Category: Pop. Culture & the Arts

What’s Britney up to? Is Paris really back in jail? Tom Cruise did what?!? Find Christian responses to the every-day hoop-la of the Pop Culture scene.

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Pop. Culture & the Arts

Higher Movies: Beowulf

By Nathan Fischer

When I first heard that the movie Beowulf was coming out (and in 3D, no less), I was absolutely thrilled. The poem is a classic, one of my favorites, and I just couldn’t wait to see how it turned out on the big screen. I must say, I was not disappointed. Though adhering more loosely to the poem than many might like, the movie still has much going for it: some incredibly awesome action scenes, the best CGI animation to date, and the acting wasn’t half bad, either. It also had a great story, a very human story, which I will get to in just a minute.

One thing I should say up front is that I’m not sure how Beowulf got away with a PG-13 rating, so don’t let that fool you. I think it should be rated R. It has more gross violence and bloodshed than my Mature rated video games, not to mention some backend nudity and a CGI copy of Angelina Jolie with some very… strategically placed gold markings. This movie’s probably not one for the younger kiddos to enjoy.

Another disappointing thing to note about the movie is that the writers and directors included some snide remarks about Christianity in it, and our Lord Christ most specifically. The comments were completely unnecessary, and they certainly were not in the poem. I’m sure such remarks were probably made around that time period by the local heathens as the Church was pushing further to the north, but regardless of historical accuracy or not, it is something to be aware of (especially considering that in every other respect, this movie is as far from historically accurate as one can get).

All of that said, there is much that is excellent about Beowulf, and despite its little jabs at Christianity here and there, it contains some very Biblical themes. The biggest theme I saw in the film was Beowulf’s move from seeking glorification to seeking sacrifice.

Beowulf himself begins as a young hero, capable of extra-human feats of strength. He is very sure of himself, cocky and arrogant. He also seeks nothing but self-glorification. To quote him: “I am the ripper, the terror, the slasher. I am the teeth in the darkness! The talons in the night! My name is strength! And lust! And power! I am Beowulf!”

In the end, though, it is this self-glorification that is his downfall. When the demon who was Grendel’s mother offers Beowulf even more power, more glory, more fame, he succumbs to the temptation. At this point, he becomes a liar and a thief. He gives the demon a son, and this forever haunts him.

The movie would be a tragedy, except that Beowulf “finds redemption” (if I may use that phrase) in sacrifice. When his kingdom is threatened by the very son that he had with the demon, he knows that he cannot think about himself any longer. He must ride out and face the dragon himself. He does not do it for glory or fame. He does it for his people. He knows that he most likely will not survive, but that is okay. He will perform a very Christian act, to sacrifice himself so that his people may live.

I won’t tell you how it all turns out, but the theme is there, and it stands in stark contrast to his younger self. What he is known most for is the sacrifice he gave for the people – not his other deeds that meant so much to himself. He is transformed from hero to savior.

Now, I’m not comparing Beowulf to Christ, I’m not saying Beowulf is a Christian. He certainly wasn’t. More than that, though, I think Beowulf is a very real person, and he exemplifies the way in which God works in our own lives. When we hold ourselves up with pride and arrogance, it is quite likely that God may allow us to be knocked into the mud and dirtied up a bit. Our Father will use our own sin and our transgressions to break us, so that we might turn to His Son, the one who sacrificed Himself for us. It is for our own good that we feel this guilt and pain – even though we cannot see it at the time.

Of course, in Beowulf’s case, this meant not a turning to Christ’s sacrifice, but sacrificing himself and putting the neighbor first – which is a Christian theme, as it is something we, as Christians, are called to do each and every day. We are not to revel in our own self-glorification, but rather to lay down our lives in service for our neighbor.

So if you’re looking for a good, action packed movie with beautiful animation, I heartily suggest Beowulf for you older teenagers and adults out there. It may not be as thematically deep as the poem, but it certainly is worth seeing on the big screen – especially if you can get to a theater that has it in 3D.

 

Nathan Fischer is a graduate of Concordia University – Wisconsin and a first-year student at Concordia Theological Seminary – Fort Wayne.  Among other interests, he and his wife Katie enjoy watching movies, playing video games, and comparing and contrasting them with our faith.

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Pop. Culture & the Arts

“Pushing Daisies” Or Pushing Beliefs?

by Kimberly Grams

I had a rule. But then Rev. Heinz asked if I had seen “Pushing Daisies” and was interested in the subject of the “afterlife” on TV. My rule? No new shows until the cancellation carnage is over! A show premieres. I watch it. I like it. Then it’s cancelled, leaving me hanging and I feel like I wasted my time. Or, if it’s on Fox, the itchy-trigger-finger-network, there’s two months of commercials for the show, followed by two actual episodes, and then it’s yanked. I’ve been burned once too often.  If it “sticks”, I check it out during summer reruns. But, for myHT I’m ready to set that rule aside.

I caught episode 3 of “Pushing Daisies” and the premise is simple. The main character, Ned, a.k.a. the “Pie Maker,” has the ability to touch a dead person and bring them back to life. The catch? If he doesn’t touch them a second time within sixty seconds, another person will die instead. That person could be anyone within the vicinity. The Pie Maker doesn’t control that factor. He touches murder victims to find out who killed them, and then puts them “back under”.  He and a PI friend collect the reward money.

Plot twist: He used his power to bring back childhood sweetheart, Chuck (for Charlotte), and this is the episode where she finds out that someone else died in her place. (It turns out to be a crooked, grave-robbing funeral director, so no one feels too bad). Oh yeah, and he can’t touch her ever again, or she’ll be re-dead. There’s a lot of comedy coming from the whole one-minute thing. In one hilarious scene, the Pie Maker is trying to get answers from a dead person when the lid of the coffin closes and gets stuck. The PI, who was with Ned, runs away willy-nilly, so as not to not be in proximity – in case the Pie Maker misses the one-minute deadline.

Interesting premise, but what makes the show fun for me is its tone. It’s funny, quirky – almost Tim Burton-esque, but not as dark. There are lots of interesting characters – some recurring, some for that episode, and some for just one scene. A narrator ties the interplay between these characters together. The setting seems to be from a bygone era – I’ve seen elements (fashion, cars, décor) that remind me of the 1940’s through the ‘60’s, but nothing specifically defines the time period. It has really snappy dialogue and the humor is very tongue-in-cheek. It’s a smart show that doesn’t take itself too seriously. From an entertainment standpoint, it was good enough for me to watch another episode and add it to my DVR.

But from a Christian standpoint, could this premise be a problem? Let’s discount my friends who are non-Christian (and yes, I do have some). Among my Christian and even LCMS friends, it’s amazing what ideas people have from stuff that was made up for TV and movies. Think about it.  There are tons of shows where the worldview doesn’t jive with what’s Biblically true. “Touched By An Angel”, “Joan of Arcadia”, “Highway to Heaven”, “Ghost Whisperer” are some recent (or not so recent) examples.  I usually avoid these shows, finding them boring, melodramatic, or annoying (because of the hit/miss views on the afterlife). But, a lot of Christians DO watch shows like this, because they are mostly non-violent and wholesome. But how much of TV Pop Culture creeps into one’s belief system?

Example: One of my favorite movies, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” skews our perception of the afterlife.  It’s a holiday classic, but let’s be clear – angels are creatures that God created SEPARATE from people. Angels are NOT your dead relatives. Take a poll. Do you know how many people believe this? More than you think. My Dad died and he is in heaven with Jesus. He’s not floating around waiting to get his wings. When a bell rings, it’s just a bell. Lots of people have weird, mixed up things that they believe about angels (and many afterlife issues).  Just on the angel issue alone, many people have no idea what is from the Bible and what they learned from another source, like TV. When I hear a bell and some Christian says, “Oh, an angel just got their wings,” I really want to smack them.
(See our Catechesis article St. Michael and All Angels and Higher Homily Let Your Holy Angel Be With Me. –Editor)

But back to “Pushing Daisies.” If someone really had the power to touch people and make them not dead (and they weren’t Jesus), where would that power come from? The devil has power too, and his demons are always ready to trick us. There’s a heaven and there’s a hell and we’re all going to one or the other when we die. Only those who believe in Christ, and Him crucified are going up. Who’d have thought TV shows could be so dangerous? They can be, if you let them influence what you believe.

But we’re smart. We know the difference. We can watch whatever we want as long as we understand the difference. But what about the ones who DON’T get the difference, who are letting their TV get mixed in with their beliefs? Hmm. Maybe that’s a good place to start a conversation about the Gospel and our Lord Jesus. Like this show, I bet it will be interesting.

My rating for “Pushing Daisies”: entertainment value, A; worldview, F.

Kim Grams is a writer and pastor’s wife who lives in Scottsbluff, NE. She is myHT’s regular columnist for Pop Culture & the Arts.

 

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Hey readers!  Post your comments.  What new shows are you watching?  What shows do you want to hear about in Pop Culture?  Have you watched “Pushing Daisies”?  What do you think about the show?  What do you think about Pop Culture images of death and the afterlife that are pervading people’s beliefs?

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Pop. Culture & the Arts

Higher Movies: Vocation in Westerns: High Noon and 3:10 to Yuma

by the Rev. Charles Lehmann

It wasn’t until just a few years ago that I saw “High Noon.” I’d heard that it was one of the greatest westerns of all time, but I wasn’t that interested in seeing it. Old movies take a certain kind of mindset to enjoy. Many of them move too slowly for me to appreciate. But sometimes, even a slow-moving film can grab me.

“High Noon” did. It’s still the best western I’ve ever seen. It is well acted, well written, and has an incredibly complex story.

Will Kane, played by Gary Cooper, is a marshal who is retiring. He’s old, and he has arthritis in his shooting hand. He’s just married a Quaker woman who’s made him promise to put away his guns forever because she’s a pacifist.

He intends to do so. But just after the wedding he learns that Frank Miller, a killer that Kane sent to the gallows, has been pardoned. He’s on the noon train. He’s coming back to town to seek vengeance against Kane and the entire town.

Kane is intent on keeping his word to his wife and leaves town with her, but he’s struck with a crisis of conscience. He believes that Miller is his responsibility, and he needs to see to it that the town is defended. He goes back to town, takes up his star again, and tries to find deputies to help him defend the town against Miller and his gang.

The town is filled with cowards. No one is willing to help defend the town. Kane gets ready to face Miller’s gang alone.

The movie is filled with tension. You don’t have a single moment of peace once Kane takes up the tin star again. He is the only one who feels any sense of responsibility. He is the only one willing to risk his life to serve his neighbor.

Having been abandoned, Kane faces the gang and is able to kill two of them. When a third gunuman is about to kill him, his pacifist wife kills the gunman. She is taken hostage by Miller, but manages to free herself allowing Kane to finish Miller off.

At this point the townspeople come out of hiding, the threat gone. Kane stares at them in contempt, throws down the tin star, and walks away with his wife.

Some of the theological themes are obvious. Service to neighbor at the risk of self is the obvious one. But there’s also the relationship between Kane and his wife. Should she have forced on him the vow? No. Once he took it should he have obeyed it? Yes. Would it have been wrong for him to let the town suffer under Miller’s gang? Yes. There are no easy answers. But Kane does what his conscience demands. He sacrifices his reputation with his wife to serve ungrateful, uncaring, and cowardly neighbors. The image is a touch Christological.

“3:10 to Yuma” shares some of the same themes. I’m not going to go into quite so much detail so that if you want to go to the movie while it’s in the theatres you can still enjoy it.

A word of warning. This is a bloody film with a bit of vulgar language and a few questionable scenes. I would not recommend junior high students see it at all. I would only recommend it for a high school student if their parents have first seen and approved it. For the college viewer, be discerning. If you think you can handle it, there are some things that can be learned from it and it can be good fodder for discussion, but don’t go to it blind, not expecting some things that will make you uncomfortable.

3:10 explores many of the same themes as “High Noon.” It is primarily the story of a father, Dan, played by Christian Bale, who finds himself and his family in a completely unmanageable situation. He also has a physical challenge that makes it even more difficult for him to cope with the problems he faces… he lost part of one leg in the Civil War.

He manages to negotiate a $200 fee to help transport the criminal Ben Wade, played by Russell Crowe, to Contention, Arizona to catch the 3:10 train to Yuma prison. Throughout the experience he is faced over and over with challenges. His devotion to his family is challenged. His principles are challenged. And his ability to physically face the task is challenged. He is abandoned by those who are supposed to be helping him, and he finds himself much like Kane in High Noon, facing the final moments alone.

3:10 and High Noon share a very honest and complex look at vocation. What do you do when the whole world is against you? What do you do when service to neighbor puts your life in very grave risk? When you are offered an easier way, how do you handle it?

At its best, film can help us consider these questions. They can provide entrees back into the Scriptures so that we can discuss those things that are most real, Christ and his gifts to us.

 

The Rev. Charles Lehmann is Assistant Pastor for Youth and Education at Peace With Christ Lutheran Church, Fort Collins, Colorado.

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Pop. Culture & the Arts

Hell’s Kitchen or Heaven’s Table?

by The Rev. Rich Heinz

Yes, I watched it. Should I have viewed it? The jury’s still out on that one. What was the controversial television show? Hell’s Kitchen.

Chef Gordon Ramsay, as potty-mouthed as they comewhose potty mouth makes Simon Cowell look like a cuddly teddy bear, hosts this reality show in which someone is eliminated each week. Would-be chefs of varying talent and training are contending to be the champion, thus becoming who will be made the head chef of the Green Valley Ranch Resort in Las Vegas.

Entertaining? Yes. Disturbing? That too! Chef Ramsay yells obscenities from the opening shot to the closing credits. And even though they are “bleeped” out, it is rather obvious what he is screaming. Sure, some of it is just “for show” to draw in the ratings, but that does not excuse this behavior. The chef seems to be swearing like a Marine drill sergeant at boot camp, not like the preparer of gourmet cuisine. Yet somehow, I am drawn into the program, and find myself sifting through the bad behavior to see the and actually seeing good things that develops.

You are drawn into the competition as you begin thinking, “She deserved to be fired,” “He had a real attitude, and needed to be put in his place,” “She was too sweet to be yelled at like that!”

However, if you watched the program, you would also see a caring side of the Chef Ramsay, under that horrid exterior. There were some competitors that who deserved to be cast out of the kitchen, but were shown grace and mercy, remaining in the competition. There were times when the yelling was really to urge an increase of passion for their work, and to inspire the chefsation to show the Chef Ramsay that they really could do better. Julia, a cook from a pancake house, truly experienced this. The third-last contestant, she so impressed Chef Ramsay to the point that he offered to pay her way through culinary school. Unlike hell, there are some glimpses of grace in the midst of bleeped-out profanity.

Hell’s Kitchen seems to preview its namesake in the intense serving situations, the put-downs, and the dashing of all but one person’s hopes. A number of contestants appear to break under the pressure. Yet from this hell, there is a reprieve and those who hear, “GET OUT OF MY KITCHEN!” get to go home.

I found myself thinking, “Infinitely more blessed are we that we do not experience Hell’s Kitchen, but rather Heaven’s Table! Week after week, we are blessed by our dear Lord. He prepares food for body and soul that is superior to any risotto, crab cakes, or beef Wellington that we will ever eat on this earth! He prepares a table that will have a greater impact on us than any exquisite restaurant on us.

At Heaven’s Table you are fed the Bread of Life in , the Body of Christ. You drink the “finest of wines” (Isaiah 25) in , the Blood of Our Savior. And while it would be amazing and fulfilling to have that happen even once in our lifetimes, we have the extreme joy of receiving Jesus every Lord’s Day! We feast at Heaven’s Table every time we gather before Christ’s altar!

Here, there is no chef yelling at you to get out of the kitchen. On the contrary, our Lord sends His server, your pastor, to gently bid you to come and dine on the best meal you will ever taste! Here you are not cursed by the foul-mouthed chef, but blessed by the divine mouth that speaks through His server: “Take eat, this is My Body. Take drink, this is My Blood, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins.”

Hell’s Kitchen is not a show for just anyone. The viewer has to sift the good out of the nasty language and bad attitudes. On the other hand, Heaven’s Table is for all baptized and catechized Christians in communion with one another, gathered in their congregations around His Holy Gifts. Chef Ramsay may offend many with good reason. Jesus Christ may offend many, due to the scandal of His suffering and dying FOR YOU! In the end, it doesn’t matter if you watch Hell’s Kitchen. But it is vital that you gather for the great feast of Heaven’s Table. Here is the ultimate in fine dining that will delight you for eternity!

 

The Rev. Rich Heinz is senior pastor of St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church & School in Lanesville, IN, and editor of myHT. He and his wife Kristi have been slowly drawn into watching more reality TV this year.

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Pop. Culture & the Arts

D’OH!: The Simpsons Jump the Shark

by The Rev. Charles Lehmann

Full frontal Bart. I doubt that anyone really wanted to see that. Homer giving the double bird. Yup, really necessary. The Simpsons Movie is out, and it’s earned it’s PG-13 rating honestly and with very little to show for it.

I’ve been a Simpsons fan for longer than some myHT readers have been alive. The movie could have been a culmination of much of the intelligent, witty humor that has been the staple of the series since day one.

It wasn’t. Most enduring from the film in my memory will be Homer’s theological pronouncements as he enters church. While loudly confessing his own atheism, Homer simultaneously mocks anyone who would take religious belief seriously. This is very different from the mild mocking of religion that takes place occurs in the series. It can nearly always be taken interpreted as the writers poking fun at those aspects of popular religion that are worthy of ridicule: unthinking zealotry, corrupt clergy, commercialization of the church, even the theology of ex opera operato.

The movie takes the mockery up a notch. The screenplay for much of the film could have been written by Sam Harris or any other representative of the “New Atheism.” The Simpsons Movie leaves no room for the existence of a thoughtful, confessional Christianity.

On every level, at every opportunity, The Simpsons Movie begins with the subtle humor of the series and takes it to an obscene extreme. The humor of the Simpsons series is funny because it is intelligent and pushes the envelope a bit. I appreciate it for its restraint and its satirical savvy. The movie is neither subtle nor restrained nor savvy. It doesn’t push the envelope; it shreds the envelope. It doesn’t show intelligence. It shows reckless disregard for good taste.

If these were the only disappointments of the film, I might be able to stomach it. Unfortunately, the movie fails to pay off in the ways that a feature- length version of a television show really has tomust. Sideshow Bob is totally absent. Apu is largely ignored. Some characters that are included are diminished by their inclusion.

Otto’s one scene shows him smoking a bong in the bus, oblivious to the peril that Springfield is in. The suggestion that he was a drug addict was an important feature of the show. Confirming it destroys the mystery and diminishes his character. One will never be able to view Otto in the same way again.

One bright spot is the relationship established in the film between Bart and Flanders. Unfortunately, it serves two purposes. First, it shows what the relationship between a father and a son should properly be. Second, it makes it difficult to respect Homer by comparison.

Marge reinforces the negative impression of Homer when she records a “Dear, John” letter over their only copy of their marriage video. She’s had it, and one gets the impression that she should have abandoned Homer long ago for the good of her family. Such a pro-divorce message is problematic even when it seems justified.

The Simpsons Movie does a good job of pushing the franchise over the edge of the cliff. Everyone’s favorite family has jumped the shark, and if the fish is worthy of its name, it can already smell the blood in the water.

 

Rev. Charles Lehmann, Assistant Pastor for Youth and Education at Peace With Christ Lutheran Church in Fort Collins, CO.

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Pop. Culture & the Arts

Higher Movies: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

by The Rev. Matthew Ruesch

During most summers the release of a new Harry Potter movie would cause Potter fans to get very excited. With Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix opening in theaters just ten days before the release of the final book, Deathly Hallows, it would be easy to relegate the movie to the back burner. I would still recommend taking the time to see the movie, if for no other reason than to start priming your minds for Deathly Hallows. Order of the Phoenix diverges from the book quite a bit more than its four predecessor movies, yet still maintains an adequate degree of faithfulness to the original. Significant editing should be expected when 800+ pages is compressed into 2 hours and 25 minutes. And unlike the first four movies, there is very little comic relief. The mood is dark and sad, but it serves to highlight the times witches and wizards are living within, once “You-Know-Who” has returned.

“Year 5” of the Potter series finds Harry struggling against the public’s refusal to accept his claims of Voldemort’s return, at the same time that he struggles with the personal connection he and the dark wizard had forged between them when he was only a year old. His godfather, Sirius Black, poignantly reminds him, “The world isn’t divided into good people and Death Eaters (Voldemort’s followers),” but that there is “light and dark” within each of us. Harry’s internal struggle is actually reminiscent of the “saint and sinner” battle that a Christian faces in her own earthly life. Just as Satan seeks to bend us towards his will through our Old Adam, Harry must deal with Voldemort’s attempts to steer him towards his own selfish will.

Despite the number of renowned British actors appearing in Order of the Phoenix, the acting from the younger actors seems awkward at times. Dan Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint seem up to task as Harry, Hermione, and Ron — but many of the other characters seem forced. And of course, the debate continues as to whether Michael Gambon even read the books before taking on the role of Albus Dumbledore. The calm, collected Dumbledore of the books appears gruff and harsh in the movie version. Fans will especially enjoy the fireworks scene involving Ron’s brothers, Fred and George — especially after all the torment students have endured at the hands of Dolores Umbridge. Imelda Staunton plays the Ministry of Magic plant on the Hogwarts faculty to perfection. You’ll find she’s just as nasty and toxic as her print counterpart!

Perhaps the most enjoyable on-screen addition to the story is Luna Lovegood, played by Evanna Lynch. Her character comes across even more airy and peculiar than in the book. In addition, she provides what I see as the key line of the movie. To a grieving Harry she remarks, “Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end.” How true for us as Christians! The perfect image of God lost during the fall comes back to each of us at the end of time when our Lord Jesus returns in glory. When we grieve the loss of loved ones in death, we look with joy and hope to the resurrection when “death is swallowed up in victory.” (Isaiah 25:8, 1 Corinthians 15:54)

We still have one more book and two more movies to find out how those whom Harry has lost will come back to him. That’s an important reminder for Christians as well. Often Christians make the honest mistake of saying that we look forward to dying and “going to heaven.” That’s only part of the story! The end doesn’t come when we die. The end comes when our Lord comes on the clouds with the sound of the trumpet! The writers of the New Testament placed their hope in the return of Christ and the resurrection of the dead (Especially see Paul in Philippians 3). On that glorious day, what you and I have lost will come back to us as well!

The Rev. Matthew Ruesch is pastor of Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church, Garrison, MN, and a recent attendee of FOR YOU in Minneapolis, MN.

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Pop. Culture & the Arts

Higher Movies: Evan Almighty

by Sandra Ostapowich

Did you know that the story of Noah in the Bible is really a love story? A story about people loving each other, believing in each other, working together – side by side, two by two, in pairs, families. It’s true! God said it. Well, Morgan Freeman said it and he’s played God in TWO movies, so it must be at least kinda true. And the ark wasn’t really a ginormous boat floating in a a worldwide flood or anything like that. It was about Noah’s A.R.K. – his Acts of Random Kindness to the critters and people on the boat. Ain’t that precious? If you haven’t been to church in a few years and can’t remember the last time you opened a Bible but vaguely remember a story about Noah – that sounds pretty good, right?

In the wake of the success from its predecessor movie, Bruce Almighty, the writers of Evan Almighty, decided to go for a sequel and actually market it to Christians as a family movie this time. This time, the main character, Evan Baxter (Steve Carrell, also a TV news anchor) has just been elected to the U.S. Congress on the campaign slogan that he will “Change the World!” Evan and his wife, Joan (of Ark, ha ha – get it?) and their three sons move to the outskirts of Washington D.C. to a new and elite housing community in a beautiful Virginia valley.

Well, first, some cliché things start happening around the house. Pairs of critters show up in his yard and follow him around. The cryptic combination of “GEN 6:13” starts pops up all over the place in the movie, clocks, alarms, license plates…). A strange crate full of Old Testament-looking carpentry tools from Alpha Omega Hardware is mysteriously delivered to the front door. A huge pallet of wood is dropped off in his driveway by Go-4-Wood…

That’s where he meets God. Literally. God shows up at his house. Evan wants to change the world, so God picks him to build an ark. You know…like Noah. A flood is coming and he needs to get ready, like Genesis 6:13 says: “And God said to Noah, ‘I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.’” I’m really not sure what this verse has to do with anything in the movie though.

Reluctantly, Evan agrees to the task. And the strange stuff continues. Pairs of animals follow him everywhere, birds of all sizes and shapes fly in any open window of the House of Representatives (which apparently is not air-conditioned) to perch on every horizontal surface on or near Evan. His hair, which we know from Carell’s previous stint in 40-Year-Old Virgin is already abundant, really starts to grow like mad. He starts working on the ark. It’s not too bad – God sent a kit.

But this whole ark-building thing is starting to interfere with his job.

Yes, everyone’s noticing that something’s different with Evan. Joan thinks he’s going through a mid-life crisis and leaves with the kids. His staff at the House think he’s gone completely wackadoo. Rita, Evan’s assistant, played by Wanda Sykes, is a master of the obvious and says what everyone’s thinking. But then again, she just makes me laugh in general.

Right on the first day in office, Evan was hand-picked by the uber-powerful senior Congressman Long to help him push through a bill that would allow corporations to build on national park land. It’s a huge honor and opportunity for a brand-spankin’ new Congressman like Evan to get such a nod and begin his political ladder-climbing. His ambition and eager staff urge him to sign on to support the bill despite any moral misgivings. However, Long is hardly impressed by Evan’s antics and the fame it’s drawing.

But that’s not such a big deal once his wild hair and ZZ-Top beard turns stark white and he starts walking around in homespun robes and sandals.

Meanwhile, Joan and the boys stop at a diner where God is their waiter. (This is where the theology gets halfway decent – but only halfway, mind you.) Of course, God isn’t just any waiter, he’s been listening to Joan’s prayers. While not particularly religious, before the family left for their new life, Joan prayed that they all would be brought closer together. God tells her that those kinds of prayers aren’t answered by just suddenly making the family best buds, but by giving them opportunities to grow closer, like common projects, working together, teamwork.

So Joan and the boys take waiter-God’s words to heart and return home to work on bringing their family closer together by helping dad (and a whole bunch of critters) build that crazy ark. Of course, their homecoming is followed by the musical montage featuring side-splitting construction site antics involving monkeys and llamas and elephants, oh my!

Finally, the ark is finished and the animals are even loaded into their specialized compartments. With news crews and police watching, Evan waits for the promised flood. All the publicity has made Congressman Long rather annoyed, and he shows up with a demolition crew to take down the ark due to zoning violations.

Just moments before the ark is taken out by the wrecking ball, we learn the truth about the whole situation with the Congressman Long’s bill and the demo crew. Long and his capitalist-pig buddies actually got a cut of the profits for the new housing development where Evan’s family lives. The valley was actually a river valley and Long’s buddies cut corners when building the dam holding back the river and…oh did I spoil the complex and suspense-riddled plot of the movie? So sorry.

SOMEHOW Evan’s ark “magically” sails through the valley on otherwise unseen waters that just appear out of nowhere, straight into downtown Washington D.C., up the National Mall and coming to a stop right against the Capitol building. Long is exposed as the capitalist monster he is and Evan vindicated and the river valley has been restored to its original pristine natural state. I guess we’re supposed to ignore that an entire housing development is under water.

I’m not sure what I was hoping for, this is Hollywood after all. But I certainly wasn’t expecting the environmentalist diatribe. I’m very happy that all the wood from the ark was donated to Habitat for Humanity and that this was the first movie to leave no environmental “footprint” behind from their sets on site. It’s very nice that people have been encouraged to their own Acts of Random Kindness. However, I go to a movie to be entertained, laugh a bit, maybe even think a little. None of that happened in Evan Almighty. Instead, I got a socio-political sermon in movie form, complete with lame jokes. I guess in this day and age when sermons have to entertain and entertainment preaches I shouldn’t be surprised. But I’m still disappointed. Wait to rent this one. And think twice before doing that.

 

Sandra Ostapowich is Board of Directors Secretary  for Higher Things Inc. and the Minneapolis FOR YOU Conference Coordinator.  Her youth group in Loveland, CO made fun of her for taking notes during the movie, but they never dreamed those notes would get this far.

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Pop. Culture & the Arts

We’ll Always Have A Paris

by The Rev. George F. Borghardt III

Paris HiltonWhy bother? She’s in jail, she’s out of jail, she’s back in the jail. She eats, she doesn’t eat. Does she have a rash? A twitch? Who really cares? Now she’s out and it’s like nothing happened!  She’s right back to partying.

We all care. We should might as well confess it. We’ve all watched – whether because we want to mock it, are compelled rubber-neck gawk at it like a train-wreck, love-to-hate it, or simply can’t avoid it – we’ve all heard about it. We all know about it.

It’s sick. It’s twisted. Just about everyone wants to be like her, which fuels our jealousy into hated. Her behavior She is so unbelievably spoiled, don’t you just have to wish evil on her to balance things out? Doesn’t it just feel good that she finally got what was dueshe had coming her? She sure learned her lesson, didn’t she?

But, it really isn’t our place to judge, is it? We aren’t her parents. Nor are we her judge or jury. We aren’t given to make the call decide whether or not she is guilty – that’s what the courts are for. That’s what Caesar is for. That’s why he’s been given the sword and we haven’t.

“But, she’s so spoiled!” That’s not my call, not yours either. Don’t fall into more sin. We are given to tend to ourselves, to bear our own burdens, and to love those around us as ourselves. If someone is going to judge her, let it be Jesus.

They brought Him a woman caught in adultery. She was guilty as sin – caught right in the act!. They set her in His midst. “The Law of Moses says she this woman should be stoned. What do you say, Jesus?” (John 8:7)

“He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” Then He wrote in the ground. No one knows what He wrote. But, one by one, tThey dropped their stones. From the oldest to the youngest they all left. No more paparazzi, no more bloodthirsty mob, only sinners running from their own sins.

He could have judged her. He has the authority. Yet He doesn’t – not her, not me, and not you. He didn’t come to condemn the world, but came that the world – that you – would be saved through Him.

He did the opposite. He who could judge was, instead, judged in our place – the righteous for the unrighteous, the just for the sinners. For Parisher, for me, and especially for you.

“So, why watch then?” Good question. Stop. Change the channel. Go read a book. Do something else. Get your noses out of the lives of other people and tend to those in your life given you – Mom, Dad, brother, sister, wife, kids, children. Tend to their burdens and so fulfill the Law of Christ (Gal 6:2).

“When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, ‘”Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?’” She said, ‘”No one, Lord.’” And Jesus said to her, ‘”Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.’” ” (St. John 8:10)

 

The Reverend George F. Borghardt is the Assistant/Youth Pastor at St. Mark Lutheran Church and the Internet Services Executive for Higher Things Inc.

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Pop. Culture & the Arts

Higher Movies: Dare to Be Different: Nancy Drew

by The Rev. David C. Mumme

Nancy DrewOf all the movies I never thought I would actually go to the theater to see, Nancy Drew has to be at the top of the list. Nancy Drew, after all, is for girls. Now if it were Nancy Drew Meets the Hardy Boys, well then maybe. But I have ten- and eleven- year- old daughters who have read lots of Nancy Drew books, so attend I did. And I actually liked it. (but pPlease don’t tell any of my friends!).

The movie begins with Nancy (played by Emma Roberts, niece of Julia) moving from the quaint little town of River Heights, California to La La Land, California ((Hollywood), because of her father’s job. She promises to stop her sleuthing, but chooses a house which comes pre-loaded with a mystery. Dehlia Draycott, a fictional movie star of the ’70s and ’80s, was murdered there some 25 years earlier. So Nancy, of course, is on the case.

The thing that makes the movie interesting is that Nancy is utterly unlike all of the other kids in La La Land. They are all about looking good, being popular, and having a good time. Nancy is all about doing good, helping others, and using her brain – but not in a self-righteous, full-of-herself way. She is smart, modest, and confident without being arrogant or annoying.

My daughters really liked the movie. They thought that it was funny, at times a little frightening (which is good for a mystery), and pretty true to the character of Nancy Drew in the books (which I have not NOT read). I liked the fact that it portrayed a likeable teenager who was different (in a good way), and who was ok with that. My children are also are different than from many of their friends and peers because they are Christians who and want to live their lives by faith in Christ and with love for their neighbors. They are also home-schooled and their dad is a pastor. How different can you get!? My hope is that Nancy Drew will remind them that it’s ok to be different (in a good way), and that at least some of their non-Christian friends and peers are just waiting for a good example to follow.

Christians, of course, are different in a good way. Not by nature, but by grace. Baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are a new creation. That means that we try to think, speak, and act differently. We seek to live by the Word of God: “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Php 4:8); “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Eph 4:29); and “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31).

Being baptized into Christ also means that we value and treasure different things than the world values and treasures. After the movie, my daughter commented about Nancy that, “No one is that kind and nice all of the time.” We know that to be true not only from personal experience, but from the Word of God. And bBecause we have been given to know that, what we value and treasure above all else is the forgiveness of sins which Christ earned for us by life, death, and resurrection, and the means of grace (– Holy Baptism, Holy Absolution, Holy Communion, and the preaching of the Holy Gospel) – which deliver that forgiveness to us. Being baptized into Christ means that we value and treasure different things than the world values and treasures. Early on in the movie, Nancy says responds to those who are making fun of her, “I like old-fashioned things.” In a culture that considers Christianity old-fashioned, we would have to agree!

Christians, of course, are different in a good way. Not by nature or by our efforts, but by grace. Baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are created anew. That means that we think, speak, and act differently from others. We live by the Word of God which tells us (among other things): “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things,” (Php. 4:8); “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear,” (Eph. 4:29); and “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God,” (1 Cor. 10:31).

The movie is rated PG for mild violence and a few objectionable words. Overall, it is a very clean movie, and it even deals with the topic of dating in a responsible way. I would guess that it will be most popular with junior high kids like my own. But then again I liked it, and I’m no longer in junior high!

 

The Rev. David Mumme is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Waterville, Minnesota. He is a 1994 graduate of Concordia University–River Forest (now Chicago) and a 1998 graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne.  Pastor Mumme and his wife Glenda homeschool their five “different-for-the-sake-of-the-Gospel” children.

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Pop. Culture & the Arts

Higher Movies: The Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer

by Stan Lemon

Following a growing list of bad sequels by Marvel, The Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer steps into line right behind Spider-Man 3. Marked by a rather well-written introduction, our four fantastic friends, Mr. Fantastic, the Thing, Torch and the Invisible Girl, return in this sequel – which,sadly, is ruined by convenient story changes and an unnecessarily sappy wedding twist.

The story begins with Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Girl finally tying the knot.  If you remember, the last movie ended with a romantic exchange between these two lovebirds involving a gasket from the space station as a makeshift ring.  These two characters are entangled in a web of media frenzy, and we’re apparently witnessing their fourth (or is it fifth??) attempt at getting hitched. 

Meanwhile, the world is quickly approaching its doom, as the Silver Surfer (unknown by that name at this point) soars around the planet, changing the climate and drilling huge holes in the ground.  The wedding ends abruptly as the Silver Surfer happens to whiz through the city of New York – but not before Stan Lee, Marvel creator, makes a guest appearance arriving to the wedding.  It’s so convenient that the Silver Surfer appears at the wedding, you could have predicted it during the opening credits.

The Silver Surfer is eventually downed by a tachyon pulse, the blast of a theoretical particle which travels faster than light.  (Has Marvel stooped to borrowing technology from Star Trek now?). This pulse throws the surfer off of his board, a true “wipe out,” thus rendering him powerless.  He is captured by none other than the villainous military thugs who whisk him away to a secret compound, sadly reminiscent of one of Marvel’s better movies, X-Men 2.  While the goons are off torturing the Silver Surfer, the Fantastic Four are busy trying to figure out how to pull off his jail-break.  Did I mention Dr. Doom even comes into play?

Another convenient plot twist occurs when the Silver Surfer (before he is caught) just happens to soar over Latveria.  For those unfamiliar with Marvel comics, Latveria is a small country tucked away between Hungary, Romania and Serbia.  The country is ruled by Doctor Doom, whom we see at the conclusion of the first movie entombed in a crate being shipped off on a freight liner labeled “Latveria.”  Did I mention Latveria has no access to a body of water?  Presumably our villain resides in the capitol city of Doomstadt,  still entombed from his last encounter with the Fantastic Four.  But, conveniently for Doom, the Silver Surfer flies over this micro-state, triggering some unexplained reaction which gives life to Doom.  The process isn’t incomplete, because one of Doom’s assistants helps him by cutting pieces of steel from his body. The audience isn’t quite sure as this convenient aide is not explained.

Dr. Doom is now free, and with no explanation, he flies away in a helicopter with fancy scientific equipment to find our silver friend.  Marvel really did fans an injustice on this one, failing to explain about the Doom empire to those who may not be comic-savvy.   Doom teams up with the military and, reluctantly, the Fantastic Four in order to take on the Silver Surfer.  If you didn’t see it coming I’ll spoil it now: Dr. Doom has another plan in store…when the Four finally free the Silver Surfer from the compound where he’s been confined, Doom runs off with his surfboard, which is (of course) the source of the Silver Surfer’s power, and thus makes Doom even more powerful.

In the end, Doom is defeated only by the combined powers of the Fantastic Four, which is (conveniently) made possible since the Human Torch contracted a mutation from the Silver Surfer which exchanges his powers with those of the others.  Even more amazing is how this mutation suddenly changes form “swapping” to “absorbing” and thus all of the other’s powers are united in the Torch and can finally defeat Dr. Doom.

The movie wraps up, with the exchange of the Invisible Woman (who dies after battling Dr. Doom) for the Silver Surfer, whom we learn has been sent to earth by some mysterious demi-god who eats planets.  The Silver Surfer’s job is to direct him to the tasty planets, so that his own home planet might be saved.  If this doesn’t sound strange enough, then be prepared for more. The movie finally ends with the Surfer going kamikaze on the Planet-Eater, resurrecting the Invisible Woman, and restoring all of the Fantastic Fours’ powers to them.  

The moral to the story?  Everyone has a choice, even the Silver Surfer who does the bidding of the Planet-Eater.  In the end, the Surfer’s choice is to stop the Planet-Eater.

If you can make it through the twists, turns and convenient plot changes to the end, you’ll find this an anti-climatic build to a modern-day decision theology.  There is no free gift for the Silver Surfer, and there is no gift for the Fantastic Four.  Everything is based upon what they earned or taken, and the choices they have made.  It’s no wonder that the Invisible Woman doesn’t quite seem satisfied with the direction of her life, or why the Torch feeds only off of his entrepreneurship, or even why the Silver Surfer looks so down and out about his predicament.  Ironically, only Dr. Doom gets it – in the last movie, he said to the Invisible Woman, “Do you really think Gate turned us into gods so we could refuse these gifts?”  For Dr. Doom, his evil powers comes as nothing but gift, they exist outside of himself and he reaps the benefits of them.  It’s sad that the best theology in this movie is found in the words of the evil villain.

One other cool reference worth noting in this latest edition of the Fantastic Four series is when Mr. Fantastic discovers the vocation of the Silver Surfer, he says, “Everywhere he goes, 8 days later it dies.”  What beautiful baptismal imagery!  The Silver Surfer (if you can get past the other bad theology) is like a planetary baptizer!  Eight is a baptismal number, for eight people were saved in the ark when God flood the earth, destroying all life on it.  Eight is also a baptismal number as we remember the circumcision of our forefathers, who were saved by the promise of God attached to this earthly act performed 8 days after birth. Perhaps the evil guys in this movie do get a bad rap.  Eight days, and the old planet died so that the new one might live?  All is gift for Dr. Doom?  Sounds like Dr. Doom might be a little bit Lutheran!

If you’re a Marvel fan you’ve got to go see this movie – even if you see it simply because you’re a Marvel fan.  If you’re not, save your money and hit up Shrek, or Ocean’s 13 instead.  A little more explanation, a lot less wedding and fewer less-than-convenient story changes could have put this movie on my shelf next to the X-Men Trilogy and the first two Spider-Man’s. Instead it’s getting filed away with Daredevil, Elektra and Spider-Man 3 – somewhere in the attic. 

Pucker up movie goers! I give Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer four out of four lemons, which makes for one sour movie!