Movies for Lent, Schindler's List

As I was growing up I never really thought about the concepts of Lent as it was a Christian tradition for many that was unique to what little I understood about church. As I got older and became active in church it was something not typically practiced in the churches I attended. In my late 30's and early 40's I started looking at concepts of faith practiced by many, including Lent. As I became aware of the Lenten practices leading up to Easter Sunday I would give up something in my life to help me in my walk with God. As I gave up something of meaning it helped me to rely more on prayer and God. The concept of sacrifice and offering of something in my life became a key concept of my regular prayer and fasting, not just at Easter but throughout the year. I can think of few movies that emphasized the concepts of sacrifice more than the wonderful landmark film by Steven Spielberg, Schindler's List.

Schindler's List is the powerful biopic and Oscar Winning 1993 film that follows the life of Oskar Schindler during World War 2.  Schindler a Nazi sympathizer and wealthy businessman becomes aware of the atrocities against the Jewish people while in Poland. During an epiphany moment for Schindler he decides to do all he can to save as many Jewish people as he can from the atrocities they experience during the Nazi regime. He makes sacrifices in all aspects of his life by giving away virtually all of his wealth to purchase the lives of Jewish people to work in his factory saving them from the various methods of death they would likely face in the German Concentration Camps. Schindler saved over 1,000 Jews and lost virtually all of his fortune as a result. The movie shows the consequences of his sacrifices. The movie, an American Classic won 7 Oscars including awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Writing, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design and Best Actor in a Leading, and Supporting Role.

Technically, this work is brilliant. Filmed in black and white Spielberg known largely at the time as a 
Director of fluff entertainment, albeit great fluff entertainment took the serious story of Schindler and made it entertaining, yet powerful. Despite the serious subject matter, this film flows quickly and seems to be much shorter than its 3+ hours and leading actor Liam Neeson is brilliant along with costars Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes and others. The real star though, is Spielberg in his direction and ability to tell a heart wrenching, compelling story based on the real Oskar Schindler.

This movie challenged me to contemplate my own willingness to sacrifice for the hurting, the abused and those in need. Few movies have likely ever moved the audience to contemplate their own sacrifice to help people in need. We are moved after seeing this portrayed in such a powerful way and then towards the end of the film seeing the attitude of Schindler in realizing that in his incredible sacrifices, he sees only how he could have done more by selling this car, or this or that, if he would have only made more money he could have saved more people. Schindler was aware not of what he had done but what more he could have done.

As followers of Jesus we often make excuses to ignore the pains and realities of others around us, we especially notice this when we ourselves are going through difficulties and there are few around us who seem to care. While the pain those Schindler helped was as deep as any pain one can experience, the pain we so often feel is none the less our experience, hurts, needs and pain. The need to help others is exemplified throughout the the Bible, unfortunately, sometimes we need reminders, from real people, examples, even sometimes a movie that presents the lives of other people like Oskar Schindler. 

There are many moving pictures but this Lent season, for reminder of what it means to sacrifice, have a right spirit in that sacrifice and the importance of loving and caring for others, few movies present this as brilliantly as this Spielberg classic. Of course one of the beautiful things we also see is one we may or may not see the appreciation of those who are helped. While we may not know the impact of the sacrifices we make, others will still be touched and helped. 

When Jesus was asked about entering the Kingdom of Heaven, He spoke of the importance of loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength, and in that process the importance of loving our neighbor as ourselves. We are also told, of all the commandments, there are none greater than these two, because when we keep these two, we have kept them all. In the process of loving our neighbor, Spielberg presents Schindler as among those in history who can inspire like few others. For those observing Lent, realize that among the best ways to show God you love Him is by the way we love others. That love when made with sacrifice is a love that will have an impact on not just those we are helping, but those looking in at our lives and examples.

To see the trailer for Schindler's List, click on the video below, if the video doesn't appear, click on the following link:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwfIf1WMhgc

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Amistad, Freedom Through The Cross

Lent for me is a time of reflection, a time to draw close to the creator of the universe.  Of course for quite a few years now movies have had an impact on me, often causing me to reflect, not just on the realities in my life but also on the sacrifices others have made to better the lives of others. I first posted my thoughts about this Amistad in 1997 and again in 2001, to this day, the images of sacrifice and the power of Christ to instill hope and purpose are still relevant for me. 

 The story follows the story of an African named Cinque, from the days of his freedom in Africa, his capture, the horrible form of transport across the ocean to America where he lives as a slave. The ship he and others are shipped on is named the Amistad. The horrors experienced on the Amistad and the way people are treated are unimaginable. This superbly directed classic by Steven Spielberg, brings the viewer to the realization that true freedom can be experienced by even those in chains. We see freedom is more than a condition of our living, it is a concept contained within the heart and mind.

Djimon Hounsou playing the part of Cinque is absolutely brilliant in this role, also terrific is Anthony Hopkins as John Quincy Adams. There is terrific cinematography and this film is among the few that I ever rated a 10 on a scale of 1 - 10, it still stands up, and after all of these years, is still just as powerful for me now as it was the first time I saw it in 1997.  The direction by Steven Spielberg is one of the reasons many see Spielberg as one of the great American Directors of all time.  There is an absolutely compelling and touching script and the surrounding actors from Hounsou, Hopkins, Morgan Freeman, Matthew McConaughey and many others are fabulous.

During Lent I want and seek the reminders of the power of the Cross, the power of Jesus love. Amistad doesn't hint at those things, it slams the power of the cross and the gospel in ones face just as solidly and assuredly as the Roman Centurion driving the nails into Jesus hands and feet. There is clearly salvation, while not necessarily a circumstantial salvation, but certainly a spiritual salvation that offers freedom and more for those surrendering to the Son of God who gave his life for all of us on the cross. We are in fact reminded, it is often those who are having struggles that can identify with Christ because of the struggles and journey He went through. 

There are many in life having difficulty, yet, history is strewn with examples of those who have struggled, few likely more than the slaves in early American history, yet, despise those struggles, there is the example of Jesus which many relate to, accept and receive. It was his undying love in spite of the difficulty he faced for even those who would do him harm that others learned of true love.

For those who struggle, take the time this season to once again watch Amistad, if you haven't seen it, find a way to watch it, I promise, not only will you be inspired, but you will be reminded that even in tough times, the message of the cross is relevant for the hurting, even if that hurting person is you. This is a great movie, likely the best to never win an Oscar although it was nominated for 4 of them. Be moved and during the season of Lent, reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus for all people, including those who are abused, hurt, and rejected by society. In that love, Jesus shows his ability to love all people, and this movie is as good of a representation of that love as you may ever see. While many may see this review from me as a tad different, maybe even more like a sermon, watch the movie, you will see, everything touched on here, is touched on in the movie with the characters portrayed.  You will see, how a movie like Amistad is in reality, more than a movie, it is a sermon on the power of freedom as presented specifically, in the movie, by the sacrifices that Jesus made on the Via Dolorosa.

The following is the trailer for Amistad, to see it, just click on the video link, if the video doesn't appear or there are problems, click on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJFDOvGMD0U



The Virtual Pew and our other work is supported solely by the kind contributions of others. You can click on the donate button below to give any amount to this work that does so much more than just post articles on the net; I draw no ongoing salary from the church I pastor, Mosaic Wichita which is predominantly a homeless church; I am grateful for any small amount you can contribute to help with this ministry.  Believe me there is much more going on than most realize. I will also provide information to verify the ministry and income that comes into this ministry and work.  Thanks and feel free to share any material from The Virtual Pew, I only ask that appropriate credit is given and a link to the original site with the materials provided.


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ABC's The River, Season One

There is entertaining television, crazy television, educational television, even intelligent television. Unfortunately, if there are cancellations, it seems like the intelligent shows get canceled. I have the unfortunate task of reviewing ABC’s The River, not because it is a bad show but because it was an intelligent show, I liked, that has been canceled after one season. At least this thought provoking, at times supernatural horror series concludes Season 1 in a way that won’t have too many people too upset. There is another hope though for fans of the show; that the DVD itself will be successful enough that at least concepts of the series, whether by story, television, cable or something else, could live on. While I don’t expect it, I can hope. Unfortunately, The River is a show that in my opinion was never given a chance. ABC should have tried different times, days, or something, even giving it another year but as I have mentioned in the past, some of the networks don’t seem to care about the loyal fans that exist.

The River had an intriguing and interesting concept. Dr. Emmet Cole, (Bruce Greenwood) and his family take part in television nature show called The Undiscovered Country. After the show has aired for some time, Dr. Cole decides to go deep into the Amazon to explore some supernatural rumors of the region. He leaves his son, Lincoln, (Joe Anderson) and wife Tess, (Leslie Hope.) He goes off with a film crew and ultimately disappears. Later on some discoveries are made and Tess gets her son Lincoln along with some of the old film crew to help track down and find Dr. Cole. What transpires is a supernatural thriller that at times crossed boundaries for television in the way it is presented. This well told, acted, edited and scripted story includes creators like Orin Peli known for his movie Paranormal Activity and a little known producer some folks have heard about named Steven Spielberg. Unfortunately, this 8 episode, midseason replacement is never given a chance to develop an audience by ABC and as a result, after one shortened season, the series was canceled. That doesn’t prevent this DVD of Season 1 from being worth owning though, not only is it worth owning, it plays and presents itself better than the television version as it ends up playing like a long, entertaining, intelligent supernatural movie.

As The River progresses we see the development of various characters including Dr. Cole who is presented primarily in video segments the rescue crew discovers on his old research boat, The Magus. The ship sits like a ghost ship in the Amazon Basin and it is here the crew gets the ship up and running to search for Dr. Cole. It is here we see the family dynamics start to come into play. There is another dynamic presented as the characters develop trust in some relationships and concern in others. A part of the development schemes does not know the characters or how they are intertwined, if they are intertwined at all. The hand held camera work used in many of the sequences keeps the viewer involved in the story; we develop our opinions about the characters, which constantly change through all 8 episodes. It is a part of the not knowing and having questions about the characters that the series is somewhat unique and intelligent in its portrayal and character development, this is especially true with the Cole Family and other characters such as Captain Kurt Brynildson, a body guard played very nicely by Thomas Kretschmann. While some may make comparisons to other hand held camera programs, this one is unique in the way it involves the viewer in the action and it is done in a way that is much easier to watch than previous efforts.

One of the things that make The River so enticing is the suspense in the program. There is a reality of the supernatural, a question of what are good vs. what is evil and in the process, knowing that terror often comes from things unseen. I especially liked the fact that much of the terror and emotion comes from moments of silence as well as blurred images. One of the things the program does to help this concept out is it uses video interviews to discover the inner feelings of the characters. In the understanding of those characters is the reality that when under certain conditions and situations, how one thinks or reacts and are sometimes totally different. It is in the challenges that one discovers their true selves. Just as the characters don’t fully understand who they are or why they are the way they are, we can see the mirroring of our own discovery. The ability to see the horror of the characters on screen can help one come to the place of recognizing their own needs. It is often after the opening up, discovery and acceptance of self that one can get to the place of helping others. We see that in The River. Just as the Bible talks about it is only when we give up our life that we ultimately gain life, we see the gaining of life in The River. There is also the premise of sacrificing for others. It is the sacrifice for another that one can often see the reality of ones love.

One of the challenges of the series is the way it carries on the debate between faith and science. While Dr. Cole is a man on a search for truth, his rescue crew comes to the place where they recognize the reality of the spiritual by the awareness and recognition of the evil around them. It is through evil that they realize there is more to their existence than initially realized. There are times where they experiment with the evil around them to discover certain truths and those moments lead to bad things. There are consequences to pay for themselves and the innocents around them when they carry out their actions. In this search for love and understanding is another aspect which the viewer can relate to.

I liked The River, the way it is filmed and the way the viewer is brought into the action. There is an excellent story and the lack of imagery in many ways leads to the thrill and excitement we experience. I was not crazy about the special features and while they are offered, even with two commentaries, there just isn’t that much offered other than the film makers having a good time while describing the scenes being played out, specifically in the pilot and closing episodes. While there is an open ended ending, there is still an opportunity for resolve and one will be satisfied. I would have liked to have seen a second and full season and think it would have done well but ABC disagrees. For those who like intelligent thrillers, laced with a touch of the supernatural but with screams that come from the imagination as opposed to on screen antics, this could be for you. You certainly won’t have much to loose with the lower pricing on this 8 episode series. Give it a shot, who knows, with great DVD sales and rentals maybe the fans can be a part of bringing it back in some form or another.

To see the video below, just click on it, if for some reason the video doesn’t appear or is distorted or not in full frame, click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnFxBOLUZ14

The Virtual Pew and our other work is supported solely by the kind contributions of others. You can click on the donate button below to give any amount to this work that does so much more than just post articles on the net; I draw no ongoing salary from the church I pastor, Mosaic Wichita which is predominantly a homeless church; I am grateful for any small amount you can contribute to help with this ministry. Believe me there is much more going on than most realize. I will also provide information to verify the ministry and income that comes into this ministry and work. Thanks and feel free to share any material from The Virtual Pew, I only ask that appropriate credit is given and a link to the original site with the material is provided.

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