Time to Pretend

I love this song by MGMT. In fact I quite dig MGMT.

But in reality, this is a terribly sad song. An accurate depiction of how many people do live their lives though.

Many, or most people, live their lives this way. they view it as "their decision" with "their vision" to "have some fun".

Its weird. This song has really got me thinking.

The song suggests that we have two choices in life;

1) live fast and die young, or

2) Get jobs in offices and wake up for the morning commute.

There must be more to this life then those two choices right?

Thanks to Jesus, there most certainly is.

"I'm feeling rough, I'm feeling raw, I'm in the prime of my life.
Let's make some music, make some money, find some models for wives.
I'll move to Paris, shoot some heroin, and **** with the stars.
You man the island and the cocaine and the elegant cars.

This is our decision, to live fast and die young.
We've got the vision, now let's have some fun.
Yeah, it's overwhelming, but what else can we do.
Get jobs in offices, and wake up for the morning commute.

Forget about our mothers and our friends
We're fated to pretend
To pretend
We're fated to pretend
To pretend"

Jim

4 Teeth, 4 Films and an Update

4 Teeth

I recently had my 4 wisdom teeth out. I got to say, wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Wasn't great either, but sitting on the couch for a few days wasn't all that bad.

4 Films (4 quick reviews)

Wanted
This really wasn't great. I think this film was trying to tap into the same ideas that Fight Club taps into. Aimed at young men who are not getting any fulfillment out of life. Stuck in an office with no meaning to their pointless life. But where Fight Club succeeds in making us think about our lives, Wanted, does not. And is really quite shallow. I'm OK if I a film is utterly implausible, as long as its consistent, or sets up rules that allows it do be so. This film does not. Some nice scenes, good action, but not much more.
2/5

Into the Wild.
OK, I get it. I get the film. And I get the point. But i didn't really like it. And I am sure there are many people out there who love this film and the ideas behind it. But seriously, it was unnecessarily long. 2.5 hours, could easily have been reduced to 90mins. I was fairly bored. I guess I just didn't really go on the journey with him. For me taking ourselves away from problems, or going on a self discovery journey is never the answer. I'm more about dealing with things head on.
2/5

The Strangers
Went with a couple of the boys with the sole intention of being scared. We succeeded. This film is scary. In fact its terrifying. But, and its a big but, its a pretty terrible film. There is next to no story, a vague attempt at character development, and really nothing to enjoy here. It's a strange feeling, as normally to be scared the film needs to be good. But I learnt that is not true.
2.5/5

Pineapple Express
Did my first ever movie double, back to back on Friday night. After having seen we were in need of something light hearted. Although there were a few good scenes and a few good laughs, there was not much here. Knocked Up was a great enjoyable film, which was funny, charming and enjoyable. This is really just a silly affair. Seth Rogen is always enjoyable to watch on screen and James Franco nails his role. But the rest are very under developed, and there is little charm or depth here. I would suggest hanging out for Tropic Thunder, as word is your stomach will hurt from laughter.
2.5/5

Update

Hopefully in the coming weeks/months, you will be able to enjoy these reviews by listening to them on Community Radio, 100.1 FM. More details to come.

Jim

The Valley of Elah

"They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines."
1 Sam 17:19

See this film.

The next time you are at the video store, rent it.

Over the years we have seen more and more 'American Flag' moments in Hollywood films, most of which are fairly cringe inducing. After seeing this film, I think I get what those other films are trying to achieve.

This is a film which is not afraid to be patriotic, but at the same time to call out that America is in trouble.

America is in trouble and someone needs to stand up against Goliath.

Someone needs to have the courage to stand up to Goliath.

But who is Goliath?

Well you will need to see the film.

There are big issues at hand here. War. The war in Iraq. Father/Son relations. Family crisis. And the effect all the listed can have on individuals and a country.

The performances are top notch. Tommy Lee Jones excelling. But the smaller support roles makes this film so good. Josh Brolin and James Franco shinning.

Paul Haggis is not afraid to deal with the serious issues of his time. Million Dollar Baby and Crash proving this point. He is a fine writer, producer and director.

I have high praise for this film, mainly because of its subject matter and the point it leaves us with.

However, it loses a 'star' due to what feels like a rushed ending. And the 'climax' is subdued (mainly to allow the director to get his point across at the end of the film), but this may leave you feeling a little short changed.

4/5

Jim

A Bright Night with the Dark Knight

The 'Dark Knight' is amazing. It is awesome. It is well worth seeing.

I loved it. Allot.

Its not perfect though, and has some minor flaws, keeping it from being perfect.

Where to start....?

There is high praise out there for Heath Ledger as The Joker. And well deserved, and I will get to that later. But this film works because of Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent. He is wonderful in this film. He has arguably the most screen time, and his story line is really what the film is about.

Harvey Dent is everything Batman can not be. He is the great white hope, or the White Knight, for Gotham city.

Batman knows this. Commissioner Gordon knows this. The way that this triangle plays out is just superb.

Where the film leaves us, makes me want to see the next one right now. I have questions that need to be answered.

Heath Ledger. The Joker. I love this character for a start. Early this year, there was high praise for the character, Antonn Chigurh from 'No Country for Old Men', played by Jarvier Bardem. The love for the character came for the fact that he was a ruthless killer and would stop at nothing and seemed to have no rhyme of reason behind his killings.

I personally was bored. No motive for me wasn't scary. The calmness in his killings to me, wasn't chilling.

What Heath Ledger does with The Joker, is create an irrational, scary, sadistic, out of control, cruel, creepy villain. One who will forever be cast in our memories as one of the all time great villains.

It is worthy of an Oscar nomination, but maybe not a win. I cant say that will be the best supporting role I see all year. But I can say its one of the best villains ever portrayed.

The action is slick. The direction, spot on. The shots, and cinematography was mesmerizing, as is the amazing score put together by two of the finest composers around; Zimmer and Newton Howard.

I love seeing Bruce Wayne's character make decisions and choices that affect Batman. Playing up the playboy millionaire aspect is gold as well.

This is how Batman should be. Makes you wonder how Joel Schumacher got it so wrong with the emphasised nipples, and lines such as 'We are on the main hub and its about to blow!" in 'Batman and Robin'.

4.5/5

Jim

P.s For the record, 'The Dark Knight' is currently rated at #1 on IMDB top 250 films of all time as voted by user's. And Rotten Tomatoes has it at 94%. It also broke the record for opening weekend, smashing $155.3M at the US Box Office.

Preaching on Possessions

I had the great privilege of giving the sermon at 645 on Sunday night.

It can be heard here, if you would like to listen.

Feel free to let me know your thoughts, positive and helpful.

The passage was Luke 12:13-34, the story of The Rich Fool.

I was challenged myself on my view of possessions, and why I cling to them so much.

Jesus' massive call in vs 33 to 'sell your possessions and give to the poor' was a part in the passage I struggled with most.

To be honest, I'm not sure I dealt with it as well as I had of hoped, but it wasn't from a lack of trying or seeking the meaning.

Keen to hear your thoughts on this massive challenge from Jesus.

Jim

P.s Sorry for long gap between posts, but have been very busy with work and sermon prep. Will post a review for 'The Dark Knight' as soon as I have seen it, which will hopefully be in the next couple of days! Very excited.

Brainwashing

My boss at work said he decided to take his kids to Sunday School.

I said great.

He said he wasn't going to take them back because he listened in and they were getting brain washed with 'God Stuff'.

Look, I'm not totally sure what he thought would happen at Sunday School in the first place, but he said he expected it to be more fun. Fair point to some degree.

His neighbour is a youth pastor of a uniting church so he took his kids along to that which was 'much better' as they 'played lots of games'.

Now I have no idea about the two churches, or which one was better, from what he has said its possible that both were good, one was good or neither was good. I have no real idea.

But what was interesting was that everyone in my team at work agreed that church is bad because it "Brain Washes" us about God and doesn't allow us to 'express our true feelings about God'.

What was more interesting, was my colleague who then lectured us on his views of 'God' for about 15mins.

I asked him bravely at the end if him telling us his views on God was a form of brain washing. Of course he didn't think so.

I have been told before I only believe what I believe because I have been brain washed.

I concluded the conversation by advising them that biblical Christitanity is not about Brain Washing, but rather about Heart Washing and that mine had been cleaned.

They concluded by saying I only think that because I had been brain washed.

It's a tough one to deal with.

Any thoughts?

Jim

The Happening Never Really……Happens

Friday night marked a big occasion.

It marked the night where I become no longer a "fan" of M. Night. Shyamalan.

Each film he has made has gotten worse. The first 3 (The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and Signs) are films I love, and only slightly got worse. But I was OK with that.

"The Village" was a pretty big step backwards. I still somewhat enjoyed it. But it wasn't in the same class as "The Sixth Sense".

"Lady in the Water" was just weird and boring.

"The Happening", although conceptually OK, is an utter disaster of a film. It has without doubt, the worst script and acting I have seen for some time, possibly ever.

What upsets me the most, is how generic this film is. How it feels like anyone could have made it. But this is from a Director who was meant to be the next Hitchcock.

Although the film has one of the creepiest shots and sequences I have ever seen in cinema in the first 10mins, the rest is utter rubbish.

Shyamalan has (or should I say 'had') a great knack of getting solid performances out of his leads. But what worked in his earlier films (an empty character trying to find themselves, Bruce Willis in both The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, as well as Mel Gibson in 'Signs'), has no place in this film and results in the actors just meandering around the screen looking lost and confused.

This could be career ending for Mark Whalberg. His constant "Oh no" lines when the world is ending around him is fairly laughable and simply not believable.

I am fine with the story but it needed to be explored and developed further. I am fine with the concept, ending and 'twist'. But really, its just poorly executed.

There is very little to like here.

Jim

P.s at least 'The Dark Knight' is coming. Gives me something to look forward too!