Legacy and The MUPPETS

May 16th, 2012

Muppets’ creator Jim Henson passed away on May 15, 1990 but his legacy lives on. I think a lot of people were initially skeptical when The Muppets trailer debuted, uncertain if the franchise could – or should – be refreshed for a new generation. Thankfully, the efforts of actor and Muppet aficionado Jason Segel (and many others) the film succeeded narratively and financially. Segel is quoted as saying the Muppets meant more to him than laughs, that in his youth they “shaped who he wanted to be”.

The same is true of me: I gleaned a lot of childhood wisdom from Kermit the Frog, a dash of adventurous spirit from Gonzo the Great, and ALL of my humor from Fozzie the Bear (seriously, pray for my wife). I bet Segel and I aren’t the only ones, either.

Obsession & Guilt plague Spider-man Too

March 7th, 2012

As mentioned in our last post, Hollywood is determined to keep Spider-man swinging strong in the new film out this summer. I uncovered an audio review for my favorite flick in the franchise, Spider-man 2 (and I’m far from alone in that assessment) and not just because my favorite Spidey villain was always Doctor Octopus. Part 1 dealt more generically with the comic book character, so here is part 2 (which assumes you’ve seen the 2004 film and contains spoilers).

What the film tackles brilliantly is the primary characters and how ALL of them – protagonist and antagonist, and those inbetween – operate out of some form of obsession. We also pit Peter Parker’s axiom and claim to “responsibility” against the fullness of his actions, and discuss the unstable foundation of guilt that actually spurs him on. Lastly, the poster campaign proclaimed this film would deal with three particular concepts…

Spider-man… AMAZING?

March 6th, 2012

In June, The Amazing Spider-man will swing into theaters, take us on a high rise ride over an IMAX-sized city and even kick us in the face straight through our 3D glasses. Personally, I’m excited for the fresh take on our friendly neighborhood wall-crawler, and don’t even mind the gimmicky format. My 3 reasons?

1. If any hero seemed suited for 3D, it’s the web-swinging Peter Parker. (Classic artist John Romita practically drew him EXPLODING off the page into your face.)
2. I’m happy just to have something to wash the taste of that third movie out of my mouth, something that ISN’T a musical with songs by Bono. In both cases, we know that Spider-man should swing, not dance.
3. Finally, I can’t deny I love Denis Leary, who has a prominent role as Gwen Stacy’s father and the police captain chasing our misunderstood web-head. If you haven’t seen the most recent trailer, check it out.

What’s so special about Spider-man anyway?

The DEVIL You Say…

February 13th, 2012

“You’re never going to get these people to see themselves as they really are, ’cause it’s the lies that we tell ourselves… they introduce us to him.”

Is a movie called Devil automatically evil? Can it actually provoke conversation about his existence, and God’s ultimate authority and triumph over his schemes? In our first post about this film, we featured a segment on scary movies more generally, and how they play an important part in storytelling. Now we dig in deeper to this particular film with the second segment, which is best listened to after you’ve seen the film and contains spoilers…

The DEVIL you know?

February 10th, 2012

Is the Devil real? Does he have power over us? A PG-13 film that captures the spirit of old stories like The Twilight Zone, Devil (directed by John Erick Dowdle) explores the terrifying possibilities of the world we don’t see. The film opens with 1 Peter 5:8 scrawled on the screen - “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” – and thus the movie’s narrative begs for discussion.

Why do we watch these movies???

The first leg of this 2-part audio podcast features less on the 2010 film and more on why you, me, or anyone goes in for scary movies at all and most particularly movies dealing with Old Nick, Old Scratch, Lucifer, the Accuser himself: the devil. Some would say even speaking about films like these, let alone watching them, let alone making them, is inherently evil. However, if we take an informed view of storytelling and the place of the horror story in an oft-horrific world, we might find we’re missing something very important about both the genre and ourselves.

Take a spin down scary storytelling 101 – if you dare. I promise no black cats will jump out of the cupboard, and there are no demons embedded in the mp3. I also have a little fun at M. Night Shyamalan’s expense, so beware of bad puns…

It’s Groundhog Day again (& again)

February 9th, 2012

“Winter, slumbering in the open air, wears on its smiling face a dream… of spring.”

What to do now that we’ve got six extra weeks of winter? We find ourselves in the shadow of Groundhog Day…

Hard to believe a cute little 1993 feel-good film about Punxsatowney Phil and Gobbler’s Knob, starring SNL alumnus Bill Murray, would be deemed by some “One of the best films of the last 40 years…” and “required viewing for the course ‘Religion, Ethics, and Film”. Still, when a spritely holiday comedy film by Harold Ramis finds itself being compared to the works of Nietzsche and Camus, you can’t help but scratch your head. Is this the result of a great story, or people reading into things because they’re holed up due to six extra weeks of winter?

A Twilight Zone style event makes an irascible weatherman relive the same day over and over again, until he’s forced to confront some important things about himself, the world around him, and what he’s living for. A great article by Justin Taylor praising the film made me relive it all over again, and we hosted a film event where I got to sift the host of commentary on the film and sprinkle in some apt scripture as it applied. If you look deep enough into this film, might it look into you? Let’s see who swerves first…

Before Breaking Dawn…

November 18th, 2011

Let’s check the list:

• Pouty lips (is it Blue steel, or Magnum?)
• Mouth Breathers.
• Elongated stares more torturous than a Hostel movie.
• Abs that send washboards back to the gym in shame.
• Teen Wolf’s extended family (P.S. – we forgive you too, Jason Bateman)
• Sparkly vampires that make Count Chocula cry in his milk.

These are just a few of the ideas that come to mind when thinking about the overextended Twilight series that adds “Breaking Dawn – Part 1” to it’s cinematic entries in Potter-mimicking fashion.

Sibling Rivalry and Daddy issues in Thor

November 9th, 2011

Two archetypal sons are examined in this 2011 summer blockbuster, hammering home deep truths about jealousy and pride that have existed long before even Jacob and Esau in the Bible. Marvel’s film adaptation of Thor examines how we relate to ourselves, others, and our father – both earthly and heavenly.

Adjusting our view of God

September 12th, 2011

“All I have are the choices I make.” – David Norris, The Adjustment Bureau Really? Is this a truism about humanity, or a truth we really want to live with? I left this film with an acrid taste in my mouth, though not for the reasons one might expect. True, I was in the minority that [...]

Gritty Reality Hints at True Hope

August 21st, 2011

“You must pay for everything in this world, one way or another… there is nothing free except the grace of God.” Following the murder of her father by hired hand Tom Chaney, a 14-year-old farm girl sets out to capture the killer and hires Reuben J. “Rooster” Cogburn, the toughest U.S. marshal she can find, known [...]