Movies and Marriage: Either Way, a Lot of Work

It's no secret to most how I feel about Fireproof and other movies labeled Christian. In evangelical circles it's kind of hard to dislike something with that label, as I'm also not a fan of feeling guilty(about potentially quenching the Holy Spirit, among other sins), so I usually respond to positive reviews with a smile and some other non verbal(possibly muttered) response. That being said, the article below has a lot of good to say about it.

http://burnsidewriters.com/2010/09/20/fireproof/

I guess if I say you can find redemption in Dinner for Schmucks,I should agree you can find it in Fireproof. I stated my thoughts in a comment to the article acknowledging that I'm not the audience and movies like this can help those who are. Before I said that, I mentioned how few movies, secular included, successfully explore marriage. Revolutionary Road got close, but it became too brutal for me to call it honest. Honestly, there's hope.

Another commenter said Marley and Me and Up were two of the best movies about marriage, even though they weren't marketed as such. I haven't seen the former, but the latter proves my point.(Warning: the following may contain spoilers if you haven't seen Up.) Up is an excellent movie, and I hope I have opportunities to watch it at least a dozen more times. However, as anyone who sees the beginning can tell, it sort of takes the "easy way out" with the theme of marriage early on in the film. Call me cynical, but it's easier to love a memory of a person than love the actual person. That being said, it's realistic for the main character to remember what he does, focused as he is on sharing adventures. It's a fine film and captures what it does of marriage well. But what about the day-to-day fights over eyes that may or may not have rolled or whose job it is to clean the toilet? That film I've yet to see.

So I end with a question: what is the best movie you've seen that explores the theme of marriage? What makes it good/what do you like about it?

Movie Review: King of Kong

In my latest blatant attempt to review a movie without a license I will add insult to injury by reviewing a movie that's been on DVD for over a year. Ah, living overseas.

I waited to see this movie ever since I heard the premise--two gamers go head to head for the title of Donkey Kong champion. I wish it was Starcraft, because I would have seen it by now. Whatever the case, it seemed weird and compelling enough for me to want to see it. I watched clips on youtube, and I was hooked. I had to see it.



During the wait, I learned a lot of generalities about the story, just enough to ruin a movie for someone. So much for self control, but what can you do*. I finally bought it this summer, and I put it in yesterday ready for the letdown.

Here's the funny part. There was no letdown. It's funny, surprising,oddly touching and heartbreaking, and uplifting. I don't want to say too much, because I don't want to ruin it for others, but it's one of my all time favorites. Hollywood fiction has nothing on this one. Actually, I've never seen a documentary come close either. It's that good.

One more observation. The makers of King of Kong chased several possible stories as they followed gamers around, and this showdown emerged. They said wow, that's our story, and went with it. People have called it a story of good vs evil (you have a hero and villain in the film), and it works well on that level. I just think it's interesting because the showdown between these two continues to this day. Neither will rest until everything is settled once and for all. Hmmm.


*besides not looking up spoilers, as that obviously didn't work so well for me.

Lessons from a Virgin

I've seen offensive movies that I can't necessarily recommend. Many of these had no redeeming qualities, but there were a few surprising exceptions.

In particular, I'm talking about The 40-Year Old Virgin. (It's old by now, so I won't put my spoiler alert in all caps. But consider yourself warned. I plan on discussing the plot.)

The movie was a blur of perverse humor and f-bombs. A bunch of oversexed dudes discover their co-worker is (gasp) a virgin. They do their best to convert him to their womanizing ways.

In the end, they learn from him rather than the other way around. This isn't surprising as storytelling goes. It's good writing.

The surprising part is that in this sex-obsessed day and age characters learn something from a virgin.

What was the lesson, anyway? Sex isn't everything.

Maybe having a message like that is the only way to offend nowadays.