Movie Maddness

Over the past week or so, I've decided to watch some movies as part of my Extended Professional Development Leave (EPDL). Not just any movies, but ones that would cause me to pause and think. Here are the 5 I took in:

1. Facing the Giants
2. Passchendaele
3. FireProof
4. The DaVinci Code
5. Slumdog Millionaire

All five movies were on different themes, yet all spoke to me quite vividly.

Facing the Giants is a movie produced by Sherwood Baptist Church (USA), using volunteers as actors. (Yes, it's been out for a while, as have most of the other movies I listed, but hey, timing is everything you know.)

The movie is about a failing high school football coach who finds that in order to succeed he must convince his team that there's more to sports than fame and glory. Grant Taylor (Alex Kendrick) has been coaching the Shiloh Eagles for six years, and he has yet to realize his dream of a winning season. When the team's star player transfers to another school, the first three games of the new season show no promise for improvement. Then, a plot among the player's fathers to have the coach fired finds Taylor's future in football looking bleak. Coach Taylor is faced with the prospect of either cutting his losses and admitting defeat, or turning his life over to God in an attempt to test the true power of faith. With his job on the line and nothing left to lose, Coach Taylor convinces his determined team of underdogs that there's nothing they can't accomplish with a little faith -- including the miracle of a winning season when all hope seems lost.

Now, I must confess that since this movie is about a coach, and I am a volleyball coach myself, I took a real liking to it. I've even shown a clip from the movie to one of my volleyball teams (the one where the coach gets a player to carry someone the length of a football field – powerful segment). At times the movie may be a bit predictable, or even unrealistic, but you know something, that's what I liked about it. A movie about faith, trust, shaping lives, and honoring God above all else. The stuff that more movies should be made of. : )

It's a powerful movie in that it challenges the watcher to examine him/herself to see if he/she is really relying on self, or on God. I'm not saying that faith in God will automatically bring about the kind of results that this coach received from his team, or the miracle that the coach and his wife received (you'll have to watch the movie), but God can bring them you know! That's what makes this movie one worth watching. You may consider the end results as too predictable….but with God, all things are possible. What I liked was that both the coach and his wife were ready and willing to accept whatever God had prepared for them, and they would still love Him. Can we say that about our relationship with God?

Passchendaele – A Paul Gross film. Not for the faint of heart, but again, one worth watching. A bit slow at times, and maybe too much of a love-story for some, but it really highlights the insanity of war and how we continue to be ignorant of our past. It reminded me of how God is a God of peace, and how the world we live in so often times seems to be a place of anarchy and social division. As Christians we need to re-examine our lives and see how we are being agents of peace….or not….

FireProof – The 3^rd movie put out by Sherwood Baptist Church. After watching Facing the Giants, and realizing that a church had put out such a good quality movie (the special features informed me of that, and they too are worth watching), I wanted to watch Fireproof as well. I was not disappointed. For the most part, the acting was very good and the issues tackled in the movie (divorce, Internet pornography, surrendering life to God, the difficulty of doing that at times, and the hard work of making a marriage work) were refreshing, and uncomfortable, to watch. In a day when so many movies out there seem to celebrate violence, the dark side of spiritual things, or mock the church in some way, this movie comes as a breath of fresh air (for me at least).

I don't know how many have watched it, or what the reviews have been like, but I do know that I'm going out to buy a copy and keep it in my movie library (Oh, and Facing the Giants too). This movie tackles the tough issues relating to marriage today. We all know that marriages aren't fairing well in North America, and many Christian marriages are under siege. The directors of Fireproof allow the viewer to take an inside look at a marriage that needs work on many different levels and they also do a very good job of presenting the Gospel in a way that is not corny. I know I'm a Christian watching the movie, but I would hope that many who are nominal, or not even Christians, would be drawn to watch the movie because they will be confronted with issues that need to be talked about today.

I'm thankful that Sherwood Baptist Church decided to use its gifts and abilities to get the message of the Gospel out into the world using a medium that is so powerful in today's culture. As I continue pondering during my EPDL, I am reminded that Sherwood Baptist Church sets the example of using one's gifts to touch the lives of the world around us. We all have different gifts, and the church needs to challenge all of us to find out what they are, and then use them somewhere, not simply stick them on the "shelf" and get on with other things. I look forward to Sherwood Baptist Church continuing to use its gifts and producing more movies that make it into mainstream North America.

The DaVinci Code - Nope, until now, I hadn't seen it. I ignored all the hype about it when it first came out, but decided it was time to watch it. I can't say I particularly liked the plot, or the myths and tales that were spun in the movie. I can say that one should watch the movie with the pause button engaged often so as to take notes on the "facts" that are produced and then check them out yourself for accuracy (see my blog entry on my May 17 church visit where I reflect on that a bit more). I did, however, come away with this thought: The church over history has done many things in the name of Christ that have caused Christ to shed many tears. Christ's counter cultural message of peace didn't seem to penetrate the church during certain points in its history.

After watching the movie, I had to sit and pause, and even feel a bit remorseful for the way the world views the church and its history, much of which has been brought about by our own doing. I had to think about my life as a Christian and wonder if I had caused anyone to view Christianity (or Christ for that matter) with any disdain due to my actions (sadly, I can think of occasions). I was prompted to re-examine my motives in ministry as a youth pastor and remember how many people watch what I do and judge my actions, even when I'm not aware. For this reason alone, I am thankful that I watched The DaVinci Code. The movie itself, I could take it or leave it.

Slumdog Millionaire - This was a movie my son has been bugging me to rent. A very good movie about life in India for two brothers and one girl. I've read some of the critiques about the movie, and I'll leave the opinions to those more knowledgeable in those areas than me. As I watched the movie, I was just so struck with how India has so many poor, so many religious issues, so much corruption, and a caste system that is still alive and well.

As I turned the movie off, I was struck with thoughts that I am such a small speck in such a big world. Most people don't know about me, or would even care to. I live my life each and every day with little or none of the issues that these two brothers had to deal with. I engage with my circle of people in the ministries I am part of. But someone is always with me. Someone is always thinking about me and hopeful that I am doing the same with Him. One of the brothers in the movie, Jamal, lived his life in hope. He never stopped looking for the girl he loved; never lost hope that he would be with her one day, even after she rejected him.

God has searched after me. He has longed for a complete relationship with me, and searches me out even when I have rejected him at times (parallel point in the plot of Fireproof as well FYI). For Jamal, it was all about destiny. For me it's all about divinity (God's, not mine : ) ). I give account of the hope that is within me because I know that God never leaves me or forsakes me no matter what I've done. I may walk away from Him at times, but He will not stop looking for me and takes me back to him because he loves me unconditionally, just as Jamal did for the girl he loved. I bet the makers of this movie didn't think someone would take a Christian lesson away from it. I rest in the hope, comfort, and love of God…..how about you?