Comments about ‘BYU film panel calls for more movies with high morals’

this article makes me ashamed i went to byu. how is that a real university? the horror, the horror...

What, clearplay doesn't work for PG movies??

Just keep pretending that stuff doesn't exist and you will be fine :)

...you're not fooling anyone. You're simply a troll.

How about movies with no characters arguing and everybody is always happy and nothing goes wrong and it doesn't rain and nobody frowns and animals don't die and there is no pollution or problems with the world! Wouldn't that be swell!

I would love to see a movie that is really funny - with no bodily functions involved, and no swearing. I know that back in the day people were able to come up with funny jokes and humor without using these things. Are we so stupid, numb, lazy, whatever, to come up with funny material without resorting to these things. Isn't anything else funny anymore?

I agree with Dennis. This sort of thing makes me embarrassed to say that I went to BYU. This is also the kind of thing that adds to the "Utah Mormon" stereotype and stigma. Those of us who live outside of Utah deal with the real world day in and day out. We make decisions, we think. To me, this film panel is about making decisions for people and dumbing down content in the name of religion and piety.

There are plenty of quality films and programing for children. Beyond that, let people decide for themselves what they will and will not watch as part of their personal entertainment.

uh, how was i trying to fool anyone? i say rename the school to pleasantville u.

There seems to be a sense that if something is part of reality (i.e., ever happens anywhere), we should watch depictions of it. "Saving Private Ryan" was filled with gore. "But that's the reality of war, so we shouldn't shield ourselves from it," people said. By that reasoning, we should seek out everything desensitizing and lewd and watch it.

The goal here isn't to create depictions of the world that ignore real issues and problems. It's to create depictions that acknowledge that there are also good people and morals in the world–that not everyone is addicted to something, sleeping with someone, foul-mouthed, and violent.

The movie "September Dawn" is a great Mormon history movie. No swearing. Just good old Mormon pioneer times.

It is so refreshing to see somebody take a stand on this! I am really tired of seeing movies labeled as "family friendly", and then having to turn them off when my children watch them. When did swearing and low morals become family friendly?

The recent movie "Up" did a terrifac job of keeping it clean, and it did great at the box office. Wish other movie makers would follow their example.

The panel was not about dumbing down content. Lyman talked extensively about the need for actual conflict and depicting a Christian's response to such real world conflict, such as praying for help. The panel acknowledged the fact that when we talk about Christian values people automatically think Sunday school and poorly made films. I think the average Christian confronts real conflicts in life that are worthy of a good story, we just need to figure out how to portray such things in an artistic way.

I am a Temple attending Mormon and BYU graduate. I agree there needs to be more uplifting media. There isn't enough support among our membership to move it along quickly, that's for sure.

But please don't denigrate "Ryan" as I find it to be one of the most inspiring and uplifting films of all time. It is about redemption and love. If you disagree or don't want to watch, you don't have to. No problem for me. That's the beauty of art. It can cover the depth and breadth of humanity in both subject and audience.

Lyman Dayton. "When is the last time you saw a mainstream movie where Christian behavior was a normal … thing?"

Last week. Blind Side.

"Saving Private Ryan" is an example of quality film making. The film was about war, and war was shown. Along with war and the cruelty that humans can have for one another, we also saw the the strength of the human spirit and people who were willing to risk their lives for something they believed in.

I think the goal IS to create depictions of the world that ignore real issues that force everyone else to live according to BYU standards and teachings. I have no trouble at all making my own decisions in choosing the kinds of films to watch or books to read. I wonder why others are not able to make similar choices in their lives without seeking a label of approval from a church, university, or professional marketing organization.

Maybe BYU should work on making marquee football players good examples on and off the field first. Paging Max Hall, the panel would like to see you now.

That's fine. I'll admit that I haven't seen "Ryan." But what I said about it was that it's filled with gore, and unless I was completely misinformed, I don't think anyone's going to dispute that. The message may be positive, but I don't believe that positive messages are enhanced by gore and violence. The problem is that although the shock value may make the message more powerful, it desensitizes at the same time.

Since you're LDS, I'll recommend some further reading to you: "It's 'Only' Violence," by Brad Bushman, from the June 2003 Ensign.

I understand what you are saying... I think that everyone has the right to pick what they want to see. No one is trying to take that right away.

I think what they are trying to say is that there should be more choice for people who don't want to pay money to watch sex scences or adultry or foul language etc... who just want a movie that they can sit down and enjoy for them and their taste.

There are PLENTY of worldly movies out there... that is not a problem.. It is amazing to me sometimes I look for a movie to go to and 3 out of 4 of them are R rated.. sad.. there should be more of a varity so that more people can enjoy going out to the movies, not just those that don't have a problem seeing what others would consider trash.

Gee.... Let's not do Shakespeare at BYU. "MacBeth" is way too gory!

The biggest problem with this whole movie debate is that no one is taking the free market into consideration.

People pay to see the movies they want to see.

If more people want to see a certain type of movie, that is the type of movie that will make money, and that is the type of movie Hollywood will make.

If enough people don't want to see a certain type of movie, then people will not see that type of movie, it will not make money, and Hollywood will not make any more movies like that.

You can complain all you want about the types of movies out there, but money is what really talks - and the money likes gory movies, and movies that have bodily functions, and movies that make people look stupid, and movies that have sex or implications thereof, and basically all the types of movies you all are complaining about.

Welcome to the free market and a true "majority rules" world.

"Saving Private Ryan" was bloody, gory, and too true to life to be an "enjoyable" movie. It was similar to the original "American Graffiti" which was peppered with the "F-Bomb", just like it was when I cruised main and chased girls back in the 1960's. I wouldn't take young children to either movie but I would happily take teens to them. Anyone remember "Saints and Soldiers"? One hero was a (GASP) SMOKER, and in the excruciating scene where his tormentor is trying to give him a lit cigarette is one of the most touching moments I've ever seen in a film.
Good movies will portray a good person dealing with stress, temptation, and hopefully redemption. Good movies will make the viewer part of the experience, and that means inserting imperfection and problems.
"Brigham City" is one of my favorite movies... it's LDS themed and yet shows little of perfection; normal LDS personas with faults visible and otherwise. Blood and guts too; what's not to like?