http://cinemagogue.com redefining entertainment Sat, 19 May 2012 20:07:55 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 engaging and exploring the connection between film, narrative, spirituality, creativity and Creator, images and imaging God. Join James Harleman, writer and speaker on narrative and its connective chords between all storytelling and the story of which we're all a part. Find new depths in what it means to be "entertained" and the reasons why stories (whether they're simple or complex, Citizen Kane or Harold and Kumar, touch our hearts and minds. Pastor James Harleman clean Pastor James Harleman jh@marshill.com jh@marshill.com (Pastor James Harleman) ...redefining "entertainment" religion, tv, film, spirituality, Mars Hill Church, movie reviews, Christianity, Christian Movie Reviews +http://cinemagogue.com/rss.png http://cinemagogue.com/category/reviews-by-genre/chick-flick/ http://cinemagogue.com/2011/09/12/adjusting-your-view-of-god/ http://cinemagogue.com/2011/09/12/adjusting-your-view-of-god/#comments Tue, 13 Sep 2011 07:02:37 +0000 James http://cinemagogue.com/?p=4252 http://cinemagogue.com/2011/09/12/adjusting-your-view-of-god/feed/ 0 "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. "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 didn't really resonate with the chemistry between Matt Damon and Emily Blunt (though the latter gave a great performance - I blame Damon), but this wasn't the problem. The issue at hand was any interpretation in which a viewer might actually believe they'd witnessed a happy ending. The Bureau in the film, and the chairman, provide the viewer with a very skewed view of sovereignty, a vision of overseeing powers that are short-handed, short-sighted, and desperately trying to keep up. If this film's vision of reality's "chairman" were true, I wouldn't have any faith either... in love, in life, or in God. Despite my unsettled feelings regarding the film, it remained a fantastic time unpacking ideas of chance, choices, and chairman with a live audience after a showing of the film, delving into the nature of "true love", kismet, cause and effect, and creator. (WARNING: the audio talk contains spoilers). "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." - Proverbs 16:9 OWN THE FILM now on DVD, Blu-ray, or Instant Video. Pastor James Harleman clean http://cinemagogue.com/2008/12/22/sparkly-vampires-and-another-cultural-phenomenon/ http://cinemagogue.com/2008/12/22/sparkly-vampires-and-another-cultural-phenomenon/#comments Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:00:15 +0000 D. Taibi http://voxpopnetwork.com/cinemagogue/?p=636 http://cinemagogue.com/2008/12/22/sparkly-vampires-and-another-cultural-phenomenon/feed/ 0 http://cinemagogue.com/2008/07/11/juno-what-you-want-to-hear/ http://cinemagogue.com/2008/07/11/juno-what-you-want-to-hear/#comments Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:00:10 +0000 James http://voxpopnetwork.com/cinemagogue/2008/07/11/juno-what-you-want-to-hear/ http://cinemagogue.com/2008/07/11/juno-what-you-want-to-hear/feed/ 0 Audio Review of JUNO by Pastor James Harleman - "I need to know that it’s possible that two people can stay happy together forever…" - Jason Reitman, the brilliant Director that gave us Thank You for Smoking, shot Juno in just 31 days. Audio Review of JUNO by Pastor James Harleman "I need to know that it’s possible that two people can stay happy together forever…" Jason Reitman, the brilliant Director that gave us Thank You for Smoking, shot Juno in just 31 days. It was the highest-grossing film of all five Best Picture Oscar nominees (2008). Writer Diablo Cody won for the Award for Best Original Screenplay. I know that, as a Christian, I'm expected to talk about the movie's controversial handling of whether or not “all babies like to get borned…” but let's be honest people, the baby is a macguffin; the real issues that this film gives birth to ultimately address finding one's identity, and the seemingly hopeless nature of love. "I’m just like losing my faith with humanity. I just wonder if two people can stay together for good." Faced with an unplanned pregnancy, an offbeat young woman makes an unusual decision regarding her unborn child. While the movie focuses on the women, one real issue seems to be "what's wrong with our men"? The men in the film don't act, and at best REact. I unpacked this and other facets of the story at a local film event... (includes spoilers, watch film first!) Pastor James Harleman clean http://cinemagogue.com/2008/04/16/we-all-want-happily-ever-after/ http://cinemagogue.com/2008/04/16/we-all-want-happily-ever-after/#comments Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:04:59 +0000 James http://voxpopnetwork.com/cinemagogue/2008/04/16/we-all-want-happily-ever-after/ http://cinemagogue.com/2008/04/16/we-all-want-happily-ever-after/feed/ 0 Fairy Tales: Folly or Faith? An audio exploration of Enchanted by Pastor James Harleman - Enchanted intrigued me as it hit squarely on one of my favorite narrative dichotomies in Hollywood storytelling... Fairy Tales: Folly or Faith? An audio exploration of Enchanted by Pastor James Harleman Enchanted intrigued me as it hit squarely on one of my favorite narrative dichotomies in Hollywood storytelling... what I affectionately call "Life Under the Sun" and "Life Beyond the Sun" films. These worlds collide in Enchanted in what I think is one of Disney’s strongest achievements to date – cinematically combining elements of their best animated and live productions into a self-effacing pageant that comments on both their wonder, their humor, they’re syrup, and also our own earthly disenchantment without them. Whether it's the seemingly naive Giselle or the Carrie Underwood song that closes the film, it's apparent that we want to believe in fairy tale endings but many of us, like Robert in the film, believe that "The lovey-dovey version that you talk about – it’s fantasy. And one day you have to wake up and you’re in the REAL world.” What if neither of them are wrong? What if BOTH worlds are true? While not dismissing the toils and legitimate brokenness of this life, the Christian knows that the Universe is a Love Story, the fabric of our very existence is the pages on which it is written, and the hero is Jesus Christ. Christians can rest in the calm assurance that Giselle has... that everlasting love is real, that happily ever after IS possible. The Christian existence is one of restored WONDER, true love that provides endurance in this life and the promise of eternity. Although sometimes poorly caging God's wonder in systematics and bullet points, scripture is replete with the true fantastical nature of both our Storyteller AND Savior. As the fairy tale believes in "destiny", Romans 8 proclaims the beautiful story of God's love as destined. It goes on to tell us: "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Philosopher G.K. Chesterton describes sanity as the result of a tension between two extremes (in fact, two poles). Christ is the pinion around which these poles spin. This holds the reality of Giselle’s world and Robert’s world in tension. Giselle’s humble assurance transforms Robert, Morgan, Nancy, and saves the Banks’ marriage. If our affection for our Creator, Lord and Savior were more evident – if we were indeed enchanted with our Lord in a deep and genuine way – perhaps more people would hunger after the music in OUR hearts. For more on the movie, the language of heaven, and (sorry guys) why men have to repent and start loving musicals, I encourage you to listen to the audio review. Pastor James Harleman clean