Kris Rasmussen: August 2008 Archives

Some students--and teachers--have already been forced to give up their fun in the sun and others will be forced back into the world of textbooks and tests next week. (On the other hand, the cheers you are hearing are from all of the parents!)

So in honor of the transition into fall, and because I will not be returning to a classroom for the first time in several years--I'm listing a few of my favorite back-to-school movies. Some celebrate education, some mock it, but they are all worth visiting on DVD one more time!

Tell me what movie motivates you as you, or a family member, head back to school by leaving a comment below.

Mr. Holland's Opus: As one of the original inspirational teacher movies that was designed to gain an actor Oscar consideration, Richard Dreyfuss was masterful as a composer who hates teaching music but then learns to love the job and the students.

Chalk: I have recommended this mockumentary before as a DVD pick, and I still say the whole family can find something to relate to in this "Office"-like look at school life.

Though I utterly despise the political conventions of any party, I guess I am going to have to watch at least part of the Democratic National Convention tonight out of curiousity. It seems that Donald Miller, author of the spiritual bestseller "Blue Like Jazz" will give the benediction tonight. Though on Miller's website he states that he doesn't believe his prayer will make primetime, so he will be posting it in its entirety on his site, I think as the Democrats try to reach the younger evangelical audnece , Miller may make it on the tube after all.

A lively debate has been going on here between Idol Chatter readers about the controversial comedy "Hamlet 2." In particular the movie's big musical number "Rock Me Sexy Jesus" has raised concerns for its irreverent content. I promised I would weigh in once the movie was in theaters, and since it opened in limited release last weekend, the time has come.

"Hamlet 2" certainly does have some laugh-out-loud moments, and the movie will undoubtedly make create some new fans of British actor Steve Coogan, but as a whole the movie is really not as clever as it obviously believes it is. The themes it treads on and the cultural icons it mocks are really old material that are only occasionally given a fresh twist - and for some, I am guessing that will be enough, but I was hoping for a litle bit more.

If you are as saddened as I am by the waning days of summer, I have the perfect movie for you. It's a gentle, breezy, frothy, old-fashioned story that celebrates all that was once great about the good ole' days. I am talking about the overlooked romantic comedy "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day." With a great cast, fun premise, and happy endings all around before the film is over, it's definitely my DVD pick for the week.

My friends and I have been having fun lately emailing a list back and forth of what are the best of the worst Christian songs we grew up listening to. You know, those songs that are enjoyable, with lyrics you can't get out of your head, but at the same time you'd be slightly embarrassed if anyone came across them on your iPod.

So I condensed our lists and decided to share the final version of our list of songs we hate to love. It's not meant to be a mean-spirited list, just a fun way to look back at how much Christian music has--thankfully--changed.

Don't be afraid to add your best of the worst in the comments box below!

"Cartoon Song" by Chris Rice: It's fun, it's catchy and a concert favorite. But let's face it, Fred Flintstone singing hallelujah as "yabba dabba do ya" is about as theologically light as a wet crepe paper.

"Big House" by Audio Adrenaline: It's a song that has been sung by teenagers in youth groups all across America-- over and over and over again--usually in a crowded, broken-down bus on a mission trip where the chaperones have no means of escape. I am speaking from experience, folks.

It might seem odd to have an episode focused on Easter when it's August, but "Mad Men" is not exactly known for fitting the TV mold. The critically-acclaimed series set in the 60s advertising world usually revels, basks, and otherwise...

Because of the ongoing coverage of the Olympics in Bejing, I have to tell you about the best political movie in years, in stores next Tuesday, "Please Vote For Me." The movie documents an experiment done with third graders in...

Though most of the celebrity news over the weekend focused on two celebrities who died somewhat unexpectedly, I was saddened by another, far quieter, announcement about a celebrity's health status last week. Movie legend and philanthropist Paul Newman has been...

After roughly two weeks of virtually ignoring the National Enquirer's breaking news of former presidential candidate John Edwards leaving a hotel after reportedly meeting with former employee Rielle Hunter-- whom the magazine had previously claimed was having an affair with...

Okay, I admit it, the answer to this week's trivia is really just another chance for me to gush about the best discovery I made all summer long: the TV series "Slings and Arrows," which is available on DVD. When...

Some movie studios are wary of religious controversy hurting the promotion of their film, but Focus Features is doing everything it can to encourage that controversy when it comes to the comedy "Hamlet 2." The movie has little to do...

I hate to admit I am feeling pretty beaten down and discouraged after this year's trip to the Traverse City Film Festival, mainly because of the massive amounts of fear-mongering, condescending, political propaganda that, unlike other years, was everywhere I...

This week's question is going to be a little tough, but I think readers are up to the challenge. Name the TV angel/ghost (depends on your point of view in this case) who said this: "I know, I've been doing...

Yes, almost the entire pop culture world turned its eyes last Saturday might to...Traverse City, Michigan as Madonna came to town to screen her documentary "I Am Because We Are." That might be a slight exaggeration but it certainly didn't...

So far my favorite movie--okay, actually the only movie I have really enjoyed so far here at the Traverse City Film Festival-- has to be "Frozen River." It was a prize winner at Sundance earlier this year (Grand Jury Prize:...

This week's vampire themed question-- in honor of this weekend's release of "Breaking Dawn"-- was: What two-time Oscar winner was originally supposed to play Lestat in "Interview with a Vampire"? Idol chatter readers were right when they named several A-list...