Film Flash: Migration

 

15 words or less film review (full review to follow soon)

A fine, fun family film about raising brave children in a dangerous world

Trailer Time: Horizon: An American Saga

A few months ago my wife and I did a Kevin Costner marathon of films.  It is amazing to me how many high quality films he has been in.  On top of that, he showed some real skill as a director.  I got a chance to rewatch Dances with Wolves for the first time in years and truly appreciated the quality of that picture.

However, Costner can miss big as well.  Many people still remember the sting of The Postman.

This new project: Horizon has me intrigued.  We once again see Costner return to his love for the Old West.  The scope of it looks epic.  I like the fact that he is once again swinging for the fences with a two-part film, both of which comes out this summer.  That is a big risk with potentially big reward.

The story looks sprawling with several characters.  This looks like it could be its biggest asset, but it cold also be its biggest detriment.  I'm worried that they are going to be too many characters and stories to keep the story together.

But watching the trailer, it made me feel a sense of grandeur that few movies do.

Thoughts?

Sunday Best: Top 10 Recurring Star Trek Deep Space Nine Characters

 

As I mentioned last week, my wife and I recently watched through every single episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.  Not only am I convinced that it is the best series in the franchise, but it has some of the greatest characters.

One of the great things about the series is that the recurring characters can have incredibly compelling arcs.  In fact, some of these characters have more depth and development than main characters in some shows.

Below are the Top 10 recurring characters on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.  It was difficult to get this down to 10, but here they are:

SPOILERS BELOW

10.  Kassidy Yates

Ben Sisko's first wife is really only known in flashback and attribution, so she is presented in an idealized form.  Kassidy is flawed and feisty, and every bit a match in personality and boldness to Sisko.  She stands her ground against him even when it puts them at odds and she challenges him to see things in a new way.  You can see why Ben would defy the Prophets to commit his life to her.

9. The Grand Nagus

This character has no depth at all, but that is one of the thing that makes it work so well.  I enjoyed every episode with the Nagus because he was so utterly ridiculous and he forced the other Ferengi to behave in a silly and craven manner, which was richly mined for laughs.  And it was fascinating to watch his mental faculties deteriorate while all those around him vie for his influence and power.

8.  Damar

this character has one of the most fascinating arcs on the show.  When we first meet him, Damar seems content to be the right-hand-man to his commanding officer.  But as he watches Dukat slip in his judgment, Damar is forced to action, even murder.  Then we see how he descends into drunkenness as he becomes a puppet of the Dominion.  And then when he hits rock bottom and filled with utters self-disgust, he turns his life around and becomes a hero despite himself.  He even goes all the way to become a martyr for the Cardassian people.  It is a fascinating end that I could not have predicted.

7.  Vic Fontaine

One of the great things about this character is that we feel about him what the main characters feel: he is a fictional character, but we love him.  You want him to be your friend and you feel cooler by being in his orbit.  I would get excited if I saw that it was an episode with Vic.  He becomes a great character for character growth like Odo, Nog, and Sisko.  But we got to see him grow and mature as well.  And easily one of the most enjoyable episodes of the series is the one where the crew have to save Vic's casino.  You understand why they do it, because even though he is fictional, you care about him.

6.  Rom

As with the Nagus, Rom is played very broadly.  But as the series went on, we are allowed to see his depths.  His genius starts coming forth and he begins to stand up to his overbearing brother.  Despite his goofy nature, he is incredibly endearing.  That is because as big as his brains are, his heart is even bigger.  Because of this, you can understand why Leeta fell in love with him and why The Grand Nagus chose him as successor.

5.  Gul Dukot

What makes Dukat so fascinating is that he is the hero of his own story.  In his mind, he was a moderating force during the Cardassian occupation of Bajor.  He feels like he went out of his way to be merciful to the Bajorians, which is why he feels hurt when he is confronted with their hate.  He then moves slowly to redemption and enlightenment with the help of his daughter, but then his ambition takes over and he falls so completely that he essential becomes the Anti-Christ of the series.

4.  Michael Eddington

It was actually a great shock when we find out that Eddington was a traitor to Starfleet.  He seemed so straight-laced that his rigidness was an obstacle to the main characters.  But when the mask drops, Eddington becomes such a formidable adversary because he understands how Sisko thinks.  But what I credit the writers for doing here is that they never write Eddington as a villain.  They let him have his legitimate say against the inaction of Starfleet so that you could almost see him as the hero and Sisko as the villain.

3.  General Martok

More-so than most Klingon characters, Martok is given a great deal of depth.  We can see him go from weary veteran to abused prisoner to gun-shy captain, to leader of the Klingon Empire.  He embodies all that is best in the Klingon race, but he carries with it the pride and rage that comes along with that tradition.  He was fascinating because you never quiet knew how he was going to react to a new situation, but you also knew he was going to behave in a way consistent with his character.

2.  Nog

The evolution of this character was one of my favorites of the series.  Nog starts off as a foil to the straight-laced but naive Jake.  But as the series progresses, he finds himself longing for more than his station and becomes the first Ferengi in Starfleet.  He is determined to be the opposite of who he was before.  But then they do something horribly interesting.  Because Nog becomes a Starfleet member during a time of war.  And in the final season, he has to see the horrors of front-line combat and goes through some interesting PTSD-related trauma.  He is forged in the fires of that war and becomes a stronger, more compelling person because of it.

1.  Garek

I don't think that this is a shock to anyone who watches the show.  Garek is one of the most interesting characters in all of Star Trek.  Like Dr. Bashir, we are drawn in and fascinated by him.  The more he denies his spy background, the more intrigued we are.  He is fascinating for so many reasons.  One of which is that we can never really know the truth about him because even Garek doesn't know.  Being a spy means hiding your true self so that he becomes a stranger, even to you.  And his craftiness is beyond that of those around him.  This is exemplified in "The Pale Moonlight" where he thinks 10 steps ahead of anyone.  But he is not an omniscient superman.  He is burdened by his failures and his fears (like his claustrophobia).  And yet there is still enough of a moral spark in him that we root for his redemption.

Thoughts?

Washing Feet at the Superbowl

 As I mentioned in an earlier post, there was a particularly potent ad about Jesus during the Superbowl.  It consisted of several still images of people having their feet washed.  

In one we saw a child washing the feet of an alcoholic parent.  In another we saw a police officer washing the feet of a man in an alley.  In another, we see a Muslim woman having her feet washed by a neighbor.  In another, we have a Pro-Life protestor washing the feet of a woman from an abortion clinic.

And there are more images like this.  At the end, the ad says, "Jesus didn't teach hate."  

This ad generated more controversy than I had expected.  What I found very interesting was that many of the people I follow online had the exact opposite reaction I had to the ad.  

The main critique I have heard is that this ad tries to water down the message of the Gospel to some kind of bland social action.  It implies that the Christian message is one of unconditional acceptance to the point where it affirms people in their sin.  In washing the feet of the woman from the abortion clinic, the critics say that this gives tacit approval to the murder of the unborn child.

As if to bolster this point, look at what happened recently at St. Patrick's Cathedral.  A group arranged for a funeral for an atheist, transexual prostitute.  During the funeral, members of the group began desecrating the sacred space.  It appears as though the people who arranged the funeral were less interested in honoring their friend as they were with attacking the Church.

The critics of the ad say that by not bringing up the call of the Gospel to turn away from sin, we will see a greater flourishing of vice like we saw at St. Patrick's.

I have to say that I do not easily dismiss this critique.  To water down the Gospel is like watering down medicine: it can do more harm than good.  If the purpose of the ones who made the ad was to rebrand Christianity in this less substantial version, then it should be roundly condemned.  

Soon after the Superbowl Ad aired, there was an ad that went viral online where it showed several people who were sinners and had their lives radically transformed by the saving power of Christ.  Rather than "He Gets Us," it said: "He Saves Us."

So if you believe that the ad from the Superbowl is foisting this shadow of the Gospel message, then I can understand why you would reject it.

But let me offer another view.

One of the great things about Christianity is that it is often not either/or, but both/and.  

Should we focus on saving the souls of people or taking care of their bodily needs?

The answer to this questions is both.

Are we saved by faith or by works?

The answer to this question is both.

Should we love and serve others unconditionally or should we call them to repentance of their sins?

The answer to this question is both.

If the purpose of the ad was to only give one half of the equation as the entire sum, then it is wrong.

But if you view the ad as a part and not the whole, then it is an incredibly important reflection.

In John 13, Jesus got up from the table after eating the Last Supper and one-by-one washed His disciples feet.  He said "If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet too." (John 13:14).

In Jesus' day, the feet were the dirtiest part of the person. It was so lowly that even Jewish slaves would not wash another person's feet.  But Jesus humbled Himself to wash the dirtiest part of his Apostles.  There is no job too lowly for the love of God!

This means that I must wash the feet of others.  This includes those who I disagree with.  And this also includes those who we would label as sinners.  Because of my utter moral abhorance to abortion, the picture of the women at the abortion clinic made me very uncomfortable when I first saw it.  But upon reflection, I saw the truth of it: I must wash her feet as well.

"But she is aiding in the killing of the unborn!  That is evil."  I agree.  But I am called to wash her feet anyway.  

"But she is my enemy in the fight for life."  Yes.  But Jesus said, "Love your enemies.  Pray for those who persecute you." (Matt 5:43).  Do you think He was kidding?

But what if she sins and will continue to sin?  This does not absolve me of my responsibility to wash her feet.

On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus washed Judas' feet.  Judas was filled with greed and had such malice in his heart that within hours he would have a hand in murdering Jesus.

Jesus washed his feet anyway.

Peter, who was closer to Jesus than almost anyone, would 3 times deny that He even knew who Jesus was.

Jesus washed his feet anyway.

Every single other man at that table ran away from Jesus when He was arrested.  Jesus knew they would do this.

Jesus washed their feet anyway.

And then there's me.  I think about all the times that Jesus "washed my feet" by cleansing the dirties part of me: my sin.  I think about all those times in the confessional that Jesus forgave me completely.  And then I think of how many times I quickly fell back into sin again.  Jesus knew I would fall again.

Jesus washed my feet anyway.

If Jesus would do this for me, how could I not do this for others?

And it must be remembered that love comes before obligation.  You do not commit yourself to marriage vows until you have first established a loving relationship.  God freed the Hebrews from slavery to show His love.  It was only afterwards that He gave them the commandments.  He did not give them the law as a condition of His love.  He gave them His love and then showed them how to be loving.

If I balk at this idea, then I may want to reflect on if I have a heart like Jesus.  If Jesus was willing to serve the sinners, so must we.  Otherwise we are like Pharisees who follow the letter of the law but not the spirit of the law.

I can tell you from my limited experience, there are so many people who do not know their value.  They do not know that they are loved.  Yes, they indulge in their passions and vices, but that is because they have a void in their hearts.  

Before we help people to turn away from sin, we must help them to know why.  And the reason is that they have infinite value because Jesus loved them so much He would rather die than be without them.  

GK Chesterton said of the fairytale Beauty and the Beast that it taught us a paradoxical truth: sometimes you must love something before it is lovable.  Jesus did not wait for me to become righteous before He clothed Himself human flesh and took my sins to the cross.  He loved me into being lovable. 

It may feel much better to refute, to defeat, to "own" our enemies.  There is an exhilaration at fighting for a righteous cause.  But we must always guard against self-righteousness.  Washing someone's feet is about letting them know that they are loved and valued unconditionally.  And it is for that reason that God wants to free us from the sins that bind us.  

But still, you may ask, isn't there the danger of affirming people in their sins?

Again, this is a serious consideration.  We must do all that we can to love the sinner and hate the sin.  And we hate the sin because it hurts the person.  

We can do both.  Jesus did both.

And as long as we are called to do both, I will follow my Master's example to reach out to others and wash their feet.

New Evangelizers Post: Where Did the Bible Come From? Part 1

                                                               

 

I have a new article up at NewEvangelizers.com.  

The Bible is God’s Word written down in human language, so it is absolutely correct to say that the Bible comes from God. But the Bible did not magically drop out of the sky and into the lap of the pope. It is a single book, but it is also a library-comprised of several books like Genesis, Psalms, Romans, and Luke. And each of these books is a different type of book. Some are poems, some are letters, some are stories, and some are (and I have to be very careful about how I say this) mythology or “pre-philosophy philosophizing.” And these books were not written all at the same time like at some sort of ancient Biblical convention in Jerusalem. They were written over the course of several thousands of years. It is important to recognize the two major divisions of the Bible: The Old Testament and the New Testament. “Testament” is a latinized translation of the word “covenant.” It signifies the distinction between the Old Covenant that God made with the Hebrew people and the New Covenant made with Jesus.

When exactly were the books of the Old Testament written? That is a difficult question to answer. We have references to the books of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) throughout the Old Testament, but we have no manuscripts from that era that have survived. In fact, the oldest writings we have intact are from the Dead Sea Scrolls which date somewhere around the beginning of the 1st Century AD. But even these are copies, written centuries after many of these books were supposedly written. The Torah is attributed to Moses, the Psalms to David, and Wisdom to Solomon. But there is a question as to whether these are reliable attributions. One of the issues is that the above books that we have today may not be the exact same books that are being referenced. You see, the Babylonians and Romans were excellent at conquering and then destroying the nation of Israel, from their cities to their writings. This means that much of what could have been written may have been destroyed. A predominant theory is that much of what we call the Old Testament was probably written in the 6th-5th Century BC. And even some others were composed later, like the book of Daniel.

The formation of the Old Testament “canon” (which means the list of inspired books), took shape over several hundred years. It wasn’t until the first century AD that this thing we call the Old Testament took the form that is familiar to us today. The Pharisees (who were the teachers of the Law) finalized their scriptures, which they called the TANAK, around the year 70 AD. These include most of the books that we have in our Old Testament. In addition to these, we include the books that were part of something called the Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Old Testament. These included books that were not Hebrew in Origin, but only written in the Greek language. These books were then translated into Latin by St. Jerome in the 4th Century.

You can read the whole article here.

Sunday Best: Top 25 Episodes of Star Trek - Deep Space Nine

 A few months ago, my wife and I did a marathon of the entire series of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.  Rewatching every episode it only confirmed what I already believed: DS9 is the best of all the Star Trek shows.

After we had finished, I attempted to do a Sunday Best with the top 10 episodes, but I found that there were too many.  I then expanded it to the Top 25, but I had trouble ranking them, because they were good for so many different reasons.  

So instead of ranking them in order of quality, I simply ranked them chronologically.

What I found interesting was how many of the top episodes belonged to which seasons.  It broke down as such:

Season 1 - 1 episode

Season 2 - 3 episodes

Season 3 - 4 episodes

Season 4 -4 episodes

Season 5 - 2 episodes

Season 6 - 6 episodes

Season 6 - 4 episodes

So, without further ado, here are the Top 25 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes;

(major spoilers below)

1.  1.18 "Duet"

In this episode, Kira thinks that she has caught an old war Cardassian war criminal.  What at first plays out like Silence of the Lambs, slowly becomes a meditation of the horror of war and the pain of survivor's guilt.

2.  2.05 "Cardassians"

This one plays out as a political and family melodrama.  It is a custody battle between a Cardassian officer and the Bajoran parents who adopted his child.  One of the things that makes this story great is that the writers refuse to take the easy way out on any of the problems at hand, whether it be the question of natural parent rights or adopting across cultures.  It is powerful and painful to watch.

3. 2.08 "Necessary Evil"

One of the things lurking in the background of the this show is the occupation of Bajor by the Cardassians.  Though it is much talked about, this was the first episode to really give you an experience of what it was like.  It also was an intensely good character study of the relationship between Odo and Kira

4. 2.14 "Whispers"

This episode is the closest that the series came to a Twilight Zone episode.  O'Brien notices how everyone is treating him differently and begins to suspect some kind of Invasion of the Body Snatchers situation.  The story pushes to the shocking conclusion that makes you reframe the entire episode.

5. 3.03 "The House of Quark"

I'll admit that Quark turned out to be one of my favorite characters.  Episodes centered around him turn out to be delightful romps.  And this episode where he has to enter into Klingon intrigue with a Ferengi sensibility is hysterical.

6. 3.07 "Civil Defense"

This might be one of the best episodes of the entire series.  The constant harangue of the recorded Gul Dukat saying "Attention Bajoran workers" and then following it up with some new calamity was a strong narrative device.  But I laughed so hard when Dukat tried to beam off the station. What followed was so deliciously ironic that I could not help but be delighted by the twist.

7. 3.14 "Heart of Stone"

This was a turning point episode for the character of Odo.  While his feeling for Kira were observable to the audience, his admission of his feelings is incredibly powerful, as it almost seems to wound him to speak the words.  All the while the episode remains one of intrigue and tension.  And B-story also turns out to be a turning point for Nog.

8. 3.26 "The Adversary"

This is a story of complete and utter paranoia as DS9 truly began to utilize the full dramatic potential of the Changelings as enemies.  This episode has long-running ramifications for the series.

9. 4.02 "The Visitor"

This is how you use a time travel story to is maximum emotional effect.  An elderly Jake Sisko recounts the story of his father who has been unstuck in time.  This episode his heartbreaking in the best possible way as a father watches his son waste his life away for love of him.

10-11.  4.10-11 "Homefront" "Paradise Lost"

In this two-parter, the show takes the paranoia from "The Adversary" and applies it to the entire planet earth.  It is frightening to see how destabilizing paranoia can be to an entire society.

12. 4.18 "Hard Time"

This is a also a devastating character study as O'Brien is forced to live simulated decades of imprisonment.  He is not only damaged by the trauma of the jailing, but he is faced with his own capacity for evil.  It makes him question if he even is a good man.

13. 5.06 "Trials and Tribble-ations."

Just a fun episode that is full of nostalgia for the original series.

14. 5.22 "Children of Time."

The crew crashes on a planet and are jolted in time to see their descendants who are the result of them being marooned.  The crew plans on returning home, but this would wipe out the entire population.  Either chose presents a gut-wrenching ethical dilemma.

15-16.  6.05-6.06 "Favor the Bold" "Sacrifice of Angels"

This was when the show fully felt like a war show with epic space battles and intrigue on the station.  Loyalties become tested and the conclusion is explosive.

17. 6.10 "The Magnificent Ferengi"

Again, I love the Quark episodes and this one is no exception.  I love the take on The Magnificent Seven in a way that is pure Ferengi.

18. 6.13 "Far Beyond the Stars"

Sisko's vision of middle 20th Century America was an intersting change of pace and an exploration of sci-fi and culture of that time.  It was also nice to watch all the characters play different roles.

19.  6.16 "Change of Heart."

This was an episode whose conclusion I did not see coming.  Once again, what makes this show work so well is that it places the characters in horrible dilemmas and they act in ways that absolutely make sense, but will have devastating consequences.  What do you do when duty and true love come into conflict?  The answer is turmoil.

20. 6.19 "In the Pale Moonlight"

Some consider this to be the greatest episode of the series and I can understand why.  As I mentioned, DS9 is a war show.  This forces the characters to make horrible decisions of life and death that may compromise their ethics.  Sisko embarks on a deal with the devil that takes him further than he ever imagined.  Is he right, is he wrong?  You are left to decide.

21. 6.20 "His Way"

There is a part of me that loves the relationship elements of a TV series.  The "will they/won't they" of Kira and Odo finally comes to a head here in a way that is both comical and satisfying.  

22-23 . 7.08 "The Siege of AR-588" "It's Only a Paper Moon"

While these episodes aren't technically a two-parter, it feels that way.  The first is a gritty war story about standing your ground against impossible odds.  Fighting is heavy and so are the casualties.  This is especially true for the young and idealistic Nog who walks away from this battle more broken than before.  The second episode is all about dealing with Nog's post-traumatic stress.  Not able to deal with his life the way it is, he retreats into the holodeck world of Vic Fontaine.  You can feel the bond growing even as Vic begins to realize that it is becoming increasingly unhealthy for him.

24. 7.15 Badda-Bing, Badda-Bang

This episode is pure fun as the gang must do an Ocean's 11-style heist in the holosuite to save their artificial friend Vic from an artificial mob boss.

25. 7.25 "What You Leave Behind."

An excellent episode to wrap up the series that is both incredibly satisfying and wonderfully bitter-sweet.  All the loose threads are taken care of and we are able to make a proper goodbye.

Thoughts?

A Valentine of Ashes

I'm sure that it has happened before, but this is the first time I can recall where Ash Wednesday fell on Valentine's Day.

Traditionally a day to celebrate romantic love, we often express this with cards, candy, and special dinners.  But today is a day of fast, abstinences, and ashes.

But rather than being a downer, I think that this is a wonderful confluence ideas.  That isn't to say that romantic love is all dower and serious, although it can be.  Ash Wednesday is a day where we remember to die to ourselves.  We put away the person we were before and we take up the cross to follow Christ where He leads.

One of my favorite parts of the wedding ceremony is the unity candle.  It is a large candle with two smaller candles on the side. This is a symbol of death.  When I got married, I invited all of my students to my wedding.  I pitched it as: "Come and watch me die."  And I was completely serious about this point.  Marriage is a kind of death.

In the unity candle, the smaller candles are lit with the large one in the center unlit.  After the vows are exchanged, the bride and groom take these smaller candles in hand.  The smaller candles represent their individual lives.  Together, they light the large candle.  This represents their new life together.  But then they each blow out their individual candles.  This represents the death of their old lives.

At a wedding, the bride looks at the groom and says, "I love you so much that I give my life for you." And she dies.

The groom looks at the bride and says, "I love you so much that I give my life to you."  And he dies.

And then Christ resurrects them into a new life, where the two are now one flesh.

But you cannot rise to this new life unless you die to your old one.  As a married man, I no longer live for myself.  I live for my wife.  My wants, hopes, dreams, plans, and desires no longer matter.  She must be first in my life after the Lord (and my children if we have any).  This is not one-sided.  My wife is an amazing woman and I know that one of the first things she thinks about when she wakes up is "How can I make my husband's life better today?"  

Marriage works if we follow the example of Christ: if we die to ourselves and live for each other.  

That is why today seems like a very appropriate day to reflect on romantic love.  Hopefully the love we have for each other looks less a store-bought Valentine's heart but more like our Lord's Sacred Heart.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus is a heart that burns with passionate love despite the wounds it receives.  In our relationships, we cannot help but come across hurts and slights.  Most couples have been known to have the occasional fight, even big fights.  But if we model our romantic love after that Sacred Heart, we will never light the fire of that passion dim.  

Does this seem impossible?

For human beings it is.

But nothing is impossible for God.

So today, as we celebrate romantic love on this Ash Wednesday, let the fire of our love rise again from these ashes.

Film Review: The Boys in the Boat

 

Sexuality/Nudity Acceptable

Violence Acceptable

Vulgarity Acceptable

Anti-Catholic Philosophy Acceptable

Sometimes a movie can simple, enjoyable, and uplifting without being world changing.  And that can be enough.  

That is the case with The Boys in the Boat.

During the Great Depression, Joe Rantz (Callum Turner) is young man in Washington state, living in a broken-down car in the corner of a shanty town.  He attends the University of Washington in hopes of becoming an engineer, but with his money running out, that dream is looking to end.  However, Al Ulbrickson (Joel Edgerton), the coach of the crew team, holds open tryouts.  Those who make it on the team get scholarships and jobs.  Joe, who has never rowed in his life, tries out and makes it onto the team with other young men.  Together, they struggle through adversity, not only on the river, but in life.  This all comes to a head as they attempt to qualify for the Olympics with the richer schools conspiring against them.

One of the things I really liked about The Boys in the Boat was that it felt like a throwback to classic sports movies of the era in which the movie takes place.  The characters aren't simplistic, but they are straightforward in a way that people in the movies used to be.  There is a quiet masculine dignity in these men working for a success that is in no way guaranteed.  In terms of the production design, director George Clooney does an excellent job of transporting you to the era with the costumes, sets, and props of the day.  As hard as times were, Clooney lets you see the goodness present without overly romanticizing it.  Clooney also does an excellent job of filming the competition scenes.  Like all good sports movies, he knows how to make it visually dynamic while ramping up the tension until you are on the edge of your seats.

The biggest drawback of the film is the fact that it has to make a story with nearly a dozen characters either on the crew, the coaching team, along with other supporting characters.  As a result, you really only get to know Joe and Al fairly well.  There are other guys on the boat, but I'll be honest: none of them made a lasting impression on me.  That isn't necessarily the fault of the actors.  It's just that the movie focuses so much on joe that we barely make an emotional connection with any other member of the team.

But the movie leaves you feeling uplifted.  Our characters are flawed, but they ultimately try to do the right thing.  There is a moment in the third act, where there is an act of idealized sportsmanship that I found very touching.  It is the hope that competition in sports breeds not only intensity and excellence, but mutual respect.

While not much of the movie lingers, what does is a very pleasant memory.

Sunday Best (On Monday): Best Superbowl Ads 2024

 Sorry for the delay on this article, but I was unable to stay up late enough to get this one written.

I am one of those people that enjoys watching the Superbowl primarily for the commercials.  I find them often more entertianing than the game itslef.  Alhtough this year, it was a very exciting game.

While there were lots of ads, here were my top 10 favorite:  (will provide links to each ad)

10. Mountain Dew Baja Blast

I always liked Aubrey Plaza and this was a clever and fun little ad.  What made me really like it was the cameo at the end by Nick Offerman for a mini-Parks and Recreation reuntion

9. Nerds Gummy Clusters

This ad was so silly that I found myself laughing throughout the entire thing.  It was memorable, no doubt, which is what the makers of the commercials are going for.  I thought it was odd that this one of two ads that used Flashdance music

8.  Skechers

Anything with Mr. T becomes better.  He is such an icon and he is a good Christian man that brings me great joy.  I pity the fool that doesn't love Mr. T.

7.  Bet MGM

You put Vince Vaughn in anything and he has the power to make it better.  Set him in Vegas and I am hit with a wave of 90's nostalgia.  Let him turn on the charm and you have my attention the entire time.

6.  Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Before yesterday, I had zero interest in seeing this movie.  I thought that the franchise had played out.  But this little teaser did what it needed to do: it piqued my interest

5. Dunk King

I have always been a big fan of Ben Affleck.  I like this self parody, down to his friendship with Matt Damon.  Affleck is always best when he is self-effacing and making fun of himself.  This made this ad a hoot.

4.  Thank You, Carl

The "Kick of Destiny" is a decent ad campaign.  But what made this one special was the fact that they paid special tribute to the Might Carl Weathers at the end.  A classy touch that made me respect them more.

3.  Google Pixel

This one made my wife cry.  I really like ads that tell a story in the small amount of time that they have.  This was a touching one about how the technology of the smart phone can make the important parts of life easier to capture.

2. Deadpool

I will be honest, I've watched the full trailer teased here several times.  I was interested in this before, but now I am hyped to see it this July.  I love the way they mock the MCU in a way that only Deadpool can.

1.  Foot Washing

This one hit hard.  I might write about this more extensively, but this one was intentionally provocative.  It meant to get Christians out of their comfort zone.  Seeing things like an abortion clinic worker, someone who helps murder unborn babies, have their feet washed by the Christian was something that I was not prepared for.  But that is exactly the point of Christ washing His disciple's feet.  He said, "If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet."  (John 13:14)  We are here to serve and to love each other, not judge each other.  

New Evangelizers Post: Immaculee Ilibagiza and Forgiveness

                                                              

 

I have a new article up at NewEvangelizers.com.  

Pope Francis writes, “Mercy has two aspects. It involves giving… but it also includes forgiveness and understanding.” More than just acts of charity, mercy is an act where we forgive others. This is something that all Christians must do. “We need to think of ourselves as an army of the forgiven.” It should be a given that in the Christian community we are a people eager to offer forgiveness.

In our own lives, forgiveness can take a heroic amount of effort, especially if the person we are forgiving does not show (what we think is) proper contrition. But living this beatitude will draw us closer to God, because in forgiving we become more God-like. Christ on the cross cried out, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)) How can we come to truly know who God is if we do not forgive as He has forgiven us? God is love. Love (agape) is a complete gift of self without seeking anything in return. How better to demonstrate and live this than by becoming a person of mercy. Being a person of forgiveness means that we can also heal the wounds that separate us from each other. Very often in families there are deep wounds. But if we can learn to forgive, those wounds can be replaced with bonds of love and fellowship.

A recent example of someone who embodies this image of mercy is Immaculee Ilibagiza. During the Rwandan genocide, many members of Immaculee’s family were killed. She hid in a 12-square foot bathroom with seven others for 91 days. She was tormented by thoughts of revenge. One day, she heard a mother and baby die outside of her hiding place, and she asked God how she could forgive the people who did this. She says that God answered her that this poor baby was with Him in heaven now. He also said that everyone is His child. This moment changed her outlook. After her ordeal, her family’s killers were arrested. She went to the prison and looked at the ring-leader, a man named Felicien. She reached out and touched him, saying: “I forgive you.” The Tutsi jailer asked why she would do that and she told him that all she had to offer was forgiveness.

What are some concrete practices to bring this beatitude in my life?

You can read the whole article here.

Sunday Best: Ranking the DCEU - The Final Score

 With the release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, we now draw the DCEU to a close.  With James Gunn's intention to reboot the entire universe, the world created by 2013's Man of Steel is now over.  I have been a fan of the DCEU, despite its many ups and downs.  Let us now look back and evaluate what these past 11 years brought us.  (some points below are reposts)

It is no secret that DC struggles to have the same success as Marvel in the film.  Success leads to greater output.  And so you can see the marked distinction between DC's 16 theatrical films (and one straight to streaming) to Marvel's 33 theatrical films (and 23 TV shows and specials).

If I were to put my finger on the basic difference between the two it is this: 

DC was director-centered (originally)

Marvel is producer-centered

DC hires directors with strong visions like Zack Snyder, Patty Jenkins, David Ayer, Cathy Yan, and James Gunn.  They give these directors great latitude to do what they want.  The problem is that when you give creative people no restraints, you will get the extremes of greatness or awfulness.  The great movies of the DCEU are some of the best super hero films ever made.  The bad ones are some of the worst.  And you cannot try to constrain the vision after-the-fact.  This leads to the muddling of the work as in the theatrical Justice League and Suicide Squad.

Marvel, on the other hand, holds tight rein of their directors.  They give them strict guidelines as to what can and cannot be in the movie.  This is so much so that often some of the action sequences will already be determined and pre-visualized even before a director is chosen.  This is why some directors like Edgar Wright and Joss Whedon drop out of big projects.  But the result is that you have a product that has mass appeal for the largest audience.

In other words, Marvel gets on base while DC swings for the fences.

Now, this is not a hard and fast rule for both companies.  Aquaman and Black Adam very much followed the Marvel formula and we can see in Phase 4 some experimentation with the MCU, but generally these views apply.

With that in mind, here is an updated ranking of the 16 DCEU films (and 1 TV show):

17. Birds of Prey:  And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn

In my Film Flash for The Suicide Squad, I said that it was the worst of the DCEU films.  But I had completely forgotten about Birds of Prey. 

As I wrote previously: "Birds of Prey is a failure on every single level of film-making.  This movie isn't so much a movie as it is a rant.  Nothing is fun, nothing is funny.  As a comic book critic I follow says, the movie is filled with 'LOL so random!' humor that it never actually approaches anything like real comedy.  All of this would be tolerable if we connected on any level to the characters, which we do not.  There is nothing enjoyable, likable, approachable, or sympathetic about any of them.  And while I know that movies tend to deviate from their comic counterparts, what they did with Cassandra Cain is a complete waste of a fantastic and interesting character.  

"What makes it worse is that the movie is completely and utterly smug in how it presents itself, right to the final frame of the film.  The only time the movie has life is during some of the action sequences, particularly in the jail breakout.  For a moment we get a glimpse of what a real Birds of Prey movie could be, but it quickly collapses under the weight of its own inanity."

16. The Suicide Squad

This one is so morally rancid that I don't see it getting much better.  Unlike Birds of Prey, there is some real talent in the writing and directing and there are moments that are very good.  King Shark alone was entertaining enough.  But this bright bowl of nihilism never takes off the way it could.  Over time, it has gotten worse in my estimation, rather than better.

15.  Peacemaker

This movie keeps the same tone as The Suicide Squad, which is not a good thing.  I know that it's horribly unfair to make moral judgments of an artist based on the art, but I get the sneaking feeling that James Gunn enjoys the idea of hurting people.  There is a glee that this show takes in causing pain.  The "heroes" are straight-up murderers and this is never properly addressed.  The only thing that makes this slightly better than The Suicide Squad is that it peels just a few layers back on Peacemaker to reveal an actual character.  

Both this and The Suicide Squad make me very nervous over the fact that James Gunn has been given creative control over the DCEU.  (I'll more on this later)

14. Wonder Woman 1984

This is an incredibly flawed sequel, but it is one that I still enjoy.  It is bright and colorful, but often forgets that it is an action film.  I know a number of people who think this movie is awful and I really don't have an excuse for all of its mistakes.  I can say that despite its shortcoming, the movie has enough good moments for me to enjoy.

13.  Blue Beetle

There is nothing horribly wrong with this outing of the hero.  But by the time this movie was released, it didn't seem like there was anything that it had to say that wasn't said before and better by other superhero films.  That is a shame because the lead actor was good and there is some potential for story growth.  But this one just didn't land the way it should have.

12. SHAZAM! Fury of the Gods

This sequel is fine and sometimes quite enjoyable.  But with the origin story out of the way, I was looking forward to a greater expansion of the SHAZAM mythos.  I know that this sequel got hampered by Dwayne Johnson wanting his Black Adam to stand against Superman rather than SHAZAM, but it would have been nice to see the matchup.  And Zachary Levi is always fun to watch.

11.  Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

This movie works best when it is a buddy adventure film between the two brothers.  But you get the sense that this movie was re-written and re-shot several times and it doesn't quite hold together with the same sense of fun as the first one.

10.  Suicide Squad

This was a bold choice for this franchise's 3rd film.  And the risk almost pays off.  The premise is unlike anything in the mainstream of super hero movies beforehand.  You had charismatic performances by Will Smith and Margot Robbie.  Heck, even the perennially unwatchable Jai Courtney was amazingly fun to watch.  But the movie suffers from three things:
a. a Joker performance that, while not terrible, suffers in comparison to Nicholson and Ledger
b. a incredibly uncompelling villain
c. a moral black hole in the middle of the movie from which the film never recovers.

This movie actually improves from its original standing having watched the much worse sequel.  

9. SHAZAM!

As I wrote earlier: "SHAZAM! is primarily a comedy with big action set pieces.  Because of the highly subjective nature of comedy, enjoyment of the movie will probably vary a bit more than standard super hero films.  But the humor is broad and varied, with plenty of silly jokes and slapstick.  The main source of the film's humor is in the concept of a young, immature child with the powers of someone like Superman.  The comparison to the Tom Hanks movie Big are unavoidable and the filmmakers lean heavily into it, even making a funny visual reference to that movie during a scene in a toy store."

8. The Flash

As much as I loathe Ezra Miller, I found myself enjoying this movie more than I thought.  That is in no small part due to Michael Keaton's incredibly cool return as the Caped Crusader.  But despite some of the janky CGI at the end, I found myself moved by Barry's ultimate dilemma and call to sacrifice.  If you cannot get past its flaws, I completely understand.  But underneath there is a good super hero film here.

7. Justice League (Theatrical)

I was never someone who hated Joss Whedon's Justice League.  In fact, I saw it multiple times in the theater because I like it so much.  Whedon was given a terrible task of trying to completely change and already completed film.  As a result, the movie is very uneven.  Still, the movie is not nearly as bad as everyone claimed it to be.  But the film does suffer in comparison to Zack Snyder's original vision which we can now all see.  Of the two, this is the inferior one.

6. Aquaman

As I wrote earlier, there are two things that make this film so enjoyable:

"The first is Jason Momoa.  This man is a bonafide action movie star.  He is a charisma machine.  Like Dwayne Johnson, he connects to the audience in a simple way by letting you feel like you are in the good guy's corner and are part of his team.  His effortless charm is horribly disarming.  If that was the extent of his ability, however, Momoa would be another interchangeable movie tough guy.  But this man act.  ...

"The second is director James Wan visual direction.  Aquaman is a great action movie.  Wan knows how to film the up-close-and-personal fighting as in the movies sub rescue.  He also knows how to film a thrilling chase, as we see in the Black Manta sequence.  And he knows how to create the epic scope of an full-scale battle.  In a movie like this, the visuals must not only be dynamic, they must also be cool.  This is essential to get us to buy into these mer-men battles.  The over-the-top nature of the sequences makes it easy for the film to collapse under its own ridiculousness.  But Wan hooks you in and makes you want to see what new visual feat he has planned next.  The scope is like something out of a Peter Jackson fantasy."

5. Black Adam

Since this is the newest, this film has the most potential to slide up and down on this scale.  At this moment, I am still filled with good-feelings towards this film.  Dwayne Johnson makes the film incredibly watchable.  It is very similar in tone to the MCU style that we find in Aquaman, and the script could be smarter, but I see myself watching this film many more times in the future.  

In fact, I might go see it again in theaters before it leaves.

4. Wonder Woman

As super hero origin stories, this is one that was done right.  While it has familiar story beats to other films that have come before it, it feels epic and iconic.  I have seen so many comic book movies, but the No Man's Land scene might be one of my favorites of all time.  Wonder Woman is a fantastic hero whose strength and femininity, courage and innocence, are all wrapped together to make a great movie.

The third act villain falls apart a bit, but the movie still holds up.  When you compare it to the sequel, you can feel how this one holds up better.  All of this is held up by Gal Gadot's charisma.

3.  Zack Snyder's Justice League

This is one of the most satisfying super hero film experiences I have had.  After years, we finally were able to see Zack Snyder complete his vision, of which we only received glimpses before.  The result is a much improved story that fills out the characters, their relationships, and the performances, and this includes what we find with the villains.  This would be higher on the list if it felt like a finale.  Instead, Snyder ended his movie with an epilogue that looks too much into an uncertain cinematic future rather than into a "Happily Ever After."


2.  Man of Steel

There are so many moments in this movie that still give me chills.  People knock on the movie for Superman not being the pillar of optimism and hope that he normally is.  But that was one of the things I loved about the movie.  Superman has to rise above the cynicism of the age that he was also raised in.  He is called to be more, to rise above.  And he does.  Even though he stumbles, he rises.

1.  Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice

My love for this movie only grows and grows.  Zack Snyder fully committed to make a movie that used these iconic characters to explore deeper questions about life while still being focused on that iconography.  The movie, to my mind, is unappreciated genius.  And I am more convinced of this with each viewing.  One of the best things about Zack Snyder's Justice League is that you can see the trajectory of the characters, particularly Batman, over the course of the series.  With that, knowing that Batman v. Superman is the Dark Knight at his moral lowest, it is a pleasure to see him rise again to the hero he should be.

Thoughts?

Film Review: Wonka

 

Sexuality/Nudity Acceptable

Violence Acceptable

Vulgarity Acceptable

Anti-Catholic Philosophy Mature

I enjoy Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.  I think it has some truly interesting moments, particularly the amazing performance by Gene Wilder.  Having said that, I am not one who who is slavishly devoted to the film the way some are.  So when they announced a prequel movie, I was somewhat interested.

Wonka follows our hero Willy Wonka (Timothee Chalamet) as he comes to the big city to make his name as a magical chocolatier.  However he is met with several obstacles.  There is a monopoly of chocolate sellsers led by Slugworth (Patterson Joseph) who won't let Wonka sell his chocolate.  To make matters worse, Wonka is tricked into indentured servitude to Mrs. Scribitt (Olivia Coleman) where he toils away with other poor souls like the young girl Noodle (Calah Lane).  On top of this, there is a mysterious orange man (Hugh Grant) who keeps stealing his chocolate.  But through it all, Wonka has an indefatigable spirit and continues to dream of creating the greatest chocolate store the world has ever seen.

I will say that the best part of this movie is Chalamet.  I'm used to seeing him play serious and dour characters.  It was such a surprise and a delight to see him pop with charm and charisma.  He has all the liveliness of Harold Hill but without the cynicism.  Because of him, you buy into the happier world he sees, which cuts through the cynical fog.  He and Grant have such a great chemistry that it is a shame that they don't have more scenes with them.  

Director Paul King also has created a visually fun experience.  He makes the drabness of the ordinary world so tangibly dirty and dusty that when the color of Wonka's world bursts through, it feels like a treat.  

The rest of the performances are serviceable.  The performances are in the style of the "children's movie," where they characters are overly broad and showy.  It isn't to say that the actors do a bad job.  But it is a style of performance that isn't to my tastes.  Children should enjoy the cartoonish way the characters present themselves, but I found it just a touch grating.

Like the performances, the music is decent, but nothing memorable.  I think that if the film makers had taken just a little more time to develop the music, this movie could have been a much bigger hit.  The only original song I remember from Wonka  is one called "Scrub, Scrub."  And that song is just a process song that isn't very enjoyable.  Compare this to The Greatest Showman, where almost every single song in that film is outstanding.  Music is a shortcut to character and emotion.  With a better catalogue of songs, it could greatly increased its emotional impact.

The writing has an innocent charm.  There is a gag involving a telephone call that had me laughing out loud unexpectedly.  But there are some tender moments, including the backstory of Wonka and his mother (Sally Hawkins).  This creates the emotional backbone that holds most of the silliness together into a coherent story.

My biggest complaint of the film is that it strangely anti-clerical.  Rowan Atkinson plays a corrupt priest who is helping the villains.  In fact, the entrance to the lair is through the confessional.  Generally I would find this a mild annoyance.  But the fact that this movie is geared towards children made this more a problem.  As an adult, I am able to understand the sinfully human elements of God's ministers.  But it bothers me that a child might see this and associate elements of the faith with something wicked and corrupt.  This is especially the case because it seems so unnecessary.  It is true we also see corrupt police officers, but we also see heroic ones to root for.  This is not the case with the clergy in this film.

Wonka is a decent film and not a bad way to spend a couple of hours.  But like snacking on a candy bar, once it is over, very little of it is going to linger.