The Return...

For those of you who are interested, I will return shortly with my 2012 edition of TIFFology.  This year's edition will include reflections on:

• Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing
• David Ayer's End of Watch
• Snoop Lion's Reincarnated
• Renga - yeah, you heard me...
• The Wachowskis' Cloud Atlas
• Terrence Malick's To The Wonder

More to come in the coming weeks.  Let's see what happens.

Possible Divine Moments: Summer 2012 Edition

Welcome to Summer 2012.

Yes, I know that it's only May 1st... but this time of year always feels like an early summer for me.  And the reason is simple.

The summer movie season begins.

For a film-lover, I can rejoice that--finally--we can move out of the dead zone from January-April that rarely offers anything of significance (other than the Oscar nominees and winners which we released last winter).  Too early for films to be noticed for next year's awards and the least opportunity in terms of financial success, it's a dark few months in terms of quality.  Yes, occasionally, The Hunger Games or The Matrix raises eyebrows but really the winter months usually brings little value in terms of selection.

Now, don't get me wrong.  The summer box office is often filled with below average tripe that makes more money than it should.  It's the time of year when studios put forth their most marketable projects in an effort to draw moviegoers out of the heat and into the air conditioning.  Still, there's something to be said for the thrill of Hollywood's big budget projects--and the lesser known films--that are released during the next three and a half months.

As such, I have decided again to offer some of my picks for the most intriguing films of the summer.  Now, as a caveat, I would state that these are not necessarily the films I'm most excited about seeing, though there is certainly some of that here. (Prometheus, anyone?)  Rather, due to the focus of this blog, I feel it important to mention some films which may have some of the most relevance to my faith and spiritual journey.  In other words, the purpose of this post is to look for what could be moments of God's Kingdom breaking through in our cultural zeitgeist.

So, let's get started...

Marvel's The Avengers - May 4th, 2012

'Wait?  There's an Avengers movie now?'... is what you'd be saying if you had just emerged from living in a cave for the last 4 years.  In truth, ever since Samuel L. Jackson announced that 'they were going to put a team together" at the end of the first Iron Man movie, Marvel has been building to this Friday.  That's four years and five movies... promoting one movie.

To say that this isn't going to make buckets of money is to live in denial... but will it be good?  Early reviews have been extremely positive (96% on Rotten Tomatoes!?) and it's been doing VERY well overseas already--something which happens rarely for superhero films.

Nevertheless, what interests me more than whether or not I get my money's worth in explosions is the content of the film.  Since it's directed by Joss Whedon, I expect that The Avengers could carry with it some emotional depth.  Whedon is known for caring about emotional story arcs while balancing it well with action set pieces so this will be interesting to watch unfold.  How does God figure into a story like this?  Personally, I expect conversation about the value of living in community but, with Whedon at the helm, a film like this could very much surprise us.

Safety Not Guaranteed - June 8th, 2012


When I first heard about this film, I was intrigued.  Based on a true story, the story centres around a team of journalists tasked with getting to know a man who recently took out an ad in the newspaper who was 'looking for someone to go back in time with [him]'.  (Incidentally, the fact that the ad really took place is the only grain of truth in the story.)

Why include it on the list?  Truthfully, I'm simply intrigued.

An independent film, Safety seems free to explore things other than one man's belief that he's a time traveller.  Based only on the trailer, there appears to be hints of the exploration of the reality of the human experience.  If that's the case, then Safety could provide some insight into our understanding of how the world views the image of God or simply our culture's quest for hope.

Though, to be fair, that's 'not guaranteed' either...

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World - June 22nd, 2012

Since the turn of the millennium, end of the world movies have almost become a genre unto themselves, with mixed results.  (Actually, the same can be said about Steve Carell's movies...)  Still, there seems to be something earnest in this effort that appeals to me.  Carell seems to bring an emotional groundedness to this film and yet, also guarantees that this will be decidedly lighter in tone than, say, Von Trier's Meloncholia.

The questions that films like these ask are always interesting as they inevitably explore what one would do with the remaining hours of their lives.  In this case, Carell and co-star Keira Knightly's road trip appears to search for family and the meaning of love.  Still, whatever the focus of the journey, films like this can provide valuable insight into the values of our culture.  It may be one to watch.

Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D - July 5th, 2012

Wait a minute.  Hear me out.

I'll explain myself.

I don't think I've entirely lost my mind by including this.  Love her or hate her, Katy Perry has emerged as this generation's Britney Spears (as opposed to the Britney Spears, circa this generation).  In a few short years, she's quickly become a cultural icon.  Over that time, through songs like 'Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)' and 'California Gurls', she has shown herself to be both controversial, divisive and even somewhat endearing as a celebrity.  The interesting thing to me is that she has strong Christian roots.  Growing up in the Church, she actually began her recording career as a gospel singer known as Katy Hudson.  However, when her albums failed to chart, she 'kissed a girl', changed her name to Katy Perry and the rest is history.

Why does this interest me?  Mainly because I'm interested to hear how a change like this took place.  Not to judge her at all.  I would just like to know what happened and what place her faith remains in her life.  No, I'm not entirely sure that the film will deal with these type of issues... but the trailer does indicate that it will wrestle with her Christian roots.  (The film was also directed by the same team that put together the Justin Bieber doc, Never Say Never, which was truthfully quite well done.)

Hopefully, that helps to explain myself.


The Dark Knight Rises - July 20th, 2012

Maybe including this film on the list restores my credibility... lol.

Similar to Marvel's The Avengers, this film has been a long time coming.  Building Christoper Nolan's Batman trilogy to a climax, expectations for this film are higher than most other superhero films.  Why?  Quite simply because Nolan's trilogy alway seems to be about something else.  Although the content is about Batman and DC Comic universe, the context is always much deeper in its scope.  For instance, even though The Dark Knight was promoted as an action film (built around Ledger's Oscar-winning performance as The Joker), it was really about living outside of the moral black and white and the nature of true justice.

Ever since Memento, Nolan's films have proven themselves to be intelligently written and directed, often in a way that other filmmakers seem to be missing right now.  There is absolutely no reason to suspect that this will change here.

So, circle the date on your calendar.

And do yourself a favour... see it in IMAX.

(BTW, as I was writing this the long-awaited third trailer was released online.  If you haven't seen it a hundred times already, you can see it here.)

The Bourne Legacy - August 3rd, 2012

Personally, I see this as an interesting film.  Neither starring Matt Damon nor helmed by Paul 'Shaky Cam' Greengrass, The Bourne Legacy arrives with expectations of failure.  Still, a solid first trailer led by a fierce looking Jeremy Renner appears bring with it a bit of hope.  Why include it on the list?  Mainly because I have a feeling that this film may surprise us with some depth.  Although this is Tony Gilroy's first turn as a director in this series, he did write the first three scripts so he clearly understands the world.  What's more, Gilroy even has shown himself adept behind the camera already, receiving an Oscar nomination for his directorial debut, Michael Clayton, in 2007.

In light of this, I am extremely curious to see where this film attempts to go.  The first three Bourne films were well-written characters pieces about a man attempting to wrestle with the events of his past.  If the same holds true here, we could be looking at a fascinating exploration of how one's history affects their present and future.

Or we could just end up missing Matt Damon.

The Giant Mechanical Man

Starring Jenna Fischer, Chris Messina, Topher Grace            By Steve Norton

Rated PG-13 for some language                                                Rating: ***1/2 (out of 5)

Official Selection: 2012 Tribeca Film Festival

Currently available on iTunes

What do you do when you feel alienated from your own life? 

At least, that’s the key question being asked in Lee Kirk’s new dramedy, The Giant Mechanical Man.

If you haven’t heard of the film yet, you’re not alone.  In fact, Mechanical Man only premiered a couple of weeks ago at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York and, as far as I’m aware, has yet to score a wide release date.  However, this case is unique in that Mechanical Man is also one of several independent films that are taking a new approach to film distribution by offering itself for rent on iTunes prior to its wide release.  (Personally, I think it’s an ingenious idea that I hope continues to develop, especially for smaller films of this nature.)

As for the film itself, The Giant Mechanical Man follows the journeys of both Tim (Chris Messina) and Janice (The Office’s Jenna Fischer, who also serves as the film’s producer).  Considering himself an artist, Tim spends his time by mounting stilts, covering himself with silver paint and openly performing as a robot for the general public.  When his girlfriend becomes disenchanted with his art and breaks up with him, Tim is forced to look for work and starts to rethink his place in society.  Similarly, Janice’s story begins when she loses her job and is forced to move in with her domineering sister, Jill (Malin Akerman).  Jill believes wholeheartedly that her sister ‘lacks confidence’ and attempts to push her into a relationship with popular motivational speaker Doug Duncan (Topher Grace) in order to fill the perceived void.  As a result, Janice becomes caught between her sister’s expectations and her own beliefs about self-fulfillment.

In some ways, both Janice and Tim have opposite problems.  Tim’s art demands attention but people refuse to hear his voice while Janice appears to identify most with a small plastic figurine and seeks constant approval from others.  When they take menial jobs at the zoo, both Janice and Tim’s stories begin to intertwine.  Through their connection, they soon start to explore what makes life really meaningful while, at the same time, wrestling with their personal situations as well.

At its heart, Mechanical Man is really about struggling with a sense of powerlessness.  Tim’s ‘mechanical man’ is performance art and draws a crowd, yet he remains safely anonymous due to his make-up.  Janice works hard yet lives under the thumb of everyone in her life, be it employers or family.  Even the nature of their jobs at the zoo suggest an atmosphere of fading into the background.  (For example, although they are ever present amongst zoo patrons, they go relatively unnoticed by those who came to view something else.)  Invisible, Tim and Janice live in a silence imposed upon them by their friends, family and society at large.  They are the ones who don’t exist.  One poignant example of this comes when a reporter takes note of Tim’s performance as the mechanical man and invites him for a televised interview.  Excited by the opportunity to share the vision and purpose for his art with others, Tim becomes frustrated when the reporter deflects from his candidness in order to speak about his dance moves.  In other words, despite the fact that Tim is willing to bare his soul to the world, he finds himself muted by a culture that wishes to sweep his heart into the background.

With this in mind, Mechanical Man also heavily emphasizes the search for wholeness.  Both Janice and Tim are people who seek meaning in their lives yet find themselves stifled by the expectations of others.  In the majority of their encounters with people, they are pressured to believe that they must fill their void with success, relationships or simply “confidence”.  This notion is best exemplified through the character of Doug.  The author of several self-help books, Doug is worshiped by his adoring fans and appears fully satisfied with himself (literally).  Nevertheless, Doug’s ramblings contrast with Janice’s groundedness, causing him to appear vapid and empty despite his notoriety.  There’s no question that both Janice and Tim are realistic in their beliefs insofar that they understand their need for work to survive.  They simply do not wish to be limited by this view of success.  They seek a sense of completeness and purity to life that appears distant from them. 

As a Christian, it’s here that I most connect with this story.  Living within a culture that attempts to satiate our natural human desire for wholeness with financial success and relationships, one can easily lose sight of their own sense of humanness, creating feelings of isolation amidst the chaos.  Only by seeking a clearer understanding of God and his relationship to our world and ourselves can we begin to rediscover the true nature of our own humanity.  It is here that we experience true wholeness, regardless of whether or not society considers us ‘powerful’.  (Besides which, that recognition of our own powerlessness also puts us in greater position to be used by God as well.) 

Having said this, it’s true to say that The Giant Mechanical Man isn’t going to win any Academy Awards next February.  With a fairly standard premise, the film operates primarily upon the level of romantic dramedy.  However, its sweetness and authenticity won me over quickly and I found it to be an unexpected gem that was well worth the cost of the rental.

After all, sometimes the most satisfying films are the titles that you’ve never heard of.

Hungry for the Games

In prior conversations about the next pop culture phenomenon, The Hunger Games inevitably rose to the top of the list… but I remained skeptical.  After all, these things have a way of appealing to a certain fan base and then disappearing into the Twilight.  (See what I did there?)  

It’s amazing how quickly someone can be proven wrong.

Grossing an incredible $152.5 million in its opening weekend, The Hunger Games has already shattered numerous box-office records:  

Highest grossing weekend for a non-sequel. 

Third highest opening weekend of all-time.  

In fact, it is already the highest grossing film in Lionsgate’s history, easily overtaking Fahrenheit 9/11 (which amassed a mere $119.2 million in it’s entire run). 

Nevertheless, what impresses me more than the final total is the manner in which The Hunger Games made that much money.  According to Box Office Mojo, the movie held up incredibly well on the Saturday of its release, suggesting that the demand “exists across a wide array of moviegoers, and isn't just rooted in the type of rabid fans that drove the front-loaded openings for recent Harry Potter and Twilight movies.”  With this in mind, reports also suggest that an incredible 51% of the audience held an average age of over 25, further revealing that the film’s appeal was not limited to pre-teens.  In fact, the Chicago Tribune even went so far as to call the series a ‘uniting force’ in our culture. 

In other words, The Hunger Games has become a full-blown pop culture phenomenon.

The question that I have is ‘Why?’

I think that the obvious first response to a question such as this is the film’s well-planned marketing strategy.  Rather than taking the more traditional route of focusing on the book’s legions of fan, Lionsgate opted to take a much broader approach in its marketing.  By emphasizing the intensity of the tournament,  Lionsgate was able to help the film seem more accessible to a wider audience.  All of a sudden, The Hunger Games wasn’t simply the latest ‘must-see’ event for ‘tweens.  Instead, the film also started to gain interest to the average ticket-buyer.[i]  (Although, to be fair, the plan was far from perfect.  For example, a major misstep appeared to occur with the release of the film’s first footage.  Releasing a teaser with a tone akin to ‘Twilight’ in late August of last year, the early buzz was decidedly negative and actually appeared to work against the film.  Still, it’s also possible that this error inadvertently aided the film in that it slowed the hype machine temporarily, ensuring that the general public were not experiencing Hunger Games fatigue by the time of the actual film’s release.)

To be honest though, I am not one to simply buy the excuse that ‘the marketing paid off’.  I’ve seen tonnes of examples of films that tried all the same strategies and failed to catch fire with audiences.  People don’t rush out to the movies in numbers like this simply because a promotional campaign tells them to do so.  

They have to care about the story.

Truthfully, I believe that the primary reason that this story has connected with such a broad base is due to the relevance of the narrative in our current cultural climate.  Obviously, our North American culture has yet to resort to watching teenagers hunt each other for sport.  (Although, that would probably be a step up from watching the Jersey Shore.)  Nevertheless, this series of stories really manages to capture the atmosphere of a world that feels trapped.  It’s true to say that dystopian narratives are far from new ideas.  Still, Katniss’ emotional journey somehow feels relevant to 21^st Century North America.  Like the rest of the people of District 12, we too cry out for freedom in a social climate that threatens to break us down.  Does hope really exist? If so, where does it come from? 

Angered over the callousness of the Capitol and the cruelty of the Games themselves, Katniss provides a voice for all audiences, regardless of age.  Her angst is more than a deep-seeded yearning for someone to save her from this life (read: Bella Swan).  Katniss’ journey is filled with a desire to see things change.  Yes, she feels helpless… but she is willing to challenge the system.  In a world such as ours that is battling global economic collapse and demonstrating ongoing protests, Katniss’ desire for freedom reveals itself as a universal ‘cry’ on behalf of everyone who feels as though they’ve been bullied by the system.  (Yes, even you, Harvey Weinstein.) Her situation may be foreign to us… but her feelings and quest for hope in a broken society are all too relevant.

Therein lies the incredible secret of the vastness of Hunger Games’ success.  On the surface at least, this series appears as though it should only appeal to a very limited age group.  Yet, at the same time, the depth of the thematic content also connects with an audience that is much more broad in its scope.  As a result, The Hunger Games manages to find an audience that consists of a hybrid between die-hard fans and the average filmgoer.  Will it flame out by next week?  It’s possible.  However, given the numbers that have been reported—and the film’s strong ‘A‘ Cinemascore average— I suspect that these Games will have an impact for some time.

At the very least, the odds are certainly 'in their favour'..

---

[i] http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3401&p=.htm

Hollywood Jesus, blogging and other stuff

Has it really been 3 months?

Given the amount of time since my last post, I felt it appropriate to write a brief piece to update anyone who might be interested on my status with this blog.  As it stands, I have been writing reviews for Hollywood Jesus now since last November.  It has been--and remains--my goal to continue to blog on Movio Dei whenever possible.  However, because of my work at HJ (which, by the way, I have found personally and spiritually invigorating), I have neglected my posting on this site on a regular basis.

But I'm not willing to shut it down.

As a result, in an effort to continue to use this site, I will post a link to my latest reviews on Hollywood Jesus as they come.  What's more, it is still my intent to continue to utilize this blog for my personal musings.  (Though, to be fair, that will be less frequent than my posting with HJ.)

Movio Dei has been an exciting project for me over the last year and remains so.

I'm looking forward to what God has in store for us in Year Two.

On Hugo, Sundays and Matters of Preparation

To view a film is a fascinating experience.

Take my last time in a theatre, for instance.  For our 'Youth Christmas Extravaganza' this year, we opted to split our evening playing games at the church and taking in a late movie.  There are numerous ones available this time of year and so I decided to allow them to vote online for their pick.

This year's pick was Hugo.

Now, sure, it wasn't my first choice--but I maintained a very open mind.  After all, it has gotten great reviews and several people I know were particularly excited about it.  After all, the trailer seemed promising enough and the synopsis of the film describes it as "a thrilling journey to a magical world".  So, I popped on my 3D glasses and settled in for a magical ride.

Man, I was bored.

That's hardly an exaggeration either.  I mean 'bored'.  It's one of only a handful of film experiences I've had that I can say that I chose to go to sleep for a bit.  Not dozed off.  Chose.

Now, let me pause here for a minute.  Oddly enough, I'm not even really being critical of the film.  I could see that it was particularly well-made (although, to be honest, I felt the 3D aspect was entirely unnecessary).  The film was relatively well-acted and included valuable themes of value and hope.  What's more, Hugo even referenced classical cinema in a way that provided a veritable cornucopia of film history.  (A Trip to the Moon!  In a children's film!)

All of this sounds like it's right up my alley, doesn't it?  And yet, bored.

For me, this begs the question of 'why?'  After much thought--and yes, I spent time investigating why I didn't like a movie--I think I've come to an answer.

I felt like I'd been lied to.

To digest the promotional materials for the film, Hugo is billed as a wild ride into whimsy yet what the we're given is actually quite different.  For example, take a moment and compare the one-sheet posters for Hugo and newest vision for The Adventures of TinTin.  Although they maintain different content, I would argue that the visuals in both scenes are virtually identical in tone.  In all seriousness, this type of advertising does not do Hugo justice.  The film is not the adventure that is sold to us.  In fact, it's more of a character study.  There's a depth to the piece here that puts the film far above Arthur Christmas.

They sell you Narnia but, in actuality, you buy a Dickens novel.

Interestingly, I can't really blame the marketing campaign either.  They're simply trying to give the film as general an appeal as possible.  It's their job to make money and movies like Hugo are a pretty tough sell to the general public.  Usually, I'm fairly self-aware of these things.  They just simply caught me off guard this time.  (Besides, the last thing that I want is to come across as this person...)

Nevertheless, in light of this, I found myself wrestling with the issue of expectation and preparation.  In truth, we do prepare ourselves for a film before the lights dim and camera rolls.  If we're viewing a serious drama, we anticipate experiencing the film differently than if we were seeing, say, anything with Tom Cruise.  Further, there are also many factors that play into our enjoyment of a particular film as well.  Issues such as stress, exhaustion, personal interests or even motivation for seeing a certain film all play a role in whether or not we can engage a film properly.  Heck, even distractions in a theatre can ruin a film experience.  (Bah!  Cell phones!)  In fact, if you were to be totally honest with yourself, you might admit that--most of the time--you have already decided whether or not you'll like a film at all before you watch it anyways.  (Incidentally, Greg Wright has some good insight into this idea in his recent review of 'The Help'.  You can read it here if you're interested.)  Regardless of the issue at hand, our movie experiences do not exist in a vacuum.

Ironically, I find that this is also the case with Sunday morning services as well.

Now, obviously, I'm not really comparing a worship service with attending the Cineplex--at least practically speaking anyways.  They both serve different purposes in our daily experience.  Nonetheless, when you think about it, it's not really that big of a stretch in the context of this conversation, especially in the North American church.  For instance, in our culture, attending a Sunday morning service really isn't that different from going to the theatre.  (Maybe that's why so many churches thrive in theatres?)  For instance, in both scenarios, you come and sit down with people that you may or may not know, stare at the front and are encouraged to digest what is presented to you.  Good churches try to break out of this mould and engage the people more directly... but, in our culture, its not all that common.

With this in mind, I have heard (and stated) many arguments as to why someone (myself?) does not get anything out of a time of worship.  Like going to see a film, I believe that there is definitely responsibility that lands on the leaders of the church to create an environment that is conducive to engaging God and one another.  This includes worship that draws people to the heart of God, a sermon that challenges the hearts, lives and theology of the people and a community which supports, engages and cares for one another in a way that exemplifies God's presence.  These are absolutely essential to meet people where they are and invite them to a deeper faith journey.

But it doesn't end there.

I do believe that there is something to be said for our own preparation and motivation on a Sunday morning as well.  It is true that responsibility lies on the church for what is presented... but, like my experience in Hugo, my own issues and preparation affect how I engage the worship.  Again, stress, exhaustion, motivation... all of these are things that we bring into church on a Sunday morning.  We can't avoid them.  They're part of our lives.

Still, if we are largely unaware of these things, we risk missing out on what God has for us in these moments. In an echo of our experience with the arts, worship requires a heart of openness and intent to engage in the moment.  It requires a willingness to own our distracted and sinful hearts and allow ourselves the freedom to offer them to God so that we might be made new by meeting with Him.  It is one thing to be aware of these outside factors and release them.  It is quite another to hold onto them in a way that allows them to shape our experience of God.  As such, if we can allow God to help us move beyond these barriers, connecting in a worship service can provide opportunities for us to be spoken to in a way that leaves us unsettled.

It's in these moments when we can be shaped.

It's in these moments that we meet God.

So, as we ingest a film, book, song, or sermon for that matter, we must be aware of the factors that shape us in that moment.  If left unchecked, these issues can prevent us from connecting with the text in a way that impacts us.  Maybe Hugo deserves a second viewing.  Maybe it doesn't.  Either way, I'll never know what God may/may not have had for me in that theatre that night.

And, as an avid believer that God speaks actively to us in all forms of media, that is the real disappointment.

Something New...

I have some very exciting news to report to you all.  (Both?  lol)  After speaking with their online editor, I have been added as a volunteer staff member over at Hollywood Jesus.

In case you haven't heard of them before, Hollywood Jesus is a website devoted to examining pop culture from a spiritual point of view.

Sound familiar?

Active for 13 years now, Hollywood Jesus has many people on their staff -- I estimate about 80? -- and exists primarily online.  I have been told that, on the whole, the site receives roughly 60 000 hits a week.  Reviews and comments vary widely, both in content and style.  I have kept an eye on their site for several years and respect what they are attempting to do.  Their staff discuss all sorts of media, ranging from movies to video games.  I will be contributing to them on a monthly basis with film reviews and other stuff.  

So, what of Movio Dei?

I assure you that my blog will continue to go forward.  I haven't quite figured out what that means yet (i.e. whether I write only film reviews for HJ and other things here) but I will let you know.  As for now, I'm working on my next review and (at least for this one) probably post it to both sites.

I would appreciate prayer as God opens this new door for me.

It's nice to know there are others like us out there.