A Glimpse of Starlight

Happy Monday, everyone!  Yeah, I know—Mondays don’t often seem happy.  Maybe today’s article will help with that, because I’ve got good news.  Ready for it?

There are family-friendly movies/TV shows.

Good news, right?  I started thinking about this over Christmas break, when my family and I wanted to watch some fun movies, since we finally had time.  The problem?  Every movie we tried we had to stop, because of immorality and inappropriateness.  And, yeah, we could re-watch Lord of the Rings or Facing the Giants—which is certainly not a bad thing—but we wanted something new.  New, but good.  Are family-friendly movies even around these days?

They are!  We did eventually find some great movies and shows, and I wanted to share them with you, because I have this feeling that my family isn’t alone.

Disclaimer: Each family and individual has their own set of standards, and I know what my family considers appropriate may not be so for someone else.  I’ve done my best to describe the possible problems with each movie, but, as with anything, you have to use your own discernment.

The Giver

Search for truth.  Find Freedom. 

Jonas is raised in a strictly-regulated world, with no colors, no art, and no love.  Of course, he doesn’t realize that it lacks those things, and this movie chronicles his journey of discovery, as his eyes open to all that he and his culture have lost.  It’s based off of the award-winning juvenile novel by Lois Lowry, and it follows the book surprisingly well.  To actually see this colorless world and witness their eerie ceremonies was a treat.  There’s plenty of adventure and suspense, but there are also some lovely, touching moments as well, as Jonas learns about love and glimpses the beauty of color, variety, and art through the Giver.

Pluses: The value of love, {SLIGHT SPOILER WARNING} Jonas rescuing Gabriel, and the beautiful glimpses of humanity that we see through Jonas’ connection with the Giver.

Cautions: One kiss.

The Truman Show

On the air.  Unaware.

Truman is the hero of a reality TV show that airs 24/7 and has been since he was born.  The problem?  He doesn’t know it.  Everyone around him does; they’re just actors.  But Truman himself thinks he’s living a normal life on his island (which is really a gigantic Hollywood set).  He’s perfectly content, until strange things start happening—for instance, is that a stage light that fell from the sky?—and he begins to feel both suspicious and restless, eager to head off the island.  Thus begins his battle for understanding and freedom, and the struggle of the TV-show owner and other actors to keep him clueless and content.

Pluses: A powerful picture of our culture’s obssession with TV and the media’s lack of honesty or care about people themselves.  Plus, it’s really funny.

Cautions: One kiss, a few minced oaths (I can’t remember what exactly, but they were infrequent), and one friend who always shows up with a six-pack of beer (no one gets drunk).

Mom’s Night Out

What could go wrong? 

Allie is stressed, frazzled, worn out, depressed—you get the picture.  But she doesn’t understand why, since being a mom and mother is what she’s always dreamed of.  In an effort to recapture her former passion, she and her two friends, one of which is a well-thought-of pastor’s wife with a surprising background, embark on a night out.  They end up in the unlikeliest places, including a tattoo parlor, bowling alley, and prison, with some unlikely people, such as Allie’s odd sister-in-law, a tattooed motorcycler, and a taxi driver with a British accent.  Oh, and don’t forget the husbands at home, with all those kids …

Pluses: Honest, relatable, a movie where Christians laugh freely at themselves and yet still enable the love and joy Christ brings to shine through, a perfect combination between the reality of life and the reality of Christ.  And it is so funny—I kid you not, you’re basically laughing the entire time.

Cautions: One kiss (between a married couple), and, obviously, a tattoo parlor.

Spin & Marty

Their friendship was genuine, but their conflict was inevitable! 

Now onto TV shows.  This one aired a long time ago—fifties, I believe—so it’s black and white without any guns, superheroes, iPhones, or heart-pounding action.  I’m tempted to think that’s a good thing.  It follows the story of two boys at a summer ranch.  Spin has been there before and is popular with everyone.  He wants to be a doctor when he grows up, but isn’t sure how, as his family is poor.  Marty has never been horse riding—in fact, he’s hardly done anything athletic.  He’s spoiled, whiny, and rich and gets off on the wrong foot with everyone.  Follow the boys as they go snipe-hunting (hint: snipes aren’t real things), learn how to lasso, face off with a bear, go camping by a supposedly haunted house, and prepare for the big end-of-summer rodeo.  There are plenty of memorable characters—Perkins, Marty’s clueless, prim, oh-so-British butler, Ollie, a twangy ranch hand, and a whole host of boys.

Pluses: Clean, funny, not too scary, perfect for all ages.

Cautions: Um … they tell a ghost story?

Robin Hood

A different kind of hood 

Also a TV Show, BBC’s Robin Hood is a real treat.  There’s Robin, of course, who’s passionate about defending the poor and helpless and eagerly awaitng the time when he can reclaim Locksley.  Then there’s his band, a whole host of varied characters, from his companion in the Crusades to the famous Little John.  In Nottingham, the cruel, cunning Sheriff awaits, flanked by Guy of Gisborne, played by Richard Armitage, who has his sights on Locksley—and Lady Marion.  Each episode has lots of adventure and suspense, but it never gets too gory, and everything wraps up well but also ties in to previous, and future, episodes.

Pluses: Depicts men protecting women, the poor, and the helpless, shows loyalty and trust between Robin and his band, a little bit of history, less than an hour for brief TV stints.

Cautions: Some kissing (not every episode, just occasionally) and a slightly immodestly-dressed woman in the first episode.  Also, I haven’t watched all of the episodes, so there may be things I haven’t seen yet.