"Beverly Hills Ninja"

Title: "Beverly Hills Ninja"
Director: Dennis Dugan
Producers: B. Jenkel, B. Krevoy, and S. Stabler
Editing: Jeff Gourson
Composer: George S. Clinton
Starring:
- Chris Farley (RIP) as Haru
- Chris Rock as Joey Washington
- Robin Shou as Gobei
- Nicollette Sheridan as Allison Page/Sally Jones
- Soon-Tek Oh as Sensei

By now you may have noticed that the "Plot and Critical Review" portions are varying in length and style. I wanted to remind you that I copy that portion of the review directly from Wikipedia. I make grammatical corrections as I deem necessary and add or subtract content in the same fashion. The final paragraph (or couple of paragraphs) of the "Plot and Critical Review" section are mine.

For whatever reason, the plot synopsis on Wikipedia for "Beverly Hills Ninja" is quite poor. I'll try to clean it up.

Plot and Critical Review: A clan of ninja find a chest that has been washed onto shore, inside of which is a white baby boy. An ancient legend spoke of a foreigner who would come among the ninja and become a master like no other. The boy, Haru, is raised amongst the ninja, with the expectation that he may be the one the legend speaks of. Doubts are quickly cast over him, however, as to whether he could become the great white ninja. Although he does possess some ninja traits, Haru is clumsy and does not really fit in. He fails to graduate a ninja with the rest of his class and is left alone to guard the temple while all the ninjas are on a mission. Haru poses as a ninja when a blonde American woman comes in search of protection. The woman, Sally Jones, is suspicious of her boyfriend, Martin Tanley, and sends Haru to the harbor to investigate. Haru sees that Tanley is involved in a counterfeiting business. While surveiling Tanley he witnesses a murder. The clan are upset with Haru's actions as the police now suspect a ninja is responsible for the murder. Haru is adamant, however, that Sally is in trouble. Haru departs for America and arrives travels to Beverly Hills. Gobei, the best ninja in Haru's class, is sent to watch over him.

Haru has a bit of trouble adjusting to Western culture. He checks into a Beverly Hills hotel and befriends Joey Washington, a hotel employee, to whom he teaches a few ninja lessons. Haru goes in search of Sally, convinced that she is in trouble. He eventually finds her (with the help of Gobei, but unknowingly), but she distances herself from him. Haru tails Tanley to a club where he is trying to get back a set of currency plates from a rival gang. In a brawl between members of opposing gangs two men are killed and once again Haru again finds himself the prime suspect in a murder investigation. He returns to the hotel and meditates to communicate with his sensei for guidance. His sensei encourages him to use a phonebook in tracking down Sally Jones.

Haru resumes his quest and eventually makes his way to Tanley's home. Once breaking in he is able to speak with Sally Jones, whose real name is actually Allison Page. Haru begins to trust her again and she explains that she suspects Tanley of killing her sister. That night Haru and Allison escape a gun-fight at an Asian restaurant, and Tanley sees Allison there (Haru and Tanley were both surprised to see Allison there). The next day Haru poses as an ink specialist and is taken to Tanley's offices. In spite of Haru's, disguise Tanley soon finds out that he is "the fat ninja that everyone is talking about" and holds him captive.

While Tanley is in the process of getting the other half of the currency plates Allison rescues Haru from the back of a van. In the process Allison is kidnapped by Tanley. Now Haru must find his way back to his offices, but as he was blindfolded during his first journey, he must recreate the ride by memory. He enlists Joey to drive him there. Without either knowing, Gobei hides himself in the trunk of the car. After Joey drives into a horse race and a car wash, Haru and Joey start over. Gobei gets out of the trunk after Haru is blindfolded and knocks Joey out. He drives Haru directly to Tanley's warehouse. Haru uses a large palm tree to launch himself into the warehouse. Gobei also manages to sneak in.

Haru and Gobei are met by Tanley's henchmen. They fight together (Haru nunchucking Gobei several times by accident) until Haru is reminded that he should be saving Allison. Using a forklift, he smashes two holes in the wall of the room where Allison is held captive, almost setting off the bomb. He tries to defuse the bomb, but accidentally resets the timer for five minutes. Haru leaves Allison for a moment to help Gobei, who is surrounded. When Gobei gets hurt by one of Tanley's goons Haru becomes adept in the martial arts. Together they defeat the henchmen with a little help from Joey who jumps through the window in the same fashion Haru did and lands on one of them. Haru and Gobei must now defeat Tanley, who has a gun. Haru slices the rope of a winch, aiming for Tanley, but the hook knocks Gobei out instead. Blocking Tanley's bullets by swinging his swords, Haru eventually incapacitates Tanley. Using a huge harpoon gun to get to Allison, he shoots a harpoon through the room which inadvertently catches onto a nearby truck which attemps to escape in. As the hook is dragged out of the building it catches on the bomb and is pulled onto Tanley's truck, which explodes seconds later. Haru saves Allison and Tanley and his surviving henchmen are arrested.

Back at the dojo Haru talks to his sensei about moving to a place that needs more ninja. Haru and Allison ride off in the back of a truck. Attached to the truck is a rope that catches on Gobei's wheelchair and drags him down the road. Haru shouts an apology to his brother who is flung into the ocean.

"Beverly Hills Ninja" was the third to last film that Chris Farley would ever star in. His movies (including "Tommy Boy" and "Black Sheep") gained immense favor among fans of his work on Saturday Night Live and other comedic projects. "Beverly..." reached first place at the box office the weekend it opened. Along with films that featured Chris in cameo roles and his 100+ episodes on SNL, "Beverly" bears testament to Chris' comedic genius, his overwhelmingly charming personality, and his ability to get a smile out of anyone.

Did you know that just before his death Chris had begun recording vocals for the lead character in an animated feature that was said to be released in the late 90s/early 00s? The name of that character was Shrek. When Chris passed away Dreamworks recast the part and chose Mike Myers to perform in Chris' place.

I miss you, Chris.

My Rating: 7/10

Content to Caution:
V-3 – Lots of martial arts fighting, but very little blood or gore.
L-2 – Some cursing.
DU-1 – No comment.
RT-1 – Comments are made regarding whether or not ninjas can be white (or black, as in Joey's case.)
H/S-1 – No comment.
CH-3 – Many crude jokes are made, some of them sexual in nature.
S/N-1 – No comment.

The "Reel Revelation": "Believe In Who?"

The dominant theme in this film is easy to identify; "If you believe in yourself, you can do great things, even the impossible!" When we first come upon Haru he has no recognizable talent as a ninja, but when the moment is most dire he suddenly transforms into a master of the martial arts. All this because his sensei admonished him to "Believe in yourself!" Isn't that what we tell young people, "If you believe in yourself you can do whatever you want!"? A very charming sentiment, indeed. I can summon memories of all the times people spoke similair words over me, "Eric, if you believe in yourself you'll do amazing things. Just believe it!" Well, a few years have passed and i've decided (based on my few years of life experience) that believing in myself is one of the worse decisions I can make. I recognize that that's a strong statement, but I hope you'll read on and see if my perspective rings true in your life as well.

If I choose to believe in myself, what exactly am I believing in? Am I putting stock in my gifts and abilities? Those could disappear in my sleep, and then what would I be left with? Perhaps i'm believing in my ethical code and set of personal convictions. That sounds good, but I must remind myself that i'm just as likely as anyone else to break my own rules and boundaries. I guess that's out. Maybe, as a last resort, I can choose to believe in my faith in God. And then I suddenly remember that I am a sinner, a wretched soul, and a man cursed by the desires of the flesh and passions of the world. So much for that. So much for believing in myself.

You might think my perspective is sardonic and self-critical. By no means! Look into your own heart and see if you can come up with a different response. It's natural to think of the things we're good at or excel in and say "Hey, i'm not so bad. Look at how nice I am toward strangers! (Or insert whatever comment is appropriate.)" Whether or not we should believe in ourselves has little to do with our qualities or capabilities. It has everything to do with who we are when all of the niceties and privileges and awards are stripped away. Consider these words:

"When you lie down, you will not be afraid;

When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

Do not be afraid of sudden fear

Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes;

For the LORD will be your confidence

And will keep your foot from being caught." (Proverbs 3:24-26)

Have you ever been overwhelmed by "sudden fear"? That term isn't one that we use in everyday language, nor is "the onslaught of the wicked", but I think we know, in our hearts, what these terms really mean. They're pointing to the sort of fear and oppression that comes without warning, in the dark hours, and comes with such strength and ferocity we are entirely overwhelmed. Put yourself in that place. Feel the fear in your heart. Try to pull off the chains that have been wrapped around. Pull at them! They're locked in place...this enemy knows how to contain you. Now...believe in yourself and see how much of a difference that makes. Summon whatever courage you have and shout aloud "I will be free...I can do it...I believe in myself!" Are you getting much of a response? You won't.

"For the LORD will be your confidence..."

Consider this story:

"As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" When He entered the house, the two blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." Then He touched their eyes, saying, "It shall be done to you according to your faith." (Matthew 9:27-29)

How can we say "If only I believe in myself..." when we are the Children of a God so much more worthy of our faith and belief? We must teach ourselves (and our children!) how to bolster our spirits with confidence and hope, yes, but to place our belief and faith solely in God. Every good gift comes from Him, every blessing flows from His hands, and all that we are and all that we have in this life is because of what God has done for us through His Son, Our Lord. Believe in Him today and walk in the light of God's love and freedom.

See you Monday - E.T.

"The Apostle"

Title: "The Apostle"
Director: Robert Duvall
Producer: Steve Brown, Rob Carliner, and Robert Duvall
Editing: Stephen Mack
Composer: David Mansfield
Starring:
- Robert Duvall as Euliss "Sonny" Dewey - The Apostle E.F.
- Farrah Fawcett as Jessie Dewey
- Billy Bob Thornton as Troublemaker
- June Carter Cash as Mrs. "Momma" Dewey Sr.
- Miranda Richardson as Toosie

Plot and Critical Review: Sonny is a married Texas charismatic Pentecostal Christian preacher with a wandering eye. As a result of his infidelity, his wife Jessie has begun a relationship with a youth minister named Horace. She refuses Sonny's desire to be reconciled, although she assures him that she will not interfere with his right to see his children. She has also conspired to use their church's bylaws to have him removed from power. Sonny asks God what to do. Much of the congregation sides with Sonny in this dispute. Sonny, however, refuses to start a new church, insisting that the one which forced him out was "his" church. At his child's Little League game, Sonny, in an emotional fit, attacks Horace with a bat and puts him into a coma.

A fleeing Sonny ditches his car in a river and gets rid of all identifying information. He ends up in Louisiana, where, now calling himself "The Apostle E.F.", he convinces a retired minister named Blackwell to help him start a new church. He also begins a dating relationship with a local radio station employee.

With Sonny's energy and charisma, the church soon has a faithful and racially integrated flock. Sonny even succeeds in converting a racist bigot (Thornton) who shows up at a church picnic intent on destruction.

Eventually Jessie hears her ex-husband preaching on the radio and calls the Texas State Police. They arrive at "E.F.'s" church in the middle of a sermon but allow him to finish before they take him into custody. In the poignant finale, Sonny delivers an impassioned sermon before telling his flock that he has to go.

"The Apostle" received favor from moviegoers and critics alike for Duvall's poignant combination of writing, directing, and acting. This film was also embraced by Christians of all denominations for its portrayal of the reality of Christian life. While some films have portrayed Christians as being close to or quite near perfect, "The Apostle" takes a brave stride in confronting infidelity, destructive behavior, and deceit in the life of those who confess Jesus as Lord. At the same time it presents the heartbreaking struggle for reconciliation, forgiveness, and inner peace. In a time when many in the world perceive religion as an escape from reality, I believe this film is a sobering reminder that "...all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

My Rating: 7.5/10

Content to Caution:
V-2 – No comment.
L-2 – Some cursing.
DU-1 – No comment.
RT-3.5 – Thornton's character displays intensely aggressive racial behavior in his first few appearances on camera.
H/S-1 – No comment.
CH-1 – No comment.
S/N-1 – No comment.

The "Reel Revelation": "...we get it done, don't we?"

Ranked at #32 on the "Art & Faith Top 100 Films" list, "The Apostle" is full of enough faith-related thematic material to fill many blogs. There are the obvious elements of faith, healing, trust, guidance, reconciliation, forgiveness, friendship, romance, understanding, and perseverance. What strikes me as poignant this time around is one short scene and one very brief line that Sonny speaks as he travels to Bayou Boutte, Louisiana. He watches as a Catholic priest blesses shrimp boats with holy water as they pass by. Sonny chuckles to himself and simply says, "You do it your way, I do it mine, but we get it done, don't we?" This statement, simple as it is, has a great deal to say to us.

Have you ever turned on the television and, while surfing through the channels, stumbled upon TBN or another Christian network and watched as something unfamiliar to you was going on? For some of us an unfamiliar scene may be that of hundreds of people jumping up and down; giving their praise to God with unchecked exuberance. Maybe you've listened as people began to speak or sing in tongues; a spiritual language you'd never heard before. You may have even caught glimpses of a High Mass from St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and watched as the Pope and hundred of men dressed in ornate clothing chanted solemn prayers in Latin. Rather than seeing these events on television, perhaps a friend invited you to their church and, much to your surprise, you ended up face-first in a worship setting unfamiliar to you. In that moment, what was your reaction?

While some people may feel quite comfortable in charismatic worship services, there are others who wouldn't be able to sit still in services which include chanting, litanies, and hymns belted out by a pipe organ. While we don't have to agree with the ways other people choose to worship God, we must humble our hearts and recognize that that is precisely what they're doing...worshipping God! This is what Sonny saw as he looked out over the river and watched as the priest blessed the shrimping boats. This was something altogether outside of his tradition as a Holiness preacher, but he immediately recognized that they were worshipping God by blessing (praying for) those involved with the commercial industry of shrimping. What can we learn from Sonny's example?

We all respond in unique ways to different expressions of faith. This comes as a result of our upbringing, unique personalities, and personal sensitivities. But when we look upon a person or a group of people who are worshipping God in a way different than what we're used to, let us not cast judgment or decide to scrutinize the differences between what we do and they do. Rather, let us say "Amen! Praise God!"

A friend has told many stories of his experiences in Charismatic churches, a tradition of faith he wasn't used to. But even in the midst of his discomfort he decided that he wasn't going to judge these people because they worshipped God differently than he did. He described his decision to respect different worship styles in this way: "If you want to pray in tongues, i'll listen. If you want to lay hands on me, i'll let you. Hey, i'll help you roll up and down the aisles if you want me to! But i'll still keep worship in my own way while respecting yours."

We are in need of unity in the Body of Christ now more than ever before. I believe we can help to see that long-desired unity come to pass by laying down our pride and admitting that our way of worshipping is not the only way. Let us strive to end the wars that rage between churches and the communities of faith that shout back and forth, "We worship better than you!" and "Our worship is more pure!" May God soften our hearts and help us to see it is not the manner in which we worship that is most important, but that we worship God together. Remember what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman who was so concerned about where people would worship: "...an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. ... But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth..." (John 4: 21, 23)

See you tomorrow- E.T.

"Apocalypto"

Title: "Apocalypto"
Director: Mel Gibson
Producer: M. Gibson, F. Safinia, B. Davey, and N. Dowd.
Editing: John Wright
Composers: James Horner and Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Starring:
- Rudy Youngblood as Jaguar Paw
- Dalia Hernandez as Seven
- Jonathan Brewer as Blunted
- Morris Birdyellowhead as Flint Sky
- Raoul Trujillo as Zero Wolf

Plot and Critical Review: The film begins with an epigraph from Will Durant: "A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within".

While hunting tapir in the Mesoamerican jungle in the early 16th century, Jaguar Paw, his father Flint Sky, and their fellow tribesmen encounter a procession of traumatized and fearful refugees. Speaking in Yucatec Maya, the procession's leader explains that their lands have been ravaged, and asks for Flint Sky's permission to pass through the jungle. When Jaguar Paw and his tribesmen return to their village, Flint Sky tells his son not to let the procession's state of fear seep into him. At night, the tribe's elder tells the village a fable of man forever unable to fill his want, despite having been given the capabilities of all of the animals. The villagers follow the story with music and dance, leaving Jaguar Paw to ponder.

The next morning, Jaguar Paw wakes from a nightmare to see strangers enter the village and set the huts ablaze. The raiders, led by Zero Wolf, attack and subdue the villagers. Jaguar Paw slips out with his pregnant wife Seven and his little son Turtles Run, lowering them on a vine into a small cave (a chultun, shaped something like a well) to hide them. Jaguar Paw returns to the village to fight the raiders but is subdued with the rest of the tribe. A raider whom Jaguar Paw attacks and almost kills, the vicious Middle Eye, slits Flint Sky's throat while Jaguar Paw helplessly watches. Flint Sky's last words are to not be afraid. Middle Eye mocks Jaguar Paw by calling him Oulak, 'Almost', for not being able to kill him. Before the raiders leave the village with their prisoners, one raider notices Jaguar Paw staring toward the ground cave. Suspicious of Jaguar Paw's attention to the cave, the raider severs the vine leading into it, trapping Seven and Turtles Run.

The raiders and their captives trek toward the Maya city, encountering razed forests, falling trees, failed maize crops, slaves producing plaster, and the sick and dying. A small diseased girl prophesies that a man bringing the jaguar will bring the raiders to those who will scratch out the earth and end their world. In the city's outskirts, the female captives are sold as slaves and the males are escorted to the top of a steep pyramid. The high priest sacrifices several captives by decapitating them after pulling out their beating hearts. When Jaguar Paw is about to be sacrificed, a solar eclipse (also prophesied by the girl) stays the priest's hand. He looks at the king, sitting nearby, and the two share a smile while the people below panic at the phenomenon. The priest declares the sun god Kukulkan is satisfied with the sacrifices. He asks Kukulkan to let light return to the world and the eclipse passes. The crowd cheers in amazement and the priest orders that the remaining captives be disposed of.

Zero Wolf takes the villagers to a ball court. The captives are released in pairs and forced to run the length of the open space within the ball court to give Zero Wolf's men target practice, with a cynical promise of freedom should they reach the end of the field alive. However, Zero Wolf's son, Cut Rock, is sent to the end of the field to "dispose of" any survivors. The raiders target them with javelins, arrows, and slingstones as they run. Jaguar Paw is struck by an arrow through the abdomen but reaches the end of the field and breaks off the arrowhead. As Cut Rock approaches to finish him off with an obsidian blade, Jaguar Paw shoves the broken arrow into Cut Rock's throat. As Cut Rock bleeds out with Zero Wolf easing him into the next life, Jaguar Paw escapes through a withered maize field and an open mass grave. The enraged Zero Wolf and his raiders pursue Jaguar Paw into the jungle and back toward Jaguar Paw's home, in a series of chases scenes that are a throwback to "The Naked Prey", which served as a model for this film. Along the way one of the raiders is killed by a black jaguar that was disturbed by Jaguar Paw. As he flees, Jaguar Paw jumps over a high waterfall and survives, declaring from the riverbank below that the raiders are now in his forest.

Zero Wolf's raiders jump the waterfall as well, then fall to both the forest's elements and Jaguar Paw's traps. A heavy rain sets in, which begins to flood the ground cave in which Jaguar Paw's wife and son are still trapped. Jaguar Paw kills one raider with a poisoned dart, bludgeons Middle Eye in hand-to-hand combat and kills Zero Wolf by leading him into a trap meant for hunting tapir. He is chased by two remaining raiders out to a beach where they encounter what are assumed to be Spanish ships idling off the coast, with soldiers and a priest making their way ashore in boats. The amazement of the raiders allows Jaguar Paw to flee. He returns into the forest to pull his wife and son out of the flooded pit where they are hiding, and where Seven has just given birth to a healthy second child. As the family walks near the coastline, Seven asks what the strange objects near the shore are. Jaguar Paw responds only that "they bring men". The family moves deeper into the forest, "to seek a new beginning", leaving behind the European ships.

After the level of brutality displayed in "The Passion of the Christ", it was no surprise that Mel Gibson's next project would also make use of intense violence and gore. But here we do not endure gore or scenes of extreme brutality for its own sake. Rather, these elements are used in a thoughtful and truly artistic way to take us deep within the emotion and context of the story. While we might give some thought as to the necessity of such elements, we cannot pretend that they do not elevate the level of story-telling.

"Apocalypto" was highly favored upon it's release. Gibson's attention to cultural and historical accuracy (although there may be a few hiccups here and there) shown through and many of the motion picture academies took notice. While it was decorated by a series of awards in multiple disciplines of the motion picture sciences, "Apocalypto's" three Oscar nominations came up short. Many critics and actors regarded this film as the best of the year (2006) and many glowing critiques still remain. While my rating is high, I urge caution to those who have a hard time with extreme violence or gore. I'd answer "Yes" to the question my Mom always asks before she sees any movie that even looks scary; "Will I need a pillow?"

My Rating: 8.5/10

Content to Caution:
V-4 – I'll withhold a 5 as this movie (as did " The Passion of the Christ" before it) gives us breaks in-between the gore to help the film (and the viewer) breathe a bit.
L-2 – There is cursing, but it is inconsistent and presented to us through subtitles.
DU-1 – No comment.
RT-2.5 – There is significant tension between different tribes and the raiders who are charged with bringing in prisoners for sacrifice. We get a sense of what the Aztec/Maya cultural complex may have been like during this period in time.
H/S-4 – This is a high-octane movie which is based on the "chase-adventure" genre. We're always in motion and there are a great number of pitfalls and dangers to endure. Much of the horror comes as a result of the natural danger of the jungle.
CH-1 – No comment.
S/N-4 – Several instances of nudity among female members of the tribe, but only one indirect occasion in which nudity is tied to sex.

The "Reel Revelation": "The Hunt"

Have you ever hunted? In my early teenage years I went hunting with my Dad, Grandpa, and uncles in Eastern Oregon. We hunted white-tail deer. I was too young to appreciate the art of hunting and as a result didn't try very hard, but I learned many things about being a hunter. "Apocalypto" is a film that takes us, more or less, on a hunt of the grandest and most intense scale. In producing the film, Mel Gibson wanted to create the most intense chase-type movie of them all, and I believe he achieved that goal by stripping away all of the technology and typical Hollywood "chase-tricks" by placing the hunt between men and the jungle. As I watched the movie I couldn't help but feel that I was, in some way, watching the story of my own life portrayed through the eyes of the hunter and the prey. There are obvious differences, of course, and as this "Reel Revelation" is founded on an analogy (life as being like a hunt), I know that the analogy will eventually run thin.

Have you ever felt like you "hunted" something in your life? That is, have you ever felt as if you were caught up in a continuous chase after an object or opportunity that you desired? I believe we've all felt this way and I wouldn't be surprised if some of you feel as if your whole life has been a hunt or series of hunts in which you've sought after something of great value. To take a step in a more spiritual direction, have you ever felt like you were "hunting" God? Here's where the analogy starts to break apart. By even suggesting that we "hunt" for God is also to suggest that we kill God when we have "caught" Him, for that is the end of most successful hunts; the hunter kills his prey and consumes it. Perhaps it'd be easier to say that we "seek" after God and leave it at that, but I suspect that for some, "seek" doesn't begin to truly express the life-long experience of chasing after God. And that is what we do; we chase after God.

This "hunt/chase" has been going on for many centuries. After God "chased" Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden, they began to chase after a righteous way of life. Noah "chased" God's promise that there would be a flood and that Noah's family would be saved. Abraham "chased" God's voice and was willing to sacrifice Isaac to fulfill God's will. Moses "chased" God's commands in and out of Egypt and led God's people on a of spiritual "hunt" for righteousness in the desert for 40 years! Jeremiah "chased" the nation of Israel without end, urging them to repent and return to the Lord. It's in his admonition to Israel that we've been given a marvelous verse of promise:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you..." (Jeremiah 29: 11-14a)

But if we're "hunting" after God, doesn't that mean that God will always be apart from us, out ahead of us, and leading us on a life-long game of hide-and-go-seek? How can that be true when Jesus promised, "...I am with you always, even to the end of the age."? (Matthew 28:20).

Both are true.

God is ever-present. Indeed, He is with us at all times, but God knows what will become of us if we're allowed to sit in the shade without the challenge of pursuing Him. Think of all the different "hunts" we go on in this life; the "job hunt", the search for a mate, the search for a home, the most personal search for a sense of true identity. Some of these "hunts" are successful. Some end in tragedy. And what if we were never made (or compelled) to go on any of these "hunts"? Not only would we accomplish little, we'd have very little strength to combat the Enemy that is hunting us! Nor would we gain the priceless experience that helps us to be better "hunters" in the future.

Lent is a season of reflection and devotion to God. While there's some ambiguity as to the actual origin of Lent (when it became an official liturgical season and how it was decided it would be 40 Days and so on), we know that these 40 Days represent and reflect periods of fasting, prayer, devotion, and "hunting" from the Bible:
- Moses' 40 days on Mount Sinai.
- The amount of time it took Elijah to walk to Mount Horeb.
- The 40 days and 40 nights of The Flood.
- The 40 years the Hebrews wandered through the desert, seeking the Promised Land.
- Jesus' 40 days and 40 nights in the desert after His Baptism.

What are you "hunting" this year? Some of you may be looking for a new job, a new place to live, or a new addition to the family. Some of you may be chasing after peace, happiness, or self-control. Whatever object or opportunity you seek, may you first seek after God. The jungle of this life is thick, but if we bolster our faith, temper our souls with patience and humility, and seek after God "with all of (y)our hearts"...we will find the Lord.

At the risk of running a bit longer than I anticipated, please permit me to share the lyrics from a song I recently wrote called "We Will Know The Lord":

Praising God with passion, learning how to pray.
Searching for connection, looking for The Way.
Seeking out the answers, reaching for The Truth,
Staring at the questions, crying out to You, to You.

And the Father sees our need and desperation
For the perfect gift of grace through Christ the Son.
And by faith we are fulfilled, to fulfill the will of God
And the gift He gives we freely give away today.

We will walk, we will pray, we will learn
To listen and obey.
We will serve, we will grow, we will go,
And we will know the Lord!

Will we hear the summon, when the Father calls?
Will our hearts be steady, when the darkness falls?
Following the Savior, walking in His Light.
Living in His Promise, sharing in His Life, His life.

And the Father sees our need and desperation
For the perfect gift of grace through Christ the Son.
And by faith we are fulfilled, to fulfill the will of God
And the gift He gives we freely give away today.

We will walk, we will pray, we will learn
To listen and obey.
We will serve, we will grow, we will go,
And we will know the Lord!

See you tomorrow- E.T.

"The American President"

Title: "The American President"
Director: Rob Reiner
Producer: B. Maltby, C. Newirth, R. Reiner, and J. Stott
Editing: Hughes Winborne
Composer: Marc Shaiman
Starring:
- Michael Douglas as President Andrew Shepherd
- Annette Benning as Sydney Ellen Wade
- Martin Sheen as A.J. MacInerney (White House Chief of Staff)
- Michael J. Fox as Lewis Rothschild (Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy)

Plot and Critical Review: Andrew Shepherd is introduced as an immensely popular Democratic president from the state of Wisconsin preparing to run for re-election with a 63% approval rating. The President and his staff, led by Chief of Staff A.J. MacInerney, attempt to consolidate the administration's high poll ratings by passing a moderate crime control bill. However, support for the bill from both parties is not very strong. Conservatives and Republicans don't want the bill at all, and liberals and Democrats think the bill is too weak. If the bill passes, Shepherd's re-election is presumed by his team to be a shoo-in.

The President of France is about to arrive on a state visit to the United States, occasioning a state dinner in his honor. As a result, Shepherd is presented with the awkward predicament of having to find a partner for himself: his wife has been dead for three years, and his cousin, with whom he had planned on attending, is ill.

The President's attention soon focuses on Sydney Ellen Wade, who has just moved to Washington, D.C. to work for an environmental lobby in the attempt to persuade the President to pass legislation committing his Administration to substantially reduce carbon dioxide emissions. During their first meeting, Shepherd and Wade are immediately intrigued by each other, and Shepherd invites Wade to the state dinner.

At the same meeting, Shepherd strikes a deal with Wade: if she can secure a certain 24 votes for the environmental bill, he will deliver the last 10 votes. He believes Wade will not be able to get enough votes to meet her obligation, thus releasing Shepherd who will be seen to have tried, without being blamed for failing.

During the state dinner, as well as subsequent occasions, the couple falls in love. The relationship, as well as Shepherd's politicking down the middle, results in a decline in his popularity. The decline is spurred by relentless attacks by presidential hopeful Bob Rumson, a conservative Republican Senator from Kansas and the Senate Minority Leader. The attacks focus on Wade's activist past, an attack on Shepherd's ethics and his family values, and the President's refusal to respond to Republican attacks. The President's precarious situation is exacerbated by the impending failure of his crime bill.

Eventually Wade does manage to get enough votes for the environmental bill to meet her part of the deal. Before she can tell Shepherd, he discovers that three Congressmen from Michigan are willing to deliver their votes to him on the crime bill if he shelves the environmental bill. As he is exactly three votes short, with no other apparent options to acquire them, he agrees, seemingly betraying Wade, who is fired from her lobbying firm, then breaks up with him. However, when she visits the White House to "break up" with him, he explained that politics is making choices, and that he had never made any pretense that anything other than that the crime control bill (as opposed to her environmental bill) had been his number one priority.

The film builds to a climax timed to coincide with the State of the Union speech, planned as a conciliatory, non-partisan event. However, ruminating on Wade's leaving him and his sacrifice of a bill he believes in for the sake of a bill he doesn't really believe will have much effect, Shepherd has a change of heart.

He makes a surprise appearance in the White House press room to rebut the Republican attacks on his values and character, and then sends the controversial environmental bill to Congress while withdrawing his support for the moderate crime bill, promising that he will write a stronger crime bill in due time. Wade comes back to him, arriving in the Oval Office just before he leaves to go to her house, which leads to their reconciliation. The film ends as Shepherd enters the House chamber, with Wade on his arm, to rapturous applause.

"The American President" is an enjoyable movie, but nothing special in light of the many President-focused projects that have been released. This film had an immense influence on the television series "West Wing", but not much of an influence beyond that. I recommend it as an essential part of any 4th of July Movie Marathon and a worthwhile piece of curriculum for high school social science classes.

My Rating: 5.5/10

Content to Caution:
V-0 – No comment.
L-2.5 – When politicians get upset, they say naughty things.
DU-1 – Casual drinking and smoking.
RT-0 – No comment.
H/S-0 – No comment.
CH-1 – Sydney is called a "whore" by Senator Rumson.
S/N-0 – No comment.

The "Reel Revelation": "Right and Wrong"

How do you feel about politics? Do you like to talk about them or do you try to avoid political-themed conversation as much as possible? I like to discuss and debate national policy, but I don't fancy arguments about such topics. After all, how many conversations have you had about politics which didn't turn into arguments? One thing is for sure, politics is one of the deepest and most personal of all topics; especially for Americans. I can only think of one other topic that has been so hotly debated in the halls of our national capitols and in living rooms all across our nation; religion.

As I watched "The American President" I began to feel in quite the political/American mood. I started to chat with a friend about J.F.K. and, weaving our way through American history we eventually came to the topic of the performance of our current President. It was quickly apparent that we disagreed on some of the things President Obama has chosen to do and not do during his time in office. It was during an exchange of opinion that my friend said something that struck me; “I don’t really like to talk about politics, mainly because you think you’re right but I know that I am!” While I knew that this phrase was meant in jest (as my friend confirmed with many “ha ha ha”s and “lol”s) I couldn’t help but feel a tinge of pain in my heart. I hold no ill feeling toward my friend, but the experience led me to a deeper place of consideration in which I wondered how many people have exchanged this sentiment out of their own pride and caused very real and personal damage to others. More importantly, how many people feel this way in their hearts even if they don’t testify to it with their words?

When spoken out of pride and with the will to dominate the opinion of another, words like these do far more damage than we realize. Have you ever felt “dominated” by the opinion of another person? What was your reaction? How did you feel toward that person after they asserted their opinion as being universally right and yours definitively wrong? Did they gain your trust and respect by speaking to you in such a way? If someone spoke to me in that way I’d try my very best to understand their opinion, but deep down I’d be hard-pressed to feel anything but resentment toward them. Exchanges like these can lead to the dissolution of relationships and cause great damage to our families and communities. It’s here that we ought to consider these words from the Psalmist:

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1)

How many times have we seen communities of faith (and political groups and even entire nations!) break apart due to an inability to pursue and attain a true sense of unity? How many relationships in your life have been injured or lost because harmony wasn’t found? May we intentionally seek after a way to live in unity with one another, even with those who we’re tempted or have come to resent because their opinion is different than our own. And may we be humble of heart in the process, choosing to listen before we speak, question before we condemn, and love before we lose a chance to dwell in the unity God desires for all of mankind.

“…we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming: but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4: 14-16)

See you tomorrow- E.T.

"Aliens"

Title: "Aliens"
Director: James Cameron
Producer: G.A. Hurd, G. Carroll, D. Giler, W. Hill
Editing: Ray Lovejoy
Composer: James Horner
Starring:
- Sigourney Weaver as E. Ripley
- Michael Biehn as Corporal Dwayne Hicks
- Paul Reiser as Carter J. Burke
- Carrie Henn as Newt/Rebecca Jorden
- Bill Paxton as Private First Class William Hudson

Plot and Critical Review: Of the 40 films i'll be reviewing this Lenten season there are two that belong to a series of movies; this film and another that is to come. I prefer to avoid movies that belong in a series as I can't be sure how much you may or may not have seen of the complete anthology. And what an anthology when it comes to the "Alien" franchise! If you've not seen the first movie ("Alien", 1979, directed by Ridley Scott) you might want to visit it's Wiki page to catch up: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_(film)

Ellen Ripley, the only survivor of the space freighter Nostromo, is rescued and revived after drifting through space for fifty-seven years in hypersleep. At an interview before a panel of executives from her employer, the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, her testimony regarding the Alien is met with extreme skepticism as no physical evidence of the creature survived the destruction of the Nostromo. Ripley loses her space flight license as a result of her "questionable judgment" and learns that LV-426, the planetoid where her crew first encountered the Alien eggs, is now home to a terraforming colony. Some time later Ripley is visited by Weyland-Yutani representative Carter Burke and Lieutenant Gorman of the Colonial Marines who inform her that contact has been lost with the colony on LV-426. The company decides to dispatch Burke and a unit of marines to investigate. They also offer to restore Ripley's flight status and pick up her contract if she will accompany them as a consultant. Traumatized by her previous encounter with the Alien, Ripley initially refuses to join, but accepts when she realizes that the mission will allow her to face her fears which had been plaguing her since her first encounter. Aboard the warship Sulaco she is introduced to the Colonial Marines, including Sergeant Apone, Corporal Hicks, Privates Vasquez and Hudson, and the android Bishop, toward whom Ripley is initially hostile due to her previous experience with the android Ash aboard the Nostromo.

The heavily-armed expedition descends to the surface of LV-426 via dropship, where they find the colony seemingly abandoned. Two living Alien facehuggers are found in containment tanks in the medical lab, and the only colonist found is a traumatized young girl nicknamed Newt. The marines determine that the colonists are clustered in the nuclear-powered atmosphere processing station. There they find a large Alien nest filled with the colonists all suspended in individual coccoons. The Aliens attack and kill most of the unit, but Ripley rescues Hicks, Vasquez, and Hudson. With Gorman knocked unconscious during the rescue, Hicks assumes command and orders the dropship to recover the survivors, intending to return to the Sulaco and destroy the colony from orbit. However, a stowaway Alien kills the dropship pilots in flight, causing the vessel to crash into the processing station; subsequently, the surviving humans barricade themselves inside the colony complex.

Ripley discovers that it was Burke who ordered the colonists to investigate the derelict spaceship where the Nostromo crew first encountered the Alien eggs, and that he hopes to return Alien specimens to the company laboratories where he can profit from their use as biological weapons. She threatens to expose him, but Bishop soon informs the group of a greater threat: the damaged processing station has become unstable and will soon detonate with the force of a thermonuclear weapon. He volunteers to use the colony's transmitter to pilot the Sulaco's remaining dropship to the surface by remote control so that the group can escape. Ripley and Newt fall asleep in the medical laboratory, awakening to find themselves locked in the room with the two facehuggers which have been released from their tanks. Ripley is able to alert the marines who rescue them and kill the creatures. Ripley accuses Burke of attempting to smuggle implanted Alien embryos past Earth's quarantine inside her and Newt and of planning to kill the rest of the marines in hypersleep during the return trip. The electricity is suddenly cut off and numerous Aliens attack through the ceiling; Hudson, Burke, Gorman, and Vasquez are killed and Newt is captured by the Aliens.

Ripley and an injured Hicks reach Bishop and the second dropship, but Ripley is unwilling to leave Newt behind. She rescues Newt from the hive in the processing station, where the two encounter the Alien queen and her egg chamber. Ripley destroys most of the eggs, enraging the queen, who escapes by tearing free from her ovipositor. Closely pursued by the queen, Ripley and Newt rendezvous with Bishop and Hicks on the dropship and escape moments before the colony is consumed by the nuclear blast. Back on the Sulaco, Ripley and Bishop's relief at their narrow escape is interrupted when the Alien queen, stowed away on the dropship's landing gear, impales Bishop and tears him in half. Ripley battles the queen using an exosuit cargo-loader. The two of them tumble into a large airlock, which Ripley then opens, expelling the queen into space. Ripley clambers to safety and she, Newt, Hicks, and the still-functioning Bishop enter hypersleep for the return to Earth.

James Cameron. It's good to let that name should ring in our ears for a moment. Behind that simple name is a man who has changed the face and very foundation of the motion picture industry. Aside from having written, directed, and produced the two highest-grossing motion pictures of all time, Cameron has firmly established himself as a writer (Cameron has confirmed that he'll write a novel to fill out some of the missing "Avatar" plot elements), scientist, artist, and technical visionary. "Aliens" was the 4th film he directed but already we can see signs of his genius at work.

"Aliens" was nominated for 7 Oscars including Best Film Editing, Best Music, and Best Sound. It won for Best Special Effects and Best Sound Effects Editing. In addition, Sigourney Weaver's nomination for Best Actress (which she didn't win) was a landmark moment as the Academy had been (and is still) known for withholding nominations from films or actors within the science-fiction realm. Much to the dismay of those who grew to love this franchise, "Aliens" was the final shining moment before lesser directors and poorly-crafted special effects thinned down the franchise. To have seen "Alien" and "Aliens" is to have seen the best of that fantastic universe. There has been substantial talk, however, that Ridley Scott may go back and direct a prequel to the entire story. Perhaps he can restore the glory he began so many years ago.

My Rating: 7.5/10

Content to Caution:
V-4 – Things get a little dicey. The gore element is high.
L-4 – Lots of bad words and curses.
DU-2 – Drinking and smoking.
RT-2 – The humans sure do hate the aliens.
H/S-3 – No comment.
CH-2 – You know, Colonial Space Marines saying the sorts of things Colonial Space Marines say.
S/N-1 – Ripley wears a slinky (but not intentionally erotic) outfit when she goes into and awakes from hypersleep.

The "Reel Revelation": "Gaining and Regaining Trust"

Can you think of someone who you absolutely trust? Can you think of someone to whom you can tell anything? Can you think of someone who you know will support you, uplift you, lovingly admonish you when you've gone astray, and walk with you on life's path? If you have someone in your life who fulfills those qualities, you are very fortunate.

Can you think of someone that you used to trust? Can you think of someone who you used to be able to talk with about everything that was happening in your life? Can you think of someone who used to stand beside you, support you, and encourage you? If you have someone like that in your life (or in your past, perhaps), how did they get to that place? What did they do (or fail to do) that caused them to lose your trust in such a profound way? More importantly, is there a way for them to win it back?

In "Alien", Ripley's trust in the android (although she did not know he was an android until he was decapitated) Ash vanished when she discovered he had acted against her orders and was planning on capturing the Alien to return it to Earth. In one moment Ash was a valued member of the Nostromo's crew. The next he was a dangerous enemy. Have you ever lost trust in someone that quickly? I think we've all been injured in ways so serious that our most natural instinct is to withdraw all trust from the ones who've hurt us.

When we come to "Aliens", 57 years in the future, Ripley's distrust now covers all androids. As soon as she learns that Bishop is a "synthetic" she gives him the cold shoulder at every opportunity and criticizes any suggestion he makes. It's not until Bishop saves Ripley and Newt from certain destruction that Ripley's heart is softened to him. In the end we see that Ripley went so far as to carry Bishop's severed body onto the dropship and place it in hypersleep. He had gained her trust.

Sometimes we lose our trust in God. Don't be ashamed if you feel a confession rising up from the depths of your heart; we're not saints just because "In God We Trust" is on all of our currency. We've all experienced times when we felt like God "fell short" and didn't do what we expected or wanted Him to. I've struggled with this for several years and i'm sure you can think of a time or two when God didn't "come through" in the way you'd have liked. Perhaps you know the unique sort of heartbreak that comes when the prayer you've been praying is answered with a "No".

But God is not like the people I asked you to think about earlier on. God does not and will never fail us. Give some thought to this admonition from the Psalmist:

"The LORD is for me; I will not fear;
What can man do to me?
The LORD is for me among those who help me;
Therefore I will look with satisfaction on those who hate me.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
Than to trust in man." (Psalm 118: 6-8)

We can place our trust in a thousand things or people, but how many will last until the end? And in what or who can we have faith? By placing our complete trust, confidence, and hope in God we are better able to extend our trust to those around us. I do not believe this Psalm suggests we ought not to trust in man at all, but to be certain that our deepest trust is in God. For when we've fastened our hearts to the unmovable rock of God's love for us, what action or inaction can shake us?

See you tomorrow- E.T.

"The Addams Family"

Title: "The Addams Family"
Director: Barry Sonnenfield
Producer: Scott Rudin
Editing: Dede Allen and Jim Miller
Composer: Marc Shaiman
Starring:
- Raul Julia (RIP) as Gomez Addams
- Anjelica Huston as Morticia Addams
- Christopher Loyd as Uncle Fester/Gordon Craven
- Christina Ricci as Wednesday Addams
- Jimmy Workman as Pugsley Addams

Plot and Critical Review: The story begins as Gomez mentions to his lawyer, Tully Alford, that he has not spoken to his brother Fester since a quarrel 25 years ago. Gomez's wife, Morticia, invites Tully and his wife, Margaret, to a séance in which they will attempt to contact the spirit of Fester, believed to be lost in the Bermuda Triangle all of this time. Tully gets a surprise visit at his office from loan shark Abigail Craven and her son Gordon who have come to collect what he owes them. Gordon harasses Tully until he discovers the gold doubloons with which Gomez has paid the monthly expenses. Tully notices that Gordon seems similar in physical appearance to Fester, and proposes that Gordon pose as Fester to infiltrate the Addams' vault where the family fortune is kept.

At the séance, the Addamses attempt to contact Fester's spirit, demanding he knock three times. As they ask, they hear three knocks at the door. They answer it to find Gordon (as Fester with amnesia) and Abigail (posing as psychiatrist Dr. Greta Pinder-Schloss). Gomez is initially overjoyed, but his elation quickly turns to suspicion as Gordon fails to remember key events from Fester's childhood. Gordon attempts to break into the vault but is foiled by several treacherous booby traps, such as rusty chains, a toxic underground lake, and a piranha tank.

Gomez reconciles with Gordon, in spite of his doubts, and he and Morticia throw a party that draws an extensive portion of the Addams clan. When Wednesday is sent to check on Fester, she finds Gordon in the bathroom, with Abigail shaving his head. Wednesday thinks that he is an impostor and flees to the family graveyard; Gordon pursues her, but soon has to get back to the party so that no one becomes suspicious.

In the meantime, Tully has discovered that Fester, being the older brother, is legally in control of the entire Addams estate. He enlists the aid of a cantankerous judge who lives next door to the mansion. As the party winds down, the family begins searching for the missing Wednesday — all but Gordon, who volunteers to stay behind at the mansion in case she shows up. When she is found, the family returns and finds Tully behind the locked front gate, holding a restraining order that bars them from the property. Gomez takes the issue to court, only to discover that his angry neighbor is presiding over the case. After Gordon wins in court, he, Tully, and Abigail return to the mansion and continue their efforts to reach the vault, much to the dismay of Gordon, who has started to grow attached to the Addamses.

Meanwhile, the Addamses attempt to adapt to their new living situation as Gomez moves his brood into a motel. To raise money for their family, Wednesday and Pugsley resort to selling lemonade in the parking lot, Thing works for Federal Express, Lurch sells vacuum cleaners and Morticia teaches a kindergarten class where she leaves all the children traumatized after reading her version of Hansel and Gretel. However, they soon realize that they are ill-suited to live like the rest of society. Morticia then returns to the mansion to confront Gordon, but is captured by Tully and Abigail, who plan to torture her so that she will divulge the location of the vault. Thing sees this and returns to the motel, where he informs Gomez that his beloved wife is in trouble. Gomez rushes to the rescue, whereupon Abigail threatens to kill Morticia if he does not take Gordon to the vault.

Gordon, who has become sympathetic to the Addams family, takes matters into his own hands. The bookshelf concealing the passageway to the vault contains books which, when opened, project their contents into reality. Gordon threatens Tully and Abigail with a book named "Hurricane Irene" while Gomez and Morticia escape. The gale-force winds from the book hurl Tully and Abigail out a window and into two open graves (dug by Pugsley and Wednesday), while Gordon is struck by lightning emitted by the pages.

Seven months later, all is well with the family as they are throwing a Halloween party. It turns out Gordon was Fester all along as Fester had vanished in the Bermuda Triangle and really developed amnesia. Abigail made him think he was her son so that he would assist in her criminal schemes; the book's lightning strike restored his memory. As everyone rushes out to the graveyard for a rousing game of "Wake the Dead" (complete with shovels), Gomez ponders what could possibly make life better. Morticia reveals she is pregnant, and the two share a passionate kiss.

"The Addams Family" did surprisingly well at the box office, ranking as the 7th highest grossing film of 1991. Barry Sonnenfield (director) has enjoyed continued success as a director and executive producer, going on to direct the popular "Men In Black" films and many other feature projects. "Addams..." is also a cinematic treat as it is one of the final movies Raul Julia ever starred in. As a child I loved this film, but as an adult I love it all the more for its collection of witty one-liners and its abstract reflection on the American household. While the script is somewhat lacking in cohesiveness a talented cast (including a very young Christina Ricci - appearing here in her third major motion picture) helps to tie the film together into an enjoyable romp through the world of the macabre.

My Rating: 6.5/10

Content to Caution:
V-3 – There are scenes of extreme torture but they are always comical. Very little gore.
L-1 – No comment.
DU-2 – Smoking and drinking.
RT-1 – No comment.
H/S-2 – The film may have been produced in the style of a "black-comedy" but isn't too scary. As a child I loved this movie.
CH-2 – Many insults are thrown about in traditional Addam's fashion.
S/N-3 – I'll venture a 3 only because the behavior between Gomez and Morticia is so erotic, granted that it is controlled.

The "Reel Revelation": "Amnesia Of The Soul"

If I were to ask you what your favorite song is, what would you say? If you asked me i'd say "Fire" by The Pointer Sisters. If I asked you a week from now what your favorite song is, do you think you'd respond with the same song? I'm not sure I would.

Our preferences change. It's a simple process of discovering what we do and don't like and what we do and don't prefer. While I might think of "Fire" as being the cat's pajamas today it's entirely possible i'll find something even more preferable in the week to come. I suspect that I will, in fact. Does that mean i'm fickle or shallow if my preferences should change so rapidly? No. It means i'm human. That might be a shallow illustration, but it points to the deeper and more pressing issue of how rapidly our identities change. Here's where the "amnesia" element comes into play.

It's natural for us to feel like we have a strong sense of control over our lives. To some degree we do, for we make decisions every day that shape our lives and how we interact with the world around us. But there is (at least) one element of this life we have no control over; not who we are, but whose we are. We have the ability to change our identity a thousand times in a lifetime (remember the favorite song illustration), but we will never be able to change the deepest element of our identity; that we are children of God. Still, we are able to place ourselves (or be placed) in a sort of amnesia which, while not changing our identity as God's own, makes us lose sight of that core value. In the book of Acts there's one story in particular about a man who was in a very deep state of "spiritual amnesia" and got a startling wake-up call from God:

"Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do." The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus."

"Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in (P)a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." And the Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight."

"So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; and he took food and was strengthened." (Acts 9: 1-8, 10-12, 17-19)

I apologize for so long an excerpt, but it's important to get a sense of the entire story to understand what it meant for Saul to come out of his "spiritual amnesia." Remember that he was entrenched in his identity as a persecutor of the Christian church. He was so set against the followers of Christ that he was "breathing threats and murder"! Like so many of the "righteous" Jews of that time, Saul had become entirely focused on who he was and not whose he was. It should be no surprise that Jesus stepped into his life in such a powerful way to set him on the right path. If you continue reading through the Book of Acts you'll discover that Saul (who eventually went by the name of Paul) became the greatest pastor the Church has ever known. His writings have had more influence on Christian theology and ethics than almost any other piece or selection of literature available to us from that time period. All this as a result of God delivering Saul from the amnesia which had clouded his heart and mind.

How do we protect ourselves from falling into this dangerous void of forgetfulness? Prayer. The reading of the Scriptures. Devotion. Worship. Celebrating the Sacraments. Fellowship with our Christian brothers and sisters. We should also be alert and ready to help those who we see are falling away from the foundational truth that they are God's child and loved by the Father. Fortunate was Fester Adams who, though he suffered from actual amnesia, never lost the love or affection of his family. In the end, their commitment to Fester is what helped to awake him from the amnesia that was keeping him from his true family. While we cannot forsake our calling and purpose on this Earth, let us never allow our function as believers to compromise our faith; the faith that holds us steadfast to the heart of God, our Father, to whom we belong.

See you tomorrow- E.T.

"A Beautiful Mind"

Title: "A Beautiful Mind"
Director: Ron Howard
Producer: Brian Grazer and Ron Howard
Editing: Daniel P. Hanley and Mike Hill
Composer: James Horner
Starring:
- Russel Crowe as John Forbes Nash Jr.
- Jennifer Connelly as Alicia Nash
- Ed Harris as William Parcher
- Paul Bettany as Charles Herman

Plot and Critical Review: John Nash arrives at Princeton University as a new graduate student. He is a recipient of the prestigious Carnegie Prize for mathematics; although he was promised a single room, his roommate Charles Herman, a literature student, greets him as he moves in and soon becomes his best friend. Nash also meets a group of other promising math and science graduate students, Martin Hansen, Sol, Ainsley, and Bender, with whom he strikes up an awkward friendship. Nash admits to Charles that he is better with numbers than he is with people, which comes as no surprise to them after watching his largely unsuccessful attempts at conversation with the women at the local bar.

Martin Hansen challenges Nash to a game of Go. Though he claims to have played every move in the game correctly, Nash loses and Hansen mocks him: "Gentlemen, The Great John Nash"! Nash exclaims that "The game is flawed."

After the conclusion of Nash's studies as a student at Princeton, he accepts a prestigious appointment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), along with his friends Sol and Bender. Five years later, while teaching a class on calculus at MIT, he places a particularly interesting problem on the chalkboard that he dares his students to solve. When his student Alicia Larde comes to his office to discuss the problem, the two fall in love and eventually marry.

On a return visit to Princeton, Nash runs into his former roommate Charles and meets Charles' young niece Marcee, whom he adores. Nash is invited to a secret Department of Defense facility in the Pentagon to crack a complex encryption of an enemy telecommunication. Nash is able to decipher the code mentally, to the astonishment of other codebreakers. Here, he encounters the mysterious William Parcher, who belongs to the United States Department of Defense. Parcher gives Nash a new assignment to look for patterns in magazines and newspapers, ostensibly to thwart a Soviet plot. He must write a report of his findings and place them in a specified mailbox. After being chased by Russian agents and an exchange of gunfire, Nash becomes increasingly paranoid and begins to behave erratically.

After observing this erratic behavior, Alicia informs a psychiatric hospital. Later, while delivering a guest lecture at Harvard University, Nash realizes that he is being watched by a hostile group of people and is forcibly sedated and sent to a psychiatric facility. Nash's internment seemingly confirms his belief that the Soviets are trying to extract information from him. He views the officials of the psychiatric facility as Soviet kidnappers. At one point, he gorily tries to dig out of his arm an implant he received at an unused warehouse on the MIT campus which was supposedly used as a listening facility by the DoD.

Alicia, desperate to help her husband, visits the mailbox and retrieves the never-opened "top secret" documents that Nash had delivered there. When confronted with this evidence, Nash is finally convinced that he has been hallucinating. The Department of Defense agent William Parcher and Nash's secret assignment to decode Soviet messages was in fact all a delusion. Even more surprisingly, Nash's "prodigal roommate" Charles and his niece Marcee are also only products of Nash's mind.

After a series of insulin shock therapy sessions, Nash is released on the condition that he agrees to take antipsychotic medication; however, the drugs create negative side-effects that affect his sexual and emotional relationship with his wife and, most dramatically, his intellectual capacity. Frustrated, Nash secretly stops taking his medication and hoards his pills, triggering a relapse of his psychosis.

Caught between the intellectual paralysis of the antipsychotic drugs and his delusions, Nash and Alicia decide to try to live with his abnormal condition. Nash consciously says goodbye to the three delusional characters forever in his attempts to ignore his hallucinations and not feed "his demons". He thanks Charles for being his best friend over the years, and says a tearful goodbye to Marcee, stroking her hair and calling her "baby girl", telling them both he would not speak to them anymore. They still continue to haunt him, with Charles mocking him for cutting off their friendship, but Nash learns to ignore them.

Nash grows older and approaches his old friend and intellectual rival Martin Hansen, now head of the Princeton mathematics department. Hansen allows him to study in the Princeton library and audit courses. Even though Nash still suffers from hallucinations and mentions taking newer medications, he is ultimately able to live with and largely ignore his psychotic episodes. He takes his situation in stride and humorously checks to ensure that any new acquaintances are in fact real people, not hallucinations.

Nash eventually earns the privilege of teaching again. He is honored by his fellow professors for his achievement in mathematics, and goes on to win the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics for his revolutionary work on game theory. Nash and Alicia are about to leave the auditorium in Stockholm, when Nash sees Charles, Marcee and Parcher standing and watching him with blank expressions on their faces. Alicia asks Nash, "What's wrong?" Nash replies, "Nothing. Nothing at all." With that, they both leave the auditorium.

"A Beautiful Mind" was decorated with four Academy Awards including Best Picture. Although the list of awards this film has received is long there has been much debate about whether it deserved the Oscar for Best Picture. Some found the movie intriguing but lacking in depth. Others criticized Howard's selection of Crowe to tackle the method-heavy role of mathematical genius John Nash. I disagree with all criticisms. I find Crowe's performance inspiring and worthy to be placed beside the many actors and actresses who have braved difficult terrain in portraying "genius-type" characters. Harris must have given Crowe a few tips about this particular style of method-acting after his noteworthy portrayals of composer L.V. Beethoven ("Copying Beethoven") and artist Jackson Pollock ("Pollock").

This film is also important in the chronicling of Jennifer Connelly's acting career. I do not believe she's yet made her "big move" into the next echelon of cinematic fame, but with performances like the one she provides in "A Beautiful Mind", we know that great leap is not far in the future.

My Rating: 8/10

Content to Caution:
V-2 – There is some pushing and punching. In one scene John is involved in a car chase in which gunfire is exchanged.
L-2 – No comment.
DU-2 – Drinking and smoking.
RT-0 – No comment.
H/S-2 – No comment.
CH-1 – While comical, John belittles the act of intercourse as he tries to communicate with women.
S/N-1 – Some kissing.

The "Reel Revelation": "Distractions"

Are you the sort of person that gets easily distracted? Perhaps you know of someone with a short attention span who can't ever seem to stay on track or on task. Who is to be blamed for such weak focus? After all, the amount of stimuli we're bombarded with every day is off the scale. If you want to do an experiment, write down a list of all the things you know you do every day. You don't have to be precise, just get down as many tasks, errands, and responsibilities you can think of. Do you think it's possible to go from one task to the next without a particular task not on the list demanding your time and attention? How easily we deviate from the list!

Distractions account for an enormous amount of lost time and wasted energy. While there are some people who are able to multi-task and work on seemingly opposing projects with efficiency, we all struggle with the ability to keep our minds focused on what is at hand, what is most important, and what must be done in the moment. And then there are people like John Nash who (despite of legitimate psychological complications) actually create a world of distraction within their own life. Instead of having a complicated "to-do" list, however, John has created a "to-do" list out of things born of the distraction of his mind. We might not suffer from such extreme cases of hallucination and psychosis but we all know the experience of getting so off-track we feel as if we're in another world. It's when we're on that "other track" or trapped in that "other world" that we potentially lose precious opportunities to be in God's presence, hear his voice, and do his bidding. This is nothing new.

"Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord's feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me." But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:38-42)

But the sources of distraction are not just temporal as they were in that story when Martha was tied up with housework. Indeed, there are great forces which are not of this world that fight for our attention. Consider this prayer from Psalm 55:

"Give ear to my prayer, O God;
And do not hide Yourself from my supplication.
Give heed to me and answer me;
I am restless in my complaint and am surely distracted,
Because of the voice of the enemy,
Because of the pressure of the wicked;
For they bring down trouble upon me
And in anger they bear a grudge against me." (Psalm 55: 1-3)

I think we can agree that any one of those things would probably be enough to send our attention and focus wheeling out of control. How much more will the deceptive voice of Satan (our enemy) cause our lives to stall out as we struggle against grief, worry, fear, and anxiety. In this way we see that John Nash's predicament is not so extreme. Perhaps we've all been in his shoes; wrapped up in a world full of distraction, a world tumbling out of control. Sometimes we stay in that "world" so long that we don't mind being distracted and we hardly notice we're tumbling at all. If you happen to be tumbling right now, do as the Psalmist did: cry out to God, confess your distractions, and hold fast to God's grace. It's then that you will find a place of peace in which you can lay down your troubles, untie your apron, unload your burdens, and sit at the feet of Jesus having no care but to listen to his words of love for you today.

See you Monday - E.T.

"9/11"

Title: "9/11"
Director: Jules Naudet, Gedeon Naudet, and James Hanlon
Producer: Tom Forman, Jules Naudet, Gedeon Naudet, and James Hanlon
Editing: R. Barber, M. Maloy, J. Schmidt, B. Spiegel, and M. Stone
Composer: Richard Fiocca and Michael Patterson
Starring:
- The NYPD, FDNY, and People of New York City.

Plot and Critical Review: "9/11" is a 2002 documentary film about the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City, in which two planes crashed into the buildings of the World Trade Center. The film was directed by Jules and Gedeon Naudet, and NY firefighter James Hanlon.

The Naudet brothers were originally filming Tony Benetatos, a probationary firefighter of the New York City Fire Department assigned to Ladder 1 on Duane Street with the intention of making a film about the "probie's" experience. On the morning of September 11, Battalion 1 was called out on a gas leak. Jules rides with the Battalion Chief, Chief Joseph Pfeifer, to check it out. When a low flying plane flies by overhead Jules turns the camera to follow the plane and tapes one of only three known recordings of the first plane hitting the North Tower (Tower 1) of the World Trade Center. The members of Battalion 1 that were investigating the gas leak were the first responders on the scene and Jules was allowed to follow the chief during the attempted rescue operation. Jules, Chief Pfeifer and several other FDNY Chiefs are inside the lobby of Tower 1 when Tower 2 is hit by the second aircraft and when Tower 2 eventually collapsed (Gédéon, meanwhile, is back at the firehouse, filming the reactions of probie Tony Benetatos and the rest of the firefighters as they try to deal with the disaster). The film gives various firemen's accounts of the events of the remainder of the day, from the initial crash to the building's collapse to the attempts to rescue survivors from the rubble.

CBS aired the film commercial-free on March 10, 2002, to mark the six months since the attacks. Hosted by actor Robert De Niro, CBS's broadcast was repeated on the first anniversary as well; the DVD of the documentary was released in proximity (although De Niro's footage was edited out of the DVD release). CBS did another repeat airing of this documentary on September 10, 2006 the night before the 5th anniversary of the attacks, this was again hosted by De Niro. However, this version contained updates from the principal members of the documentary as of 2006.

The film was noted for its use of profanity, which in regular circumstances on USA broadcast media would be subject to censorship by the broadcaster or the Federal Communications Commission. However, a ruling by a federal appeals court successfully granted a "temporary halt" to the FCC's enforcement of its indecency rules. This allowed CBS and any affiliates to air the documentary without edits and without fear of facing stiff fines.

"9/11" remains one of the most visceral and truthful of all the documentaries concerning the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Jules and Gedeon were positioned to capture footage that will never be reproduced or unearthed. The first-hand account they provide serves as both a testament to the bravery of those in New York City and a study of the emotion of fear. Not with the best actors and most talented crew could you produce the telling of a story (any story) such as we have here. "9/11" helps us to remember. "May We Never Forget"

My Rating: 8.5/10

Content to Caution:
V-0 and 5 – There's almost no violence between people outside of some playful hazing. But we do witness terrorist attacks which kill thousands.
L-3 – Many people (firemen and bystanders) curse.
DU-2 – The firemen smoke and drink several times through the course of the film.
RT-0 – No comment.
H/S-5 – If you remember how it felt to watch these events unfold then you'd probably agree a 5 is appropriate for horror and suspense.
CH-0 – No comment.
S/N-0 – No comment.

The "Reel Revelation": "Reunion"

The experience of the terrorist attacks of September 11 will be forever etched into our memories. And it's because each of us carry such heavy emotions and memories of that day that i'm not going to try and explain something you've already lived with for the better part of a decade. But there is one moment in the film that I believe speaks to us strongly outside of the events of 9/11.

Toward the end of the documentary Gedeon is filming many of the firefighters as they return to the station. Here we see many wonderful moments of reunion as the men embrace each other and tell stories of what they've seen and experienced. But in the midst of all the chatter and comforting Gedeon is asking everyone in sight, "Have you seen Jules?!" The last time they saw each other was when Jules left on an engine responding to the report of a gas leak. As news of the first tower's collapse came into the station Gedeon was left wondering where Jules was and if he was alive. At one point a firefigher approaches Gedeon and Gedeon again asks "Have you seen Jules? Do you know where he is?" The firefighter simply responds "Yes, he's right behind you." Here's how Gedeon explains the moments that follow:

"I turn over and Jules was there in the firehouse. I didn't even see him come in! It was like meeting for the first time. I asked Jules if he was alright, he tells me "yes". He tells me that he was all that time in the Lobby. I never thought i'd be so happy to meet my brother, that's for sure. We cried like babies for about 10 minutes."

Not all stories end this way, of course, and it's because we know that not all stories of this sort end in reunion that we struggle with the distance that grows between us and the people we love. Can you think of a relationship in your life which could use a reunion? Sometimes people leave for good reasons and they have our blessings even though we'd rather they stay close. Sometimes people leave when we don't want them to go. Sometimes people leave forever. In any case we hold the hope of reunion close to our hearts, even if we only hold it in the deepest and most secret parts of our lives. But there is no relationship in greater need of reunion than that between the whole host of humanity and God.

Few stories serve as excellent an illustration of this wounded relationship than that of the Prodigal Son from the Gospel of Luke. The story is familiar to many but it is helpful to re-read Luke 15 (the entire chapter) just to get the story fresh in your mind. Here's the account of the son's return home:

"So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate." (Luke 15:20-24)

Here is the sort of reunion we should long for; one filled with celebration, welcome, forgiveness, and mercy. Here is the sort of reunion God has in store for those who return to him, confess their sins, and accept him as their Father and Lord. It sounds so simple, saying what you've done wrong and declaring that God is the only one who can save you, but that simple act of confession has kept many from knowing the fullness of God's love. Why? What could be so strong as to hold a person back from running into the arms of the loving God? The answer is in our own frailty.

How many times have we hesitated to reach out to those whom we love because we were afraid of judgement, condemnation, and further rejection? How many times have you ignored the words, notices, letters, and messages of those trying to get back into fellowship with you because of your own fear of what you might have to do or say once you stand before that person?

Even with our best effort not all of our relationships will find the reunion we see in the story of the Prodigal Son. This we must accept, for the earthly powers that work against such blessed reunion in this world are great. But our broken relationship with God is not beyond mending. This is why Jesus came into the world, to reach out to the whole of the human race and make a way for us to return to God. Perhaps the reunion we long to see with those around us must first begin by facing the Cross, falling to our knees, and saying "Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your child."

See you tomorrow - E.T.

"2001: A Space Odyssey"

Title: "2001: A Space Odyssey"
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Producer: Stanley Kubrick
Editing: Ray Lovejoy

Composer: Gyorgy Ligeti
Other Music: Various waltzes and classical pieces.
Starring:
- Keir Dullea as Dr. David Bowman
- Gary Lockwood as Dr. Frank Poole
- Douglas Rain as The Voice of the HAL 9000

Plot and Critical Review:

The Dawn of Man
Over images of an African desert, a caption reads "The Dawn of Man." A tribe of herbivorous apes is foraging for food. One of them is attacked and killed by a leopard. They are driven from their water hole by another tribe. Defeated, they sleep overnight in a small exposed rock crater. Waking at sunrise, they find that a black monolith has appeared in front of their shelter. They approach it shrieking and jumping. Soon after that, one of the apes realizes how to use a bone as both a tool and a weapon. The apes have now learned how to take down prey, and are seen eating meat in a subsequent scene. The next morning, they wrest control of the water hole from the other tribe, killing its leader in the process. The ape leader throws his bone into the air, which switches via match cut from a close-up of the bone to a long shot of an orbital satellite millions of years in the future.

TMA-1
A Pan American space plane flies Dr. Heywood R. Floyd to Space Station 5 in an elaborate rendezvous and docking sequence which includes iconic and stylized representations of life on a space station. After clearing voice print identification, Floyd makes a videophone call to his daughter (Vivian Kubrick), to wish her a happy birthday. Strolling down the main corridor, he joins a group of Soviet scientists, telling them that he is on his way to Clavius Base, a US base on the moon. One of the scientists, Smyslov, queries him about what has been going on there, but Floyd declines to answer any more questions when they press him about the rumor that an epidemic has broken out at the US base.

Floyd travels to Clavius in a moon shuttle. There he heads a debriefing session apologizing for the epidemic cover story. Floyd’s mission is to investigate an artifact dug up on the moon, initially detected by its magnetic signal and named "TMA-1" ("Tycho Magnetic Anomaly One"). Geological evidence shows it was deliberately buried four million years ago. Floyd rides in a Moonbus to the site. In a large pit dug around it, the artifact is a monolith identical to the one encountered by the apes. The visitors examine the monolith and pose for a photo in front of it. As they do, the sun rises over the top of the monolith, which emits an ear-splitting tone.

Jupiter Mission
A title caption reads "Jupiter Mission: Eighteen Months Later." On board the spaceship Discovery One, bound for Jupiter, are two mission pilots, astronauts Dr. David Bowman and Dr. Francis "Frank" Poole, and three scientists in cryogenic hibernation. Bowman and Poole watch a BBC television story about the mission in which the TV audience is introduced to the ship’s on-board computer HAL 9000, which they address as "Hal", who runs most of the ship’s operations. BBC newsreader Kenneth Kendall notes that Hal seems to take pride in his work, as if he has genuine emotions.

Later, while Dave is showing Hal some sketches of the hibernating astronauts, Hal asks Dave about the air of mystery and secrecy surrounding the mission. Hal then interrupts himself to state that the AE-35 unit is going to fail in 72 hours. Dave takes an EVA pod to replace the unit with a spare. Frank and Dave examine the unit but they are unable to find anything wrong with it. They contact Earth-based ground control, and are told that their on-board HAL 9000 computer is in error predicting the fault. This is shocking, since the 9000 series has a perfect operational record.

Hal suggests placing the unit back and waiting for it to fail. Dave and Frank go into one of the EVA pods to talk without Hal overhearing them. Frank says he has “a bad feeling about it.” They decide to follow Hal's suggestion and replace the unit. Frank says that if Hal is wrong he will have to be deactivated. Unbeknownst to them, Hal is reading their lips through the window of the space pod.

Intermission

As Frank attempts to replace the AE-35, his space pod, controlled by Hal, turns and accelerates towards him, severing his oxygen hose and setting him adrift. Dave goes out in another EVA pod, but without his helmet or gloves, to recover Frank. While Dave is gone, the life functions of the crew in suspended animation are terminated. When Dave returns to the ship, he asks Hal to open the pod bay doors to let him inside. Hal refuses to do so, stating that Dave’s plan to disconnect him jeopardizes the mission. Risking death from anoxia, Dave enters the ship manually through the emergency air lock.

In his full spacesuit, Dave makes his way to HAL's LOGIC MEMORY CENTER in order to disconnect Hal. As Dave disconnects one memory module after another from Hal’s circuitry, Hal continues to protest. When Hal is disconnected, a monitor displays a pre-recorded message from Dr. Heywood Floyd:

"Good day, gentlemen. This is a prerecorded briefing made prior to your departure and which for security reasons of the highest importance has been known on board during the mission only by your H-A-L 9000 computer. Now that you are in Jupiter's space, and the entire crew is revived, it can be told to you. Eighteen months ago, the first evidence of intelligent life off the Earth was discovered. It was buried 40 feet below the lunar surface, near the crater Tycho. Except for a single, very powerful radio emission aimed at Jupiter, the four million year old black monolith has remained completely inert, its origin and purpose still a total mystery."

Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite
Dave leaves Discovery One in an EVA pod and encounters another monolith in orbit around Jupiter. Approaching it, he finds himself suddenly traveling through a tunnel of colored light (termed the “Star Gate” in the novel by Clarke) racing at great speed across vast distances of space. He eventually finds himself in a bedroom. He repeatedly sees older versions of himself, with the film's points of view each time switching to an older Dave. Finally an elderly and dying David Bowman is lying on the bed. At its foot a monolith appears. It transforms him into a fetus-like being enclosed in a transparent orb of light (termed the “Star-Child” by Clarke). The final shot of the film shows the “Star-Child” floating in space next to the Earth.

"2001" came at exactly the right moment for where motion picture engineering and production was during the late 60s. Kubrick pioneered several special effect techniques that took the viewer into the dimensions of cinematic experience previously unknown. While it wasn't the first movie to break ground in this particular discipline, it is arguably one of the most influential. Modern viewers might have a difficult time with the tragically slow pace of "2001", not to mention the lack of dialogue. Nominated for 4 Oscars, "2001" was decorated with Best Special Effects. "2001" is a film that deserves our admiration and appreciation as it paved the road for many of the sci-fi/fantasy/effects-driven films we love and enjoy today.

My Rating: 8/10

Content to Caution:
V-3 – While not gory, the sequence in which the chief ape kills the leader of the opposing tribe is brutal.
L-0 – Very little to no cursing or abusive language.
DU-0 – No comment.
RT-1 – Nothing to note outside of primitive issues surrounding the behavior of one tribe of apes toward another.
H/S-2 – The violence of the apes and Bowman's flight through space/time may be disturbing for some.
CH-0 – No comment.
S/N-0 – No comment.

The "Reel Revelation": "Making Sense of the Signs"

It is a foundational part of our human nature to watch for signs. When we learn to drive we must humble ourselves and obey the instructions of the many signs of the road; STOP, YIELD, MERGE. When we learn cook we learn how to tell whether certain items of food are ripe or spoiled. When we come into relationships with new people we learn their set of personal "signs"; the way they tell us they're happy, sad, or in need of comfort. Most signs are fairly obvious in their instruction; we must STOP when we're told to and we shouldn't buy red apples that have turned brown. But what about those signs that aren't so clear, the ones that seem ambiguous and indefinite? It's then that we enter into another foundational human habit...we interpret.

"2001" is a film that lends itself to all sorts of interpretations, but what is actually being said in this motion picture? Is it an allegory for man vs man conflict? Is it a warning against the dangers of technology and technological dependence? Or is it a "God" story in which we learn that all life is born, dies, and is then reborn into another plane of existence? Which is it?! All of the above or none of the above?

Do you remember the Old Testament story of Joseph, especially when he was being held as a prisoner in Egypt? It was during his incarceration that Pharaoh began to have a series of disturbing dreams. Here's what we read from Genesis:

"Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have had a dream but no one can interpret it; and I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it." Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer." (Genesis 41: 15-16 - See Gen. 39-41 for that part of the story.)

Do you recall what happens next? Indeed, Joseph is able to explain to Pharaoh what his dreams mean and in the end he establishes great favor in Egypt.

Has someone ever asked you to interpret the meaning of something happening in their life? Maybe you've heard a friend ask "What is God up to?" or "What does this mean?" They are, in their own way, searching for interpretation. Think back to the difference between definite (STOP!) and indefinite signs (like the shelf date on a milk carton). Which do you find more of in your life? I'll break the ice and admit that I find a staggering number of indefinite signs all around me.

So how do we interpret? How do we move past the signs and find the Truth in the midst of uncertainty? Faith. Like Joseph we must approach the unknown parts of life with faith and confidence in God. Remember what Joseph said, "It is not in me: God will give..." Indeed, God will give us the explanation we require; not necessarily the explanation we prefer or demand, and not necessarily in accordance with our own scheduling. In seeking interpretation we must also learn to hold the unknown against "the light" of what we know is most certainly true, the Bible. When you search for interpretation, do so with your heart and mind tethered to Scripture, the Answer of Answers. While the work of intrepretation is in the movement of the Holy Spirit, we may confidently approach the Bible in search of explanations to life's questions. There, in the many stories and accounts provided we will learn the lessons taught by God to those who faced trials (and all sorts of unclear signs) and cried out, "Why?"

In this season of Lent may you look within your life and seek to discover God's interpretation of the indefinite signs around you. If you struggle to find an answer, look to the most definite sign of all, the Cross. It is there that God's most definite and unmovable message for our lives has been written in the sacrifice of Jesus: "I Love You. You Are Mine. I Love You."

See you tomorrow - E.T.