Some politicians may be vying for the role of protector of the "right to choose," but Hollywood seems to be increasingly squeamish about giving abortion such a positive spin. This week's World Magazine cover story highlights the recent big-name movies and TV shows that portray protagonists who -- sometimes reluctantly -- choose life over death.

Has Hollywood tilted off its reliably pro-abortion axis? With the 2007 debut of these films, has the American abortion debate finally reached a tipping point, where more art now imitates pro-life?

Yes, says Steve McEveety, producer of Braveheart and executive producer of Bella and The Passion of the Christ. He believes moviegoers will see "a lot more films" with an underlying reverence for the unborn "and a lot more pro-life people coming into the film industry based on pure logic."

This is a trend we have praised at The Point and on BreakPoint as well, and if it keeps up, it could potentially have a greater impact on public opinion than the stances of Democratic (or Republican) presidential candidates.

And that doesn't make everybody happy, of course.

Ellen Goodman writes in the Boston Globe that these movies are giving young women the wrong message.

Against the endless loop of hip and comic stories, parents are expected to write the crawl - the stuff about relationships, about birth control, about becoming an adult before you become a parent. We're supposed to write the real life postscript to Hollywood's happily ever after.

Once again, adults are being called to teach against the cultural tide. Think of it as a casting call for designated fuddy-duddies.

Goodman might have had a good point in there, had she emphasized the importance of teaching young people the importance of marriage, and stemming the "cultural tide" of uncommitted physical relationships. That is a message that should not be overlooked. But the powerful revelation of productions like Bella is not that everyone gets a happy ending, but that everyone deserves a beginning.