Two movies: Bella (YES!) and The Golden Compass (NO!)

#1 · November 20, 2007, 12:20 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on November 20, 2007, 12:20 pm
Posted by: hopechestnews <hopechestnews@...>
Dear friends

I have received numerous e-mails about two movies, Bella and The Golden Compass. I don't have time to summarize everything I have read about them, but the bottom line is that my recommendation is go see Bella and DON'T go see The Golden Compass!

Thad and I went to see Bella on Saturday night, and it is definitely a good pick. It is produced by pro-life Christians, and while it is not not overtly evangelical, it is very life-affirming in its support of adoption and family. Rated PG-13, it is not a movie for young kids due to its mature themes, though it is very clean (no sex, violence, profanity, nudity, etc.) and many teenagers would appreciate it.   With a strong Latino appeal, some of the conversation is in Spanish with English subtitles.   Bella also won the People's Choice Award (the top prize) at the Toronto Film Festival and the Legacy Award from the Smithsonian Institute.

You can visit the Bella web site and find out where it is playing. Here in Orlando, it is at the Regal Cinema in Winter Park Village. http://www.bellathemovie.com/

World Magazine has posted a very favorable review at http://www.worldmag.com/articles/13458.

You can also read a review at www.pluggedinonline.com/movies/movies/a0003464.cfm. (Be forewarned that some of the plot is revealed in this review.) Apparently Focus on the Family founder Dr. James Dobson told Plugged In Online: "Bella is a moving and inspirational movie. In a day of Hollywood's excesses, profanities and foolishness, this sensitive film speaks eloquently of life, love and beauty. I enjoyed it very much."

~~~

And now, about The Golden Compass, which I do not plan to see. I have seen the books in our local bookstore.

This is from Lois Breneman's Heart to Heart newsletter:

FAMILY ALERT! UPCOMING CHILDREN'S MOVIE – "THE GOLDEN COMPASS"

        Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. – I Peter 5:8
        Educate yourself and beware of the movie, "The Golden Compass," an anti-Christian movie that will be coming out in early December, aimed at children and labeled as a "family movie." While it will be a watered down version, it is based on a series of children's books about killing God, so the children can do as they please.
        Scholastic Books (www.scholastic.com) is behind this movie, and you may want to let them know how you feel about this offensive movie to Christians. This movie is based on a series of books by an atheist and secular humanist British author, Phillip Pullman, whose goal in writing the books is to be the "Anti-Chronicles of Narnia" series and to lead children into atheism.
         The main villains in the series of books are the Magisterium, Cardinals, and the Pope, and includes a heroine that is a young girl who sets out to kill God in the last book of the series. The truly deceptive thing about the movie is that they have made it appear as if it is an innocent film, with exciting effects and a fairy tale story. They have removed the appalling anti-Catholic/Christian themes from the movie that are in the books. Parents who then purchase the books for their children will be deceived unless they are alerted about this.
        The bottom line goal of the movie is to lure children and hook unsuspecting families into viewing the film so that children will then want to read all the books, possibly as a Christmas gift! In the end the movie may very well be seducing our children and grandchildren to believe in a godless philosophy.
        The main objective of Christians is to educate parents and children so they are not duped into believing that this is a harmless movie. It is not! Our enemy, the devil, has a way of making things appear as good, but we need to be discerning! His punch line is in the last book, but first he has to lure our children! Be wise!
        Learn more at this site: www.snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp

~~

You can also read some comments about The Golden Compass at: http://www.pluggedinonline.com/cultureclips2/a0003513.cfm

I hope this information has been helpful to you!

Blessings,

Virginia Knowles

www.VirginiaKnowles.com
-- To subscribe, send ANY message to: [email protected] To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: [email protected] Visit my web site at www.VirginiaKnowles.com  

Posted by: hopechestnews <hopechestnews@...>

Dear friends

I have received numerous e-mails about two movies, Bella and The Golden Compass. I don't have time to summarize everything I have read about them, but the bottom line is that my recommendation is go see Bella and DON'T go see The Golden Compass!

Thad and I went to see Bella on Saturday night, and it is definitely a good pick. It is produced by pro-life Christians, and while it is not not overtly evangelical, it is very life-affirming in its support of adoption and family. Rated PG-13, it is not a movie for young kids due to its mature themes, though it is very clean (no sex, violence, profanity, nudity, etc.) and many teenagers would appreciate it. With a strong Latino appeal, some of the conversation is in Spanish with English subtitles. Bella also won the People's Choice Award (the top prize) at the Toronto Film Festival and the Legacy Award from the Smithsonian Institute.

You can visit the Bella web site and find out where it is playing. Here in Orlando, it is at the Regal Cinema in Winter Park Village. http://www.bellathemovie.com/

World Magazine has posted a very favorable review at http://www.worldmag.com/articles/13458.

You can also read a review at http://www.pluggedinonline.com/movies/movies/a0003464.cfm. (Be forewarned that some of the plot is revealed in this review.) Apparently Focus on the Family founder Dr. James Dobson told Plugged In Online: "Bella is a moving and inspirational movie. In a day of Hollywood's excesses, profanities and foolishness, this sensitive film speaks eloquently of life, love and beauty. I enjoyed it very much."

~~~

And now, about The Golden Compass, which I do not plan to see. I have seen the books in our local bookstore.

This is from Lois Breneman's Heart to Heart newsletter:

FAMILY ALERT! UPCOMING CHILDREN'S MOVIE – "THE GOLDEN COMPASS"

        Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. – I Peter 5:8
        Educate yourself and beware of the movie, "The Golden Compass," an anti-Christian movie that will be coming out in early December, aimed at children and labeled as a "family movie." While it will be a watered down version, it is based on a series of children's books about killing God, so the children can do as they please.
        Scholastic Books (http://www.scholastic.com) is behind this movie, and you may want to let them know how you feel about this offensive movie to Christians. This movie is based on a series of books by an atheist and secular humanist British author, Phillip Pullman, whose goal in writing the books is to be the "Anti-Chronicles of Narnia" series and to lead children into atheism.
         The main villains in the series of books are the Magisterium, Cardinals, and the Pope, and includes a heroine that is a young girl who sets out to kill God in the last book of the series. The truly deceptive thing about the movie is that they have made it appear as if it is an innocent film, with exciting effects and a fairy tale story. They have removed the appalling anti-Catholic/Christian themes from the movie that are in the books. Parents who then purchase the books for their children will be deceived unless they are alerted about this.
        The bottom line goal of the movie is to lure children and hook unsuspecting families into viewing the film so that children will then want to read all the books, possibly as a Christmas gift! In the end the movie may very well be seducing our children and grandchildren to believe in a godless philosophy.
        The main objective of Christians is to educate parents and children so they are not duped into believing that this is a harmless movie. It is not! Our enemy, the devil, has a way of making things appear as good, but we need to be discerning! His punch line is in the last book, but first he has to lure our children! Be wise!
        Learn more at this site: http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp

You can also read some comments about The Golden Compass at: http://www.pluggedinonline.com/cultureclips2/a0003513.cfm

I hope this information has been helpful to you!

Blessings,

Virginia Knowles

http://www.VirginiaKnowles.com

-- To subscribe, send ANY message to: [email protected] To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: [email protected] Visit my web site at www.VirginiaKnowles.com