People who rate movies/TV/whatever based on it's morality.

[Jon Lyrik]

Are people so sensitive that they rate movies on it's morality? What about the script, acting, directing, techs, etc.? I thought those made a good movie, not how offensive the movie is.

I mean, these people are rather odd. Example: I just read a comment on IMDb by someone who seems to hate Ren & Stimpy just because it has gross jokes. Hey, it's cool if you don't like R&S, it is a very acquired taste. But just because it has gross gags? C'mon. That's ludicrous. What about the writing, or the animation, or the characters? Shouldn't these be judged about the show rather than the grossness? Oh wait. Those don't matter. It's gross, so it sucks. Silly me.

Films/books/TV shows shouldn't be judged by how offensive they are. They should be judged by how good they are. Quality filmmaking/writing/TV-making doesn't come from moral. It comes from the writing, and/or directing, acting, etc.

[RogueSpear]

Ok, first of all what does finding something gross have to do with morality? Finding something gross isn't really an issue of morality so I'm not sure why you chose that example. Me saying that I hated American Pie because it dealt with premarital sex is a better example of what you are referring to.

But I digress...

I must disagree. People can dislike movies for any reason they want. If they disagree with something in the movie because it contradicts their morals or what they believe in then they should stand up for those morals. Besides, not everyone bases their opinions of movies on writing, directing, acting ect. all the time.

Personally, I pay more attention to whether or not the movie entertains me than how good of job the actors or director do. I've seen movies with terrible acting that I've enjoyed more than movies with great acting.

[ilovemovies]

I think the movie that comes to my mind when I read this topic is The Life of David Gale. An interesting, strongly acted and thought-provoking film that Roger Ebert gave Zero freakin' stars. I didn't agree with what the characters did but I understood why they did it and found the movie to be compelling.

[JustinKing665]

You mean like capalert?

[Jon Lyrik]

Originally posted by JustinKing665
You mean like capalert?

CAPAlert.com is definitely run by a nut, but I doubt he rates movies on their morality.

[BubbaStrangelove]

Let people rate movies on whatever scale you want.

I have a Cameron Diaz/Ass shaking scale, myself.

Isn't freedom great!

[ofmknockoff]

I love capalert. I haven't been there for awhile, I wonder what it has to say about Wrong Turn?

[Cronos]

I agree and disagree with that, i can enjoy film if its fun despite if i disagree with the morals, but if i have very strong morals that comes into a film, i can hate it just because of that

[PackBacker]

If capalert doesn't rate based on morality then I'm a pregnant drunk chimpanzee.

From their website:
During the development of the CAP Numeric Analysis Model, the developer observed our culture and society for examples of unacceptable activities and behavior -- unacceptable in accordance with the teachings of Jesus -- examples of activities and behavior which are potentially destructive to wholesome morals, values, and principles. At developement's end, the examples of unacceptable activities and behavior were incorporated into the CAP system as Investigation Standards. The Investigation Standards were partitioned into six Investigation Areas: wanton violence/crime, impudence/hate, sex/homosexuality, drugs/alcohol, offense to god, and murder/suicide.


Not sure what your point is, since you're defending capalert but bashing those who judge films based on morality.

[Jon Lyrik]

I wasn't defending CapAlert (I'm the last person who would), but I think that he found a few films to be great despite their "moral corruptance". I forget when, though.

BTW: Happy birthday, PackBacker

[Zebra 3]

:p - What these so-called moralist don't seem to realize is that more often than not, the more they denounce a film based on its apparent lack of morality the more the public will be attracted to the film in question.

[Jim H]

CAP alert rates them on morality. He complains if it shows something he doesnt't think is good in a positive light, such as paganism.

That said, I agree. If you've read the disastrous threads like 'Micheal Moore: Leave America....', you might guess I'm not very religious, but I still enjoy many pro-religion films - I think Ben-Hur is one of the best films ever made, for instance.

[Duke Nukem]

Moral issues is what makes some movies good and/or bad. Take the above-mentioned "American Pie": it shamefully rejoices in having teens needlessly and unnecessarily brag about pre-marital sex in every other scene and in having those teens fulfill their sexual destinies and wake up in the morning after some party sexually satisfied with their partners. Not such an innocent issue, is it? Those who strongly believe in having sex only when married wouldn't approve of it. So, despite some funny instances and good acting in "American Pie," its quality just goes down the drain, because of it's wrong "You need to lose your virginity before High School ends/It's okay to just have sex before marriage" tone.

[AgentSmith]

Morality, when it comes to rating movies, is complete bullshit..

How can someone rate a movie based on its morality??

Are you going to say that Star Wars:Return of the Jedi is a 'bad' movie because it showed an Ewok dying?

[Jim H]

Those who strongly believe in having sex only when married wouldn't approve of it. So, despite some funny instances and good acting in "American Pie,"

You missed the point of this topic, IMO. You're judging it based on morality. It would be akin to a, let us say "free spirit", disliking a movie that showed people waiting until marriage for that very reason. You shouldn't judge movies that way.

At least, that's the way I think of it.

If you really judge movies based on morality, a film like the Godfather would be awful wouldn't it?

[Duke Nukem]

You missed my point, actually. I think that SOME movies beg to be questioned of their morality. With "The Godfather," you have brutal killings all, but face it, that's reality. But, obviously, teens up to no good behavior is another reality, but there is no reason to exploit that reality on film. It doesn't help our world in anyway and is needless and unnessary.

So, I think that with some movies, you can base it on its morality, especially when its a major issue.

You may agree, you may not. Whatever.

[Jim H]

It doesn't help our world in anyway and is needless and unnessary.

You're insinuating that the Godfather somehow helps our world better then American Pie.

Movies don't need to try to help anything, sometimes being entertaining is enough.

[Lyle Waggoner]

Morality is just one more criteria of judgement, along with others like artistic vision, soul, originality and degree of brilliance. Some of these are ephemeral, some are not. They're all completely valid factors to influence your opinion of a film. And believe it or not, films are about a lot more than just good acting, set-design, direction etc, or just plain "ability to entertain". If they weren't, there'd be a lot of brilliant essays on film out there that would never have been written.

If you think you don't make moral judgements that are negative or positive about the films you watch, you're more than likely not being honest with yourself.

I don't think it should be a completely exclusive condition for why you like/dislike a film (although that's not to say that it can't be the biggest factor), but it's just as valid a component as any other.

[QUENTIN]

I hate when people judge a movie based on its morality, or their opinion of its morality. I do love, however, when people are too daft to realize that a movie DEPICTING something is not neccesarily in favor of it, things like Roger Ebert's review of Fight Club, many of the opinions I've read on The Rules of Attraction, and a lot of people regarding A Clockwork Orange, they all think the movies are advocating the things they're showing, even though the films obviously demonize fascism, decadent hedonism, and rape and violence respestively. When people say a movie isn't good because it features violence, sex, nudity, drug use, language, etc... I just have to laugh, find it kind of hard to respect their opinion, and wonder if they base all their judgments and "critical analysis" on such shallow factors, and sadly I think more often then not they do. I think even though he has broken his own cardinal rule of movie reviewing, Roger Ebert put it best regarding basing one's opinions on the morality, content, or subject matter of a film rather than how good it is:

"A movie is not what it is about, but how it is about it"


BTW -Truth in ranting: Even with my demonizing of those who do so, I must admit I've been guilty of this once myself... influential as it is and technically well-crafted as it may be, I despise D.W. Grifith's Birth of A Nation because I cannot stand its horribly racist viewpoint.

[James Logan]

It's something I sometimes do, yeah. I don't judge the movie solely on its morality, but it's one of the criteria, yeah. Fortunately, I think I'm mature enough to make the difference between a movie depicting something (THE RULES OF ATTRACTION, FIGHT CLUB) and a movie defending a cause. As long as the point of view of the director (as narrator) is objective enough, morality isn't an issue for not -- I can disagree with what's shown to me and like how it's shown in the same time.