Three interesting movies out right now. I'll try not to spoil the plot.
1. Gran Torino. Essentially, it's the story of violence and hate lived out in communities and neighborhoods all over the planet. One man decides that there's a way to end the violence. Unfortunately, his method is viewed as archaic and naive by most modern, sophisticated folks. Warning: this movie has a lot of slang/cussing/offensive language. Just had to make that note. Eastwood is outstanding.
2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Overall, an intriguing story. The film could've been edited (but so could half my sermons). I like that the movie wants to ask big questions: what does it mean to truly live? What does it mean to die well? How do we love for a lifetime? It is paradoxical that we are wiser in the season of our lives in which we are less likely to act. Brad Pitt is a great actor.
3. Seven Pounds. Sometimes, the cost of atonement is a price we are not willing to pay. A well-crafted story of the power of guilt and love. Will Smith is fantastic.
Please wait one moment . . .
About the Book (The Feast)
About Me
- Josh Graves
- Nashville, TN, United States
- I'm the best friend of Kara, father of Lucas, minister, author (The Feast), life-long Piston fan . . . I am the Preaching and Teaching Minister for the Otter Creek Church (Nashville) and I am working on a doctorate degree (second year) at Columbia Seminary studying the relationship of postmodernism and Christianity.
Some of Josh's Published Work (essays, books, articles, reviews)
Links
- Barbara Brown Taylor
- Brian D. McLaren
- Bronx Fellowship of Christ
- Chris Lindsey
- Columbia Seminary
- Donald Miller
- Doug Sanders
- Dry Bones--Denver
- Duke Chapel
- Focus: HOPE
- Greg Boyd
- Greg Stevenson
- Greg Taylor
- Jason Steckel
- Jesus Creed
- Jinja Mission Team
- John Mark Hicks
- John York
- Jonathan Storment
- Josh Ross
- Kara Graves (My wife and best friend)
- Kibo Group
- Larry James Urban Daily
- Lauren Winner
- Lee Camp
- Luke Norsworthy
- Mark and Lori Manry
- Mark Love (Missional Church)
- Mike Cope
- My Twitter Page
- New Wineskins Magazine
- Otter Creek Church
- Patrick Mead
- Randy Speck
- Rochester Church
- Rochester College
- Rubel Shelly
- Sean Palmer
- Stockman Family
- The One Campaign
- TOKENS (Lee Camp and the Arts)
- Wade Hodges
- Walter Surdacki
- Will Willimon
Blog Archive
-
▼
2009
(125)
-
▼
January
(24)
- Talking to a Cop About Healing
- What's In a Name? Lucas . . .
- Confessions of a (Former) Dr. Pepper Addict
- ZOE Fresno
- Explaining Yourself
- Blazing a Third Way
- How to be Anti-Intellectual
- Hope: Christianity and America
- MLK Day
- Friendship
- Blogging: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
- Calling
- Film
- Say What?
- Wilderness
- Dancing with Both Legs (Part Two with Brueggemann)
- Dancing with Both Legs
- LORD SAVE US FROM YOUR FOLLOWERS
- Paul and Imagination
- Detroit
- Acedia, Movies, and Keeping Sabbath
- Words
- <!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 ...
- Is Christianity Good for You?
-
▼
January
(24)
6 comments:
Josh....
I've "bookmarked" you. You have made the big time.
I'll be seeing Gran Torino this weekend. If you haven't, I hope you and Kara will check out "Slumdog Millionaire" soon. It is by far the best movie I have seen in a while.
Love ya, man.
Sean McAfee
ps...a link to my blog, if you care: http://seanmcafee.wordpress.com/
Josh: We are going to agree to disagree about movies...not in your critiques, but on the very idea of even going to movies.
I feel Hollywood, more than any other factor, has contributed to the moral decay that grows around us every day. It was the movies that told society that it was okay to curse, perfectly normal to sleep around, and excusable to engage in decadent behavior.
The impressionable ticket buyers, particularly the youth of the world, have bought it all, assimilated it into their thought processes, and adjusted their lives accordingly.
Because of this, I rarely buy a ticket to a movie. I may go once a year if it's a G-rated film with a wonderful message. I wish more folks felt like me...I'd love to destroy Hollywood with a massive boycott.
Your turn!
Tim
Rockwall, TX
Sean Mac: I have Slumdog on my list.
Tim,
You ask a good question.
A few places to start. First, I appreciate the decision you've made and I respect it a great deal. For me, I cannot make this move since, under the logic you use to guide you, you'd have to resist reading the Old Testament (which is full of violence, sex, and drama).
I agree with you that Hollywood can do destructive work. But, at the same time, some films have been redemptive in American culture. For instance, one of the turning points in the Civil Rights Movement was a film/documentary about the Holocaust which caused Americans to realize that they were participating in an injustice of their own which begged attention.
People usually respond to film in these ways.
1. Complete separation. Watch and having nothing to do with film.
2. Naive consumption. Watch anything and everything (which I think is dangerous, of course).
3. Moralistic piety. Only watch what is safe and PG.
4. War. Fight Hollywood tooth and nail on everything they do.
While, I think parents must show careful discernment, film is ultimately a medium of expression (like music, literature, etc.). Some of it is really bad, some of it is really good.
Personally, I'm not convinced life is worse today than it was fifty years ago. I think humanity's sins are always pervasive, they just take different forms. We've come a long way regarding racism and sexism. We've lost a lot of ground regarding sexual activity.
So, I have to disagree. Our culture is being shaped by the stories of Hollywood. I want to be a part of that dialog. I think the church has a unique role to applaud that which is worth applauding (the heroism displayed in Hotel Rwanda) and to call into question narcissistic materialism (American Pie).
That's what I think. I might be wrong, but I'm never unsure of why I think what I think.
Thoughts?
Two good movies on this subject (particularly the way evangelicals tend to approach this topic) are: Eyes Wide Open and Reel Spirituality.
FYI.
"two good books" is what I meant to write. My bad.
Sean,
Not sure what "made the big time" means . . . :)
Post a Comment