On stage, Mamma Mia! is a fun time—bright, colorful, and full of all the right songs, dances, and charades to send you away smiling. But as we all know, just because something is a hit on Broadway doesn't mean it will do quite as well in Hollywood. And when it comes to Mamma Mia!'s jump from stage to screen this year, it hits some places and misses others for an experience that is still fun but a little bit harder to fully embrace than its Broadway sister.
As always, a life full of singing and dancing does take a bit of getting used to. Dancing across the screen like a 21-year-old, Meryl Streep's Donna, while full of life, is a bit too much for me. Although I admire Pierce Brosnan for trying out something different, I just can't reconcile his standard action persona with his dreamy crooner, Sam Carmichael. But aside from Streep and Brosnan, the rest of Mamma Mia!'s cast is decidedly less awkward and much easier to stomach.
Amanda Seyfried proves that she is more than just a third place Mean Girl as the movie's youthful star Sophie. Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgård play Sophie's other potential fathers, Harry and Bill, so well that I am reconsidering Firth's perpetual status as the perfect straight man. Donna's longtime friends Rosie and Tanya are brought to life by Julie Walters and Christine Baranski in a way that cannot help but make you want to shout, "You go girl!", every time they're on screen. And in general, the rest of the cast looks like they are having enough fun to mostly suspend the strange sense that it just isn't normal for entire crowds to spontaneously burst into song.
Then, there's the story. The perfect movie or show for a girls' night out, Mamma Mia! is a great story about mothers and daughters, best friends and girlfriends. Centered around the impending wedding of young Sophie, it's also about lovers and the love they share. Driven by Sophie's quest to find her father and the arrival of the three possible candidates, it is about fathers, daughters, and the value of knowing both where you're from and what your life has yielded. And tied up by reunions, reconciliations, and remembrances, it is about how amazing it is to share our lives with someone—even if we can do it all on our own.
Setting the story in motion and causing commotion from beginning to end is the question of who Sophie's father actually is.
"I feel like there's a part of me missing," Sophie tells her girlfriends. "And when I meet my dad, everything will fall into place.
"But as her mother sees it, he's never been there; so why should the identity of Sophie's father matter? "It's about knowing who I am," Sophie tells her fiancè Sky (Dominic Cooper).
But as he tells her, "That doesn't come from finding your father; it comes from finding yourself."
And in many ways, both Donna and Sky are right. If anyone in Sophie's life has contributed to who she is, it is her mother. When it comes to Sophie finding herself, it is first and foremost about herself. No matter how great a relationship any of us have with our mother, father, best friend, or high school sweetheart, at one point or another, we all learn that we must figure out who we are on our own before we can truly know who we are in relation to anyone else.
But, as the story unfolds, another truth also takes center stage. Almost every main character makes some discovery about themselves. They see what is lacking their lives. They embrace what they have shut out for so long. They pursue what they have been afraid to pursue. And as much as each person takes those steps on their own, it cannot be ignored that they each come to their decisions through their relationships with others.
For Sophie, there is no denying how much her mother means to her and how much their relationship has shaped who she has become. For many of the characters, the key to their forward movement is in seeing how much a potential love relationship means to them. And while Sophie's new path is one centered on independence, her time spent with her "fathers," the memories they share with her, and the wisdom they impart all play a part in the journey she begins at the movie's end.
For us, the same is true. Who we become is ultimately up to us. We are the only ones who can figure out who we are. The lives we lead are based on decisions only we can make. But the truth remains that we live in a world of relationships, in between people who have given pieces of themselves to us and people to whom we have given pieces of ourselves. And when it comes to knowing our father, I have to say: I wouldn't even begin to know or be who I am today if I didn't know who he was.
As much as I love him and appreciate all he has given me, I'm not talking about my dad who passed away 14 years ago; I'm talking about God. Even though I know my parents biologically created me, planned to have me, and probably love me more than most other people on this earth, the fact that God actually handpicked everything that is a part of who I am, created plans of purpose and worth for me and only me to fulfill, and loves me so much that there is nothing I could ever do to make him stop gives me a sense of value that I could find nowhere else. To know that I am a part of a web of purpose, connection, and relationship that is bigger than just me allows to me to believe that my small life still means something in this gigantic world. And as the cast of Mamma Mia! sings as they say goodbye, by being able to believe that my existence is actually part of a world that seems more like a fairytale or a dream, I have no doubt that I have been able to pursue my future and cross streams I never could have without that knowledge
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Forever Odd
Author: Dean Koontz
Forever Odd, the second installment in what Dean Koontz promises will be an ongoing epic, is one of his best stories to date. It chronicles the life of Odd Thomas, a short-order cook with extraordinary abilities who lives in the Southern California town of Pico Mundo on the edge of the Mojave Desert. As his name implies, Odd is not your usual cook—or usual human being, for that matter. He possesses an unusual gift: the ability to see the dead walking among us. These walking specters are drawn to him because of this gift. He can talk to them, but they can only respond through gestures, facial expressions and body language. Odd believes that they cling to this world in a state of limbo, stuck as if to a spider’s web, because of strong emotions—anger, sorrow, despair—that are always connected to their untimely death. He also believes that they cannot leave until some form of reconciliation occurs. It’s not a new concept in supernatural literature, this idea that the dead cannot leave due to the strength of emotions attached to their death. But Koontz uses this concept as a backdrop to develop some of his most vibrant and endearing characters.
The strength of Koontz’s storytelling usually centers on his unique ability to create interesting characters. Odd Thomas is supported and sometimes guided in his adventures by a supporting cast that includes Chief Wyatt Porter, Pico Mundo’s grizzled, veteran police chief; Terri Stambaugh, Odd’s boss at the grill who is a fast talking, die-hard Elvis Presley fan; P. Oswald Boone, an author and Odd’s best friend, who is also a four-hundred pound mystery novelist with a clairvoyant cat; and the ghost of The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley himself.
The story opens with Odd awakening to find the spirit of a man he knows well, Dr. Wilbur Jessup, standing beside his bed. He rises to investigate and discovers the doctor’s body bludgeoned to death and his son missing. The son is Danny, Odd’s close friend who suffers from ontogenesis imperfecta, a crippling brittle bone disease. He suspects that Danny has been kidnapped from his home, possibly by his birth father, who was recently released from prison. We are immediately drawn into the adventure as Odd sets off in pursuit of Danny’s kidnappers.
We find that Odd’s special powers also stretch into other realms of the psychic. His “psychic magnetism” allows him to find people or unseen places by focusing on a mental image of them. He follows the psychic trail of Danny down into an underground, labyrinthine drainage system, and eventually emerges again far out in the desert. Standing on the edge of the desert, Odd places a call to Sheriff Porter, a father figure to Odd who possesses a firm but still uncertain belief in the young man’s extraordinary abilities. Odd has helped the sheriff solve cases before and found answers when none seemed evident using conventional police tactics. After Odd briefly updates the sheriff regarding the case, their conversation turns to the current mission in the desert. The following is a piece of this conversation recounted through Odd’s narrative:
Lying to him would be harder than lying to myself. “I’m being pulled, sir.”
“Pulled where?”
“I don’t know yet. I’m still on the move.”
“Where are you now?”
“I’d rather not say, sir.”
“You’re not gonna Lone Ranger this,” he worried.
“If that seems best.”
“No Tonto, no Silver – that’s not smart. Use your head, son.”
“Sometimes you’ve got to trust your heart.”
“No point in me arguing with you, is there?”
When events or timing lead us down to the heart-and-soul life, I believe that we are all faced with this choice at some time during our quest for eternal truth. We find ourselves compelled to follow some abstract feeling or uncertain belief out into the desert of our own souls, and we can only go there alone. We cannot always explain, even to those closest to us, why we believe so firmly that we must go. I think it is in this place and only here that we find God. But it isn’t an easy choice, and nothing at the time seems concrete, not even our own thoughts.
Whether it is Koontz’s intention or not, the character of Odd Thomas is on a constant faith journey. He is forever drawn away from the potential of a comfortable life and asked to follow spirits and feelings toward an unknown end. He simply must take a leap and follow his heart. The life of a Christian is not easy, and rarely do we have any or all of the answers to the questions of our future. We simply must trust in God and the belief that his plan at the end of our desert-journey is worth the risk of following such uncertainty. At his core, Odd has an unshakable faith in what he is called to do. This latest story by Dean Koontz, the mass-market, supernatural thriller king, deeply inspired my own often-shakable faith.
Forever Odd, the second installment in what Dean Koontz promises will be an ongoing epic, is one of his best stories to date. It chronicles the life of Odd Thomas, a short-order cook with extraordinary abilities who lives in the Southern California town of Pico Mundo on the edge of the Mojave Desert. As his name implies, Odd is not your usual cook—or usual human being, for that matter. He possesses an unusual gift: the ability to see the dead walking among us. These walking specters are drawn to him because of this gift. He can talk to them, but they can only respond through gestures, facial expressions and body language. Odd believes that they cling to this world in a state of limbo, stuck as if to a spider’s web, because of strong emotions—anger, sorrow, despair—that are always connected to their untimely death. He also believes that they cannot leave until some form of reconciliation occurs. It’s not a new concept in supernatural literature, this idea that the dead cannot leave due to the strength of emotions attached to their death. But Koontz uses this concept as a backdrop to develop some of his most vibrant and endearing characters.
The strength of Koontz’s storytelling usually centers on his unique ability to create interesting characters. Odd Thomas is supported and sometimes guided in his adventures by a supporting cast that includes Chief Wyatt Porter, Pico Mundo’s grizzled, veteran police chief; Terri Stambaugh, Odd’s boss at the grill who is a fast talking, die-hard Elvis Presley fan; P. Oswald Boone, an author and Odd’s best friend, who is also a four-hundred pound mystery novelist with a clairvoyant cat; and the ghost of The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley himself.
The story opens with Odd awakening to find the spirit of a man he knows well, Dr. Wilbur Jessup, standing beside his bed. He rises to investigate and discovers the doctor’s body bludgeoned to death and his son missing. The son is Danny, Odd’s close friend who suffers from ontogenesis imperfecta, a crippling brittle bone disease. He suspects that Danny has been kidnapped from his home, possibly by his birth father, who was recently released from prison. We are immediately drawn into the adventure as Odd sets off in pursuit of Danny’s kidnappers.
We find that Odd’s special powers also stretch into other realms of the psychic. His “psychic magnetism” allows him to find people or unseen places by focusing on a mental image of them. He follows the psychic trail of Danny down into an underground, labyrinthine drainage system, and eventually emerges again far out in the desert. Standing on the edge of the desert, Odd places a call to Sheriff Porter, a father figure to Odd who possesses a firm but still uncertain belief in the young man’s extraordinary abilities. Odd has helped the sheriff solve cases before and found answers when none seemed evident using conventional police tactics. After Odd briefly updates the sheriff regarding the case, their conversation turns to the current mission in the desert. The following is a piece of this conversation recounted through Odd’s narrative:
Lying to him would be harder than lying to myself. “I’m being pulled, sir.”
“Pulled where?”
“I don’t know yet. I’m still on the move.”
“Where are you now?”
“I’d rather not say, sir.”
“You’re not gonna Lone Ranger this,” he worried.
“If that seems best.”
“No Tonto, no Silver – that’s not smart. Use your head, son.”
“Sometimes you’ve got to trust your heart.”
“No point in me arguing with you, is there?”
When events or timing lead us down to the heart-and-soul life, I believe that we are all faced with this choice at some time during our quest for eternal truth. We find ourselves compelled to follow some abstract feeling or uncertain belief out into the desert of our own souls, and we can only go there alone. We cannot always explain, even to those closest to us, why we believe so firmly that we must go. I think it is in this place and only here that we find God. But it isn’t an easy choice, and nothing at the time seems concrete, not even our own thoughts.
Whether it is Koontz’s intention or not, the character of Odd Thomas is on a constant faith journey. He is forever drawn away from the potential of a comfortable life and asked to follow spirits and feelings toward an unknown end. He simply must take a leap and follow his heart. The life of a Christian is not easy, and rarely do we have any or all of the answers to the questions of our future. We simply must trust in God and the belief that his plan at the end of our desert-journey is worth the risk of following such uncertainty. At his core, Odd has an unshakable faith in what he is called to do. This latest story by Dean Koontz, the mass-market, supernatural thriller king, deeply inspired my own often-shakable faith.
Coldplay: Viva La Vida
I can’t say I have always loved Coldplay, mainly because I went through a phase where everyone seemed to like them and I didn’t listen, just to be different. Fortunately for me, my old friend sat me down and forced me to listen to them and I haven’t looked back since.
Chris Martin and the rest of the band have always been very artistically and musically gifted in my opinion, but their newest release, Viva La Vida, covers a lot of new territory and blows the doors off of their first three albums. The record as a whole is much more epic, more experimental and quite brilliant in a lot of ways.
The intro song “Life in Technicolor” is simply instrumental with a few “whoa-oh’s” in the background, but it is very reminiscent of older U2 classics like “Where the Streets Have No Name,” and it segues beautifully into the haunting “Cemeteries of London.” It is a song about the ghosts of England’s past, creeping through at night. The next track “Lost!” with its backbeat and accompanying organ is a rousing song with many possible meanings. It has already been interpreted by some as a message about salvation, but it seems to me to be more about being down but not out. As 2 Corinthians 4:9 says we are “…persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.”
Track 4, “42,” another ghost-themed song, seems depressing and longing, but includes such lyrics as “Time is so short and I’m sure there must be something more.” I like the musical changeup in this song, but the repetition wears a little bit after a first or second listen. The gorgeous melodies of “Lover in Japan/ Reign of Love” included with tons of religious imagery make this one of my favorite listens on the album. Even though I have never heard anyone from Coldplay profess any Christian beliefs, it is still nice to hear lyrics like “Lovers, keep on the road you’re on, runners, until the race is run,” or “Reign of love by the church we’re waiting, Reign of love, my knees go praying.” They are still very inspirational and perhaps a seed has been planted already in frontman Chris Martin’s brain somewhere in his past. “Yes” is a different track sung mostly in a very low key for Martin who is most well know for his amazing falsetto. It is a song about facing temptation and fighting against loneliness and contains some beautiful violin arrangements and an extended ending which sounds more hopeful than the rest of the song.
Next comes the title track, “Viva La Vida.” In my opinion this is one of the greatest songs written in the last couple of years. You’ve probably heard a clip of it on the iTunes commercial already but nothing prepared me for hearing this song in its entirety. The lyrics may seem a little grandiose or pompous on paper (“that is when I ruled the world,”) but the musical arrangement and accompanying vocals are so epic and spectacular that it connects everything seamlessly to produce a modern classic. I honestly still get chills listening to this song at high volume in my car! “Violet Hill” turns the tide a little more and reminds me of a few songs from the Beatles later years. “Strawberry Swing” has a lot of pretty background music, but doesn’t compare with the grandeur of the last track “Death and All His Friends.” It is very instrumentally diverse, and ends with a two minute outro, leaving the listener wanting more.
Some versions will come with a bonus version of “Lost” stripped down to just Martin and his piano, and I almost prefer it to the original. There is a beautiful simplicity to it, but an underlying power and it is a great way to bring the album to a close. This CD is a wonderful reminder of what people can do with the talent God gives to them. It is far superior to so much of what is released every week in the music world and gives me hope in the direction music seems to be going.
Chris Martin and the rest of the band have always been very artistically and musically gifted in my opinion, but their newest release, Viva La Vida, covers a lot of new territory and blows the doors off of their first three albums. The record as a whole is much more epic, more experimental and quite brilliant in a lot of ways.
The intro song “Life in Technicolor” is simply instrumental with a few “whoa-oh’s” in the background, but it is very reminiscent of older U2 classics like “Where the Streets Have No Name,” and it segues beautifully into the haunting “Cemeteries of London.” It is a song about the ghosts of England’s past, creeping through at night. The next track “Lost!” with its backbeat and accompanying organ is a rousing song with many possible meanings. It has already been interpreted by some as a message about salvation, but it seems to me to be more about being down but not out. As 2 Corinthians 4:9 says we are “…persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.”
Track 4, “42,” another ghost-themed song, seems depressing and longing, but includes such lyrics as “Time is so short and I’m sure there must be something more.” I like the musical changeup in this song, but the repetition wears a little bit after a first or second listen. The gorgeous melodies of “Lover in Japan/ Reign of Love” included with tons of religious imagery make this one of my favorite listens on the album. Even though I have never heard anyone from Coldplay profess any Christian beliefs, it is still nice to hear lyrics like “Lovers, keep on the road you’re on, runners, until the race is run,” or “Reign of love by the church we’re waiting, Reign of love, my knees go praying.” They are still very inspirational and perhaps a seed has been planted already in frontman Chris Martin’s brain somewhere in his past. “Yes” is a different track sung mostly in a very low key for Martin who is most well know for his amazing falsetto. It is a song about facing temptation and fighting against loneliness and contains some beautiful violin arrangements and an extended ending which sounds more hopeful than the rest of the song.
Next comes the title track, “Viva La Vida.” In my opinion this is one of the greatest songs written in the last couple of years. You’ve probably heard a clip of it on the iTunes commercial already but nothing prepared me for hearing this song in its entirety. The lyrics may seem a little grandiose or pompous on paper (“that is when I ruled the world,”) but the musical arrangement and accompanying vocals are so epic and spectacular that it connects everything seamlessly to produce a modern classic. I honestly still get chills listening to this song at high volume in my car! “Violet Hill” turns the tide a little more and reminds me of a few songs from the Beatles later years. “Strawberry Swing” has a lot of pretty background music, but doesn’t compare with the grandeur of the last track “Death and All His Friends.” It is very instrumentally diverse, and ends with a two minute outro, leaving the listener wanting more.
Some versions will come with a bonus version of “Lost” stripped down to just Martin and his piano, and I almost prefer it to the original. There is a beautiful simplicity to it, but an underlying power and it is a great way to bring the album to a close. This CD is a wonderful reminder of what people can do with the talent God gives to them. It is far superior to so much of what is released every week in the music world and gives me hope in the direction music seems to be going.
Monday, July 14, 2008
The Host: It's All In Your Mind. The Battle Is On.
My head is still striking even though it's my fourth entry. Who could have resist the cold breeze of the air and the pitter-patter of the rain outside. All I have to do is to have a cup of coffee, sit and think.(actually it is now my third cup of coffee. :p) Since it is my day-off, I guess I can hit it one more time.
I was at the bookstore a few days ago, taking a quick opportunity to peruse the shelves for something of interest. The layout of the place had changed, so it took me a few minutes to figure out where things were. Along the way, I noticed a display filled with books from Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series and an advertisement for a release party in early August for her newest work Breaking Dawn. I’m not a particularly huge fan of vampire stories, so I kept moving.
Once at the new release section, I noticed that Meyer had a book called The Host prominently displayed. Nothing that it was her first adult book, it seemed like an obvious choice for both casual reading and a review. One writer has compared her as a cross between Isaac Asimov and Stephen King. Pretty impressive!
Here’s the premise: Something’s inhabiting humans—taking over their minds while leaving them normal in every other way. Melanie Stryder’s mind is also invaded, but she’s not going to go down easy. Something about true love also comes into play with the man she loves. It sounds interesting, although I can’t seem to get Frank Peretti and his works on similar ‘invasions’ (This Present Darkness, The Oath) out of my mind. But due to Meyer’s past track record, I’ll give her some leeway.
Taking over minds is not an easy thing to do. Or is it? A person has to grant permission to whatever it is that wants in. Once this happens, one’s actions tend to embody what their mind is dictating. If the mind says, ‘go have fun,’ the tendency is to do something entertaining (provided one’s not in a business meeting or something). But when a person becomes a Christian, they willingly allow God’s truth to take over their mind, leading to changes in one’s actions. This battle of the mind is one that goes on throughout our lives, and whatever controls it controls who we are. Kind of scary, huh?
So what does the battle for one’s mind look like to you? And why does it matter who the winner is?
(And depending on how I like The Host, I might wait for the release of Breaking Dawn in August. But let’s see how this novel turns out first . . .)
I was at the bookstore a few days ago, taking a quick opportunity to peruse the shelves for something of interest. The layout of the place had changed, so it took me a few minutes to figure out where things were. Along the way, I noticed a display filled with books from Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series and an advertisement for a release party in early August for her newest work Breaking Dawn. I’m not a particularly huge fan of vampire stories, so I kept moving.
Once at the new release section, I noticed that Meyer had a book called The Host prominently displayed. Nothing that it was her first adult book, it seemed like an obvious choice for both casual reading and a review. One writer has compared her as a cross between Isaac Asimov and Stephen King. Pretty impressive!
Here’s the premise: Something’s inhabiting humans—taking over their minds while leaving them normal in every other way. Melanie Stryder’s mind is also invaded, but she’s not going to go down easy. Something about true love also comes into play with the man she loves. It sounds interesting, although I can’t seem to get Frank Peretti and his works on similar ‘invasions’ (This Present Darkness, The Oath) out of my mind. But due to Meyer’s past track record, I’ll give her some leeway.
Taking over minds is not an easy thing to do. Or is it? A person has to grant permission to whatever it is that wants in. Once this happens, one’s actions tend to embody what their mind is dictating. If the mind says, ‘go have fun,’ the tendency is to do something entertaining (provided one’s not in a business meeting or something). But when a person becomes a Christian, they willingly allow God’s truth to take over their mind, leading to changes in one’s actions. This battle of the mind is one that goes on throughout our lives, and whatever controls it controls who we are. Kind of scary, huh?
So what does the battle for one’s mind look like to you? And why does it matter who the winner is?
(And depending on how I like The Host, I might wait for the release of Breaking Dawn in August. But let’s see how this novel turns out first . . .)
Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspian: Bringing Back the Magic
The first thing I noticed about The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is how old the Pevensie children looked. I know. Child actors grow up. Kids become adolescents become adults. If there is any doubt, all you have to do is watch the Harry Potter movies in chronological order.But when Peter (William Moseley), Susan (Anna Popplewell), Edmund (Skandar Keynes), and Lucy (Georgie Henley) appear for the first time in Prince Caspian, what struck me was something more than the changed appearance of its actors. If the Pevensies are supposed to have grown into adults in Narnia before returning home and then aged another year in the “real world” before returning to Narnia soon after Prince Caspian’s opening scenes, what I saw in their eyes made me believe that it was true. Gone is childhood naiveté and in its place is the acknowledgment of the much more complicated reality that surrounds them. Although each of them still cherishes the land of Narnia they have left behind, in each of them is also a recognition of the greater world of which they are a part. And as the newest Narnian adventure unfolded, it was that very necessity to reconcile the magical world of Narnia with the unmagical world of reality that pulled me in the most.
The story of Prince Caspian is about a kingdom in ruins, a magic that has died, and a rightful heir who has been denied his throne. For at least the first ten minutes of the movie, all is dark. Rooms are dark, the sky is dark, and the deeds in motion are dark. Although the movie begins with the first breath of a new life, the action quickly moves to the plotted assassination of the rightful heir to the Telmarine throne, Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes). When Caspian flees the castle to save his life, he stumbles into a world he thought no longer existed. And when he calls out for rescue on Susan’s horn, Caspian suddenly finds himself surrounded by the magical world of Narnia believed to have been made extinct by the many Telmarine kings before him.
The thing is, even though it is not extinct, the Narnia that Caspian finds is decidedly different from the one Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy left behind thousands of years before. When Caspian’s call brings them back, it only takes one misguided attempt to talk to a bear and one trip through a grove of silent, motionless trees for the children to see the same. And as they join forces with Prince Caspian and the remaining Narnians, it becomes their mission to both restore Caspian to his throne and bring magic back to a world now overrun with darkness.
Whether the The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe or Prince Caspian is better is a question that will probably be debated among even The Chronicles of Narnia’s greatest fans. When it comes to the acting ability of its main players, its action sequences, and its special effects, Caspian definitely surpasses its predecessor. For those like me who are less drawn in by stories of fantasy and more by those of reality, Caspian’s increased element of human struggle is one that will pull you in more than The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
If you are a small child like several of those at the screening I attended, however, that very shift towards a grittier, more human reality may make its battles a bit too real to watch. And in terms of the message that went along with that reality, I have to say that the first film did a bit better job of communicating it more through story and character than the slightly preachy feeling dialog of the second. But regardless of which of the movie’s strengths may pull you in and which of its weakness may turn you off, the story that is told in Prince Caspian and the way it is delivered is still one I believe will make a connection with many and be enjoyed by almost as diverse an audience as the first.
Going into The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, like many people, I pretty much had its story pegged. Aslan is Jesus, and it is about his sacrifice and resurrection to deliver us from the bondage of our sins. But going into Prince Caspian, and even as I walked away from it, I must admit I wasn’t exactly sure what its story was supposed to be about. Its pieces were there, but my question was, what did they mean when I put them together?
World of darkness, bears that don’t talk, trees that don’t sing. “You get treated like a dumb animal long enough, that’s what you become,” says “Dear Little Friend” Trumpkin (Peter Dinklage) upon the Pevensies’ return to the vastly changed world of Narnia… So, we do live in a world of sin and darkness, and the effect of that reality is nothing other than life-draining. Sounds about right.
Aslan remains mysteriously absent for much of the movie and doesn’t step in to save things until significant losses have already been incurred. “Things were never meant to happen the same way twice,” he tells Lucy… Okay, God isn’t going to keep coming and dying for us every time we get into a mess. Got it.Lucy sees Aslan. No one else does. “I’m not going to jump off a cliff after someone who doesn’t exist,” says Peter… God may not be physically among us anymore, but he’s still here. I can see that.
“Maybe we’re the ones who need to prove ourselves to him,” says Lucy just before she leaves to find Aslan and call upon his help… Hmmm: free will, journey to be taken, life-giving power not so much making us wait as waiting for us to reach out for it. Interesting.
If The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the story of Christ’s sacrifice for us long ago, as I see it, Prince Caspian is the story of God’s existence in our lives now. Yes, Christ’s sacrifice may have saved us from eternal bondage to Satan (the White Witch), but that does not mean that our lives here and now will be free of struggle or complication. At times, it may seem that our world is completely devoid of any of the light or magic we associate with the existence of God, but that does not mean God is not here.
As much as our lives may be filled with ugly and complicated realities, it still remains that we are spiritual beings living in a spiritual world. And while the spirit of God may not be quite as blatantly present as a gigantic lion, in the gentle whisper of a breeze, in the energizing beat of a song, in the comforting embrace of a lover, and in the encouraging words of a friend, the spirit of God is still very much alive in our world today.
Reading Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code is a lot like watching Kill Bill.
Two years ago I sat and watched Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Kill Bill Vol. 2. Not once was I tempted to close my eyes to avoid seeing the blood and gore that accompanied the gratuitous dismemberments, because I never had a chance to be tempted. The swift slice-and-dice of Japanese steel kept my eyes riveted through the whole horrific scene. Only later, much later, did it occur to me that I had enjoyed the movie way too much.
I can say pretty much the same thing about reading The Da Vinci Code. You know you should look away; you know you shouldn’t have to suspend your disbelief quite so much; you know there are better things you could be doing with your time. Still, you don’t look away, because the fast-paced, cliffhanger action doesn’t give you much of a chance to look away. Unlike the Quentin Tarantino movie, however, The Da Vinci Code has managed to create an all-too-convincing alternate reality, one in which the truly disturbing action is taking place apart from the story and in the minds of readers-turned-believers.
The response to the book is disturbing not so much because DVC threatens our personal faith but because it exposes our cultural illiteracy. When the first DVC debunkers began writing and speaking out against Dan Brown’s shoddy research and flawed conclusions, I wondered if their out cry wasn’t an overreaction. I reasoned that anyone with even a superficial knowledge of early church history would immediately spot many of his factual errors. And the whole Knights Templar, Mary-Magdalene-as-Holy-Grail story line had been written off 20 years ago, when Holy Blood, Holy Grail provided a fascinating read—and a fanciful theory lacking any historical merit.
As it turned out, of course, the debunkers were and are needed, because an unknown percentage of DVC readers believe they have been deceived about Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and the authenticity of Scripture for their entire lives. Many traditional Christians are understandably upset about the confusion Brown has caused. One result has been a publishing phenomenon.
Brown made so many mistakes that you practically find yourself cheering him on when he manages to get something right. And yet, some people who know their history—dismiss the errors as insignificant. What really matters, for them, is the obviously true story that Jesus fathered a child with Mary Magdalene, which the lying, murderous church has somehow managed to keep secret all this time. It’s as if they’ve suddenly taken leave of their senses, as if they cannot see that faulty research leads to faulty conclusions.
What is Dan Brown's gift to the church, if DVC makes us uncertain about what we really believe?...
DVC has done something else as well, something orthodox Christians need to be thankful for. It has, “set off a pretty loud pealing of the electric chimes at the front door of the culture.” I cannot recall a popular title that has set off such a loud pealing at the front door of the church as well. In that sense, Dan Brown has done us a service by leaving at our doorstep an invitation to indulge in some fairly heady talk with the culture around us. To miss that opportunity would be, well, a sin—. Our Challenge is in part to learn to communicate with that culture. If there's a man that will proudly announced that he hadn’t read the book because he refused to read anything that wasn’t worthwhile, by which he meant anything that wasn’t of a biblical, religious nature. I can understand his point and respect his resolve. But that kind of thinking makes it highly unlikely that he will be able to significantly impact the culture.
Reading DVC, along with Internet discussion boards about the book and reader reviews on Amazon and other sites, offers an invaluable glimpse into the postmodern mind. Our ability to interact with the culture on a deep theological level requires us to take advantage of as many of those glimpses as we can.
We truly do have an amazing opportunity at our doorstep. Dan Brown has given us a way to talk about spiritual realities that allows us to use the images and the history and even some of the words—the name of Jesus, no less!—that we cherish as part of our spiritual heritage. With so many readers-turned-believers placing their faith in Brown’s alternate reality, maybe we shouldn’t look away after all.
Illumine Compendium: The Purpose Driven Life And The Heavenly Man
It’s not uncommon for e-mailers to check their computer several times a day--eagerly wanting to know, “Has someone trying to reach me? What did they have to say?” And many e-mailers hope to hear that little voice from their computer that raises their expectations--it says, “You got mail.”...Here's a new friend who ask something but needs a big space to answer, here it goes:
One of my favorite book is "The Purpose-Driven Life", I found your writings in a strong and brave form of expressing yourself in an accurate words. In your own opinion, can you say that there are errors in that book? Your comments are important to me. -Mia
There must be a hundred ways to discuss The Purpose-Driven Life. Since it came out, it has become something of a publishing phenomenon, breaking all kinds of records. Its author, Rick Warren, is the founder and pastor of the huge Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. The methods used at Saddleback to create its incredible success were chronicled in Warren’s first book, The Purpose-Driven Church. Around these two volumes are a panoply of other marketing tools designed to share Warren’s formulas for growth, ecclesiastical and spiritual.
The Purpose-Driven Life seems itself to be purpose-driven. It assumes much, but it presumes more. Apparently, it has found its largest audience among small groups. That’s a good thing, since it is in the context of such sharing that the best and most productive theology gets done. There is really something here for every Christian, but it needs to be discussed among a group of questioning individuals who will evaluate its suggestions and significances, hoping to make some of them their own.
The book is divided into 40 daily readings, grouped into categories including "You Were Planned for God’s Pleasure," and "You Were Shaped for Serving God." Its format is ideal for Lent, it was my Lenten discipline this year I challenged myself to read one chapter each day, and write a short reflection to share with friends. It is this type of deliberate practice that both affirms and contradicts Warren’s understanding of theology and the Christian faith. Giving yourself time to reflect deeply about Warren’s words and discuss his conclusions with others is helpful to seeing this book clearly, with all its blemishes and beauty.
After coming to the end of both Lent and The Purpose-Driven Life’s final chapter, I did some research on how the book has been received. Many of Warren’s critics have been unkind both to the author and his intentions. I for one bet Rick Warren is a super nice guy. I’d also wager that he is not guilty of deliberately attempting to derail two millennia of Christianity. If the church he pastors has caught any of the enthusiasm and vision exhibited in this book, it must be a fine place to learn and implement the Christian faith.
Nonetheless, The Purpose-Driven Life has its problems, the first being the book’s theocentric theology. I hope groups studying the book will question this at some level. In the first sentence of the first chapter ("It’s not all about you."), Warren throws down this gauntlet. All the prophetic and ethical necessities for such a beginning aside, maybe this comment alone will cause some readers to question the theological value of a book that seems to be assuming that it can slip into God’s head and proclaim where divine attention is focused.
Among Christians with strong devotional practices, the purpose of God’s entire scheme of redemption is focused on the individual ("If I were the only person who stood in need of redemption, Jesus would still willingly have come to earth and died for me"). We teach our children to sing "Jesus Loves Me" fully knowing that such an assertion appeals boldly to their childish egocentrism. Our understanding that God is aware of every grain of sand on the beach and hair on our head still remains one of the most profound realizations for Christians of any age.
One way in which Christianity interprets theism does underscore our insignificance in the vast realm of God’s creations, and the condescension of Jesus to provide our redemption. The finest expressions of this doctrine, however, have been those that emphasize that the same God who values each one of as precious also has the immense creativity to invent a universe that leaves us in awe and convinced that we can never understand the magnitude of the divine. Only when we realize that it is all about me, can we realize that it’s really not. And only when the issue of our true insignificance is acknowledged can we finally begin to grasp how wonderful it is that we do matter to the heart of God.
Since the book is written by a Christian very much in the tradition of this theology, both wings of this paradox eventually do get adequate ventilation. However, it almost seems by accident; Warren doesn’t appear to be aware that a paradox exits, one that requires more thought than a simplistic affirmation.
This simplistic affirmation also extends to The Purpose-Driven Life’s approach to the inspiration of scripture. It strikes me as curious that an author who cites fifteen versions of the Bible occasionally ignores both context and interpretation to make his point. We are expected to agree that, because scripture has been quoted, God has spoken, even when the quotation sounds forced. When someone begins a comment with "The Bible says…" there’s no telling how scripture is going to be used, or abused. Content cannot be divorced from context without the danger of inaccurate conclusions, and Warren slips down this slope on more than one occasion.
Finally, there’s Warren’s emphasis on finality. Without trying to rob Christianity of its eternal dimension, I still can’t agree with Warren’s emphasis on the significance of events as seen from an eternal perspective. Once again, we are asked to accept the assumption that nothing temporal is of value. While scriptural support for such an assertion can be found, the broader teaching of scripture is that it is precisely because of eternity that temporal things take on significance. Here is yet another paradox of our faith, one whose implications are understood only when it is seen in all its dimensions. When we look at our life here on earth as one that matters in the world to come, that gives us one more reason to cherish our temporal existence. That does not mean that everything we do has an eternal impact, but it does mean that when we recognize the implications of The Eternal, even the details become important.
Yet having said all the above, and despite its potholes, The Purpose- Driven Life is a rewarding read. Warren is not afraid to condemn human hubris and folly, or to encourage us to defer to one anther in recognition of our place as members of humanity and as believers. And though he stumbles at times, Warren is justified in attempting to discern patterns of thematic thought in scripture.
The Purpose-Driven Life does have purpose. Especially when discussed by a group, the book has the potential to stimulate good discussion and spiritual growth.
Another new friend ask me about a book...Thank you Jonathan for your message. Here it is:
"How about 'the heavenly man' by paul hathaway? ever read that piece yet? well for sure i'd like to read some lines from you about it.
Here's my own analysis for that book Jonathan...
Brother Yun, a Chinese Christian who first came to know the Lord as a young man in 1974 towards the end of the Cultural Revolution. It is a story full of amazing miracles, extraordinary church growth and horrendous suffering, which sums up many of the experiences of China's house churches over the past thirty years. Brother Yun's own words are interspersed with short testimonies from his wife, Deling, and with occasional contributions from other top Chinese house church leaders.
Brother Yun's testimony can be summed up in his own words, which describe his feelings after serving a four year prison sentence: "I had experienced so much in those four years, but God had been faithful. I'd suffered some horrible tortures, but God had been faithful. I'd been dragged in front of judges and courts, but God had been faithful. I'd been hungry, thirsty, and had fainted from exhaustion, but God had been faithful. Through it all, God was always faithful and loving to me. He had never left me nor forsaken me. His grace was always sufficient and He provided for my every need."
Although many of Brother Yun's experiences will be alien to most believers in the West, the lessons he learns are very relevant to us all. He is honest and humble enough to admit his mistakes, and his stories of disobedience to the Lord's instructions, burnout from overwork, and the problems caused by putting ministry before his family should ring bells for Christians wherever we live.
After all that he has suffered to bring to the Gospel to the unreached, Brother Yun has certainly earned the right to challenge us about our faithfulness in reaching the nations. Towards the end of the book, he shares concerning the vision of the Chinese house churches to take the Gospel "back to Jerusalem" and encourages us to join with them in this task.
This amazing book is a faith-building testimony to God's sovereign grace and His miraculous work on behalf of those who trust Him and delight in His Word. This excerpt make you hungry for a life of total surrender and victory in the midst of suffering in Christ.
Thank you to all the people sending me messages Lynn, Mia, Jonathan and Alex.
One of my favorite book is "The Purpose-Driven Life", I found your writings in a strong and brave form of expressing yourself in an accurate words. In your own opinion, can you say that there are errors in that book? Your comments are important to me. -Mia
There must be a hundred ways to discuss The Purpose-Driven Life. Since it came out, it has become something of a publishing phenomenon, breaking all kinds of records. Its author, Rick Warren, is the founder and pastor of the huge Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. The methods used at Saddleback to create its incredible success were chronicled in Warren’s first book, The Purpose-Driven Church. Around these two volumes are a panoply of other marketing tools designed to share Warren’s formulas for growth, ecclesiastical and spiritual.
The Purpose-Driven Life seems itself to be purpose-driven. It assumes much, but it presumes more. Apparently, it has found its largest audience among small groups. That’s a good thing, since it is in the context of such sharing that the best and most productive theology gets done. There is really something here for every Christian, but it needs to be discussed among a group of questioning individuals who will evaluate its suggestions and significances, hoping to make some of them their own.
The book is divided into 40 daily readings, grouped into categories including "You Were Planned for God’s Pleasure," and "You Were Shaped for Serving God." Its format is ideal for Lent, it was my Lenten discipline this year I challenged myself to read one chapter each day, and write a short reflection to share with friends. It is this type of deliberate practice that both affirms and contradicts Warren’s understanding of theology and the Christian faith. Giving yourself time to reflect deeply about Warren’s words and discuss his conclusions with others is helpful to seeing this book clearly, with all its blemishes and beauty.
After coming to the end of both Lent and The Purpose-Driven Life’s final chapter, I did some research on how the book has been received. Many of Warren’s critics have been unkind both to the author and his intentions. I for one bet Rick Warren is a super nice guy. I’d also wager that he is not guilty of deliberately attempting to derail two millennia of Christianity. If the church he pastors has caught any of the enthusiasm and vision exhibited in this book, it must be a fine place to learn and implement the Christian faith.
Nonetheless, The Purpose-Driven Life has its problems, the first being the book’s theocentric theology. I hope groups studying the book will question this at some level. In the first sentence of the first chapter ("It’s not all about you."), Warren throws down this gauntlet. All the prophetic and ethical necessities for such a beginning aside, maybe this comment alone will cause some readers to question the theological value of a book that seems to be assuming that it can slip into God’s head and proclaim where divine attention is focused.
Among Christians with strong devotional practices, the purpose of God’s entire scheme of redemption is focused on the individual ("If I were the only person who stood in need of redemption, Jesus would still willingly have come to earth and died for me"). We teach our children to sing "Jesus Loves Me" fully knowing that such an assertion appeals boldly to their childish egocentrism. Our understanding that God is aware of every grain of sand on the beach and hair on our head still remains one of the most profound realizations for Christians of any age.
One way in which Christianity interprets theism does underscore our insignificance in the vast realm of God’s creations, and the condescension of Jesus to provide our redemption. The finest expressions of this doctrine, however, have been those that emphasize that the same God who values each one of as precious also has the immense creativity to invent a universe that leaves us in awe and convinced that we can never understand the magnitude of the divine. Only when we realize that it is all about me, can we realize that it’s really not. And only when the issue of our true insignificance is acknowledged can we finally begin to grasp how wonderful it is that we do matter to the heart of God.
Since the book is written by a Christian very much in the tradition of this theology, both wings of this paradox eventually do get adequate ventilation. However, it almost seems by accident; Warren doesn’t appear to be aware that a paradox exits, one that requires more thought than a simplistic affirmation.
This simplistic affirmation also extends to The Purpose-Driven Life’s approach to the inspiration of scripture. It strikes me as curious that an author who cites fifteen versions of the Bible occasionally ignores both context and interpretation to make his point. We are expected to agree that, because scripture has been quoted, God has spoken, even when the quotation sounds forced. When someone begins a comment with "The Bible says…" there’s no telling how scripture is going to be used, or abused. Content cannot be divorced from context without the danger of inaccurate conclusions, and Warren slips down this slope on more than one occasion.
Finally, there’s Warren’s emphasis on finality. Without trying to rob Christianity of its eternal dimension, I still can’t agree with Warren’s emphasis on the significance of events as seen from an eternal perspective. Once again, we are asked to accept the assumption that nothing temporal is of value. While scriptural support for such an assertion can be found, the broader teaching of scripture is that it is precisely because of eternity that temporal things take on significance. Here is yet another paradox of our faith, one whose implications are understood only when it is seen in all its dimensions. When we look at our life here on earth as one that matters in the world to come, that gives us one more reason to cherish our temporal existence. That does not mean that everything we do has an eternal impact, but it does mean that when we recognize the implications of The Eternal, even the details become important.
Yet having said all the above, and despite its potholes, The Purpose- Driven Life is a rewarding read. Warren is not afraid to condemn human hubris and folly, or to encourage us to defer to one anther in recognition of our place as members of humanity and as believers. And though he stumbles at times, Warren is justified in attempting to discern patterns of thematic thought in scripture.
The Purpose-Driven Life does have purpose. Especially when discussed by a group, the book has the potential to stimulate good discussion and spiritual growth.
Another new friend ask me about a book...Thank you Jonathan for your message. Here it is:
"How about 'the heavenly man' by paul hathaway? ever read that piece yet? well for sure i'd like to read some lines from you about it.
Here's my own analysis for that book Jonathan...
Brother Yun, a Chinese Christian who first came to know the Lord as a young man in 1974 towards the end of the Cultural Revolution. It is a story full of amazing miracles, extraordinary church growth and horrendous suffering, which sums up many of the experiences of China's house churches over the past thirty years. Brother Yun's own words are interspersed with short testimonies from his wife, Deling, and with occasional contributions from other top Chinese house church leaders.
Brother Yun's testimony can be summed up in his own words, which describe his feelings after serving a four year prison sentence: "I had experienced so much in those four years, but God had been faithful. I'd suffered some horrible tortures, but God had been faithful. I'd been dragged in front of judges and courts, but God had been faithful. I'd been hungry, thirsty, and had fainted from exhaustion, but God had been faithful. Through it all, God was always faithful and loving to me. He had never left me nor forsaken me. His grace was always sufficient and He provided for my every need."
Although many of Brother Yun's experiences will be alien to most believers in the West, the lessons he learns are very relevant to us all. He is honest and humble enough to admit his mistakes, and his stories of disobedience to the Lord's instructions, burnout from overwork, and the problems caused by putting ministry before his family should ring bells for Christians wherever we live.
After all that he has suffered to bring to the Gospel to the unreached, Brother Yun has certainly earned the right to challenge us about our faithfulness in reaching the nations. Towards the end of the book, he shares concerning the vision of the Chinese house churches to take the Gospel "back to Jerusalem" and encourages us to join with them in this task.
This amazing book is a faith-building testimony to God's sovereign grace and His miraculous work on behalf of those who trust Him and delight in His Word. This excerpt make you hungry for a life of total surrender and victory in the midst of suffering in Christ.
Thank you to all the people sending me messages Lynn, Mia, Jonathan and Alex.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Wanted: A Fun Film No One Needs To See
Starring:
James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Terence Stamp, Thomas Kretschmann, Common, Angelina Jolie
Director:
Timur Bekmambetov
Wanted is a tough movie to review. Although on the one hand I really enjoyed it and felt it had surprisingly more substance beneath the surface than I expected, plus some really amazing action set pieces; at the same time it's also a pretty rough movie that contains graphic violence, some gratuitous sex, and coarse language. Is Wanted a good movie? That depends on your definition of good. If by good you mean well-made and enjoyable, then yes. If by good you mean high moral standards and edifying, then not so much.
James McAvoy really carries this movie well, which is important because without a solid performance from him, the whole thing would have fallen apart. McAvoy had the unenviable task of trying to portray an everyman caught up in the revelation that he has extraordinary powers and belongs to an extraordinary group of people. That's not an easy role to play (especially after playing a faun), and it's definitely not an easy role to make believable. Yet McAvoy does a solid job of balancing the incredulous sense of humor and the dark, violent inner turmoil that's necessary for the role.
Surrounding him are solid performances from Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman. They both play their respective roles well, and that helps add to the gritty realism of this surreal world. If it weren't for strong performances from these major players, Wanted could have been a very forgettable piece of popcorn filmmaking; but they bring some depth and emotion to this movie that helps set it apart from most vapid action films.
Timur Bekmambetov
Wanted is a tough movie to review. Although on the one hand I really enjoyed it and felt it had surprisingly more substance beneath the surface than I expected, plus some really amazing action set pieces; at the same time it's also a pretty rough movie that contains graphic violence, some gratuitous sex, and coarse language. Is Wanted a good movie? That depends on your definition of good. If by good you mean well-made and enjoyable, then yes. If by good you mean high moral standards and edifying, then not so much.
James McAvoy really carries this movie well, which is important because without a solid performance from him, the whole thing would have fallen apart. McAvoy had the unenviable task of trying to portray an everyman caught up in the revelation that he has extraordinary powers and belongs to an extraordinary group of people. That's not an easy role to play (especially after playing a faun), and it's definitely not an easy role to make believable. Yet McAvoy does a solid job of balancing the incredulous sense of humor and the dark, violent inner turmoil that's necessary for the role.
Surrounding him are solid performances from Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman. They both play their respective roles well, and that helps add to the gritty realism of this surreal world. If it weren't for strong performances from these major players, Wanted could have been a very forgettable piece of popcorn filmmaking; but they bring some depth and emotion to this movie that helps set it apart from most vapid action films.
Perhaps most surprising, Wanted turns out to be more than just a Matrix wannabe. Having never read the comic, I had no idea what the story was going to be about, and at first I felt that, although it had some interesting ideas, Wanted was just a second rate Matrix-esque film. Then a key plot point is revealed, and suddenly things become much more interesting. In fact, looking back, I could see hints and clues throughout the film that pointed to this revelation, hints that I should have picked up on but missed.
Nevertheless, the second half of the film really becomes interesting as you learn there's a lot more at stake than you thought, and that you didn't really know what you thought you knew. I'm purposely being vague because this key plot point (it's not really a twist, per se) makes this movie what it is, and it's just more fun to discover it for yourself. It is the difference between this movie being an average action film and an epic, visceral adventure.
In Wanted, James McAvoy's character joins a secret society of assassins whose motto is "Kill one, save a thousand." It's an interesting way to justify arbitrary slaughter, but how many of us have wondered what would have happened if someone would have stepped in to kill Hitler or Stalin before they came to power? In the deep, dark recesses of our nature the idea of killing one to save others makes sense and even seems just.
Interestingly, that's exactly the opposite thinking of God. If God had a similar motto, it would be "Save one, save a thousand." You see, God's sense of righteousness demands that everyone has a chance of being saved, no matter how horrible they may be. Yes, even Hitler and Stalin deserved a chance to experience the saving grace of God. It's not his desire for anyone to be lost but for all of us to be saved. That may seem rather reckless and even a bit naive as we consider how much pain and suffering might be spared if God just whacked those who deserved to be whacked. Of course, our concept of who's deserving of death isn't based on the same sense of justice as God's. The truth is that we're all deserving of death, a fact that Morgan Freeman's Sloan and the rest of the society of assassins couldn't face. They wanted to be above that sentence, felt that they deserved to be above that sentence, and tried to manipulate circumstances to make sure they remained above the judgment that had been passed on them all.
Fortunately for us, God took care of that problem for us. Instead of killing one to save a thousand, One willingly died in order to save us all. Jesus Christ died and rose again so that we might be spared the death we so justly deserve. Jesus paid the price for us with his death because God loves us all so much; and as I pointed out, he wants to save all of us so we can experience life with him. However, the choice is up to us; we must choose to be saved.
Wanted tells us that our fate is in our hands and it isn't decided for us, and that's absolutely right. We can choose our fate: heaven or hell, life or death. Which will you choose? Or as the movie puts it, "What have you done with your life?"
Wanted features some of the best action sequences I've seen and it even features a sequence that I'd say rivals the lobby scene from The Matrix. That's not to say it's a better movie, simply that it has some very thrilling, very fun moments. But it's also a very dark, very gritty film. The violence is brutal and bloody. The language is coarse and harsh. And there a two quick and not at all romantic sex scenes. All of this adds up to a movie that I simply can't recommend to anyone. If I were to sum up Wanted, I'd say that it's Spider-Man (with a bad attitude) mixed with The Matrix mixed with 300. Whether or not that's a film that anyone needs to see is questionable to say the least.
Nevertheless, the second half of the film really becomes interesting as you learn there's a lot more at stake than you thought, and that you didn't really know what you thought you knew. I'm purposely being vague because this key plot point (it's not really a twist, per se) makes this movie what it is, and it's just more fun to discover it for yourself. It is the difference between this movie being an average action film and an epic, visceral adventure.
In Wanted, James McAvoy's character joins a secret society of assassins whose motto is "Kill one, save a thousand." It's an interesting way to justify arbitrary slaughter, but how many of us have wondered what would have happened if someone would have stepped in to kill Hitler or Stalin before they came to power? In the deep, dark recesses of our nature the idea of killing one to save others makes sense and even seems just.
Interestingly, that's exactly the opposite thinking of God. If God had a similar motto, it would be "Save one, save a thousand." You see, God's sense of righteousness demands that everyone has a chance of being saved, no matter how horrible they may be. Yes, even Hitler and Stalin deserved a chance to experience the saving grace of God. It's not his desire for anyone to be lost but for all of us to be saved. That may seem rather reckless and even a bit naive as we consider how much pain and suffering might be spared if God just whacked those who deserved to be whacked. Of course, our concept of who's deserving of death isn't based on the same sense of justice as God's. The truth is that we're all deserving of death, a fact that Morgan Freeman's Sloan and the rest of the society of assassins couldn't face. They wanted to be above that sentence, felt that they deserved to be above that sentence, and tried to manipulate circumstances to make sure they remained above the judgment that had been passed on them all.
Fortunately for us, God took care of that problem for us. Instead of killing one to save a thousand, One willingly died in order to save us all. Jesus Christ died and rose again so that we might be spared the death we so justly deserve. Jesus paid the price for us with his death because God loves us all so much; and as I pointed out, he wants to save all of us so we can experience life with him. However, the choice is up to us; we must choose to be saved.
Wanted tells us that our fate is in our hands and it isn't decided for us, and that's absolutely right. We can choose our fate: heaven or hell, life or death. Which will you choose? Or as the movie puts it, "What have you done with your life?"
Wanted features some of the best action sequences I've seen and it even features a sequence that I'd say rivals the lobby scene from The Matrix. That's not to say it's a better movie, simply that it has some very thrilling, very fun moments. But it's also a very dark, very gritty film. The violence is brutal and bloody. The language is coarse and harsh. And there a two quick and not at all romantic sex scenes. All of this adds up to a movie that I simply can't recommend to anyone. If I were to sum up Wanted, I'd say that it's Spider-Man (with a bad attitude) mixed with The Matrix mixed with 300. Whether or not that's a film that anyone needs to see is questionable to say the least.
Wanted won't hold its own against the other bigger and better films but it was fun for what it is and if you take the time to examine it, it does touch on some fairly substantial and thought-provoking issues. It doesn't really dwell on those issues, but they are there. Still, I'm here to tell you that you don't need to see Wanted.
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