Dear Friends and Readers - Lent is come to an end and so will my film review; for the time being, at least. I give my thanks to all of those who have supported and encouraged me over the last 6 or so weeks. I feel tremendously privileged that so many of you have chosen to give my words such caring time and prayerful consideration. I pray that God spoke to you in a unique way through the words and thoughts offered in these reflections.
It was enjoyable to take up this Lenten discipline after having done so last year. I found once again that having the films chosen at random and by people other than myself challenged me in a unique way. There were a few times when I came face-to-face with films that I had never thought of or viewed through the "lens of faith." But God was with me and gave me a "vision" of what spiritual material within the film might be beneficial for His people. I'm doubly pleased that I was able to work Scripture into all of the reviews. That was one of my goals coming in to this year's review and i'm glad I was able to achieve it. That being said, I encourage you to not use my reviews (or anyone's devotional material) as a replacement for reading the Bible! There is simply no substitute. While resources like mine do help to encourage and enlighten the Christian spirit, there is no resource in this world (or any other) that replaces the Word of God. Drink deeply of that well.
I know i'll be taking a break from writing reviews for a couple months, at the least. I am considering starting the reviews up again in the summer. I've been kicking around the idea of doing a series of reviews this summer in which i'd review movies that are part of a larger series. I'd probably do one series a week. That'd make trilogies easy enough to squeeze in and it'd give me extra space for longer series such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Alien, and so forth. There are lots of anthologies in the cinematic universe and I think it'd be fun to look at the function of the cinematic series and how central themes are communicated over the course of several films. Your thoughts regarding that ambition (or anything regarding my film reviews) are most welcome.
I'll be producing hard copies of this year's review within the next month or so. If I have the time i'll also finish my proofing/re-formatting of last year's review and will see about making the whole anthology of reviews available. If you're interested in receiving a copy of this or last year's film review (or both, once they're ready), kick me an e-mail and we can discuss getting a copy to you.
Thank you again, and may God bless you.
I wish you all good and peace - E.T.
Friday, April 2, 2010
"You've Got Mail"
Title: "You've Got Mail"
Director: Nora Ephron
Producers: N. Ephron and L.S. Donner
Editing: Richard Marks
Composer: George Fenton
Starring:
- Tom Hanks as Joe "NY152" Fox
- Meg Ryan as Kathleen "Shopgirl" Kelly
- Greg Kinnear as Frank Navasky
- Parker Posey as Patricia Eden
- Hallee Hirsh as Annabel Fox
- Jeffrey Scaperrotta as Matthew Fox
- Steve Zahn as George Pappas
- Dave Chappelle as Kevin Jackson
Plot and Critical Review: Kathleen Kelly is involved with Frank Navasky, a leftist postmodernist newspaper writer for the New York Observer who's always in search of an opportunity to root for the underdog. While Frank is devoted to his typewriter, Kathleen prefers her laptop and logging into her AOL e-mail account. There, using the screen name "Shopgirl", Kathleen communicates with "NY152". This is the screen name for Joe Fox. Joe belongs to the Fox family which runs Fox Books — a chain of "mega" bookstores similar to Borders or Barnes & Noble. Kathleen, on the other hand, runs the independent bookstore The Shop Around The Corner, that her mother ran before her. The central conflict of the film revolves around the ability of Kathleen and Joe to interact well in virtual reality while they are business competitors in the "real world." A persistent mode of dramatic irony appears when Kathleen and Joe read each other's emails.
The movie begins with Kathleen logging on to her AOL account to read an email from "NY152" (Joe). In her reading of the e-mail, she reveals the boundaries of the online relationship; no specifics. The two then pass each other on their respective ways to work, unbeknownst to either one. Joe arrives at work, overseeing the opening of a new Fox Books in New York with the help of his friend and assistant Kevin. Meanwhile, Kathleen and her three store assistants, George, Birdie, and Christina open up shop.
Following a day on the town with his eleven-year-old aunt Annabel and four-year-old brother Matthew (the children of his frequently divorced grandfather and father, respectively), Joe enters Kathleen's store to let his younger relatives experience story time. The two have a friendly conversation that reveals Kathleen's fears about the Fox Books store opening around the corner, shocking Joe. He introduces himself as "Joe. Just call me Joe", omitting his last name of Fox and makes an abrupt exit with the children. However, at a publishing party later in the week, Joe and Kathleen meet again, both of them being in the "book business," where Kathleen discovers Joe's true identity.
All the while, "NY152" and "Shopgirl" continue their courtship, to the point where "NY152" asks "Shopgirl" to meet. Too embarrassed to go alone, Joe brings Kevin along for moral support. He insists that "Shopgirl" may be the love of his life. Meanwhile Kevin, looking in a cafe window at the behest of Joe, discovers the true identity of "Shopgirl". When Joe discovers that it is actually Kathleen behind the name, he confronts her as Joe (concealing his "NY152" alter ego). The two exchange words and Joe leaves the cafe hurt.
Following invitations from Frank and Joe via "NY152", Kathleen begins a media war, including both a boycott of Fox Books and an interview on the local news. Despite all efforts, The Shop Around the Corner slowly goes under. In a somber moment Kathleen enters Fox Books to discover the true nature of the store is one of friendliness and relaxation, yet not as personal as her independent shop. Eventually, the employees move on to other jobs as Christina goes job hunting, George gets a job at the children's department at a Fox Books store (Joe later compares George's knowledge to a PhD) and a gleeful Birdie retires off the riches of her investments: "I bought Intel at six!"
Allowing time for their electronic relationship to convalesce, Joe visits Kathleen while she is sick, and for the first time makes a favorable impression. Joe discovers that Kathleen has broken up with Frank, who moved in with a talk show host that interviewed him, predated one week by Joe and his uptight girlfriend, Patricia, who broke up in their apartment building while stuck in the elevator. The two develop a tentative friendship that blossoms over the course of a few weeks and they eventually fall for one another.
At the same time, "NY152" and "Shopgirl" agree to meet one more time. Joe and his dog Brinkley (the topic of numerous e-mails) meet Kathleen at Riverside Park. The two kiss as Kathleen cries and Over the Rainbow takes the movie out.
Having already appeared together as Joe Banks and DeDe in "Joe Verses The Volcano" (1990) and Sam Baldwin and Annie Reed in "Sleepless In Seattle" (1993), Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan were the sweethearts of the American screen when they took up the roles of Joe Fox and Kathleen Kelly for the endearing "You've Got Mail". Once again under the masterful direction of romantic comedy genius Nora Ephron (who directed the couple in "Sleepless..."), Hanks and Ryan charm the screen and soul. "You've Got Mail" grossed more than three times its budget, making it one of the most successful romantic comedies of all time. Released as a holiday feature, "You've Got Mail" is a remake of the popular 1940 "The Shop Around The Corner", which is indirectly referenced a few times in Ephron's rendition, namely Kathleen's book store being named "The Shop Around The Corner". It's worth watching the 1940 film to compare and appreciate how the famous cinematic couples have changed over the last 70 years and remained the same; stars shining in the firmament of the silver screen.
My Rating: 7.5/10
Content to Caution:
V-1 - No comment.
L-2 - No comment.
DU-1 - Some drinking.
RT-0 - No comment.
H/S-0 - No comment.
CH-2 - No comment.
S/N-1 - Some kissing.
The "Reel Revelation": "And Can It Be?"
“You’ve Got Mail” is about how two people overcome seemingly impossible odds and find true love. While not all people enjoy romantic comedies, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t like a story (in whatever form) that challenges the protagonist to reach a goal that seems unattainable. What makes good romantic movies work, however, is the challenge that the lovers must overcome to reach their blessed union. It’s that sort of challenge and tension that keeps us interested and wanting to see the outcome. Can you think of a time when you were been faced with a challenge that seemed impossible to overcome?
There's no greater story of the impossible coming to pass than Jesus' glorious resurrection from the dead. And, as if His resurrection wasn't enough, God deigns to share the very same power and promise of that Resurrection with us. What is more impossible than that?! Not only does God become a man, live among us, die among us, rise from the dead, and ascend into Heaven...he makes the fullness of His own divinity, grace, and love available to us every day.
"And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior's blood!
Died he for me? who caused his pain!
For me? who him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be
That thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be
That thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in him, is mine;
Alive in him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th' eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th' eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own."
(Text: Charles Wesley, Music: Thomas Campbell)
"And can it be...", indeed. But as magnificent as that blessed knowledge is, we still struggle with worldly challenges that seem impossible to overcome. Being Christian doesn't lift us above the circumstances and challenges of human nature, after all.
"The things that are impossible with people are possible with God." (Luke 18:27)
That's good news! Not only does this verse remind us of our mortal weakness and human frailty, it reminds us that what we can't do, God can! However, it's important to avoid incorrectly apply this passage. Jesus isn't a "wild card" we can "play" when we encounter a challenge we can't overcome. If that was the case, would there be any need for hope, faith, and the spirit of perseverance? Quite to the contrary; God wants us to know that what must be accomplished will be by God's power and not our own. And if you're wondering what "what must be accomplished" means for your life, turn to God and ask Him to reveal His will to you.
And what happens when the impossible remains impossible? Have you ever been angry or upset as God because He didn't "come through" for you in the way you expected? It's natural to feel that way, just as a child is angry toward his/her parent(s) when they don't get what they want. But our faith is stronger than our selfish anger, and just because we don't bulldoze through the challenges of life doesn't mean that God isn't guiding us. Sometimes we have to run into an immovable barrier to point us in a new direction; the right direction. Sometimes it seems more impossible to recover from the disappointments in life than to rejoice in the victories. And sometimes, when we face the impossible challenge, it is God who leads us into green pastures and gently whispers, "let Me handle this one."
I wish you good and peace - E.T.
Director: Nora Ephron
Producers: N. Ephron and L.S. Donner
Editing: Richard Marks
Composer: George Fenton
Starring:
- Tom Hanks as Joe "NY152" Fox
- Meg Ryan as Kathleen "Shopgirl" Kelly
- Greg Kinnear as Frank Navasky
- Parker Posey as Patricia Eden
- Hallee Hirsh as Annabel Fox
- Jeffrey Scaperrotta as Matthew Fox
- Steve Zahn as George Pappas
- Dave Chappelle as Kevin Jackson
Plot and Critical Review: Kathleen Kelly is involved with Frank Navasky, a leftist postmodernist newspaper writer for the New York Observer who's always in search of an opportunity to root for the underdog. While Frank is devoted to his typewriter, Kathleen prefers her laptop and logging into her AOL e-mail account. There, using the screen name "Shopgirl", Kathleen communicates with "NY152". This is the screen name for Joe Fox. Joe belongs to the Fox family which runs Fox Books — a chain of "mega" bookstores similar to Borders or Barnes & Noble. Kathleen, on the other hand, runs the independent bookstore The Shop Around The Corner, that her mother ran before her. The central conflict of the film revolves around the ability of Kathleen and Joe to interact well in virtual reality while they are business competitors in the "real world." A persistent mode of dramatic irony appears when Kathleen and Joe read each other's emails.
The movie begins with Kathleen logging on to her AOL account to read an email from "NY152" (Joe). In her reading of the e-mail, she reveals the boundaries of the online relationship; no specifics. The two then pass each other on their respective ways to work, unbeknownst to either one. Joe arrives at work, overseeing the opening of a new Fox Books in New York with the help of his friend and assistant Kevin. Meanwhile, Kathleen and her three store assistants, George, Birdie, and Christina open up shop.
Following a day on the town with his eleven-year-old aunt Annabel and four-year-old brother Matthew (the children of his frequently divorced grandfather and father, respectively), Joe enters Kathleen's store to let his younger relatives experience story time. The two have a friendly conversation that reveals Kathleen's fears about the Fox Books store opening around the corner, shocking Joe. He introduces himself as "Joe. Just call me Joe", omitting his last name of Fox and makes an abrupt exit with the children. However, at a publishing party later in the week, Joe and Kathleen meet again, both of them being in the "book business," where Kathleen discovers Joe's true identity.
All the while, "NY152" and "Shopgirl" continue their courtship, to the point where "NY152" asks "Shopgirl" to meet. Too embarrassed to go alone, Joe brings Kevin along for moral support. He insists that "Shopgirl" may be the love of his life. Meanwhile Kevin, looking in a cafe window at the behest of Joe, discovers the true identity of "Shopgirl". When Joe discovers that it is actually Kathleen behind the name, he confronts her as Joe (concealing his "NY152" alter ego). The two exchange words and Joe leaves the cafe hurt.
Following invitations from Frank and Joe via "NY152", Kathleen begins a media war, including both a boycott of Fox Books and an interview on the local news. Despite all efforts, The Shop Around the Corner slowly goes under. In a somber moment Kathleen enters Fox Books to discover the true nature of the store is one of friendliness and relaxation, yet not as personal as her independent shop. Eventually, the employees move on to other jobs as Christina goes job hunting, George gets a job at the children's department at a Fox Books store (Joe later compares George's knowledge to a PhD) and a gleeful Birdie retires off the riches of her investments: "I bought Intel at six!"
Allowing time for their electronic relationship to convalesce, Joe visits Kathleen while she is sick, and for the first time makes a favorable impression. Joe discovers that Kathleen has broken up with Frank, who moved in with a talk show host that interviewed him, predated one week by Joe and his uptight girlfriend, Patricia, who broke up in their apartment building while stuck in the elevator. The two develop a tentative friendship that blossoms over the course of a few weeks and they eventually fall for one another.
At the same time, "NY152" and "Shopgirl" agree to meet one more time. Joe and his dog Brinkley (the topic of numerous e-mails) meet Kathleen at Riverside Park. The two kiss as Kathleen cries and Over the Rainbow takes the movie out.
Having already appeared together as Joe Banks and DeDe in "Joe Verses The Volcano" (1990) and Sam Baldwin and Annie Reed in "Sleepless In Seattle" (1993), Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan were the sweethearts of the American screen when they took up the roles of Joe Fox and Kathleen Kelly for the endearing "You've Got Mail". Once again under the masterful direction of romantic comedy genius Nora Ephron (who directed the couple in "Sleepless..."), Hanks and Ryan charm the screen and soul. "You've Got Mail" grossed more than three times its budget, making it one of the most successful romantic comedies of all time. Released as a holiday feature, "You've Got Mail" is a remake of the popular 1940 "The Shop Around The Corner", which is indirectly referenced a few times in Ephron's rendition, namely Kathleen's book store being named "The Shop Around The Corner". It's worth watching the 1940 film to compare and appreciate how the famous cinematic couples have changed over the last 70 years and remained the same; stars shining in the firmament of the silver screen.
My Rating: 7.5/10
Content to Caution:
V-1 - No comment.
L-2 - No comment.
DU-1 - Some drinking.
RT-0 - No comment.
H/S-0 - No comment.
CH-2 - No comment.
S/N-1 - Some kissing.
The "Reel Revelation": "And Can It Be?"
“You’ve Got Mail” is about how two people overcome seemingly impossible odds and find true love. While not all people enjoy romantic comedies, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t like a story (in whatever form) that challenges the protagonist to reach a goal that seems unattainable. What makes good romantic movies work, however, is the challenge that the lovers must overcome to reach their blessed union. It’s that sort of challenge and tension that keeps us interested and wanting to see the outcome. Can you think of a time when you were been faced with a challenge that seemed impossible to overcome?
There's no greater story of the impossible coming to pass than Jesus' glorious resurrection from the dead. And, as if His resurrection wasn't enough, God deigns to share the very same power and promise of that Resurrection with us. What is more impossible than that?! Not only does God become a man, live among us, die among us, rise from the dead, and ascend into Heaven...he makes the fullness of His own divinity, grace, and love available to us every day.
"And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior's blood!
Died he for me? who caused his pain!
For me? who him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be
That thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be
That thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in him, is mine;
Alive in him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th' eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th' eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own."
(Text: Charles Wesley, Music: Thomas Campbell)
"And can it be...", indeed. But as magnificent as that blessed knowledge is, we still struggle with worldly challenges that seem impossible to overcome. Being Christian doesn't lift us above the circumstances and challenges of human nature, after all.
"The things that are impossible with people are possible with God." (Luke 18:27)
That's good news! Not only does this verse remind us of our mortal weakness and human frailty, it reminds us that what we can't do, God can! However, it's important to avoid incorrectly apply this passage. Jesus isn't a "wild card" we can "play" when we encounter a challenge we can't overcome. If that was the case, would there be any need for hope, faith, and the spirit of perseverance? Quite to the contrary; God wants us to know that what must be accomplished will be by God's power and not our own. And if you're wondering what "what must be accomplished" means for your life, turn to God and ask Him to reveal His will to you.
And what happens when the impossible remains impossible? Have you ever been angry or upset as God because He didn't "come through" for you in the way you expected? It's natural to feel that way, just as a child is angry toward his/her parent(s) when they don't get what they want. But our faith is stronger than our selfish anger, and just because we don't bulldoze through the challenges of life doesn't mean that God isn't guiding us. Sometimes we have to run into an immovable barrier to point us in a new direction; the right direction. Sometimes it seems more impossible to recover from the disappointments in life than to rejoice in the victories. And sometimes, when we face the impossible challenge, it is God who leads us into green pastures and gently whispers, "let Me handle this one."
I wish you good and peace - E.T.
"The Wrestler"
Title: "The Wrestler"
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Producers: A. Handel and E. Ginzburg
Editing: Andrew Weisblum
Composer: Clint Mansell
Starring:
- Mickey Rourke as Randy "The Ram" Robinson
- Marisa Tomei as Pam/Cassidy
- Evan Rachel Wood as Stephanie Robinson
- Todd Barry as Wayne
- Judah Friedlander as Scott Brumberg
- Ernest Miller as Bob/"The Ayatollah"
Plot and Critical Review: Randy "The Ram" Robinson is a professional wrestler who was a celebrity in the 1980s. He is now past his prime and wrestling on the weekends for various independent promotions. After a show, a promoter proposes a 20th anniversary rematch with his most notable opponent, "The Ayatollah", who now owns a used car dealership. As their last match sold out Madison Square Garden, Randy agrees to the rematch.
Randy goes home and is locked out of his trailer for not paying the rent; we learn that he loads boxes at a supermarket and that his boss, Wayne, does not hold him in high esteem. He frequents a strip club where he has befriended a faded stripper named Pam, stage-named Cassidy. He continues the training rituals for his wrestling appearance, including steroid use, hair-bleaching and tanning. After a brutal hardcore match, Randy suffers a heart attack and collapses.
Randy ultimately receives a coronary artery bypass and is warned by the doctor that his weakened heart cannot stand the stresses of steroids or wrestling. Randy cancels his upcoming matches and begins working as a deli counter operator at the supermarket. He tells Cassidy about his heart attack and tries to woo. She warms to him at first and tells him about her son, but when Randy gets too close she leaves.
At Cassidy's suggestion, Randy visits his estranged daughter, Stephanie, whom he had left years before. She curses him and tells him to leave her alone. Randy returns later with a gift suggested to him by Cassidy, and apologizes for being a bad father. The two bond over a visit to an abandoned beachfront boardwalk, and they agree to meet for dinner on that coming Saturday.
Randy goes to Cassidy's strip club to thank her. but she once more rejects his overtures. Dejected, Randy attends a wrestling match as a spectator and receives the attention he was seeking from Cassidy from his fans and fellow wrestlers. After watching the match, Randy gets drunk with his friends, snorts cocaine, and has sex with a woman he meets at a bar, sleeping the entire next day and missing his dinner date with Stephanie. He goes to her house in the middle of the night, but she tells him that she never wants to see or hear from him again.
Randy goes to work at the supermarket deli counter, where a fan recognizes him. Embarrassed by his job, Randy cuts himself in the deli meat slicer, screams at his boss, and quits. Randy calls the promoter to reschedule the previously canceled Ayatollah match and sets out for the venue, despite his doctor's warnings. Before the match, Cassidy unexpectedly arrives after walking off the stage in the middle of her strip club show to go see Randy. She apologizes, urging him not to wrestle for the sake of his health. Randy explains that the real world is where he gets hurt, and the only place he belongs, the only place where he's truly loved, is the wrestling ring.
Randy enters the ring and gives an emotional speech to the crowd before the fight begins, declaring that the fans are his true family. During the physical exertion of the match, Randy begins to feel angina, but continues despite the Ayatollah's pleas for Randy to pin him. Randy pushes through the pain and climbs to the top turnbuckle. As he does so, he notices that Cassidy is not there. Randy prepares to deliver his signature finishing move, a diving headbutt called the "Ram Jam." Brought to tears, he salutes the cheering crowd and leaps from the ropes as the screen cuts to black.
Produced on a budget of $6 million (a rare feat in 2008), "The Wrestler" fared well at the box office as well as resurrected Mickey Rourke's career. Rourke, who was best known for his work as an actor during the 80s and career as an amateur boxer during the early 90s, had been without a significant role for almost a decade. While many thought him washed up, director Darren Aronofsky saw something special in the aging actor and rolled the dice on casting Rourke as an (undeniably) washed up professional wrestler. The resulting combination of a dynamic script and exceptional cast earned the film multiple award nominations and helped Rourke to gain his first Best Actor Golden Globe. "The Wrestler" was also highly praised by the professional wrestling community for its accurate portrayal of the lifestyle many wrestlers endure for the sake of the fans. While the film openly admits that professional wrestling matches are staged, it quickly does away with the myth that the wrestling is "fake" as we see the very real challenges these athletes face every time they step into the ring.
My Rating: 7/10
Content to Caution:
V-4 - Several scenes of person-to-person violence related to professional wrestling. One scene of intense violence and gore associated with "hardcore wrestling".
L-3.5 - Many characters use curses and abusive language toward one another or in general conversation.
DU-3 - Randy uses a buffet of medication to control the pain associated with a career of a professional wrestler. Some smoking and drinking.
RT-0 - No comment.
H/S-3 - Some of the wrestling scenes are suspenseful, especially as Randy struggles with his health but decides to wrestle against the orders of his doctor.
CH-2 - No comment.
S/N-3.5 - Several scenes in a strip club and one sex scene between Randy and a girl he meets in a bar.
The "Reel Revelation": "Doctor's Orders"
Have your day-to-day activities ever been restricted because of an accident or injury? I remember when my sister hurt her knee in High School; she was injured as a result of a pole vaulting accident. Aside from being restricted from pole vaulting, many of her daily activities became much more complicated. I remember how frustrated she was by her restricted mobility and the need to depend on others. But my sister heeded the doctor's instructions and healed quickly. If she had fought against the healing process she might have caused further damage to her body and compromised her future as an athlete and fitness instructor. She didn't know it at the time, but listening to the doctor's orders opened up possibilities for the future that she wasn't even aware of.
Most of us are not doctors and, in spite of the vast amount of medical information available to us on the Internet and in books, we are not qualified to make judgments regarding our health. We'd be fools to do so, in fact. Thus we place our trust in the trained and qualified members of the medical community to tell us what is wrong (and right) with our bodies.
If we're all willing to agree on the ideas presented in the last three sentences; why do we hate going to the doctor?! I know that I do, at least. Do you have any specific reasons why you don't like going to see the doctor? I scoured the Internet for surveys that addressed this issue; here's what I found:
Reasons people don't like to go to the doctor because of... (in no particular order)
1) The primal survival instinct.
2) Fear of exposure.
3) Fear of coming into contact with other people who are sick.
4) Medical costs.
5) Fear that something might be wrong.
6) Self-pride and a feeling of weakness when going.
7) Nervousness and anxieties associated with seeing a doctor.
8) Fear of exams, especially gender-specific inspections.
9) The nurses. (I love nurses, so this is nothing personal, I promise.)
10) Fear of needles.
Those are all good reasons to dislike going to see the doctor. It should be no surprise that 60% of the reasons given are directly related to fear. But I was surprised that one reason came up missing, a reason I expected to see toward the top of all responses. For whatever reason, folks don't seem very concerned with the risk of losing the ability to do something because of a potential illness. People might be afraid that they're going to be told that they're sick, but there doesn't seem to be much thought given to the next step; 'what can't I do because i'm sick?' Even though it didn't appear in online surveys, however, i'm sure it's something we all think about whenever we feel even the slightest touch of illness. The very same is true of our spiritual lives.
We are all sick, and our sickness is the infestation and infection of sin within our lives. We've become so infected, in fact, that there is only one remedy for the virus that lives within us; the blood of Jesus. But Jesus didn't die so we'd be able to make use of His blood like a sort of spiritual Band-Aid. By no means. He died so that we might recover from the illness of sin and be transformed into new men and women, made pure and holy to live for Him! Not only do we wash ourselves and become clean through Jesus' sacrifice, our lives are changed by His death and resurrection, and this means far more than having to give up worldly pleasures; this means a change in lifestyle.
Have you ever heard someone (or yourself) say; "I'm not religious because I don't want to give up all the fun stuff !"? Maybe you've known someone who thought that being a person of faith meant having to give up all "earthly pleasures". We can't say that's entirely untrue as God does call His people to the walk of holiness to forsake the things of the world. In light of that knowledge, some people are just as afraid to come before God as they are to visit the doctor's office. Why? Because, like being afraid of restricted restricted activity as a result of physical injury people will be afraid of what God will ask them to give up. For some, that fear goes far beyond not being able to drink, smoke, and make merry. For some, that means getting out of a relationship, quitting a job, or making confession.
If you're reading these words and thinking to yourself, 'I know i'm sick (in a spiritual way), but I can't face God about it', don't be afraid. Consider these words from the Psalmist:
"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity
And in sin my mother conceived me.
Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." (Psalm 51: 5-7)
Make David's prayer your own, and do not be afraid. Know that God desires for you to know the truth of His love for your life. Know that God wants you to have wisdom, that you might avoid sinful behavior. Know that God is compassionate and desires a true transformation of the heart, not the simple replacing of behavior.
If God is like a physician, then what are His "orders" for us?
"This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you." (John 15:12-14)
As the doctors of this world give us instructions to help us recover our physical strength, so Jesus gives us divine instructions that our souls may be freed from sin. And this is the sign of our spiritual health; that we love each other, sacrificing our lives for the sake of those around us. That is what Jesus has done, and that is what we ought to do. But for some, even those promises of love and freedom won't be enough; you're sure to meet people who will still afraid to give up their sinful lifestyles (in whatever form) in order to follow God. Do not be dismayed, but simply ask them what is better; to live and die in sin, or to be called a "friend" of God?
See you tomorrow - E.T.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
"Titanic"
Title: "Titanic"
Director: James Cameron
Producers: J. Cameron and J. Landau
Editing: J. Cameron, C. Buff, and R.A. Harris
Composer: James Horner
Starring:
- Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson
- Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater
- Billy Zane as Caledon Nathan "Cal" Hockley
- Bill Paxton as Brock Lovett
- Kathy Bates as Margaret "Molly" Brown
- Bernard Hill as Captain John Edward Smith
Plot and Critical Review: In 1996, treasure hunter Brock Lovett and his team explore the wreck of the RMS Titanic, searching for a necklace set with a valuable blue diamond called the Heart of the Ocean. They believe the diamond is in Caledon "Cal" Hockley's safe, which they recover. They do not find the diamond, but a sketch of a nude woman wearing the diamond. The drawing is dated April 14, 1912, the night the Titanic hit the iceberg. One-hundred-year-old Rose Dawson Calvert learns of the drawing and contacts Lovett, informing him that she is the woman in the drawing. She and her granddaughter Elizabeth "Lizzy" Calvert visit Lovett and his team. When asked if she knew the whereabouts of the necklace, Rose recalls her memories aboard the Titanic, revealing that she is Rose DeWitt Bukater, a passenger believed to have died in the sinking.
In 1912, the upper class 17-year-old Rose DeWitt Bukater boards the Titanic in Southampton, England with her 30-something fiancé Caledon "Cal" Hockley and her mother, Ruth DeWitt Bukater. Cal and Ruth stress the importance of Rose's engagement, since the marriage will mean the eradication of the Dewitt-Bukater debts; while they appear upper-class, Rose and her mother are experiencing severe financial troubles. Distraught and frustrated by her engagement, Rose considers attempting suicide by jumping off the stern of the ship. Before she leaps, a drifter and artist named Jack Dawson intervenes and persuades her not to. As he helps her up from the stern, her dress catches and she falls. Jack grabs Rose's arm and helps her to pull herself back onto the boat. Cal, his friends and the sailors, overhearing Rose's screams, believe Jack attempted to rape her. She explains that Jack saved her life, hiding her suicide attempt by claiming she slipped while trying to see the propellers. Jack supports Rose's story, though Hockley's manservant, former Pinkerton agent Spicer Lovejoy, is unconvinced. Jack and Rose develop a tentative friendship. Soon after, Cal and Ruth forbid her to see Jack again. Rose defies them and meets Jack at the bow of the ship. She has decided she would rather be with him than with Cal, and the two share a passionate kiss.
They go to Rose's stateroom, where she asks Jack to sketch her wearing nothing but the Heart of the Ocean, an engagement present from Cal. Afterwards, the two hide in William Carter's Renault (stowed in the cargo hold) and make love in the backseat before moving to the ship's forward well deck. After witnessing the ship's collision with an iceberg and overhearing the ship's lookouts discussing how serious it is, Rose tells Jack they should warn her mother and Cal. Cal has discovered Rose's drawing and her taunting note in his safe, so he frames Jack for stealing the Heart of the Ocean by having Lovejoy plant it in Jack's pocket. Jack is arrested, taken down to the Master-at-arms's office and handcuffed to a pipe. Rose runs away from Cal and her mother (who has boarded a lifeboat) to rescue Jack from imprisonment. She frees him with an axe.
After much turmoil, Jack and Rose return to the top deck. Cal and Jack want Rose safe, so they persuade her to board a lifeboat, Cal claiming that he has an arrangement that will allow him and Jack to get off safely. After Rose is out of earshot, Cal admits that there is an arrangement, but he will not use it to help Jack. Realizing that she cannot leave Jack, Rose jumps back on the ship and reunites with him. Infuriated, Cal takes Lovejoy's pistol and chases Jack and Rose into the flooding dining saloon. When Cal runs out of ammunition, he sarcastically wishes them well, then realizes he left the Heart of the Ocean in Rose's overcoat. Cal abandons Lovejoy and returns to the boat deck, where he boards a lifeboat by pretending to look after an abandoned child. Jack and Rose go through grueling struggles just to return to the top deck. By the time they do, people everywhere are falling to their deaths and the lifeboats have gone. The ship begins to quickly sink. Jack and Rose take refuge on the now-vertical stern, which washes them into the Atlantic Ocean. They grab hold of a door that only supports one person. Jack remains in the water, clinging to the door. As Rose accepts their fate, Jack assures her that she will live to have a long, happy life. He says that when she dies it will be in her own bed. As they await rescue, Jack dies from hypothermia.
When a lifeboat finally returns to the site of the sinking, Rose is thinking of staying put and dying with Jack, but is then inspired by Jack's words and determined to live. She blows a whistle taken from a nearby frozen crew member, and is taken by the RMS Carpathia to New York, where she gives her name as Rose Dawson. She sees Cal for the last time on Carpathia's deck, looking for her. It is revealed that Cal commits suicide after losing his fortune in the Crash of 1929.
Having completed her story, the elderly Rose goes alone to the stern of Lovett's ship. There, she pulls out the Heart of the Ocean, revealing that she had it all along, and drops it into the water. The final shot of the film is of young Rose being reunited with Jack at the Grand Staircase of the Titanic, surrounded and applauded by those who perished on the ship.
Director: James Cameron
Producers: J. Cameron and J. Landau
Editing: J. Cameron, C. Buff, and R.A. Harris
Composer: James Horner
Starring:
- Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson
- Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater
- Billy Zane as Caledon Nathan "Cal" Hockley
- Bill Paxton as Brock Lovett
- Kathy Bates as Margaret "Molly" Brown
- Bernard Hill as Captain John Edward Smith
Plot and Critical Review: In 1996, treasure hunter Brock Lovett and his team explore the wreck of the RMS Titanic, searching for a necklace set with a valuable blue diamond called the Heart of the Ocean. They believe the diamond is in Caledon "Cal" Hockley's safe, which they recover. They do not find the diamond, but a sketch of a nude woman wearing the diamond. The drawing is dated April 14, 1912, the night the Titanic hit the iceberg. One-hundred-year-old Rose Dawson Calvert learns of the drawing and contacts Lovett, informing him that she is the woman in the drawing. She and her granddaughter Elizabeth "Lizzy" Calvert visit Lovett and his team. When asked if she knew the whereabouts of the necklace, Rose recalls her memories aboard the Titanic, revealing that she is Rose DeWitt Bukater, a passenger believed to have died in the sinking.
In 1912, the upper class 17-year-old Rose DeWitt Bukater boards the Titanic in Southampton, England with her 30-something fiancé Caledon "Cal" Hockley and her mother, Ruth DeWitt Bukater. Cal and Ruth stress the importance of Rose's engagement, since the marriage will mean the eradication of the Dewitt-Bukater debts; while they appear upper-class, Rose and her mother are experiencing severe financial troubles. Distraught and frustrated by her engagement, Rose considers attempting suicide by jumping off the stern of the ship. Before she leaps, a drifter and artist named Jack Dawson intervenes and persuades her not to. As he helps her up from the stern, her dress catches and she falls. Jack grabs Rose's arm and helps her to pull herself back onto the boat. Cal, his friends and the sailors, overhearing Rose's screams, believe Jack attempted to rape her. She explains that Jack saved her life, hiding her suicide attempt by claiming she slipped while trying to see the propellers. Jack supports Rose's story, though Hockley's manservant, former Pinkerton agent Spicer Lovejoy, is unconvinced. Jack and Rose develop a tentative friendship. Soon after, Cal and Ruth forbid her to see Jack again. Rose defies them and meets Jack at the bow of the ship. She has decided she would rather be with him than with Cal, and the two share a passionate kiss.
They go to Rose's stateroom, where she asks Jack to sketch her wearing nothing but the Heart of the Ocean, an engagement present from Cal. Afterwards, the two hide in William Carter's Renault (stowed in the cargo hold) and make love in the backseat before moving to the ship's forward well deck. After witnessing the ship's collision with an iceberg and overhearing the ship's lookouts discussing how serious it is, Rose tells Jack they should warn her mother and Cal. Cal has discovered Rose's drawing and her taunting note in his safe, so he frames Jack for stealing the Heart of the Ocean by having Lovejoy plant it in Jack's pocket. Jack is arrested, taken down to the Master-at-arms's office and handcuffed to a pipe. Rose runs away from Cal and her mother (who has boarded a lifeboat) to rescue Jack from imprisonment. She frees him with an axe.
After much turmoil, Jack and Rose return to the top deck. Cal and Jack want Rose safe, so they persuade her to board a lifeboat, Cal claiming that he has an arrangement that will allow him and Jack to get off safely. After Rose is out of earshot, Cal admits that there is an arrangement, but he will not use it to help Jack. Realizing that she cannot leave Jack, Rose jumps back on the ship and reunites with him. Infuriated, Cal takes Lovejoy's pistol and chases Jack and Rose into the flooding dining saloon. When Cal runs out of ammunition, he sarcastically wishes them well, then realizes he left the Heart of the Ocean in Rose's overcoat. Cal abandons Lovejoy and returns to the boat deck, where he boards a lifeboat by pretending to look after an abandoned child. Jack and Rose go through grueling struggles just to return to the top deck. By the time they do, people everywhere are falling to their deaths and the lifeboats have gone. The ship begins to quickly sink. Jack and Rose take refuge on the now-vertical stern, which washes them into the Atlantic Ocean. They grab hold of a door that only supports one person. Jack remains in the water, clinging to the door. As Rose accepts their fate, Jack assures her that she will live to have a long, happy life. He says that when she dies it will be in her own bed. As they await rescue, Jack dies from hypothermia.
When a lifeboat finally returns to the site of the sinking, Rose is thinking of staying put and dying with Jack, but is then inspired by Jack's words and determined to live. She blows a whistle taken from a nearby frozen crew member, and is taken by the RMS Carpathia to New York, where she gives her name as Rose Dawson. She sees Cal for the last time on Carpathia's deck, looking for her. It is revealed that Cal commits suicide after losing his fortune in the Crash of 1929.
Having completed her story, the elderly Rose goes alone to the stern of Lovett's ship. There, she pulls out the Heart of the Ocean, revealing that she had it all along, and drops it into the water. The final shot of the film is of young Rose being reunited with Jack at the Grand Staircase of the Titanic, surrounded and applauded by those who perished on the ship.
When dealing with a film as historic and important as "Titanic", i'll leave these next couple paragraphs to the expert:
"Movies like this are not merely difficult to make at all, but almost impossible to make well. The technical difficulties are so daunting that it's a wonder when the filmmakers are also able to bring the drama and history into proportion. I found myself convinced by both the story and the saga. The setup of the love story is fairly routine, but the payoff--how everyone behaves as the ship is sinking--is wonderfully written, as passengers are forced to make impossible choices. Even the villain, played by Zane, reveals a human element at a crucial moment (despite everything, damn it all, he does love the girl).
The image from the Titanic that has haunted me, ever since I first read the story of the great ship, involves the moments right after it sank. The night sea was quiet enough so that cries for help carried easily across the water to the lifeboats, which drew prudently away. Still dressed up in the latest fashions, hundreds froze and drowned. What an extraordinary position to find yourself in after spending all that money for a ticket on an unsinkable ship." (Roger Ebert, December 19, 1997)
My Rating: 8.5/10
Content to Caution:
V-3 - Some fistfights and assault with a handgun. Several passengers fight with members of the ship's crew to escape the lower levels of the vessel as it sinks.
L-2.5 - No comment.
DU-2 - Smoking and drinking in social settings.
RT-1 - No comment.
H/S-4 -It's the sinking of the Titanic...you can expect a bit of suspense.
CH-2 - N0 comment.
S/N-3 - One scene in which Jack paints Rose in the nude, and one scene of love making.
The "Reel Revelation": "Letting Go and Turning The Page"
Do you like to read? I prefer movies (duh), but have read enough to appreciate what it means to end one chapter and begin another. But have you ever read a chapter that was so good, you didn't want to start the next one? You know what I mean; when you come upon a chapter so invigorating and exciting that you'd just as soon read it again and again rather than turn the page and continue with the story? There are moments in life that are just like that; when you have to decide whether to move on with your personal story or linger in the previous chapters of experience and memory. While it's nice to take a occasional stroll down "Memory Lane", isn't it worthwhile to turn the page and see what comes next?
Of all the memorable scenes in "Titanic", few are as emotionally potent as the final scene between Rose and Jack as the two drift on a piece of wreckage and cling to each other for dear life. Because the wreckage (a large door) can only hold one person without sinking, Jack has Rose get on the door while he holds on with his arms; the rest of his body submerged in the cold sea. Both are soaked and freezing, but Jack quickly succumbs to hypothermia and begins to die. You no doubt remember this heart-breaking dialogue:
Rose: It's getting quiet.
Jack: It's gonna take a couple of minutes to get the boats organized. I don't know about you, but I intend to go write a strongly worded letter to the White Star Line about all this.
Rose: I love you, Jack.
Jack: Don't you do that. Don't you say your good-byes. Not yet, do you understand me?
Rose: I'm so cold.
Jack: Listen, Rose. You're gonna get out of here, you're gonna go on, and you're gonna make lots of babies, and you're gonna watch them grow. You're gonna die an old... an old lady warm in her bed, not here, not this night. Not like this, do you understand me?
Rose: I can't feel my body.
Jack: Winning that ticket, Rose, was the best thing that ever happened to me... it brought me to you. And I'm thankful for that, Rose. I'm thankful. You must do me this honor. You must promise me that you'll survive, that you won't give up, no matter what happens, no matter how hopeless. Promise me now, Rose, and never let go of that promise.
Rose: I promise.
Jack: Never let go.
Rose: I'll never let go, Jack. I'll never let go.
But let go she must. Let go of his body, at least. Knowing Jack is dead, Rose kisses his hands then watches as his body sinks into the deep. Only after she's let him go is she able to signal a lifeboat and save herself. Had she remained with him, she would certainly have perished.
It's not always easy to let go, is it? But why was it so hard for Rose to let go of Jack? Love? Certainly; they were obviously madly in love with each other. Freedom? You bet; Jack showed Rose a way of life that she had never known. Promise? Yes; Jack made promises to Rose that she didn't want to let go of, promises that she believed Jack would fulfill for her and with her. These three things combine to make a wonderful experience that, for Rose, was worth holding onto. And that's something to reflect on for our own lives, how we hold on to the experiences that are important to us. After all, Rose had to let go of Jack's body, but she was able to hold onto his memory forever. Rose went on to marry, have children, and enjoy a full and rich life. While she never told anyone about Jack Dawson, she always cherished the memory of him. If only real life could be like that.
About two years ago I had to say goodbye to my best friend. She was much more than my best friend, however, she was my darling and the joy of my heart. And when she left I had to decide whether to hold on or let go of her. Though she was physically absent, the memory of her was so strong and often far more than I felt I could bear. I chose to ignore everything else and re-read " her chapter" over and over again. I poured over every word, every memory, every encounter, every touch, and every prayer we shared together. I put the rest of my life's story on hold, just so I could linger in the memory of her. I called it "grief", for I was indeed grieving, but in my heart I knew that I wasting precious time holding on to a memory when the future was knocking at the door. Even as I write these words, I cannot honestly say that i've let go of her memory altogether. But I have at least turned the page and started the next chapter of my life. I've done none of this, however, by my own power.
"The Spirit of the LORD is upon me,
Because He anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor,
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,
To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD." (Luke 4:18-19)
When Jesus spoke these words he was quoting the prophet Isaiah who was sent to nation of Israel while they were in captivity in Babylon. But in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is speaking of Himself and the mission He was sent to complete. But the people to whom he was sent weren't being held captive in Babylon, so what did He mean when He said "proclaim release to the captives"? He meant release from sin and death, yes, and he also meant release from the bondage of the past.
Is there something in your life that you're holding onto? Have you been re-reading the same chapter and not turned the page to see what's next? Have you resisted the releasing power of the grace of God in your life? Perhaps you are like me and have chosen to hold onto a memory that pleases and delights the spirit; memories of childhood, innocence, loved ones, and better days. Or perhaps your heart is wrapped around an experience that has wounded and scarred you in ways you cannot fully express or understand. Whatever your situation may be, I believe that God is at hand, and He is ready to help you let go of your hindrances and move into a new season of life.
Turn the page and brace yourself; for God alone knows what the next chapter will bring.
When Jesus spoke these words he was quoting the prophet Isaiah who was sent to nation of Israel while they were in captivity in Babylon. But in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is speaking of Himself and the mission He was sent to complete. But the people to whom he was sent weren't being held captive in Babylon, so what did He mean when He said "proclaim release to the captives"? He meant release from sin and death, yes, and he also meant release from the bondage of the past.
Is there something in your life that you're holding onto? Have you been re-reading the same chapter and not turned the page to see what's next? Have you resisted the releasing power of the grace of God in your life? Perhaps you are like me and have chosen to hold onto a memory that pleases and delights the spirit; memories of childhood, innocence, loved ones, and better days. Or perhaps your heart is wrapped around an experience that has wounded and scarred you in ways you cannot fully express or understand. Whatever your situation may be, I believe that God is at hand, and He is ready to help you let go of your hindrances and move into a new season of life.
Turn the page and brace yourself; for God alone knows what the next chapter will bring.
See you tomorrow - E.T.
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