Time for a Rant

I need to rant. Don't mistake this as me being angry, on the contrary, I had a really good day. But ranting is what I do. I may even throw in a little nostalgic moment in a later post. I've got one brewing.

Kids movies. I love them, I love the animation, especially the computer generated images. That stuff is amazing. I seriously can watch Finding Nemo over and over again just to try and catch a glimpse of some other detail I missed before. I love the messages, I love the music, I love cracking up and laughing at some witty comment a character made.

Now, having said that, I do have a problem with a lot of the "kids" movies flashing across the big screen. It seems to me that as with the rest of television and media, producers are letting things slip by the radar probably on purpose. The rating system is getting better at keeping you informed on what may show up during the movie, but my question is: Why do we need to let things slip? I'm talking about foul language (swearing in particular, I suppose potty humor is all right as long as it's tasteful... er, maybe that's not the best word to use in the same sentence as potty), adult situations, and innuendo. I've heard it so many times and I've been guilty myself of saying this as well. "Oh, it's a great show, but there are few grey areas, but don't worry I don't think your kids will get the jokes."

Yep, they get them. Maybe not in the same way adults do, but they're in tune enough to understand what gets an odd reaction out of parents during the show and they'll repeat it until it becomes second nature.

"Oh, Frank you're such a prude and a hypocrite, we know the movies you've plead guilty to having watched. If you don't like the cultural slips don't go see the show."

First of all, who said that? I'm pretty sure I'm typing by myself right now. Scary.

True, I'm not innocent when it comes to movies. I don't always view G and PG shows, but when I go to a cartoon, I don't need to be entertained in that fashion. I chose to see a cartoon. That should tell you something right there. If I don't hear a crude word or witness some suggestive material, I think I'll survive for an hour and a half. I know my kids will. What happened to protecting the innocent?

"But, Frank, they're going to have to learn sometime. You can't shelter them all their lives."

Stop that!

I get that too, but that's what grade school is for. Believe me, my son has already educated me on a few terms that I had forgotten. And so what if I want to shelter my kids just a little longer. Do they have to grow up savvy to the twisted ways of the world right away? Maybe I'm blowing things out of proportion. I've been known to do that before. Sure, I can get angry and slip up, say some things I shouldn't, but for one tiny segment in my life, I would like to sit down with my kids and watch an amazing show with state of the art graphics, hilarious characters, a good story line (no it doesn't have to be Oscar worthy as lately it seems is the standard for animation, just something... good) and absolutely zero filth, or adult humor, not even a hint of it.

There. I said it. It's out. I feel a lot better about life now. Hopefully no one gets offended.