Diva

There was something off-putting about this movie that made me not excited to see it.  I guess because today if you hear "diva" you think of some teeny bopper movie or pop star who thinks the world revolves around her.  But apparently the word was originally meant to mean, as it does in the move Diva, a great female opera singer.

Diva brings together the titular great opera singer and a postman who is her undying fan and who surreptitiously records her performances.  They, and the postman's tapes, get mixed up with a tape recorded by someone looking to expose corruption in the Paris police department and the people willing to kill to keep that tape secret.

The Diva lets Jules listen in as she rehearses.

This is a beautifully shot movie, with a great mix of class, humor, and action.  It's refreshing to see someone go gaga over an opera singing diva rather than the pop tarts kids go crazy over now.  If I knew Paris better, I probably would have better appreciated the setting, but still enjoyed the variety of settings: the opera house, fancy hotels, seedy neighborhoods, the subway chase.

Diva is 30 years old, but still has a fresh, timely feel to it.  Enjoy!

Bottom line, 3 1/2 stars.

The Omen (1976 & 2006)

I probably saw the 1976 version of The Omen when I was kid.  I was pretty addicted to HBO.  For some reason I decided to watch the old one and this new version back-to-back.  I wouldn't have thought the movie was crying out to be remade, but here it is, and I think it's better than the first.  The new version also updates the signs of the coming of the antichrist.

Creepy kid 2006.

Creepy kid 1976.

I tend to be agnostic about end times discussion and biblical apocalyptic prophecy.  I never read the Left Behind books and don't have any desire to.  There's no way I can know what's right and what's really going to happen, so I lean on this truth: I know who wins in the end, and I'm on his side!  So these movies about the antichrist don't interest me much.

Creepy kid, clueless parents, violent deaths, the devil at work.  Thank you Jesus that you are Lord of all.

Bottom line, 1 1/2 stars for both.

Creation

Common misconception: Darwin's theory of evolution is completely incompatible with theism.  Even if you fully accept every jot and tittle of Darwinian evolution, the theory itself does not exclude the possibility of an intelligent designer, e.g. the biblical God.  Unfortunately, many people have accepted Darwinism to the exclusion of Christianity, and many Christians have had their faith shaken or even lost because of a misunderstanding of Darwinian evolution.

I don't want to get into an extended discussion of Darwin's theories (I think he was partly right), but I do with people would recognize that biblical Christianity has room for Darwin.  According to Creation, Darwin, his wife, and his contemporaries thought otherwise.  Darwin was convinced by his colleague Thomas Huxley that his theory has "killed God."  His religious wife and their pastor were similarly convinced.  As a result, Darwin delayed completing and publishing his work On the Origin of Species for many years.

Seems like Darwin would have been awestruck by God's power in creation rather than thinking he had eliminated the possibility of God.

Creation follows Darwin's struggle with whether to publish, and the resulting personal and family issues.  His biggest struggle was dealing with the loss of his oldest daughter; his writing and research take second place to the grief and guilt he feels over her death.  Creation gives a unique glimpse not only into the mind of a genius, but into his family life and the cultural and religious setting in which he lived.  In spite of the flawed dichotomy between religion and science at the core of the story, this was a really good movie.

Bottom line, 3 stars.

Rabbit Hole

Are you depressed?  No?  Watch Rabbit Hole and you will be, especially if you're a parent.  The Corbetts are happy, beautiful and apparently rich, but their picture-perfect world was shattered when their son was hit by a car and killed.  With grueling realism, we see them avoid their friends, deal with the irresponsible, unmarried sister who becomes pregnant, and struggle with getting rid of their son's toys and clothes and deciding whether to sell their house.

In one particularly painful scene, another couple at a support group talks about dealing with losing their child.  "God needed another angel."  This doesn't sit well with Becca Corbett.  She doesn't buy it.  "Why didn't he just make one!  I mean, he's God after all!"  Later, her mother gently reminds her that religion and God can be a comfort in a time of loss, as it was for her when Becca's brother died.  Mom says, "You're not right about everything, you know.  What if there is a God?"  Becca shoots back, "Then I'd say he's a sadistic prick. . . 'Worship me and I'll treat you like sh--.'" 

She's very, very sad.

Wow.  That's painful to hear.  But to be honest, who can blame her?  I might have the same reaction if I were to lose a child or go through another painful loss.  Rabbit Hole is depressing, and doesn't offer much hope, certainly not from a Christian perspective, although we do see steps toward rebuilding of the Corbett's marriage, as well as genuine movement toward forgiveness of the young man who hit their son.  This is a solid, thoughtful film reflecting on rebuilding lives after the loss of a child.

 

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale

A few weeks too late for Christmas, I know, but still you have to see this, one of the funniest, strangest, yet somehow rather endearing Christmas movies you'll see.  Don't worry, It's a Wonderful Life and other Christmas favorites need not worry about losing their top spot, but Rare Exports will elbow its way in on the quirky end of your list.

Have you been a good boy this year?  You'd better hope so.

In arctic Finland, some young boys observe a mining company's work on a nearby mountaintop.  The boys overhear conversations indicating that the company has found Santa Claus himself.  The boy researches Finnish legends of Santa, learning about the dark Santa who boils bad kids, and who was mysteriously replaced by the "Coca-Cola Santa" about the time the real, dark Santa was buried.  Suddenly it's up to the boy and his reluctant dad to save the town's kids, restore the local economy, and save Christmas itself.

Think twice before opening that last door on the Advent calendar!

Clever and hilarious, plus plenty creepy, Rare Exports will make you look twice at the mall Santa next year, and keep your kids a little closer when you hear that Santa's coming around!  (Speaking of kids: this movie is not for them!)

Bottom line, 4 stars.

Ajami

Fact: In the Middle East, Arabs and Christians are locked in a death feud, even though they're neighbors, often trade peacefully, go to school together, their children play together and marry.  But they keep killing.  I don't begin to understand it.  Same goes for different groups of Arabs.

Fact: poor young men in poor, hopeless neighborhoods worldwide turn to murder, drugs and other black market activities to try to get by.  I guess I naively thought that religious young men living in the Holy Land, a day's walk from some of the holiest sites of their faith, would somehow rise above.

Fact: revenge killings only lead to more revenge killings.

In Ajami, these two realities come together dramatically and tragically, as several interrelated stories illustrate the struggles in modern Tel Aviv.  It's fast-paced, with sequences deliberately out of order, and sometimes a little complex, one of those movies where they jump to the next scene and you (OK, I.  You are probably a more attentive movie watcher than I am.) have to stop and think, who are these guys and how do they relate to the other guys?  But even my little brain could grasp the stories as they snowball together.

Ajami is gritty, at times violent, and tastes genuine.  Well-made, well-acted, well worth a look.  This land of the Bible is calling out for redemption and reconciliation.  Let it be soon, Lord.

Bottom line, 3 1/2 stars.

Atlas Shrugged Part 1

I finally got around to watching Atlas Shrugged Part 1.  I knew I would be sort of disappointed.  There's just no way a movie, or a series of movies, can capture the epic scope and vast ideas of Ayn Rand's classic novel.  The good news is that, first of all, the movie is well made.  It's a solid, quality production.  It also makes a great effort to capture the tone and message of the novel.  Clearly, the writers and producers respect the novel and wanted to bring Rand's message to a broad audience without a lot of editorial alteration.

Taylor Schilling is perfectly cast as Dagny Taggart. 

The end result is a movie that a bit wooden, with a primary appeal to fans of the novel.  It's a decent Cliff's Notes introduction, and hopefully will inspire viewers to pick up the book.  I know I'll be watching when Part 2 comes out.

Bottom line, 3 stars.