Rent

—1. Overview (multimedia)
—2. Overview Basic (dial up speed)
—3. Reviews and Blogs
—4. Cast and Crew
—5. Photo Pages
—6. Trailers, Clips, DVDs, Books, Soundtrack
—7. Posters (musicals)
—8. Production Notes (pdf)
—9. Spiritual Connections
—10. Presentation Downloads

"Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure – measure a year?

In daylights – In sunsets
In midnights – In cups of coffee
In inches – In miles
In laughter – In strife

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure
A year in the life

How about love?

Measure in love – Seasons of love"


As I watched this long-awaited film version of the Tony Award winning musical Rent, a war was going on within my soul. There were two different audiences within me, and both were watching the same film. Each one saw many different things. The conservative Christian in me saw a film ripe with wanton sexuality, graphic depictions of both male and female homosexuality, drug addiction, identity crises, flat-out rebellion and chaos. The more I watched, the more I began to squirm with discomfort and uneasiness. I could easily take the sin-hunting route and declare the film as a celebration of immorality; something created by “blue-state” residing, liberal-minded Hollywood as yet another attempt to disregard the principles of God in favor of soulless debauchery.

John 8:7 (New International Version) - But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."

1 Corinthians 6: 9-11 (NIV) - Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.


But, the more I watched, I remembered my own sins and my own immorality. The more I watched, the more I saw myself. The more I saw myself, the easier it was for me to drop my sword of judgment. I was able to see the film for what it really was: a depiction and celebration of life. Not the rose-colored, “red-state” driven, Biblically-mandated ideal of what life should be; but, instead, a depiction of real American life in the 21st century. Whether we like it or not, whether we choose to accept it or not, the truth is that America—in 1989 (when the film is set) as well as 2005—is ripe with wanton sexuality, graphic depictions of both male and female homosexuality, drug addiction, identity crises, flat-out rebellion and chaos.

Many of us have misconstrued Christ’s words as just cause to judge the world for such behavior. However, if we look deeper at the story and characters in the film—not to mention the various real-life counterparts of these characters with whom we interact daily—we are challenged to walk in Christ’s footsteps and offer them grace, compassion, and love.

The lyrics above are from the (unofficial) theme song of this film, “Seasons Of Love.” As I watched the film and meditated on those lyrics, I surrendered the “holy-roller” within me to the compassionate Christ-follower within. Why? Because that’s What Jesus Would Do. He would not see these characters as they are merely displayed on screen. He’d see their hearts. Jesus would see the truth that lies beneath their identity crises, the cross-dressing, the homosexuality, the heroin use, and their living conditions; He would clearly see that all of these characters were searching. Either through their songwriting or documentary filmmaking or their defiant protest-laden performance art or their pursuit of each other, they were searching for freedom, purpose, and above all else, love.

There’s not much difference between the characters in this story and us. We are also in pursuit of freedom, purpose and love. The characters in this story symbolize our search for freedom through the main plotline of the film. Their dwelling place is a New York City neighborhood full of old, abandoned lofts where they happily live rent free. The corporate owners of these lofts—which are slated for conversion into a cyber-arts studio—send their manager to evict the tenants. Said manager just so happens to be their former cohort turned arch-nemesis Benny (Taye Diggs). The neighborhood rallies together in protest of Benny’s bosses’ plans in the form of a defiant performance art presentation performed by Maureen (Idina Menzel). Her performance leads to, first, a riot started by the police, and, eventually, a celebration of their own freedom as well as just about every other act of freedom and rebellion—depicted in the rollicking number “La Vie Boheme”.

Our search for purpose is best symbolized in this film by aspiring filmmaker Mark (Anthony Rapp). Rarely is he ever seen without his hand-cranked film camera wishing, hoping, and searching for the opportunity to capture life’s moments on film. Not just the joyous moments, but the moments of sadness and suffering—best captured through his shots of homeless people throughout his neighborhood. His HIV-positive roommate Roger (Adam Pascal) is also searching for purpose; but his search is a different one. He is searching for the right lyrics to create the perfect song to leave his mark upon the earth before his reaches its short, rapidly approaching, inevitable end.

Lastly, the characters' search for love mirrors our own search. We are a generation who is so desperate and starved for love that we’ll take it anyway it comes. After a vicious mugging in the dark corner surrounding the lofts, Tom (Jesse L. Martin) finds the love that he’s been searching for in the form of Angel (Wilson Jermaine Heredia)—street corner musician by night, drag queen by day, afternoon, and evening. I will be honest: seeing the early stages of their romance play out on screen (highlighted by their duet “I’ll Cover You”) made that conservative Christian inside of me squirm and wriggle in major discomfort. But, as their storyline progressed, I saw something deeper than a blatant and graphic depiction of homosexuality. I saw two people who genuinely loved each other—(Begin Spoiler) which further made the resolution of their storyline all the more heartbreaking. One need not be gay or straight to understand the pain in Tom’s voice and the tears in his eyes when Angel’s fate is revealed. (End Spoiler)

For various reasons, we choose to abandon love and settle for substitutes. As the story progresses, we find out that Roger has made the choice to abandon love due to unfortunate circumstances around a woman he loved before. He later finds himself wrestling with the decision to resume his pursuit of love thanks to his downstairs neighbor Mimi (Rosario Dawson), an exotic dancer and heroin addict. Mimi subtly but aggressively makes her intentions known in the number “Light My Candle”. Roger, a recovering heroin addict himself, spurns her affections. But it’s clearly seen at the close of that number that Mimi has compelled him to reconsider his decision. Mimi clearly wants to give her heart to Roger. However, the stronghold of drugs and sex threatens to steal her soul and threatens the hope of romance with Roger.

Lastly, we revisit the revolutionary performance artist Maureen who has chosen to abandon real love to settle for the substitute that many of us wrestle with the most: narcissism and self-love. We discover at the onset of the film that Maureen has just dumped her boyfriend Mark for... a woman. Joanne (Tracie Thoms—the featured female voice in “Seasons Of Love”), a NYC attorney, is Maureen’s new love. Or so we think. Mark and Joanne meet unexpectedly when Maureen asks for Mark’s assistance in the audio/visual preparation of her protest presentation. He shows up but Maureen doesn’t—leading to an undoubtedly uncomfortable situation between him and Joanne. The tension is pretty thick until they both realize the truth about Maureen (symbolized in their duet “Tango: Maureen”). While Maureen once lusted after Mark and is now lusting after Joanne, it becomes clear, as the film progresses, that the love of Maureen’s life is Maureen herself. She talks a good game and appears to have the best of intentions—even committing to become Joanne’s life partner; but, as evidenced through a couple of instances of flirting as well as in her duet with Joanne “Take Me Or Leave Me”, Maureen glories in her self-love. She even brags during the song about how both men and women have always been drawn to her beauty. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t give us a significant opportunity to witness Maureen “unmasked”. The film would have been strengthened by a deeper glimpse into Maureen’s psyche, forcing her to wrestle with the shame that drives her narcissism.


There’s only us
There’s only this
Forget regret or life is yours to miss

No other road
No other way
No day but today


Philippians 3: 12-15 (NIV) - I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things…

The finale of this musical challenges us to go forward in our own individual pursuits of purpose, freedom, and love. We are challenged to fully embrace the power of love and to let that love lead and guide us to our ultimate destiny in life. The vast writings of the Apostle Paul challenge us in the same manner. For nearly two millennia, God has spoken to us through his writings to boldly venture forth, get into the game, and seize the life that Christ has in store for us. Many of us have chosen to sit on the sidelines and to be content with an empty, mundane life. Even our relationships with Jesus Christ have suffered under this chasm of monotony. At the same time, we judge others—specifically gays and lesbians—for the manner in which they boldly and defiantly seize hold of the life and freedom that they desire. While this statement is not a personal endorsement of that particular lifestyle, it is a challenging statement. How many of us can truly say that we have vigorously and shamelessly pursued or taken hold of the purpose-driven, Christ-centered life using the same force and energy that gays and lesbians exhibit in their lives and struggles? We all know what the Bible says. But are we truly exhibiting the life that the Bible calls us to in the same manner that gays and lesbians exhibit their lives? Once again, that’s not an endorsing statement, but, for me personally, a shameful and convicting statement as I look at the fabric of my own life.


John 13:34-35 (NIV) – "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

If the 21st century church in America is going to bear any significant impact in the kingdom of God, we must go out into the world and minister His LOVE... and not just recite His words... to the Angels, the Mimis, the Rogers, Marks, Toms, Bennys, Joannes and Marueens who desperately need to her Jesus’ message of love. They’ve had plenty of Bible verses tossed upside their heads and force fed down their throats. But declaring Scripture is not ALL we’re called to do. The theme song of “Rent” challenges us to measure our lives in seasons of love, similar to Christ's words above. Some of us Christians measure our lives in obedience to Christ’s words. But Paul warns us in 1 Corinthians 13 that knowing and quoting Scripture and doing the stuff of Christ alone is empty, fruitless, and ultimately annoying. With love as our driving force, we should be compelled to meet others where they are and plant seeds of God’s love. It would be an awesome display of Christ’s love if we—instead of judging those who are homosexual, drug addicts and struggling with sin and personal identity crises—befriended and invested into the lives of these men and women to understand what compels them to live the lives that they live... and to boldly declare that Christ has another way—a BETTER WAY—to fulfill their long-burning desire for purpose, freedom and, above all else, love.

Rent has been a life-changing experience for me. I gladly place it as one of my top 10 movies of the year. Give it a chance and see the film through Christ’s eyes and heart. Perhaps He can change your life through this film as well.

—1. Overview (multimedia)
—2. Overview Basic (dial up speed)
—3. Reviews and Blogs
—4. Cast and Crew
—5. Photo Pages
—6. Trailers, Clips, DVDs, Books, Soundtrack
—7. Posters (musicals)
—8. Production Notes (pdf)
—9. Spiritual Connections
—10. Presentation Downloads

Get Rich Or Die Tryin

—1. Overview (multimedia)
—2. Overview Basic (dial up speed)
—3. Reviews and Blogs
—4. Cast and Crew
—5. Photo Pages
—6. Trailers, Clips, DVDs, Books, Soundtrack
—7. Posters (50 Cent)
—8. Production Notes (pdf)
—9. Spiritual Connections
—10. Presentation Downloads

Ecclesiastes 1:9 (New International Version) — “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”

Cinematically, if you’ve seen Juice, Menace II Society, or any other variant of hip-hop infused crime/gangster movies, then you already know the plot of Get Rich Or Die Tryin. Kid gets abandoned by a parent (in this case, the abandonment was forced due to his mother’s death). The rest of his family ridicules and/or ignores him. Kid turns to street life and drug dealing as a way of escape. Kid becomes man and attracts the eye of the kingpins in charge… and steadily collects his fair share of enemies. Gunshots ensue. Man meets ghetto princess and falls in love. Man gets involved in ill-advised shootout where he eventually ends up in prison. After the requisite prison attack and forced solitary confinement, man gets enlightened and decides that it’s safer to become a rapper than a drug dealer. Man gets out of jail and tells kingpin that he’s pursing his rap career. Kingpin won’t let him off the leash so easily and executes act of revenge. More gunshots ensue. Man sticks to his guns, survives the requisite final confrontation, and lives happily ever after.

What gives this “hood movie” a higher level of pedigree is that it stars one of the hottest hip-hop artists in the country: Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. In addition, this film, just like 8 Mile—starring 50 Cent’s "mentor" Eminem—is directed by a director who hasn’t got the slightest indication of having a hip-hop bone in his body, but, nevertheless, is somehow fascinated by the culture. Jim Sheridan, who directed Daniel Day Lewis to an Oscar in My Left Foot, takes the command of this ship to share with audiences the (semi-autobiographical) life and times of “Fiddy.” As the Scripture says above, it’s nothing any of us haven’t seen before. But, this time, I see a parallel between this story and our own lives.

Proverbs 23:4 (NIV) – “Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.”

In an ironic, obviously God-inspired twist of fate, my wife received this Scripture from her Daily Bible Verse email on Wednesday November 9, 2005—the same day this film opened in theatres. The words of this Scripture were easily echoed and reverberated within the depths of my soul as I watched the film. As I thought about Fiddy’s story as it played itself out on screen, I thought about life in America. Whether it’s the ghettoes of New York City or the suburbs of Orange County, American culture is obsessed with riches. We wear our bodies out, fry our brain cells, and sacrifice our own souls in the pursuit of riches. Only God knows how many marriages, children and other relationships with family and friends have been unwillingly sacrificed on the altar of the pursuit of riches. We, as a culture, have allowed the mentality of getting rich or dying trying to define us. Our identity in the world has less to do with our integrity and our pursuit of Christ-ordained righteousness and more to do with the number of zeros in our bank account, the emblem on the bumpers of our cars, and the tags sewn inside of the fabrics we wear.

It’s even poisoned us in our approach to Christianity. Some ministers of the Gospel are utilizing the principles of God’s word not in an honest and genuine desire to be more like Him, but, rather, in pursuit of prosperity. We’ve all seen firsthand how Satan can deceive prominent ministers and pastors through the “gospel of prosperity.” Many of us proudly boast that we give our 10% as required in the Word. But many of us do so not out of love and respect for Christ, but rather what He can give us in return. Through our pursuit of riches we reduce God to nothing more than an ATM machine where if we see something we want, we “name it/claim it/blab it/grab it!” God does indeed desire to bless us with the things that we need in life. But Christ Himself also proclaimed that the poor will always be with us (Matthew 26:11). God has even decided that, for some of us, poverty will be the hand that we’re dealt with.

James 4: 1-4 (NIV) - What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

We as Americans view poverty as shameful—like Fiddy’s character in the film. His ambition for riches is shown is a scene where some kids laugh at him for wearing second-hand shoes. This mentality is prevalent in the inner cities and ghettos of America. The kids in “da hood” have bought into this false mentality that who you are is defined by what you have and how much money you’ve got. That is why modern day hip-hop culture is infused with this “bling-bling” mentality which is also heavily displayed within this film. Fiddy’s fans who see this movie—along with his and other rappers’ videos—will be treated to glamour shots of our heroes driving their Mercedes Lexuses and SUVs, smoking weed, and having parties with scantily clad women. That becomes their aspiration. They willfully sacrifice integrity and morals. Their desire for riches doesn’t just stem from an honest desire for a better life. Chasing the cars, the money and the girls becomes their identity and purpose. Ultimately, some of them turn to a life of crime because they feel that’s the only way they’ll gain “respect” (also defined by the amount of money and power one has). They’ll kill anyone who’ll stand in the way of their pursuit of riches. Whether it’s sworn enemies or former friends or their former bosses, the mentality is defined with a simple statement: “I gotta get mine… so I’ll take yours.”

The film has the prerequisite amount of killings, stabbings, beatdowns, ambushes, double crosses and the like. There’s also the prerequisite “moment of clarity jail cell scene” in which our hero decides to turn his back on drug dealing to pursue a rap career. His decision is based on the same reason he decided to sell drugs: to get more riches. With a girlfriend and infant son to take care of, it's an understandable decision. We could applaud this change in life strategy and direction (as well as his real life alter-ego’s decision) to pursue his rap career if its purpose was to tell the kids listening to this music the truth about the life he chose and how that life is ultimately destined for destruction. But with songs like “Hustler’s Ambition” (featuring lyrics like “Nigga you get in my way when while I'm tryin to get mine and I'll buck you, I don't care who you run with, or where you from, nigga f**k you”), “I’ll Whip Ya Head, Boy” and “Window Shopper” (a song where he graphically taunts his enemies about how richer he is than they are), we don’t get the sense that he’s remorseful about his former life.

Matthew 16:26 (NIV) – “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”

The more I think about it, the more I see that there isn’t much difference in the drug dealers in this film and our own lives. We lust and desire for fame, power and riches. And we’re willing to sell our souls in the process. The most troubling thing about this film is the fact that this issue of the soul is totally ignored. We don’t see guilt, anguish, remorse or even a hint of repentance in Fiddy’s actions on screen. Many of us have done shady and terrible things in pursuit of fame and riches. We may not have taken a gun and shot anyone as the characters in this film, but we’ve done things to sabotage our enemies in the workplace and even in the Church. And, just like the characters in the film, we show little to no remorse for our actions... even going so far as to use Scripture to justify our behavior.

In the end, it's Satan playing out his final temptation to Jesus all over again… only this time, we’re the ones being tempted (All these things I will give to you if you will bow down and worship me – Matthew 4:8-9). We have indeed, like the characters in this film, chosen to bow down and worship him. As a result, we have lost a huge chunk of our soul in the process—again, like the characters in the film. Jesus Christ offers us a life rich in integrity, wholeness and peace. But instead, we have chosen to follow Fiddy’s footsteps with one mission and one mission only: to get rich or die trying.

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—4. Cast and Crew
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—6. Trailers, Clips, DVDs, Books, Soundtrack
—7. Posters (50 Cent)
—8. Production Notes (pdf)
—9. Spiritual Connections
—10. Presentation Downloads

Deconstructing Fiddy: A Search for Hope and Redemption in the Music of 50 Cent

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—7. Posters (50 Cent)
—8. Production Notes (pdf)
—9. Spiritual Connections
—10. Presentation Downloads

I’m a very outspoken film critic. I make no bones about it. Both in my Hollywood Jesus reviews as well as my secular reviews, I’ve willingly courted controversy by making certain statements and comments. In another commentary written for an African-American film website, I made very controversial, angry, and very un-Christian-like statements about slain rapper/actor Tupac Shakur. I felt the urge to give my 2 cents on his perceived legacy because, at the time, his posthumous biography Tupac: Resurrection was prepared to hit theatres.

In my commentary, I stated that I believed that, in spite of the legendary status laid upon him even years after his death, he died like a coward. Why such a strong statement? Because, as I recalled his music over the years, I observed him fighting an intense internal struggle between good and evil. The “good” side was demonstrated by his songs of introspection. Songs like “Me Against The World” and “So Many Tears” expressed his anguish at American society and the power structure that left him and his legion of inner city/ghetto counterparts fighting amongst themselves for the miniscule table scraps left by the so-called American Dream. The “bad” side was expressed by the songs which willfully accepted and celebrated the negative aspects of inner-city/ghetto life. Tupac boldly expressed this attitude by his mantra “Thug Life”—which he also famously tattooed over his chest. To me, his death in Las Vegas was the ultimate manifestation that the “bad” side had won. After all, as I stated in my commentary, he lived like a thug… he died like a thug.

Many people agreed with my statements. Many people challenged them, too. God was able to use those who challenged me to rethink my strong statement. I admit that I have never deliberately listened to a single Tupac album. I’ve heard many of his songs and bits and pieces of other songs over the years. But I never sat down to judge his music for myself—another unfortunate un-Christian-like trait (Judge not… lest ye be judged).

Tupac’s defenders emphasized the fact that those “good” side records are the ones that cement Tupac’s legacy. Hidden within those celebratory “Thug Life” records are songs that express the hope that one day the struggle will be over; that one day the citizens caught up in Thug Life will rise up to a better place where they will be complete and whole individuals. For every “Thug Life” record, there were 3 more records expressing Tupac’s individual search for hope and redemption—be it in this life or the next.

Today, another rapper is tossing his hat into the acting game. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson— who proclaimed in his smash hit 2003 single “In Da Club” that he wants his fans to love him “like they love Pac”— has just released his first film Get Rich Or Die Tryin. I’ve heard practically all of his music on the radio. Heck, I even like his song “In Da Club”! Having said that, I do have some definite opinions on Fiddy’s music that are similar to my views about Tupac’s music. I knew that my views would undoubtedly polarize many of 50 Cent’s fans and supporters who’d claim, like Tupac, I just didn’t get it. So this time, instead of going the “holy-roller” route and passing judgment on music and songs I’d never heard before, I decided to listen for myself. I listened to both of his major studio albums (2003’s Get Rich Or Die Tryin and 2005’s The Massacre) to see what the big fuss is all about. I had to know for myself why this rapper’s first 2 albums have become the biggest selling albums in their respective years. Most important, I had to know if there were songs of hope and redemption hidden behind his personal stories of “Thug Life.”

Here are snippets of what I found:

“Many men wish death upon me, dog, I don’t cry no more. Don’t look to the sky no more.” -- Many Men (from the album “Get Rich or Die Tryin”)


“Cherish me! Like the water you drink. Like the air that you breathe. Y’all need me to live” --This is 50 (from the album “The Massacre”)


“Sometimes I sit and look at life from a different angle. Don’t know if I’m God’s child or Satan’s angel” --I’m Supposed To Die Tonight (from the album "The Massacre”)

If I could describe those 2 albums in one word: Depressing.

Unlike Tupac, who wrestled within his inner man about the choices he made in his life, 50 Cent has chosen to embrace those choices. In his music, peace among brethren is not an option. Any and all disagreements can be settled with a 9MM pistol or a host of other brands of artillery. I heard greed, remorselessness, false pride, empty bravado, foolish justification for immoral life choices, wanton disregard for the opposite sex, and an overall sense of hopelessness which he and some of his hip-hop counterparts label as “keeping it real.” I fear that, like Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G. in their song and album titles did (If I Die Tonight, Ready To Die), he may be prophesying his own downfall and death.

His beef (conflict) with those aforementioned counterparts has made the front pages of entertainment news. He boldly calls out his competition by name and taunts them on his records and interviews. Gunplay has even ensued between both him and his enemies’ entourages. Most recently, one of his “protégés,” rapper The Game, was kicked out of Fiddy’s crew —G-Unit—for collaborating with one of his “enemies” in the business. This situation has also escalated to the point of violence.

And the kids are eating it up. As I mentioned before, both of his major studio albums have been the top selling albums of the year (almost 9 million copies for 2003’s Get Rich and 5 million for 2005’s The Massacre). You literally can’t drive down the street without hearing his monotonic, slightly slurred voice coming out of some kid’s—or adult’s—SUV. His message of death and hopelessness happens to be masqueraded by the most intoxicating and hypnotic percussion rhythms ever created. I’ll be honest: it’s darn near impossible to keep from bobbing your head to one of Fiddy’s beats. The mere sound of his famous opening lines from “In Da Club” (“Go Shorty! It’s Ya Birthday!”) has been known to cause massive stampedes to the dance floor at both parties and weddings! But, like most gangsta hip-hop, it’s the beats that draw you in and the lyrics that can potentially take you out.

What these kids don’t realize is that music has the power to alter one’s spirit. Good music inspires you hope and to dream. Hearing your favorite song during 5 PM rush hour has the power to shine a ray of hope on a cloudy and pitiful day. As Lauryn Hill stated in her song “Superstar,” “Music is supposed to inspire.” 50 Cent’s music inspires hopelessness. His supporters may claim that his music is a reflection of reality. I don’t believe that—in light of the fact that I was raised in South Central Los Angeles in the mid 1980’s during the Crips & Bloods gang wars where drug dealing and ghetto hopelessness was as prevalent as the tales told in Fiddy and Tupac records. I saw my neighborhood peers accept that “reality.” I had plenty of chances to accept that “reality” into my own life. But through God’s grace and my mother’s discipline, I saw that “reality” for the lie that it truly is. And, not by might, nor by power, but by God’s spirit (and a whole lot of late nights studying for tests and doing homework), I made it out of the “hood.” Society and (some) hip-hop music may claim that the only ambition for folks in the inner city is to be a hustler, a thug, or to get rich or die trying. But God is bigger than that. Jesus Christ did not give up His life so that we would celebrate songs of hatred and death and willfully walk in a spirit of hopelessness and despair. His thoughts are higher than ours. His ways are higher than ours. What He has in store for us—50 Cent included— is bigger than fame or fortune. He offers us and escape from the spirit of death and hopelessness that continuously surround us.

The more I think about Fiddy, his music, and his film (which I have seen and have also reviewed), the more I feel compassion for him. There is major pain inside of him that he has buried. I look past his scowl and his stare and I see a man on the verge of losing his soul in the pursuit of “getting rich or dying trying.” Former rapper turned pastor Mase (P Diddy’s former sidekick) is now part of the G-Unit crew. I sincerely pray that Mase would be an effective witness to the power of Jesus Christ to him. Every day that Fiddy lives, moves and has his being, the Father offers him another chance to forsake the things of the world in exchange for the love, freedom and peace in Christ. I sincerely hope that Fiddy will receive that gift before it’s too late. It’ll truly be a shame if this man, who desires to be loved like Tupac did, were to die like him too.

—1. Overview (multimedia)—2. Overview Basic (dial up speed)—3. Reviews and Blogs —4. Cast and Crew—5. Photo Pages —6. Trailers, Clips, DVDs, Books, Soundtrack—7. Posters (50 Cent)—8. Production Notes (pdf) —9. Spiritual Connections—10. Presentation Downloads

Team America: World Police

Links
—Overview by Chris Utley
—Roundtable Discussion
—Trailers, Photos
—About this Film

Team America: World Police

[SPOILERS INCLUDED THROUGHOUT THIS REVIEW]

Lock your windows! Shut your doors! Hold on to your popcorn buckets! Those South Park boys (Trey Parker and Matt Stone) are back to terrorize your multiplex in Team America: World Police. Rude, crude, and laugh-out-loud funny, Team America is without a doubt the wildest puppet show ever.

In an era of worldwide panic and terror brought about by terrorists looking to plant those notorious Weapons of Mass Destruction (Great! Somebody found ‘em!), only one team of elite American freedom fighters is willing to give their hearts, their souls, and their $1.05 to make the world a better, safer place.

Team America is a 6 person hit squad consisting of

Chris: a charm school U of Nebraska quarterback.

Joe: a hard-core ammo/martial arts specialist.

Sara: a brainy chick who can read people’s thoughts.

Lisa: a blonde, wide-eyed romantic who follows her heart . . . and can wield a 12-gauge shotgun with the best of ‘em.

Gary: their newest recruit . . . a Broadway actor fresh off the success of “Lease: The Musical” (featuring the soon to be Tony Award winning smash hit “Everyone’s Got AIDS!”).

Spottswoode: their fearless leader . . . a tough as nails commander, in the vein of Charlton Heston, who demands excellence and commitment from his team. His demands know no boundaries. No boundaries means just that: NO BOUNDARIES!

Their enemies first appear to be Taliban-like terrorist groups demanding Jihad, but we later find out that those guys are mere puppets in the bigger plan of notorious Korean dictator Kim Jong II: who plans to use them to plant WMD’s around the world in hopes that countries would blame each other and cause World War 3 . . . or in his case 9/11 times 2356 (or something like that). In order to execute this plan, Jong enlists the “help” of Alec Baldwin, Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and other actors who belong to the Film Actors Guild (referred to in the film by their acronym, which consists of the first letters in their 3 word name . . . ’nuff said). Jong lures them in by supporting their call for world peace . . . and convincing them that their true enemy in their quest for peace is Team America itself.

Anyone who’s ever seen a South Park episode and the South Park movie knows that the creators’ sense of humor knows no boundaries. This film is no exception. They are deliberately and intentionally offensive. They want to ruffle feathers. They get a rise out of ticking off anyone and everyone they can possibly tick off. Leave it to them to have our heroes mount an attack against terrorism, shoot up the bad guys, and declare that “Team America” has saved the day . . . meanwhile destroying the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, and leveling the whole darn city of Paris in the process (a dig on the newfound anti-French movement? I think so!).

Needless to say, this is not your father’s puppet show . . . or your 5-year-old’s for that matter. This is definitely an R-rated affair. These puppets spew out blood, get their limbs and heads detached from their bodies, every other word is a four-letter one (even the musical numbers are loaded with colorful lyrics . . . check out Team America’s theme song!), and I’m still trying to figure out what was actually cut from that love scene to qualify the film for an R rating. From my seat, it sure looks as if they pulled a fast one over on the MPAA. That scene makes the stuff I discussed in She Hate Me look like an afterschool special!

It is clear why this film will appeal to the high-school/20-something set. Even some of the 30-something folks will dig it. Let’s face facts: the movie is hilarious! The stuff they do with these puppets is hilarious! The lyrics in the musical numbers are gut-busting! The one-liners are sidesplitting! The Michael Moore “cameo” is outrageous! Like I said, it’s rude, crude and laugh-out-loud funny! It’s definitely among the funniest movies of the year.

I’m recommending the flick . . . but only for the thick-skinned among us who have strong convictions and are open-minded with their comedy choices. Why would I do that . . . in spite of the f-bombs, sexual situations and rudeness/crudeness?

1. Let us remember, we are not sin-hunters at Hollywood Jesus. It is not our job to point out the sin in every corner of the entertainment world. Yeah, those South Park guys tend to go a bit too far in their humor (I know I took great offense with the South Park movie: in particular the Sadaam/Satan relationship and the French kid who had nothing but contempt for God . . . thankfully, they left God/Satan/Christianity out of this one). But . . .

2. Frankly, I needed this laugh! We Americans definitely needed this laugh. As rude and crude as it was, Team America is, first and foremost, a satire . . . not to be taken seriously, but to cause us to laugh at ourselves. We are bombarded on every side with the War on Terror. It’s in our thoughts, on our minds, blaring on our TV news everyday, and it’s driving us crazy! After hearing the President and his challenger wax rhetorical for the last 3 weeks in their debates going back and forth about this war, I was worn out. I needed a break. Heck, many of us need a break from all of this. This film could very well be the closest thing we get to a break until Election Day.

The Verdict: See Team America: World Police . . . if you’re brave enough. And feel free to laugh your head off along the way!

1 YEAR LATER...

As the resident hell-raiser here at Hollywood Jesus, I have taken great delight (and pride) in the fact that my reviews have boldly gone where many Christian-based reviews have refused to go. As I say all the time around here, we are not sin hunters. We boldly choose not to zero in on the sins committed by the characters in the films that we review, but, instead, we focus on the characters' humanity and struggles and how they relate to our own personal stories. And we take that concept a step further by juxtaposing the stories and their characters against the Word of God. That's supposed to be my goal. However, there are times in my post-cinematic euphoria when I have to go back and consult with the Father and accept the truth that, sometimes, I drop the ball. In this case, I did indeed drop the ball.

Last year, Team America: World Police hit theatres... and then disappeared in a flash. In my positive review above, I boldly stated that the film hit the right note at the right time (a vicious election year that exposed the division that existed in the USA). I defended this film as satire, not to be taken seriously, but to allow the brave viewers to take a deep breath and (possibly) forget about the struggles taking place in our nation. I recently had the chance to see the film again. This time, I saw something else.

No matter how strong my convictions may be, no matter how thick my skin may rest on my body, and as much pride as I take in "getting the joke," the truth must be told. This movie was downright NASTY! I didn't see cleverness, hipness and satire upon my second viewing. Instead I saw a non-stop onslaught of f-bombs, unnecessary homosexual and genitalia jokes and flat-out stupidity! The more I think about it, the more embarrassed I am at the fact that I proudly endorsed this movie. As of right now, I proudly overturn my endorsement and retract my positive review.

Good comedy/satire—even if it's R-rated—must have something to say to its audience. There's a difference between slamming the audience upside the head with f-bombs for the sake of being outrageous and doing so for the sake of making a statement about our lives, our struggles and our humanity.

In the Roundtable Discussion, I disclosed that I love Chris Rock and Richard Pryor in spite of the fact that their comedy is perceived to be vulgar and graphic. It's not the f-bombs that make them great comics. It's the way that their jokes speak and relate to us as humanity that attracts me. When Richard Pryor graphically goes into detail regarding his cocaine addiction, we see ourselves. Of course, we're not drug addicts, but all of us have some sort of addiction that we wrestle with. When Chris Rock graphically comments that his job as a father is to "keep his daughter off the [strip club] pole," we as parents relate to that. Yeah, he used a graphic choice of words, but in those words lies the reality of what God is calling us to be as parents. It also calls us to consider the many examples of what the fruit of parenthood looks like when God's standard is overlooked and ignored.

What I see more than anything else in this film, as well as South Park, is a telling example of life without rules, boundaries and limits... better known as CHAOS. I said in my review that Trey Parker and Matt Stone revel in the fact that they tick everyone off by their chaotic and boundary-less brand of comedy. That is not necessarily a good thing. Their joy and delight in their own cynicism is nothing to be proud of. It's as if they were deliberately force-feeding us their cynicism in an attempt to hide their feelings of hopelessness. In their world, you can't trust the heroes, you can't trust the enemies, you can't trust even trust God (as evidenced in the French kid's story in South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut). Their solution: be apathetic and cynical and make a mockery of everything. This leaves their attempt at satire empty and hollow, with nothing to say to challenge the viewpoint of its audience. All we're left with is a bunch of nasty jokes and a strong desire to take a shower afterwards!

My wife made a bold comment at the end of seeing this movie: "I could gone the rest of my life without seeing this." I agree. It's a shame. This film, in more skilled hands, could have been a classic. Instead, it's riding the Blockbuster-paved road of filmic forgottenness. The New Verdict: You really can go the rest of your life without seeing Team America. You certainly won't be missing that much.

Chris Utley - 11/9/05

—Roundtable Discussion

Links
—Overview by Chris Utley
—Trailers, Photos
—About this Film