Mike's Take on the Movie Task....
Several years ago I spent a summer at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts studying the art of screenwriting. A grant from the Lilly Foundation provided the opportunity for me to study similarities between the writing of screenplays and that of sermons. It was a fabulous summer in so many ways.
One of the eye-opening things for me was the realization of the enormity of the movie-making industry. My fellow students regularly saw a minimum of four to five movies per week. And when they weren’t seeing them in theaters (Without exception they all said that a movie is meant to be seen on the big screen!), they were attending smaller showings. If worse came to worse, they would watch a movie on DVD or VHS. The bottom floor basement of the USC library is totally dedicated to movies. Students can go and check out any movie ever made and watch it in a private study carrel, each of which is equipped with screen and recorder. Needless to say, I spent many afternoons and evenings just browsing and viewing!
As I learned at USC, there are myriad movie genres. I also came to realize that people go to the movies for a variety of reasons – some go to escape, some to laugh, some to be frightened, some to be entertained, some to be intellectually challenged. In addition, people choose the movies of their favorite locations or actors or directors. I enjoy all kinds of movies, but if I were pushed to choose one movie or even a genre of movies, I would probably turn to the work of screenwriter Robert Bolt.
Bolt was a rascal of a man, given to all kinds of debauchery in real life, but when he separated himself away to write he was in a world all by himself, literally and figuratively. He wrote magnificent screenplays like Ryan’s Daughter, Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, The Bounty and finally The Mission. In these screenplays and movies Bolt takes us to the important questions of life and character. (It is sadly tragic that he didn’t let the character displayed in the movies become more a part of his own life!) Each movie deals with individual struggles of faith. Perhaps that is why I am so taken by them.
If I were pushed to select just one of these movies to watch, I would have to choose The Mission, the story of Jesuit priests in the 1750s who travel to South America to take the Gospel to the native Guarani Indians. Their work is made all the more difficult by profiteering Spanish slave traders who ransack families and villages as the church seems to look the other way. The struggles between calling, nation, church, and even ministers in the church are ones that continue to be instructive today. Actors Jeremy Irons and Robert DeNiro are magnificent in this movie whose overriding lesson (along with all of Bolt’s works, for that matter) is that God doesn’t necessarily call us to be successful as the world understands success, but rather to be faithful. This point is made graphic by the on-screen reference: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)
Griff's Take on the Movie Task.....
Huh? These new co-pastors decided that one of the tasks that would help us to become the church we are called to become is to take time to watch one of our favorite movies? This seems a bit random to say the least, maybe they could not think of a task so they just came up with something simple? Maybe they just wanted an excuse to watch their favorite movie?
Trust me, it was none of those things and yes we do believe this activity is important in the process of Called to Become.
Why? Sometimes we get so wrapped up in this faith journey that we forget God wants us to take delight in life. God wants us to enjoy moments of laughter, pleasure, and pure delight.
And sometimes it is healthy to sit down and allow our mind to rest while we get lost in a movie.
I am not sure what movie Abby and I will be watching today. If it's up to Abby, we will be watching Pride and Predjuice and I will have to endure another conversation, better put, lament on why Mr. Darcy is not a real person and how I need to try my hardest to become more like him, including the accent. If it's up to me, we will probably watch The King's Speech. I think it is the finest movie I have seen in 5 years. I have learned quite a bit about voice and the pulpit from this movie. If I am honest, we are both going to end up watching The Little Mermaid or Mary Poppins because Blake will decide the movie.
I don't know what we will watch, but I trust that it will allow our minds to rest and allow us to get lost in another world for a few hours.
And sometimes that is exactly what we need.
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