A family walks into the local theatre to partake in a family Christmas movie. The movie of choice is Disney’s new adaptation of A Christmas Carol. Before the start of the movie, the parents caution their children to look away and close their eyes for any scenes that are too scary for them. The film had gathered a reputation for scariness and the parents didn’t want to come unprepared. Are the scary scenes of ghosts and peril within the film appropriate for younger audiences?

How does one prepare for such occasions when a movie’s appropriateness is called into question? With the increasing availability of entertainment and media to young people, where does a parent or youth leader go to gain advice and discernment in regard to movies and media? Luckily, there is a wealth of resources within reach to help and advise in such situations when films such as A Christmas Carol raise questions and concerns.

• Motion Picture Association of America: Mpaa.org offers a search engine that will pull up the rating and the basic reasons behind it for all films rated since 1968.
• Kids in Mind: Kids-in-mind.com provides a more in-depth review, priding itself on providing reviews from an unbiased perspective in order to allow the parents to decide for themselves about a movie selection.
• Movie Guide: Movieguide.org
• Plugged-In Online: Pluggedin.com
• Christian Spotlight on Entertainment: Christiananswers.net offers a Christian perspective on movie reviews, as well as other entertainment media.

In their review of A Christmas Carol, Movie Guide wrote the following concerning the movie’s potential troubles: “Even so, please note that Disney’s A Christmas Carol is too frightening for young children and susceptible adults. It shows the very frightening demonic aspects of the wages of the sin, especially avarice, to convict even the most self-centered viewer so they will understand the power of repentance and new life in the Spirit of Christmas.”

Even in justified portrayals of such issues, the content may be too frightening to some viewers. It is important for parents and youth leaders to have resources to advise young people and encourage good choices concerning entertainment media. These resources are valuable to, as Plugged in Online puts it, “shine a light on the world of popular entertainment while giving families the essential tools they need to understand, navigate and impact the culture in which they live.”