April 2006 Archives

A Jewish comedian claimed not long ago that he grew up thinking that all the comic-book superheroes were Jewish, because, like, say, Goldman and Federrman, all their names end in “man”: Spiderman, Batman, Superman...

A report on MSNBC this week examined more seriously the topic of religion in comics, which are growing more concerned with faith, according to the story. The American superhero’s origin in Judaism have been explored, both in fact (click here for an essay on Superman and the Golem) and fiction, most famously in Michael Chabon’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, “The Adventures of Kavalier and Klay.” MSNBC’s reporter interviews several academics who point out the growing interest comic-book writers have taken in religion, to gratify an their audience that is increasingly adult, and, like the country as a whole, increasingly religious.

The theme pops up too on Progressive U., a national student blog, in an interesting essay about the essential religious nature of comics. The author portrays comics as modern pop mythologies—you know, the boogie-man stories equivalent to cave paintings that we flatter ourselves our society doesn’t indulge in anymore. Comic books, the essay claims, allows us to feel awe—mostly concocted but sometimes taking a share of reality, as in the nearly wordless 9/11 installment of “The Amazing Spiderman.”

For the record, with due respect to my Jewish brothers and sisters, Batman was an Episcopalian, and Superman a Methodist, as you can read here.

I saw "United 93," so you don't have to.

Which isn't to say it's a bad movie, because it's excellent, maybe even great--original, innovative, riveting, heartbreaking, unforgettable. Many had feared that the film would be exploitative, but "United 93" is exactly the opposite of that. In telling the story of the fourth plane on Sept. 11--the one that crashed as the passengers attempted to retake it from the hijackers--the filmmakers do away with all Hollywood conventions and opt for a documentary-style reenactment. We don't see the characters' back stories or their surviving relatives; no husbands kissing their wives good-bye for the last time, no lucky latecomer who just missed the flight, no orphans remembering their lost mom. Nothing, in fact, that we'd expect from a disaster-of-the-week film.

Instead, director Paul Greengrass tells the story in real-time, from just before takeoff to its tragic crash in a Pennsylvania field, jumping back and forth between the goings-on inside the airplane, the confusion among air-traffic controllers, and the too-little, too-late efforts by the military to retake American airways. Even the passengers' rebellion against the terrorists is presented without adornment, not as some sort of macho militaristic battle, but as what it was: The last desperate, heartbreaking attempt by a group of doomed people to take control of their fate.

Watching "United 93" was truly like re-experiencing Sept. 11. My heart started pounding the minute the plane's doors closed, and it didn't stop until after I returned to my office when it was over. Yes, this movie is a respectful, fitting memorial to the deceased heroes who fought back and prevented their flight from destroying the Capitol or another Washington building. Yes, I learned a lot about what these passengers must have went through, and gained some insight into how the air-traffic controllers and military officers reacted--sometimes as heroes, sometimes as bumblers, sometimes as both at once--to an unprecedented situation.

But is all of that a good thing? Do we want to go to the movies to re-experience the greatest American trauma of our time? Not me. Don't get me wrong; I am not someone who thinks all movies need to be happy, and I believe that film plays an important role in how we as a society talk about and work through important issues. But I don't see how this particular film furthers that conversation; it's certainly well intentioned and very well made, but it ultimately fails to go deeper than the surface. And we've all experienced that surface--in endless news coverage and in our own horrific memories--too much already. I can understand showing this movie at the planned United 93 memorial or at Sept. 11 memorial commemorations. But as one of the choices at your local multiplex, it's hard for me to understand why people would choose to bring themselves back so viscerally to that traumatic day--or what they'd get out of it.

May is about here and with it comes the kickoff of the summer movie season, which looks like it will be far different than last summer, when May's bombs and semi-bombs included “Kingdom of Heaven,” “Monster-in-Law,” and “Kicking and Screaming,” all landing with a box office thud that lasted all summer long.

It looks like the studios are making up for it this year, kicking off with “Mission: Impossible III” this weekend, followed by “Poseidon” on May 12, “The Da Vinci Code” on May 19, and “X-Men: The Last Stand” on May 26. I hope they’re good, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to notice that they’re certainly safe, at least for the studios. “M-I 3” and “X-Men” are sequels, “Poseidon” is a remake, and “Da Vinci” is the screen version of the book that’s been a best seller for what seems like a thousand weeks.

The trend will continue throughout the summer with sequels and remakes, including another Superman reincarnation in “Superman Returns,” another Johnny Depp turn in “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest,” a modern version of “The Man Who Came to Dinner” called “You, Me and Dupree, ” a big-screen “Miami Vice,” and “Garfield’s A Tale of Two Kittens.”

In the business of movies, these are as much franchises as they are films, which is good for business and hopefully entertaining for us. But I don't expect too much new to be said for the spiritual person looking to learn and reflect on life through art, as franchise films can't really risk saying too much. That's a shame, and I hope there's room in the market for films which still try and say something. A franchise which did that would be even more welcome, at least by me.

Tom Cruise fans—those who read the gossip mags these days with paper bags over their heads—must wonder, Why does Tom do it? Why pounce on Oprah’s sofa? Why pooh-pooh post-partum depression? Why placenta? Why does he insist on announcing that the birth of his child was “very spiritual”?

Okay, the last of these is the least of his recent embarassments, but it’s one that rallied me to Cruise’s defense. I had a twinge when the prankster squirted Tom in the face with a water gun shaped like a microphone, but I tilted when Tom’s claim about "spiritual" childbirth popped up in nearly every headline about his post-partum chat with ABC’s “20/20”; the media is either proud of Tom’s perceptive description of watching childbirth or wants his comment entered as another data point that he’s gone off his nut. I suspect the latter.

Since his cringe-inducing performance on "Oprah," we’re all to understand that Tom has taken permanent leave of his senses or is intolerably self-obsessed. “Is there any experience that isn’t totally intense and utterly incredible with this man?” wrote one columnist. Isn’t that, though, just about the best definition available of “spiritual”? The same question, asked about the Dalai Lama, would come off as praise.

Similarly, instead of using Oprah’s sofa as a trampoline, should Tom have mewled that Kat is his best friend? Okay, Tom could tone down the kooky pseudo-psychiatry and lay off the placenta. Or better yet, take some acting roles that measure up to his “private” weirdness. Artists are supposed to revolt us, challenge us, be rash and generally be in the vanguard. So I say, Take pride, Tom fans. You have nothing to lose but your bags.

Last night I attended the most violent concert I've ever been to—and believe me, I've been to a lot of them. The thing is, this one was a Christian show.

I've wanted to see the rock-rap-reggae band P.O.D. live for a long time. They're one of the best mainstream acts around and it just so happens they're Christians. Not the in-your-face kind, though—and, like so many other artists of faith out there, they don't like to be classified as a "Christian" band. They're a band whose members happen to be Christian, and who promote positive messages about life and love and God in their music, without inserting "Jesus" into every chorus.

Before the show—at the Nokia Theater in New York City--I waited on the open floor close to the stage for the first of three opening acts. I relaxed, and anticipated the night would be full of good, loud music I could dance and bop my head to. It didn't exactly go that way.

The first act, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, a Christian hardcore metal band, approached the stage and immediately launched into their first song—screaming and thrashing about. As I strained to hear the music, I felt a punch to my back. I turned around, and a huge mosh pit had formed behind me. That's cool, I thought, I could deal with it. I grew up during the grunge era and have been to a lot of shows where pits opened up. No biggie. I'd just try to move away to another spot on the floor.

Then, it happened. Instantly, the pit transformed from a lively group of people jumping around and dancing erratically to a dangerous circle of violence and aggression. The group, at this point about 10-15 people, mainly guys, began punching and kicking everyone on the edges of the circle. I am familiar with this wild, aggressive "slam dancing," but would never expect it at "Christian show." Besides, there are certain unwritten rules to participating in a mosh pit--namely, no punching or kicking, especially people outside of the pit.

I was pushed to another side of the dance floor, along with my friend who'd accompanied me to the show. I found a "safe" spot, away from the mayhem, and tried to get back into the music. It was kind of difficult to though, since the drummer constantly threw drumsticks into the crowd, and not once, but twice, almost poked in the eye. The lead singer also thought it was Christianly to spit into the crowd at least five times per song.

The next band, The Chariot--which has been described as Christian southern metalcore (I don't make up the genre names, people)--had a similar sound to Sons of Disaster, though with an interesting country sound. Another mosh pit quickly opened behind me. I didn't know about it until a tall teenage boy went flying into me, kicking me in the back of the head. I've never been kicked in the head at a mainstream concert, and here I was, getting beat up at a Christian show. Would Jesus would go for this kind of behavior? If he does, I certainly didn't get that memo.

As I tried to move away from the new pit, I glanced toward the stage to see the lead singer using the microphone stand as a sword, pretending to chop the heads off some of the people in the front of the stage.

Pillar, a hard-rock band composed of Christians came on next. (In an interview with Beliefnet last year, singer Rob Beckley objected to the label "Christian band," calling it "stupid," adding, "The Beastie Boys aren't Buddhist hip-hop"). At this point in the show, a big smoke cloud filled the air. Kids everywhere were smoking pot. "At least this will calm them down," I thought.

Oh, was I was wrong.

A fight broke out toward the end of Pillar's set, but luckily I was out of harm's way. However, I didn't get to enjoy the rest of the performance as much as I would have liked to, because I was constantly watching my back to make sure I wasn't punched or maimed. Overall though, Pillar put on a great show, singing some new material off their upcoming album, as well as old favorites like, "Bring Me Down."

Finally, P.O.D. came on, and they were every bit as wonderful as I imagined they'd be. Although plagued by some technical difficulties, the band was composed and polite and got the entire crowd singing many of their hits, including "Will You," "Boom," and "Youth of the Nation." It was a stellar performance, which coupled a great selection of hits with lead singer Sonny Sandoval's visable passion for the music he was singing.

At one point, Sandoval threw water into the crowd--something common at many hard rock shows where the audience gets hot and sticky. Although I had seen this many times before, it took on a new meaning at this show. It was if Sonny was baptizing the crowd, not into his religion, but into his music. It was very touching to see this. It almost made up for an entire night of being battered and bruised by an unruly crowd.

Almost.

Kudos to Walden Media on its lengthy profile in this week's Entertainment Weekly. Though not (yet) a household name, Walden is the company behind "The Chronicles of Narnia" movie, as well as "Holes," "Because of Winn-Dixie," and the upcoming "Hoot"...

One of the reasons Fox’s “House” receives so much critical acclaim is because even when this medical drama tackles a topic that has been done to death on other TV shows, it finds a way to present an old story...

You may not think of yourself as a rebel, but if you’re watching TV this week, you’re working against the efforts of Robert Kesten and his team at the TV-Turnoff Network, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that's behind “Turn Off Your...

Paul Sharrat had no luck contacting the late Princess Diana three years ago in a televised séance—well, no luck in the sense that Di refused to speak for the cameras. Sharrat did make some $7 million from viewers willing to...

For fans of "Crossing Jordan" (a CSI-meets-grown up-Nancy Drew weekly drama), the tantalizing question on Sunday night's episode was: Who Would Kill a Saint? A woman's body--wearing a silver cross--is discovered buried in a forest. As the crime-scene photographer leans...

Can lifelong friendships be torn apart by money when some of your friends have lots of it but others don’t? Are the age old proverbs "Money is the root of all evil" and "Money can’t buy happiness" actually true? Jennifer...

In Wednesday night's "Invasion" episode, "Re-Evolution" (the first new episode aired in over a month), Everglades park ranger Russell Varon theorizes that the hybrids (humans crossed with aliens) beginning to overrun the once-quiet town of Homestead, Fla., are a new...

The most recent Gilmore Girls opened with Rory and Lane helping Mrs. Kim carry a large, golden Buddha into her house/antique shop. "Take down the crucifixes!" she hollered at Lane. This was all in preparation for Lane and Zach's traditional...

The best overall plot line for J.J. Abrams's "Alias" has always been the mysteries surrounding Milo Rimbaldi, the 15th century apocalyptic philosopher-inventor, which was Arvin Sloane's obsession for most of the first three seasons of the show and the cause...

Mary Magdalene, the woman who according to some gospel accounts was one of the first followers of Jesus to encounter a risen Christ, has long been a much-debated biblical figure--and now she is about to become the star of her...

To the Christian music fans in Kansas City, Denver, and Jefferson City, Indiana, who are still waiting to watch the Gospel Music Association’s Dove Awards show: your wait is not almost over. You have at least two more weeks before...

It seems that fatherhood has brought out a devotion in Brad Pitt that transcends just sharing the same faux-hawk haircut with his adopted son, Maddox Jolie-Pitt.Hello! Magazine reports that the Hollywood hunk has gotten a Buddhist blessing tattooed on his...

Several news outlets reported this weekend that Episcopal churches are piping in U2 music as part of their services--even their liturgy--in an effort to preach the message of ending global poverty.“As the electric guitar in the U2 anthem ‘Pride (In...

The huge success of the indie hit “Napoleon Dynamite”--the oddball story of a geeky Idaho teen and his friend Pedro--has brought actor Jon Heder, currently starring in the movie Benchwarmers, a slew of new comedic movie roles, along with a...

Two key players at J-Dub Records, the label that was summarily dissed and dismissed by the Hasidic hipster Matisyahu last month, appeared on “Soundcheck,” on New York City’s public radio station, yesterday to discuss the label’s future. Aaron Bisman and...

Yesterday, NPR's Terry Gross interviewed the members of "What I Like About Jew," the quirky duo Rob Tannenbaum and Sean Altman, who sing jokey, cabaret-style songs about Jewish traditions and life. The two men recently released their newest CD, "Unorthodox,"...

Meet Joe, Steve, Mike, and Dan, four men who star in a new five-part A&E series called "God or the Girl?" which begins airing on April 16th. Why the quandary in the title, God or the girl? Who's to say...

It’s not like I want to invest my time in yet another reality show, but then last weekend I just happened to stumble across one of TLC’s relatively new series, “Little People, Big World”--and now I feel like I am...

Tonight, "Veronica Mars"--the show that features a crafty, high school girl P.I.--moves to its new UPN time slot, 9 p.m. What has me excited is the potential implied in the title of this episode: "I am God."I fully admit to...

Simple life, indeed.In possibly one of the most bizarre bids for publicity ever, MSNBC.com--via Access Hollywood via "People Magazine"--reports that Paris Hilton is on the short list to play Mother Teresa in a film set to begin production early next...

Richard Herskowitz is a brave man. The director of the Virginia Film Festival has chosen a theme for this year’s 70-film hoedown: “Revelations: Finding God at the Movies.” In a news brief released by the University of Virginia, which runs...

I am sure some ABC exec thought it was a good idea to have Naveen Andrews, one of the stars of ABC’s hit show “Lost,” do the talk-show circuit to promote tonight’s premiere of the ABC miniseries “The Ten Commandments,”...

Normally, when I go to a rock concert, most of the people in the audience have their hands in the air, making the "sign of the devil" with their pinky and pointer fingers extended, rocking out to the music. They're...

The Masters golf tournament may not command the television ratings of the Super Bowl and March Madness, but it still qualifies as one of the cultural sports holidays that many Americans gather around and observe religiously. During Sunday’s final round,...

The Beatles are all now either dead, knighted or Ringo, but the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the group’s onetime spiritual guru and the inventor of Transcendental Meditation, is still making news. The Maharishi’s followers recently broke ground on a $14 million...

At least one "Da Vinci Code" mystery has been solved... as far as the High Court in London is concerned. According to Reuters, the British court decided that "while Brown may have copied bits of the 1982 book 'The Holy...

All of the wires, websites, and blogs that are talking about Paul Newman’s appearance on last night’s "Tonight Show" are missing what I thought was the most powerful part of the evening.Paul Newman ate dog food, discussed his charitable work...

Aviad Cohen--you may know him as 50 Shekel, though then again, you probably don't know of him at all--has found a new way to get the word out about his latest passions. He's started a blog called Scripture & Sushi,...

Steven Colbert has spent as much time skewering Easter kitsch as he has politics lately on his talk show "The Colbert Report"--and I love him for it. Hypocritical as it may seem, Santa Clauses and elves don’t seem to bother...

When you hear the name Jerry Jenkins, the first thing you think of probably is not "emotional love story." But the king (or co-king, with Tim LaHaye) of Christian apocalyptic storytelling is much more than just "The Left Behind" series....

The long-lost "Gospel of Judas" published by the National Geographic Society today has one thing going for it: it's one of the shortest gospels on record. It's a mere 25 (very small) pages long, in contrast to the canonical Gospel...

The only thing better than watching Jon Stewart’s satirical spin on the world of politics on the “The Daily Show” is watching the sharp-tongued Stewart being outwitted by one of his guests. Such was the case last night when Stewart...

We'd like to take this opportunity for a quick and shameless public service announcement: Beliefnet is pleased to announce the launch of BeliefBuzz, a daily newsletter featuring the best of our entertainment and pop-culture content, including, of course, the latest...

There was something redeeming—or at least potentially redeeming—about the first “Basic Instinct” in 1992. One or two tantalizing scenes could not have been enough to drive all of the $350 million it made, nor would they have sustained celebrity status...

Sometimes I find New York Post gossip columnist Cindy Adams's Larry King-like meanderings a bit too filled with non-sequiturs. For example, a snippet from today's column: "B'way's new show 'Well' has the line: 'In the Midwest, Judaism is an accessory...

Battles in Donald Trump’s boardroom have taken a decidedly spiritual spin on this season’s “The Apprentice,” with an ongoing storyline that has highlighted one contestant’s refusal to compromise his religious faith just to get ahead in the show’s competition. (Well,...

Last night's "Sopranos" episode, "The Fleshy Part of the Thigh" was filled with religiously themed moments, including the mysterious appearance of a quotation from Native American spirituality posted at Tony's hospital bedside.Paulie also finds out that his mother is actually...

It's common these days to refer to Super Bowl Sunday as a civic holiday, but to me there's no more significant sports-oriented festival than baseball's Opening Day--just as there is no more spiritual sport than baseball, with its focus on...

Mason Miracle, March Miracle, and Miracle Run are just a couple of the turns of phrase invoking miracles or divine-intervention that have been used to somehow describe the fact that, against all odds (literally), the George Mason Patriots men's basketball...