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| Best Original Screenplay . . . . . . that I've seen in a movie in a long time.
Those of you who know me well know that I am very discriminating when it comes to movie choices. This stems from an awareness of the power of film to shape our lives and a desire not to spend more time watching movies than I do processing and applying what I learn from them. All that to say, you need to see WALL-E.
While Pixar has defined the summer family movie since Toy Story, WALL-E is their first film that eschews the need to be a "kids movie". As director Andrew Stanton put it, "Animation is a medium, not a genre." This is not to say that kids won't love the movie (it has plenty of visual excitement and hijinks to keep them entertained), but that for the first time, the story, characters, and themes of the film are designed primarily to appeal to an intelligent adult audience.
I won't go into detail on the plot - essentially it explores the concept of a world abandoned by humanity and inhabited only by one very resourceful robot (who, inexplicably has transcended his programming and developed a "personality") and his pet cockroach. From there it proceeds to treat themes of apathy, isolation, consumerism, automation, stewardship, and love with more seriousness than most "issue movies" can muster, all the while wrapping the audience into the characters with genuine humor and creativity. It's too good at telling the story to be obsessed with its message.
Stylistically, the film is a delight to anyone who loves the art of moviemaking. While dazzlingly innovative, it draws on a variety of influences - science-fiction standards like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars, and various dystopian films but also pulls from the insightful slapstic of Chaplin (notably Modern Times) and the bygone ideals of Hello Dolly! (The film relies heavily on the classic musical to humanize an otherwise bleak landscape). WALL-E further solidifies Pixar's well-deserved reputation as the benchmark for poignant, watchable American cinema. | | |
| I'm sitting in a public library . . . . . . In Newberg, Oregon.
'tis quite a place, with a number of books I wouldn't expect to see in such a "small-town" repository. Not only that, the library seems to be somewhat of a hub for community activities. It leaves me wondering why folks in the south are seemingly less literate than their left coast counterparts. Why is it that a town of 20,000 has so many more library patrons on this weekday morning than a much larger, better stocked library in Chattanooga, a city of nearly 175,000? The per capita comparison is embarrassing.
Why, oh why, don't people read?
I fear that public antipathy toward literacy is tipping the public opinion on library funding in many places (Chattanooga included - our system has already cut hours significantly at neighborhood branches to stave off continuing budget deficits). While it makes me feel very loved indeed to know that Hamilton county spends veritably hundreds of thousands of dollars apiece on me and the faithful few other users of the library, I can't pretend it will last forever. When libraries cease to be a centerpiece of public life (as many already have), I shudder to think at what future pitfalls await us.
Literacy (not just the ability to read, but, as Jaques Ellul says, the wisdom to know what to read) is a key to a civil society that even the most liberal of social tinkerers often fail to grasp in their planning. A willfully illiterate society is an unthinking, foolish society; one that will not care any more for the Word of life than it does for the words of wisdom from men.
Why, oh why, don't people read? | | |
| Haiti, ContinuedAs promised, here's a fuller update on my trip to Haiti (4/14-23). The pictures tell a lot, but they'll never do justice to the experience. This was simultaneously the hardest and best short-term trip I've been on. Best because of the camaraderie of the team, the passion of the workers on the ground in country, the beautiful people of Haiti, and the immediacy of impact that our work had. Hardest because of the devastating need, starving people, and the sheer amount of what was beyond our scope to accomplish.
It was a tough trip to come back from too - the overwhelming nature of it created something of an "experience" gap between Rachel & I. What my heart was going through was something that I couldn't convey adequately. It's one of those times when you're especially grateful for the unconditional commitment of marriage. The stress of returning to a culture of individualism, selfishness, and immediacy was more of a shock to my system than anything I saw or did in Haiti.
At any rate, I can no more sufficiently describe my experiences on this blog than I can in person, so I'll let the pictures do their best. I'd love to tell you more, just ask!
The vintage 1942 DC-3 we flew from Florida to Cap Haitien on - a first class flight in some ways (legroom, cockpit access, seats that leaned all the way back) and a clunker in others (flying at 150 mph, deafening engine noise, and turbulence that would make a sailor lose his lunch). Quite the memorable experience.
Pastor Rodne Romeus - AMG's country coordinator for Haiti. This is an incredible man. His vision from the Lord for his country is tremendous. He's responsible for developing two schools/childcare centers and the medical clinic we worked at (which previous teams from our church helped to build). In addition, he pastors the church in Grand Bassin (despite the fact that it's 2.5 hours from his home).
A urologist and a landscaper doing general surgery together - gotta love missions! Actually, they took a tumor the size of a baseball off of a woman's hip, in addition to 3 other tumor removals. It changed the quality of life for those patients immediately and visibly. Sorry it's crooked.
The waiting room of the clinic. This is where I spent my week as the receptionist/bouncer. I would start their exam by taking down information to start a chart for them and hand them a Dixie cup and point them to the outhouse for urinalysis - "pi pi, si'l vous plait, e vini le meme" ("please pee and come right back"). Thus is the extent of my Kreyol. The waiting room also contained what was perhaps the only TV in Grand Bassin. They played movies all day long to keep the tension down - everything from the Jesus film to Rambo dubbed into Spanish of all things.
Tim Forsythe with the bubble gun - just in case you ever need to create a crowd of 200 kids in a matter of minutes . . .
The terrific food (those with little give so much more than we do here) - rice & beans, fried plantains, chicken legs, cashew sauce, and the best fresh pineapple and papaya you'll ever eat. Again, sorry it's crooked.
What's a trip without a hike? We walked about two miles out from town to the top of a ridge - quite a view!
The Beautiful People of Haiti.
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| Haiti
I've been back for almost a week now, but it's hard to keep images like this out of your head. I'll post in more detail soon, but this is for everyone who sponsors a child through any of the great organizations who offer that service. This is my "kid" Pierre-Dony Marc of Grand Bassin, Nord-Est, Haiti - he's matured into a bit more than a face on the fridge this week. | | |
| The Disappearance of DisciplineTo read this post, click HERE.
While you're there, check out my publication website! | | |
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