well, if you ask me ... » Reviews

May The Odds Ever Be In Your Favor

bsoist — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 08:24:00 +0000

Minutes after finishing the book, I saw the Hunger Games last week.

The movie was not as good as the book. Of course, right? The movie never is.

I enjoyed it. Going into the movie I had read a little about the cast and was looking forward to seeing which actors played which characters. I knew Jennifer Lawrence was Katniss, and I’d seen on IMDB that Elizabeth Banks was Effie, and I had guessed (and my daughter confirmed) that Lenny Kravitz was playing Cinna. Just as we were seated to see the film, it occurred to me that Harrelson would probably portray Haymitch. I like the casting choices, but noone turned in a briliant performance if you ask me – not even Lawrence, who I think is or will be a real movie star.

The movie was shot too “tightly” for my tastes. Combine that with the fast camera moves and our ” close to the front ” possition in the theater and I was a littls sick from all the action and motion.

Otherwise, it was good. I’m not sure why they added the riot in district 11, or why they changed the details of the mocking jay pin, but I can live with both, I guess.

The bigget plus of the movie, if you ask me, is that it really drives home how much the culture of the games resembles our culture of fast food and reality TV. The point is not completely lost in the book, but seeing the games on the big screen moderated by a flamboyant, purple-haried Stanley Tucci made it all seem so real – yet it made the gamesmaker part of it less believable.

I read a review of the movie by Roger Ebert and he mentioned that his conservative friends interpret the wealth vs. poverty in the film differnetly than he does. They see the capital as the elitists and the “good guys” of the districts as the tea party people. I don’t see it that way at all and one scene added in the movie (fairly, I think) reinforces my interpretation.

President Snow (Donald Sutherland) is meeting in a garden with Head Gamemaker Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley) and he explains that the games have a victor because it gives the people hope. The parallel to the Republican rhetoric is astounding to me. If we can convince poor destitute peole that they have the opportunity to one day make it or become a sucess or have a lot of money, than we have them convinced our agenda is a good one. It’s a sinister thing and I wish it would stop.

Sure, America is, and has always been, the land of opportunity. That’s great. But let’s face it – we don’t all have the same opportunity. Perhaps theoreticaly we do – but not in practice , not in the real world. In the real world, some people have more opportunity than others. Some are born rich, or good looking, or white. Some are born with no talent, or possibiltiy for rising above their circumstances. To ignore this reality is unfair – to everyone.

I cannot pretend to understand how to deal with this reality – but I know one way not to deal with it. We can’t ignore it. We can’t pretend something else is the case. We can’t simply convince those who have no chance, that they do have a chance – just because we want them to support us.

It all reminds me of multi level marketing. Convince enough people that they can make it so they prop up a system that relies on them “at the bottom” so those “at the top” succeed – and continue to succeed. It’s a terrible system. It’s unfair and it preys on the week. I used to hear an Amway speaker who said “we need poor people” (to clean toilets and such) and I’ve hear my share of Christans remind me that even Jesus said “the poor will always be with you.” If you ask me, these are just excuses to turn a blind eye to injustice.

Anyway, it wasn’t a great movie but it got me on a rant here, didn’t it?

*The movie was approved by the author of the book and I’ve been told that this scene is in harmony with the events of the subsequent books

You Call that a Kiss?

bsoist — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:19:18 +0000

I finished the book last Tuesday. I remember the day because we had planned to see the movie that day for “buy one ticket, get one free” night and I knew I had to read the book first. I actually had just less than a page to read when Terri parked at the theater.

The Hunger Games is set in Panem, a country that rose from the ashes of a post-apocalyptic North America. Panem is ruled by The Capitol and supported by twelve surrounding districts. Every year the districts are forced to give up some of their young people to compete in a fight to the death.

The book was flawed. Mostly by sentence fragments.^* In parts, though, it was brilliant – the way Katniss is allowed to show her feelings outwardly, and do so safely, is a very nice part of the love story that develops.

It’s a very readable book. Apart from the sentence fragments.* The details of the characters struggle against the elements was especially compelling to me, and something I knew they would not be able to portray adequately in the film.

Of course, like many other readers, I was also struck by the parallels to our culture. Sending children off to a meaningless war simply because it is our duty, the decadent wealth of the few versus the extreme poverty of the many, and the over emphasis of food and entertainment. I’ve read that some don’t even see these parallels – another telling sign that we may be more like the the people of Panem than we realize.

I’ve read many who complain that the very existence of the games is never appropriately questioned in the book. What kind of society would let something like this go on? It seems hard to imagine. I think the lack of discussion about it speaks volumes. Perhaps our society – one that is preoccupied with fast food and reality TV – might fall victim to such a system without notice or discussion.

Actually, one could argue that we endure far more than this. The games in the book are so obviously pointless, that every reader can’t help but notice how cruel it all is. What many readers may not see is that we send thousands of our young men and women (Some even call them children. I don’t, but that’s another story – most who enlist in the military are very young indeed.) off to wars without ample justification. Do we think this is any less cruel? Some of them, just as in the book, train for the opportunity to volunteer for service as an honor. That doesn’t make it any less cruel.

If you’d like a good read, you should pick up the book. It’s not great literature, but I thought it was a good story with enough social commentary to make one think about the world we live in.

If you plan to see the film, you should definitely read the book first.

Of course, like all good stories, this one is about a girl and the boys who love her.

^* I know those are sentence fragments. I was trying to be funny.

Thou Shalt Not …

bsoist — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:57:08 +0000

Billy came to visit for Easter weekend, he stopped by the library to pick up something interested for us to watch. He decided on The Decalogue, a series of ten one-hour films written for Polish television in 1989. Each film represents one of the ten commandments.

We did not get a chance to see all of them, but I enjoyed the ones I watched very much. Very good filmmaking.

We also watched a great film again (the second time for all of us, third time for Billy) – The Muppets is a great film.

I also watched Star Trek (2009) again when Becky and Terri were away. Didn’t really like it as much the second time.

A Few Not-So-Good Films

bsoist — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 21:55:23 +0000

I’m not quite sure how this happened, but I’ve seen quite a few bad or mediocre movies recently. Here is a rundown of two decent movies and three terrible ones.

The Lincoln Lawyer

You’re nobody ’till somebody shoots you.

Exactly the kind of movie I get in the mood for sometimes. A solid cast, a predictable, but not too predictable story, a very fallible good guy, and Marisa Tomei.

Hanna

I just missed your heart.

This was a quirky thriller about a young girl who was trained as an assassin.

Little Fockers

I’m watching you.

I’m a big fan of Stiller, Wilson, and DeNiro, but it is time to put this franchise to bed.

A Simple Wish

They plugged that loophole up years ago.

We watched this as a surprise for my wife who is a big fan of Martin Short. It was not his best work.

Sucker Punch

I’m gonna escape from here.

I heard from a few people that this movie was better than they expected. They must not have expected much. This movie was a bizarre festival of nonsense.

2012 Oscar Nominated Shorts

bsoist — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 17:56:30 +0000

I didn’t see the documentaries this year, but I did get a chance to see the others

Animated

I didn’t think these were that great this year so I’m not going to comment on them individually. Most were silent too, so no quotes.

My Pick:The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Live Action

My Pick:Tuba Atlantic

Pentecost

Go out there and have the best mass of your lives.

Loads of fun – the audience erupted in applause when it ended.

Raju

And what will you tell them?

A film that takes itself too seriously. My least favorite by a long shot.

The Shore

They’ve brought in a horse?

A wonderfully quirky story about love and family. Great stuff – and very funny.

Time Freak

Don’t you dare!

As much as I love time travel and the premise of this film, it fell short in my opinion.

Tuba Atlantic

That was very precise.

Very interesting characters in a strange story. The best of the films in my opinion.

2012 Best Picture Nominees

bsoist — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 17:40:07 +0000

My Pick:The Artist

The Artist

With pleasure.

Certainly one of my favorite movies of the year. A delightful story, likable characters, and an adorable dog. I love black & white photography, and I was excited to see how a modern silent film would work. It was fantastic.

The Descendants

you give your children enough money to do something but not enough to do nothing.

An excellent film about a man in the midst of becoming a widower and single father to children he doesn’t really know, forced to handle the immense pressure of an impending business decision that will affect his extended family and have consequences on the land and culture he loves. George Clooney was fantastic and a brilliant choice for this role. One scene has Clooney running down the street to a friend’s home in flip-flops – the scene has no critical impact on the film, but I got such a big kick out of it, I couldn’t resist mentioning it.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

It’s never gonna make sense because it doesn’t!

A great story about a boy and his family getting to know one another. I enjoyed the film and I thought the performances were fantastic. I can’t decide, however, how I feel about 9/11 being the backdrop for the story. If this boy had lost his father to some other tragedy, the story would have worked, but we might not have cared as much, which makes it feel like a cheap trick. On the other hand, being set in New York, with 9/11 as the foundation, give all the participants in the story (there are many) something they share very deeply. I was worried about the film because 9/11 was such a personal tragedy, but I enjoyed it. I’m a sucker for any story about father and son.

The Help

Put that in the book.

An excellent film, some fantastic performances, and a few great stories, but the outcome of the film doesn’t address the bigger issues at hand. It told the story it intended to tell, and did so well, but there is a bigger story that seems to have been ignored.

Hugo

If you lose your purpose, it’s like you’re broken.

A fantastic film by one of the best filmmakers of all time. Roger Ebert has this to say …

“Hugo” is unlike any other film Martin Scorsese has ever made, and yet possibly the closest to his heart: a big-budget, family epic in 3-D, and in some ways, a mirror of his own life. We feel a great artist has been given command of the tools and resources he needs to make a movie about — movies. That he also makes it a fable that will be fascinating for (some, not all) children is a measure of what feeling went into it.

I certainly cannot add to that. As always, Ebert’s review has spoilers. If you haven’t seen this film, you should.

Midnight in Paris

I’m having an insight now. It’s a minor one …

This was my kind of film. A ridiculous fantasy about an aspiring writer, extreme characterizations, and Woody Allen’s comedy. In any other year, this might be my pick for best picture. I don’t think it will win against this years competition. (spoiler? I especially loved the way Hemingway was portrayed – exactly as I would have imagined him.)

Moneyball

How can you not be romantic about baseball?

I wrote briefly about this film just after I watched it. A great film featuring three fantastic actors about the greatest game in the world. The film is full of great quotes too. Best picture? Probably not, but absolutely my favorite film of the year.

The Tree of Life

Tell us a story from before we can remember.

I saw this quite a while ago at a press screening and wrote about it some time after that. The film touches on serious issues for any father and I found myself especially moved having seen it with my son. I’ve since seen it again. It didn’t clear up any of my questions, but I still think it was a fantastic film.

War Horse

Wherever you are, I will find you and I will bring you home.

The only best picture nominee I haven’t seen.

January – Movie Month

bsoist — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:17:35 +0000

While Billy was home for Christmas break we watched a lot of movies. We watched a few I had already seen (over here), but we also saw quite a few that I had not seen yet. As always, I’ve listed them pretty much in the order I enjoyed them.

The Best

Moneyball

I pay you to get on first, not get thrown out at second.

Jonah Hill has been great in every role I’ve seen him play. If you’ve read my other movie posts, you probably know that I also think Brad Pitt is fantastic. You may have also gathered that I’m a huge fan of baseball.

For me, another quote from the movie sums it all up – How can you not get romantic about baseball?

13 Assassins

Soon, this quiet town will become a bloodbath.

Billy and I enjoy Samurai movies. This one was fantastic. We also enjoy just as much how much difficulty we have keeping up with the characters, and how much effort we put into doing a better job keeping up. We also enjoy discussing how silly the hair is and how similar all these movies are.

Saint Ralph

Like flying to the moon is possible, but it’s never going to happen…

A quirky fun movie with an inspirational story that was, in my opinion, not too hokey.

Bill Cunningham New York

He who seeks beauty will find it.

I thoroughly enjoy documentaries about interesting people obsessed with things for which I have no interest. This was no exception.

Alphaville

I’m fine, thanks. Don’t mention it.

I enjoy science fiction, I enjoy noir, I enjoy secret agents, and I like black and white. So, I enjoyed this film even though I had no idea what was going on.

The Worst

Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead

Sorry ain’t going to pay the bills, chico.

I think Philip Seymour Hoffman is brilliant and I absolutely love Marisa Tomei. There performances are the only thing that saved this movie for me. I love this kind of surprising plot, but perhaps I didn’t enjoy this film as much as I should have because it didn’t quite live up to the standard of Fargo.

Never Let Me Go

You have to know who you are, and what you are. It’s the only way to lead decent lives.

The most disappointing film on this list for me. I was really looking forward to it. Mulligan, Knightley, and Garfield were fantastic (as usual), but they didn’t have much to work with.

The Road

If he is not the word of God, then God never spoke.

I’m a big fan of films that explore what happens to us under the worst of circumstances. I was hoping for more from this film when I saw the trailer for the first time, and this would also have been a huge disappointment if I hadn’t already gotten wind of how bad it was. For me, it was better than expected, but it could have been much better.

Bronson

Oh spare me the Oliver Twist routine, Charlie love. You need to build your audience.

Hardy is fantastic, but aside from the time I got to spend with my son (watching and discussing it after) it was a waste of time.

The Peacemaker

Yep, this is my plan.

I think Kidman and Clooney are both fantastic – in other films! Best way to sum this one up is another quote from the film – “Well, this is meaningless.” Exactly!

Sharing a few “classics?” with Billy

bsoist — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:43:16 +0000

While Billy was home for Christmas break, we watched a lot of movies (more here). We got a chance to watch a few I’ve already seen – some were on his list to watch, some were movies I’ve wanted to share with him for a while.

All of them were better than I remember

The Game

Discovering the object of the game *is* the object of the game.

Panic Room

Ever read any Poe?

Robocop

Excuse me, I have to go. Somewhere there is a crime happening.

Everything I Need Is Right Here in Front of Me

bsoist — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 20:09:35 +0000

The Muppets

No drums! No drums! Jack Black said no drums!

This movie was nothing but a good time. It had all the same goofiness and silly self-awareness of the muppets TV show. I can’t remember the last time I felt so good after a film.

Super 8

Oh, drugs are so bad!

Not a big fan of alien movies, but this was a blast. I’m a film lover myself and I would have been just about the same age as the main characters in the film, so it was a nostalgic ride.

Buck

Rather than helping people with horse problems, I’m helping horses with people problems.

A moving story about how one man turned his own personal tragedy into a passion to help people and horses. A must see documentary for anyone who loves animals or personal stories.

Monsters

You mean, like a doctor?

Much better than I expected. A story about human nature supported by the immanent threat of danger. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Life in a Day

What do you fear?

It simply felt right to watch something put together by people all over the world. Some of the scenery was fantastic, and it was a blast to connect with people at that level. Unfortunately, I didn’t like some of the realism – people on toilets, animals slaughtered, surgeries, etc.

The Recruit

Everything is a test!

I enjoyed watching this, but that’s the only positive thing I can say. Forgettable and predictable.

Favorite Films Seen in 2011

bsoist — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:58:20 +0000

As usual, some of them were not released in 2011. Unfortunately, I suspect I missed many of the best films of 2011 – even more than 2010 – so next year’s list will be whacked again. Links below are to my previous thoughts on the film (however brief they may have been).

My favorite 11 films of 2011 …

Harry Potter

bsoist — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:05:51 +0000

In 1999, at age 32, I decided to read the first Harry Potter book (reviewed in 2009 after our last Potter marathon). I was mesmerized. It had been some time since a book transported me to another place the way this one did. I couldn’t wait to read the others and when the films arrived, I was thrilled.

As a family we watched the first seven films in the series before we went to the theater to see the last. In the four days before the movie release we saw the first six, and we saw number seven right before we went to the theater for number eight.

Here are my thoughts on each one.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

I’m a what?

I’m a little biased on this one. When this movie first hit the theaters I remember asking a friend if he was going to see it. His response – “A movie about a school for witches and wizards? Um, yes!” I was excited too but a little worried. I know how great books are sometimes ruined in the movies. This one was different. While the first part of the story is “fast forwarded” a bit, I found myself very surprised how faithful the film was to the book.

I was also surprised to hear Hermione’s name pronounced. It was the firs time I’d heard it. I had no idea how to pronounce it when I read the book, but nothing I came up with was even close.

Still my favorite of the series to watch – but that’s my nostalgia kicking in.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Never try to save my life again.

In my opinion, this is one of the weaker films but we do meet a couple of fantastic characters and learn details of the Potter universe that are very important to the final conclusion of the story.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Yeah… him I’ve heard of.

I always thought this was the best of the films but never quite enjoyed it as much as the first. I’ve watched it in marathon context like this twice now and I realize that there are parts that confuse me a little bit. I do like how Harry, Ron, and Hermione have begun to grow up in this one.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

I don’t want eternal glory, I just wanna be…

I can barely sit through this one. The tournament is a silly idea and Ron is a whiny during much of the film. The only redeeming quality is that we really meet Voldermort in this one.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

I must not tell lies.

I know stories need conflict but this one has too much of the kind of frustrating conflict I hate. The kind of conflict you see a lot in sit-coms – you know, where someone is misunderstood and all that needs to happen is for everyone to see the truth, and it seems so obvious to us how to solve it, but we are not there. Ugh! I hate that.

I did really like the way Dolores Umbridge was portrayed and I very much enjoyed Harry putting her in her place.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

But, I am the chosen one.

Two things are clear in this film. First, Harry and his buddies are in real danger. Second, our heros are starting to deal with puppy love and all of the fun that comes along. The film opens with Harry flirting with a very cute girl and I found myself sorry for him that he never gets to see her again.

I enjoyed this one a whole lot, probably because it features Snape so prominently (Alan Rickman’s brilliant performance of Snape still makes me laugh out loud when I watch the films), but I find myself wondering how much good this installment did for the overall story.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

No one else is going to die. Not for me.

I purposely avoided seeing this until the last film was released because I didn’t really want to watch what both my kids told me was “half a movie.” I saw the last two films on the same day, July 15 (which, btw, is my wedding anniversary) with only about 30 minutes between them. I thought it wasn’t bad as a story all by itself – and this series needed a film where the bad guy seems to have won in the end.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

It seems despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you still have a bit of a security problem, Headmaster.

A spectacular conclusion to a wonderful film series. This one started with a very short recap of the film before it but it was still too much. I hated it. Either the two films can stand on their own, or they can’t. I was also not a big fan of the ending. I can see where it provided information we wanted to know about the fate of Hogwarts, but I didn’t like it.

It also leaves the door too wide open for a sequel, if you ask me. That would be a bad idea!

Christianity and Liberalism

bsoist — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 13:38:11 +0000

Last week I finished Christianity and Liberalism for a Reading Classics Together series. This was my second reading of the book and what fascinated me was how apropos the book is almost 90 years after it was written. Truly there is nothing new under the sun. The struggle for truth is still the same as it always has been.

In chapter one, Introduction and Doctrine, Machen proposes that Liberalism is not simply a “flavor” of Christianity but a different faith. He reminds us that Christianity is based on history and fact. It is more than the realm of ideas and philosophy. Historical truth matters.

In the remaining chapters, God and Man, The Bible, Christ, Salvation, and The Church, Machen defends his assertion by reviewing how Liberalism presents each topic differently than historical Christianity and how the difference is substantial enough that Liberalism should be regarded as a different religion/faith/ideology altogether.

Though the book was more then 60 years old the first time I read it, its longevity did not grab me in the same way. I saw the similarities but I guess my idealism had me convinced that “we” could do something about it. Reading this book again more than twenty years later was enlightening. It is as if nothing has changed.

Leftover Movie Reviews

bsoist — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:12:29 +0000

I’ve seen a few movies lately that I may not have time to review but I wanted to share a few thoughts anyway.

The first two probably deserve a full review, perhaps if I have time someday.

Tree of Life

Tell us a story from before we can remember.

This is a brilliant film that tells the story of life from the beginning of time until the very end while exploring the very essence of human existence. The characters take a back seat to the imagery in the film, but the acting is all very solid. Pitt and Penn are both fantastic! Of course, right?

The Company Men

My life ended and nobody noticed.

The film is almost depressingly realistic and timely. If the economy has hit you hard and you need a film to escape from that, be careful choosing this film. The film features three men who at different ages and positions in life must deal with a dose of reality. Affleck, Cooper, and Jones portray these men expertly and the different reactions of the men raises interesting questions about the nature of ambition, self-worth, and passion.

Kung Fu Panda 2

But how can kung fu defeat something that destroys kung fu?

I enjoyed the first one and could make the argument that this one was even better – until the last scene. I don’t want to spoil it but something is added just at the end which appears to be material on which to base a sequel. It may be very popular with mainstream audiences (probably a good movie for an animated film), but I wish they would not have done it.

I Am Number Four

I hope you can throw with your left arm.

The trailer made me want to see it (mysterious women showing up to raise hell, etc.) but I didn’t expect an excellent movie. The real thing turned out to be better than I expected, but not a great film.

The A-Team

I love it when a plan comes together.

Make no mistake. This is a bad movie – just not as bad as I expected.

The Tourist

You’re ravenous.

The plot is ridiculous but the stars look great and the scenery is fantastic.

The film reminded me of the films of the 50s and 60s and I enjoyed that very much. It is not your typical modern thriller with non-stop action but the mystery, romance, and silliness of it all was a lot of fun. It would have been a fabulous movie but for one major flaw – Johnny Depp.

Hereafter

maybe it’s better to hold stuff back

This film absolutely surprised me. I expected nothing but disappointment.

The film deals intelligently with the subject of life after death but it does so while leaving many questions unanswered. Instead of tackling the issues head on or in a way that sensationalizes, Eastwood focuses on how traumatic events affect real people. In my opinion, he does a masterful job.

I was pleasantly surprised at the ending too. Though any serious film buff will see the multiple stories being woven together to reach some serendipitous conclusion, that conclusion didn’t turn out to be exactly what I was expecting – but it was close.

X-Men: First Class

Don’t touch my hair!

I was looking forward to this one since I like creation stories and prequels most of the time, but this one was disappointing overall. The only redeeming feature is the over-the-top, James Bond type villain played by the always excellent Kevin Bacon. If you like a good villain, this film is worth watching.

Movie Review: Waiting for “Superman”

bsoist — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 12:33:34 +0000

Waiting for “Superman” is very well done documentary film about a very complex problem which faces our nation and threatens to affect all of us – even those who do not send their own children to public school. There most certainly is something wrong with our system. This film does an excellent job pointing that out but unfortunately it does not present a real solution.

Either the kids are getting stupider every year, or something is wrong in the education system.

The Good

Davis Guggenheim and Participant Media teamed up once again to produce another documentary that, like An Inconvenient Truth before it, told two different stories. I wrote about this on Thursday but the filmmakers did an excellent job of telling both stories in such a way that the viewer is left emotionally connected to a problem that is sometimes ignored because it seems unsolvable.

The film also does an excellent job of defining the problem. The film makes several points, and I agree with all of them.

Bad teachers exist.
Teachers’ unions are part of the problem.
The single most important factor in improving student achievement is great teaching.

The Bad

Unfortunately, the film left me with impressions (which may have been unintentional) that teachers’ unions are the problem and that the only thing necessary to solve this problem is better teaching. In my opinion, that simplifies the problem too much. It’s also too easy. Guggenheim writes in the book that it was not an easy decision to challenge teachers and unions the way he did but I don’t really buy it. Are there bad teachers? Of course. Do the policies of teachers’ unions hurt students? I think so. That, I think, is what makes this “too easy” – we’ve found someone to blame for the problem.

The film also doesn’t really present a solution. The implication is that some schools have figured out the solution and all we need to do is copy that. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. I plan to write more about this in the coming weeks.

I understand the issue is very complex and I understand that a documentary must distill these issues and present us with a story. Waiting for “Superman” does that. I just wish it could have done more, but I think that is too much to ask.

If you care about education, you should see the film AND read the book.

Book Review: Waiting for “Superman”

bsoist — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 16:44:49 +0000

Waiting for “SUPERMAN”: How We Can Save America’s Failing Public Schools, the companion book to the film, was an excellent addition to the film. I was pleased to learn more about the filmmakers, the making of the film, the issues raised in the film, and the people I met watching it.

The film’s director and producer, as well as several of the educators and experts featured in the film each wrote a chapter. Each of these chapters begins with an introduction to the writer which helps put the chapter in context. This format threw me at first because I didn’t just want to learn “about the movie” but it turned out to be an excellent way to expand the discussion.

While reading the chapter written by Guggenheim, I found myself wondering why I was reading so much about An Inconvenient Truth, one of his previous films, but that proved to be a good thing too. I have a whole new appreciation for both films after learning more about their structure. Learning from An Inconvenient Truth, where he cut together one long film with several shorter mini-films, Guggenheim actually directed two entirely separate films for Waiting for “Superman.” The working titles for these films were Other People’s Children and The Folly of the Adults. It was only after completing both films independently, and ensuring that they “worked” separately, that Guggenheim cut them together to create Waiting for “Superman”.

I think Guggenheim exaggerates his “discovery” of this method but that doesn’t diminish his excellence in execution. If he is telling the truth, it is quite an accomplishment in my mind.

The book followed a similar pattern. Each part of the book begins with an introduction which introduces us to one of the students featured in the film. The following chapters then take a different direction where the issues are explored in more detail.

I saw the film first, and as you’ll read in my review on Saturday, I thought it had flaws. I was pleased that the book addressed these. The flaws in the film can be summed up in its portrayal of charter schools. The film left me with several impressions:

Teachers’ unions are the problem.
All we need is better teachers.
These particular charter schools have “solved” the problem.

The implications are that all charter schools are always better than and have better teachers than “regular” public schools. The book does a better job of pointing out that this is not the case. I was glad to see this.

If you care about education, you should see the film and read the book. I enjoyed reading the book after viewing the film and it probably makes sense to do the same since they were produced in that order. If you are not familiar with the people featured in the film, you may want to “cheat” and read the small intros at the start of each chapter.

Do Christians and Muslims Worship the Same God?

bsoist — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 20:50:30 +0000

I didn’t pay much attention to this question until recently. Because I knew the answer

Until very recently, my answer was “no.”

Now, my answer is “yes AND no.” I know some of you will think that’s the easy way out but I think I can explain. If you give me a couple of days.

I remember learning in college that one of the gravest mistakes made by Western Christian missionaries over the years was the imposition of Western culture as part of the message. I remember thinking how sad it was that someone didn’t think to ask an important question – “Do these people actually worship the same God I do, despite the unfamiliar culture?”

I also remember making a decision about certain religions based on my knowledge at the time. Some indigenous peoples might worship the same God even though I don’t recognize Him but I knew about some religions and about those my mind was made up. Allah, for example, was not the God of the Bible. I was sure of that.

On September 11, 2001 I was confronted with this question once again. I was reminded that America has enemies and it seemed as though many Americans believed those enemies included all Muslims. Many claimed that Islam is a dangerous religion with a mission that included violence. Others claimed just the opposite, that Islam was a religion of peace and that the terrorists were not acting like good Muslims should.

What little I did know of Islam was a bit of the story of Muhammad which I read in one of my favorite books. The book ranked persons from history based on their influence and Muhammad was first on the list – mostly because he was a political and religious leader. It was also painfully obvious to me that nearly everything I knew of Islam I learned from Christians.

I’d like to think that my worldview is very tolerant of other opinions and viewpoints, but I was confronted with the question of Islam again and all I knew was this:

Apparently devout, but certainly extreme Muslims had attacked civilians in my country in cities not far from my home.
Islam is a religion that holds influence over whole nations and that even Muhammad himself was considered a political leader.
There appears to be some debate about the role of violence in Islamic thought.

On the other hand, I also knew that:

U.S. foreign policy typically supports Israel unconditionally.
That support is based on misinterpretation of the Bible (in my view).
Billions of Muslims all over the world want nothing to do with American Christianity because U.S. support of Israel.

I don’t pretend to understand all the ramifications of those things but I believed them at the time, as I do now, and I think it’s a shame.

Like most Americans, September 11th changed my perception of the world forever. In my case, however, I didn’t change my behavior. I realized I didn’t understand Islam but I took no action to change that. I could have and I would even say I “wanted to” but I didn’t. I went on believing, blindly, that Allah was not the God of the Bible.

Until just recently when two things made me think. The first was a film I saw on this website.

The second was a book I recently read. I was so moved by the film Of Gods and Men that I had to read the book which inspired the film. The book goes into great detail on the lives and values of the monks and one of the ideas explored is the belief by Dom Christian de Chergé, the prior, that God speaks to men in different ways. He clearly believed that Muslims were children of God.

So now I that I’ve had time to think about it my answer is different, but more importantly, I think it is the wrong question.

Of Gods and Men

bsoist — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 05:26:18 +0000

A few months ago our son was in Philadelphia with a couple of his buddies and they decided to stop and see Of Gods and Men before returning home. He raved about the movie and insisted we go to see it as a family. It would only be available on Mothers’ Day so we set the idea aside until we made definite plans.

All of us forgot about it until Mother’s Day when Terri brought it up after breakfast. After she convinced us that she really wanted to spend part of “her” day ( actually, she told us this year that we celebrate “Mothers’ Day Weekend” ) in the theater, we went to see it.

Wow! We were glad we saw it!

Of Gods and Men is inspired by The Monks of Tibhirine, a heart-wrenching tale of French monks serving a Muslim community in Algeria ( my review ). The book’s author argues the monks were kidnapped by Islamic terrorists “Not because they were Christians, but because they refused to leave their Muslim friends” and the film conveys this message brilliantly. Each of the monks has his own struggle with the decision to leave or to stay and serve.

The film is a little slow but doesn’t feel tedious. The director could have easily resorted to one or two scenes to portray the monk’s minimalist existence, but that would have felt like sheer boredom to most of us. Instead, we learn by watching the monks do their chores, worship, and fellowship in small bits throughout film.

The cinematography is fantastic throughout and the performances are world class. I’m not a student of French film, but I’ve learned now that this was an “all star” cast for a French film. I am not surprised.

If you have any interest in faith, Christianity, Islam, the specific real-life events depicted in this film, or the meaning of life – you should see this film.

The film raises many questions, both spiritual and political, but doesn’t explore them all. The viewer is left to sort out the answers. The biggest question by far is “did they do the right thing by staying?” Like most people I think, I left the theater supporting their decision to stay. As I thought about the options afterward, I thought things like “Wouldn’t the monks have done more good for more people if they had gone?”

Fortunately, I was able to spot the influence of my Western, hyper-productivity, capitalist upbringing and put on the brakes. Is more always better? Is a long life always better than a short one – no matter the quality? I’d like to write more about these questions next week, but I am interested to hear your thoughts on it now if you care to share.

In his review, Roger Ebert claims the monks’ decision to stay was a result of pride. I couldn’t disagree more. What do you think?

BTW, Terri still says this is the best movie she has ever seen – so I guess it turned out to be a nice Mother’s Day Weekend.

The Monks of Tibhirine

bsoist — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 20:22:36 +0000

I had the opportunity recently to see Of Gods and Men, a French film about a community of Trappist monks in Algeria who had a decision to make – a decision to stay and minister in the face of increasing danger or abandon their Muslim neighbors. I vaguely remember the story from the news but I didn’t think twice about the men until I saw the film.

I’ll post my review of the film on Saturday, but after seeing it I couldn’t wait to learn more about the lives of these men and the circumstances which led up to the events depicted on screen. The other day I took the first step in learning more about them and it was a good one. I picked up the Kindle version of the book The Monks of Tibhirine: Faith, Love, and Terror in Algeria.

The book deals with three themes, the monks and their stories, what it means to be a Christian, and the historical and political events responsible for creating the climate in which the monks served, and it does so very well. I learned a great deal about the civil war in Algeria as well as about Islam (a faith I am not familiar with) and Christianity (a faith I know well). I also came away from the reading with an understanding of each of the monks and their struggles and motivations. I’m glad I didn’t read the book before the film, but reading it caused me to appreciate the devotion and struggle even more.

It was not always an easy read. There is a lot of information to absorb and I’ll admit a few points where I felt like skipping several pages. I am glad I took the time to finish it. I highly recommend it to anyone who has any interest in faith, community, a disciplined life, or the relationship between different faiths.

I can’t recommend it enough.

A Few Good Films

bsoist — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:14:45 +0000

Just a few thoughts on each. No time for real reviews. First time viewing for all of these films even though two of them are almost as old as I am.

Dog Day Afternoon

My place is with my girls.

Fantastic film with a brilliant performance by Pacino.

Fair Game

Ask those questions. Demand that truth.

Much better film than I expected. Penn’s portrayal of Joe Wilson was inspiring.

Rescue Dawn

Empty what is full. Fill what is empty. Scratch what itches.

Classic Herzog – an average man against nature, breathtaking images, and some confusing use of the camera.

The Italian Job (1969)

They say he’s going to do a job in Italy.

Bank robbers, one of the best chase scenes of all time, and a surprise ending. Loved it!

Learn You a Haskell for Great Good

bsoist — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 17:54:46 +0000

I just finished this book and I recommend it highly.

The publisher describes Learn You a Haskell for Great Good as “the funkiest way to learn Haskell, which is the best functional programming language around” and for now I’ll have to agree. I read the book as part of my Safari subscription but I was pleased to learn that you can still read it online for free. You can also, of course, purchase it if you prefer (Print | Kindle).

I’ve used functional programming before and am a bit of a fan, but I’ve not used Haskell. I recently started reading this blog. Since the author uses Haskell for the examples, I set off on a quest to find a good book – and I found one.

Learn You a Haskell for Great Good is written for programmers but I get the sense that anyone who understands a bit of advanced mathematics would benefit from and enjoy reading it. I’m a programmer so it’s hard for me to tell for sure – but that’s the sense I get.

If you are looking for a good introduction to functional programming or Haskell, this book is probably a good first step.