Popular entertainment is interesting to us. We don’t indulge in it, we tend to think of ourselves as culture critics, fascinated at what others find so fascinating. While some may totally abstain from movies, we do diligence in researching the movies before jumping in and watching. Here’s a resource we’ve found useful in navigating our movie choices.
We may not be big TV watchers, but we love getting a good movie, popping some popcorn, and being entertained.
Plugged In.
Plugged In is an online movie review site. I know much of the staff personally; I worked with them at Focus on the Family. When the Denzel Washington movie The Great Debaters came out, I attended the movie with Paul Asay, one of the movie critics. Steve Isaac and I still get together now and then. These are fantastic people doing great work for families.
The subtitle of Focus’ most popular site is “Shining a light on the world of popular entertainment.” Plugged In helps parents have a solid perspective (they’re “plugged in”) to what their kids are watching. Here are three reasons why we think every parent should be “plugged in”:
1. Plugged In are rhetorical writers
I value the written word, and the editors at Plugged In are masters of it. They don’t just count the swear words or paste a number rating on the movie. They take the essay seriously and write a strong analysis of every movie they watch. You’ll find that even if you don’t intend to watch one of the movies, reading the essays are still a cultural analysis and a pleasant read.
2. Plugged In knows its audience
My kids devour the Plugged In reviews, but Plugged In doesn’t write to kids. They write to parents. You’ll get the feeling when you read their reviews: These editors are informing mom and dad of the potential problems the kids may find in the particular movie. I feel like Plugged In are advocates for parents, respecting the issues we may have with particular movies.
3. Plugged In gives parents a heads-up
There are movies that appear to be innocent, yet have a worldview we do not appreciate (why we really don’t join in the Avatar craze). Plugged In will point that out. Likewise, there are some PG-13 or R movies that we like to watch with our older children, movies that have Christian undertones that can be powerful teaching lessons. This is why we like M. Night Shyamalan so much (Signs is one of our teenage favorites in our home). Plugged In helps us see the underlying message of the movie before we waste a couple hours growing frustrated watching it.
4. Plugged In teaches you to be a fair judge
Click through these recent favorites:
- The Last Airbender. Already mentioned, we are Knight fans. We’ll read the review before watching this movie.
- Avatar. Personally, we don’t ever care to watch this movie, but we do want to read what the hoopla is about.
- Toy Story 3. We watched this movie the other day and thoroughly enjoyed it. However, there were some subtle undertones we did not appreciate.
You’ll see what I mean when you page through the critiques. You become a cultural critic yourself, analyzing the messages rather than just being a mindless observer. You become active in your entertainment choices, not just a consumer.
Ultimately, you become a better parent. Plugged In empowers you. Bookmark Plugged In on your computer, and enjoy doing the research before heading to the movies or renting one for your living room. If anything, it will lighten up the conversation between you and your kids and make for an enjoyable, entertaining evening.
About Chris & Wendy Jeub
