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The real Mary Magdelene?Jen Waters examines the trugh begind the myth of this famous biblical character
Dealing with the Da Vinci codeCollin Hansen critiques some of the fictional assumptions of this New York Times Bestseller
Good News at General ConferenceScott N. Field identifies the purpose of our legislative efforts
A time to prayJan Woodard explores the prayer plans for General Conference 2004
The power of the laityDiane Knippers challenges the men and women in the pews to take their proper place in church life
Lord of the Rings:
The Return of the KingSteve Beard reviews this magisterial epic movie
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Film FocusBig Fish, Holes, U2 Go Home,
The Gospel of John, X2
Have you ever left church on Sunday and wondered how many of the captivating illustrations in the sermon were actually true? This is not to say they were lies, only that some of them seemed to be exaggerated in order to fit the sermon-to tell a larger truth.
Big Fish is an elegant and fantastical film about the power of story to transform the black and white of life into a colorful journey. The movie centers on the final days of Edward Bloom (played by Albert Finney and Ewan McGregor as the old and young Bloom respectively). As a flamboyant salesman from Alabama, he has a notable reputation for being a teller of tall tales. But he is also a man who does not want to be constrained by the limitations of a small town. When he is offered the choice between complacency and challenge, he takes the more exiting of the two choices.
While his wife Sandra (played magically by Jessica Lange and Alison Lohman) looks on lovingly as her man weaves his fantastic tales, their son Will (Billy Crudup) has grown tired of trying to sort through the truth and the far-fetched yarns. Will is a journalist, committed to the truth of facts. His father, on the other hand, is committed to squeezing the most out of life. Their divergent ways of processing truth leads to animosity and antagonism-manifested by going years without speaking.
Sandra lovingly does what she can to keep the lines of communications open between father and son. It is Edward's bout with cancer, however, that brings father and son back together for a chance at reconciliation and to discover that the power of story is able to transform life into something spectacular.
Throughout the film, we are introduced to offbeat characters such as a giant, a poet/bank robber/tycoon, Korean lounge-singing conjoined twins, and various circus sideshow freaks. The stellar cast includes Helena Bonham Carter, Danny DeVito, and Steve Buscemi.
Director Tim Burton (Beetlejuice, Sleepy Hollow, Edward Scissorhands) remarkably uses his quirky and unique cinematic vision to make a profound statement in the film about marriage and the discovery of true love. In an era when so many films are driven more by special effects than emotion, Big Fish is a movie that is driven by, and relies upon, the brilliance of storytelling.
"The story is so great. I don't think I have really seen a script like it," actress Alison Lohman told Good News. "It is about beauty, and magic, and mystery. Telling stories and passing them on from generation to generation. Southern folklore. There are just not too many movies about that." She went on to say that it was the power of the script that drew her to the movie. "I think it is hard right now to find stories that are worth being told." Big Fish is the kind of movie that animates your discussion in the car on your drive home from the theater.
Watching the finished product was an emotional roller coaster for a seasoned actor like Danny DeVito because it sparked so many memories of his own relationship with his father. "Reliving instances that have nothing to do with the film, while watching the film, it triggered so many different emotional things that are so wonderful and personal for each and every one of us."
Big Fish is a profoundly unique, mystical, and non-formulaic movie that easily glides from fantasy to reality, from the past to present. It leaves the audience with the opportunity to sort through what is real and what is exaggerated-all the while wearing a grin throughout this endearing tale. (PG-13)
This heartwarming Walden Media production follows the story of Stanley Yelnats who is falsely accused of stealing a pair of sneakers and then sentenced to a year in a juvenile detention camp where the young boys are sent out to the desert to dig holes.
Flashbacks tell the story of Stanley's great-grandfather and a pledge he didn't honor. As a result, nothing seems to go right for his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren However, when Stanley is given an opportunity to right that wrong with the grandson of the injured party, the power of a generational curse is broken.
The movie provides a powerful depiction of the power of friendship and self-sacrifice. Based on the award-winning novel by Louis Sacchar that captured the minds and hearts of junior-high kids, Holes is a wonderful story of hope and deliverance that carries a terrific message. It startled the film industry by doing nearly $17 million worth of business on opening weekend, well beyond the $10 million it was projected to do. (PG)
The Irish rock band U2 has sold more than 100 million albums since the release of Boy in 1980. Within the last few years, they have been named band of the year from both Rolling Stone and Spin magazines and garnered numerous other accolades.
While there are several rock bands whose longevity spans twenty years; U2 is the only one, however, that still matters in a culturally innovative sense. Their charismatic lead singer, Bono, is rock 'n' roll's most limber and enigmatic spiritual provocateur who sees every stage as a pulpit and every coliseum as a cathedral. He talks breezily about the theological superiority of grace over karma to jaundiced rock journalists, promotes The Message, and singlehandedly provokes Christian believers and rock fans alike to take AIDS in Africa seriously.
While he certainly is no saint, he is definitely not your typical rock star. All of this is to say that their new DVD, filmed at Slane Castle shortly after the 2001 Elevation Tour, is stunning, transcendent, and a testimony to the power and potency of the message of U2.
This $20 million dramatization of the fourth book of the New Testament is produced by the Toronto-based Visual Bible International, the same ministry that has done smaller-budget movies of Matthew and Acts. This three-hour film adaptation is taken word-for-word from the Good News Bible translation and features a cast drawn from the Royal Shakespeare company in England.
Interestingly enough, The Gospel of John has avoided being labeled as anti-Semitic, a fraudulent charge made against The Passion of Christ. Of course, it does not hurt that the executive producer, producer, and director are all Jewish. It gained critical acclaim at its world premiere at the 2003 Toronto International Film Festival in September.
Although it is still showing in selected theaters around the country, videos and DVDs of The Gospel of John can be purchased from www.GospelofJohnthefilm.com.
In addition to criticizing Hollywood when they put out garbage, Christians should also thank filmmakers when they make redeemable entertainment that treats faith with respect. To their credit, the screenwriters, director, and producers of the sci-fi action movie X2 allowed the blue-skinned superhero mutant Nightcrawler to retain the purity of Christian faith and hope.
Nightcrawler takes refuge in an abandoned cathedral, festooned with statues of Jesus. When he is nervous, he holds a crucifix and prays the rosary in German. When he needs to summon inner strength, he prays the Lord's Prayer. When the group is confronted with tragedy, he pastorally quotes Psalm 23.
Quite simply, Nightcrawler is the most intriguing, devout, and unique Christian character that has ever been portrayed on the big screen. He has fears, but he acts with courage through the power of prayer. He quotes the Scripture to find strength that his genetically mutated special powers cannot give him. (PG-13)
Steve Beard is the editor of Good News.
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