The GoodList Choosing and Using Movies from the Lord’s Side of the Line Compiled by Steven K. Jones GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR MAKING For the strength of youth. “While much entertainment is good, some of it can lead you away WISE MEDIA CHOICES from righteous living. Offensive material is often “All safety, all righteousness, all happiness are on the found in concerts, web sites, movies, music, Lord’s side of the line . All that enriches our lives videocassettes, DVD’s, books, magazines, pictures, and prepares us for eternal joy is on the Lord’s side and other media. Satan uses such entertainment to of the line.”(George Albert Smith, Conference Report, deceive you by making what is wrong and evil look Oct. 1949, 5-6) normal and exciting. It can lead you into thinking that everyone is doing things that are wrong. Learn to Discern Do not attend, view, or participate in entertainment that is vulgar, immoral, violent, or pornographic in Teach the difference. And they shall teach my any way. Do not participate in any entertainment that people the difference between the holy and the in any way presents immorality or violent behavior as profane, and cause them to discern between the acceptable.” (For the Strength of Youth, 17.) unclean and the clean. (Ezekiel 44:23) Apply the Practices of Media Wise Parents Live well within the area of good. “To your right are 1. Hold family councils to decide what your media all the good things that can be done in life. The standards are going to be. further to your right, the better they are. To the left 2. Spend enough quality time with your children that are all the wrong things that can be done. The further (you) are the main influence in their lives. to the left, the worse they are. In the middle, it is 3. Make good media choices yourself and set the difficult to discern between what is good and what is example. bad. This middle area is where Satan works with 4. Limit the amount of time your children watch TV righteous people, the twilight zone where you cannot or play video games or use the Internet. clearly discern what is good and what is bad. It is 5. Use Internet filters. easy to become confused here. Live well within the 6. Locate computers and TVs in much used wonderful area of good the Lord has defined. If you common rooms. are not sure whether something is appropriate to look 7. Take time to watch appropriate media with your at, listen to, to think about, or to do, then avoid it.” children and discuss with them how to make (Richard G. Scott, “Do What is Right,” CES Young choices that will uplift and build rather than Adult Fireside, 3 Mar 1996) degrade and destroy. (Adapted from: “Let our voices be heard,” Touch not the unclean thing. “And now I say unto Russell M. Ballard, Ensign, Nov. 2003) you, all you that are desirous to follow the voice of the good shepherd, come ye out of the wicked, and Use “Keys” to Unlock Understanding be ye separate, and touch not their unclean things.” Key quotes, ideas, principles, and scriptures are (Alma 5:57) provided for most of the movies on the list. These “keys” unlock the principal messages in the films and Use “Scripture Based” Rating Systems provide a basis for discussing the stories together as Using these guidelines instead of the world’s could a family. dramatically improve our media choices. Use them before watching a film to give viewers The way to judge. “Wherefore I show unto you the something to “look for.” way to judge, for every thing which inviteth to do Example: In the movie, Captains Courageous, good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent Harvey’s father gives him forty dollars for spending forth by the power of Christ; wherefore ye may know money. Working on a fishing boat for three months with a perfect knowledge it is of God.” [italics added] Harvey earns nine dollars. Look for the reason that (Moroni 7:16) the nine dollars he earned meant so much more to him than the forty-dollar allowance. We seek after these things. “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we Ask questions or make relevant comments seek after these things. (Articles of Faith 1:13) during the movie. 1 Example: In the movie, To Kill a Mockingbird, a Old classics such as The Life of Emile Zola (1937), neighbor boy eating with the family pours syrup all Madame Curie (1943), Random Harvest (1942), and over his food. How should we treat people who do Gentlemen’s Agreement (1947). things differently than us? Video Rental Stores. Look for the ones with a Classic Movie section and those who offer edited After the movie start a discussion by quoting key versions without objectionable elements. quotes or asking good questions. Department/Book/Media Stores. More and more Example: Think of a scriptural character that had the classics are showing up on the shelves. The key to kind of courage that Father O’Flaherty demonstrated obtaining them lies in knowing which of them are in The Scarlet and the Black. (Possible answers: classics. Captain Moroni, David, Nephi, or others.) Where does that kind of courage come from? (Relying on Remember the Promises the Lord for strength). In the wayward world in which we live, promises of safety, righteousness, happiness, enrichment, and Read More About It joy are worth pondering. Keeping them foremost in Use a search engine on the Internet to find our minds and hearts supplies the motivation to additional details or information. make the necessary effort to both find and use Example: Alvin York’s diary gives inspiring details uplifting media. about how a power greater than man helped him win the battle. “And now, if (we) know these things, happy are (we) Go to the library or search online for the books if we do them." (John 13:17) on which the movie was based. Examples: Ben Hur, A Christmas Carol, The Little Woman, biography of Gladys Aylward (Inn of the Sixth Happiness), I am David, Summer of the Monkeys, To Kill a Mockingbird, and so forth. User Friendly Web Sites A wealth of information is found on the Internet. Internet Movie Database (IMDb.com) By far the most comprehensive database anywhere. Links found on the left-hand side of the home page contain insightful information: User Comments, User Ratings, Memorable Quotes, and especially, External Reviews, which serve as links to the following sites: Decent Films (decentfilms.com) Movies reviewed from a moral standpoint. Rates them on recommendability, artistic and entertainment value, moral and spiritual value, and audience. Christian Spotlight at the Movies (Best reached from IMDb, External Reviews) Gives helpful reviews and moral guidelines. Occasionally reviews are not in harmony with Church standards. Screen It! (Best reached from IMDb, External Reviews) Reviews with detailed information on fifteen categories of objectionable material (violence, sex, profanity, imitative behavior, disrespectful attitudes, and so forth). We Seek After these Things Many uplifting movies cannot be found in the theaters, TV and some video rental chains. Where to look: Public Libraries. The best and least expensive source of movie classics. Online. Some of the classics are only found online: Made for TV movies such as Heidi (1993), Les Miserables (1978), Four Feathers (1977), and The Scarlet and the Black; 2 Director: Scott S. Anderson. Cast: K.C. Clyde, The GoodList Kirby Heyborne, David Nibley, Cameron Hopkin, Classic movies that uplift and inspire Scott Christopher. Story: Mormon missionaries serving in Holland Anne of Green Gables (1985 TV) Drama discover the personal meaning of their service as Director: Kevin Sullivan. Cast: Megan Follows, they strive to deliver the gospel message to others. Colleen Dewhurst, Richard Farnsworth. Key Idea: Missionary service requires preparation, Story: An endearing story of a spirited orphan raised dedication, commitment, and a willingness to learn to by a down-to-earth spinster and her brother. work with others. This film could become a part of Quote: Anne: And I promise I'll never do it again. preparing youth to understand some of the real That's the one good thing about me. I never do the demands and challenges of missionary service. same wrong thing twice. Color 112 min. VHS/DVD Key Idea: Showcases the great worth of imagination, education, determination, friendship, family values, Bishop’s Wife, The (1947) Christmas Classic. and achieving personal dreams. Director: Henry Koster. Color 199 min. VHS/DVD Cast: David Niven, Cary Grant, Loretta Young. Story: An angel is assigned to a Bishop struggling Babette’s Feast (1987) Drama. to understand his true priorities in life: putting Director: Gabriel Axel. Cast: Stephane Audran, marriage, family, and Christian service above the Brigitte Federspiel, Bodil Kjer, Jarl Kulle. building of a cathedral. Story: A religious group in a Danish fishing village Quote: Dudley to Julia: There are few people who awakens to the joys of living through the artistry and know the secret of making heaven on earth. You are sacrifice of their servant and cook. one of those rare people. Scripture: “Or what man is there of you, whom if his Key Idea: How to put the Savior on our Christmas son ask bread, will he give him a stone.” (Matt. 7:9) list and offer Him the shining gifts He cherishes. Key Idea: Misconstrued religious ideas and practices Black & White 100 min. VHS/DVD can turn the joy of the gospel (the bread of life) into lifeless traditions (a stone).