Introduction
You all have already heard about how important discernment is, but I want to expand on something I said last week a bit more: “Your heart (meaning the emotional seat of your whole being) is a valuable and deceitful thing you need to keep an eye on. So the more you fill your head with trash and the more you let it enter your heart, the less valuable and more deceitful it will be.”
So, this go-round, I’m going to talk a bit about the negatives of in-discernment before diving into a very popular book/movie to dig out the pros and cons of it. 😉
I’m going to do this by writing a hypothetical situation for you. Say you’re reading a book or watching a movie your friend recommended to you. The plot and characters are so engaging you gobble it up without bothering to read between the lines. After all, this is only the first time you’ve read/watched this, and you want to get the main gist of the plot before you bother with the little details. However, there is one scene that makes you just a little uncomfortable, but the rest of the book is good enough you shrug it off.
The next week you’re talking to another friend of yours about this book or movie. You’re gushing about it when your friend stops you and says, “Wait, so you actually liked that book/movie?”
Your eyebrows crinkle as you slowly admit you do.
Your friend stares at you for a minute, then says, “But didn’t you notice that line where so-and-so says this? It totally goes against what the Bible says!”
You think about it, but you didn’t notice that. You begin to get a bit uneasy, but shrug it off again.
Little do you know that that little bit of information was sucked into your brain. You absorbed it, but you haven’t tested what this character said and compared it to the Bible. You automatically accepted it as true.
Eventually you’ve stopped discerning all together. You eagerly sponge up messages like “follow your heart” and “believe in yourself” as long as the story is good. Years later, when you’ve followed your heart’s desires and believed in your ability so much you’ve become quite cocky, you find yourself living in a dump with your whole life in pieces around you.
Okaaaay, that may be a bit exaggerated. (Just a little.)
But seriously. You have to consider what you’re letting into your heart and mind when you entertain yourself. And I’m not just talking about the messages – think about the content too! Is there cuss words that you let in? ‘Cause “out of the abundance of the heart [your] mouth speaks.” -Luke 6:45 (ESV) What about sexual junk? Suddenly are you finding yourself thinking about getting a boyfriend/girlfriend even though you’re not old enough to get married? “For out of the heart come evil thoughts… adultery, sexual immorality…” -Matthew 15:19 (ESV)
Alright, I think you get the point. Enough on that. Now, on to the big reveal on which book/movie I’m gonna dissect! *cue the disgusted noises*
This week’s thing is…
a…
Movie!
What kind of movie?
Oh, I’m so glad you asked.
It’s an animation.
It’s by DreamWorks, too.
This is their swaggy logo:
DreamWorks Logo
*laughs at your looks*
Alright, alright, here it is:
The Croods by DreamWorks Animation
(As a warning, there might maybe be spoilers in here. So beware. I’ll make sure the spoilers are alerted, but just sayin’.😉)
Honestly, I think The Croods is one of DreamWorks’ best… well, works. 😉 The themes are strong, the story captivating, the humor actually funny, and the animation amazing. But there are some things to look out for – if you’ve watched the movie, maybe you should compare your own thoughts with this list and let me know what you come up with in the comments!
Content
Pros:
Very little violence, and most of it is the humorous slapstick I-slipped-on-a-banana-peel kind
No language (yay!)
Cons:
Some sexual stuff – Epe cuddles up to Guy multiple times, and there are some moments when they get awkwardly entangled
There’s a lot of bathroom humor, which you may or may not have a problem with. (Honestly, if you’re a girl, you probably don’t find it funny; but if you’re a guy, you probably do. XD) As a girl, I don’t find any of it very funny (more like inappropriate), but that’s just my thoughts. 😉
Messages
(Warning: this could be a long list…)
Pros:
Throughout the movie, Epe struggles with obeying her father and dealing with her family as a whole. Yet, in the end, she realizes how much she loved and values them. This can really shed a great light on your own family situation, especially if you’re struggling with that I-want-to-spread-my-wings nastiness, like Epe.
There’s also several message on growing up – both the joys and the challenges. Grug wrestles with the way his “little girl” is changing and growing, and Epe has problems with the way her dad still treats her like a kid. But they finally come to terms with the fact that neither is perfect.
Much to my great joy, Croods portrays Grug and Ugga as smart, protective, and loving parents, not the dumb enemies most modern stories have. *standing ovation*
Another pro message is to respect your elders and authorities. In the beginning of the movie Epe is defiant and rebellious, thinking her parents (her dad, especially) are restrictive and don’t understand. Over the course of the story she grows in respect of both of them and begins obeying, even encouraging them. At the climax she reveals how much she loves her dad, which is a very touching scene. 🙂
In passing, there are some messages on teamwork. The family works together to survive (which includes a lot of flipping, shouting, and rock-throwing) instead of doing their own thing-thing. (*wonders if anyone not in my family got that reference*)
And last but not least, the family roles are accurate. Grug is caring, protective, and the leader. Ugga is the nurturer, bath-giver, and loyal to her husband. Thunk (although a bit tetched in the noggin) is respectful and obedient to both. Epe is your typical teenager – independent, disrespectful, but still loving her parents as much as ever (although it takes the end of the world for her to figure that out). And Gran… not quite sure if that’s what in-laws are really like. XD
Cons:
There’s some evolution themes here hidden beneath the threads of the story. When Guy meets Epe’s family, he calls them “practically animal”. There’s a few other nods to it throughout the story, although it’s not blatantly mentioned.
Neutral:
I’m a little confused on this part: at one point in the movie (after Grug become “Modern Man”), Grug tells someone that he can’t change. Later, he tells Epe that anyone can change, and he’s proof (or something like that). So is the message that no one can change or that anyone can change? Both instances seemed to be cast in a positive light. *shrugs*
Morals
Pros:
Sacrifice – often it’s Grug who sacrifices for his family. (SPOILERS!) That could be his food, his safety, or even his life – he does it all willingly and without hesitation. (SPOILER END)
Protection – obviously Grug is very protective of his whole family, especially Epe. She fights against this, but eventually comes to realize that the reason Grug does this is because he loves her.
Which brings me to this: Love – This moral is so so so so strongly emphasized I adore it! Grug loves Epe despite her apparent dislike for him. Epe loves her dad with all her heart. She even loves Thunk. The movie explores more than just familial love, though. Epe and Guy have a relationship and Guy loves Belt. (That TOTALLY counts as pet love!)
Respect – Epe wrestles with disrespect and defiance of her father. In the end she loves and respects him more than ever.
Courage – Many times, as the Croods face danger, Grug or Guy steps into danger to keep someone safe or to keep someone fed. Sometimes this can look like stupidity (no one ever said cavemen were the smartest), but you can see how much Epe admires Guy for his courage (DIE YOU RED BIRDIES!) and Grug for his (eventually).
Cons:
Religion – Although there’s no specific religious views (Christian, Muslim, Hindu, etc.) presented, there is a moment when the Croods learn what fire is where Ugga calls it a “baby sun”. Grug responds with telling them to stay back because they don’t know what it wants. Later (after the chaos begins), we see Ugga throwing giant ears of corn on the fire as if sacrificing to it. 🤨
Rule-breaking – Towards the end the Croods family learn that rules don’t always work. While I agree with the fact that rules aren’t perfect, I got the feeling that they were saying that NO rules work – you must make up your own. That disappointed me. 😦
Wrap Up
The Croods is way more positive than most other movies out there. It’s also older. Which may have something to do with it. But back on topic, it’s a refreshing watch from the other junk I keep hearing about. Just gonna say right now that I haven’t seen Croods 2 yet, but it doesn’t look promising. So.
If you wanted a solid, impactful, and family-friendly movie to watch Friday night, The Croods is for you. Check out the trailer here!
(Also, sorry this is so late in getting out. Busy day. ;))
Pursue God, be courageous, and keep smiling!
Comments