Three Reflections on The Passion, Post-Hubbub
In the latest issue of SPU's Response, Todd Rendleman, film instructor, and Rob Wall, professor of the Christian Scriptures, join me in offering reflections on The Passion of the Christ now that the hubbub has died down.Read more
A Movie That Needs to Be Made
It's been made before, but rarely seen. This true story has a plot that should captivate the imagination of some filmmakers out there...Read more
A Verse for Writers and Other Artists
As I plunge headlong through a jam-packed, stress-heavy workday, I am reminded of a Scripture verse I found quoted recently in a devotional... Read more
Troy - A Movie Review for the Sports Page
Here, at long last, is my review of Troy, written in a caffeine-induced haze last night. I was wishing I was at home watching more episodes of the great Aaron Sorkin-scripted TV show Sports Night, and that preference may have influenced what I said in my review...
Anne Quote of the Day
One of the reasons I married Anne is that, while I'm trying to look closer at movies and music and other arts, she's looking closer at what God has made.
Yesterday, out of the clear blue, after a silent minute in the car, she suddenly said,Read more
Troy (2004)
Troy, starring Brad Pitt, is a movie about a historic tournament clash of two GBA (Greek Basketball Association) Basketball teams.
There are many all-star players on the court for this exhausting, energetic tournament, but Achilles (Brad Pitt), a point guard with a deadly jump-shot is the superstar. He’s also a free agent. The Spartans have had him in the starting lineup for many spectacular match-ups, but they’re not guaranteed that they’ll hang on to him for this championship match. Achilles doesn’t like the Spartan coach, Agamemnon (Bryan Cox). Agamemnon has never been defeated, and his ego has swollen to Shaquille O’Neill proportions. He wants to defeat every team in the league and use his riches to secure the crown, not just this year, but for many years to come. He’s all about establishing the ruling franchise all around the Agean Sea.
"There's no profanity in my society..."
This letter came to me in response to my article at CT about profanity in the movies. My argument covered a lot of points, including the fact that artists often use their work to hold up a reflection to culture with all of its pros and cons. Thus, art often reflects foul language because, clearly, the culture which we have been challenged to love and transform does indeed include people with colorful speech.
Here is the response:
If you ask me, this is a pretty flimsy way to rationalize and justify your movie reviews. Sorry, but I'll continue to check Focus on the Family so that I know exactly how much profanity I might be subjected to before I go to view a movie. I cannot tolerate a movie which takes my Lord and Savior's name in vain. You say that this honestly depicts our society. Well, no it does not depict mine. I don't work with people who speak that way and I'm not around them away from work. If someone attempts to use this kind of language around me, I will quickly point out that I don't like it and then remove myself from the situation.
As Michael Medved has repeatedly said, the movie producers and directors always said they are simply honestly depicting the way people talk and behave, but in reality they are depicting the way they talk and behave.
"You say that this honestly depicts our society."
Uh, yeah. Ever been downtown?
"Well, no it does not depict mine."
I suspect that is because, like so many Christians, you stick to a community that makes you comfortable... other Christians who don't use foul language.
"If someone attempts to use this kind of language around me, I will quickly point out that I don't like it and then remove myself from the situation."
And Christ responds to sinners in this way... where? If I recall, he hung out with the drunkards, the money-grubbers, the riff-raff, and this troubled the pious religious leaders. It threatened them in their sanitized, insular religious world.
The development of a "safe Christian culture" is one of the church's greatest obstacles to its responsibility to be "salt and light." We've made ourselves quite a comfortable salt shaker, and we're staying on the shelf, thank you very much.
Most prestigious film award goes to...
Michael Moore for Fahrenheit 911.
That's right, this year's Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival goes to the guy who brought us Bowling for Columbine and who now is showing us what went on behind the scenes in the Bush administration during and after September 11th, 2001.
The next year is sure to be packed with feverish debate over the film's veracity, Moore's credibility, and what his footage and interviews reveal.
Clearly, beyond America's borders, anything that makes Bush look like a fool is going to be well-received. Rather than jumping to judge Moore and his film as many will do, I'm simply anxious to see it for myself to decide if it's a piece of leftie-propaganda, or if it's responsibly and fairly made. Is it just one guy's opinion, backed up by whoever he could get to agree with him? Or is it news, drawn together from a careful and thorough examination of the facts?
We'll see.
"Surviving the Open Heart"
Today I'm directing you to the excellent online poetry journal DMQ Review for some truly disquieting poetry.Read more