You Should Watch It - Continued...

Well, today I concluded my apparent independent-film-turned-mainstream-movie-of-2005 rentfest by watching Capote and Good Night, and Good Luck. So, to match my previous post about Junebug (which, perhaps, you should read first), I figure that I should at least say a few words about these films as well.

I watched Capote first. Certainly, the most impressive part of the film was Philip Seymour Hoffman's transformation into Truman Capote. In recent years, the Academy Awards have been generously awarded to actors and actresses that have undertaken such dramatic transformations, so it's not a surprise that Hoffman picked up an Oscar this year. And, it's well deserved. I completely forgot that I was watching Philip Seymour Hoffman, even more so than I forgot that I was watching Charlize Theron in Monster.

Alright, so the lead actor was amazing. What I also appreciated about the film was the study in individuals' motivations, played out most strongly between Capote and Perry Smith (one of the two murderers that were the subject of Capote's pinnacle work, In Cold Blood). Over the course of several years, as Capote interviews the imprisoned Smith, it becomes clear that each man is 1) attempting to use the other one (Capote using Smith in hopes of literary success, and Smith using Capote as a megaphone that will hopefully exonerate him), but also 2) developing a strong bond with the other one. It's quite similar to the isolation vs. community duality that I liked so much in Junebug. And, in the same way, it shows that--in its truest depiction--human existence is about both extremes. We are in it both for ourselves and for others. I could really babble more about that, but, anyway, it's another very good film.

And now, on to Good Night, and Good Luck. This film is well documented for having political overtones, undertones, and everything in between. And it does, of course. George Clooney, et al. wish to draw a comparison between Senator McCarthy's gratuitous use of fear to manipulate public opinion and the current administration's case for the war on terrorism. My thought is that if you're already inclined to draw that comparison, you'll buy it, and if you're not, you won't. For me, the key take-away is that no one should get a free ride through the court of public opinion. That's easier said than done, though, because a large portion of our nation is resigned to blindly accepting what one group or another says. What I dislike the most about our political system is that so many successful politicians (of all parties, I might add) seek to cultivate that kind of blind acceptance. Instead of encouraging people to think critically and truly make their own decisions, it seems like it's more about usurping those people's decisions and deciding for them. That's a shame.

Apart from the politics of Good Night, and Good Luck, the film was very successful in projecting the climate of fear and tension during the days of McCarthyism. I must admit, I'm not especially informed about the era. When it comes to our generation and 20th century history, it seems like we have a knowledge gap between WWII and Vietnam. That's another topic, though. Anyway, as I was saying, the tight cinematography, combined with that searing gaze of David Strathairn's Edward R. Murrow, pulls the audience into the tense atmosphere, which is so important to the success of film. After all, this was a film based on a true story that was already lived out on television. (The film even makes use of quite a bit of actual footage from the era.) So, without the personal connection of the audience to that fear and tension, the film would've just been a boring rehashing of the past. Definitely another good film.

Well, it would seem that I spent my afternoon solidly rooted in the late 50's / early 60's, didn't I? I have to say that I enjoyed it. And, just to keep things going, I think I'll fold my laundry while watching one of my favorite frivolous flicks, Down With Love. Sure, it's a trite little tale, but it's pretty fun...particularly for those who appreciate tongue-and-cheek innuendo. And that's certainly me. :) Alright, enough critiquing for now! Happy Watching!

You Should Watch It

If you were raised in the rural South, I hope you've seen Junebug. I just finished watching it, and it was a fantastic film. I was really amazed at how it perfectly captured the charm, the quirks, and the annoyances of small, Southern communities. Not only were the characters dead-on, but so was the location. I mean, for me, it looked like they filmed it right down the road from where I live.

In spite of that direct connection, though, I most loved how the film depicted the duality of people striving for both moments of isolation and moments of community. It said so much about how individuals use 1) times of isolation to be considerate to others, 2) times of isolation to be inconsiderate to others, 3) times of community to be considerate to others, and 4) times of community to be inconsiderate to others. I don’t know of many films that give adequate depiction of all four of those scenarios, but in real life, they certainly all happen. Anyway, it's the lushness of all these different situations that makes me suggest that all of you (even those not as familiar with the setting) rent the film.

I also appreciated that Junebug was more optimistic than pessimistic about the hearts of people. I don’t know about all of you, but I like giving mankind the benefit of the doubt. It disappoints me that the world we live in doesn’t configure its reward system that way. It rewards pragmatism, which would prefer that people bring a hefty level of skepticism into their relationships. But hey, I’m supposed to be talking about a movie! ;)

I rented Capote and Good Night, and Good Luck as well. We’ll see if I have something to say about them when I get around to watching them.

A Couple of Thoughts

Alef (#1)...

For Christians, Earth is such an insufficient place. And, by "place" I really mean "state of being," because it's not just about location. It's about everything in the Earthly realm being insufficient. Of course, the reason that fact is so clear is because we have the promise of Heaven, the perfect place to dwell, which certainly is exciting and phenomenal in the future context, but kinda makes the present a little lackluster. Who am I kidding...it makes Earth real crappy. Now, don't get me wrong, the Holy Spirit dwells amongst us on Earth, and that provides for genuine glimpses at God's love--glimpses that, in themselves, are absolutely wonderful; however, you have to admit that those wonderful moments are often no more than teasers. And, rightfully so, since we are all fallen creatures. We can't expect Heaven on Earth, because...well, this is Earth--not Heaven.

Anyway, all of that to say that Christians should expect to be frustrated. Well, let me rephrase: I do get frustrated; y'all can speak for yourselves. ;) No matter how great things are going, there's always something amiss, something lacking. For me, ever since moving back home, it's been about isolation, and those of you who have read my past posts know that topic creeps in now and then. But, even when that hasn't be the problem, there's been something else. Pick your void; there's always one there, and I'm guessing each of you has a constant void as well.

Right, so like I was saying, I get frustrated. The angst builds up, and I want to get mad. I want to have an explosive release of emotion, so it doesn't stay brewing inside. However, it rarely ever happens (I guess that's why some folks think of me as a pretty even-keeled fellow, whether it's true or not). Anyway, right before the explosion happens, I think about how blessed I am and, particularly at this time of year, how God's sacrifice so completely overshadows any semblance of sacrifice that I might pursue in my life, and I'm left with no sense of entitlement, no ability to claim anger in my situation.

Now, fear not; this post is not about patting myself on the back. Just because I've averted an emotional outburst, doesn't mean the angst gets dealt with. It just diminishes, maybe, until it comes to the forefront again. And, when it does, it's like having a baseball in my hand and wanting to throw it forcefully away. (Sports analogies aren't usually my thing, but for some reason, the notion of throwing something like a ball really came to mind most strongly. Go figure.)

Anyway, so I have the ball of emotions in my hand; here are my options. 1) Throw it. Have the emotional outburst. However, like I said before, I'm in no position to get upset over my lot in life. 2) Keep it. Ride out the storm for now. However, also like I said before, that doesn't really deal with the problem. And, then, that's when God steps in and points out Option 3. It's not anything new, nor is it anything radical. We all know what it is. 3) Release it. Just let it go. Instead of forcefully getting rid of that ball of emotion, just open your hand, and let it fall to the ground. It relieves you of the burden, while also preventing any collateral damage.

Do I know how to do that effectively? No.

My Prayer of the Moment: God, show me how to drop the ball.

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Bet (#2)...

Don't ask me why I decided to read Deuteronomy this afternoon. Hehehe, just reading that sentence is kinda funny. I mean, Deuteronomy? Random book, right? Especially on Easter, which is the most "New Testament" day of the whole year! Anyway, I did come across an interesting group of verses that I wanted to share.

Now, just as a preface, I never really like looking at snippets of scripture on their own, particularly ones from the Old Testament. It can be very easy to read them out of context and screw up the real intent of the passage; however, this one is a straightforward description of the heart of God. It can stand on its own. Moses is speaking to the Israelites prior to their entry into the Promised Land:

"The Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt." --Deuteronomy 10:17-19

The first thing that struck me about the passage was how New Testament-esque it sounded. It speaks of God's love for people beyond those of Israelite heritage, as well as the Israelites' responsibility to mirror that love. That's quite different from the majority of the Old Testament, which is fairly introspective toward the Israelite relationship with God.

The second thing that struck me relates to the interplay between love for people vs. politics/nationalism, which is quite timely, considering the current political issue regarding immigration. And, honestly, I'm not gonna go into detail about my political thoughts on the matter, mainly because they're not especially well-defined. :) Still, here's how I see the two situations paralleling:

1) Political regimes will make their own decisions regarding interactions with "alien" groups ("Alien," here is the Hebrew word "gare," meaning "sojourner/foreigner"). In OT times, people-groups were tribal and nomadic, and there was quite a bit of regional warring. One group was always conquering and enslaving another group. Today, in the U.S., our government is weighing what the best choice is regarding illegal immigration. There are perspectives ranging from amnesty to national guard deployment to barrier-building; who knows what the end result will be.

2) God's command is to love, regardless of the political situation. Through Moses in Deuteronomy, God made it very clear to the Israelites that they were to love foreigners, which parallels nicely with the New Testament's charge to the Church to love all peoples. The beauty of the whole situation today is that, no matter what our Government decides, our responsibility doesn't change. Our knowledge that people are suffering requires that we act in love...regardless of whether those people are on one side of the Rio Grande, or the other.