Apocalyptic Films as a Window into our Collective Soul

Earlier this week, I posted a list of films that I am eager to see over the coming few months.  But what I didn’t note, at the time of my original posting, however, is a trend that I spotted as I was busy compiling the list.  In a Western world that is largely built upon the cultural foundations of the Enlightenment Project – in world that purports to believe in the essential goodness of humanity and its inevitable progress towards a technologically fueled utopian future – why are so many of our films and movies apocalyptic and/or dystopian tales of a future gone horribly wrong? 

 

The 20 Most Ancipated Films of 2013

Each year, I try to put together a list of films that I am anxious to see.  Some are big-budget blockbusters that will make hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars, while others are films so tiny in scale that they’re easy to miss if you’re not paying attention.  As always, this list is mine and mine alone, which means it may not represent your tastes.  But take a look through it and see if you can’t find at least few treats that won’t get you in your car and on your way to the local multiplex. 

 

Prayers for the Journey: “On Boston, Bombs and Eight-Year-Old Boys”

Last Friday I began a new series on the subject of prayer.  And as some of you may recall, in my introduction, I openly confessed at that I am not a man to teach you how to pray.  I say this because all too often, in my own prayer life, I have a habit of slipping into the rote formulas that we evangelicals often claim to disdain; and I find myself speaking words that have long been stripped of any power or meaning.

But this morning, as I continue to try to reshape my prayer life, I want to share with you the prayer that I wrote in the aftermath of yesterday’s bombing.  While I do not suspect that my words will necessarily give voice to your thoughts and fears, I do hope that they might encourage you to confront the One who knows what it is to have metal objects tear through His flesh – the One who knows what it is to bleed.

 

The Impossible: A Study in Weakness and Gratitude

When Henry, Maria and their three sons touch down on the stunning shores of Thailand, they see nothing more than the raw beauty of the tropical paradise that awaits them.  But on the morning of December 26^th, 2004, their whole world changes in a matter of moments.  For as the family laughs and plays in the deceptive comfort of their resort surroundings, a deep and guttural sound rises up, as if the earth itself has been shaken loose of its moorings.  And as Maria looks on in horror, an enormous, surging wall of pitch-black water comes crashing across the well-manicured grounds, engulfing the family in a swirling vortex of death and destruction.

 

Beasts of the Southern Wild: A Celebration of Hope or Despair?

Warning: This review contains a few minor spoilers that may or may not impact your viewing of the film. 

While some films aim for nothing more than popular appeal and a massive return on initial investment (e.g. Transformers), other films set their sites on something entirely different, something more lofty, even transcendent perhaps. Without question, Beasts of the Southern Wild is firmly entrenched in the later camp, as it is a small, offbeat and yet visually arresting film, complete with a break-out performance by an unknown child actor.[1]  Add to that a storyline that is simultaneously gritty and yet fantastical at the same time, it almost seems as if Beasts was intentionally designed to actively court the Oscars.  But the question is: does the film have anything to actually say?

 

Looking Back Upon the Movies of 2012

Last year, in the early days of May, I put together a short list of upcoming films that I expected to shine.  Looking back upon it now, it seems quite clear that 2012 was not a great year for films.  Not only did many of these movies fall short of my expectations, not a single film stood out as a game-changer.  There was no Tree of Life, or The Mill and the Cross like there was in 2011.  Instead, there was a steady slate of good films that were often quite entertaining, even if they ultimately fell short of being truly memorable.  So without further adieu, I give you my final grades for the films I most wanted to see in 2012.

 

“Zero Dark Thirty”: Action Packed Thriller, Reckless Filmmaking or Something Else Altogether

Over the past few weeks, the mainstream media has been abuzz with talk of Zero Dark Thirty.  Heavily marketed as an Oscar front-runner and as an “insider” account of the quest to kill Bin Laden, Zero Dark Thirty has been besieged by a group of critics, who have openly challenged the film’s depiction of the “enhanced interrogation” techniques employed by agents of the CIA.  Indeed, the outcry has become so persistent, that the acting head of the CIA, himself, has actually taken the unprecedented step of releasing a press statement discussing the film.[1]  So what is Zero Dark Thirty?  Is it an action-packed thriller offering us a rare glimpse into the inner working of the intelligence community?  Or is it reckless filmmaking of a dangerous variety? 

 

“Lincoln” and “Django Unchained”: Two Films, One Unspeakable Word (?!) and the History of a Nation

Two films were recently released dealing with the subject of slavery in the history of the United States.  The first was made by a Steven Spielberg; and as expected, it has performed very well.  After nine weeks in wide release, it has brought in just under $150 million dollars in its domestic distribution, even as it continues to garner nominations for prestigious awards.  The second film, written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, has also been a solid box office hit, earning just over $100 million in two weeks time.[1]  One film has been widely embraced and praised by Evangelical Christians, while the other film has been roundly condemned as “too offensive, disgusting and demeaning” to even consider.[2]  The question is: which of these two films is really worth our critical attention?

 

Analysis of Worldview: Are Evangelicals Christian or American? … Part II

Yesterday I argued that every culture, or subculture, has a worldview, and any group’s worldview is embodied by a metanarrative or myth.  Both worldview and myth function at a pre-cognitive level, relatively out of sight.  These in turn produce a set of basic beliefs, and at this level the group is actively aware of the beliefs as well as the symbols and praxis that sustain the beliefs.  Therefore, examining a group’s use of symbols and praxis should tell you something about the underlying worldview to which they adhere.  So the question is whether Evangelicals, based upon an examination of their use of symbols and praxis, are American, Christian  or an unhealthy combination of the two?

 

Links and Joe

Sunday, 6 January 2013

Here are some links to various blog posts we found on the net this week.  While we may not endorse every idea espoused in them, we enjoyed reading them, and found them to be thought provoking.  So sit back, relax and enjoy some links and your favorite cup o’ joe this morning.