a Christian, but he has kind of been leaving God out of football and other things in his life. Things get just about as bad as they can get, with some men in the school moving for him to be fired. He finally turns to God and determines to honor God in everything that he does, including coach football. He bring his team on board with this new philosophy (“If we win, we praise Him. If we lose, we praise Him.”) And they actually start winning some games. In fact, a revival also breaks out in the school, and things start getting very interesting.
The first 10-15 minutes of the movie are not extremely well acted by Hollywood standards, but are about par for a Christian movie. But after that the acting improves and the story gets very interesting. You forget the first part because the rest of it is so good. It is also a funny movie in parts. In fact, I probably laughed more during “Facing the Giants” than I did during “Happy Feet”! 
I won’t tell you everything, because I want you to see it, but some amazing things start happening, and the coach and his team begin to realize that nothing, and I mean nothing, is impossible with God! It is an incredibly inspiring film, and very glorifying to the Lord. There was some music in it that I didn’t approve of, but there is absolutely no bad word any where that I can recall, nor is there even a questionable scene. (Ok, they have cheerleaders, but they are not sensual, and they only show them quickly.) Seriously, I found it to be extremely clean.
Over all, this was probably one of the best movies I have seen all year, if not THE best! (Either on video or in the theater.) I plan on purchasing it when it comes out on DVD, and I can highly recommend it to anyone I know. It was wonderful to see God’s truth proclaimed on the big screen! Amen!

For one PG movie, I left feeling down and even offended. For the other, I left feeling encouraged and strengthened, and almost like I had left a church service. That is the tale of two movies. May we all remember to consider the ideas of the movies we watch, not just how many bad words it has in it.