Film and Media
The Master - Paul Thomas Anderson
The films of Paul Thomas Anderson
American Director Paul Thomas Anderson has made several high profile films which have garnered interest in religious and critical circles. I thought it would be helpful to briefly profile two. His latest film The Master (2012, MA), has received wide publicity, including a considerable discussion on the ABC TV show Gruen Planet. Much of the discussion has centred on the connection to the story of Scientology's founder L. Ron Hubbard.
The director has seemingly now distanced himself from talking about the Scientology connection, saying it was more of a period reference (the early 1950s) and the lead character was a stimulus to the wider themes. The film is a sometimes probably deliberately fatuous and mainly semi-dramatic piece revealing the disparate real life of an influential founder of a movement ‘The Cause' and his relationships, especially with the one person who becomes like his ‘right-hand strong man'.
The two dramatic leads, Joaquin Phoenix as Freddie Quell, former WWII ‘ordinary' seaman and 'extra-ordinary' disturbed man who gets caught up in The Cause, and Academy Award winner Philip Seymour Hoffman as Lancaster Dodd the leader of the group are quite amazing. They inhabit characters that are loathsome and repelling, yet draw the viewer in to try to understand them.
The film is also a historical survey, following the post-Second-World-War 1950s when America boomed and many movements, theories, ideas, and groups were formed. In what is becoming the infamous line of the film, the son says to Freddie "You know he's making it up as he goes along." Again like Ecclesiastes it reminded me that "there is nothing new under the sun". I would not recommend viewing the film, but you may see quite a bit of publicity and discussion about it, and it will probably receive several acting awards.
An earlier film Magnolia (1999, MA) is well-known for its overt religious foundation. One cannot understand this film without reasonable biblical knowledge. There are words from the bible, symbols and elements of prophetic reference. The theme of the ‘sins of the father' is vitally significant and interwoven in a multi-layered telling of the connected stories of several individuals in San Fernando County in Southern California. A warning though, there is a very strong and offensive scene with Hollywood star Tom Cruise (who is in real-life a Scientologist). Cruise plays a seminar leader who teaches men how to pick up women. The media have since honed in on Cruise and his connection to Paul Thomas Anderson (who is not a scientologist), but who showed The Master to Cruise, and said they still have a continuing friendship, with the subtext clearly being that Cruise had some issues.
Peter Bentley
The Grace Card - review
The Grace Card (M, 2010)
Another Christian film developed with the assistance of a church in the USA, The Grace Card has been received well, and can be compared to Courageous, though it was released beforehand. There are similar themes related to the law enforcement characters and issues about fatherhood and relations within the family unit. The acting is usually well-done, with a good role from Louis Gossett Jr (who received an Academy Award for his role in An Officer and a Gentleman). 
The director of the film is David Evans, a graduate from Southwest Baptist University and also a Doctorate of Optometry who established Graceworks Pictures. This is another example of a film developed within a church community, being the Calvary Church in Cordova Tennessee, and the involvement of local people. David has a long history of directing the church's Passion Play and the church has an interest in the creative arts. The screen play was written by Howard Klausner; mostly know for writing Space Cowboys (2000). The theme of the film is of course evident from the title and a related message is the tagline "witness the power of forgiveness". Ephesians 2:8 is the bible verse chosen the highlight the message: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God".
The film has some good elements, but has a didactic preaching style that is occasionally repetitious and does not allow some circumstances and very significant elements and issues to develop by themselves. I found this a very helpful film for its consideration of racial issues which are rarely raised in ‘Christian films' and no doubt arising from the local church's emphasis on reconciliation. Watching this film, I was reminded of another aspect of grace: "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." (Colossians 4:6). Let grace abound.
Suing the Devil - review
Suing the Devil (PG, 2011)
Well this is a very interesting concept, and I appreciated the casting of Malcolm McDowell as Satan. This was a bit like having Morgan Freeman play God in Bruce Almighty. While probably aimed at the US Christian market, the film was filmed in Australia around Darlinghurst and parts of Sydney (and also some filming in LA), and clearly has significant Australian involvement, especially with Wesley Institute students. Some of the filming lends itself to advertising for Sydney itself. 
The premise is simple. A down-on-his-luck law student decides to sue Satan for 8 trillion dollars because he argues Satan is the cause of all the world's problems. Satan appears at the trial in the nick of time to defend himself, and a courtroom drama unfolds. Satan is assisted by some of the world's best lawyers, all of whom could easily feature as characters in the usual jokes about lawyers. During times in the witness box many different ethical and philosophical questions are raised including the nature of evil and the problem of pain. Who is responsible for evil in the world? All good questions and the film may help some younger groups in particular to think about God's world.
There are cameos from Christian leaders and writers, including Christian singer Rebecca St James, and a Sydney-based well-known Pentecostal pastor. Malcolm McDowell has such a strong screen presence in nearly anything he appears in that he can easily dominate. It was certainly amusing and sobering seeing him take the oath and learning that Satan sees his role as "just the trash collector." There are a number of other Hollywood actors involved as well, including Corbin Bernsen and Tom Sizemore, and perhaps it is the professional involvement that illustrates the difficulties with some of the other roles, especially the lead role. The film-work often reminded me of a play, and illustrated the difference between directing a film and directing a play. Using a relatively unknown actor Brad Bronson in the lead role of Luke O'Brien has limitations. While we know God uses all people including the weak, there are times when Luke's portrayal is too understated. This is especially illustrated by his use of the voice-over, a notoriously difficult technique to use well. The approach comes across as text being read, rather than speaking with passion or direction. Overall, the theme of Suing the Devil is about finding out who you are in relation to God. What do you truly believe in, love and therefore follow? These are worthy themes to consider.
The DVD is available from your closest Christian retailer or from http://www.movieschangepeople.com
Peter Bentley
A Very Courageous Heart
A Courageous Heart (M, 2009) - Also known as The Courageous Heart of Irene Sendler.
The story of Irene Sendler has become more well-known over the last few years, particularly through documentaries and research on Jewish children who survived in Nazi-occupied countries with the help of non-Jewish families. Irene was a member of the "?egota Committee" (the Polish Council to Aid Jews (Polish: Rada Pomocy ?ydom), a centre for Polish resistance in German-occupied Poland from 1942 to 1945, and a leader in helping to save Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto by smuggling them out in a variety of ways. The children were also saved from death as many of their families died in the ghetto or in the concentration and extermination camps. This raised other questions after the war in terms of the question of finding and returning the children to their wider family, or keeping them in the families they had in many cases come to accept. This particular subject has been explored in various documentaries and Irene Sendler herself featured in one documentary released in 2011 ‘Irene Sendler, in the Name of the Mothers' in which she speaks about the pain of all the mothers. Sendler was recognised as one of the Righteous among the Nations by the Yad Vashem (the Holocaust's Martyrs and Heroes Remembrance Authority in Israel) and received a number of awards, notably very late in her life from the Polish Government. The film is a Hallmark Hall of Fame and has a strong historical setting and acting, with Anna Paquin in the lead role. Paquin is best-known for winning the Best Supporting Actress in the film The Piano in 1993, the second youngest winner at 11 years of age. While dealing with a distressing subject the film does not dwell on the obvious misery and difficulties in the ghetto, but simply and realistically portrays the deteriorating situation. There is also a continuing consideration of religion and faith as Jewish parents wrestle with giving up their children who they know will be raised as Catholics. Certainly the children old enough to speak, learned prayers and Catholic practices, principally to ensure they would not be identified as Jewish. This film is now made available on DVD through Christian sources and lends itself to many ensuing discussions.
The Artist?
The Artist (PG, 2011)
The Artist not only won the Oscar for Best Film this year, but also awards for directing, costume design, original music score, and Best Actor for French actor Jean Dujardin as silent film star George Valentin. This film has also collected many other awards and now has the record for the most Césars for any French film. While The Artist is quite fun to watch, it is a one-off novelty movie, given it is a [mostly] silent film. I believe its recognition has been more to do with this, and the fact that in the Academy Awards there are now more movies in the line-up for Best Picture and it is difficult for any film to win unless it totally dominates the Academy's imagination.
The Artist is really a homage to the silent film era and in that sense is nostalgic for a different Hollywood era. I thought Jean Dujardin's comment about film itself was illuminating. "I discovered that silent film is almost an advantage. You just have to think of the feeling for it to show. No lines pollute it. It doesn't take much - a gaze, an eyelash flutter - for the emotion to be vivid."
The story reminded me of some elements of my favourite musical Singin' in the Rain as this also has a silent film star struggling with the idea of the new ‘talkies'. The film plays on the idea of the ‘It Girl" - aptly named Peppy Miller, who this time is well-positioned to take on the talkies and move ahead as the star for a new age. John Goodman has a very apt supporting role as the movie mogul and helps to illustrate how the movie industry in the developing years was very much a tight-knit community run by a benevolent dictator.
As I stated at the front, it is fun to watch, but while I could watch Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds again and again, once was enough for The Artist.
When Love is Not Enough
When Love is Not Enough (2010, TV Movie for Hallmark Channel)
An excellent title! It causes one to pause and think. Hollywood often gives these types of stories a twist to ensure that ‘love' will conquer all. How can love not be enough? In a day when people equate love for a panacea for anything, and believe ‘all we need is love'; this is indeed a very challenging story.
When Love is Not Enough won best TV Movie at the 2011 PRISM Awards (for accurate depictions of mental health and substance abuse). It is a Hallmark Hall of Fame film and features well-known Hollywood personality Winona Ryder, and character actor Barry Pepper in the lead roles of Lois and Bill Wilson. An earlier Hallmark film, My Name is Bill W. explores the life and times of Bill Wilson, the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
Most people will be very familiar with AA, and would be aware that is has elements of a Christian foundation and history. The film highlights Bill's early pledges on the Bible, his failings and constant requests for forgiveness, and illustrates his early Christian experiences. Many AA meetings are today held on church premises. I regularly meet AA members near the ACC Office as there are three meetings held each week in our host church (Newtown Mission). (Note: I am not intending to discuss or comment on the on-going questions of spirituality and the various issues that have arisen from the early years of AA).
A smaller number of people would be aware of Al-Anon, a group providing support and counsel for the families of alcoholics. Lois Wilson was the wife of Bill Wilson (known as Bill W.), the co-founder of AA with Dr Bob (Smith). Lois realised early on that Bill's drinking did not consume only him, and saw how families often exhibited symptoms and developed significant problems arising from their love and support of the alcoholic member. The foundation for this group can be seen in the following exchange from an early meeting time.
Lois Wilson: No it would be no trouble, really. Erm I could make some tea, I, I could actually use someone to talk to tonight.
Anne Bingham: We came all the way from Westchester County. I'm Anne Bingham.
Lois Wilson: Anne, I'm Lois Wilson.
Anne Bingham: If I don't drive him here I can't guarantee that he'll make it so I make the drive.
Lois Wilson: For years I used to hide the keys from my husband. I was afraid he'd kill himself or someone else.
Anne Bingham: Exactly
Informal family support groups started from about 1939 with the wives often meeting while their husbands were at their AA meeting, but it was not until 1951 that Lois and Anne founded Al-Anon. Today Al-Anon has over 24 000 groups in 115 countries and also works with teenagers and drinking. For more information see: http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/australia/
It is interesting to consider again the overall context of this film - love. Lois often felt resentment during the development of AA, especially toward the male members of AA, because she felt her strong love and commitment should have solved his problem. This of course does not tell the whole story about change in a person's life, but the film helps one to understand that we cannot change people even if you love unconditionally and give them all your support. I was often reminded about Jesus' parables of grace and forgiveness, and how he taught us to pray: ‘Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.'
Available from Heritage HM Film Distribution or your Christian retailer.
License to Kill (1984, TV Movie)
Noting the quote in my review above, I thought it was helpful to highlight this film that tells the story of the death of a teenage girl by a habitual drunken-driver. The film focuses on the reactions of the key figures, including the husband and wife of the daughter killed, and the husband who killed the daughter and his conflicted wife. While matters of faith feature in only a small way, the film provides an opportunity for people to consider how they would react themselves when such a tragedy occurs, and especially to consider how their love for their partner helps or hinders their addiction. It is also an early film for prominent actor Denzel Washington (The Book of Eli). He plays the over-worked public prosecutor. The film was inspired by true events in the late 1970s and early 1980s, an era that witnessed the introduction of a range of legislative initiatives in the USA designed to reduce drink-driving, particularly among teenagers.
Peter Bentley
Red Dog
Red Dog (PG, 2011)
Already out on DVD is the popular Australian film Red Dog. Any film about a dog is usually a winner (and it did win Best Film at the inaugural AACTA awards), but this film also appears to be a homage to Australian mining communities. The legend of Red Dog is now well-known. He was the companion or ‘common' dog for many in the mining community at Dampier in Western Australia during the 1970s. Much has been written about Red Dog and there is a seemingly never-ending range of bumper stickers and souvenirs, but this movie was based on Louis De Bernières 2001 book Red Dog. The dog colloquially known as The Pilbara Wanderer has a dedicated statue erected near the entrance to the town of Dampier.
Rio Tinto helped to finance the film and the film does have a public relations aspect about it, as the mining people are basically all warm good-hearted people.
US actor Josh Lucas plays John Grant, the person who is Red Dog's real master. The film combines elements and references from many Australian films, even in the techniques used one can see the influence of iconic films such as Wake in Fright, Mad Max, Crocodile Dundee through to The Castle, and even Hollywood films like Cats & Dogs.
John's love interest is Nancy (played by Rachael Taylor), the mining company secretary, and one all the miners have an interest in, but the American wins her heart.
The Red Dog legend is told through flashbacks and stories as people gather in the pub while Red Dog is struggling in a room nearby to survive (he has been poisoned). Everyone has their own story to tell, and Red Dog appears as the quintessential companion, matchmaker, therapist and good mate.
While promoted as a family film, there are some scenes that need to be critiqued. There are no overt sex scenes, but the main couple end up in bed quickly. The scenes with the pub and drinking and partying are of course the most authentic, but there are some demeaning references to women and the fun attitude toward drunkenness and recovery is something that should never be accepted. Ironically there is not as much swearing as one would expect from this context. The one Christian scene reinforces religion in a traditional role.
Red Dog has themes of mateship and loyalty. It is also about people searching for life and truth in a hard world. While it may be stereotyped, at least it did not have the dog sacrificing its life for the town.
Peter Bentley is the Executive Consultant for the ACC.
The Iron Lady
The Iron Lady (M, 2011)
Most members will have heard the expression "The Iron Lady", and many of you may have thought of seeing the film. It is well worth viewing and will no doubt bring back a few memories for people familiar with the Margaret Thatcher era. Meryl Streep adds another excellent role to her portfolio of character portrayals that have garnered her many accolades over four decades. She plays Margaret Thatcher through the later years of her political life, weaving back and forth from the period of her political leadership to her "twilight years" as the present Baroness Thatcher. She is most effective as the elderly Baroness.
Alexandra Roach plays the younger Margaret Roberts in some typically well-cast period scenes, highlighting the move into politics accompanied by future husband Denis. They were married in 1951 and he died in 2003, and it is her memory of, and relationship to Denis that cements the film as almost a form of romantic drama, a love story that did not end with death.
Thatcher was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979-1990, and is often linked with the other significant leader of the period Ronald Reagan who was U.S. President during the 1980s as they were both highly profiled in the end times of the Soviet era. Thatcher's Prime Ministership had many significant events, including high-level disputes with Trade Unions, the Falklands War, continuing IRA matters including the Maze Prison hunger strikes, and the bombing of the Brighton Hotel during the 1984 Conservative Party Conference.
The film is not a straight historical drama, as the writer and director have chosen a psychological approach, with Baroness Thatcher reflecting on her life, mostly with Denis still around, giving input in sometimes odd and amusing ways which irritates her, but also clearly shows their terms of endearment. The film also illustrates present issues with dementia, and this is one of the aspects that has made it controversial-the other being that it is neither an apologia or left-wing critique for Thatcher's policies, thus satisfying neither party.
There are some excellent and memorable sayings that go to the heart of the psychodrama and they attempt to show how the Thatcher character was built.
"It used to be about trying to do something. Now it's about trying to be someone"... "Watch your thoughts for they become words. Watch your words for they become actions. Watch your actions for they become... habits. Watch your habits, for they become your character. And watch your character, for it becomes your destiny! What we think we become."
In 2007 Margaret Thatcher's statue in the Houses of Parliament was unveiled. In her brief speech she commented: "I might have preferred iron-but bronze will do ... It won't rust." This concluding comment brought to my mind many biblical references, and given Thatcher's Christian background and deeply held convictions, the lack of any direct Christian consideration within the film makes one wonder why some of these deeper spiritual and eternal questions were neglected.
Peter Bentley
Courageous Film
Courageous (M, 2011)
Integrity, Strength, Love, Forgiveness, Faith.
All the elements of previous Sherwood movies like Fireproof and Facing the Giants come to the fore in Courageous. Previously the characters were primarily concerned with their own occupations and lives, the characters in Courageous are often dominated by the lives of others; that is, until a tragedy impacts on them. Co-Writer and Director Alex Kendrick stars in the film as Sheriff Adam Mitchell.
He and three other officers are continually confronted by questions arising from their public service, and increasingly see the connections arising from a broken world in which teenagers move into gang-related and petty crime, with the gang leader often seemingly taking the role of the father they never had.
This will be a helpful and challenging movie for many people, and encouraging for men (who are fathers) to consider what it is to be a father, especially to their sons. How do you bring up boys today? How do we address a society in which many fathers have abnegated their responsibilities?
Courageous had a limited commercial release in Australia in November 2011, following the American release in late September, where it performed well at the US box office, being the highest grossing new film release and fourth overall on its opening weekend. The film has had substantial media contact, including help from the now well-known Duggar family, some of whom were extras in the 5km race.
I have mentioned before that the acting in Sherwood films is mainly non-professional, and there are some parts in Courageous which illustrate the limitations of this approach. A tighter script and editing down to about 100 minutes (approximately 130) would help this to reach a broader audience (especially if it appears on cable or TV). The Christian theology presented by Sherwood Pictures is conservative, and no doubt there will be questions over the occasional male headship reference. It does not centre on this, and is similar to the first film Flywheel, which is referenced in Courageous in a minor way, as Adam Mitchell's pickup truck carries a Jay Austin Motors license plate. Alex Kendrick played Jay Austin, the Zacchaeus like used-car dealer.
The theme of fatherhood, and the questions that this often raises can be challenging. There are some scenes and comments which for some people may be emotionally confronting. If you have a group see the film, it would be worth ensuring there are some members available for counselling. A related group of resources has been produced, based around the resolution that the men in Courageous agree to jointly take and hold themselves accountable to. Overall, Courageous wants to call men, and particularly fathers to take their part in the raising of children, and hopefully to raise a new generation which respects women, and themselves.
The Grandfathers - new hearts
The Grandfathers (2011, PG)
For those who saw the first documentary in this trilogy, this will be a must-see film. Beyond the Gates of Splendor (2002 documentary) was followed by the End of the Spear (2005 dramatised version). These films are based around the murders of five missionaries, Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Ed McCully, Pete Fleming, and Roger Youderian in 1956 by men from the Waodani (or Huaorani) people, who live in the Amazonian rainforest area of east Ecuador. The Waodani and their neighbours were characterised as one of the most violent peoples in recorded history. The first documentary told the story from the viewpoint of those who went to live with the Waodani people after the murders, including Steve Saint, the son of Nate, and his family. I have always found it to be a profoundly moving and challenging story of reconciliation.
The Grandfathers continues this theme, but focuses on Steve's son Jesse, as he works through his time with the Waodani people, learning subtly about the events that took place in the 1950s, which formed his father and have now formed him as a man, and have led him to continue a ministry in his own right.
The film itself is a cultural study and testament to Jesse's generation, and also different forms of film-making as it is part conventional documentary, part Terrence Malick style of personal reflection, and even part music video (how can one not like a documentary that has the Eurhythmics singing Missionary Man in the background?). The style may actually be difficult at times for some people to watch, but there are many fascinating parts, and it links well with the first documentary, often using references and even jokes, albeit with Jesse's comments, rather than his father's.
It is sobering to witness the next generation simply being with the people who had killed your own grandfather and his friends, but for Jesse he cannot contemplate being without his new relations, summing up the Christian gospel: ‘Same man, - different heart.'
Available nationally through all Christian retail outlets or Heritage HM: http://www.movieschangepeople.com/home
Peter Bentley, August 2011 (ACCatalyst)