The Cable Guy (PG-13, 1996)

the great message here is that if you let your child stare at a screen all day, he/she will have little or no social skills and know little of the world. the other, less stressed message is that child neglect will cause sociapathy in the victim, in this case, Chip. now, staring at the TV all day will not make you psycho, but it will ruin your life, and this is the perfect scare tactic. while the message is a good one, there are no really good role models in this film...at all, and when I say at all, I mean at all. there is alot of comic violence, and Steven has a nightmare about Chip, which might be too scary and creepy for younger ones. plus, there is one scene where they play "porno password" in Steve's house, which has constant refrences to sexuality and private parts. I wouldn't say Chip is a bad role model, and who could blame him? he was neglected as a child. you should be sorry for him! And of course he attempted suicide! he has so little social skills, he dosen't know any other way out, and it could be suggested that he wanted to go to heaven to get revenge on his mother! plenty of pop culture refrences. Chip says "soon people can connect phone, TV, and internet! soon you could play mortal combat with a friend in Trinidad!" that is more true today than it was in '96, which is scary. the fact of kids being raised by TV is also more true now, and it's being refrenced in plenty of music videos! also scary. overall, if your kids won't turn off the telly, this is the perfect movie to have them start thinking about it, at least.