the church geek

Today I offer you two briefs of movies I have seen in the past couple of weeks:

Burn After Reading
The Coen brothers always put out a pretty mean movie. This is a not-so-bad follow up to last year’s Oscar winner, “No Country for Old Men.”

“Burn After Reading” is the story of a number of over-acted characters - played by an excellent and note worthy cast - in a crazy and ridiculous plot that weaves together the lives of those both in and out of the intelligence community (the CIA.)

Somehow it all works to produce a dark, comedic movie that both makes us laugh and causes us to question just how intelligent is our need to pursue ‘intelligence.’

Just a warning, as usual, the Coen’s apply a great deal of violence as well as some rather crude language in this movie, and yet I still give it 8 out of 10 stars 7 out of 10 stars (after reviewing the list of other movies I rated an 8).

Oh yeah, and Brad Pitt, is absolutely hilarious (update: and my wife says he’s also totally unattractive). That alone makes this movie worth seeing!

Persepolis:
This is an animated film that follows the true story of a young Iranian girl during the years of Iran’s various revolutions and political struggles.

The over-arching story of Iran’s political circumstances and how personal lives were affected by them was interesting and compelling. However, I had a very difficult time connecting with the young woman whose attitudes and actions at times were way too off-putting for my taste.

That lack of personal connection to the main character lead to a film that did not engage me as much as I’m sure either its author or director hoped it would. That lack of engagement forces me to give this movie 6 out of 10 stars.

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I’ve been tagged to play along on this new Presbymeme. So here it goes:

1) What is your favorite faith-based hymn, song or chorus.

That’s a toughie, especially since a lot of people have already said “Come Thou Font of Every Blessing” which I do love dearly. BTW, have you heard Sufjan Stevens version? it’s simple and absolutely beautiful. The one hymn though that I think I could sing every Sunday without tiring is “For the Beauty of the Earth.”

2) What was the context, content and/or topic of the last sermon that truly touched, convicted, inspired, challenged, comforted and/or otherwise moved you?

I was inspired by Joan Gray’s sermon during the opening worship at this year’s General Assembly about our call to love others as Christ as loved us. I was particularly moved by her story about the member of her congregation, who was dying of cancer, looking her in the eye as she was preparing to leave for vacation and saying “Promise me one thing: That you won’t come back early to do my funeral.”

3) If you could have all Presbyterians read just one of your previous posts, what would it be and why?

I honestly don’t come up with a lot of original stuff on my blog. However, I think the one post I’d want the PC(USA) to read is this one: The Mission and the Institution.

4) What are three PC(USA) flavored blogs you read on a regular basis?

I have lots of Presbyterian blogs in my Google Reader and I seem to keep adding more, but the three blogs that I most look forward to reading are:

Tribal Church - I resonate a lot with Carol and her husband Brian’s faith journey, as in some ways it’s similar to my own. Plus Carol is one prolific and thoughtful blogger on issues of ministry.

A Church for Starving Artists - Jan’ s reflections and thoughts on church and ministry in a post-denominational world are groundbreaking. More pastors, elders, and congregations, need to hear and be challenged by her voice.

The GA Junkie - How can you not love a blog with that name? Steve provides insightful and balanced analysis of issues not only in the PC(USA) but of other reformed denominations as well.

5) If the PC(USA) were a movie, what would it be and why?

Oh, I don’t know, for some reason the one that comes to mind is “The Savages.” It’s about a brother and sister who are forced to deal with their estranged and dying father. On my most cynical, least hopeful days sometimes I think that is the situation of our denomination.

Tagged: Since the whole Presby world seems to have already been tagged on this one, if you’ve read this and haven’t played along already, I say “Tag, you’re it.”

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I’ve seen two movies recently, here is a brief review of them:

The Savages - This movie features stellar performances by two of Hollywood’s best actors - Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney. It sensitively and, I think, pretty effectively deals with some of the issues surrounding care of an aging father in the last months of his life. The situation in this movie is further complicated by a father, who was a less than a stellar parent, and siblings who as a result have been estranged from him. The result is a movie that is funny, sad, compassionate, and moving all at the same time. I rate this 7 out of 10 stars.

The Dark Knight - As noted by just about everyone who has seen this movie, its strength is Heath Ledger who excels in his performance as the Joker. His performance is superbly maniacal, eerily wicked, and an effective personification of evil. The movie deals with both Batman’s and society’s moral dilemma of figuring out what exactly is at their disposal and how to use those means in order to combat and defeat their evil foe. For a comic book movie, this is a surprisingly effective and engaging movie (2.5 hours and only once did I look at my watch…) and a great successor to “Batman Begins.” I rate this 7 out of 10 stars.

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I’ve gotten a little behind on my movie reviews, here are a few movies I’ve seen in recent months:

WALL_E - Incredible animation, an inventive, unique storyline, and compelling social commentary all work together to make WALL-E a great animated movie. This is a movie that adults will thoroughly enjoy watching along with kids who are old enough to “get it.” 7 out of 10 stars.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - This movie started off way too slow, but once it gained its momentum it took off like a rocket and was great fun. While not the best of the Indy movie series, it was still great to see him off on an adventure and back to his old tricks. It’s simply the good old fashion fun you would expect from an Indy flick. 6 out of 10 stars.

Iron Man - When Tony Stark discovers first hand the incredible harm and mayhem that his inventions in weaponry and armament have created, he turns to use his technology in order to fight against evil. You don’t have to love comic books in order to enjoy this movie. Iron Man is a smart, witty movie and one of the best I’ve seen so far this year. 8 out of 10 stars.

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Young@Heart is an absolute must see movie. It is the moving and endearing story of a group of 70, 80, and 90 year olds who sing and perform their hearts out to the tunes of a variety of popular artists such as Coldplay, James Brown, and the Ramones.

The movie documents the group’s preparation for their first big concert of the performing year. As the story unfolds we are given an up close and personal look at the lives of a variety of the group’s members. Some of the more touching and moving moments of this film detail the struggle to hold on to life and the frailty that often comes with old age, while other moments show that character and dignity do not fade in the face of it.

I guarantee that you will laugh and cry while watching this movie which I rate at a 9 out of 10 stars. I would urge you to drop everything you are doing right now so that you can go see it.

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You might ask why on earth would someone want to watch a movie about a guy and his “girlfriend” who just so happens to be an anatomically correct mail order doll? That certainly can’t be anything but trouble.

Well, in this case it’s not. In fact, Lars and the Real Girl just happens to be one of the smartest, most moving, and spiritually significant films I’ve seen in a long time.

Lars is a good but painfully awkward and shy man. The limit of his social activity is his office job, attending church on Sunday morning, and being dragged off to dinner by his caring but overly pushy sister-in-law. Lars keeps to himself in a room off the side of the family garage while his brother and sister-in-law have moved into the home not long after the death of their father.

One day a large package arrives for Lars, and later that evening he shows up at the door of his brother’s home introducing his new girlfriend, Bianca, whom he says has arrived after serving as a missionary in Brazil.

But of course she is nothing more than a full sized life like doll. His brother and sister-in-law think he’s gone nuts but eventually decide to heed the advice of the family doctor and to play along with Lars’ delusion until he no longer needs it.

What unfolds is an incredibly moving modern parable of the power of love and community, as first the church and then the rest of the town make the choice to wrap their arms around Lars and to accept his new friend, Bianca, as one of them.

Their acceptance helps Lars push past the many barriers that have kept him trapped for years. It also helps him to take note of his office co-worker and fellow church member, Margo, the ‘real girl’ who really loves and cares for him.

There is much to recommend about this movie and I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

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1.) One of the critiques of the emerging movement is that it is basically composed of young, white guys with goatees. This post reveals that maybe the stereotype is not quite so accurate: Emerging Middle Aged Women.

2.) I’ve got to find more time to listen to podcasts. I just haven’t figured out the best way to make them a part of my life or my daily routine. When I figure it out, I’ll be sure to have this podcast, Watching Theology, on my radar screen since I like both movies and theology. (HT: Jake)

3.) Kudos to Shawn Coons for spear heading an effort to resurrect the remnants of the defunct 7% conference. He and others have been meeting to make plans for “alt7 - a gathering for PC(USA) clergy under forty.” It will be held at Montreat next June, which is 4-1/2 months before my 40th birthday.

4.) Twitter seems to be all the rage, at least for the next day or so. One thing I loved about Facebook was the ability to provide a personal “status update.” Twitter is solely dedicated to that purpose, so if you care to keep up with what’s happening with me you can check it out here.

5.) I’m back offering you a wonderful spring photo for your enjoyment.

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Fin is a dawrf, a bit of a recluse, and a lover of trains. When he inherits a train station in rural New Jersey and moves in, big changes are in store as he gets to know some of the locals who invade his private and secret world.

The Station Agent is a quirky little movie with some bright spots and a compelling story about the battle against loneliness. I give it 6 out 10 stars.

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April, the black sheep of her family, is living in New York City in a tenement apartment with her boyfriend. Back in suburbia her mom is dying of cancer and it may be her last Thanksgiving alive.

Mom, Dad and the rest of the family head into the big city for a Thanksgiving dinner to be hosted by April. All they can imagine is that it will be a complete disaster and a disappointment, just as everything else with April has always been.

As April gets ready for the meal and her family’s arrival it looks like its going to be a disaster to her as well, since the stove won’t light and it seems as if she has nowhere to turn.

What unfolds over the course of the day comes as a complete surprise to everyone. Likewise, Pieces of April is a surprising and delightful movie and it rates 8 out of 10 stars.

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The Kite Runner is a really powerful and moving story of redemption…be sure to have a box of Kleenexes handy if you watch it. I really loved the book and thought this adaptation did a pretty decent job of capturing the overall story line of the novel.

I have to wonder if someone watching this movie without having already read the book would think it was that great. The movie tells the story straight up and seems to lack the nuances and subtleties that made the book so good; such as a more nuanced picture of Islamic faith and life as well as the richness of the culture of Afghanistan unlike what is portrayed in our media today.

Despite its shortcomings, the movie does capture the powerful nature of its overall story and so I give it a rating of 7 out of 10.

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1.) The most recent Decently and In Order podcast picked up my Techno-Sabbath post as a topic of conversation. They discussed their various perspectives on some of the issues I highlighted.

2.) In case you were wondering, Paul Wolfowitz really IS a shady character. My good friend Mark writes of an encounter with Wolfowitz in Rwanda.

3.) My favorite preacher, United Methodist Bishop William Willimon, by way of the Internet Monk, offers an interesting perspective on the story of Jesus and Zaccheus.

4.) I ran across this list of 100 spiritually significant films, but realize I’ve only seen about twenty percent of them and only one of the top ten.

5.) Hillary Clinton offers a few of her perspectives on faith and is promptly taken to task in the comment section for not affirming the sole significance of belief in Christ for salvation. Once again proving the difficulties of being a politician and holding nuanced positions on things. Talk amongst yourselves…

6.) Here’s another pretty picture for your enjoyment.

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Michael Clayton, played by George Clooney, cleans up messes for his law firm. He is a brilliant, engaging fellow with a knack for getting things done and making stubborn legal problems go away, or at least minimizing them the best he can.

But now he faces the mess of his life, one that even he may not be able to fix.

One of the firm’s attorneys, assigned to a multi-billion dollar case in defense of a giant agricultural chemical company, has a bipolar nervous breakdown that threatens to completely blow apart the case. It’s Michael’s job to get him back on his medicine and to do all he can to insure that the case doesn’t completely implode.

A battle ensues as Michael is vexed by the top level attorney for the chemical company, played by Tilda Swinton. She has different ideas about Michael’s ability to handle the problem and decides to complicate things by taking matters into her own hands.

While this is an engaging, compelling, and suspenseful thriller its not quite up to the level of the academy award nomination which it received. I rate this movie a 7 out of 10.

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In the Valley of Elah opens with Hank Deerfield receiving a phone call notifying him that his son has gone AWOL while on leave from duty in Iraq. Hank is surprised at this news as his son hadn’t even told him they were home.

A former military man himself, Hank drives across country to the military base to see if he can locate his missing son, but not long after his arrival the body of his son is uncovered. Lots of questions are asked but the answers given are neither forthcoming nor plausible. With the help of a civilian police detective, played by Charlize Theron, Hank is able to get to the heart of the mystery of his son’s disappearance and death.

The strength of this movie lies in the incredible and heartbreaking performance of Tommy Lee Jones who portrays Hank Deerfield with restraint and spare emotion in the face of his son’s death. His lack of tenderness is especially heartbreaking as it plays out in the relationship with his wife, played superbly by Susan Sarandon.

The movie’s weakness lies in the fact that we are never sure why it is titled “In the Valley of Elah,” the biblical location where David slays Goliath. The ancient biblical story is told twice, but no real connection is made between it and this modern day military story. This lack of connection is indicative of the movie’s overall failure to help us grasp its underlying message.

Overall I give this movie a 6 out of 10, based on nothing more than the very strong performances of Tommy Lee Jones and Susan Sarandon.

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There Will Be Blood is the tale of two men battling one another in oil rich California at the beginning of the 1900s.

Daniel Plainview is an oil prospector and a fierce competitor. He talks confidently and self-assuredly, seemingly never answering a single question asked of him.

Eli Sunday is the young charismatic preacher of The Church of the Third Revelation. He covers the weakness of his character with the piety of his office.

Following a mysterious lead from Eli’s brother Paul, Daniel convinces the Sunday family to lease him the rights to prospect oil from their ranch. Daniel also leases the rights from all ranches in the area except for one.

When the derrick is ready to begin operating, Eli asks Daniel to publicly acknowledge him and to allow him to say a blessing for the derrick. Daniel rebuffs him and the battle is on.

The brilliance of this movie comes from the battle of two men able to find a way to get the other to admit what he truly is. The failure of the movie is that this is as far as it goes. There is no redemption to be found, just two men whose poor souls descend into very pits of hell.

I’m totally divided on how to rate this movie. Positives: the acting is great and the cinematography is incredible. Negatives: too many details are left open and its message leaves little room for hope. In the end I give it a 6 out of 10.

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The best thing I can say about Atonement is that it makes its point well: Sometimes you just can’t make up for the things you’ve done.

This is the story of a well-to-do family in pre World War II Britain. Briony is a 13 year old precocious girl who witnesses from a far an exchange between her sister, Cecilia, and their housekeeper’s son, Robbie.

It’s true that Robbie and Cecilia do love each other, but Briony - either out of jealousy or some other unexpressed motive - interprets the exchange and the various events that follow that evening in the worst possible light. Eventually she tells a lie that ruins all three of their young lives.

Briony grows up to be a successful author but is haunted throughout her life by the role she has played in the demise of Cecilia and Robbie. The only way she can set things right is through an act of imagination as it is portrayed in her final book.

From the beginning, I was not captivated by this movie and throughout found myself bored by it. Both its bleakness and obscurity of message are things this movie ought to atone for.

I give this movie 5 out of 10 stars.

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