http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u ... ll_books_4
Talk of movie slump dominates Hollywood's summer
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u ... ffice_dc_6
The new TV season
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u ... ll_shows_3
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Thank God for living in a semi-tropical, tourist paradise with nice weather, sandy beaches, historic sites, and interesting events year-round.
Is it just me, or does it seem like writers are disappearing from the face of the planet? There are far too many reality shows on TV now (some have "scripts" but not the traditional kind with well-developed plotlines and characters). Movies are rarely anything more than remakes, parodies, and computer-graphics action fluff. Perhaps I need to read more. I don't read enough because I can't sit still long enough to get through 10 pages.
And now, I read that there's a new flick coming out that, IMO, pushes the envelope on child pornography. Call me old-fashioned...call me a prude. But in my opinion, actors under the age of 18 should not be depicted in scenes of a sexual nature, even when nudity isn't shown and the act is only eluded to. Furthermore, I think Hollywood should use a bit of discretion when actors over the age of 18 depict characters under the age of 18 in scenes like that.
The actress, who is 17, has a "love" scene with another actress, who is my age (37) [for the sake of the young'uns...I'm not going to give details about what I saw in the trailer]. This same young actress was also involved in an envelope-pushing scene at age 13 when she and her co-star (15) engaged in a kiss on their TV drama. I suppose it was "just a kiss." But even back then, I couldn't help but ask, "How far is this going to go?" I felt that it opened the door for Hollywood to step farther and farther past that line. And now I see that's the case.
So, what's next? Will they say, "Well, we did this and it wasn't so bad. She was 17. This one is 16. It's okay." Or "They let them do this and that in this movie. So, why can't we do this? Let's just make it a little racier...this time, no shirt."

I see it coming. Just think, there was once a time when a married couple wasn't even shown in bed together and they couldn't use the word "pregnant." Now look how far things have gone.
*shakes head in dismay*
For the record, parents -- if a movie is NR (not rated), don't risk it. It's definitely not for kids.