It’s business as usual as readers respond to the 2007 Critics Choice list at CT Movies.
What did readers think of Juno, which was the #1 favorite film amongst CT’s film critics? And what about Into Great Silence, which showed up on both the Critics Choice list and the Most Redeeming Films of ’07 list?
Let’s sample the first two letters posted on the updated Feedback page…
Juno at No. 1? I am utterly bewildered! Just walked out of that movie, popped some Tylenol to try to relieve my non-“menstrual migraine,” tempted to hit the bottle‚Äîbut want to maintain my faculties to fire this one across into the la la land in which you folks reside. Did anyone notice the cross with the line through it‚Äîas in Ghost Busters, as in no cross, as in anti-uh, well cross? Secondly, OK, she couldn’t go through with an abortion, so this therefore places the movie in your thumbs-up category? I know a Satan worshiper who couldn’t go through with an abortion. Thirdly, I have seen wild boar on the side of the road keeping their family structure together with more grace and decorum than any character portrayed in this work. This movie would more accurately be titled “Orcs in Heat.” I am glad Jennifer Garner’s character was given the child‚Äîthe only redemptive quality this film offered. But how anyone could equate this to anything close to Christianity and its principles is both laughable and pitiable!
Debra Szemplinskiposted 02/14/08
Into Great Silence is a waste of time and money, unless you see this as a promotional film for the Catholic faith. Didn’t Jesus say, “Go ye into the world and preach the gospel”? He didn’t say, lock yourself up in a building and meditate to God and forget about the world around you. The Bible emphasizes to be among the world, and those in a monastery are mostly not; if you live indoors, who can see the love of God working in you? I feel sorry for them that they have been misled in how to really serve the Lord our GOD. I pray that they may see the light before they close their eyes for good.
Hans Hoekstra
(Here, again, are the Critics Choice list and the Most Redeeming Films list.)
Meanwhile, CT Movies also features an interview with an actor who has taken on the role of a Roman soldier investigating Christ’s resurrection. Yes, who else but… Dolph Lundgren.
Wow. Those comments about Juno are, um, disturbing and sad. I find myself more and more distancing myself from cultural Christianity and – dare I say to this audience – Christian critiques of culture.
It’s interesting that she identifies with the Jennifer Garner character – the one who obviously clothed her world in a white facade of Things She Wanted to Believe – when really, those who were a little rough around the edges loved more honestly and saw things more truthfully.
It seems that within Christiandome there are too many differing opinions on what redemption looks like in real life vs in the worlds we create for ourselves. It’s for this reason Christian critiques of culture sometimes frustrates me. Those who “get it” don’t really need the critique, and those who don’t “get it” crucify those who see redemption in ways other than Jennifer Garner-type endings.
Julia Sheerers, author of Jesus Land, said in an interview that she left the Christian faith partly because of the cruelty and bigotry of its people. She said she found non-Christians to be more moral and kind.
So sad, but I know it to be true in many cases.
Ah, but I rant.
The Bible emphasizes to be among the world, and those in a monastery are mostly not; if you live indoors, who can see the love of God working in you
If you live indoors, who can see the love of God working in you? I don’t know, good question to ask anyone who’s a shut-in invalid, but prays for people all the time. In their case, I guess it’s probably Jesus that see the love of God working in them. Guess he doesn’t count.
I haven’t seen all the movies on those lists but there are definitely some good picks on there.