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Karen T
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| Posted: Dec 13 2011 at 4:27pm | IP Logged
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Have you, or would you, let your not-quite-12 yo, 6th grade son watch the movie Elf? I've always avoided it b/c the main actor is usually pretty raunchy in other things I've seen. He's in Catholic school now, and his teacher wants to show this on the last day before Christmas vacation. The kids all need permission slips, and if even one parent doesn't agree, the whole class doesn't get to see it. Ds doesn't want to be the reason for the whole class missing it but reading the reviews I'm not crazy about it. Of course, I know sometimes this site focuses heavily on things which go by in such a flash as to be hardly noticeable, too, so I'd appreciate input from people who have actually seen it.
Here is the review from Plugged in Online, which is Focus on the Family.
Karen
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jawgee
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| Posted: Dec 13 2011 at 4:44pm | IP Logged
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Karen T wrote:
Have you, or would you, let your not-quite-12 yo, 6th grade son watch the movie Elf? I've always avoided it b/c the main actor is usually pretty raunchy in other things I've seen. He's in Catholic school now, and his teacher wants to show this on the last day before Christmas vacation. The kids all need permission slips, and if even one parent doesn't agree, the whole class doesn't get to see it. Ds doesn't want to be the reason for the whole class missing it but reading the reviews I'm not crazy about it. Of course, I know sometimes this site focuses heavily on things which go by in such a flash as to be hardly noticeable, too, so I'd appreciate input from people who have actually seen it.
Here is the review from Plugged in Online, which is Focus on the Family.
Karen |
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I haven't seen the movie. One of my favorite online review sites, though, is Common Sense Media. It rates the movie as good for ages 7 and up. Thought I'd share that as you make your decision.
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SallyT
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I have seen Elf, and while it's not my favorite movie, I don't remember anything actually objectionable. Of course, it's been ages since I saw it, but as I recall, my main impression was that it was silly, but not raunchy or offensive. It might not be the best expenditure of a 6th-grader's time, but I don't *remember* anything that would have made me make my younger-children-at-the-time leave the room (we saw it at my mother-in-law's; relatives had brought the movie, and we were more or less a captive audience).
Hope that helps.
Sally
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cathhomeschool
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| Posted: Dec 13 2011 at 4:58pm | IP Logged
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I think it's fine. As Sally said, it's not the best use of time (by far!) but it's nothing like Will Ferrell's other movies.  My 9 and 10yos have watched it several times. They think it's hilarious when he drinks a whole 2 liter bottle of soda and then burps. 
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SuzanneG
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Karen~
We have watched that movie as a family and with friends/neighbors every Christmas for the past couple of years...so, beginning when my oldest daughter was about 8, I think. I think it's funny and there are so many funny things to laugh about! We don't have a problem with it.
This is definitely one of Will Farrell's more innocent movies  ....b/c what you say about his general reputation is true.
It's probably not a movie that you should have him see without YOU seeing it too.....so, if you let him see it in class, you should see it too (pref before), so that the two of you can laugh about it together and you're not "in the dark" about the lines, the situation, etc. It COULD be a bonding moment!  Who knows? You may even end up answering the phone during all of December with "Suzanne the elf! What's your favorite color?"
That being said, I think it's TOTALLY WIERD and PATHETIC that THAT is the movie that the teacher wants to show to a classroom the last day of school! Especially since it's a CATHOLIC SCHOOL! Even a PUBLIC SCHOOL, I'd think it was wierd!!!! Sheez!!!!!! With all the great Christmas movies out there....THAT's the one she/he picks to show to a bunch of pre-pubescent kids confined within 4 walls four days before Christmas?????!!!!!!
That's just my opinion....
:: NOT my choice of movies to show to a classroom.
:: Would I sign the slip? probably. but, I would try to watch it this weekend WITH him, with a buttery bowl of popcorn in front of us....laughing and having a good time, so it becomes "just something funny to be silly with my family about"....maybe even stimulating some good convo about some of the issues brought up in it....instead of just a bunch of potty-humor, which is what 6th grade boys would turn it into.
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Claire F
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I don't think it's raunchy. The Elf character is actually rather sweet - sort of innocent. It isn't a typical Will Farrell movie at all. Most of the humor is centered around him not understanding things in the "real world" since he grew up among elves in the north pole. And he is obsessed with sugar, so he eats gross stuff, like pouring maple syrup on his spaghetti.
I actually think it's a cute movie :).
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kristacecilia
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There is the ordeal about his parents not having been married and having a child out of wedlock who then was placed for adoption, but I imagine by 6th grade you have dealt with that topic.
My kids are young, so they haven't seen it, but DH and I love it and quote it all the time.
"You stink. You smell like beef and cheese! You don't smell like Santa!"
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Maggie
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I'll be in the minority here and say absolutely not.
First, my dh and I watch this movie every Gaudete Sunday with Double Chocolate Cookies and Hot Cocoa with Bailey's.  We think it is hysterical...for adults.
There are several things to consider:
1). How did Buddy get to the North Pole? He was in an orphanage...because his mom got pregnant out of wedlock and gave him up for adoption. Depends on if you want to have that conversation or not...
2). Santa instructs Elf to not view a "peep show".
3). Very adult lingerie is present in a few scenes...not that I am opposed to lingerie...just children seeing it.
4). The father is a poor example, though, "redeemed" in the end.
5). Showering scene with a girl...though, nothing is shown...just don't think this is appropriate for a school.
Those are just the main things that jump out to me, as we just watched it on Sunday evening.
I'm with a previous poster...of all the great Christmas movies out there...she would choose this one?
I do not think this is appropriate at all for a school environment...and needs to be left to individual family discernment...but personally, we would wait until children are older.
That's just us, though.
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Angie Mc
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Wouldn't it be lovely if they chose to watch The Bells of St. Mary's?...Why doesn't anyone ask for my suggestions .
Karen, my sons at 12 would be able to watch this movie in a group. My best guess is that I wouldn't be thrilled about the class choice or how this vote is coming down but I wouldn't pick this as a high priority to battle.
As for the movie itself, I avoided it for years and just watched it for the first time last Christmas at the initiation of one of my older kids. LOVE IT! For the few possibly questionable moments, they are overshadowed by sweetness and the closure is satisfying too. It's also not SO sweet that it would only work for a 5yo.
Be at peace, friend. You are a great mom, your son is a great kid, and Christmas is a coming with all its JOY!
Love,
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Karen T
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| Posted: Dec 14 2011 at 7:29pm | IP Logged
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thanks for all the input! It seems, from responses here and another list I'm on, plus several different review sites, that while overall it's not terrible, there are enough things in it to find objectionable for a Catholic school to be showing. In other words, I might well be OK with seeing this as a family, where we'd be right there to discuss it, maybe FF as needed. But I'm just appalled that with all the wonderful movies out there, she would pick this! She's an older woman, probably 60 or so, and seemed to be fairly conservative.
I found out from ds today that apparently the class voted on several choices and came up with this one. Now I wonder if the teacher has even seen it herself! She put on the permission slip (which only came home today) that she's aware that it is PG. And he said that now, instead of nixing it for the whole class, anyone who doesn't have permission will just go to another class while the movie is playing.
If she'd sent this info out a couple weeks ago, I would not have hesitated to say no, and suggest several alternatives. But this close, it may be difficult for her to find something else, AND she's allowed the class to choose. Somehow, I'm sure the info would get out to his classmates on who is responsible for not having it. And I have just recently sent his teacher a note about some mild bullying that has begun, so I don't want to come across as one of "those" parents 
I wish I knew some of the other parents but he only started in this school last spring, and though I know quite a few parents in the school generally, b/c of our parish, I don't know any that are in his class (which is only 20 kids)
Decisions, decisions. I guess this one is just going to have to be decided in prayer.
karen
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Kathryn
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| Posted: Dec 14 2011 at 10:03pm | IP Logged
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I'm pretty strict on what I let my children watch and this is one that I do let them watch. It's really pretty funny but it does make me wonder why in a Catholic school, THIS is the chosen movie.
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Kathryn
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| Posted: Dec 14 2011 at 10:04pm | IP Logged
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Ooops...I wrote this and it just posted late after your last message so disregard.
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CrunchyMom
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What time of day is the movie? Will there be schoolwork afterward? I think I would just check him out that day before the movie and take him out for a treat or go home and watch a Christmas movie he likes that isn't an issue with a big bowl of popcorn. Then it becomes a non issue since he won't be there. Not sure if that would work for you, just another option.
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Karen T
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| Posted: Dec 19 2011 at 10:15am | IP Logged
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Well, before I could decide for sure, my ds got his dad to sign the permission slip (dh was working from home last week and got up to take him to school one morning so i could sleep in). So it was out of my hands.
I actually am not terribly bothered by ds watching, as much as the idea of having a movie like that be the entertainment at a Catholic school, which has usually been pretty conservative compared to what I've heard of others. Although the movie probably is not as bad as many others out there, do we just keep allowing stuff like that to infiltrate our kids' minds until R-rated movies become the norm? (b/c lots of stuff in the PG-13 movies are already what used to be R, and things now in PG movies used to be more monitored, etc)
Well, anyway, as I said, the timing was just not good for me to complain to the teacher, as I'd just written her about the bullying situation. That turned out very well; the principal even called me to let me know that she had talked to the student in question as well as most of the other kids in the class and gotten the whole picture. The kid came up to ds and apologized and asked if they could be friends and seemed sincere. So, this was more important than the movie question at this time. Thanks for all the replies. Now, I should probably watch the movie and see for myself
Karen
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Angie Mc
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| Posted: Dec 19 2011 at 11:53am | IP Logged
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Karen, when I first read your post I thought, "Here, most likely my dh would sign the paper and I wouldn't even see it." Not a bad way to go to take pressure off mom!
Don't let this rob you of a second of peace, friend. God's timing is perfect in all things...even things that are so obviously...poor judgement on the part of others. Sheesh.
So glad you are happy with how the principal heard your concerns  .
Love,
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Topic: ELF movie question
