Movie Review: Bridge to Terabithia

An old proverb says a rich man has many friends. Friendship is definately the overriding theme in this movie. Based off the book by Katherine Patterson, Disney and Walden Media have given us the tear jerker of the year. When you watch this movie make sure you have a box of kleenexes.

While friendship is by far an overriding theme in the movie there are several underriding themes in the film. One being the use of imagination. Having worked with kids for the last ten years of my life their imagination never ceases to amaze me. I often wish I could have just such an imagination. Something else that came out in the film was how much reality can kill your imagination. I was struck with how much Jesse Aarons, played by Josh Hutcherson, really began to embrace the new world being opened up to him by Leslie Burke, played by AnnaSophia Robb. Two kids, both outcasts strike up an unusual friendship that can literally create new worlds. This is the power of a young imagination.

Another thing that came out during the movie is a discussion between Jess, May Belle (Jess's little sister) and Leslie. "You gotta believe the Bible Leslie, God'll damn everybody to hell if you don't believe the Bible." "How could a God who created all this damn everybody to hell?" I believe Leslie hit the nail on the head so without giving my own dissertation on the meaning, I will let you, my reader, to chew on the meaning, the full meaning and implication, of those words.

Along with good friends in this film you also have bullies. You know the type. The ones that stole your twinkie, rubbed gum in your hair, spit in your face over all made your life hell. Jess has those too, her name is Janice Avery, played by Lauren Clinton. As children you were told to not mind the bullies because bullies are just cowards. This comes out in the film and at several points in the film Jess nearly overcomes his fear of the two eight grade boys that torment him, and his fear of Janice, only to find himself cowaring in the corner. It is only whe Jess faces his fears in his imaginary world that he is able to overcome his fears in reality and maybe even become friends.

Overall a very powerful film. However, this movie is definately on the list of "watch only if you want to cry." I don't normally cry during movies, my eyes were misting on the way out of this film.

Christians and the Lost Art of Being Open Minded

It seems a lot of Christians have a problem, the lack of an open mind. So why is this a problem? It's a problem because for many non-Christians this is the number one thing that turns them off to Christianity. Christians who lack an open mind have made Christianity into a religion of dos and don'ts. These things you can have these things you can't have, these things you can do these things you can't do. This isn't the Christianity I have come to embrace. This is not what Christianity is all about. Christians who lack an open mind are missing out.
For most of the early years of my life I fit into the narrow minded Christian stereotype. If I still felt this way I wouldn't do have of what I am doing now. I would not be Ballroom Dancing, playing Dungeons and Dragons, and in general have non-Christian friends. This is why I am saying Christians who live in the Christian bubble are missing out.
Granted there are somethings in the world that are damaging not only to one's spiritual life, but also to one's health. I am not saying to run into everything the world has to offer with open arms. What I am saying is, it can't hurt to keep an open mind about the things the world offer that can be good and beneficial to us. Remember, the world was created by God. Once upon a time the world was good. Granted Adam and Eve screwed that up for the rest of us, but that doesn't mean we need to go around the world with spiritual gas masks. It simply means we need to be careful about what is in the world.
As Christians we are called to be IN the world but not OF the world. Many Christians are not even in the world. They are part of their own subculture. This is wrong, and it is not what we are called to do. True we are also called to be set apart, but there is a big difference between being set apart and being completely apart and so wrapped up in Christianity we fail to recognize the other members of the world even exist. And so, people like me, who are too liberal for Christians and too conservative for non-Christians are left trying to figure out to which group they belong. Is there ever a point at which you can be neither Conservative nor liberal?

The Art of Speaking Christianese

There have been a few times in my life when I've run into people who, whenever they open their mouths I cringe. They think they have it all figured out. All you have to do is pray more, be in the word more, fellowship with other believers more. To these kinds of people Christianity is a religion about more, doing something more, and then making it sound good. "Well, all you have to do is go to your knees." While these things may be true, when you're in a group of Christians, it's preaching to the choir. These kinds of people are only talking to hear themselves talk. Most of the time, these people are hypocrites. When these people open their mouths, my brain turns off. You know the type, they speak a lot christianese.
I have no problems with making your faith known, however there is a big difference between making your faith known, and beating someone over the head with it. People who preach, need to save it for the pulpit. I'm sorry to be so harsh, but I've seen a lot of people who preach and most of the time they have a holier than thou attitude and can't live up to their own standards. I guess what I'm trying to say is two fold. First, think before you speak, it could go miles. Second, Christianity is not a religion of more, it is a religion of faith. We know that, I'm not sure we need to have it beaten over our heads.

Movie Review: 300

Freedom, Valor, Honor. These three things define the Spartans, any Spartan would gladly give his life for anyone of these three qualities. According to legend, this is what happened at Thermopylae. I won't give the battle completely away as the history behind the legend is basically the plot of the movie. However, a brief synopisis can be given thus; in 480 BC, or there abouts, Persian armies, thinking themselves immortal wished to bring Sparta under their tyrantial rule thus enslaving Sparta's people and forcing Sparta's king, Leonidas to bow to Xerxes. Not happening, Leonidas basically throws it into Xerxes' face.

Now, set aside for a moment the fact the movie was based on a Frank Miller graphic novel and the fact that it came from the makers of Sin City. Also set aside the fact the violence made We Were Soldiers and Saving Private Ryan look like a walk in the park and the gratuitous sex was completely unnecessary. Setting aside all those issues, the movie was worth seeing because it deals with a number of different issues and the rhetoric within the film is outstanding.

The first issue to approach the viewer in the movie is the issue of the status of women. It become obvious from the beginning that Leonidas loves his queen very much, and values her opinion equally as much regardless of the opinions of others. This comes particularly in two scenes. One in which the king throws the messengers of king Xexeres into a pit for insulting his queen and threatening to enslave Sparta. The other scene is toward the end of the movie, unfortunately I cannot give this portion away as I will be revealing part of the plot.

A second issue that is dealt with is the issue of deformed humans. In Sparta a deformed baby would have been discarded as they would likely not be fit to fight. At one point a deformed man whose parents couldn't stand to see him discarded. This man is severely deformend and Leonidas is kind and compassionate to him, but does not give what he wants telling him that a weak leak within the system will destroy the whole system. Unfortunately the deformed man does not take it very well.

The third issues are actually four fold, honor, glory, victory, and freedom. As metnioned the movie is placed in a must see category simply for it's rhetoric on freedom. What is freedom? Why are we free? What does it mean to be free? These are all questions asked within the film. Perhaps these are questions we should be asking ourselves today. "The price of freedom is very high, it is the price of blood." - Queen of Sparta.

Couples Only

"This one's for all the couples out there,
that should be everyone here!"
The DJ called.
Couples only,
singles out.

"No it's not everyone!"
cried my soul.
Couples only,
singles out.

Walking around the room
bright flashes
capture smiles
on the faces
couples only,
singles out.

Two hearts glowing,
One heart dimming.
Couples only,
Singles out.

Two hearts hopeful,
one heart quickly
loses all hope.
Couples only,
Singles out.

Here, have a date.
Reality? He's just
another single,
who could
have been
couples only,
singles out.

O, brother,
where art thou?
My ready made date.
At least then
I might
have had
someone.
Couples only,
Singles out.

Never assume,
the whole world
is coupled,
with someone else.
All it achieves,
is couples only,
singles out.

The Fine Line

I'm talking about girls here for the moment, but guys your input here would be much appreciated as well. I am currently extremely frustrated with the love game. It seems to me, and guys correct me if I'm wrong, that the whole deal is slightly easier for guys, if you like a girl you ask her out, if not you move on. For a girl, it's what I like to call the donkey syndrome. If you jump high enough, and long enough, and be sure to yell "pick me, pick me' over and over the guy may actually turn around and decide to notice you.
However if a girl likes a guy it is somehow not socially acceptable to walk right up and tell him so. So at what point is a girl supposed to make herself known to the guy, and at what point is she throwing herself at the guy? No girl wants to throw herself at a guy, that's just not a good situation, but I don't know if any girl wants to sit around and wait for some guy to notice her anyway. I'm just not sure at what point it gets less frustrating for women. Perhaps this is because I come from the old school of thinking that it ought to be the guy's responsibility to ask a girl out, but I'm not willing to budge on this one. So with that said, what's a girl to do?