"Stranger Than Fiction": Better Than Expected
Has anyone else ever noticed how Will Ferrell looks a lot like Ron Perlman sometimes?
I pretty much agree with Peter T. Chattaway's review of Stranger Than Fiction.
It's worth seeing for good performances, a clever and whimsical script, attractive and creative cinematography, and some scenes that are memorably poignant.
Oh, yeah... and there's a supporting actor whose small role will astonish viewers who recognize him. When I turned and whispered his name to my friend, the guy almost choked in amazement. You love this guy, but I suspect you haven't seen him for a long, long time.
I won't mention his name, because the surprise is just too sweet.
Today's Shuffle: What do these songs mean to you?
Well, now that I've transferred my entire rock/pop/folk/country library to my iPod, I'm enjoying the circus show better-known as "Shuffle Songs."
The machine tends to deliver a rather bumpy road of randomly selected tracks from the 6,600 songs I've loaded up.Read more
Have you heard? Sufjan Stevens has a new release.
Someone asked me why I hadn't blogged yet about the new Sufjan Stevens release, and my answer is, um, well, I've been too busy listening to it.
In fact, Sufjan doesn't just have one new volume of material... no, he has FIVE new volumes of material. And they're all Christmas albums.
They're new, that is, to those who haven't been tuning in through his fan club over the last few years. I've been listening to the first three volumes for a while now. But at last, they're packaged up with some new recordings, and they're a delightful holiday collection.Read more
Alejandro González Iñárritu on the Value of Families
Today at Christianity Today Movies... my conversation with Babel director Alejandro González Iñárritu.
Iñárritu says:
I think that my films are basically family stories, beyond the fact that they are global and have political and social commentary. At the core of it, Babel is basically four stories of parents and children.
I think we are defined as human beings through our families, no matter what kind of family—through our relationships with parents, brothers and sisters. [You look back to] the first people of the world, and there is Cain killing Abel. In families you can find the source of every human drama. It is interesting because the cell of a society, the cell of a country, the cell of humanity — everything lies in the family.
For me, the most important thing that I have to accomplish, is to be a good father. That's the most difficult challenge of my life. That's the most important thing for me, more than films.
The Secret Location of the Big Release Party...
Anybody recognize this place?
This is where the big book release party for Through a Screen Darkly will be held.Read more
Darren Aronofsky Goes Through a Screen Darkly
What does Darren Aronofsky, director of Pi, Requiem for a Dream, and The Fountain think of Through a Screen Darkly?
After reading the first several chapters, he says:Read more
More on U2's New Material
Josh Hurst just discovered more on the current activities of U2 at, well, atU2.
The other new song is "Windows in the Skies." With soaring strings and a haunting piano melody, the tune is remarkably different to the stadium rock sound of their recent smash hit album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. It is huge but in a very different way and for a very different reason; Bono is learning to play piano.
"I think that's going to be our biggest song in a long time. It's a psychedelic pop song with 6/8 timing, you never hear that. It's very, very rare," he says.
"I've been taking piano lessons with my kids and every time I took a lesson, I wrote a song. I had eight lessons and I had eight songs.
"They (his bandmates) were all like 'He'll never have any songs this time' and in I bring eight. Whoa! Of course, they have much improved it."
Rest in peace, Adrienne Shelly.
Adrienne Shelly, star of one of my favorite comedies, The Unbelievable Truth, has been found dead in her office.
"Have you people lost your minds and perhaps your souls?"
The latest letters to Christianity Today Movies continue to demonstrate the great divide...
No Heads in the Sand
posted 11/02/06
I am a pastor of a large church in Denver and appreciate your approach on reviewing films. I am proud of you for reviewing R-rated movies and coming to the conclusions you come to. Because of you, I am going to see Little Children because I want to live in the real world. I regret that some Christians have adopted the attitude where we are afraid or unwilling to see the world as it really is—sinful and broken and in need of a Savior. Jesus met the world with the appropriate attitude—to seek and save the lost. Please don't succumb to the pressure to conform to the "ostrich with his head in the sand" mentality of many Christians today. Face films with a realistic and honest approach as you have been doing.
Joe Mayes
Have We Lost Our Minds?
posted 11/02/06
Have you people lost your minds and perhaps your souls? I saw The Departed, and your review astounded me. This is one of the worst films I have ever seen. Besides their obvious attempt to break the world record for profanity and violence in one single movie, the movie contained a ridiculous story line. It was typical Hollywood in its attempt to denigrate and corrupt every possible authority figure and profession that our society has commonly held in great esteem—policeman, detectives, psychologists, firemen, priests, nuns, etc. Just who are we supposed to identify with in this film? Did I really need a lesson in just how fallen this world actually is? We would not want to end a movie with the "good guy" actually bringing the "bad guy" to justice—that would offend our new post-modern, hip sensibilities. Come on, CT, you should know better. Want to be really cutting edge, revolutionary in thought, hip, and shake the world? Tell the truth and don't worry about what others might think!
Elizabeth Wallenchposted 10/12/06
I think many of your readers' comments taking you to task over the 1-star rating for Facing the Giants is unfortunately indicative of many Christians' ho-hum attitude toward the arts and beyond. Too many Christians think, "Why should I strive for excellence when OK will do?" Or, "Who cares if it's done well, as long as I thank Jesus at the end." I think Jesus wants us to do our best in everything, whether it's cleaning our homes, entertaining our neighbors, planning a Sunday morning worship service or making a movie. Unfortunately, half-hearted efforts in our artistic and scholarly pursuits only confirms what the world already think of us—religious fanatics who left our brains at the door, are driven only by emotion and are content with average. How sad.
Christine Beckerposted 10/12/06
I agree whole-heartedly with your philosophy of rating movies. Nothing makes me more sick than a Christian movie that is not done well. Who is our God? What does he expect of us? What can he accomplish through us? We should be making the best movies on the planet. Shame on us for not doing so.
Bill Luegposted 10/12/06
When I was at Covenant College in the 1980s, some of us went to see a Billy Graham Productions movie. Afterward, I commented that I liked the message but that the movie itself wasn't very good—mediocre acting, predictable story, etc. A couple of people objected that the message should outweigh the art, and for a "Christian film," the level of quality isn't as important as the message. My point then, and now, is that the quality of the art is as important as the message, especially if the film is trying to reach beyond the "choir." Thank you again for pushing the importance of art.
Tom Chapmanposted 10/03/06
Your review of Facing the Giants is disgusting. This was one of the greatest movies I have ever seen. The audience seemed to agree with me also. There were cheers, whoops, laughter (in all the right places, not as you stated at the actors), and the inspirational parts were, well, flat out inspirational. I think your reviewer needs to be more in touch with the average Christian rather than set themselves up as a movie critic. I see this is one more example of Christianity Today going further away from the Bible and moving toward a liberal theology.
Dave Peterson
FritzPhoto.com: Spirited imagery
My longtime friend Fritz Liedtke has been blogging in recent months, offering images and slideshows from his rather impressive adventures as a photographer.
He photographs a lot of weddings and portraits, and yet these spirited images show that it's not just work for him. He finds a lot of beauty in candid moments along the way. (You can look up his main Web page here.)
And then, outside of his wedding work, he does some brave exploratory photography. In recent years, he has ventured into the volatile realm of adolescents, capturing faces and bodies in a phase of unpredictable change.
Spend some time on his blog, and then venture out from there to his Web site's art gallery. Beauty, mystery, and imagination. It's great to see Fritz pursuing his dreams and finding so much treasure along the way.
