2012

Many by now have heard of the ancient Mayan legends that the world is going to come to an end in 2012 with the aliening of the planets. Each culture has legend, story, and myth regarding the end of the earth, it just so happens though that many cultures, many legends center on the aliening of the planets and some report to or around the year 2012. Many Bible scholars, and others also report that whatever you call it, Armageddon, the rapture, or whatever, the end is near, doom is imminent and the world as we know it just can’t survive that much longer. There have been stories of this type for thousands of years, each generation facing doom, and movies to exploit that fear, anticipation for as long as we have been making movies, and even beyond with such fantasies portrayed even on radio with such episodes as the infamous Orson Wells rendering of The War of the Worlds.

The newest movie to bring back the drama, the fear if you will of the end of the world is Sony Pictures rendition into the end of times genera. The feature film, directed by Roland Emmerich is an almost 3 hour, non stop, thought provoking special effects filled adventure that does something unique, in a world hell bent on destruction, and selfish desires, we are reminded, that in what we do for the least of these, it is as if we do it unto God.

2012 is a star studded cast that has in part, Jackson Curtis, played by John Cusack, a divorced father seeking to maintain his fatherly relationship with his children, while at the same time never really giving up on his dreams as an author. He has written one book that has sold few copies, but has had an impact on several individuals. One of them is Dr. Adrian Helmsley, played by wonderful actor Chiwetel Ejiofor. Dr. Helmsley, a geologist has been researching sun spots and their effect on the earth. After some rather conclusive evidence it comes to the attention of those involved in the study that the earths crust will soon go through changes that will cause drastic change to the earth, even ultimate destruction. Upon notification to the proper authorities by Dr. Helmsley, a secret venture takes place by the politicians of the world to save some, while at the same time, letting other fight for themselves, all unknown to Dr. Helmsley. Along the way, we also have Cusack’s character Jackson Curtis, fighting to save his former wife, Kate, played by Amanda Pete, her new husband, and his own two children. Other characters play small but important roles in the film, included among those is the President of the United States played by Danny Glover, and Charlie Frost, an eccentric pirate radio operator played wonderfully by Woody Harrelson who has forewarned the populace of the imamate doom. We also have Oliver Platt playing the part of nasty Washington Politician, Carl Anheuser.

There are several themes addressed in 2012. One of the premises is the power of corruption and how it drives society. Much of what happens around the world is driven by the desire and corruption to obtain power, whether politically or economically. One of the dangers portrayed in 2012 is how even those who have made significant contribution to work towards the salvation of humanity are often left behind. Many times these individuals who have made significant contribution are not valued, or appreciated, especially in a world so absorbed with self. The greater need of the planet becomes secondary in comparison to the need of the individual to those who have garnished power.

In many ways 2012 takes on Biblical concepts in the playing out of the story. Jackson Curtis, (same initials as Jesus Christ) even takes on a form of Christ figure, a lowly writer of truth in many ways. It seems as if his early novel, albeit not read by many, is a book that tells of the potential of good for humanity, the importance of coming together and of serving each other. This has had an impact that will ultimately lead to the salvation of thousands because one individual who has read the book gets it. Of course this doesn’t prevent the sacrifices along the way, nor the imminent doom of millions. Without spoiling the story, there is even a baptism scene and resurrection scene portrayed in the movie. We see throughout the need to return to faith, from the frequent prayer scenes, to the so called religious nuts warning of the end of the earth. We even see the President of the United States lead the nation in The Lord’s Prayer. We even see salvation provided on vessels called The Ark, which not only provides salvation for people, but various animals. There is the depiction of a great flood. The morality lessons heavily pulls from various stories in the Bible.

I have to admit, I liked 2012. Even though the story is almost 3 hours long, it could have either done with a little less focus on some of the characters or to have extended itself a little longer to develop some more characters. This film likely has the highest casualty count of any movie in recent years. While it strives for epic concepts, it falls just a tad short, but not by far. The special effects are brilliant, and the cast is exceptional. While it is a long film, the time flies by and the action is non stop. I love John Cusack and Chiwetel Ejiofor in this film, I have loved him since his performance in Kinky Boots. I don’t just like his character though, we have a president we can believe in, and one who values faith, while at the same time understands serving the people of his nation. 2012 does something else though, it reminds us of the importance of respecting all people.

I wonder if as a society we would make the effort to care for the least of these if faced with certain doom. For many in the world, including the religious community, we say we care, we say we value all people, but from the actions of many, it seems as if 2012 is a reflection of society. There are also the good reminders. Sometimes, when we think our contributions don’t matter, they can in fact matter; we never know how much a small contribution can have. We see this illustrated in the book by Jackson Curtis. We also don’t know how much of an impact we can have if we speak up. Sometimes we sit back and allow injustices to continue, but a voice that refuses to be silent can have a dramatic impact on the lives of many. Only when the silent voices come together as a large voice can we can change a world in the populace we call, humanity.

Sometimes a movie can change behaviors, for those who see 2012 as a mere action adventure film; it is not likely they will change. For those who see it as a reminder to speak up, not be silenced and to be a part of world that loves, just like the religions in the film illustrate we should, then who knows, maybe even in the face of a world that seems to be falling apart, we can see a change that gives us all hope. We can have hope not in the money or power of the world, but in the value of people, especially those not valued by those who seemingly have power. We need to remember the words of Jesus, “what you have done for the least of these, you have done it unto me.”

On a scale of 1 – 10, for the number that seems to represent infinity that will ultimately come to an end, a thought provoking 8

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Martian Child Review Bobby Coleman Interview

Recently, New Line Cinema released the DVD Martian Child, starring John Cusack, Bobby Coleman, Amanda Peet, and Joan Cusack. The theatrical release unfortunately occurred on the same weekend as another wonderful movie, American Gangsters, which drove down the audience for Martian Child.

I have to say, I was impressed by the initial trailers for this film. The montage of scenes from the movie was set against the backdrop of “Mr. Blue Sky,” recorded by one of my favorite all time bands, Electric Light Orchestra. That alone impressed me enough to want to see the movie, and though I don’t know why, I never did see it in theaters. In fact, I did several things backwards with this movie. I even interviewed child-star and co-actor Bobby Coleman prior to seeing the movie. In many ways, that was a good thing. It gave me insight into Bobby and helped drive home the abilities of this young man (who was only 7-years-old at the time of filming).

One thing about a movie that depends on the ability and talent of a child is that if all things (including, script, chemistry between actors, the ability of the director to work with the child, and a multitude of other things) don’t work together, then the whole movie just won’t work. This is especially true of a movie that is theme- and drama-driven as opposed to comedy-driven. While Martian Child has its moments of comedy, make no mistake about it: there are serious themes addressed, full-force and head-on.

The chemistry and work between John Cusack and Bobby Coleman is, in short, wonderful and real. It is in part due to the way the movie was filmed—in the order of the story. Cusack and Coleman agreed that they wouldn’t spend much time together during the initial part of the filming, so their relationship developed naturally as they continued filming. For a movie that deals with subject matter as serious as single-parent adoption, this was crucial. As the two actors were confused by such things as age, personality and so forth, they began to develop the relationship, learning to love each other on and off the screen by the completion of the film. In this film, life imitates the art. The relationship and ability to love not only occurs in real life, but it happens in part because it occurs on screen.

To be blunt, I greatly admire the abilities of John Cusack, one of my favorite versatile actors in Hollywood today. That said, the pairing of Cusack and Coleman may be one of the best pairings in all of 2007. That says something not just about the ability of Cusack, it says myriads about the ability of young actor, Bobby Coleman. While children are often backdrops in a movie and there for nothing more than comedic moments, Coleman is a legitimate, bona fide actor who fills the screen with his ability.

Martian Child starts off with David (John Cusack) dealing with the death of his wife from two years earlier. In the present, he contemplates the adoption of a small boy. This is not just any boy, but a child known as a “special needs child.” It is while visiting a child agency that David meets Dennis (Bobby Coleman). Dennis spends most of his time in a box, is considered weird; and the kicker is, he thinks he is from Mars. Since David is a science-fiction writer who writes about fantasy and space, the agency’s childcare worker, Sophie (Sophie Okonedo), thinks a boy who believes he is from Mars may be a good match for David. Dennis appeals to David, who had his own similar issues growing up.

Martian Child is about the development of love between a father and a son through the process of adoption. The question of whether Dennis is really from Mars or not is only background that adds to the story. It keeps the viewer’s interest and we are always left to think that he may very well be from Mars. While this is important to the storyline, it is not nearly as important as showing the struggles and the ways a family must adapt during the process of adoption.

As an adoptive parent, I truly appreciate the subject matter of Martian Child. I appreciate it because, no matter how old the child is when you adopt, every adoptive parent struggles to find ways to let children believe and know they really are a part of the family. David experiences these struggles, as well as the battles with relatives who also need to adjust. While the difficulties of adoption are shown, so are the benefits and successes. The importance of loving another person, unconditionally, to the point of becoming family is illustrated throughout the film. We are shown (as successfully as anything portrayed on screen in recent years) the relevance and importance of a father loving his son, dealing with the issues of single parenting, schooling, and ultimately having that child receive love. While the family may be unconventional, it is still a family. The love is real, and the results are life-changing.

These aren’t just social issues, they are spiritual issues that every human being must face, as we are all a part of a family. For people who talk about being family with those whom they have something in common with (i.e., faith), the film has even more important things to say regarding unconditional love and allowing people to be who they were created to be. Bobby Coleman, in his portrayal of young Dennis, shows this in such wonderful ways. There is one particular scene where David realizes the ability of Dennis to give back in what I call the “Dance Scene,” a scene that will become evident when you see the movie. It is often in shared experiences, no matter how weird and how different, that we learn the most about each other and things like love. I have seen this movie three times, and each time, it becomes more emotional. I see the brilliance of the direction provided by Menno Meyjes in scenes like this, where we are shown an obvious exchange and attempt by the characters to give in to each other, to make a sacrifice, to take a step of faith, to be open, and above all, to love.

I have to admit, while there were some drawbacks in the editing of this movie, I still loved it. I loved it for the music, the story, the acting, the ensemble cast, and more importantly, the way it spoke to me as a viewer. It is a shame this movie didn’t do better at the box office. It will be an even greater shame if it doesn’t do better as a DVD purchase. That’s right, a DVD purchase. As mentioned before, I am careful about movies I buy, and I wish I had seen this one in the theater. I will watch it over and over again.

But this DVD also has something else I appreciate in a DVD, great special features. The special features range from a film commentary to documentaries dealing with the work of Bobby Coleman and the real Martian Child (as written about by original award-winning story author, David Gerrold). Gerrold is known for writing numerous science fiction and fantasy stories, and Martian Child is the story based largely on the adoption of his own son. There is another wonderful background and backdrop piece to the DVD. There is even an Easter Egg or two for the viewer to search for. I have seldom seen principals say the kinds of things they said about this movie in the DVD Special Features. They talk about how they hope the movie will inspire parents to be better parents, and how they hope it educates people about the adoption process. It even includes David Gerrold explaining his hope that qualified families will be inspired to consider and become a part of the adoption process. It is a wonderful experience knowing that one can love a movie that has a higher ambition than just entertainment and movie ticket sales.

While there are those that question the honest intentions of certain filmmakers, Martian Child goes so far as to show, without question, that filmmakers, actors, writers, and others involved in the process oftentimes do have good intentions to do good things. While those intentions may not provide a path to eternal bliss, they do help make a better world. In that aspect, I am a better person because I took the time to watch this movie that deals with a worthy topic. I have this funny feeling, a feeling that must be from the eternal realms of Heaven, that you will not only have a good time watching this movie, but you will also be a better person if you apply the themes addressed.
For all of the above and the number of planets in our solar system, on a scale of 1 – 10, I give an enthusiastic 9.

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