[March 28, 2022] I’ve always believed that the redeeming value of movies is more than their immediate entertainment value. Movies can teach us worthy lessons. Once, I posed the question, “Can we learn leadership from a movie?”1 Modern movies, however, disappoint … and I’m sure most of us would agree.
I am convinced that some of the best movies can teach us how to live our lives, at least in a small way. Values like the importance of friendship, camaraderie and loyalty, the dangers of pride and arrogance, the importance of compassion and charity, or the meaning of determination and resilience. Yes, movies can teach us these things, and the best ones do so within an exciting storyline.
By accident, I ran across a movie critic a few days ago while searching for an old war movie. The Critical Drinker is who I found. His movie reviews are superior to those I once considered professionals, like Roger Ebert, Gene Shalit, and Leonard Maltin. After listening to him, you get a sense of “yeah, that’s right.”
One of my favorite videos that The Critical Drinker posted on YouTube is titled, “Why Modern Movies Suck – They Teach Us Awful Lessons.”2
“Movies are great for teaching us useful life lessons, inspiring us, warning us, and generally showing us how to be better people. Unfortunately, they seem to have forgotten how to do this stuff, and the result is they’re giving their audiences terrible life lessons.” – The Critical Drinker
The Critical Drinker’s name is Will Jordan, born in Scotland and author of a popular series of action thrillers.3 You can find his books almost anywhere.
Will Jordan believes modern movies’ moral scales are tipping in the wrong direction. He sees these movies as teaching people to be arrogant, complacent, entitled, narcissistic and selfish.” Will Jordan comments that these movies “give us shitty lessons that produce shitty people,” and he is right.
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- https://www.theleadermaker.com/can-we-learn-leadership-from-a-movie/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dnuqp4_K7ik&t=13s (YouTube video, 10:49 minutes)
- https://www.amazon.com/Will-Jordan/e/B00BCO7SA8/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1
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Please read my new book, “Our Longest Year in Iraq,” at Amazon (link here).
I agree. Modern movies since 1990 suck. Look pretty but no real plot. 🦃☹️
Found this guy on YouTube. Great great great. Just want I was thinking but couldn’t put it as eloquently.
I don’t watch modern movies anymore. I always come away feeling like I just saw a porn movie. Disgusted.
Once again, Gen. Satterfield has delivered on a massively important topic. In this case, The Critical Drinker tells us what makes modern movies to terrible (hint, they teach us the wrong lessons in life). I’m now a new fan of The Critical Drinker; go see his videos now. You won’t be disappointed.
Big fan here. Always have been, always will be.
Thanks New Girl #1. It is a pleasure.
Me too. Thank you Gen. Satterfield for another great article. Yes, modern movies suck! And, they suck big time.
👍 Got that right.
Of course “modern movies” suck. Not because they are written by 10 year olds – ha, not really – but because the audience demands visuals over content. Our young people are being dumbed down in every direction and nobody cares, esp the parents who are more interested in watching tv or going fishing for entertainment. Care about yourself and screw everybody else is the new narrative. Selfless service is an ancient concept looked upon with contempt.
You got that right USA. Too much me me me and not enough for the community.
Thanks General for another really good posting.
All, if you want to watch some good movies with wonderful values you might want to search faith based movies. I watched a few and I always come out feeling inspired instead of beat down.
Good point army wife. 🙏
This is why I’m a huge fan of Gen. Satterfield. Keep reading, learn, write, stay focused, that is how your succeed in life and be sure to pay attention to Gen. Satterfield’s ideas about telling the truth, never life, cheat, or steal.
Well said, Army Wife and I appreciate you pointing out faith-based movies that are uplifting.
Like so many here, I never gave this movie review stuff much thought. And, I don’t watch modern movies anyway because they just ‘suck’ from my standpoint. Seems like they all want to make white men into something toxic and women as always the strong hero. Kinda backwards from reality. So, I don’t watch them. I spend my money on going out to dinner with my wife. That’s far more important.
Same here Wesley. Too much stupidity in movies. I did see the movie 1917 about WWI. I saw it for free on tv and refused to go to the movie theatre. Plus the movie theatre is dirty, sticky floors, bad counter service, nasty children making noise, stupid teenagers looking at their cell phones, and management that doesn’t give a crap. Avoid movie theatres, folks. It will do you good.
I haven’t been to a move showing in more than a decade and I don’t miss it. Yep, the service there is horrible and the prices are way too high. 😊
Real life is more entertaining.
Got that right! Just watch Joe Biden, plenty of entertainment as the WH has to walk back his comments everytime he gets off the teleprompter.
Movies teaching people to be arrogant, complacent, entitled, narcissistic and selfish. Ghee , who would have known.
Good comments. I never really gave this much thought.
Same here. But now I’m WOKE — well, not really woke like the neo-Marxists think woke is (what does ‘is’ mean) to those who give no meaning to words and think that anything they think is real. What a bunch of pussys. Kick Butt and take names. That’s my motto.
Good video by The Critical Thinker. I”ve been watching his critiques for a year now and have subscribed to his YouTube (even if I do hate YouTube) channel. He gives a great deal of important info that helps me better understand the movie and why I don’t like them (or not). For those who don’t know him, go and watch him and listen closely. Sometimes I listen to his critique twice to make sure I got his whole message.
Hey guys & gals, lets not forget to buy the new book from Gen. Satterfield. Just go to Amazon and type in ‘Our Longest Year in Iraq.” Or, type in his name ‘Gen. Satterfield’ and it will pop up. Great cover design!
Beat me to the recommendation, Harry Man. I got my copy and its the best book I’ve read in a long time.
I couldn’t agree more.
“The Critical Drinker’s name is Will Jordan, born in Scotland and author of a popular series of action thrillers.3 You can find his books almost anywhere.” Thanks Gen. Satterfield.
Maybe I should buy one of his books but I sure do love his look at movies.
Thanks Ken. This Will Jordan sure has got his act together. I too watched a couple of movie reviews. There aren’t many men left like him. Appreciate Gen. Satterfield putting me onto his movie critics.
I’m a fan!
After reading this article, I went out on YouTube (screw tube as Dan Bongino calls it) and searched for The Critical Drinker. Wow, some great analysis. He puts Ebert and other traditional critics in the backrow along with the nuts that pay good money to watch crappy films.
I got to agree with “The Critical Drinker.” Movies, modern movies, give us awful life lessons. That’s because the plots are written by 10 year olds (ha).
Nothing to see here, move along, go see another movie (with satanic values & that’s okay), and buy some popcorn, please. 😊 sarcasm
For real! ✔✔✔✔✔
Ha Ha Ha…. about time we started using humor to destroy the America haters like John Kerry, Lloyd Austin, GEN. Milley, Joe Biden, Kamallllaaa Harris, Hillary Clinton, and so many more. Stop the haters.
yes, interesting me.
Good … to the point, pow!