Behind the Scenes—Movie Culture

Movies make us laugh, cry, smile, and sigh. Combining story, sound, music, and images, movies bring multiple art forms together in an all-absorbing display. Because they reach us on so many levels, movies have a unique ability to affect us. Some blister our eyes and ears with relentless, frantic action. Others seek to make us think, helping us reconsider what we thought we knew.

Because young people tend to spend the most money on movies, much of the global film industry is aimed at them. Film studios spend billions of dollars trying to get their attention. Often what they come up with is visually rich, but emotionally and spiritually poor.

What we choose for our visual entertainment can affect us for eternity. People often apply the apostle Paul’s words in Philippians 4:8 to entertainment choices. Paul tells us to focus our thoughts on what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy. As the Bible itself demonstrates, while honest stories will often address much that falls short of those ideals, they should still point us to what is noble and true.

If you choose to watch a particular film, consider:

• What message is it sending? Is it “crime doesn’t pay” or “love conquers all”? Does it suggest that the ends justify any means, that violence solves problems, or that there are no real answers? Is it redemptive, or does it just display humanity’s brokenness?
• Does it have substance? Even a film intended to present a Christian message can be shallow and artificial. Do the characters feel real, acting and talking like actual people? Do their motivations make sense? Is the story overly simplistic, or do the characters wrestle with genuine challenges? Is the story’s resolution truly earned, or do things just fall into place without reason?
• Is it artfully made? Did the filmmakers aim for excellence in all aspects, or just slap something together to distract us for two hours? A mega-budget movie packed with special effects may fail to keep our attention, while a micro-budget independent film can tell a fascinating tale.
• Does it respect its characters? Does it portray some of them as mere “eye candy” for our visual consumption? Does it treat them all as of equal value regardless of origin or background?

Movies can be educational, enlightening, and inspiring. They can also be trivializing, mind-numbing, and degrading. It takes discernment to recognize what media is drawing you closer to God, and what is pulling you away from Him. King David decided, “I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless” (Ps. 101:3, ESV). Reflecting on all aspects of his life, David wrote, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer” (Ps. 19:14).

Movies will come and go, but our relationship with God is forever. Let’s set our eyes on Him.