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Top Dove Family Movies of 2004
By Dick Rolfe
Each year
every movie-goer compiles his/her list of movie favorites.
“Top Ten,” “Top Five,” “Best Of,” it really doesn’t matter,
so long as the selections reflect the tastes of the
individual or organization putting them up for
consideration. The word “taste” is key. Think about it as
you examine the nominees and winners that represent the
tastes of each organization below.
In recent
years, we have become inundated with an ever-increasing
number of movie, music and television award shows. The
oldest and best-known of these is the
Academy Awards,
also known as “The Oscars” named for the much sought after
golden statue.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences,
a professional organization of over 6,000 motion picture
professionals, was founded “to advance the arts and sciences
of motion pictures; foster cooperation among creative
leaders for cultural, educational and technological
progress; recognize outstanding achievements; cooperate on
technical research and improvement of methods and equipment;
provide a common forum and meeting ground for various
branches and crafts; represent the viewpoint of actual
creators of the motion picture; and foster educational
activities between the professional community and the
public-at-large.”
Notice the reference to representing the “viewpoint of creators” but no
mention of representing the tastes of the public or the
moral values of society.
By far the oldest movie award organization, The Academy began in May,
1927. The first Academy Awards were handed out on May 16,
1929, almost immediately after “talkies” were introduced to
the public. That first awards ceremony took place in the
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel with about 270 members and guests.
The
77th Academy Awards will be presented on Sunday, February
27, 2005,
and will be telecast worldwide on ABC from the Kodak Theatre
in Hollywood which will seat 3400 eager fans and hopeful
nominees. Nearly overshadowing the suspense of who will win
the Oscar is who will be voted “best dressed” by the fashion
mavens.
Next is the
Golden Globe
Awards. Today, as the world has grown increasingly smaller and
international markets are essential to the entertainment
business, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has
secured a strong place among Hollywood institutions. The
“Globes” are a combination of the Oscars and the Emmys
representing a host of awards for domestic films, foreign
language films, television movies, and prime time television
series.
Winners are chosen by polling members in more than nine hundred
newspapers, magazines and radio stations around the world
representing some fifty-five countries with a combined
readership exceeding 250 million.
The HFPA’s mission is “to establish favorable relations and
cultural ties between foreign countries and the United
States of America by the dissemination of information
concerning the American culture and traditions as depicted
in motion pictures and television through news media in
various foreign countries.”
The importance of the Golden Globes has increased greatly when they
pre-empted the Academy Awards by holding their fest in
January each year. The winners have an inside track for
consideration for an Oscar since the Academy members are
still casting their votes when the Golden Globe winners are
announced.
On January 9th, millions of Americans cast their votes
in the 31st annual
People’s Choice Awards.
For the first time, the winners in every
category were determined by voters on the PCA website.
Categories and potential nominees were compiled by
Entertainment Weekly Magazine. The magazine’s Front Row
Panel of 6,000 people picked from subscribers voted for the
top five selections in each category, which became the
official nominees.
Awards are given for nearly every form of artistic performance in
Film, Television, and Music. They even have a general
classification called “More,” where they recognize such
unforgettable attributes as Favorite Smile, Hair, Look, and
Couple with the best On-screen Chemistry.
The positive aspect of the People’s Choice Awards is that the
winners are chosen by the most important people group in the
entertainment industry – audience members.
Top Ten Family Movies
from The Dove Foundation
Ever
since it’s beginning, The Dove Foundation has been
determined to represent the tastes and preferences of the
most powerful group of movie-goers in America, the Family.
Everyone is a member of a family. The people group I am
referring to is what is commonly called the “All-American
Family.” This Family embraces traditional values. Since the
word “values” has become abused, I will substitute virtue, a
term that still holds true to its definition.
Most
parents with young children are very sensitive to the kinds
of entertainment their young ones are exposed to. However,
we should also acknowledge the hundreds of studies that show
a link between immorality or violence in film and its impact
on the human psyche. Our society has become victimized by
the extensive exposure of its citizens to repeated acts of
extreme violence, shocking language and sexual immorality in
films and on television. We are becoming hardened to the
real life impact of bad behavior. The good news is that the
opposite is just as true!
With that
in mind, Dove puts its efforts into selecting and promoting
feature films that encourage positive behavior and tell
uplifting stories that elevate the human condition. Here are
the ten movies of 2004 that received the highest quality
ratings from Dove Foundation Review Board members. You can
click on each film to get to the Dove review.
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Finding Neverland
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The Incredibles
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The Polar Express
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Fat Albert
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National Treasure
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Shrek 2
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Spider-man 2
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Miracle
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I am David
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Around the World in 80 Days
The
following Dove-approved movies also received nominations
from one or more of the three august groups above: Finding
Neverland, The Incredibles, Polar Express, Shark Tale, Shrek
2, Spider-man 2, SpongeBob-SquarePants
Coming Attractions for 2005
If you
are looking for something to do with the entire family this
winter, check your newspaper movie listings for
Because of Winn Dixie a warm, sweet, family-friendly
film that opens across the country on Friday, February 18th.
This film
stars Jeff Daniels, Cicely Tyson, Eva Marie Saint and Dave
Matthews (that’s right – of the band by the same name). A
new young actress, AnnaSophia Robb is a delightful leading
lady in this tender story about a girl and her dog and the
creative ways they touch everyone they meet. You will be
wonderfully entertained and feel better when you exit the
theater.
“Because
of Winn Dixie” is the first nationally released movie by a
major studio (Twentieth Century Fox) to carry the Dove
FAMILY-APPROVED Seal in its national advertising and
promotion campaign. After spending 14 years building
relationships with Hollywood filmmakers, Dove is gaining a
reputation as a valuable connection between the studios and
the Family audience. Another major studio just sent us one
of their films for endorsement.
We will
continue representing you and your desire for more wholesome
entertainment options. And, we will notify you each time we
discover a special movie that we can recommend without
reservation. “Because of Winn Dixie” is such a movie.
Enjoy!
The Academy Awards official website
The Golden Globe Awards official website
The Peoples Choice Awards official website
The Dove Foundation official website
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