Picks, Pans, and Proceed-with-Cautions

Just our humble opinions...

** Is anyone else out there watching Sing Off?  We're addicted!  There is some incredible talent out there in the acapella world, oh my gosh.  And you just have to appreciate the fact that such incredible music is produced without the crutch of electronics or editing.  Totally fun and amazing, real entertainment.  Our typical TV fare includes documentaries, old movies (Watched an old Kay Kaiser movie this morning!), and the Mythbusters -- but have been excited to add this week-long special to our must-see viewing.  The elimination rounds continue through the week, and the winner will be picked on Monday.  It's showing every evening this week on NBC. 

~ OOPS!  Correction:  I thought Sing Off was showing until Friday, but I was mistaken.  The final show, in which the winners will be chosen (voted for by the viewers), airs Monday on NBC.  All the eliminations rounds have been aired, but can be seen in their entirety here.

Here's a hilight:

** In contrast to Sing Off, we never watch, and cannot endorse the Dancing With the Stars program.  We're fans of Fred and Ginger and Gene Kelly (and have really enjoyed the choreography of the groups on Sing Off so far), so we tried one episode of Dancing...  and had to turn it off.  Not only are the women's outfits too often immodest (to say the least), but the routines are suggestive and -- to our sensibilities, anyway -- not very enjoyable.  We gladly tune out this program.

** We've found the same problem on the other televised talent shows.  Occasionally some real talent comes along, but the viewers are forced to sift through an awful lot of garbage to get to anything good.  We don't have the time or stomach for it.  You've heard the old story about the Dad who makes brownies for his children with only a "little tiny bit of dog poop" in it?  That's how we feel about variety shows that have only a "little bit of inappropriate programming."  I know, I know.  We really are stick in the muds (sticks in the mud?)... But, we like mud, so long as it's good, clean mud.

** Dan and I went to see Blind Side last weekend -- and LOVED it.  Sandra Bullock was great, as were all the other actors and actresses, and it was a true story about real people doing good things.  Ya gotta love that!  But...  I cannot give the movie a 100% endorsement, unfortunately.  First of all, I'd like to have given Sandra Bullock's Character a link to Betty Beguiles or Colleen Hammond.  Let's just say I wonder if the Christian woman betrayed in the movie dressed quite so much like a trollop as the wardrobe people dressed Ms. Bullock.  Also, the movie had two uses of the Lord's Name in vain, and there was language that, though it was pertinent to the story of a child who grew up in the worst of environments, I wouldn't want my young children hearing it.  Though there was no cussing or blatantly explicit dialogue, just slang and veiled inuendo, the movie revealed more of the lower side of the human condition than I would want to expose my little ones to at all. 

That said, the Christian value of charity and the moral fortitude of the characters in Blindside make it a worthwhile movie for adult viewing.  I would recommend it to my older teenagers, perhaps, with caveats and discussion, and endorse it for my adult friends.  Great feel good movie -- but proceed with caution.