Pastor Doug Wilson describes movies as catechism class for our age. They tell us what to believe, help define reality for us, tell us who our gods are and what are the major sins of our age. That is why it is good for Christians to evaluate what are the major themes of movies. Americans spent 10.9 billion dollars at the movie theater last year. That does not include Redbox, Netflix, Amazon, etc. What are we being taught in these catechism classes? I came across one lesson as I read about the movie Fast and Furious 6, which came out in the summer of 2013
(Disclaimer: I have never seen any of The Fast and Furious movies.) I was reading an article about what Hollywood can learn from one of the most surprising film franchises in history. The article lists six things that Hollywood can learn from this movie franchise, which has earned over 1.6 billion dollars worldwide. The fourth reason on the list is that it appeals to women. Here is what the article says:
Casting women as more than scantily clad helpmates and arm candy has further broadened “The Fast & The Furious” franchise’s appeal.
Women represent 51 percent of the U.S. population and 52 percent of the moviegoing public, but according to a 2012 study by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University, only 11 percent of the protagonists in top grossing films are female.
Yes, Vin Diesel and Paul Walker are the top-billed stars in the series, but what’s refreshing about “Fast & Furious 6” is that Rodriguez and co-star Gina Carano have roles that are integral to the action. In fact, Jeffrey Kirschenbaum, Universal Pictures co-president of production, told TheWrap that the most recent “Fast” film is the highest testing among women.
He added that the on-screen throw down between Rodriguez and Carano is a key selling point of the film and “trumps” the fight between Diesel and Dwayne Johnson that was a heavily promoted part of “Fast Five.
Notice the first and last paragraph. Apparently the moviegoing public wants more than women in bikinis. Eye candy, by itself, is no longer acceptable. (If you watch the trailer you will see it is still there.) Now we need women who beat each other up. Here is another article declaring that the girl fight in the movie is the most intense girl fight ever. And the director and the women involved are of course proud. It is “refreshing” that women are now central to the action. They don’t have to sit on the sidelines anymore wearing next to nothing. Now they can get into the action and pulverize one another.
Iron Man 3 was also praised for its portrayal of woman. “Wired” says,
Consider that the genius in Iron Man 3 who creates a powerful—indeed, perhaps too powerful—form of technology capable of changing the world isn’t Tony Stark; it’s Maya. And the hero who ultimately saves the day by taking out the bad guy in smash-em-up physical confrontation isn’t Tony Stark; it’s Pepper Potts. Sure, Tony Stark and the Mandarin are ostensibly the hero and the villain, but if you look at the things that people actually do rather than where the camera happens to focus, the female characters are the ones who truly begin to shine.
So in Iron Man 3 we have a female scientist who creates some powerful technology and we have eye candy, Pepper Potts, who beats up the bad guy.
The catechism question these movies are asking is: What should a woman be? The answer is: be a sex toy or be a man. Wear a bikini, wear a gun, wear a business suit, but most certainly do not wear an apron. You were made to be used by a man or to act like a man. Where are the mothers, I mean real mothers with children, in modern movies? Where are the faithful wives who love their husbands? They are conspicuous by their absence. When is the last time you watched a major movie where motherhood is a virtue or a central element in the story? When was the last time you watched a movie with a husband and wife who love each other and love their children? Look at the top 25 movies from 2013. I have seen fifteen out of the 25. How many of those movies have a strong mother character? 2014 does not look much better. There are smaller movies that do have faithful mother characters and occasionally big budget films will do that as well. But let’s not be naive. A majority of movies that come out today do not have a mother of consequence in them. The women are either professionals, someone to be bedded, or fighters. Hollywood has effectively killed motherhood as a vocation for women.
Our wives and daughters need to be aware that their fundamental calling has been rejected by the media. Fathers, pastors, and husbands need to encourage the women in their care to be faithful to God in that calling and not buy the lie that motherhood is a waste.
This was originally posted at Singing and Slaying.
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I find myself asking what to me is a very obvious question. Since the movies tell us what to believe and help define reality for us, and since it is obvious that a great many of them are teaching the opposite of Christian principles and beliefs, why is it that Christians feel compelled to see these movies anyway? Why does it seem to be a given that since movies are there, they simply must be watched? Why do we just have to go and subject ourselves to what the movies are trying to teach us when we know that the world view that they are mostly pushing is totally contrary to God’s way?
It makes no sense to me at all. Why do we insist on filling our minds with the world’s garbage and worldview and expect that it will have no effect on us whatsoever?
Dear Cheryl, thanks for reading and commenting. That is a good question…for another time. I am not anti-movie. However, I think it is foolish to absorb them in high quantities or low quantities without thinking them through. One note. I have watched a lot of Andy Griffith, which is generally considered a show that promotes traditional values. However, neither Andy’s girl nor Barney’s girl was interested in being a mother. So while the 21st century has taken the rejection of motherhood to a new level, the seeds were planted decades ago.