'PG' rating for Baptist-backed film

[Tedob1]

Overt Christian messages are woven throughout "Facing the Giants," which isn't surprising since the film was co-written and co-produced by brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick, who are the "associate pastors of media" at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga. In addition to working with the megachurch's cable-television channel, they created its Sherwood Pictures ministry _ collecting private donations to fund a $25,000 movie called "Flywheel," about a wayward Christian used-car salesman.

"Facing the Giants" cost $100,000 and resembles a fusion of the Book of Job and a homemade "Hoosiers," or perhaps a small- school "Friday Night Lights" blended with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association movies that used to appear in some mainstream theaters. Sherwood Pictures used local volunteers as actors and extras, backed by a small crew of tech professionals.

The movie includes waves of answered prayers, a medical miracle, a mysterious silver-haired mystic who delivers a message from God and a bench-warmer who kicks a 51-yard field goal to win the big game when his handicapped father pulls himself out of a wheelchair and stands under the goal post to inspire his son's faith. There's a prayer-driven gust of wind in there, too.

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Geee's i could see the kids really flocking to this one without that rating.

PG? what do you think of this call?


(i think CAIR's behind it :-) )

[debwalin]

It doesn't really sound like my cup of tea.

But it depends on the "themes" in the movie. People associate anything other than a G rating with things that are non-Christian, but it doesn't neccesarily have to be. There are lots of things that I may not really find appropriate for my child, not because it's "bad", but because of the themes involved. Is there an abusive spouse? Does it revolve around someone who was involved in a war? How did Dad wind up in his wheelchair? Drinking and driving accidents are horrible, not really something I want my child to have to deal with - but not 'sinful' to talk about. It's more a basis of what's in the movie, and the context it's in. I don't think that it should neccesarily be categorized as a non-Christian movie because of the rating.

The Passion of the Christ was either PG or PG-13 wasn't it? I haven't seen it, but it was a wholly Biblical depiction, but it still didn't rate that warm and fuzzy G rating.

[Tedob1]

The Passion of the Christ was either PG or PG-13 wasn't it? I haven't seen it, but it was a wholly Biblical depiction, but it still didn't rate that warm and fuzzy G rating.

The Passion of the Christ contained allot of violence 'like' the kind of stuff that still goes on in that part of the world, stoneings, beheadings, the cutting off of limbs. although i dont think they crucify anymore. same stage, different players. i dont want any kid to ever wittness this kind of stuff. ever! The Passion of the Christ should definitly be PG-13

[nihil]

Hmmmm,

You guys use a different classification set from us:

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/

I guess the reason is to warn parents that this is "religious propaganda"? strange, as you would expect people who went to see it to be churchgoers anyway, so they would be getting the same message on a regular basis and would know?

Over here a "PG" is considered suitable for 8 years and above.

[debwalin]

nihil, all it means here is "parental guidance" - I've taken my son to PG movies that I thought "Why on earth was that PG?" and then I've taken him to PG movies that I almost died because of what was in it. It's a very loose guideline, just that there may be something in it you're not prepared for your child to see. In my house, potty humor is highly prized - so to me, movies that have that kind of stuff in it don't deserve a PG rating, that's just what you get when you have a little boy in the house. But other parents don't even want their kids to say the word "butt", so to them, what's funny to us is offensive.

Originally posted here by Tedob1
The Passion of the Christ contained allot of violence 'like' the kind of stuff that still goes on in that part of the world, stoneings, beheadings, the cutting off of limbs. although i dont think they crucify anymore. same stage, different players. i dont want any kid to ever wittness this kind of stuff. ever! The Passion of the Christ should definitly be PG-13

That's what I meant Ted. I would never take my son to see that movie, because it's so very violent and scary. However, that doesn't mean it's "bad" - it's taken directly out of the Bible, so the Christians jumped right on it as a great movie. Personally, I'd rather let my son see a few fart jokes than beheadings and crucifixions.

[preacherman481]

it's taken directly out of the Bible

Actually, it is not all directly from the Bible. The basic story line (Jesus arrested, tried, whipped, cruicified) is from the Bible, but the creators of the film did use their imagination at points to film details where the Bible is silent. For example, the scene where Judas is hounded by demonic spirits (or whatever they are supposed to be) is not recorded in the Bible. In other words, the Bible doesn't say it happened or didn't happen. .

I did see the movie "FlywheeL" by the same people who are making the movie orignally discussed by Tedob1. It was a really good movie. It doesn't have a "Hollywood feel" to it, but then again, it is not cheesy either. I think you probably would have to be a believer to get the most from it because for me the best part of the movie is how it describes the way God works in believer's lives.

I don't know if it was released in any theaters or not. Our neighbors told us about the movie, and we ordered a VCR tape for ourselves. If anyone is interested, I'll post the ordering details.

[genXer]

Just an FYI... "The Passion of the Christ" was rated R "for sequences of graphic violence" - if you saw the movie - no duh.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0335345/

I saw that and found it quite gory. Although I knew some of what was in the movie was not in the bible, it was definitely added for effect. Like when Jesus was being tortured and Satan happened to be walking around, tauting him with a "demonic" baby? Yeeesh! I don't remember that part in the Bible, but considering the Enemy, I wonder if something like that took place. I wanted to hurl.

[The Texan]

I bought Passion of the Christ on DVD. I watched it a total of, once. Its not a movie you watch over and over eating popcorn.

[RoadClosed]

"Luther" was rated PG and is an excellent flick.

My god it had prayer in it. Get the torches, we need to burn someone for making this movie.