The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

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Want to see something completely different from the rest of the cookie-cutter genre movies that are currently playing? Director and co-writer Wes Anderson has created a colorful and quirky world in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou—a place where animated fish swim and trained dolphins practice reconnaissance. The movie reminds one of the beautifully intricate decorations inside a child’s doll house: each detailed piece is neatly in place and deserving to be seen. The characters, props and set design should be preserved in a coffeetable book for repeated viewing. And similar to Anderson’s previous gem The Royal Tenenbaums, each frame of the film is a carefully arranged work of art. One could simply enjoy the artsy sound track and absorb the visual richness and feel satisfied. And how about Zissou’s cool ship, the Belafonte?! I can’t think of a boy who wouldn’t give their lunch money to tour its various rooms and decks (including this boy).

So it looks neat, but does the narrative work? The story is an odd blend of comedy and adventure that struggles at times to find its rhythm. Some of the humor is so straightfaced that it glides right over the audience, and one can detect the not so faint this-is-too-cool-to-be-playing-at-the-megaplex vibe at times. The film teeters on inaccessibility, from its bizarre cartoon-like “Johnny Quest� plotline to the reoccurring David Bowie songs performed in a foreign language. I guess the best way to describe it is the love child of a summer popcorn movie and a pretentious independent film. And you know what? I loved every minute of it. The oceanographer adventure plot is refreshingly inventive, and explorer Steve Zissou is the washed-up hero that everyone can relate to and love.

The characters that inhabit this picture book film are truly as vibrant as Steve Zissou’s bright red hat. Bill Murray (Steve Zissou) continues his recent trend of fine performances and completely captures Zissou’s cocky yet world-weary demeanor. Owen Wilson’s subtle (yes, I said subtle) work as Ned Plimpton opposite Murray creates a chemistry between the two leading characters. Zissou, a world-renowned oceanographer and filmmaker, recently lost his eldest partner to the terrifying Jaguar Shark and sets out to hunt it down. In the process we are introduced to Plimpton, who is supposedly Zissou’s grown son. Plimpton is in awe of finally meeting his “dad� and his childhood hero. Plimpton is invited to join Zissou and the madcap expedition begins.

The voyage of this colorful crew is a metaphor for the often turbulent and tragic journey of humanity. You see, Zissou has become hardened and disillusioned by his film career, and the joy and zest for creative discovery has left him. The childlike excitement of a wide-eyed boy has been replaced by a graying man who is no longer amazed by the kaleidoscope of creatures that inhabit the sea. Yet when a young boy hands Zissou a tiny seahorse near the beginning of the film, we begin to see a spark of life reappear in Zissou’s tired frame. He is not yet aware of it, but his journey to rediscover himself begins at this moment. As he pours the seahorse into a wine glass and raises it above his head, we’re reminded of the simple wonder and joy in life which is often buried underneath the glamor, lights, and celebrity of the grown up world. His movies are a flop, his partner has died, and his relationships are sour, yet Zissou finds a spark of delight in this magical gift from a youngster.

Zissou continues to find redemption in another young gift: Ned Plimpton. He is the son Zissou never had. Plimpton wanted to be Steve Zissou when he was younger, and he views Zissou’s life through the eyes of an eight year old child; this is the glorious world of fantastical underwater escapades and excitement. But Plimpton soon sees what Zissou has become—an equipment stealing, pot smoking, cranky filmmaker who no longer inspires the heart. Zissou’s soul evolution is sparked by Plimpton’s warm and urgent relationship with him. We watch Zissou’s love sprout out of his awkward acceptance of fatherhood.

Interwoven in between many offbeat moments, the film’s theme reminds us that the cares and worries of the world can quickly choke the life and imagination right out of us. The expectant and mysterious world of childhood, where anything can happen, is often withered in the scorching world of business and money. The greatest danger we all face is waking up one day to realize that our faith in God and our childlike acceptance of and obedience to Him has been overtaken by the smothering cynical weeds of age. The exciting adventure we once started becomes a stale crawl through mediocrity.

However, by drudging through depression and literally looking into the stare of death, Zissou rediscovers life. His journey to the darkest and deepest part of the ocean is what ultimately brings him back to the surface. Zissou stares into the glowing eyes of the creature he fears most, and in the most amazing paradox of human existence, he finds life in the midst of death. In the final scene, his documentary movie now complete, we watch as the opening night audience applauds the results. Who wouldn’t cheer watching these peculiar characters overcome such obstacles?

The final, strikingly beautiful image of a rosy-cheeked lad riding on Zissou’s shoulders is a visual exclamation point to the message of the film. The spark of wonder is everywhere in life; the whole creation proclaims the glory of God. Live life to the fullest and keep looking forward with excitement and ambition. Reality is a mixture of life and death, youth and age, dark and light. What we choose to see is up to us—and the glorious colors of the open sea are beckoning us to look.

How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

How do you top the fame, fortune and popularity that are already equated with U2? Bono and The Edge are household names among music fans, and the band’s career has spanned 25 years. With the hype and anticipation surrounding the release of How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, anything less than stellar reviews would be underachieving for the boys from Ireland.

Is the album a solid piece of work? Definitely—it will push U2’s already successful career forward. But it isn’t necessarily groundbreaking for them. It bears little resemblance to the experimental albums of Zooropa and Pop (both of which I love, for the record). It’s also a noticeably different vibe than the widely successful All That You Can’t Leave Behind, which reestablished the band’s fan base in 2000. All That You Can’t is a set of songs that brings back memories of the early U2 days, namely The Joshua Tree. Whereas, How to Dismantle, with its haunting melodies and sexy guitar layers, sounds much more like something from the Achtung Baby era. Indeed the classic pieces are all here: Edge’s trademark guitar sounds, Bono’s distinctive soaring vocals, and the spiritually charged lyrics.

The music is not purely loud rock n’ roll; in fact, the opening single “Vertigo,� with its catchy guitar riff, provides the biggest punch of the album. The rest of the disc settles into a steady cohesive groove, consisting of pop rock tunes and ballads with a definite acoustic emphasis. The band has always been able to write strong melodies, and this album is no exception. However, as a whole it fails to take the band in any new direction. While the creativity of past work (the aforementioned Pop album, for example) revealed an unusual and innovative side to the band, this album fails to create much excitement. It’s a comfortable fit for the fans, and a pleasure to listen to, but I’d hoped the band would have continued to push the bounds of today’s rock landscape instead of settling for a conservative U2 sound.

What isn’t static is the band’s spirituality, which permeates the entire production. Bono continues to deftly weave together romantic, spiritual, and political imagery in his lyrics. In fact, Bono’s lyrics may be the most explicitly “Christian� that they’ve ever been. He’s become more outspoken in recent years about his faith and doesn’t shy away from writing modern-day rock n’ roll hymns for an un-churched audience. They may not fit into a typical evangelical or mainline church, but Bono and the boys haven’t failed to serve and promote the Judeo-Christian God in a distinctive and powerful way.

The songs on this album indeed have much to say. The Christian message of compassion is represented in the song “Miracle Drug.� Bono empathetically writes to everyone suffering in the African AIDS crisis, telling them that “love makes nonsense of space and time� and beneath the cries of the victims is the voice of Jesus reminding us to help bring comfort and relief (“I was a stranger, you took me in�).

In “Love and Peace or Else� (a song that represents what “Bullet the Blue Sky� might have sounded like on Pop), the band cries out for a cease fire in the Middle East: "lay down your guns, all your daughters of Zion, all your Abraham sons.� Instead of the incessant fighting which has disrupted the region for years, the prayer is for the current generation to develop “a brand new heart.�

The grace of God is the theme of “All Because of You;� In a poetic play on words, Bono uses the name of God that was given to Moses in Exodus 3:14, “I Am.� The Lord is given credit for bringing life and meaning—“You heard me in my tune, when I just heard confusion� and “I’m alive, I’m being born . . . all because of you, I Am.�

“One Step Closer� is a modern sequel to “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,� displaying the emotional intensity of a weary wanderer in the world. In the midst of doubt, pain, and sorrow, there is still the hope of moving forward (“one step closer to knowing�). Love and mercy are learned through the trials of life, for “the heart that hurts is the heart that beats.�

The album concludes with “Yahweh,� a beautiful contemporary song of worship. “Take this shirt,� writes Bono, “and make it clean,� and “take this soul . . . and make it sing.� The road of sanctification is long and difficult, because there is “always pain before the child is born.� Every believer has wondered why Yahweh allows “the dark before the dawn,� but God continually reassures us of his presence in the world, and this brings hope (“the sun is coming up on the ocean�).

U2 continues to deliver this hope to the shadowy places of the world through artful and inspiring music. Even in the seemingly frivolous world of pop music one can find God’s grace at work, for as Bono reminds us, “blessings are not just for the ones who kneel . . . luckily� (“City of Blinding Lights�). This album affirms that God’s love is available to all people, and that it is only by His grace that anyone can experience true life. This realization drives us to our knees in humility, where we can all join the band in singing the final lines of “Yahweh�: “Take this heart . . . and make it break.�

Finding Neverland

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—Overview
—Review by Darrel Manson
—Review by Melinda Ledman
—Review by Michael Ray
—Review by Matt Hill
—Trailers, Photos
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections

Let me begin by clearly stating that Finding Neverland will bring a tear to your eye—quite possibly more than one. And while the film is centered on the life of J.M. Barrie, writer of the whimsical Peter Pan, the story is anything but fantastical. Johnny Depp delivers a wonderfully earth-bound performance as the famed playwright, fleshing out layers of emotional depth and world-weary charm from within the character. Barrie’s life certainly isn’t the cartoon land of fairies and pirates that populate his popular play. Instead, his soul is filled with a profound sorrow that ultimately inspires him to create a realm of escapism.

And while director Marc Forster indeed paints Finding Neverland with these emotional grey scales, the film also captures the color and innocent beauty of youth. Forster focuses his narrative on Barrie’s relationship with the Davies family, which has recently experienced the death of Mr. Davies. As Barrie spends time with the four boys, he and Mrs. Davies (Kate Winslet) grow as friends. His mental field trips while playing with the boys are cleverly captured by fantastical cutaway scenes of dancing bears, cowboys, and pirate ships. But the delights of Barrie’s adventures into boyhood games are interrupted by his decaying marriage and home-life. His wife (Radha Mitchell) disapproves of Barrie’s long hours of imaginative drifting, but when Mrs. Davies begins to take ill, Barrie becomes even more involved in the life of the Davies boys.

Through the exploration of these relationships, the film evokes a strong feeling of spiritual craving for the transcendent. I was touched by the melancholic longing that arose in me while watching: this is a film about the desire to hold youth, innocence, and beauty before they escape behind the curtain of time. What does this feel like? It’s a desperate yearning that touches every human soul. It’s like the pain of a beautiful sunset—the yellow and orange of new birth contrasted with the hollow descent into darkness. It’s a twilight world of dreams and hopes reaching beyond the suddenness of fear and pain.

In the Davies’ case, it feels like the confusion of little boys losing themselves in joyous play only to be forced back to the grim reality of a dead father. Barrie’s own childhood was robbed at a young age when his older brother died and his mother looked to him as the man of the home. At that point, as Barrie describes it, his boyhood self left for Neverland—but the ache for his early days never escapes him. He does find solace in sharing the burdens of the Davies family, but it doesn’t ease the longing. They mourn together while searching for a Realm where “there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away� (Rev 21:4).

All people yearn for a Neverland—a place of respite untouched by the grief and loss of adult life. Adam and Eve once stood outside the Garden of Eden, and watched with horror as the gates shut them out of their paradise. The children of perfection had to wear the adult clothes of the Curse. Yet the vision of the Garden has never completely faded in this world, and is indeed glimpsed in every moment of happiness, joy, and wonder. Every human heart longs to return to the peace and perfection of God’s original, unblemished world. The wonderful end of the story is that the resurrected Christ Jesus has overcome death and will one day return to escort his children to a new Paradise. And the grief and loss of this world will forever be swallowed up in the ecstasy of the True Neverland.

Links @ HJ.com
—Overview
—Review by Darrel Manson
—Review by Melinda Ledman
—Review by Michael Ray
—Review by Matt Hill
—Trailers, Photos
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections

The Stepford Wives

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—Review
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—About this Film
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The new Stepford Wives is missing its teeth. It lazily falls into a bed of boredom, placing its dentures safely in a glass at the table stand. Gone is the bite of the original 1975 film, a creepy piece of work that threw an intense anti-male message into an already volatile feminist movement. While the original is by no means a perfect film (though it is a cult “classic�), it does succeed in maintaining a frightening tone throughout, and the ending of the film is chilling and truly scary. In fact, the final 30 minutes plays more like a horror movie than anything else. It’s energized by a pro-feminist theme and layered with horrific symbols.

But we’re not talking about the 1975 movie here. The new film is helmed by director Frank Oz, who takes the story in a different direction and dips the “battle of the sexes� idea into a pool of dark comedy. The problem is, the movie never settles into a distinct tone. The comedy is forced (at best it might produce a chuckle), and the dark aspects aren’t dark enough. Sadly, the movie gets lost in a mess of its own cuteness, Hollywood shine, and worst of all -- it suffers from a lack of inspiration. By the time it “ends� (with a wink to its predecessor), Oz tacks on a fun, yet somewhat convoluted twist ending. I guess we thank screenwriter Paul Rudnick for this welcome bit of brief inspiration.

For those not familiar with the original plot, Walter and Joanna Eberhart move their family into a seemingly perfect community called Stepford. The shimmer soon fades when the couple begins to unravel the town’s mysteries—the women of the town are not all that they appear to be. Nicole Kidman (Joanna) delivers a passable performance, and Matthew Broderick (Walter) offers up his normal quirkiness. Christopher Walken (Mike Wellington) adds his standard weirdness as the ringleader of the town’s men, and Glenn Close (Mrs. Wellington) provides some much needed energy to the cast (she looks like the only actor actually having fun). You’ll also spot singer Faith Hill in a forgettable role as one of the town’s women (forcing me to think she should keep her day job in music).

While the 1975 film made its feminist agenda clear, this version takes a more balanced approach to the gender wars. The script is updated to reflect women’s advances in society, as well as the current devaluing of the role of men in the workplace and at home. The horrific, man-dominated world of the previous Stepford has now crumbled; in fact, Oz begins with Joanna, an executive for a TV station, showing a preview for two male-bashing reality shows. Women aren’t the lone victims in this version. The confused and belittled men in the story retaliate out of anger and frustration because of the domination of women in their lives.

This reflects the uneasiness of the ever-changing American mindset about gender roles. Men and women are confused about their roles and responsibilities, and both struggle to maintain their work and family life. In fact, the movie hints that the real threat to American life is not gender domination by men or by women, but the stresses of the workplace. This stress can be fueled by an unhealthy competition between the sexes, and in the end it forces some women to long for a simpler time (Mrs. Wellington’s obsession with the 50s) or pushes others to become workaholics (Joanna).

However, by looking past their competitive natures, Joanna and Walter are eventually able to achieve peace in their marriage. They realize that true love is absent in their futile attempts to change each other but is evident in sacrificial compromise. The solution for our modern gender war is for both sexes to lay aside their selfish ambitions and support one other in the home, workplace, and church. For Christians, there is neither, “slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus� (Galatians 3:28). Contextually, this Scripture refers to a spiritual equality for both men and women in their standing before Jesus Christ. Because of this spiritual equality, Christians should be leaders in gender peacemaking and unity. Love means looking beyond differences and working together instead of tearing each other down. If we don’t strive for this, all our social circles will begin to look frighteningly like the strange town of Stepford.

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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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—Overview
—Michael Ray Review
—Trailers, Photos
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections

There comes a time in the life of all boys and girls when the wistful days of childhood begin to blur into the awkward world of growing up. The high-pitched song of a child in the sandbox is replaced by the cracking voice of a young adult in junior high. Just as the humans in this series are growing up and advancing in their maturity, so the films themselves should get better with each new addition. However, as any film buff knows, most series do the opposite, the glory of the original regresses upon further entries. Thankfully, in the Harry Potter series, this hasn't happened. The third film, The Prisoner of Azkaban, is a fantasy gem that reaches its glorious adolescence along with its young stars.

Credit director Alfonso Cuaron for Potter's new step into maturity. This director brings a fresh style and dark moodiness to the proceedings. The artistic design of the film is different from its two predecessors: pale light washes the walls inside many rooms, looming clocks chime with a gothic stature, and skulls and bones decorate the fringes of many shots. Gone are the neatly trimmed lawns at Hogwarts; the on-location shots capture a more rugged outdoor landscape. Strange, exotic creatures appear, including an amazingly believable hippogriff. Costumes are also different, as the kids have put away their classic school uniforms for a more contemporary teenage look. With his best work in recent years, John Williams' score adds to the magical, creepy tone of the movie.

The core child actors have continued to improve in each movie, especially Daniel Radcliffe. He seems much more comfortable in front of the camera now, and his chemistry with the other kids is fun. Speaking of chemistry, Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) have some ever-so-slight romantic subtext to explore this time. Other notables are David Thewlis as Professor Lupin, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, and Michael Gambon as Dumbledore (replacing the late Richard Harris). Gary Oldman also has a brief turn as Sirius Black.

Harry (Radcliffe) is indeed no longer the wide-eyed boy of the Sorcerer’s Stone or Chamber of Secrets. When teenage anger and insult lead to a humorous encounter with the Dursleys and his visiting Aunt Marge, Harry leaves home. He ends up back at Hogwarts, where he learns that an escaped prisoner, Sirius Black, is on the loose and may be after him.

Part of the joy of the Potter series comes through the incredible plotlines that spring from the mind of J.K. Rowling, and Azkaban's twists and turns are no exception. This is a mystery, fantasy, time-travel science fiction, and prep school flick all rolled into one. Unfortunately, while the overarching plot is indeed intriguing, some of the finer details (such as new character relationships) are left unexplained and can be confusing to the nonreaders in the audience. In this sense, The Chamber of Secrets was superior, for the story translated better onto the screen.

Overall, the best part of the Harry Potter series is the grand themes that Rowling weaves throughout the stories. She uses bits of mythology, fairy tale, and folk stories in her work, which have always been vehicles to carry profound human truth and morals. In addition to incorporating her wide knowledge of British folklore and history, she includes stories and characters from other cultures as well (Look for some of Cuaron's Mexican influences). Rowling thus follows in a grand tradition of using fairy stories to convey Truth.

A major theme running through Azkaban is the nature of identity. In Harry's case, he continues to identify with his parents, specifically his father, and Harry learns that some of his father's gifts and abilities are his as well. We as humans all share in the image of our Father God and His image remains irrevocably part of us. All the love, joy, peace, happiness, and goodness in the world identify us with our Creator.

The Professor Lupin character tries to veil the darker side of his identity because of the destruction it causes, but he cannot completely hide it and it's eventually revealed. We all have a dark part of our nature that we try to conceal from others. This part of our identity doesn't match the image of our Creator. For Harry, he wants to hide his fear and be brave like his father. Then there's the character Peter Pettigrew, who ultimately becomes more like an animal than a human as his dark identity consumes him.

The nature of thoughts is also an important theme in Azkaban. Positive, hopeful thoughts are the only defense against the terrifying Dementors. Harry can defeat the Dementors only by focusing on uplifting beliefs. Also, the shadow-dwelling Boggarts are eliminated through humorous thoughts and laughter. The Bible tells us to focus on virtuous thoughts (Philippians 4:8) and even to change the evil thoughts we have about life in general (Romans 12:1,2). Like Harry, our minds must be transformed in order to overcome evil and achieve victory.

The universal themes, the sharp directing, and a twisting plot combine to make Prisoner the most mature Potter film yet. It’s a joy to watch these characters grow into their place in movie history. Adolescence can be an awkward stage, but in this case, the film handles it with ease.with ease.

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—Overview
—Michael Ray Review
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Mean Girls

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—Full Review
—Trailers, Photos
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections

Imagine if SNL spoofed the recent teen drama Thirteen, but softened it for a PG-13 crowd and threw in a sweeter ending. The result would be the new teen comedy Mean Girls, which is surprisingly smart, funny, and meaningful. The plot revolves around Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan), who is just beginning high school after spending her first 10 years of school in Africa with her scientist parents. She learns quickly the social rules of high school life, and is sucked into a clique of “mean girls� fittingly titled The Plastics. Cady struggles to be accepted and included, which leads to a social battle with Regina George (Rachel McAdams), the leader of The Plastics.

Lohan’s performance as she moves from the innocent home-schooler into the upper ranks of The Plastics is enjoyable. Other SNLers are spread throughout the cast. Tim Meadows plays the tough yet clueless principal Mr. Duvall, and Amy Poehler nails the overly permissive parent role as Regina’s “cool� mom. Credit director Mark Waters for bringing this teenage culture to life, though I think he could have tightened up a few scenes, as well as had some faster cuts with the editing. This would have made some of the quick, subtle jokes even funnier.

Written by SNL’s Tina Fey (who also has a small role as teacher Ms. Norbury), the quirky script satirizes American teenage life and culture, poking fun at parents, education, and social groups. The influence of sketch comedy is definitely present, but a decent narrative is established. Throughout, Fey points to the influence that pop culture has on women; the quick shots of Regina’s elementary-aged little sister learning sensual moves from Britney Spears videos and Girls Gone Wild commercials is all too real.
Fey also captures high school life dead on—these teenagers work their evil subtly, underneath the guise of sweetness.

Even though it plays for laughs, this is a moral tale about the dangers of gossip. Cady realizes she has become the very thing she detests at the beginning of the film. By seeking retaliation against the tactics of Regina, Cady herself evolves into Regina’s character. As Cady begins to fight ‘fire with fire,’ she and her friends become entangled in the messy business of lies, rumors, and backbiting.

The Bible calls the tongue a “fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body" (James 3:6). Like a spark that ignites a forest, the harmful effects of words can spread quickly. By the end, the destruction caused by gossip impacts the entire school community; sins of the tongue are not isolated crimes, but indeed touch everyone they come in contact with, and this in turn leads to complete chaos and ruin. The forest fire of evil words devours the lives of the young girls, who soon realize that they are no longer in control of the damaging outcome. Cady then learns an important lesson about revenge—only by ending the cycle of negativity and gossip can the fighting truly stop.

We’ve all had some experience with the “mean girls� in our lives. But even as the audience cheers and laughs as these girls are slowly brought down, the realization dawns that everyone is guilty of evil thoughts and words. Everyone in the community is responsible to change their behavior for there to be true peace.

Links @ HJ.com
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—About this Film
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