While I am still on a movie-watching spree so I can finish my list of Top Ten Films of 2006, I thought I would share with Idol Chatter readers the books and music that are some of the best of this past year, but which, in my estimation, are also the most overlooked. So it's not too late to return that "Left Behind" videogame or that "Purpose Driven Life" coffee mug that you found under the tree and pick up one of these titles instead to start the new year off right.
Books: "Secrets In The Dark" by Frederick Buechner: No one reflects on the mysteries of the Christian journey more eloquently than Buechner. He is perhaps the first author I have ever read who seems more comfortable with questions about faith than he does with answers. This book is a compilation of some of his sermons from years past on a variety of topics and makes for a great devotional for the new year.
"Accompanied by Angels" by Luci Shaw: Shaw has always been adept at combining the earthbound and the sacred in unusual ways, and in this latest anthology, the focus is on man's relationship with angels. Specifically, many of the poems are related to Christmas and the birth of Jesus. If you haven't read any of her work, this is a great place to start
Who's Afraid of Postmodernism? By James K.A. Smith: Calvin College philosophy professor James Smith takes a sharp, insightful look at some of the tenets of postmodern philosophy and various Christian responses to it. In particular, I appreciate that he articulates some of the flaws in certain factions of the emergent church movement, as they adhere to postmodern thought in an attempt to be "culturally relevant." What's impressive is that he does all that in a very accessible, reader-friendly way.
Music: Ashley Cleveland "Before the Daylight's Shot": Mix Bonnie Raitt, Diane Krall, and a tiny bit of Aretha Franklin together, and you will come close to describing the talent of Ashley Cleveland. She's always been too raw for the contemporary Christian music crowd, and she's never been a commercial sell-out, so mainstream success has eluded her, but the smoky, soulful-voiced Cleveland has been my favorite female singer/songwriter for years. She finally has a new recording out this month--available only on her website--with more songs about her passionate longing to grow deeper in her faith in spite of her failings. Her song "The Blessing" is probably going to become my anthem for 2007.
T-Bone Burnett: "The True False Identity": As a little girl I just knew T-Bone as the guy who married contemporary Christian singer Leslie--now Sam--Phillips. Most music buffs know him as the award-winning producer of numerous soundtracks ( "O Brother, Where Art Thou?") and many other hits. But his latest solo recording is a reminder that he is a genius as a singer/songwriter who mixes so many different but awesome spiritual metaphors together it just might make your head hurt.
One of the most interesting--albeit meaningless--awards of the year comes from CNN Headline News' "Showbiz Tonight," which names its "Most Controversial Celebrity" of the year. For 2006, Britney Spears won out over the likes of Mel Gibson, Michael Richards, Tom Cruise, Anna Nicole Smith, Naomi Campbell, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Madonna, and Star Jones.
I say it's interesting because it says something about how truly un-interesting celebrity news has become these days. I think someone should have to accomplish something truly amazing to even be considered as a "star," and then have to do something really controversial to be considered for such a list. Given that, I'd eliminate Britney, as well as almost everyone else on the list. What has Paris Hilton actually done to make her a "star." For that matter, what about Lindsay Lohan or Anna Nicole Smith? Sometimes the whole Hollywood thing reminds me of a junior high, full of a few people who trying to be popular, a few others who get them to believe it, a few who are envious, and the largest part of the crowd hiding in the safety of anonymity with something to talk about.
Of course, this prestigious award is not merely selected at random. CNN employs four primary criteria:
1) Does the mention of their very name spark a visceral reaction?
2) Which celebrity provoked the most continuous shock and outrage from their antics over the course of the entire year?
3) Which celebrity generated the most continued interest through the year?
4) Did their actions leave any lasting impact?
I think the real stars are people who step up and step forward. The real controversial ones are those who assume leadership roles, and do it in ways that others either don't agree with, don't respect, or don't even notice.
Mel Gibson made a wonderful impact upon the world with his depiction of Christ's passion, and the comments he made during an arrest were as disrespectful as they were embarrassing and career-threatening. After that, the list falls apart, in my book. These stars' names don't spark a visceral reaction--despite what you'd think from watching or reading the media that tries to make stories out of who they are and what they do, just for the purpose of, well, having something to talk about in the gobs of TV time and printed column space given over to celebrity "news."
For all the time young people buy magazines, read papers, watch shows, listen to podcasts, read blogs, etc., I wish someone could succeed at engaging them in something truly controversial and relevant--like how to feed the under-resourced people of our world, starting in our own communities. Or how about how to use technological advances to contribute to the future rather than just watching it, listening to it, or reading about it? Or how about how to pick part of the world that is not us (any nation in Africa or Asia or Latin America) and engage young minds and hearts with the question of how best to help?
Whether they succeeded or failed, those who tried would make two of my lists: not only the Most Controversial, but the Most Inspirational as well.
If you've seen all the other family movies this season--or even if you haven't--take your teens or even your grown kids to see "Rocky Balboa." It may end up being the kind of bonding that goes beyond inspiration to transformation. "Rocky Balboa" starts a little slow compared to most action flicks, but the teens I've watched in two screenings are curiously drawn into the story of a father figure-older guy with a way about him that's endearing. They seem to get his humor, and end up rooting for him for completely different reasons than those of us (like me) who were alive when the original "Rocky" burst onto the scene and became iconic.
I didn't like "Rocky Balboa" as much as I respected it, and was surprised by its impact on younger people. Its message went beyond the typical underdog or one-in-a-million themes of the first "Rocky," and it also went beyond the sloppy sentiment of a lot of father-son stories as well. "You cast a big shadow" is as real and un-syruppy a line as I've heard, and Rocky's "victim" speech to his son is the kind of thing executives and H.R. departments spend big bucks to communicate to a generation that knows more about how to blame than how to work.
For those who enjoy comparisons and contrasts to the prior movies in the series, there's plenty in "Rocky Balboa" for you, too. This "Rocky" manages to blend the depth of the first two with the faster movement of the next three. It doesn't labor along (once it gets going). Pedro Lovell's "Spider Rico" ends up being a born-again Christian, as surprisingly as "Mick" ended up being Jewish, as we found out at his funeral in "Rocky III." Talia Shire is credited as "Adrian" even though she's passed away, which is probably about the only believable way to remember her understated and powerful humanity from "Rocky" and "Rocky II."
Antonio Carver's "Mason Dixon" is reminiscent of Mr. T's "Clubber Lang" from "Rocky III," but only in the ring. He's as socially connected and savvy outside of the ring as Lang was reclusive and withdrawn. And the cameo of Mike Tyson is sort of a real-life version of Rocky's empowering Burt Young's "Paulie" to make a few bucks off of Balboa's success.
In the end, "Rocky Balboa" is much like the great fight of the original: It may not rank as an all-time classic, but it goes the distance and has the crowd--including me--rooting it on.
So I'm adding "Rocky Balboa" to my all-time list of Christmas movies with a message--not the ones that preach but ones that go beyond mere inspiration to potentially have a real impact. I've written in the past about my all-time favorites, which include the obvious ("It's A Wonderful Life," "Miracle on 34th Street") as well as the less-obvious ("Home Alone II," Ron Howard's "The Grinch"), and the stretches ("Die Hard 2," "Fitzwilly), where significant wrongs are righted at Christmastime.
"Rocky Balboa" belongs, and when we gather to watch it next Christmas, it won't be me bringing it up--it'll be my teens, and I'll be glad they're listening to its message.
Like a lot of people, I love lists, and I love the Beliefnet team of gifted bloggers, writers, and editors, but I have to say it's a glaring oversight that "The Nativity Story" doesn't make the list of Top Ten Family Films of 2006, which Sharon Linnea--Beliefnet's Reel Inspirational columnist--compiled.
For years, young people have not had a definitive version of the Christmas story to watch, rent, buy, or give. The closest we've had is the Peanuts special, which at least recites the story. The makers of "The Nativity Story" may not have made an Oscar winner or even an all-time classic, but they made the best we have so far, bringing the drama of the story to life on a screen much bigger and with a sound much broader than the classic Sunday School flannel board lesson. And in our media culture, kids deserve this.
When some people think of classic love stories, they think of Romeo and Juliet, or perhaps something they saw with their first boyfriend. But I think the Christmas story is the greatest love story of all time. Jesus left heaven, became one of us to show us a visible image of an invisible God, lived among us for awhile to know us and to be known, died to make a relationship with God possible and rose from the dead to prove it was all true.
I'd love it if future Christmas seasons brought us sequels that focused on each area of his life, death, and resurrection. Movies have an ability to transcend denominations and sectarian biases and just tell a story, and families are well-served to have something so meaningful to then discuss together.
"The Nativity" may not have some of the accoutrements of the typical feel-good holiday flick, but it's content alone makes it an essential for the spiritual seeker.
'Tis the season of year-end best-of lists, and Beliefnet is no exception. Check out our Top Ten Family Films of 2006 gallery here, compiled by Sharon Linnea, our Reel Inspirational columnist. Sharon's kids also made their own best-movies lists here.
I finally bit the bullet and went to see "Eragon," the first of three films based on the bestselling "Inheritance" trilogy by Christopher Paolini. Paolini is a shockingly young (i.e., born in 1983) author who took the book world by storm as a teenager with the release of "Eragon," a novel he began writing at age 16. He quickly followed up that much-heralded debuted with "Eldest," Book Two of the trilogy. (Book Three is yet to come.) I haven't read the novel--unusual for me, given that I am an utter fantasy geek, but only because I've heard from too many trusted writer-reader friends that "Eragon" is an impressive piece of work, for a teenager. In other words, not the best read for an adult.
But I figured it was worth my money at the box office, at least.
"Eragon" the film has all the trimmings of a true fantasy epic: a young, handsome farm boy who has a great destiny before him and must rise to the occasion; a mentor who will help him get there; arduous journeys; the triumph of evil over good--for now (we know that all that will change, of course); a one-dimensional villain-king; an evil sorcerer; magical creatures; and, last but not least, a beautiful warrior-princess, whom we all know is destined for our hero.
So, in many ways it was fun as a film, but I couldn't help myself from checking off, one-by-one, the formulaic ingredients that Paolini made sure to include in his plot, making it clearly a member of the "classic" fantasy genre. At moments, I secretly delighted in thinking: A-ha! This is the "Harry Potter" bit here (a scar that marks our hero's destiny and one that burns when danger is near). And a-ha! This is the "Lord of the Rings" bit now (well, basically the whole movie takes after Tolkien, complete with a Saruman-type bad wizard, his own dark stronghold with an army of weapon-building grotesque orc-like creatures, and lots of journeying across hills, etc. on horseback). And, no way! There's even some "Star Wars" moments thrown in for good measure (think: oh no! Not my uncle!).
But when you think this was all imagined by a teenager, you have to admit: impressive indeed. He included all the proper fantasy ingredients, with even a little imagination of his own thrown in. So the movie is a nice afternoon activity. But the book, weighing in at a hefty 538 pages--I'm not sure I am geeky enough to give it a go.
Christmas may be behind us, but it's never too late to enjoy Twisted Sister's take on Christmas classics. Here's an animated video of their "Come All Ye Faithful":
For more celebrity Christmas carol fun, click here.
Along with many other critics and fans, I winced when I first heard the news that Sylvester Stallone was going to add one more chapter to the "Rocky" franchise. And the cynic in me became even more nervous when I began reading on the web about how Stallone was recruiting the church audience to rally support for the film. But "Rocky Balboa," while not a great film, brings both Stallone and Rocky a little redemption for the cinematic embarrassments that were "Rocky III" through "Rocky V"("Rocky II" wasn't an embarrassment, just not as good as the original).
Almost as an acknowledgment that he sold-out one of the most beloved characters in American film history through the creation of the too many lame sequels to "Rocky," Stallone makes almost no reference to anything that happened to Balboa in any of the films except the original. But when it comes to paying homage to the original movie, Stallone does it early and often. Balboa has returned to living in the old neighborhood, where he runs a small restaurant that draws people in because of his status as a local legend. He lives in a tiny, run-down home with two turtles and hangs with Adrian's brother Pauley. Stallone even finds a clever way to bring a minor character from the first film back and turn that character into a major role in this story.
The one important person who is missing from this particular sequel, however, is the love of Rocky's life, Adrian. Adrian died a few years prior to the opening action of this story, and it is that loss that spurs the rest of the movie. A grief-stricken and lonely Rocky is sleepwalkng through life feeling like a dinosaur, not only because of his age, but also because he is still trying to live his life by a value system those around him consider archaic. Rocky tries to find solace in his relationship with his son, who is uncomfortable with dad's legacy, and he tries to find meaning in helping a single mom and her teenage son, but in both cases he is only moderately successful. But just as Rocky is becoming convinced once again that he still ain't nuthin' but a bum, he is persuaded to appear in an exhibition against the current boxing champ, the obnoxious and greedy Mason Dixon.
Does all of this sound familiar? Well, I think that is Stallone's intention. He is not trying to reinvent Rocky this time around, but simply revisit his world to remind us that "it doesn't matter how hard you hit, but how hard you can get hit and still move forward." Yes, "Rocky Balboa's" premise is slightly ridiculous, and the constant flashbacks to the original "Rocky" feel a little heavy-handed and overwrought, but Stallone gives a sweet, restrained performance, and hits all the right notes one more time as the underdog with the heart of gold.
And because I know readers are wondering, trust me when I tell you that Stallone ended the movie in such a way that there is no doubt that there will be no more Rocky movies in the future. In fact, it would have been nice if Stallone would have taken more time with the little twist at the end of the flick to give us more time to say good-bye to one of the most inspirational big-screen heroes of all time.
"All-Time Worst Christmas Movies" is not just a list, but a debate. Readers of the movie-ga-ga website Pearl and Dean recently voted "Jingle All the Way," a 1996 flick starring the current governor of California, the worst Christmas movie ever, and you can find it on plenty of other lists as well ("Nothing more than an odious, unfunny tribute to the greed and commercialism of Christmas," says a reviewer on British MSN.)
But how to define "worst"? "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" tops a dishonor roll compiled recently by Dave Larsen, a writer for the Dayton Daily News, who also nominates his favorite God-awful Christmas specials. But the seemingly intentional badness of this bizarre 1964 sci-fi hash might disqualify it as a spoof. (If only. We don't recommend imbibing this film unadulterated. Try the "Mystery Science Theater 3000" version, available on DVD.) A movie has to be trying to be good to fail, right? But then, does Ben Affleck ("Surviving Christmas," 2004) ever really try?
For our money, the worst is defined by what we couldn't bring ourselves to watch, even to make fun of. And ladies and gentleman, there's no way we're watching "Santa With Muscles." Two years after director John Murlowski made this "nosebleedingly bad" 1996 Hulk Hogan vehicle, he was given the helm of "Richie Rich's Christmas Wish," possibly as punishment, and we'll even take Richie over Hulk.
For gluttons for Christmas schmaltz, Maxim has also identified the Worst Christmas Albums of 2006.
Since it's common knowledge that nothing sells a paper like a good scandal, could the same work for pageants?
The latest news in the Miss USA underage-drinking/alleged drug use/inappropriate behavior kerfuffle is that Miss Teen USA--whom current Miss USA Tara Conner is said to have partied and made out with on several occassions--has been dropped by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) for her behavior as well. This after yesterday's revelation wherein Donald Trump, owner of the Miss Universe, USA, and Teen USA franchises, threatened to sue "The View" hostess Rosie O'Donnell over comments she made on the show after Trump decided against dropping Conner as Miss USA because of her hard-partying ways, instead showing mercy and sending her to rehab.
Said O'Donnell, "Because his show 'The Apprentice' is starting again in January, he held a big press conference to see if he was going to allow Miss USA, such a prestigious title."
O'Donnell is partly right.
Sure, underneath that mop of hair, Trump probably is a nice guy who will give a person a second chance. But he's also a shrewd businessman who knows that this story of rehab and redemption can generate buzz about the pageants themselves. After all, even bad publicity is good publicity. And publicity is something that the pageants sure could use.
Just look at the venerable Miss America Pageant. The one-time Altantic City September event is now held in January. In Las Vegas. In 1954, broadcast live for the first time, the pageant broke viewership records with 39 percent of the television audience (27 million viewers) watching the telecast. Now it's aired on CMT (Country Music Television) and has a sister show called "Total Access: Miss America," which follows the reigning title holder, Jennifer Berry, as she travels around the country.
With Trump's money, the Miss Universe Oganization--producers of the Miss Unvirese, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA competions--has fared better and ratings for the pageants have been respectable, even if the winners aren't.
CNN's Soledad O'Brien grilled Miss USA President Paula Shugart yesterday morning as to why the organization should keep Connor, since Miss USA is supposed to be a role model for young girls, implying that it was sending a bad message.
Times have changed since 1984, when Vanessa Williams, the first African-American Miss America, relinquished her crown when it came to light that Penthouse magazine would be publishing nude photos of her without her consent.
Now it seems that redemption, not rejection, is the name of the PR game. In fact, a recent CNN.com headline read "Miss USA says thanks for delivery from evil," adding a bilical flare to the affair.
Fomer Miss USA Finalist and current Star Magazine editor Jill Dobson doesn't buy it:
"I think she has brought disgrace to the program, based on all these reports, and we keep hearing this excuse, 'Oh, she's a small town girl and grew up in a three-stoplight town.'" she told CBS' The Early Show. "I grew up in a one-stoplight town, and I've never caused an international scandal. So, I don't think that's an excuse."
Dobson acknowledges what many have known for years, that all the negative press is actually good for Connor's career. How many former Miss Americas or Miss USAs can you name? Most likely, no more than the aforementioned Vanessa Williams and Shana Moakler, a former Miss USA who has recently been in heavy rotation in the tabloids for her catfight with Paris Hilton over an ex-husband.
As my fellow Idol Chatterer Paul O'Donnell recently mentioned, there has been a big marketing push by Motive Entertainment to get faith groups out to theaters to see Sylvester Stallone's just-released "Rocky Balboa." As a participant in a recent conference call with Stallone and a number of religious leaders, I listened in as he described his own strengthened faith and talked about Rocky being "reborn."
"The more I go to church, the more I turn myself over to Jesus," he said. "Church is the gym of the soul. Pastors are the trainers."
Obviously, for his role in "Balboa," Stallone needed to be in peak physical condition--I mean, the guy is 60--but he must have needed some spiritual strength training as well. Anyone would need a steady faith to create a follow up to "Rocky V," one of the worst ever made. (The movie was dubbed one of the 100 worst films of the 20th century by The Bad Cinema Society.)
During the call, Stallone admitted his failure with "Rocky V," saying he was self-absorbed at that point in his life and didn't put his heart and soul into it. "It really hurt me because it was totally my fault," he said.
Apparently, though, he's now in a better place in his life and isn't as narcissistic. "I don't think I'm any more important than the guy who lights the set because without him, [people] won't see you," he joked.
Luckily, the initial reviews are positive, so I don't think Stallone needs to worry much about making a movie worse than "Rocky V." Let's just hope a "Balboa" box office success doesn’t lead him to create sequels to that movie ("Rocky X: A Nursing Home Smackdown"? "Balboa Beyond the Grave"?)
Meant to evoke the salaciousness associated with films, TV shows, and books about the desperate lives of housewives, the latest installment of National Geographic Explorer, "Secret Lives of Jesus," doesn't disappoint. This exploration of alternative gospels, those not included in the canon, such as the gospels of Thomas and Judas, provides as much murder, mischief, and sex as a Sunday night on Wisteria Lane.
According to one source, the young Christ actually murders a boy for talking back to him. Another claims that Joseph was quite advanced in age by the time he wed Mary and that he was never able to consumate the marriage; a tale, the show's experts tell us, meant to bolster the concept of the Virgin Birth. Still another tells us that Jesus would use his "powers" to repair Joseph's shoddy craftsmanship. The episode also touches on the recently popularized Gospel of Mary, which exalts Mary Magdalene as Christ's favorite disciple, and her relationship with Jesus.
Considered at times both scandalous and heretical, these stories provide a fascinating look at the development of Scripture as we know it, what could be dubbed early PR efforts of the Church. Afterall, who wants to follow a murderous Messiah, a scandalous Savior?
"Explorer: Secret Lives of Jesus" airs tongiht on the National Geographic Channel.
In one of the most subtle yet daring movies of the year, director Stephen Frears ("Dangerous Liasons," 'The Grifters") examines the death of Princess Diana with a unique and thoughtful prespective in his drama "The Queen." There's no conspiracy theories and no move-of-the-week, soap-opera treatment of the iconic Diana here, just a razor-sharp reflection on the the institution of the royal family--particularly Queen Elizabeth II--the power of the media, and the need for idol worship in our celebrity-obsessed society.
The entire movie takes place during the week after Princess Diana's untimely death in a car crash in Paris and before her public funeral several days later. Queen Elizabeth's initial instinct is to have the family retreat to Balmoral Castle so they can deal with her death privately. The only problem is that her subjects--the distraught citizens of Great Britain--want the Queen (played superbly by Helen Mirren) to honor Diana publicly. As global media coverage of the public grief over Diana's death intensifies, the newly appointed Prime Minister Tony Blair becomes involved, helping to persuade the Windsor dynasty to change public preceptions that the royals are unfeeling, out-of-touch, and perhaps unnecessary to the future of the United Kingdom.
Such plot details may not sound fit for anything other than an average History Channel documentary, but what Frears does so brilliantly is dissect events to show how people in power deserve to be judged--and also that they deserve to be granted a moment of grace now and then. Over and over again, he cleverly illustrates that everyone who knew Diana was in some way complicit in the way Diana was revered in society as well in the way that she tragically died.
It is not without a touch of prophetic irony that Tony Blair is portrayed as somewhat of a hero in this tale--someone with huge public popularity and a talent for speaking to the "commoners." In fact, Frears shows Blair foreshadowing his own current unpopularity in Britain (in part because of his support of President Bush and the Iraq war) when he tells the Queen that what is happening to her in the press will undoubtedly happen to him one day as well.
And then there is the cinematic imagery of the stag that the Windsor family stalks while staying at Balomoral Castle. The way they ruthlessly hunt this animal as a distraction--only to have it killed by a stranger instead--smacks of a huge metaphor for the way they treated Diana while the papparazzi ruthlessly tracked her every move and played a hand in her demise.
Even the weeping throngs of people keeping vigil outside of Buckingham Palace seem to be eyed with a bit of disdain through the lens of Frears' camera, because they are blind to Diana's faults, and blind to the fact that their idol worship of Diana created the demand for the constant media coverage of her every move.
"The Queen" will surely rack up some Oscar and Golden Globe Awards during the upcomng red carpet season, and it has now firmly landed as one of the leading candidates for my Top Ten List for 2006.
Last night, the German Opera's production of Mozart's "Idomeneo" went on in Berlin without incident, albeit two months late and with more than 100 green-clad cops on hand. The heavy security was deployed to protect the artistic freedom of the production's director, Hans Neuenfels, who had added a controversial scene in which Mozart's eponymous king lays out the severed heads of Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, and Poseidon. Neuenfels had explained that the scene was a protest against "any form of organized religion or its founders."
Muslims, of course, were offended by the treatment of the Prophet. Their protests, coming soon after violent protests against a cartoon depicting Muhammad in a Danish newpaper, had forced German opera authorities to cancel the revived Neuenfels production's premiere in September. Those same authorities appeared last night, of course, to declare the triumph of artistic principles and their own intestinal fortitude.
While I'm the first to applaud anything to make opera more relevant, it's difficult to get too fired up for Neuenfels's defense of art. It's one thing to deny the existence of God or gods (and Neuenfels could do that by taking The Blasphemy Challenge here), but opera and organized religion face so many common challenges--declining attendance, a failure to lure young people and the hardening of ideological positions among their remaining adherents--that for an opera maven to publicly decry organized religion smacks more of jealousy or marketing slickness than principle. After all, of the two, organized religion is getting a lot more press of late.
The holiday season means it's busy time here at Beliefnet, and there are a couple of new features that we think Idol Chatter readers will love. The first is Caroling with the Stars--music from some of the year's best celebrity Christmas albums, as well as a few old favorites. It features Sarah McLachlan, Brad Paisley, Rebecca St. James, Twisted Sister, and many other artists. Click here to listen and enjoy!
While you're listening, how about testing your knowledge of Christmas and Hanukkah movies? Click here to take the quiz.
Dimension Films is doing a little re-gifting this holiday season--and certain religious groups are responding with a loud "return to sender."
Dimension, a division of the Weinstein Company, is releasing a remake of the 1974 horror classic "Black Christmas," a tale of sorority girls being menaced over Christmas break, considered by most afficionados to be the originator of the "slasher" genre. But the movie and its Christmas Day release date are running afoul of groups such as Operation Just Say Merry Christmas (an organization dedicated to returning the sacred to the increasingly secular holiday season), which are being gore-Grinches about the remake.
"The use of religious music--'Silent Night'--and the nativity set on the front porch in one scene are insensitive to Christians," Jennifer Giroux, co-founder of Operation Just Say Merry Christmas, told Reuters after watching the trailer. "It's not enough to ignore and omit Christmas, but now it has to be offended, insulted, and desecrated. Our most sacred holiday, actually a holy day, is being assaulted."
"To have a movie that emphasizes murder and mayhem at Christmas, a time of celebration and joy around the world, seems to be ill founded," echoes Mathew Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, "an organization dedicated to upholding religious freedom and traditional family values."
Certainly, Staver and Giroux are both entitled to their opinions, and in fact, when I first saw an ad for the film, I thought it a bit tacky. But, Mr. Staver forgets that the Yuletide is not necessarily a time of joy and celebration for everyone, either because they are not affiliated with the Christian religion or because they are suffering from depression or anxiety actually made worse by the holidays.
Additionally, Giroux is neglecting another tradition: counter-programming. Just as Ms. Giroux's website offers alternative cards and crèches for those who feel Christmas has become PC and devoid of Christianity, so too do the movie studios offer films for those sick of usual holiday treacle.
In fact, there is a long history of films featuring killer Kris Kringles. Let's take a ride with the Ghost of Christmas Past all the way back to 1980's "To All a Good Night," then on to 1981's "You Better Watch Out," and land at 1984's "Silent Night, Deadly Night," which caused such a brouhaha with its ax-wielding Santa that it was pulled from theaters after two weeks and never made its Christmas Day nationwide release.
But then came a little film you may have heard of, known as "Scream," released on December 20, 1996, a time of year traditionally reserved for Oscar contenders looking to get in under the wire. No Academy Award potential here, but the Wes Craven-directed film and its sequels proved to Hollywood that horror could rule the holidays, with the first two "Scream" films grossing more than $100 million each.
With the recent controversy, the "Black Christmas" ads now have a nifty new feature, an ominous voiceover stating: "The film they don't want you to see...," a tactic sure to draw in viewers who might not have cared otherwise and to give foundations such as Staver's and Giroux's more visibility. So in the end, everyone may get exactly the gift they asked for.
His congregation meets weekly at a bar, he runs operations out of an auto body shop, and holds staff meetings at a local cafe. After some angry teen years and recovery from drug addition, Jay Bakker, son of the infamous, pioneering televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye, is now following in his father's footsteps--sort of. He's started a church of his own--the Revolution Church--and is the star of the Sundance Channel's new six-part series, "One Punk Under God: The Prodigal Son of Jim and Tammy Faye," a docu-reality show that chronicles Jay's efforts to get disaffected youth to follow Jesus in some seriously nontraditional ways.
In Episode 1, which aired last week, viewers Jay and his wife of seven years, Amanda (a striking woman covered in tattoos, with bright, dyed-red hair), hang out at home, lovingly deal with his mother's struggle with fourth-stage cancer, and make a pilgrimage to Heritage Christian Resort--the Christian "Disneyland" that his father founded, and which thrived as the largest Christian theme park in its day (and has yet to be duplicated in size and style). Jay is refreshingly honest about his own personal struggles with growing and running his ministry--a ministry that truly opens its arms to those people society tends to reject (Goth-like youth with multiple piercings seem to populate Revolution's services).
But most fascinating is Jay's openness as he reflects about life in the wake of his parents' shockingly public scandals--and the obvious affection and tenderness he holds for both Mom and Dad despite it all. The Christian ethic of forgiveness is clearly alive in this articulate, driven young pastor.
Five more episodes remain in this engaging series--which airs Wednesday nights--about Jay, Amanda, and their fellow Revolution staffers (including Stu, an older, perhaps alternative father figure for Jay, who now keeps the Atlanta branch of Revolution going). For those curious to attend Revolution, the church is now based out of Brooklyn, N.Y., but maintains outposts in Atlanta and Charlotte.
It wouldn't be a surprise to those who believe that the Bible is full of evidence of extraterrestrial visitations and manipulations. But while it's true that Erich Von Daniken's 1974 book "Chariots of the Gods" explored aliens visiting ancient Egypt and Peru, rarely are such theories applied to the Abrahamic religions. In truth, however, "the biblical religion is an example of how [aliens] have shaped our development"--at least according to one researcher interviewed on the History Channel's "UFO Files: UFOs in the Bible,"
Featuring Dr. Barry Downing, a Presbyterian minister and UFOlogist, and other researchers, the show explores some of the exemplars of extraterrestrial encounters found in both the Old and New Testaments and touches on other cultures' close encounters of the third kind.
According to these researchers, it's the Old Testament that can be dubbed the Extraterestrial Testament for all the alien activity contained in it. To listen to these scholars tell it, the burning chariots of fire that Elijah saw was a detailed decription of an encounter with a UFO. And, in fact, Elijah's disappearance into the clouds was no mere Assumption, but an alien abduction.
The pillar of cloud, or smoke, that led Moses out of Egypt? A UFO, the propulsion system of which parted the Red Sea. And it conveniently dropped mana as well. What's more, Isaac was implanted in Sara by ETs, and the prophets were all fed visions of the future through mind control.
The book of Ezekiel has the honor of being UFOlogists favorite evidence for flying saucers in Scripture, with its descriptions of flying, spinning, glowing metallic objects in the sky.
And the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah? Alien nuclear warheads, of course.
The New Testament doesn't contain as much UFO evidence, but the one event the panelists point to as proof proves the dictum "quality over quantity": The Transfiguration of Jesus--who, coincidentally, was accompanied by "abductees" Elijah and Moses.
According to one interviewee, the Vatican itself has even made a statement saying that aliens are "not to be feared or demonized," a statement which, astonishingly enough, turns out to be an apparent hoax, according to a quick internet search.
And that's where the show really fails. Contradicting viewpoints are only presented in the last 10 minutes, the archeological evidence they highlight doesn't prove or disprove anything (Sodom and Gomorrah did burn to the ground! But noone knows why), and we never hear a reason why these aliens would care to shape the course of human events.
I'll be the first to admit that I have an extremely hard time believing that technologically advanced beings from outer space shaped the Judeo-Christian religion as we know it. On the other hand, I don't have a hard time accepting the concept of the Holy Trinity, three persons in one. In the end, both positions require a leap of faith.
I not only grew up reading E. B. White's classic "Charlotte's Web" together with my mother, but each year my family gathered to watch the animated movie version of this story about rescue, friendship, and the circle of life (and death) whenever it aired. Like many other children of my generation, I loved Charlotte and Wilbur. For at least a while after each exposure, I also refused to eat anything pork related (who could even think of eating Wilbur?), and rather than squash the occasional spider that hung from the ceiling in my room, I thought of Charlotte and let it live.
So, like many devotees of this beloved children's story, I was rather upset to learn that a new movie was being made. Now that I am older, films of favorite books tend to make me wince with dismay. ("Tuck Everlasting" the movie definitely didn't get it right compared to Natalie Babbitt's novel, and I shudder in fear about what they will do with Katherine Patterson's "Bridge to Terabithia," for which I saw the trailer before "Charlotte's Web" began.)
But fans of Fern, Charlotte, and Wilbur, that terrific, radiant, humble pig: Fear not. This version of Charlotte's Web keeps it simple, allowing its timeless themes to shine through--that life is for everyone, even the small (or of course, you could interpret this as "salvation" for everyone); that friends are loyal until the very end; and most importantly, that miracles not only still happen, but they come about in some of the unlikeliest of places and on behalf of the last creature you would imagine (i.e., a pig).
It's Julia Roberts's Charlotte who steals the show. Granted, child-actress prodigy Dakota Fanning plays Fern, but Fern's character--aside from her initial determination to save the runt piglet of the litter--takes a back seat to what happens at night between Charlotte, Wilbur, Templeton (the ultimately lovable rat), and their fellow animals. That voice! Roberts has the perfect maternal, loving, patient tone required of this gracious, intellectual, determined spider. Her Charlotte makes this film celebratory when she spins her first "miracle" to save Wilbur at Zuckerman's farm and people from miles around come to see her web, and she gives the story a beautiful complexity as she tells Wilbur of her "magnum opus" that will ultimately bring her through the full circle of life.
Christian feminist theology has long privileged the woman's voice, especially the written word, as precious and sacred--all the more so because of the many centuries of men who failed to listen, preserve, or even care to allow women something to say. Charlotte is not only a woman with a strong voice, but she is a writer who, through her words, saves a life and sacrifices her own. She speaks and speaks and speaks, until she is heard and Wilbur sees his first winter. I'd say she is quite the model feminist.
Feminism aside, bring a large box of tissues to the film because you will need it. Julia Roberts's Charlotte will surely have you sobbing, as will the animals' care of her "magnum opus" once she is gone.
(And before you go, click here to explore Beliefnet's full line-up of Charlotte's Web features, including a quiz that'll tell you which character you're most like, and a slide-show of other inspirational animals.)
A pig and a spider were no match for the charisma of Will Smith, as his inspirational movie "The Pursuit of Happyness" topped the weekend box office. Based on the life of rags-to-riches stock broker Chris Gardner, the movie is not simply about chasing the almighty dollar, but it is about breaking the cycle of bad parenting and bad choices by breaking the cycle of poverty. And while the movie takes a long time to set up the story, for the most part the payoff is enjoyable.
Gardner is a down-on-his-luck salesman in an unhappy marriage when the audience first meets him, but he sees his ticket to a better life when he has a random encounter with a stock broker, which then leads to the opportunity of an internship with a prestigous brokerage firm. It's a huge risk, because there is no money involved in the internship, but it also an opportunity that could change his family's life forever. Even those straight-laced suits at Dean Witter can't resist Gardner's sales pitch, and before you know it, Gardner has entered the world of high finance.
My problem with this film is mainly in the pacing of it. The first half drags, as it takes way too long giving us too much of the same information about Gardner's life over and over again. The best moments are clearly in the second half of the film, when Gardner finally begins the internship and continues to persevere against unbelievable odds without once asking "Why me?".
And perhaps the biggest reason that "Happyness" is a well-intended and worthwhile diversion this holiday season is that I believe there is a very subtle commentary about race woven throughout the film. In a culture where there is much lip service paid to the subject of diversity, we still see it in very small amounts on the big screen, but "Happyness" finds a way to approach the topic with both humor and heart.
For example,very little is said about the fact that Gardner is an African-American man tying to achieve something in a corporation that is, in the movie, at least, all white. Yet, there is no mention of anyone playing a "race card" or of affirmative action in the story. Hard work and earning respect are the keys to Gardner's success, and yet the audience is not beaten over the head with this point.
Then there is Gardner's insistence on keeping his son and raising him even when he could not afford to put a roof over their heads. Instead of taking the easy way out, Gardner refuses to become a sterotype of an African-American father who is absent from his son's life.
While "Happyness" is probably not going to make my Top Ten list for 2006, this is still a movie that offers some hope to those who may be facing some less-than-happy times this holiday season. It is a pleasant reminder that no matter how bad things are, our circumstances can change for the better with a little hope and faith.
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