"Children of Men"

Title: "Children of Men"

MPAA Rating: R
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Producers: M. Abraham, E. Newman, I. Smith, etc...
Editing: A. Cuaron and A. Rodriguez
Composer: Sir John Tavener
Starring:
- Clive Owen as Theo Faron
- Julianne Moore as Julian Taylor
- Michael Caine as Jasper Palmer
- Claire-Hope Ashitey as Kee
- Danny Huston as Nigel

Plot and Critical Review: In 2027 worldwide female infertility has led to the collapse of society. The United Kingdom, the last known stable nation, is deluged by asylum seekers. In response, it has become a militarized police state as British forces round up and detain immigrants. Kidnapped by an immigrants rights group known as "The Fishes," former activist turned cynical bureaucrat Theo Faron is brought to its leader, his estranged wife Julian Taylor. The couple parted ways after their son died from a flu pandemic in 2008. Julian offers Theo money to acquire transit papers for a young female refugee named Kee, which Theo obtains from his cousin Nigel, a government minister. However, the papers require the bearer to be accompanied, so Theo agrees to escort Kee in exchange for more money. Luke, a Fishes member, drives Theo, Kee, Julian and Miriam, a former midwife, towards the coast to a boat. They are ambushed by an armed gang and Julian is fatally shot. Two police officers stop their car, but Luke kills them and the group escapes to a safe house.

Kee reveals to Theo that she is pregnant, and that Julian told her that she should trust only him. Julian had intended to hand Kee over to the "Human Project", a group of scientists dedicated to curing infertility, supposedly based in the Azores. However, Luke proposes keeping Kee in England and she agrees to stay. That night, Theo awakens and eavesdrops on a meeting of Luke and other members. He discovers that Julian's death was orchestrated by the Fishes so they could use the baby as a political tool to support the coming revolution. Theo wakes Kee and Miriam and they steal a car, escaping to the secluded hideaway of aging hippie Jasper Palmer, a former political cartoonist and Theo's friend. A plan is formulated to board the Human Project ship Tomorrow which will arrive offshore from the Bexhill refugee camp. Jasper proposes getting Syd, a camp guard, to smuggle them in. The Fishes trail the group to Jasper's hideout, but Theo, Miriam, and Kee get away. Jasper stays behind to buy them some time. Before the Fishes arrive, he gives the government-issued suicide drug Quietus to his catatonic wife. A horrified Theo witnesses the Fishes gun him down before escaping. Later, they meet Syd, who transports them to Bexhill as prisoners. When Kee begins having contractions on a bus, Miriam distracts a suspicious guard with mania and is taken away.

At the camp Theo and Kee meet Marichka, who provides a room where Kee gives birth to a girl. The next day, Syd locates Theo and Kee and informs them that a full-scale war between the army and the refugees including the Fishes, has begun. After seeing the baby Syd threatens to turn them in but they attack him and escape. Amidst the violent clash between refugees and British troops, the Fishes capture Kee. Theo tracks Kee and her baby to an apartment building which is under heavy fire from the military and escorts her out. Awed by the presence of a baby, the combatants stop fighting momentarily, enabling them to escape. Marichka leads them to a boat in a sewer. As Theo rows away, he reveals to Kee that he was shot. They then witness a full-scale aerial bombing of Bexhill by the Royal Air Force and Kee tells Theo she will name her baby Dylan after Theo's dead son. Theo loses consciousness and Kee begins to sing a lullaby, as the Tomorrow approaches through a fog.

-

In 2006, "Children of Men" was joined by the films "Blood Diamond" and "Brokeback Mountain"; all of which portrayed social fractures (or human behavior) with intense drama and/or action. It seemed to be the year for that sort of film. Even the music-driven "Walk The Line" told the story of legendary country-singer Johnny Cash in a glaringly honest light. Even though "Children..." was set in the future and, thus, somewhat dismissed as having provided any real social commentary, it still holds a mirror up to our world and bravely asks, "Could we be like this someday? Is this what our world is coming to?"

Visionaries like Gene Roddenberry tried to paint pictures of the future in which mankind moved beyond greed, power, and the desire for dominion. Others offer us images such as we see in "Children..."; images of future societies in which our principal freedoms are challenged, refused, and eventually crushed. Here we ask ourselves if we're simply watching a story or looking into what is ahead for our global society. When the credits roll are we brave enough to ask ourselves, "What can I do?" These movies bravely suggest what our world might become if we don't.

My Rating: 8/10

Content To Caution:
V-3.5 - Intense violence but lesser amounts of blood and gore.
L-4 - Strong profanity throughout.
DU-2 - Some drinking and smoking. One character grows marijuana and shares it with others.
RT-? - Difficult to rate Racial Themes. There's very little direct racism, but there are large groups (and even cultures) that are opposed to new life.
H/S-3 - No comment.
CH-2 - No comment.
S/N-x - A character reveals herself. An intense birthing scene shows partial nudity.

The "Reel Revelation": "That's A Long Shot"

If you've seen "Children of Men" you might recall there being several rather lengthy single-shot sequences. Simply put a single-shot sequence is a scene or sequence of scenes in which the camera never pans or cuts away from the action; it all happens in one continuous frame. "Children..." contains at least three single-shot sequences of note; the scene in which Kee gives birth (around 190 seconds), the car-chase scene (250 or so), and Theo's mad dash through the city streets in the midst of a battle (450ish seconds). We don't even really perceive that they're single-shot sequences the first time because there's so much action and the film as if it's dashing from one shot to the next, but we are in fact held in one frame for the entire sequence of events.

These single-shot sequences weren't thrown together. The city-battle scene reportedly took 14 days to plan and around 5 hours to prepare (the set) to shoot. Can you imagine...14 days to prepare a 7.5 minute shot. And if anything went wrong...if the slightest detail was missed or the cameraman took one step in the wrong direction it took 5 hours to reset the set to shoot again. Can you imagine all of that planning, time, and money lost because of the smallest error? Sounds a bit like some of the plans we set up for our own lives.

Have you ever been in such a situation? Can you think of a time when you spent countless hours (or days or weeks or month or who knows how long!) planning and preparing for something special only to have it fall apart? What caused things to go awry? A mistake you made? Someone's interference? A missed detail? And how did you cope with the disappointment when things fell apart? How did you comfort yourself when you realized all of that time and energy had been wasted? How we handle the end-result of a dashed plan is a choice we make after the fact, but what we do before we start to weave those plans can make all the difference. Remember the wisdom offered up in Proverbs:

"Commit your works to the LORD

And your plans will be established." (Proverbs 16:3)

And again...

"The mind of man plans his way,

But the LORD directs his steps." (Proverbs 16:9)

And one more for good measure...

"Many plans are in a man's heart,

But the counsel of the LORD will stand." (Proverbs 19:21)

Do you see the theme? If we opt to devise the plans for our lives by ourselves we'll be walking on thin ice. If we set out and try to plan our lives according to our own desires and inclinations we'll be (potentially) walking away from what God desires for us. Which desire is greater? Which desire will yield a greater reward? Which desire will produce the fruit of righteousness and holiness in our lives? Of this distinction Jesus said, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness..." (Matthew 6:33).

God desires your good. He loves you and desires for your life to be full and overflowing with His blessings. And He desires for you to reach that point of "overflow" under His direction. We couldn't find the way ourselves, no matter of a compass we think we've got.

See you tomorrow - E.T.

"A Bridge Too Far"

Title: "A Bridge Too Far"

MPAA Rating: PG
Director: Richard Attenborough
Producers: J.E. Levine and R.P. Levine
Editing: Anthony Gibbs
Composer: John Addison
Starring:
- James Caan as Staff Sargeant Frederick "Boy" Browning
- Michael Caine as Lieutenant-Colonel J.O.E. Vandeleur
- Sean Connery as Major General Roy Urquhart
- Elliott Gould as Col. Robert Stout
- Gene Hackman as Major General Stanislaw Sosabowski

- Anthony Hopkins as Lieutenant Colonel John Frost
- Robert Redford as Major Julian Cook
- Laurence Olivier as Dr. Jan Spaander
- Maximillian Schell as Commanding Officer of II S.S. Panzer Troops

Plot and Critical Review: September 1944. The Allied advance is being slowed by overextended supply lines. U.S. General George S. Patton and British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery have competing plans for ending the war quickly, and being the first to get to Berlin. Under political pressure, Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower chooses Montgomery's "Operation Market Garden."

Operation Market Garden envisions 35,000 men being flown 300 miles from air bases in England and being dropped as much as 64 miles behind enemy lines in the Netherlands. The largest airborne assault ever attempted. As Lieutenant-General Frederick Browning says, "We're going to lay a carpet, as it were, of airborne troops. We shall seize the bridges - it's all a question of bridges - with thunderclap surprise, and hold them until they can be secured."

Two divisions of U.S. paratroopers are responsible for securing the road and bridges as far as Nijmegen. A British division, under Major-General Urquhart is to land near Arnhem, and take and hold the far side of the bridge at Arnhem, backed by Polish paratroopers under General Sosabowski. XXX Corps are to push up the road to Arnhem, as quickly as possible, over the bridges captured by the paratroopers, and reach Arnhem two days after the drop.

After the Market Garden command briefing, General Sosabowski voices his deep doubts that the plan can work. American commander General Gavin worries about parachuting in daylight.

British commanders are alerted that they are short on transport aircraft and the area near Arnhem is ill-suited for a landing. They decide to land in an open area eight miles from the bridge. Some at the briefing are surprised they are going to attempt a landing so far from the bridge, but they have to make the best of it. General Urquhart tells that the key for the eight mile distance from the drop zone to the bridge, is the use of gliders to bring in Jeeps. Browning lays out that if any one group fails, the entire operation fails. The British officers do not question the orders, but Sosabowski walks up to check the RAF briefing officer's uniform insignia and says "Just making sure whose side you're on."

The general consensus among the British top brass is that resistance will consist entirely of "Hitler Youth or old men.", but young British intelligence officer, Major Fuller, brings reconnaissance photos to General Browning showing German tanks at Arnhem. Browning dismisses the photos, and also ignores reports from the Dutch underground. Browning does not want to be the one to tell Montgomery of any doubts because many previous airborne operations have been cancelled. Major Fuller's concerns are brushed off and he is removed from duty.

British officers note that the portable radios are not likely to work for the long distance from the drop zone to the Arnhem bridge amid the water and trees of the Netherlands. They choose not to convey their concerns to those in command.

At the XXX Corps briefing, the overall plan is outlined, laying out the bridges that will be taken by the paratroopers, held and then secured by ground forces. Speed is the vital factor, as Arnhem must be reached within 2–3 days. It is the crucial bridge, the last means of escape for the German forces in the Netherlands and an excellent route to Germany for Allied forces.

The airborne drops catch the Germans totally by surprise, and there is little resistance. Most of the men come down safely and assemble quickly, but the Son bridge is blown up by the Germans. Model, thinking that the Allies are trying to capture him, panics and retreats from Arnhem. However, soon after landing, troubles beset Urquhart's division. Many of the Jeeps either don't arrive by gliders at all or are shot up in an ambush. Their radio sets are also useless, meaning no contact can be made with either paratroopers moving into Arnhem or XXX Corps. Meanwhile, German forces reinforce Nijmegen and Arnhem.

XXX Corps' progress is slowed by German resistance, the narrowness of the highway and the need to construct a Bailey bridge to replace the destroyed bridge at Son. The XXX Corps is able to move onto the Graves bridge without much resistance, but is halted at Nijmegen. There, soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division perform a dangerous daylight river crossing in flimsy canvas-and-wood assault boats. The river crossing is successful and the Nijmegen bridge is captured. The Germans close in on the isolated British paratroopers occupying part of Arnhem at the bridge. British armour continues to fight its way up the corridor, but is delayed by strong German resistance.

After securing Nijmegen Bridge, XXX Corps waits several hours for its infantry forces to finish securing the town. Finally Sosabowski's troops enter the battle. They attempt to reinforce the British in Arnhem, but fail. They are only able to get a few men across to reinforce the British. After days of house-to-house fighting in Arnhem many of the paratroopers are either captured or forced to withdraw. Operation Market Garden has failed.

-

"A Bridge..." wanted to be the "The Longest Day" of its time. No expense was spared as the most popular actors of the time were assembled to form a "mega-cast." The producers hoped that this would increase the quality of the film's acting and bring many people to see it for the sake of their favorite actor. With such a decorated cast they felt certain to hit audiences across the board. Strong as their casting might have been, no one could have anticipated the content of the film would become so contested.

When we watch movies about WWII we expect the good guys (Allied Forces - normally US military) to win in the end. "The Longest Day", "The Thin Red Line", and "Saving Private Ryan" all feature plot lines that end in Allied victories, even if at a great cost in the way of soldiers' lives. And then there's "A Bridge Too Far" which is about, if nothing else, a seemingly fail-safe mission that became a complete embarrassment to the Allied Forces. This film doesn't pull any punches in displaying the ignorance and pride of Allied commanders. The public gave up $50 million at the box office, but the Academy and many of the cinematic boards refused the film awards (even nominations) because it showed a failure on the part of the "good guys."

My Rating: 7.5/10

Content To Caution:

V-4 - Intense battle and war-related violence throughout.
L-4 - I guess they were upset about something...
DU-1.5 - Many soldiers drink and smoke. One character is always seen with a cigar in his mouth.
RT-1 - No comment.
H/S-2 - No comment.
CH-1.5 - Boys telling boys jokes.
S/N-.5 - No comment.

The "Reel Revelation": "A Moment Of Silence"

"Would five minutes be too much? Just five minutes respite. Dear God, grant these young men die in peace and quiet."

Do you recall this scene from the film? After the majority of the battles had been fought many of the wounded soldiers were relocated to a makeshift hospital in a large home the Allied forces had claimed as a command center. The family that lived in the home was forced to take shelter in a small room underneath a stairwell. After the mother of the family put her children to bed she opened the door and looked out upon a room full of soldiers both wounded and near death. The sound of cannon-fire faded and she asked God to grant those soldiers a quiet and peaceful death

Our world is loud. We've become accustomed (and this conditioned) to an unbelievable level of volume around us. Television sets in the home, radios in our vehicles, and mp3 players everywhere in between. But what we're hearing isn't just music or the news; it's noise. Have you ever noticed how much noise there is around you? Or, do you ever notice how little quiet there is?

On an average day here are some of the things i'm most likely to hear in my office:

Alerts from my phone

The AC system turning on and shutting off and turning on again

The printer in the rehearsal room turning out copies

Doors opening and closing

Folks stopping in to chat

Music

The wind (and rain and hail) against the windows

The buzz of the fluorescent bulbs overhead

Traffic

Sirens of emergency vehicles

The phone ringing

Choirs rehearsing

A random kid banging away on the drum set

And the list goes on. I don't hear all of those sounds at the same time, of course, but sometimes it seems like it! And yet i'm able to sit at my desk and complete my tasks as if I was sitting in the middle of a wrecking yard. Even though there's so much sound around me I barely seem to hear it; that's how used to it I am. I really notice the noise (or the absence of it) when I walk at night or awake early in the morning and there's no sound but the whisper of the wind and my feet on the pavement. It's during those moments I feel I am most aware of myself, my thoughts, and God's presence.

It would be heretical to say that God isn't in the "noise", for Jesus came into our noisy world and was even sentenced to death by our screaming. We are able to fellowship with God in a busy and noisy world, but there seems to be a very deep connection between a heart of prayer and silence. We remember, for example, that Jesus told His disciples to "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place..." (Mark 6:31) and that He Himself went way to a "secluded place" (Luke 4:42) when He needed to be alone for prayer and rest. If Jesus needed to get away to a silent place to pray, ought we follow suit?

If you were to pray and ask God to help you find five minutes of quiet time today, would you know it when it arrived? Would you be willing to sit in stillness for five minutes and offer your heart to Christ? Could you shut out the volume of the world and be with Jesus for just five minutes? Make that your aim today and for the remainder of this Lenten season. Find the time. Make that time. Ask God to help you to know when it arrives. Find that "secluded place" and be with Jesus. His voice will be the sweetest sound of all.

See you tomorrow - E.T.

P.S. - I'd like to dedicate this review to my Dad. We've shared a love of war movies for a long time and "A Bridge..." is one we've enjoyed over and over again.

Top 10 War Films

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR1N07ABdX8 - Check it out!

Had to upload through YT this time as FB has a 20 minute cap on video uploads. Just click on the link above and you'll go right to the video.

"The Box"

Title: "The Box"

MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Richard Kelly
Producers: R. Kelly, D. Lin, and Sean McKittrick
Editing: Sam Bauer
Composers: W. Butler, R. Chassagne, and O. Pallett
Starring:
- Cameron Diaz as Norma Lewis
- James Marsden as Arthur Lewis
- Frank Langella as Arlington Steward
- Gillian Jacobs as Dana/Sarah Matthews
- Deborah Rush as Clymene Steward
- James Rebhorn as Norm Cahill

Plot and Critical Review: In 1976, Norma and Arthur Lewis, a financially strapped couple, awake to find a package on the doorstep. Inside the package is a locked wooden box with a button and a note that reads: "Mr. Steward will call upon you at 5:00 pm." Promptly at five, Steward, a middle aged, facially disfigured man, arrives. He tells Norma that if the button is pushed he will give her one million dollars, but someone in the world whom she does not know will die. After much deliberation Norma pushes the button on an impulse. Meanwhile, many miles away, the police are called to investigate a report of shots being fired, only to discover that the man who lived in the house, Jeffrey, has killed his wife and fled, leaving his daughter locked in the bathroom. Steward returns to give Norma and Arthur the money, informing them that they will not know the person who next receives the offer.

At Norma's sister's wedding rehearsal dinner Arthur wins a chance to select a present from a pool provided by the guests. He sees a plain brown box that looks exactly like Steward's box. He opens it to find a photo of Steward before his disfigurement. Arthur asks Norma's father, a police officer, to run the license plate number of Steward's car.

After returning home, Arthur drives the babysitter to her house. She acts strangely, telling Arthur to "look into the light" to solve his problems. Her nose begins to bleed, and she passes out. Later, at a supermarket, Norma is approached by a woman who tells her to look up a certain. Separately, Norma and Arthur visit the library. Arthur approaches a woman he learns is Steward's wife, and she leads Arthur to a room that has three coffins made of hovering water. Two lead to eternal damnation, while the other leads to salvation. Arthur enters one of the gateways. Norma is led by two women to Steward, who informs Norma that he was struck by lightning and can now communicate with "those who control the lightning". Steward asks Norma what she thought the first time she saw him. Norma explains that she felt love for him because of her own foot disfigurement. Stewards looks mildly surprised and asks her to grab his hand. She does and wakes up, finding herself back at home in her bed. Above her, Arthur hovers within a rectangular water module that suddenly bursts.

Back at the NSA, the NSA Chief and Arthur's boss from NASA are discussing Steward. They say he was struck by lightning and died shortly after; but, hours later in the morgue, a nurse heard Steward laughing. He was transferred to a military hospital where his body seemed to regenerate faster than normal, with cellular degeneration halting.

At the wedding reception of Norma's sister, Arthur is forced to leave the reception at gunpoint by the wife-killer Jeffrey, who is, in fact, a former NASA employee. Shortly after, Norma and their son Walter are kidnapped. Jeffrey he reveals to Arthur that he had been forced to choose between his wife and his daughter. He also shows Arthur the Human Resource Exploitation Manual seen in the pictures earlier, which contains, among other things, a diagram of the three water portals. Meanwhile, NSA employees are seen rounding up large groups of people, including Walter, and leading them into enormous portals of water similar to the ones at the library. Steward is overseeing the process; by his side are several boxes, identical to the one he had given Norma. Through a discussion with one of his subordinates, the boxes are revealed to be part of an experiment, conducted by "those who control the lightning" to learn whether the majority of the human race is capable of putting other peoples' lives before personal gain. If the results of the test show that the majority of subjects push the button, the human race will be exterminated. Steward also reveals that all the test subjects are couples under 40 years of age with one child.

Arthur and Norma return home and find Steward, who offers them a final choice. Their son Walter is now deaf and blind, as a result of being taken underwater at a motel swimming pool, and locked in the upstairs bathroom. They can either live on with their million dollars and their disabled son, or Arthur can shoot Norma through the heart, at which point Walter's sight and hearing will be restored and the money will be placed in an interest-bearing bank account for Walter, to be given to him on his 18th birthday. The couple runs to the upstairs bathroom where they can hear their son struggling and calling for them, but he cannot hear them calling back to him. Norma refuses to see her son suffer, and begs Arthur to shoot her. Arthur agrees, and, as he shoots his wife, another couple far away pushes the button on their box. The police arrive and arrest Arthur, while Walter regains consciousness and calls out. As Arthur is taken from his home, Steward leaves the other couple's house. NSA agents and Arthur's boss arrive at Arthur's house. Arthur's boss assures Arthur that his son Walter will receive good care. Arthur is taken away and Walter is shown through an upstairs window in the home with his grandfather standing behind him.

-

Unfortunately there's nothing out of the ordinary or especially interesting here. I won't say I dislike the film, but I won't say that i'm going to recommend it to you. In the end I was left with the sense that there could have been much more development in the A-Plot instead of all the wanderings in weak B and C-Plot lines. Did we really have to go through all of those nosebleeds?

What is special about this movie is the curtain of mystery that's drawn around Steward, his wife, and those Steward controls. Even at the end of the movie we're not sure what they're really about and if their initiative is for good or ill. Was Steward in the service (here we see the irony in his name, of course) of aliens or the divine? "Those who control the lighting" says so much and so little. It's that sense of lingering suspense that almost always satisfies.

My Rating: 5/10

Content To Caution:

V-2 - Some fist fights and scuffles...but why so many nosebleeds?!

L-1.5 - No comment.

DU-2 - Drinking and smoking throughout.

RT-.5 - No comment.

H/S-3 - Supernatural and psychological suspense throughout.

CH-2 - Some adult humor.

S/N-1.5 - No comment.

The "Reel Revelation": "Truth: The Game Changer"

"If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (John 8:31b-32).

Jesus says it so simply and with such clarity; "the truth will make us free". Simple as it is, do we openly receive this sentiment? It is almost too good to be true. Almost. But it is true; truth is a game changer. In coming to know the truth (and especially the truth of God revealed in Christ) we learn who we are, whose we are, and what God has purposed for us during this life. We discover more about ourselves and of God than we ever could have by our own devices. Whatever life we were living before will be altogether changed when we encounter the truth of God's love. It changes us. Not only does it "make (or set) us free", it shows us the way into deeper knowledge of God and righteous wisdom. We find discover deeper and more profound truths as our relationship with Jesus, who called Himself "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). But no matter the depths to which we go in seeking out God's truth, the truth has one consistent attribute; it "makes us free."

Recall what Mr. Steward said in "The Box", that he "came into contact with those who control the lightning." That single line - as truthful a line as he'd spoken the entire movie, albeit somewhat enigmatic - shook up the entire film! Up until that point we didn't know much about Mr. Steward aside from fragmented (and not altogether trustworthy) facts about his past in the military. But he finally offers us a genuine insight (the truth) and it rocked the whole plot of the film. The characters finally came to know him for who he was - for what he was! - and responded to him differently as a result. Isn't this how God's truth affects us?

When Jesus says "You are...", His words reach out and seek to change the perception we hold of ourselves. When Jesus says "You will...", His words challenge us to a certain behaviors that might be foreign to us, but will ultimately fulfill His will for our lives. When Jesus says "I am...", He is expressing an aspect of His character that He wants us to understand. When you love someone you want to come to know them in a deep and profound way. You want to understand the truth of their life. Do you desire to know Jesus in the same way?

Jesus' words are game changing for our lives! They move us in new directions and call us to a new way of life. Every day they summon us to be more than what we are or what we think we can be; they call us to be like Our Lord in every way. Are you willing to allow God's Truth to be "game changing" in your life during this Lenten season? Are you prepared to listen to Him and, having discovered the Truth of God in Christ, follow His words? This is the cost of discipleship. The reward is finding the truth, knowing it, and living a life "set free" in God's grace and love.

See you tomorrow - E.T.

Top 10 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Films

"Back To The Future Part III"

Title: "Back To The Future Part III"

MPAA Rating: PG

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Producers: S. Spielberg, K. Kennedy, F. Marshall

Editing: Harry Keramidas and Arthur Schmidt

Composer: Alan Silvestri

Starring:

- Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly and Seamus McFly
- Christopher Lloyd as Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown

- Mary Steenburgen as Clara Clayton
- Lea Thompson as Lorraine McFly and Maggie McFly
- Thomas F. Wilson as Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen and Biff Tannen
- Jeffrey Weissman as George McFly
- James Tolken as Mr. Strickland
- Elisabeth Shue as Jennifer Parker

- ZZ Top as the band at the Hill Valley Town Festival

Plot and Critical Review: On November 12, 1955, Marty McFly discovers that his friend Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown had become trapped in the year 1885. Marty, with Doc's 1955 self, uses the information in Doc’s 1885 letter to locate and repair the DeLorean. While retrieving the car, Marty spots a tombstone with Doc's name; the date of death a mere six days after the writing of the letter. Learning that Doc was killed by Biff Tannen's great-grandfather, Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen, Marty decides to go back to 1885 to save him.

Marty arrives on September 2, 1885, in the middle of a United States Cavalry pursuit of Indians. While evading the pursuit, the DeLorean's fuel line is torn, forcing Marty to hide the car in a cave and walk to Hill Valley. Marty meets his Irish great-great-grandparents, Seamus and Maggie. In Hill Valley, Marty runs afoul of Buford and his gang. Buford tries to hang Marty but Doc saves him at the last minute. Doc agrees to leave 1885, but with the DeLorean out of gasoline and none available there is no way to accelerate the car to 88 mph. Doc devises a scheme to use a locomotive to push the DeLorean up to speed. As Doc and Marty explore the rail spur they intend to use, they spot an out-of-control horse-drawn wagon. Doc saves Clara Clayton and the two quickly fall in love. Buford tries killing Doc at a town festival, but Marty intervenes. Buford then goads Marty into a showdown in two days' time. Consulting the photograph of Doc's tombstone, they note that Doc's name has disappeared, but the tombstone is otherwise unchanged. Doc tells Marty that the tombstone represents the events of the future, and warns Marty that he, not Doc, might be killed by Buford.

The night before their departure, Marty and Doc place the DeLorean (now with railroad-type wheels) onto the rail spur for its trip to the future. At Clara's house, Doc tells Clara that he is from the future, but Clara believes it is an excuse to end their relationship. Doc goes to the saloon to get drunk but Marty rides to the saloon and convinces Doc to leave with him. Doc agrees and, without thinking, drinks a single shot of whiskey and passes out. Buford arrives and calls out Marty who has finally realized his reputation is unimportant and refuses to fight. Doc is revived by the bartender's special "Wake-Up Juice" and tries fleeing with Marty, but Buford's gang captures Doc, forcing Marty to duel. Marty uses a firebox door from a stove as a bullet-proof vest, and then hits Buford in the face with it. During the fistfight that follows, Buford destroys the tombstone (which vanishes from the photograph), is knocked unconscious, and is then arrested for an earlier robbery. Marty and Doc depart to "borrow" a locomotive to complete their jump through time to 1985.

Clara is leaving on the train when she overhears a salesman discussing a man he met in the saloon, despondent about his lost love. Realizing the man is Doc and that he truly loves her, Clara triggers the emergency brake and runs back to town. She discovers Doc's model of the time machine and rides after him. Meanwhile, Doc and Marty, having "borrowed" a train at gunpoint, begin to push the DeLorean along the spur line, attempting to get it up to 88 miles per hour. Clara boards the speeding locomotive while Doc is climbing towards the DeLorean. Doc encourages Clara to join him, intending to bring her to 1985. As she climbs to Doc, the overheated locomotive boiler explodes. Clara falls and is left hanging by her dress. Marty passes the hoverboard to Doc, who uses it to save Clara. They coast away from the train as the DeLorean disappears through time and while the locomotive roars over the edge of the incomplete bridge.

Marty arrives in 1985 and escapes the DeLorean before it is destroyed by a freight train. Marty returns home and discovers that everything has returned to the improved timeline. He finds Jennifer sleeping on her front porch. He wakes Jennifer up and takes her to the time machine wreckage. As they survey the remains a steam-powered locomotive equipped with a flux capacitor appears manned by Doc, Clara, and their children. Doc gives Marty a photo of the two of them by the clockworks at the 1885 festival. Jennifer inquires about the fax, and Doc tells them it means that the future has not been written yet.
-
"Part III" is something of an enigma in that it is generally considered (and has been rated as being) more enjoyable than "Part II", but it grossed almost $100 million less than its predecessor. What happened?! While fans and critics felt it a more faithful return to the style that made "Part I" so enjoyable, it just couldn't keep up at the box office. Keep in mind that there was even a preview for "Part III" at the end of "Part II". How often do you see that in theatres?! And yet, even though it might have faltered in revenue, "Part III" proved itself a true capstone to a true trilogy; even leaving us with a bit of a tease at the end as Doc blasted off in his time-locomotive with his wife and children. "Back To The Future" continues to be a favorite among fans of all ages; the spin-offs are testimony enough to its appeal and popularity. Some examples:

- 5 Soundtracks (3 original to the films and 2 re-releases of bonus songs, etc.)
- 6 Video Games
- 16 Home Media Releases (CED, VHS, Laser Disc, VCD, DVD, Blu-Ray, Digital Media)

"Back To The Future" is the 13th highest grossing trilogy series of all time.

My Rating: 7/10

Content To Caution:
V-2 - It's the Wild West...what do you expect?
L-2 - Cowboys...you know how it goes.
DU-1.5 - No comment.
RT-.5 - No comment.
H/S-1.5 - "Great Scott!"
CH-1 - No comment.
S/N-1 - No comment.

The "Reel Revelation": "An Ignatian Adventure Through Time - Part III"

St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) was a pioneer in the discipline of creative spiritual meditation. In founding the Jesuits he, among other things, desired to develop a method of prayer and discernment by which both laity (regular folk) and religious (priests, monks, nuns, etc.) might seek the will of God through solitude and deep prayer. One of his chief "inventions" (and one of my favorites) is the Imagination Prayer. In this method of prayer one reads a scene or set of scenes from the Bible and places themselves "in the moment", observing and even interacting with those in the scene. I'd like to propose we utilize this special method of prayer in the three reviews for the "Back to the Future" films. For the final film of the series i'd like to propose something a bit different and simpler than the normal Imagination Prayer process. It's only three steps...how bad can that be? Here's the outline:

1) A situation is proposed. Read the "prompt" several times.

2) A series of questions are offered. Reflect openly and honestly upon them.

3) A prayer is spoken.

Let's enter into God's presence together and meditate upon His Word.

1) Read the following scenario several times, silently or aloud.

Close your eyes and clear your mind as best you can. Let the thoughts of the day fall away. Push aside your worries, cares, anxieties, and concerns. Lay down your internal calendars, planners, and alarm clocks. Find the silence in the space you're in. In your mind's eye see yourself sitting in the very space you're sitting in right now. See and feel all of the details around you; the furniture, the temperature, the people; all the details. Imagine a knock at the door (if there isn't one, you'll figure something out). You rise to answer the door. You open the door and find yourself face to face with Jesus. Jesus stands right in front of you.

2) Keep silence for a while. As you reflect upon the scene in your mind, ask yourself the following questions. Seek to answer them as openly and honestly as possible. Pause between each question to give adequate time for meditation. Don't rush.

- What does Jesus look like? What sort of clothing is He wearing? Does He look the way you've seen Him in pieces of art or does He appear differently?

- How do you respond to Jesus's knock?

- Do you slam the door in His face? Do you ask Him to come inside?

- Do you fall to your knees? Do you hug Him?

- What is the first thing you ask or say to Him?

- What is the first thing He asks or says to you?

- Does Jesus ask you for anything? A drink of water? Something to eat? A place to sit?

- What does it feel like to have Jesus right on front of you?

- Are you afraid? Are you happy? Are you ashamed? Are you in awe?

- What do you talk about with Jesus? What questions do you ask Him?

- How does He respond? What does His voice sound like?

- If Jesus asked you to leave with Him, what would you say?

- Would you want to be seen with Him in public?

- Where would Jesus take you?

- To church? Out for coffee? To a friend's house? To an enemy's house?

- If you could take Him somewhere, where would you go?

- What part of your life do you want Jesus to see?

- Where would you not want to take Him?

- Jesus tells you that He has to go. How do you feel?

- What do you say to Him as He leaves? Do you hug Him? Do you ask Him to stay longer?

- How do you feel once Jesus is gone?

- Can you still feel Him with you?

3) We pray together: "Jesus, You are in our midst. Each and every day You knock upon the doors of our hearts and ask us to let You in. Some days we're glad to welcome You! Other days we're stubborn and unwilling to let You inside. We know that we're afraid and ashamed of what you'll see; we want you to see only the best parts of us and not the messes we desperately try to hide. We know that we are in need of Your presence and Your healing touch. We know that we need You to walk through our homes, hearts, and to walk with us each day in this life. Grant us humility to welcome You and the gift of faith to trust in You as You work in our lives. Grant that we be honest with You as we pray and seek Your help. Grant that we honest with ourselves when You respond and lead us in the ways of righteousness, that we would truly respond to your Word and your will for our lives. Jesus, we know You are truly in our midst. Blessed be Your most precious name. Amen."

See you tomorrow - E.T.

"Back To The Future Part II"

Title: "Back To The Future Part II"
MPAA Rating: PG
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Producer: S. Spielberg, K. Kennedy, and F. Marshall
Editing: H. Keramidas and A. Schmidt
Composer: Alan Silvestri
Starring:
- Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly
- Christopher Lloyd as Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown
- Lea Thompson as Lorraine McFly
- Thomas F. Wilson as Biff Tannen
- Jeffrey Weissman as Marty McFly (1955)
- James Tolken as Mr. Strickland
- Elisabeth Shue as Jennifer Parker

Plot and Critical Review: On October 26, 1985, Doctor Emmett Brown arrives from the future and tells Marty McFly and girlfriend, Jennifer Parker, he needs help to save their future children. As they depart, Biff Tannen accidentally witnesses their departure. They arrive in the future on October 21, 2015 where Doc electronically hypnotizes Jennifer and leaves her incapacitated in an alley. Doc has Marty pose as Marty McFly, Jr., Marty's future son, to refuse an offer from Biff's cybernetically-enhanced grandson, Griff Tannen.

Marty successfully switches places with his son and refuses Griff's offer, but Griff goads Marty into a fist fight, which only ends in Griff and his gang crashing into the local courthouse and getting arrested, thus saving Marty's future children from the same fate. On his way back to meet Doc, Marty purchases Gray's Sports Almanac, a book detailing the results of major sporting events for the second half of the 20th century. Doc discovers the purchase and warns him about attempting to profit from time travel, but before Doc can adequately dispose of the almanac, they are forced to follow the police who have found Jennifer incapacitated and are taking her to her future home. Old Biff, overhearing the conversation and recalling the DeLorean from 1985, follows with the discarded book in a taxi.

Jennifer wakes up in her future home and hides while the McFly family has dinner together. She overhears that Marty's life, as well as their life together, is not what they had expected due to a car accident involving Marty. Jennifer witnesses the Marty of 2015 being goaded into a shady business deal by his friend, Needles, causing their supervisor to fire Marty from his job, as announced by numerous faxes (one copy of which Jennifer keeps). While escaping the house, Jennifer meets her older self and they both faint. As Marty and Doc run to retrieve the younger Jennifer, Biff uses the DeLorean to travel back to 1955, gives his teenage self the sports almanac, then returns to 2015. Marty, Doc, and an unconscious Jennifer return to 1985, unaware of Old Biff's previous actions, and Jennifer is left on the porch at her home.

Marty and Doc soon discover that the 1985 to which they returned has changed dramatically. Biff has become wealthy and corrupted, and changed Hill Valley into a chaotic dystopia. Marty's father, George, was murdered in 1973, and Biff has forced his mother, Lorraine, to marry him instead. Doc has been committed to an insane asylum, and Dave, Linda and Marty are away at boarding schools. Doc finds evidence of the sports almanac and Biff's trip to the past in the DeLorean and tells Marty he needs to learn when the younger Biff received the almanac so they can correct the time line. Marty decides to confront Biff regarding the almanac. Biff explains that he received the book from an old man on November 12, 1955 who told him that he would never lose as long as he bet on every winner in the almanac. He was also told to eliminate anyone in particular who questioned him about the almanac in case of any attempt to change the past so Biff attempts to kill Marty during which time he reveals that he killed George, and allowed Hill Valley to be taken over by crime to prevent being caught. However, Marty escapes with Doc and, with the new information, returns to 1955.

Marty works undercover to trail the Biff of 1955. Marty is present when the Biff of 2015 arrives to give the Biff of 1955 the almanac, but Marty is unable to retrieve it. Marty is forced, with Doc's help, to try to get the book back during the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance, being careful to avoid undoing the events that he had already corrected in his previous visit. Eventually, Biff leaves the dance as Doc and Marty follow him silently. After a struggle, Marty takes the almanac from Biff and Doc and Marty fly away in the DeLorean.

With the storm approaching, Marty burns the almanac and restores the previous (improved) time line. However, the DeLorean is struck by lightning and disappears. A courier from Western Union arrives minutes later and gives Marty a seventy-year-old letter. It is from Doc, who became trapped in 1885 after the lightning strike made the DeLorean go back to January 1, 1885. Marty races back into town and finds the Doc of 1955, who had just sent the original Marty back to 1985 seconds earlier at the courthouse. Doc is shocked by his friend's sudden re-appearance and faints.

-

"Part II" made praiseworthy progress in visual effects and ventured a script that took viewers through four "temporal displacements" (1985 > 2015 > 1985 > 1955) and into an alternate timeline! Zemeckis' decision to keep the visual style and direction as close to "Part I" as possible paid off; the two films feel seamless. This was somewhat necessary as many parts of the movie had to be literally "cut into" scenes from the first film. "Part II" made less at the box office than its predecessor but still grossed many times more than its budget. It ended up the third highest grossing film in 1989, coming in behind "Indian Jones and the Last Crusade" and "Batman."

Keep in mind that 15% (i'm guessing, but it seems reasonable enough) of "Part II" had already been seen in the first film! How many film series use that much recycled material outside of flashbacks? Here we enter the "flashback" and are treated to the experience of an established timeline through a different "lens." Noteworthy and praiseworthy!

My Rating: 6/10

Content to Caution:

V-2 - Fist fights and gun violence. One instance of spousal abuse (physical violence.)

L-2 - "Son of a b..." persists.

DU-2.5 - Several instances of smoking, drinking, and abuse of "recreational drugs."

RT-1 - No comment.

H/S-1.5 - No comment.

CH-2 - No comment.

S/N-2 - Lorraine wears skimpy clothing in the 2015 timeline. Women are seen in a bathtub, but no nudity is shown.

The "Reel Revelation": "An Ignatian Adventure Through Time - Part II"

St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) was a pioneer in the discipline of creative spiritual meditation. In founding the Jesuits he, among other things, desired to develop a method of prayer and discernment by which both laity (regular folk) and religious (priests, monks, nuns, etc.) might seek the will of God through solitude and deep prayer. One of his chief "inventions" (and one of my favorites) is the Imagination Prayer. In this method of prayer one reads a scene or set of scenes from the Bible and places themselves "in the moment", observing and even interacting with those in the scene. I'd like to propose we utilize this special method of prayer in the three reviews for the "Back to the Future" films. We'll use a different passage for each reflection. Here's the general break-down of how the Imagination Prayer works:

1) A passage from Scripture is read aloud slowly.

2) Silence is observed for general reflection; get a sense of the "scene", the big picture.

3) The passage is read again, silently or aloud.

4) Silent is observed once more.

5) A series of questions are asked about the scene and how we interact within it.

6) Silence is kept for meditation and prayer. We listen for how God speaks to us through His Word.

7) A final prayer is spoken.

Let's enter into God's presence together and meditate upon His Word.

1) The following passage is read aloud slowly.

"Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word. Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the LORD, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. Now let them give us two oxen; and let them choose one ox for themselves and cut it up, and place it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other ox and lay it on the wood, and I will not put a fire under it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD, and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people said, “That is a good idea.” So Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one ox for yourselves and prepare it first for you are many, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.” Then they took the ox which was given them and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon saying, “O Baal, answer us.” But there was no voice and no one answered. And they leaped about the altar which they made. It came about at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened.” So they cried with a loud voice and cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them. When midday was past, they raved until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice; but there was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid attention. Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD which had been torn down. Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.” So with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two measures of seed. Then he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” And he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. The water flowed around the altar and he also filled the trench with water. At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.” Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God.” (1 Kings 18: 21-39)

2) Keep silence for a while. Reflect on the scene and try to get the big picture. Consider the following:

- What does this day look like?

- What color is the sky?

- Is the air still or windy?

- What does the mountainside look like?

- What do the 450 prophets look like in your mind's eye?

- Are you close to Elijah or observing from afar?

3) Read the passage again, aloud or silently.

4) Keep silence for a while. This time think about the specific details of the scene. Consider the following:

- What does Elijah look like? What's his mood?

- The people are all there to see what Elijah (and his god) will do. Are they patient? Angry? Expectant? Hopeful?

- How large is the altar that Elijah builds? What does it look like once the wood, water, and ox meat have been piled on?

- What does Elijah's voice sound like as he prayers? When he challenges the prophets? When he speaks to the people?

5) Meditate upon the following questions. Ask these questions honestly and search for honest answers:

- Do you believe Elijah's claims? Do you really believe one prophet can be greater than 450?

- How do you react to Elijah's challenge to the prophets of Baal? Do you also think it's a "good idea"?

- Are you on Elijah's side?

- How does Elijah look as the day drags on? Does he tire? Does he rest?

- What do the prayers of the prophets of Baal sound like?

- How do they respond when Baal doesn't respond to their cries?

- What is the sound of the LORD's fire? What does it look like? Can you feel the heat?

- What is the scene when the fire disappears and the altar is gone?

- Are the prophets of Baal afraid when the burnt offering is consumed?

- Do they run away? Do they run to join Elijah?

- Do you also say “The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God”?

6) Keep silence and slowly step out of the scene. Come back to the present moment.

7) We pray together: "Jesus, Elijah stood against many opponents and was mocked for his faith in God. In challenging the prophets of Baal to a duel he also challenged their entire religious system and way of life; he challenged their indecision to believe in Baal or the God of Israel. Have we ever been so bold? Have we ever felt such courage in our hearts? Jesus, grant that the Holy Spirit give us such courage so that we would testify to your holy name wherever we go and in whatever we do. We don't know what you'll ask us to do to show your love, even your tremendous power, but we want to do whatever it takes to bring people to you; to help people to come to know you as we have. Help us to follow Elijah's example of bravery and humility as we seek to serve you and our neighbors each and every day. We humbly pray in your most precious name. Amen."

The tale of Elijah (including the scene at Mt. Carmel) was set to music by Felix Mendelssohn in the oratorio, "Elijah." Here's a clip of a very capable baritone performing the musical rendition of Elijah's great prayer, "Lord, God of Abraham...": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVEi-018Lsc

See you tomorrow - E.T.