"There Will Be Blood"

Title: "There Will Be Blood"
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Producers: P.T. Anderson, D. Lupi, J. Sellar, and S. Rudin
Editing: Dylan Tichenor
Composer: Johnny Greenwood
Starring:
- Daniel Day Lewis as Daniel Plainview
- Dillon Freasier as Young H.W. Plainview
- Russell Harvard as Adult H.W. Plainview
- Kevin J. O'Connor as Henry Plainview
- Paul Dano as Paul Sunday
- Paul Dano as Eli Sunday

Plot and Critical Review: In 1902 Daniel Plainview, a mineral prospector, discovers oil and establishes a small drilling company. Following the death of one of his workers in an accident, Plainview adopts the man's orphaned son (his mother nowhere to be found). The boy, whom he names H.W., becomes his nominal business "partner".

Nine years later, Plainview is approached by Paul Sunday who tells him about the oil deposit under his family's property in Little Boston, California. Plainview attempts to buy the farm at a bargain price but Paul's twin brother Eli, wise to Plainview's plan, holds out for $10,000, wanting the money to fund the local church, of which he is the pastor. Plainview has Eli's father agree to the bargain price instead, and goes on to snatch up the available land in the Little Boston area, except for one holdout - William Bandy. Oil production begins. Later, an on-site accident kills a worker, and later still, a large explosion robs young H.W. of his hearing.

One day, a visitor arrives on Plainview's doorstep claiming to be his half-brother, Henry, and is seeking work. Plainview takes the stranger in, and though H.W. discovers flaws in his story he keeps the news to himself; the boy then attempts to kill Henry by setting his bed linen alight. Angered at his son's behavior, Plainview sends the boy away to a school in San Francisco. A representative from Standard Oil later offers to buy out Plainview's local interests, but Plainview elects to strike a deal with Union Oil instead and construct a pipeline to the Californian coast, though the Bandy ranch remains an impediment. After spending more time with Henry, Plainview also becomes suspicious; Henry finally confesses that he was actually a friend of the real Henry, who has long since died from tuberculosis. Assuming the worst, Plainview kills the fake-Henry and buries his body.

The next morning, Plainview is awakened by Mr. Bandy, who appears to be aware of the previous night's events. Bandy agrees to Plainview's deal but only on the provision that the latter mend his ways and join the Church of the Third Revelation, where Eli humiliates him as part of his initiation. Plainview soon reunites with H.W., and Eli eventually leaves town to perform missionary work.

In 1927, Plainview has become an alcoholic but is extremely wealthy, living in a mansion with only a servant for company. H.W. asks his father (through an interpreter, as he still has significant hearing loss) to dissolve their partnership so he can establish his own business. Betrayed, Plainview mocks his son's deafness and tells him of his true origins, leaving H.W. with no regrets when he finally leaves.

Some time later, Eli, now a radio host and the head of a larger church, visits Plainview, but it becomes clear that Eli is in dire financial straits and desperate, explaining that Mr. Bandy has died and that he offers to broker a deal on his land. Plainview agrees to the deal if Eli confesses, "I am a false prophet; God is a superstition", subjecting Eli to the same humiliation Eli had put him through years earlier. Eli does so after much berating by Plainview. To Eli's horror, Plainview then reveals scathingly that he had already drained the oil from the property through surrounding wells. Plainview suddenly goes into a rage, chases Eli about the room, and then beats him to death with a bowling pin. When Plainview's butler comes down to check on him, Plainview simply says "I'm finished" as the film ends.

2007 was a great year for the film industry. We enjoyed the epic "Atonement" alongside Pixar's newest digital project, "Ratatouille". Action and adventure fans got their will with "American Gangster" and "3:10 to Yuma" while drama and suspense junkies were satisfied with titles such as "Michael Clayton" and "Eastern Promises". But above all these rose two titans, "No Country For Old Men" and "There Will Be Blood". Both earned around $100 million (between theatre and DVD sales) and were nominated for 8 Academy Awards. While "There Will Be Blood" took home 2 Oscars (including Daniel Day Lewis' Best Actor award), but lost three of its 8 nominations to "No Country..." which went on to win Best Picture and Best Director. Both films appeared in many "Top 10" lists for 2007 and "There Will Be Blood" was almost universally agreed to be the best film of the '00s. If you've not seen it, you're wasting time reading my words and should get to the video store as soon as possible.

My Rating: 8.5/10

Content to Caution:
V-3 - Several injuries and deaths related to the dangers of working on derricks are shown with intense realism. Daniel fights with Eli and kills another man with a pistol.
L-2.5 - Some coarse and abrasive language.
DU-2 - Some smoking and drinking.
RT-1 - No comment.
H/S-2 - Several moments of suspense related to oil drilling and Daniel's pursuit of success and fortune.
CH-1 - No comment.
S/N-0 - No comment.

The "Reel Revelation": "Bad Religion"

"There Will Be Blood" presents some of the most intriguing and towering characters ever to grace the silver screen. Many believe that Daniel Plainview will go down as one of the most memorable characters of them all. Daniel's drive and ambition to succeed lead him to unthinkable lengths and beyond. And then there's Eli Sunday, the seemingly confident but ultimately troubled young man who believes his calling from God grants him supernatural power and influence over the lives of those around him. When these two characters collide, we witness a dramatic battle that stands out as being one of the most poignant in all of film.

If you quickly examine both characters, you'd probably estimate that God would side with Eli, wouldn't you? After all he is young, ambitious, devoted, enthusiastic about his faith, and willing to do anything for the Lord. We even learn that he did extensive traveling as a missionary. Surely God will stand with this young Christian, right?! But if that is all we think of him, we manage to overlook several instances in which Eli shows his true intentions; to control the lives of others. Consider this scene in which Eli confronts his Abel, his Father, regarding the sale of the Sunday ranch to Plainview:

Eli: You are a stupid man, Abel. You have let someone come in here and walk all over us. You let him in and do his work here, and you are a stupid man for what we could have had.
Abel: I followed His word, Eli. I tried.
Eli: You didn't do anything but sit down. You're lazy, and you're stupid. Do you think God is going to save you for being stupid? He doesn't save stupid people, Abel.

That, my friends, is a case-in-point example of "bad religion"; using an external element (of whatever kind) to control the people around us. But we must remember that in his own heart, Eli believed he was doing God's will and communicating God's Truth to his Father. Perhaps we've done the same in our own lives; acted out in "faith" and ended up doing something outside of God's plan because we incorrectly discerned God's leading. We wouldn't be the first people to do such a thing; the Bible is littered with people who practiced bad religion, even though they believed they were doing God's will. Let's race ahead to the end of the movie and see where Eli's faith is when he comes to Daniel, begging for a lease on the Bandy tract. (I've trimmed the dialogue for the sake of length...)

Plainview: But there is one condition for this work. I’d like you to tell me that you are a false prophet. I’d like you to tell me that you are, and have been, a false prophet, and that God is a superstition.
Eli: But that’s a lie. It’s a lie, I cannot say it...
[PAUSE]
Eli: When can we begin to drill?
Plainview: Very soon.
Eli: How long will it take to bring in the well?
Plainview: It shouldn’t take long.
Eli: I would like a 100,000 dollar signing bonus, plus the five that is owed to me with interest.
Plainview: That’s only fair.
Eli: I am a false prophet and God is a superstition, if that’s what you believe, then I will say it.
Plainview: Say it like you mean it.
Eli: Daniel…
Plainview: Say it like it's your sermon.... Don’t smile!
Eli: I am a false prophet, God is a superstition--
Plainview: Eli, Eli, stop! Just imagine this is your church here, and you have a full congregation, so…
Eli: I am a false prophet, God is a superstition!
Plainview: Say it again.
Eli: I am a false prophet, God is a superstition!
Plainview: They can’t hear you in the back!
Eli: I am a false prophet, God is a superstition!
Plainview: Those areas have been drilled.
Eli: What…? No they haven't…
Plainview: Yes; it's, uh, it's called drainage, Eli. See, I own everything around it; so of course, I get what’s underneath it.
Eli: But there are no derricks there. This is the Bandy tract, do you understand?
Plainview: Do you understand Eli, that's more to the point, do you understand? Every day, I drink the blood of Lamb from Bandy's tract.
Eli: Oh Daniel. Daniel. Please? I am in desperate times.
Plainview: I know.
Eli: I’ve sinned. I need help, I’m a sinner. I’ve let the Devil grab hold of me in ways I never imagined. I’m so full of sin.
Plainview: The Lord sometimes challenges us, doesn’t He, Eli?
Eli: [becomes hysterical] Oh yes He does, Daniel, yes He does--
Plainview: ...Yes He does...
Eli: This… I must have this, Daniel, I must, I must, I must, I must, I must have this. My investments have... If I could grab the Lord’s hand for help I would but He does these things all the time, these mysteries that He presents and while we wait! While we wait for His word!
Plainview: Because you're not the chosen brother, Eli. 'Twas Paul who was chosen. See he found me and told me about your land, you're just a fool.
Eli: Why are you talking about Paul? Don’t say this to me.
Plainview: I did what your brother couldn't, I broke you and I beat you. It was Paul told me about you, he's the prophet, he's the smart one. You know what the funny thing is? I paid him $10,000 cash in hand, just like that. He has his own company now. Prosperous little business. Three wells producing $5000 a week.
[Eli weeps]

Not only is Eli emotionally ruined, he actually renounces his faith to satisfy the terms of the contract with Daniel! What measure of devotion is this, to be so devout one moment and so spineless in the next?! Earlier in the movie he was bold enough to declare God's judgment and damnation over his own Father, but now he's left a weeping mess in Daniel's bowling alley. And Daniel, in a startling revelation, speaks what seems to be the truth into Eli's life, for indeed it was Paul who was able to "prophecy" (or "prospect", in the proper vernacular) the presence of oil underneath the Sunday ranch. What sort of religion does Eli represent? Not a very trustworthy one, it seems. But in the end we're able to see both men were controlled by the very same vice; greed. While Eli used God (and an ecstatic and charismatic incarnation of the Christian faith) to establish spiritual dominion over others, Daniel used his skills in the oil trade to gather financial strength for himself. If we peel back all of the outer layers, we discover that Eli and Daniel are actually the same person. Both men practiced "bad religion", and I believe that we have all done the same.

"But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way." (James 3:8-10)

These are some of the most challenging verses in all of Scripture for they explain, in no uncertain terms, how frail and broken our human nature is. Indeed, with the tongue alone we are able to do great good and terrible evil. Think also of how we use our hands, to build up and tear down. When considering how easy it is to go from one to the other (blessing to cursing), it's no wonder Jesus said, "If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you." (Matthew 18:9) Sometimes it seems preferable to simply disable or "pluck out" the parts of our lives that allow us to both worship and commit acts of darkness. But there is hope, and I know i'm in need of some when I consider how much more likely I am to act out in sin than in righteousness for Christ.

"Delight yourself in the Lord;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
And your judgment as the noonday." (Psalm 37:4-6)

Ask yourself these two simple questions; "What do you desire?" and "Where is your trust?"

Do you desire to do good in the world and to give glory to God? Do you desire to be a vessel of peace and mercy for those who are in need? Do you desire to set your own intentions aside and seek wholeheartedly after the plan God has laid before you? "Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart."

Do you trust in your own morality and ethical code, or in the divine love of God? Do you, like Eli, rely on your own common sense and natural impulse to guide you, or do you trust God to lead you in the way you should walk? Do you trust in your own strength to keep your tongue from cursing, or do you trust in the grace of God to give you a heart full of blessing and praise? "Trust also in Him, and He will do it."

Because we are human we will always struggle with the perverseness of the flesh. But because we are loved by a God who is divine and yet became human, we know that He will empower us to overcome the images of "bad religion" in the world and represent a faith of love, forgiveness, repentance, and peace; the faith of the Family of God.

See you tomorrow - E.T.

P.S. - I apologize for the length of today's reflection. I find myself so emotionally influenced by this movie that it's not always easy for me to get my thoughts out in a succinct manner. I apologize, likewise, for the length of the last few reflections. All the same, it's my prayer that God will remove the dross of my confusion and offer a refined product for the benefit of your lives. Thanks for reading.

"Smokin' Aces"

Title: "Smokin' Aces"
Director: Joe Carnahan
Producers: T. Bevan and E. Fellner
Editing: Robert Frazen
Composer: Clint Mansell
Starring:
- Jeremy Piven as Buddy "Aces" Israel
- Ryan Reynolds as Richard Messner
- Ray Liotta as Donald Carruthers
- Andy Garcia as Stanley Locke
- Alicia Keys as Georgia Sykes
- Joseph Ruskin as Primo Sparazza
- Taraji P. Henson as Sharice Watters
- Jason Bateman as Ripley "Rip" Reed
- Ben Affleck as Jack Dupree
- Nestor Carbonell as Pasqual "The Plague" Acosta
- Chris Pine as Darwin Tremor
- Kevin Durand as Jeeves Tremor
- Maury Sterling as Lester Tremor

Plot and Critical Review: Las Vegas magician and wannabe gangster Buddy "Aces" Israel is hiding out in a Lake Tahoe hotel penthouse with his entourage, while his agent, Morris Mecklen, discusses a potential immunity deal with FBI Deputy Director Locke. Agents Messner and Carruthers learn that mob boss Primo Sparazza has put a hit out on Israel worth one million dollars, and that the assasination involves a someone only known as the Swede, with the added stipulation that the Swede deliver Israel's heart to Sparazza. A number of assassins are also after the reward, including Lazlo Soot, a Hungarian who specializes in disguises and impersonations; Sharice Watters and Georgia Sykes, a duo of hitwomen hired by Sparazza's underboss; Pasquale Acosta, a torture expert and mercenary; and the psychotic neo-Nazi Tremor brothers.

Locke dispatches Messner and Carruthers to take Israel into custody. A team of bail bondsmen, Jack Dupree and his partners, "Pistol" Pete Deeks and Hollis Elmore, have been hired by the firm that posted Israel's bail. The bondsmen are attacked by the Tremors and only Elmore escapes alive. Messner is dispatched to the murder scene while Caruthers proceeds to secure Israel. Meanwhile, each of the assassins gain access to the hotel in their own various ways.

Carruthers encounters Acosta (now disguised as a casino security officer) in an elevator at the hotel and something is not right. Both are disabled in a gunfight. Meanwhile, Soot gains access to the penthouse by posing as one of Israel's henchmen. Israel's second-in-command, Ivy, learns that Israel agreed to give him up as part of the plea deal, but, before he can kill him, Israel injures Ivy long enough for the hotel security team to restrain him. Georgia stumbles upon Carruthers and Acosta in the elevator, but assumes Acosta is Soot. In Los Angeles, Locke abruptly backs out on the deal with Israel and orders that Messner and Carruthers not be told. The Tremor brothers reach the penthouse floor, where they engage in a shootout with the security team while Israel, learning of the FBI's new position, attempts suicide.

Messner arrives at the hotel and sets up a position around Georgia's elevator. Sharice provides cover from another hotel with a .50-caliber sniper rifle, outgunning the FBI agents. Acosta, still alive, shoots Georgia, but is shot again by Carruthers. Sharice, thinking Georgia is dead, refuses to escape and keeps shooting at the FBI team. Georgia escapes to the penthouse, where she stops Darwin Tremor before he can kill Ivy. Tremor escapes and Messner, distraught over the death of Carruthers, stops Ivy and Georgia on the stairwell, but lets them escape. Sharice is gunned down by the FBI.

Locke and a team of FBI agents descend on the penthouse and take Israel to the hospital, while Soot escapes by tearing off his disguise and posing as a bystander. Acosta, carted away on a gurney, is also shown to be alive. Darwin Tremor tries to escape, but is gunned down by Hollis Elmore.

Messner arrives at the hospital and learns the truth about the day's events from Locke. The mysterious Swede is revealed to be a prominent heart surgeon and Soot was hired by Sparazza to get Israel's heart so it could be transplanted into the body of Sparazza. Sparazza is further revealed to be Freeman Heller, an FBI agent who went undercover and was thought to have been killed by the mob. Sparazza has agreed to expose the mob's operations in exchange for Israel's heart, who is shown to be Sparazza's love child and, thus, the most compatible donor.

Messner, furious over the unnecessary deaths, especially the death of his partner, protests and is ordered to leave the hospital. Left alone, he walks into the emergency room where Israel and Sparazza lie in comas. Messner locks the doors and unplugs all of the medical equipment sustaining both men. He then lays his gun and badge on the floor and sits in disbelief as Locke and the doctors desperately try to break in.

While it was supported by a noteworthy cast of actors, "Smokin' Aces" failed to generate the acclaim the director and producers were hoping for. It was able to break even at the box office, but mostly through international sales. While some of the fight scenes prove exciting, the smash-cut editing and multiple story lines ends up becoming a distraction. The viewer is surprised to finish the movie with a clear idea of what actually happened, much less who ended up doing what, and to who. Don't buy this one, but go out this very instant and pick up Scorsese's classic, "The Departed".

My Rating: 4/10

Content to Caution:
V-5 - Almost non-stop violence of the most intense sort.
L-5 - Heavy cursing and coarse language throughout.
DU-2 - Some drinking and smoking.
RT-2.5 - Three of the characters dress and act as neo-Nazis, and there is a strong amount of racist behavior from one female character.
H/S-2 - No comment.
CH-2.5 - No comment.
S/N-2.5 - Several shots of multiple prostitutes, some naked. Several jokes made in reference to sex. Homosexual sex is suggested, but not shown.

The "Reel Revelation": "Secrets"

I like to start off these reflections with a question that introduces the theme. The most natural one given the topic at hand is simply, "Have you ever kept a secret?" But I won't bother actually posing that query as I already know your answer; yes. I don't presume to see into all of your hearts or know your personal histories, but I do know that all people have kept some sort of secret at some point. Maybe it was something small, like not telling your parents you took a piece of gum from the candy store. Maybe it was something significant like not telling your spouse you lost your job. And then there's the classic encounter we've probably all had with our friends. They rush up and softly whisper in our ear, "Can you keep a secret?" How exciting!

How do you feel when you know something that no one else does? More importantly, how do you feel when you know something that's actually important to someone else, but they don't know what it is?! Perhaps you're nervous that you might accidentally "spill the beans" or "let the cat out of the bag" and, in a slip, give the secret away. Maybe you feel ashamed that you're keeping important information from a friend or family member. Maybe you feel powerful when you realize that you retain a piece of knowledge or information that someone else is searching for. And how you feel in that moment is important as we take a closer look at what it means to keep secrets.

In "Smokin' Aces", a very mysterious secret is kept from all of the characters in the film until the third act; the end of the film. Do you remember what the secret was? That Primo Spazarra was Agent Freeman Heller all along. Heller had managed to keep his true identity a secret for 40+ years before a file finally surfaced that led Deputy Director Locke to the truth. And as soon as the truth was made known, the entire course of the story changed direction, especially as all the key players realized the true connection between Sparazzo and Buddy Israel. The truth has a way of doing that; undoing all of the foundations we've built upon faulty premise and assumption. The Greek playwright, Sophocles, said it in a way I think we can all appreciate: "Do nothing secretly, for Time sees and hears all things, and discloses all." A challengingly true sentiment.

For some reason, keeping secrets isn't thought of as being an inappropriate or necessarily harmful. After all, if Sophocles is right and the truth will be known in the end, isn't it acceptable to withhold the truth in certain circumstances? Therein, I believe, is the real dilemma; withholding the truth. I wouldn't bother bringing up the issue of secrets in general if the realities of human experience didn't reflect this foundational principle: we need the truth to survive. And there's no better example of someone who choose to reveal the truth (instead of hiding it) than the example we find in Jesus.

"So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My ways, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32)

Likewise,

"I have not spoken in secret,
In some dark land;
I did not say to the offspring of Jacob,
'Seek Me in a waste place';
I, the Lord, speak righteousness,

Declaring things that are upright." (Isaiah 45: 19)

When Jesus came into the world, He did so to bring us the good news of God's salvation for all people. Out of His great love for the whole of humanity, He spoke to us in ways we could understand, so that we might be able to grasp the nearness and tender mercy of God. Sometimes the words He spoke were challenging, but the truth of His message set people free to follow after God. His words set people free... Do you set people free with your words? Do you "continue in (His) ways..." by the words you speak to others; by the way you proclaim truth to those around you?

The Bible is frustratingly silent when we look to answer the question, "Is it sinful to keep secrets?" But, based on the verses above, we should be able to see where the Scriptures stand when it comes to the declaration of the truth. And what does this mean in the day-to-day walk of faith? Here are three suggestions:

1) Say what you mean to say, and say it with love! - If you hope to represent God's Promise in the world, are you willing to represent the truth of your own mind as well? Don't be afraid to speak plainly of how you feel, what you think, and what your opinions are. But learn to temper your tongue and "...speak the truth in love..." (Ephesians. 4:15), so that even your opinions (whatever they may be) are communicated in a way that is kind, gentle, and not abrasive to the way others might feel. Paul admonishes us to "speak the truth in love" in order that we would edify, encourage, challenge, and uplift one another as we mature in our faith. Bind your tongue from cursing, but loosen your heart to be the first to speak the loving word.

2) Learn to be still and silent. - Remember, "...not all things are profitable" (1 Cor. 6:12), and that means (among other things) that our words won't always be appropriate. Have you ever heard someone say the right thing in the wrong moment? But when words fail we are still able to "speak the truth" through our actions. Ask the Holy Spirit to quiet your heart as you go about your daily routine; that you might know exactly what to say or what to do when God calls you to speak the truth in your home, workplace, and community. Sometimes the most important words are the ones we don't speak through our lips.

3) Speak into the mirror. - It's easy to become so focused on spreading the word of God's truth that we forget to speak it into our own lives. Have you ever worked so hard that you actually wore yourself out to the point where you couldn't work anymore? What good were you then? We are called to be ambassadors of God's truth in the world, but we cannot allow ourselves to turn entirely outward; we are in need of the same message of hope, love, and forgiveness. Have you ever spent so much time praying for other people you forgot to pray for yourself? Look into the mirror (literally, if that's what it takes) and remind yourself, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (Matthew 5: 7-8) Remember, as well,

"He who walks with integrity, and works with righteousness,
And speaks truth in his heart.
He does not slander with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor takes up a reproach against his friend..." (Psalm 15: 2-3)

See you tomorrow - E.T.

"Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow"

Title: "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow"
Director: Kerry Conran
Producers: J. Avnet, S. Frost, J. Law, and M. Oglesby
Editing: Sabrina Plisco
Composer: Edward Shearmur
Starring:
- Jude Law as Harry Joseph "Joe" Sullivan or Sky Captain of the Flying Legion
- Gwyneth Paltrow as Polly Perkins
- Angelina Jolie as Commander Francesca "Franky" Cook
- Giovanni Ribisi as Dexter "Dex" Dearborn

Plot and Critical Review: The film opens in 1939. A frightened scientist named Dr. Jorge Vargas arrives in New York City and makes arrangements for a package containing two vials to be delivered to Dr. Walter Jennings. Polly Perkins, a newspaper reporter for The Chronicle, is looking into the mysterious disappearances of Vargas and five other scientists. She receives a message telling her to go to Radio City Music Hall that night. She goes and meets Dr. Jennings during a showing of "The Wizard of Oz". He tells her that Dr. Totenkopf is coming for him.

Air raid sirens are head in the distance, heralding the arrival of numerous towering robots that prove unstoppable. In desperation, the police call for "Sky Captain" Joe Sullivan, who commands a private air force; the Flying Legion. While Polly photographs the action from the street, Sullivan knocks out one of the robots and the rest leave. The wreckage of the robot is taken back to the Legion's air base so that Dex Dearborn (Joe's mechanic) can examine it. Polly follows, hoping to get information for her story. Joe and Polly are ex-lovers, having been separated for three years. Since Polly has some useful information, Joe agrees to let her in on the investigation.
Her information takes them to the laboratory of Dr. Jennings, where they find the scientist near death. The killer, a mysterious woman, escapes just as they arrive. Jennings gives Polly two vials, which he says are crucial to Dr. Totenkopf's plans. Polly withholds this information from Joe. They return to Joe's base which is attacked by squadrons of ornithopter drones. In the ensuing battle, Dex manages to track the signal that is controlling the robots, but is captured. However, he leaves behind a map marking the location of Totenkopf's base. Joe and Polly find it and head to Nepal.

Venturing into the Himalayas, they discover an abandoned mining outpost. Two of their guides turn out to be working for Totenkopf, forcing Polly to turn over the vials before locking Joe and Polly in a room full of explosives. Joe and Polly escape but are knocked unconscious by the explosion. They wake up in the mythical Shangri-La. The monks who live there tell of Totenkopf's enslavement of their people, forcing them to work in the uranium mines. Most of the slaves were killed by the radiation, but the final survivor provides another clue to where Totenkopf is hiding. This leads them to rendezvous with another one of Joe's ex-lovers, Commander "Franky Cook", who commands a flying aircraft carrier with amphibious submarine aircraft. "Franky" helps get Joe and Polly to the island where Totenkopf is hiding.

They travel to the mountain at the very center of the island and penetrate a secret facility located within. There, they discover that it has been hollowed out into a large silo where robots are seen loading animals and the contents of the mysterious vials onto a large "Noah's Ark" rocket.

Joe and Polly are nearly killed, but Dex arrives in the nick of time with three of the missing scientists. Escaping together, Dex explains that Totenkopf has given up on humanity and seeks to end the world to begin a new one: the "World of Tomorrow". The vials are revealed to be genetic material for a new Adam and Eve. The group makes its way to Totenkopf's booby-trapped lair, where a holographic image of Totenkopf appears and speaks to them. After Dex disables the defense systems, the group enters the lair only to discover that Totenkopf has been dead for two decades; his machines have carried on his work.

The only way to sabotage the rocket is from the inside. Polly tries to tag along, but Joe knocks her out. He then goes to sacrifice himself while the others escape. Polly recovers and follows after Joe, arriving just in time to save him from the mysterious woman who turns out to be a robot. The two board the rocket just before it launches. Before it reaches an altitude of 100 km, Polly pushes an emergency release button that ejects all the animals in escape pods. Joe tries to disable the rocket only to be interrupted by the revived female robot. He jolts her with her own electric weapon and then uses it on the controls, disabling the rocket before its boosters ignite and incinerate the Earth's atmosphere. Joe and Polly use an escape pod to save themselves after successfully sabotaging the rocket, causing it to explode. They land in the ocean below and watch as hundreds of pods carrying animals float down and land around them. Polly uses the last shot on her camera to take a picture of Joe. Joe is touched, but sadly tells her that the lens cap was still on the camera.

"Sky Captain..." received generally favorable reviews from critics, even though it failed to make enough money to cover its $70 million budget. In the end it cleared $57 million at the box office, making up another $3-$4.5 in DVD sales. While it didn't reach the financial success many were hoping for, this film stands as an important milestone in the development of cinematic digital technology. "Sky Captain..." was one of the first films to be filmed against bluescreen. Only one brief scene was shot on a physical set due to time constraints. Thus, the only physical objects on screen at any one time are the actors and the props they interacted with. Otherwise, everything seen by the viewer is generated by computer graphic artists. Even though it's become common for directors that make use of extensive bluescreen shooting, few films can attest to as many bluescreen shots as "Sky Captain..." (2,000) or to a filming schedule as rapid as what Conran was able to achieve (29 days for all principal photography). While it didn't perform as well as expected, "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" has climbed into cult status and will remain a key piece of the "pulp-adventure" genre.

My Rating: 6.5/10

Content to Caution:
V-3 - Multiple instances of comic-like action and violence, including dog fights, fist fights, robot warfare, and robotic combat.
L-2 - Mild cursing.
DU-1 - No comment.
RT-0 - No comment.
H/S-1 - No comment.
CH-1 - No comment.
S/N-0 - No comment.

The "Reel Revelation": "Braving The New Frontier"

Have you ever studied the lives of the men and women who pioneered the western and northwestern territories of the United States in the late 18th century? To know even a base amount of information about these people is to know about an extraordinary group of Americans who took on the incredible task of exploring, charting, and settling a wild and unknown part of the continent. Their bravery has not been forgotten. Plaques, statues, and monuments can still be seen at noteworthy sites all over this country. Here's a stanza from "Landing of the Pioneers", a poem commemorating the arrival of the pioneers at the mouth of the Muskingum River in Ohio in April of 1788:

"But like a band of brothers then
Our worthy Fathers stood,
And met with firm and cheerful front
The dangers of the wood;
E’en woman’s heart grew bold and strong
Amid the toil and fear,
And with unshrinking heart and hand
Gave comfort, aid, and cheer.
Sweet were the social joys of life-
Few others did they know-
When first they came as Pioneers,
Just sixty years ago!" (Frances Dana Gage - circa 1848)

What a magnificent insight into the lives these folks must have lived! I find a special joy in learning about the earliest days of pioneering and westward expansion as our world seems to be all but explored. Few are the places in the world that the race of men haven't visited, colonized, photographed, filmed, or industrialized.

Even in our own lives we are "pioneering" a sort of country that is yet undiscovered, for we do not know what is ahead of us, not even what will happen in the next moment. That should give us all the more reason to go forward with God, and to go forward with God for the sake of those who don't know how to explore the wide and treacherous territories of humanity. Will you venture into this new frontier and be a pioneer for Christ?

Have you ever heard someone (or yourself) say, "I just feel lost!" Sometimes that expression is more literal than we notice; sometimes people do actually get truly lost in their thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, both physical and interpersonal. To be a pioneer for Christ is to trust that God will lead us through (not necessarily around) this uncharted territory, and help us to help those who feel "lost". To pioneer well the vast territories laid before us, let us call on God and ask Him to grant us courage; the sort of courage our ancestors had as they crossed the wildernesses of the North American continent. Read again the words of the poem I posted above. Notice how it describes the courage of the pioneers:

"But like a band of brothers then
Our worthy Fathers stood,
And met with firm and cheerful front
The dangers of the wood;
E’en woman’s heart grew bold and strong
Amid the toil and fear,
And with unshrinking heart and hand
Gave comfort, aid, and cheer."

But pioneering isn't just a matter of exploring, charting, and discovering. Those are important elements of the task, but pioneers are also charged with carrying messages into unknown lands. Here's what Thomas Jefferson wrote to Meriwether Lewis concerning his conduct when encountering natives during his exploration of the Northwest Territory:

"In all your intercourse with the natives, treat them in the most friendly & conciliatory manner which their own conduct will admit; allay all jealousies as to the object of your journey, satisfy them of it's innocence, make them acquainted with the position, extent character, peaceable & commercial dispositions of the US. of our wish to be neighborly, friendly, & useful to them, & of our dispositions to a commercial intercourse with them; confer with them on the points most convenient as mutual emporiums, and the articles of most desireable interchange for them & us." (Transcript: Jefferson's Instructions to Meriwether Lewis - June 20th, 1803)

Not only did Lewis & Clark carry the great responsibility of exploring the unknown Northwest Territory, they were also directed to a certain manner of conduct in the event of an encounter with Native Americans, should they meet any along the way. We, too, are made responsible for the way we interact with the "natives" we encounter in the "unknown territory" of life. And because we are sent into the world by God, He expects us to represent Himself as we meet and walk alongside those who are also venturing. If God is our guide, do we show it in the way we walk and talk and live and make our living?

"The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake." (Psalm 23: 1-3)

The country of the human experience is unknown to us, but there is One who has charted it. Jesus, our shepherd, has gone before us and taken the whole of the human experience upon Himself. He has endured the hardships of the flesh and of a confused and frightened society. But through His perfect love He has conquered the fear that would keep us lost in this worldly wilderness. Through His perfect love He has shown us the way, and even though we also might get a little lost ourselves, He has promises to stand beside us as we go and guide us in every moment. That's good news, and good news is always worth sharing, especially with those who need to hear it! Let that be the message we carry into the wilderness; that God is alive and with us, even in the most difficult challenges we face as pioneers of this mortal life.

See you tomorrow - E.T.

"Serendipity"

Title: "Serendipity"
Director: Peter Chelsom
Producer: S. Fields, P. Abrams, and R. L. Levy
Editing: Christopher Greenbury
Composer: Alan Silvestri
Starring:
- John Cusack as Jonathan Trager
- Kate Beckinsale as Sara Thomas
- Molly Shannon as Eve
- Bridget Moynahan as Halley Buchanan
- Jeremy Piven as Dean Kansky

Plot and Critical Review: At the height of the Christmas shopping season in New York City, Jonathan Trager meets Sara Thomas as they both try to buy the same pair of gloves at Bloomingdale's. They feel a mutual attraction and, despite the fact that each of them is involved in other relationships, they end up eating ice cream at Serendipity 3 together. They finish their ice cream, exchange goodbyes, and part ways. Both realize, however, that they have left something at the ice cream bar and return only to find each other again.

Considering this to be a stroke of fate, they decide to go out on the town together, and end up in Central Park. At the end of the night, the two are forced to decide what the next step will be. Jonathan suggests an exchange of phone numbers, but Sara balks and proposes an idea that will allow fate to take control of their future. She asks Jonathan to write his name and phone number on a $5 bill, while she writes her name and number on the inside cover of a used copy of Love in the Time of Cholera. If they are meant to be together, she tells him, he will find the book and she will find the $5 bill. They each take a single glove from the pair they purchased.

Seven years later, Jonathan is at an engagement party with his fiancé Halley Buchanan. On the same day, Sara comes home to her house to find Lars Hammond, a famous new age musician, proposing to her. As their wedding dates approach, both Sara and Jonathan find themselves with cold feet and decide to return to New York in an attempt to find each other.

Jonathan uses a practical approach; he and his best friend Dean return to Bloomingdales in an attempt to find her name using an account number on the original sales receipt for the gloves. They meet a salesman who tells them he no longer has the account information at the store, but agrees to take them to a storage facility to retrieve an original document. However, Dean smudges her last name, leaving them only an address. They venture to the address where they meet a painter Mr. Mignon, who has very little recollection of Sara. However, he does recall that she lived there for a short time after being referred by a placement company, which he identifies as being located in a shop next to Serendipity 3. Jonathan and Dean follow the lead to find that the agency has moved and its former location is now a bridal shop. Jonathan takes this as a sign that he is supposed to stop looking for Sara and marry Halley.

Sara leaves the hunt to fate. She takes her best friend Eve with her to New York, where she visits the locations of her date with Jonathan. At the Waldorf Astoria, Eve bumps into an old friend (Halley) who is there to get married the next day. Halley invites Eve and Sara to the wedding. Neither Eve or Sara are told the groom is Jonathan. Believing they've failed in their search, Sara and Eve console themselves with a coffee at Serendipity. Eve is handed the $5 bill (that Jonathan wrote on seven years ago) as change, but neither notices at the time.

After the dress rehearsal for the wedding, Halley hands Jonathan a copy of Love in the Time of Cholera as a groom's gift. Sure enough, it's the very same copy Sara had written her name and number in. Jonathan immediately sets off to find her. He travels to San Francisco, goes to her home, but sees two people in her house being intimate. He doesn't know the couple are two of Sara's friends who are house sitting for her while she's away in NYC. Heartbroken, he retreats back to New York City.

Sara decides not to go to the wedding, opting to return home. As the plans prepares for takeoff, Sara is asked if she wants a headset. To her surprise, she finds her wallet got exchanged with Eve’s. She pays the flight attendant $5 for the headset, and realizes it's the same $5 bill which Jonathan wrote on seven years earlier. Now that she knows his full name, she gets off the plane to continue the search for Jonathan. His neighbors tell her he’s getting married at the Waldorf. She rushes to the hotel only to see a man cleaning up the ballroom. She is in tears until the janitor tells her the wedding was called off. Sara returns to Central Park where she left her jacket the night before.

In the meantime Jonathan is wandering around Central Park. He finds Sara's jacket and uses it as a pillow as he lies down in the middle of the ice skating rink (now full of in-line skaters). It begins to snow and as the first snowflake drops, a black glove lands on his chest. He turns and sees Sara. They formally introduce themselves to each other for the first time. The film concludes with Sara and Jonathan at Bloomingdales enjoying champagne on their anniversary at the spot where they first met.

The box office was not kind to Peter Chelsom after he ended his career as an actor and took up directing in the early 90s. His first few films included the forgettable "Hear My Song", "Funny Bones", and "Town & Country". It wasn't until he shouldered "Serendipity", a predictable but enjoyable romantic comedy (rom-com), that he got the attention he had been waiting for. His success was secured by the presence of John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale; two actors who had never worked together before but had immediate and delightful chemistry on camera. "Serendipity" provided a boost for Beckinsale's career; her next film was the blockbusting "Pearl Harbor". While it doesn't shine too brightly in the firmament of the cinematic universe, "Serendipity" is loved and will surely live on as a standard in the (rom-com) genre.

My Rating: 6/10

Content to Caution:
V-1 - No comment.
L-2.5 - Some abrasive and coarse language.
DU-1 - Some drinking in social settings.
RT-0 - No comment.
H/S-0 - No comment.
CH-2 - No comment.
S/N-1.5 - Some kissing and one scene in which a couple is seen making love from a distance. No nudity.

The "Reel Revelation": "It's Just Fate...Right?

Throughout the course of "Serendipity" there are a series of conversations that revolve around the idea of actions/occurrences being destined to happen. Sara and Jonathan constantly struggle with the feeling that "the universe" is pulling them toward each other through the strange signs and all-too-convenient coincidences that appear before them. I suspect many of us have also experienced what we might call "signs"; occurrences that are too coincidental to be random.

Have you ever heard someone day, "I just know i'm destined to do something great!" Perhaps someone has said to you; "You're destined to go the distance and do great things!" That's an encouraging sentiment, but it leads to a line of thinking that some people struggle with. To suggest that one is "destined" to do something (or anything), for example, is to suggest, at least in part, that they have no control over what they do; that they will end up doing something (or being somewhere or meeting someone or...) at some point in time. This is especially difficult for people who don't want anyone or anything controlling their lives. How do you think they'd feel when someone should suggest that the universe (or God) has planned out every step before them?

In theological vernacular, this argument is called "Free Will vs. Predestination". In short, it's the argument between whether a person has the free will to do as he/she pleases (free will) or if all of his/her actions have been planned out and predestined by the Creator and/or "Universe" (predestination). Within religion, predestination could specifically refer to the choosing or selection of a group of people to receive salvation from God. In secular culture, predestination could take the shape of determinism; the belief that all human action is determined by occurrences and that all events are influenced by prior events and occurrences.

If you're already lost, don't give up quite yet... And don't worry, i'm not going to try and set the record straight in the middle of a film blog. Folks have been fighting over this one for a long time. Still, there's an important message in this argument (call it a debate if "argument" is too aggressive) for the life of the Christian. Let's approach this message by considering these words from Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome:

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified." (Romans 8:28-30)

Yes, this is one of the primary verses used by pro-predestination parties, and i'll freely admit that I am on the predestination side of the argument. At the same time, I believe that I have the freedom to do as I please and that God gives me the freedom to behave as I will, unto whatever end. Consider this passage:

"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants."(Deuteronomy 30:19)

If all action and inaction is predestined, why would God even mention the option of choosing? (That question is there just to bake your noodle...) More importantly, how does this theological/scholastic/insane argument influence our day-to-day walk as followers of Christ?

Both schools of thought point to one common concept; God is present in every moment and action. Whether He predestined all action or leaves the whole of humanity to act as it will, God is present! In the face of this fact, it really doesn't matter which side you stand on; the Lord of Lords is standing over shoulder right now. He is mindful of everything that you do, think, and feel. Some might fear that knowledge, for then it must be equally true that God sees all of our mistakes and failures alongside our acts of mercy and kindness. He does. But God is merciful, and He does not loom over us like a taskmaster. He is our Father, and He is present to help us. Because He is in every moment, we can turn to Him and ask Him for help.

How many times have we made decisions based on natural impulses, only to discover that our human instincts lead us somewhere we didn't expect to go? For this reason St. Paul admonishes us to "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." (Romans 13:14) Unto this end it doesn't matter whether our actions are predestined or if we're left to our own inclinations; we ought to put on Christ and live as He lived.

Let us pray that God will soften our hearts, melt away the dross of pride, and refine us in the fire of His love. Then, as we stand before Him, made clean by the blood of Christ, let us live in each moment aware that God is present to guide us, inspire us, and lead us in the way we should walk.

See you tomorrow - E.T.

P.S. - If you'd like to go deeper into the Free Will/Predestination argument, visit the wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predestination It's a great jumping off point.

"Platoon"

Title: "Platoon"
Director: Oliver Stone
Producer: Arnold Kopelson
Editing: Claire Simpson
Composer: Georges Delerue
Starring:
- Charlie Sheen as Christ Taylor
- Tom Berenger as Staff Sergeant Barnes
- Willem DaFoe as Sergeant Elias
- Forest Whitaker as Big Harold
- John C. McGinley as Sergeant O'Neill
- Johnny Depp as Lerner

Plot and Critical Review: The year is 1967. Chris Taylor is a young American who has abandoned college for combat duty in Vietnam. Upon arrival, Taylor and several other replacements are assigned to Bravo Company, 25th Infantry division. Worn down by the exhausting work and poor living conditions, his enthusiasm for the war wanes and he develops an admiration for the more experienced soldiers.

One night while on ambush patrol, his sleeping unit attacked by a squad of North Vietnamese Army soldiers. Gardner, a fellow new recruit, is killed, and another soldier (Tex) is maimed by "friendly fire" from a grenade thrown by Sergeant O'Neill. Despite having passed the watch duty to Junior, Taylor is blamed for the casualties. The platoon's most seasoned sergeants, the compassionate Sergeant Elias and harsh Staff Sergeant Barnes, argue about the issue. Taylor discovers a light wound to his neck is sent to the field hospital for treatment.

Taylor returns from the hospital and gains acceptance from a tight-knit group in his unit that socialises, dances, and consumes drugs in an underground clubhouse. Next door, more conservative members of the unit drink beer and play cards. As the patrols continue, Taylor becomes a more seasoned soldier, no longer standing out amongst the others. During one patrol, a soldier (Manny) goes missing. His mutilated body is found tied to a post close by. The platoon soon reaches a nearby village, where a cache of food and weapons is discovered. The soldiers explore the village and in one house Taylor discovers a one-legged young man and his elderly mother hiding in a ditch beneath the floor. Taylor "snaps", taunting the man and shooting at the ground before and forcing him to "dance". Sergeant O'Neill, responding to the shots fired, tells the group to vacate the hutch. Bunny turns to leave, then attacks the one-legged man with the butt of his shotgun, bludgeoning him to death.

Despite the villagers' denials, Barnes believes they are aiding Viet Cong soldiers and shoots a defiant woman (the village chief's wife) in the head. When the murdered woman's daughter cries out, Barnes takes the child at gunpoint, threatening to shoot her next if the villagers don't reveal the Viet Cong. Sergeant Elias arrives and gets into a fistfight with Barnes over the incident. Lieutenant Wolfe ends the fight, and orders the men to burn the village. As the men leave, Taylor comes across a group of soldiers raping a Vietnamese girl. Taylor stops the attack and rescues the girl.

Upon returning to base, Elias reports Barnes' actions to Captain Harris, who cannot afford to remove Barnes due to a lack of personnel. The Captain warns the Sergeants to "cease fire", "...or there will be a court-martial". Taylor speaks of this as "a civil war in the platoon. Half with Elias, half with Barnes." On their next patrol the platoon is ambushed and becomes pinned down in a firefight. Elias, with Taylor and two other soldiers, goes to intercept flanking enemy troops. Barnes orders the rest of the platoon to retreat and goes back into the jungle to find Elias' group. After sending Taylor and the two soldiers back, Barnes finds Elias and shoots him, leaving him for dead. Barnes reaches the helicopter and after they take off, a severely wounded Elias emerges from the jungle, running from a large group of NVA soldiers. As the helicopter circles overhead, Elias dies after being shot several more times by the NVA.

Back at base, Taylor attempts to talk his group into killing Barnes in retaliation. While drinking, Barnes overhears this, and enters the room, daring them to kill him. No one takes up the offer, but as Barnes leaves, Taylor attacks him. Barnes manages to get the upper hand, and holds a knife to Taylor's face. Rhah talks Barnes out of killing Taylor.

The platoon is later sent back to the ambush area in order to build and maintain heavy defensive positions against potential attack. That night a large attack occurs and the defensive lines are broken. During the chaos, Barnes and Taylor come face-to-face. As Barnes is about to kill Taylor with a shovel, the two are knocked unconscious by a last-ditch American napalm attack. A wounded Taylor regains consciousness the next morning and finds Barnes, who is also wounded. Taylor aims a rifle at Barnes, who dares him to pull the trigger. Taylor shoots Barnes three times in the chest, killing him. He then collapses and awaits medical attention. As he is loaded onto the helicopter, Taylor is reminded that because he has been wounded twice he can finally go home.

Based largely on Oliver Stone's own experience as a member of the light infantry in Vietnam, "Platoon" was the first film brave enough to pull out all the stops and put the realities of the Vietnam War on the big screen. For this reason it was highly criticized and highly rewarded. It won all four of it's Oscar nominations (including Best Picture) and was widely acclaimed as the best film of 1986, beating out the phenomenally popular "Top Gun". "Platoon" is also a milestone in the careers of several actors; it was Johnny Depp's third motion picture and Charlie Sheen's first significant role. While some of the principal actors disappeared into society (just as some of the vets from Vietnam did), many of the actors have gone on to experience great success thanks to Stone's visionary film.

If you care to impress your friends with a bit of film trivia; "Platoon" is banned in Vietnam.

My Rating: 8.5/10

Content to Caution:
V-4.5 - War-related violence throughout. Jungle combat is presented in the most graphic form to represent the realities of warfare.
L-4.5 - Continuous cursing and coarse language.
DU-3 - Smoking throughout with scenes of drug abuse and drinking.
RT-3 - Significant racial tension between American troops and Vietnamese soldiers and citizens.
H/S-2 -No comment.
CH-3.5 - No comment.
S/N-2 - One scene of attempted rape.

The "Reel Revelation": "Fighting The Enemy Within"

Renowned for its stunningly accurate portrayal of jungle combat during the Vietnam War, "Platoon" is also highly regarded for its exploration into the inner struggles faced by the who fought during the conflict in Vietnam. As the film is based on Oliver Stone's personal experiences as a soldier in Vietnam, we can trust that the events in the film are quite accurate to the emotional and physical difficulties the U.S. troops faced in that hell of a war zone. What struck me as being equally (if not more) troubling than the combat conditions the soldiers faced was the struggle that took place within their own lives as they tried to maintain physical strength and mental sanity. It's no wonder that so many renowned war films have included strong psycho-analytical moments and plot lines. Perhaps you remember the strong emotional and mental struggles faced by soldiers in films such as "Apocalypse Now", "We Were Soldiers", and "Saving Private Ryan".

Consider these words that Chris Taylor spoke toward the end of "Platoon": "I think now, looking back, we did not fight the enemy, we fought ourselves, and the enemy was in us. The war is over for me now, but it will always be there, the rest of my days."

I suspect there are many veterans who would say the very same thing; that the war goes on in their hearts and that they continue to fight against themselves, their memories, and their fear of what happened during war-time. As I have never been a solider in the armed forces, I won't try to dissect this line of thinking and figure out why such brave men would feel this way. But I do see a direct connection between this sentiment and the very real struggle we face each day as we battle against ourselves, the desires of the flesh, and the seemingly natural instinct to do exactly what God commands us not to. But this ought to not be too great a surprise to us...we've been warned:

"But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such men as these." (1 Timothy 3:1-5)

Who is Paul writing about in this passage? To whom is he specifically referring? I wish he was warning Timothy against a certain group of people, but Paul's warning is in reference to all people, including Christians. Paul knew, as we ought, that even the "best of Christians" can do any (or all!) of the things he listed. Check your life against Paul's list; you'll be sure to find at least a couple things you've struggled with and stumbled through. This passage reminds me of one of my favorite sayings: "There's nothing special about a Christian except that they're saved." That comment isn't mean to be disparaging, only glaringly honest in the face of our sinful nature.

Just as soldiers in combat did (and continue to do) battle with their conscience and inner-self, so we also find an enemy in our human nature. As if it wasn't enough to have to resist and do battle with all of the exterior temptations and spiritual forces, we also have to wrestle with our very essence as human beings! How many times have you found yourself exhausted from fighting against your own selfish desires and sinful impulses? Much time and energy is spent waging those battles, but neither are wasted if we learn from our experiences; if we come to "know thyself" through struggling with our own sinfulness.

Lent is a season of reflection and meditation. Many choose to spend significant time reflecting and meditating on the sufferings of Jesus. I encourage you to do the same! But be sure to give sufficient time to reflect on your own life. Pray and ask God to help you see the "weak spots" in your life; places where you find yourself most frustrated with your behavior. Pray that God will help you to turn from sin and give the fight over to Him. We cannot achieve victory ourselves, but Jesus has already claimed victory over sin through his death and glorious resurrection. That doesn't mean that the battle raging within our souls will cease. Quite the contrary; we'll fight "the enemy within" until the day we die. But with full knowledge of Christ's victory in our hearts we can live in the freedom that comes from God, for we know that the war is over and Jesus is the victor!

See you tomorrow - E.T.

"Phantom Of The Opera"

Title: "Phantom Of The Opera"
Director: Joel Schumacher
Producer: Andrew Lloyd Weber
Editing: Terry Rawlings
Music and Lyrics: Andrew Lloyd Weber
Starring:
- Gerard Butler as The Phantom
- Emmy Rossum as Christine Daae
- Patrick Wilson as Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny
- Miranda Richardson as Madame Giry
- Minnie Driver as Carlotta Giudicelli

Plot and Critical Review: Derived from the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, which was based on the novel by Gaston Leroux, the film begins in 1917, where the dilapidated Paris Opera house holds an auction in selling pieces. Raoul the Vicomte de Chagny, now an old wheelchair-bound man, purchases a coveted music box. During the auction, Raoul spots a familiar figure: Madame Giry, whom he met as a young man. Madame Giry is now an old woman, almost 50 years later. But he is distracted for the next piece, a broken chandelier now restored and electrically wired known as Lot 666. As the auctioneers display the restored chandelier, the opening crescendo of music wipes away the years of decay from the opera house as the black and white turns into color, and the audience is transported back in time to 1864, the beginning of the story, when the opera was in its prime.

A musical genius known as "The Phantom" lives in the watery labyrinths beneath the Opéra Populaire in Paris. After nearly ten years of quiet obsession with the beautiful soprano Christine Daaé , he plots to place her at center stage. But Christine is caught between her love for Raoul, her childhood sweetheart, and her fascination and pity for the Phantom. Jealous and possessive, the Phantom plots to make Christine his own, resorting to stalking her wherever she goes as well as killing several people to get her attention.

The Phantom lures Christine to the tomb of her father where he tries to woo her back. Raoul arrives at the last moment and a sword fight. Raoul manages to disarms the Phantom and is about to kill him when Christine pleads for him not to. His rage seemingly augmented, the Phantom angrily states, "Now, let it be war upon you both." That night, the Phantom steals Christine away and takes her into the labyrinth beneath the theatre. After a series of tense and chaotic sequences, the Phantom imprisons Raoul (who chased after Christine) and threatens to kill him if Christine doesn't choose to spend her life with the Phantom and forsake her love for Raoul.

Struck by the desperation of his actions as well as a revelation of how dark his past must be, Christine kisses the Phantom and displays her pity and compassion for him. Her kindness so deeply touches the Phantom that, ashamed of what he's done, he allows Christine and Raoul to leave. Just before she departs with Raoul on the boat, Christine approaches the Phantom, who helplessly tells her that he loves her, and she gives him the diamond ring from her finger. Heartbroken, the Phantom begins to cry. After Christine and Raoul leave, the Phantom uses a candelabra to smash every mirror in his underground lair and he disappears behind a velvet curtain into an empty glass mirror portal. The police arrive and Meg, the ballet mistress's daughter, finds only the phantom's white mask. As she takes the mask and leaves, the camera focuses on the toy monkey music box. The frame slowly turns from color to black and white.

The black and white picture fades as the elderly Raoul rides to a cemetery where he goes to visit Christine's tomb which reveals that she died only two years before, in 1917. Her tombstone reads "Vicomtess of Chagny, beloved wife and mother", suggesting she married Raoul and had children with him. He lays the monkey music box at her grave. As he turns to leave, he notices that on the left of the tombstone lies a red rose with a black ribbon tied around it (a trademark of the Phantom). Attached to the rose is the diamond engagement ring Christine gave back to the Phantom the night the theatre burned to the ground. The scene fades to black.

"Phantom..." was met with mixed reviews across the board. Reviews from critics averaged in the 35-55% range. But the film was monumentally successful among lovers of the stage play and Andrew Lloyd's Weber unforgettable score. It was the response of such devoted fans that helped the film earn to earn more than twice its $40 million budget. While Schumacher's cinematic tricks turned off those who were looking for a cleaner and tighter production of the beloved musical, "Phantom..." still stands as one of the most popular musical films of all time, even if "those who should know" don't agree.

My Rating: 6.5/10

Content to Caution:
V-3 - The Phantom commits murder and attacks several people through the course of the film. There is one sword fight in which some blood is shown.
L-1 - No comment.
DU-1 - No comment.
RT-0 - No comment.
H/S-2.5 - Several scenes of dramatic and violent tension between The Phantom and other characters.
CH-1 - No comment.
S/N-2 - No nudity, but some kissing and an erotic stage presentation during "Point Of No Return".

The "Reel Revelation": "I Keep Falling In Love With Him..."

People love musicals for all sorts of reasons. Some love the pageantry and grandeur of the costumes and set pieces, while others get lost in the acting and drama. And then there is, of course, the music. While I have met a couple people who said they can't stand musicals in general, i've never met a person who said that they didn't like at least some of the music that the great shows have given us. And of all the pieces of music from all the musicals, the love songs have lasted the longest.

"Phantom Of The Opera" is an exquisite specimen to examine as it contains some of the most loved and well-known of all romantic music written for musicals. At the very top of the list is "All I Ask Of You", an enchanting duet shared between Raoul and Christine. They sing this song only moments after the Phantom has committed murder; an odd time for a romantic conversation, but this song cuts through the terror and grief of the moment and allows the couple to confess their love. Here are the lyrics:

Raoul:
No more talk of darkness,
Forget these wide-eyes fears.
I'm here, nothing can harm you
My words will warm and calm you.

Let me be your freedom,
Let daylight dry your tears.
I'm here, with you, beside you,
To guard you and to guide you.

Christine:
Say you'll love me every waking moment.
Turn my head with talk of summertime.
Say you need me with you, now and always.
Promise me that all you say is true,
That's all I ask of you.

Raoul:
Let me be your shelter,
Let me be your light.
You're safe, no one will find you.
Your fears are far behind you.

Christine:
All I want is freedom,
A world with no more night.
And you, always beside me,
To hold me and to hide me.

Raoul:
Then say you'll share with me
One love, one lifetime.
Let me lead you from your solitude.

Say you need me with you here beside you.
Anywhere you go, let me go too.
That's all I ask of you.

Christine:
Say you'll share with me
One love, one lifetime.
Say the word and I will follow you.

Both:
Share each day with me,
Each night, each morning.

Christine:
Say you love me.

Raoul:
You know I do.

Both:
Love me, that's all I ask of you.
Anywhere you go, let me go too!
Love me, that's all I ask of you.

Even without the music or the visual, the lyrics are sufficiently stirring, are they not? They establish perfect harmony between the elements of curiosity, wonder, fear, promise, and complete abandonment to love. So why do we love this song so much? I believe it's because everyone wants to feel this way for another person and to know that someone feels for them just as strongly. This is precisely why musicals are so popular; they afford us a glance into a world we struggle to find or create for ourselves, a world in which people can openly say "Love me, that's all I ask of you" and not be treated as lunatics or thought of as obsessive.

And now, to the point. Have you ever felt or been as in love with God as Raoul and Christine are in love with each other? To pose the question differently, have you ever offered a song (in whatever form) to God as passionately, deeply, and completely as Raoul and Christine sing to each other in "All I Ask Of You"? Those might be daunting questions at first, but do not give up too quickly! While it's difficult to compare the love we have for God to the love of two fictional characters in a musical, I do not think it impossible. Scroll up and re-read some of the lyrics from "All I Ask...". Have you ever offered those words (or words like them) to God in prayer? Have you ever asked God to tell you that He loves you, that your fears might be dispersed? I think we all share that experience.

While we all express our love for God in different ways, we all ought to be as honest with our feelings and affections for God as Raoul and Christine were with their feelings for one another. We don't have to try and squeeze our love for God into a box or get it to conform to any one tradition. We can express our love for God freely! No matter how we choose to tell God how much we love Him, may we be genuine and honest! May we peel back our pride and tell Him, without shame, how thankful we are for His many gifts and blessings.

If you need help in finding ways to express your love to God, look to the Psalms; the prayer book of the Bible. In the Book of Psalms we find love songs far more radical than anything Andrew Lloyd Weber can offer. Consider this passage:

"How lovely are your dwelling places,
O LORD of hosts!
My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the LORD;
My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God." (Psalm 84:1-2)

I understand that this might seem like a "plain ol' Psalm", but don't let the language stand in your way. Remember that this is David's prayer, the prayer of a real person, and a true expression of love to the living God. How often are our emotions stifled by tradition and ritual? While some people (including myself) have fallen in love with God through the traditions of the Church, some people need to humble themselves and simply shout, "God, you are my God! Anywhere you go, let me go too!"

As you continue to grow in your walk with the Lord, may you also grow in the ways you express your love for God. It might not look or sound anything like the love songs do in musicals, but the sentiment and emotion will be far more fulfilling.

See you tomorrow - E.T.

Taking A Breather...

Friends and Readers - I gave a concert earlier tonight and, in tandem with only a few hours of sleep, am quite weary. I won't try to put together a review tonight, but will be back tomorrow evening. I'll try to catch up and be up to speed by next week as we enter the final two weeks of this year's Lenten Review. In any case, I don't want to leave you in the dark, so here's one of two short stories I read at my concert. Enjoy.

The Parable of Two Trees
- A Lesson in Contentment and Trust -

On the top of a hill deep in the forest lived two trees. They were both beautiful and strong and could see the entire valley below them. One day the valley began to tremble with the rumble of trucks and the sky was filled with the sound of saws and the stench of smoke. The trees watched as the borders of the forest slowly gave way to the lumberjacks and their work which continued both day and night. In the early hours of an exceptionally noisy morning one of the trees leaned toward the other and asked,

“Where do you think they take all of our brother and sister trees once they are cut down?” The other tree responded, “I do not know where they go, but I know that they become many things for the use of those who walk upright upon the Earth.”

“What types of things?” asked the curious tree, for he was not very knowledgeable in the ways of human living. “Anything that can be made from the wood within us, of course. Some are made into beams of lumber which are used to build houses. Others become furniture to go into homes. The rarest and most beautiful trees of the forest may even be expertly carved to become musical instruments. The possibilities are without end, my friend.” What excitement this brought to the mind of the curious tree. He began to envision himself living on in the form of a beautiful table at which families would eat and laugh for generations. Or to become an instrument placed in the hands of a master musician! His desires and dreams became so strong that each day he stretched himself higher and higher into the sky, digging his roots deeper and deeper into the Earth; that the quality and value of his body may increase. Eventually he grew so high that he towered over the tree beside him, and he loved it. He could see so much more of the world. He did not understand, however, that so much more of the world could see him as well.

The harvesting of trees in the valley was complete and a surveyor walked up a steep path to the top of a beautiful hill overlooking the barren valley below. He came into a clearing where there stood two magnificent cedar trees. One was perfect for harvesting and the other was a sight the surveyor had never seen. It was so tall and wide he knew it would have enough wood within its trunk to produce a volume of lumber never before harvested from a single tree. In his excitement he called a team of lumberjacks to the hill and they began cutting at once. They cut down the shorter of the two trees first and marveled at what they found. The wood within its trunk was exquisite and beautiful. It showed signs of perfect aging and health. There was not an imperfection to be found. The surveyor ordered that it be put on a truck and sent away at once for custom cutting. The crew stood around the second tree and sharpened the teeth upon their heavy saws. The tree shook with delight for its hour had arrived! As the first saw bit into its base it trembled but held fast. Two more saws cut into it and before long the great cedar began its slow topple toward the Earth. But the weight of the tree was too great, it’s falling speed too fast, and when it hit the ground it broke into five splintered and fragmented pieces. The crew gathered around the wreckage and found that the core of the tree was hollow, rotted out by insects that had crawled into cracks in the trunk. The cracks had been caused, they suspected, by unnaturally accelerated growth. The tree was of no use and was sent away in a dump truck to be turned into mulch.

It was not long after the harvest of the two trees that a young man sat on his front porch and plucked the strings of a prize acoustic guitar made from elite cuts of cedar. Much to the young man’s delight, the wood of his guitar had been harvested in a forest not far from where he lived. The rumble of a truck coming down the road caused the young man to stop playing. He stood up, leaned his guitar carefully against the side of a bench, and walked out into his driveway where he met a dump truck making a delivery from a local gardening supply store. A great pile of fresh mulch was dumped into the middle of the man’s driveway. The truck driver immediately sprayed the pile with pesticide as it was thought to contain bugs due to rot in the wood. The young man and the driver went inside for a drink. As they were away, a broken voice came from the pile of cedar mulch. “My friend, you have become what I have always dreamed of being. Now I am nothing, and will be spread out upon the Earth to dry up and die. How did I ever become so foolish?” A sweet and resolute voice came forth from the guitar. “You had no patience. You rushed so far ahead and lost everything that made you special. If only you had found contentment in being a tree on the top of a hill overlooking a beautiful forest.” “That I had,” said the pile of mulch, already dry in the midday sun, “that I had.”

E.D. Thompson
October 5, 2008


See you tomorrow - E.T.

"The Other Boleyn Girl"

Title: "The Other Boleyn Girl"
Director: Justin Chadwick
Producer: Alison Owen
Editing: P. Knight and C. Littleton
Composer: Paul Cantelon
Starring:
- Natalie Portman as Anne Boleyn
- Scarlett Johansson as Mary Boleyn
- Eric Bana as Henry VIII of England
- Jim Sturgess as George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford

Plot and Critical Review: When Catherine of Aragon fails to give England a male heir, the Duke of Norfolk and his brother in law, Thomas Boleyn, plan to install Thomas' elder daughter Anne in the court of Henry VIII of England. Howard and Thomas hope that Anne will become the King's mistress and potential mother of his son, thereby furthering their own political ambitions. They plan all of this to the disgust of Thomas' wife and the duke's sister, Lady Elizabeth Boleyn. Although Anne initially refuses because she knows being a mistress can damage her reputation, she finally agrees. Anne's younger sister, Mary, marries William Carey, even though he had asked for Anne's hand.

While visiting the Boleyn estate, King Henry is injured in a hunting accident, indirectly caused by Anne, and is nursed to health by Mary. While in her care, Henry becomes smitten by her and invites her to court. With great reluctance, Mary and her husband William Carey agree, knowing full well what will be expected of her. Anne and Mary become ladies-in-waiting to Queen Catherine, and Henry sends for Mary to join him for the evening. Mary quickly finds herself falling in love with the King.

Anne secretly marries the nobleman Henry Percy, who was engaged to Mary Talbot. Anne confides in her brother George. who thinks this is wonderful news and tells Mary about the secret marriage. Fearing that Anne will ruin her reputation by marrying without the king's consent, Mary alerts her father and uncle about the secret elopement. The marriage is annulled and she is exiled to France. Feeling that Mary betrayed her to increase her own fortune, Anne vows revenge.

Despite the scandal, the family's fortunes seem secured when Mary becomes pregnant. However, Elizabeth warns Thomas and Norfolk that the king's favor can be taken away as easily as it is given. The men ignore her. Thomas becomes Earl of Wiltshire, and George Boleyn becomes Viscount Rochford.

When Mary nearly suffers a miscarriage, she is confined to bed for the remainder of her pregnancy. Norfolk recalls Anne to England to keep Henry's attention from wandering. Still deeply hurt by Mary's betrayal, Anne embarks on a successful campaign to win Henry over. By withholding sexual favors, Anne drives Henry to vow to never again bed his wife Catherine of Aragon, nor speak to Mary. Anne exacts this promise just after Mary gives birth to the much-anticipated son, making her victory hollow. Shortly afterwards, at Anne's suggestion, Henry sends Mary and her son, dubbed a bastard, back to the country.

Anne encourages Henry to break from the Roman Catholic Church when the Pope refuses to annul his marriage to Queen Catherine. Henry succumbs to Anne's demands, breaks from the Roman Catholic Church, declares himself the Supreme Head of the Church of England, and gets Thomas Wolsey to annul his marriage to Catherine. The scandal of Anne's brief, secret marriage to Henry Percy threatens her coming marriage to Henry until Mary, the only one Henry will trust, returns to court and lies on Anne's behalf, assuring him her union with Percy was not consummated.

Despite her plan's success, Anne's schemes drive Henry to his breaking point and he rapes her. Hurt and confused by the attack, a now pregnant Anne goes through with the marriage to please her family and becomes the new queen of England. Anne and Mary reach a reconciliation and Mary stays with her sister at court.

Despite the birth of a healthy daughter, Henry is angry with Anne's failure to deliver a son. Mary remains in court and cares for her niece, Elizabeth. After Anne miscarries a son, she is hysterical and begs her brother George to impregnate her. Disgusted at this suggestion, Mary leaves court and moves to the countryside with William Stafford, whom she had fallen in love with. Anne and George do not sleep together because he refuses to impregnate Anne. George's neglected wife Jane Parker witnesses enough of their encounter to become suspicious. She reports what she has seen, and Anne and George are both arrested. At the trial, Anne is found unanimously guilty of treason, adultery and incest. Distraught at the news of Anne and George's death sentences, Elizabeth blames her husband and brother and vows never to forgive them for what their greed had done to their children.

Mary returns to court to plead for her siblings' lives, but arrives too late to save George, who is executed in front of his father. Mary begs Henry to spare her sister. The king softens and tells her he would never harm part of her. Believing that Henry has spared her sister, she leaves to see Anne right before the scheduled execution. The two sisters embrace and Anne tells Mary she never slept with their brother, and they truly reconcile. Before she leaves, Anne makes Mary promise to take care of Elizabeth if anything should happen to her. Mary watches from the crowd as Anne makes her final speech, waiting for the execution to be cancelled as Henry promised. A letter from Henry is given to Mary, which reveals he has decided not to stop the execution. It also tells Mary that she was only spared because of his respect for her, and warns her never to come to court again. Horrified, she watches as her sister is beheaded. Mary then fulfills her last promise to Anne and leaves court with the toddler, a strong red-haired girl who would become Queen Elizabeth I.

My Rating: 5.5/10

Content to Caution:
V-2 - No comment.
L-2 - Some mild cursing.
DU-2 -Heavy drinking in social and private settings.
RT-0 - No comment.
H/S-1 - No comment.
CH-1.5 - No comment.
S/N-2.5 - Multiple scenes with sexual content, but only partial nudity is shown.

The "Reel Revelation": "If You Say So..."

Have you ever known someone who could convince you to do anything? When posing that question to myself, I can think of only one person; Billy Mays.

Billy is arguably the greatest infomercial salesman in American history. Even after his unfortunate death in June of 2009, he remains unmatched in the industry of salesmanship and product presentation. His seemingly infinite fount of charisma and charm helped many products to reach financial success. Products such as Awesome Auger, Grip Wrench, and OxiClean owe their success to Billy. I know people who bought whatever Billy was selling, no matter what the product was; he had a way to get people to buy anything.

"The Other Boleyn Girl" is about a family being directed and influenced by someone with as much cunning and skill of persuasion as Billy Mays. That someone is not Anne or Mary or Thomas Boleyn, but the scheming uncle, Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk. If you've seen the film, you know that whenever a decision was made, it was always by the aggressive "suggestion" of the uncle. And when he had to answer for the decisions he made on behalf of his brother in law's family, he always said "That our fortunes with the court may increase". By the end of the film we realize that no member of the Boleyn family committed any offense that wasn't a result of following Thomas Howard's demands. Somehow, he was able to get the Boleyn family to do anything (and we see how far the girls and George went to fulfill his greed and envy) for the sake of fortune and financial safety. Do you know anyone like that? Whether you do or you don't, your life has already been irrevocably affected by people just as envious and influential.

The traditional concept of "envy" is of a person being envious of another person or another person's belongings or success. That's entirely true, but I want to challenge you to think of envy in another way; a person being envious of another person's success (or a person wanting to reach success in general) and seeking to achieve it through someone else. Reaching back to "Boleyn", we see this concept in action through Uncle Thomas' efforts to achieve security for himself through the Boleyn family. While he didn't actually do anything himself, it was his envy (discontent) that drove his pursuit of fortune and glory.

Do you see how strong envy can be? It's not limited to a vice that dwells within; it reaches out, takes control, and seeks fulfillment through whatever means are available. You and I are at the receiving end of great forces of envy every single day; we are the "means" that are available! We are the buyers that supermarkets are trying to win over with express checkout lines and low prices. We are the drivers that the auto industry is trying to romance with low APR percentages and leather seats. We are the "savvy shoppers" that malls try to lure in with storefront clearance sales and promotions for the kids. It's not just business; it's the envy of a society seeking to achieve more and more through our pocketbooks and paychecks. And this is the world we live in. There is no escape.

BUT...

"...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another." (Galatians 5:22-26)

We do not serve the world or the masters of this temporal realm. We serve a God who urges us to serve one another with the virtues listed above; the very fruits of the Holy Spirit our God sends to us. Even though it seems like we cannot escape the vicious cycle of envious consumerism, we're reminded that our very lives do not belong to this world at all. Remember what Jesus said in his great pastoral prayer for his disciples: "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." (John 17:14-16)

Pray that God will weaken your resolve to pursue fortune, fame, and worldly security. Pray also that God will help you to see the ways you've used others to achieve the things you desire. Pray that God will help you to find peace and contentment in His love, not in the things the world offers. "For He Himself is our peace..." (Ephesians 2:14a) Amen.

See you tomorrow - E.T.

"The Music Man"

Title: "The Music Man"
Director: Morton DaCosta (RIP)
Producer: M. DaCosta
Editing: William H. Zeigler (RIP)
Composer: Meredith Wilson (RIP)
Starring:
- Robert Preston (RIP) as Harold Hill
- Shirley Jones as Marian Paroo
- Buddy Hackett (RIP) as Marcellus Washburn
- Paul Ford (RIP) as Mayor George Shinn
- Hermione Gingold (RIP) as Eulalie Mackenchie Shinn
- Pert Kelton (RIP) as Mrs. Paroo
- Vern Reed (RIP) as Jacey Squires
- Ron Howard as Winthrop Paroo

Plot and Critical Review: Set in July of 1912, a traveling salesman, "Professor" Harold Hill, arrives in River City, Iowa. Intrigued by the challenge of swindling the famously stubborn natives of Iowa ("Iowa Stubborn"), he gets to work at once. Masquerading as a traveling band instructor, Professor Hill plans to con the citizens of River City into paying him to create a boy's marching band, including instruments, uniforms, and music instruction. Once he has collected the money and the instruments and uniforms have arrived, he will hop the next train out of town leaving them without their money or a band.

With help from his associate Marcellus, Professor Hill incites mass concern among the parents of River City that their young boys are being seduced into a world of sin and vice by the new pool table in town ("Ya Got Trouble"). He convinces them that a boy's marching band is the only way to keep the boys of the town pure and out of trouble, and begins collecting their money ("76 Trombones"). Hill anticipates that Marian, the town's librarian and piano instructor, will attempt to discredit him, so he sets out to seduce her into silence. Also in opposition to Hill is the town's Mayor Shinn, who orders the school board to obtain Hill's credentials. When they attempt to do so, Hill avoids their questions by teaching them to sing as a barbershop quartet via "sustained talking." They are thereafter easily tricked by Hill into breaking into song whenever they ask for his credentials.

Meanwhile, Hill attempts to win the heart of Marian the librarian, who has an extreme distrust of men. His charms have little effect upon Marian ("Marian the Librarian") until he wins the admiration of both her mother and her withdrawn and unhappy younger brother Winthrop ("Gary, Indiana"). Marian falls in love with Hill, and subsequently hides evidence she has proving he is a fraud ("Till There Was You"). The band's instruments arrive ("Wells Fargo Wagon") and Hill tells the boys to learn to play via the "Think System," in which they simply have to think of a tune over and over and will know how to play it without ever touching their instruments. Hill's con is nearly complete and he is about to leave town when a disgruntled competing salesman comes to town and exposes Hill and his plans. Chased by an angry mob and pressed to leave town by Marcellus and Marian, Hill realizes that he is actually in love with Marian too and can't leave River City. He is captured by the mob and brought before a town meeting to be tarred and feathered. Hill is saved by the boy's band who miraculously have learned to play their own instruments. Hill remains in River City with Marian to conduct the boy's band full time, which eventually becomes properly trained and equipped with better quality instruments and uniforms. ("76 Trombones 2nd Reprise").

"The Music Man" was among the first generation of Broadway shows to make a successful transition from the stage to the screen. This was mostly due to Morton DaCosta, who directed the stage production and elected to direct and produce (finance) the film to ensure the highest level of accuracy and faithfulness to the show in the cinematic rendition. "The Music Man" earned 6 nominations from the Academy and received one Oscar for Best Musical Score; a worthy tribute to the well-loved music of Meredith Wilson. "The Music Man" lives on as a common part of many community and professional theatre repertoires. If you have the chance to see it live, do so. If not, the movie will suffice.

My Rating: 7.5/10

Content to Caution:
V-1 - No comment.
L-0 - No comment.
DU-1 - Minor smoking and drinking.
RT-0 - No comment.
H/S-0 - No comment.
CH-1 - No comment.
S/N-0 - A rarity, indeed, to find so wholesome a film.

The "Reel Revelation": "Saints Preserve Us!"

In 2005, "The Music Man" was placed in the National Film Registry; a selection of films preserved in the Library of Congress. The National Film Registry was established by the National Film Preservation Act of 1988 in an effort to preserve and maintain an all-encompassing collection of American cinematic art for future generations. "The Music Man" is one among a list of films ranging from Hollywood classics to documentaries. It stands side by side with films such as "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope", "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial", "Schindler's List", "Lawrence of Arabia", and "12 Angry Men".

The cause for film preservation (and restoration) came to the forefront in the 1980s when directors like Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese began to contribute their time, money, and expertise to the issue of films losing their quality due to improper storage techniques and insufficient restorative methods. Spielberg's interest was peaked when he went to watch the master print of "Jaws" and was surprised to find the film had become degraded and deteriorated. This hastened the pressing of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (which in turn pressed national legislature) to support the preservation and restoration of cinematic classics.

That's an awful lot of effort just for the medium of film, don't you think? Do we treat the preservation of our lives and souls with the same sort of sincerity and passion? King David certainly did:

"Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You.
I said to the Lord, "You are my Lord;
I have no good besides You."
As for the saints who are in the earth,
They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight." (Psalm 16:1-3)

David's prayer is spoken with deep faith, but also spoken with great hope and trust in God. How many times have you cried out, "God, help me!"? How many times have you prayed, "God, preserve me and protect me from danger!"? In the same breath, were you also able to say "...I have no good besides You!"? While we naturally cry out to God for help, we struggle to fully realize and confess that God alone is good; that God alone can preserve and protect us from the evils and dangers of this world. That is what David is trying to communicate in this Psalm; God alone can preserve us unto everlasting life.

What does it mean to be "preserved"? It means to be protected. The Hebrew word for "preserve" refers to the placing of a hedge around an object or person. Have you ever thought of God protecting you with a hedge? That can seem absurd at first, the image of a hedge surrounding us. But when we realize that it's God's measure of protection for our lives, we recognize that that hedge will do far more good for us than we will ever know.

And what about "...the saints who are in the earth...", why do they get special attention? David recognizes that those who have followed God and lived for Him also help to preserve our faith by their example and sacrifice to the Lord. Like the films that have been placed in the National Film Registry to represent what good film-making is, the faithful of God who have gone before us (and who are now "in the earth") help us to know what it means to walk faithfully with Christ. We can take "delight" in them because they show us that God is faithful and will protect us. They show us by their testimony that, indeed, we "have no good besides" our God.

We, like celluloid, are attacked by the natural forces of this world. While dust and dirt and scratches and tears compromise the fidelity and quality of the films we love, we too are assailed by forces that erode and weaken the quality of our lives. Pray that God will protect you from sin, danger, temptation, and the subtle persuasions that lead to the degrading of the soul. Pray as well for the ones who do not know of God's protection and love, that they too may be "hedged in" and kept from the dangers of this world.

If you find that your life is suffering from the eroding effects of sin (which would mean you're like every other person, so do not be ashamed), remember David's words and pray them as your own. And look to "the saints who are in the earth" for examples of faith, that you might learn from them and walk worthily of the calling of Christ.

See you tomorrow - E.T.