Million Dollar Question

I had a chance recently to see Clint Eastwood’s controversial Oscar winner, Million Dollar Baby and decided to, once again, try the Q&A format I’ve used before. (And again it is ever faithful Joel who has provided the questions. Thank you, Joel!)

Here we go:

1. Was it artfully done?

Yes. There were, of course, minor flaws but overall; the story was compelling and surprising, the lighting was darkly beautiful, the actors were genuine, playing characters that win our hearts, the music was simple, sparse and unobtrusive and the film's emotional resonance was pure.

2. Was it cast well?

Yes, I can't imagine anyone else in these roles, Eastwood, Swank and Freeman gave performances that were sometimes funny and at other times heart wrenching but always authentic. They're just wonderful to watch.

3. Was the plot original and well thought out?

Here's where we arrive at the films minor flaws (which I would not have noticed except that everyone felt the need to dissect this best picture nominee and publish their dissecting for me to read); These two phrases ("original", "well thought out") are, in one respect, probably not the two best to describe the plot; because of some stereo-typical characters and minor improbabilities here and there. But let me once again emphises that these things pale in comparison to the films many strengths (listed above).

4. Was it technically well done (cinematographically, FX, etc.)?

Yes. Though the technical elements of the film never dazzle but it's a smaller film so there's no reason why they should.

5. Was the movie ethical?

I won't say very much here so as not to spoil the film, but I would say that yes, because of my interpretation of the film, I do believe it honors values such as integrity and endurance.

6. Was it deserving of the best picture Oscar it garnered at the Academy awards?

I didn''t see all of the films up for best picture this year so I couldn't say. However, I can say this: Though the movie was good, it would not probably not displace The Incredibles or Spiderman 2 on a list of my favorite movies of the year.

7. Was it redeeming?

If this means "Was it worth what I paid for it?" (in money, time etc.), then I'd say yes.

8. Was it worth seeing?

For diserning viewers, yes.

9. Is it worth seeing twice?

Because I knew the ending going in to the movie and so had some of the benefits of a second viewing I can say that yes, it is worth it, though some parts might be harder to watch the second time around. (Though I don't know if it's the kind of movie I'd go out and buy, for the same reason I haven't bought a copy of The Passion of the Christ.)

=======

Here are a handfull of much better reviews:

J. Robert Park's,

Jeffery Overstreet's

and

Josh Hurst's.

An Amazing Story

I'd heard bits and pieces of Ashley Smith's story and thought is was interesting. But to hear it straight from her (albeit via op-ed page) - is simply amazing.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

And just for fun, here's a look at one thing you won't catch me eating on, this St. Patrick's Day.

Oh, and thought you might like to know what I'm going to name my first-born daughter:

Gwenhwyfar.

I found it in a book. She will love me for it, no?

Incredible Millions

Here are two recent interviews interviews with filmmakers:

Brad Bird interview

Danny Bole interview

They're both worth reading, here are some highlights of the Danny Bole interview:

========================

In spite of Damian, who's a God-fearing boy, a friend of the saints, and a help to the poor, Millions never becomes 'preachy.' Was that difficult to do?

You can go through the whole filmmaking experience being careful, saying, "I've got to make sure this isn't preachy." But you can't make a film like that. What you do instead is concentrate on the essentials, the positives: the character and the kid playing the character. You're saying that this is the way he sees the world.
If the movie works, it's because you realize that life absolutely is that simple, the way Damian sees it. It's not like we're preaching at people and saying, "Don't you see it's that simple? Why can't you do that? Come on, cough up the money!" We're actually saying that, "When you look back at what you were like [at Damian's age], it was that simple. And that's not a bad thing." That's still us, even though we've moved on into the venal world of survival and competition.

~~~~~~

The power of those people with their money will always make sure that the industry delivers to them certain kinds of entertainment. But you have to be very careful that we don't turn the movies into opera, which is like, "They're good for you, they're a bit specialized, and they'll be a bit beyond some of you." Within that, you've got to be, like Scorsese says, "cunning." You've got to smuggle good ideas into something that attracts that person to the Friday or Saturday night film. That way they get a bigger kick out of it than they do from those films you're talking about. That's the job. It's not like you've got to ban the bad films... you've just got to make better films more entertaining.

========================

Scatter-Shot in the Scatter Brain

I’ve absorbed a lot of works of art in the past couple of months or so, some good, some not so good. Here's a scatter-shot sum up:

Pilgrim At Tinker Creek, Annie Dillard,

George MacDonald speaks of two kinds of books; the kind you can’t wait to get to the end of (like a mystery story) and the kind (like something by Dickens) that you wish would never end. Annie Dillard’s Pilgrim At Tinker Creek is a book of this second kind. A rich and full examination of nature (which could be described as God's back), each visit will leave you radiant (and terrified), like Moses after his "face to back" encounter with God.

Napoleon Dynamite and Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Chalk these up as prime viewings for a Sunday school lesson on God's grace as expressed in Hebrews chapter two, title it, "God Made Them a Little Lower Than Angels?"

Saint Maybe, Anne Tyler

Watership Down, Richard Adams

Hands down the best adventure/dystopian/pilgrim's-progress/folk-story/parable starring rabbits ever written!

Ikiru,

Ikiru or To Live, is the story of a man who, after learning that he is fatally ill, begins searching for life's meaning. Call it a cross between Japanese existentialism and It's a Wonderful Life.

Divine Discontent, Sixpence None The Richer

Chariots of Fire,

Ordet,

Frankenstine, Mary Shelley

It by this book that I discovered my strong dislike for the typical writing style of the Romantic period.

Million Dollar Baby,

Art On A Desert Island

You know the routine; you've been unjustly exiled to an island for life, you will never come in contact with another human being again, you have no hope of seeking justice, no hope of escape. However, you are well equipped so your physical needs well be met and it just so happens that there is a first-rate DVD/VHS player on the island which will also play CDs. What luck! Now the hitch. The authorities are allowing you to bring only nine works of art with you; three books, three albums and three films (you may also bring a Bible if you wish without counting it in the book category). Now the question; which three of each category are you going to bring?

My choices:

Books,

1. Lord of the Rings, J. R. R. Tolkien
2. Till We Have Faces, C. S. Lewis
3. Brendan, Frederick Buechner

Music,

1. The Joshua Tree, U2
2. Sixpence None the Richer, Sixpence None the Richer
3. Mr. Buechner's Dream, Daniel Amos

Film,

1. Ordet
2. The Empire Strikes Back
3. Babette's Feast

=====

Special thanks to midnitcafe for inspiring this post.

A Test

Look Over There!

Hello? Has anyone visited the Mere Image blog in, like, the past few days? I've put my first post up and I need someone to respond to it!

Also

Jeffery Overstreet got some good treatment in the Seattle Times magizine Pacific Northwest. A good intro to one side of this man's life and work. Read it here.

Boom

February is over folks and I'm back. I think it's about time to shake things up in Blogland, but first let's recap my first full month in the most beautiful state on earth:

The question is, did I accomplish the goals that I set forth at the beginning of February? Well, I have gotten readjusted school-wise am making progress. I have a routine now (loosely speaking) and a special nook in which I can do my school (very important). So that's good.

About the unpacking of boxes and settling in, we're certainly getting there but this has been an unusual moving experience. Usually when we first move somewhere (how many people can use that phrase?) we either don't know anyone or know very few people there. Here, on the other hand, we have both friends and family in abundance keeping us quite busy: the first week we were here we went on a weekend youth retreat, I have been to three family reunions (of sorts) in the past few weeks (a trip to the hospital, a memorial service and a birthday), also I helped spearhead a movie-making project for a special "Guys Honor Girls" event at the youth group here, we only had about a week to make this movie and not only did it have sound (!) but also turned out to be the longest movie I've ever made (clocking in at about seventeen minutes) so that was a stressful experience for me, though it paid off in the end, the girls being honored and all.

What's more is, because we live next door to the church here, we have about 500 neighbors on Sunday and half that many on Wednesday, so it seems like we always have a visitor or two popping in at the house.

All this to say that settling in somehow seems to gotten lost in the shuffle.

So what about the expanding of posts? I've time for little more than constructing the coolest sidebar in the world (please see above paragraph for explanation).

The verdict? The brake was much needed, though for unexpected reasons. So thanks for letting me take one.

I have also absorbed several significant works of art in the past month, but more on that later. Right now it's time for:

EARTH SHATTERING NEWS!

I present for the enjoyment and stimulation of the mind and heart, my PHOTOBLOG:

SELECT VARIATIONS ON A THEME!

Want to impress your friends? Download these magnificent pictures to your computer and put them as your wallpaper, when they ask where you got your rocking cool wallpaper tell 'em the pictures are yours! Will leave impression every time, I guarantee it!

(cough)

Well, whatever you do, enjoy.

Out With the New, In With the Old.

I shall be creating no new posts in the month of February, except for this post, of course.

You are, at this moment, I know, wondering what in the world provoked me to take this rather extreme step. So I tell you, I do this thing for three reasons mainly:

1. I have much fleshing out of posts to do (now, before you go into hysterics, notice that the careful phrasing of my opening sentence allows for as much bloomin' editing of earlier posts as I very well please, thank you).

2. I have much school-work to do and, for some reason, new posts always seem to take priority over this task, so it'll be nice to have this temptation out of the way.

3. Lastly; we've just started settling in our house here and there are A PLETHORA of jobs to do around the house so, once again, a temptation is being removed.

I have only a few parting words: READ THE ARCHIVES! They are meant to be read AND CRITICIZED over and over again. Tis true.

Well, see you there. Bye!

Since U2 seems to be the topic of choice...

I'm providing the lyrics to four of U2's most explicitly religious songs, in the order they were written (courtesy of U2.com). Please take the time to absorb the words and meanings behind these songs.

---

I Still Haven\'t Found What I\'m Looking For

I have climbed the highest mountains
I have run through the fields
Only to be with you
Only to be with you.

I have run, I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls
These city walls
Only to be with you.

But I still haven\'t found
What I\'m looking for.
But I still haven\'t found
What I\'m looking for.

I have kissed honey lips
Felt the healing in her finger tips
It burned like fire
(I was) burning inside her.

I have spoke with the tongue of angels
I have held the hand of a devil
It was warm in the night
I was cold as a stone.

But I still haven\'t found
What I\'m looking for.
But I still haven\'t found
What I\'m looking for.

I believe in the Kingdom Come
Then all the colours will bleed into one
Bleed into one.
But yes, I\'m still running.

You broke the bonds
And you loosed the chains
Carried the cross of my shame
Oh my shame, you know I believe it.

But I still haven\'t found
What I\'m looking for.
But I still haven\'t found
What I\'m looking for.

But I still haven\'t found
What I\'m looking for.
But I still haven\'t found
What I\'m looking for.

---

The First Time

I have a lover, a lover like no other
She got soul, soul, soul, sweet soul
And she teach me how to sing.

Shows me colours when there\'s none to see
Gives me hope when I can\'t believe
That for the first time I feel love.

I have a brother, when I\'m a brother in need
I spend my whole time running
He spends his running after me.

I feel myself goin\' down
I just call and he comes around.
But for the first time I feel love.

My father is a rich man, he wears a rich man\'s cloak.
He gave me the keys to his kingdom (coming)
Gave me a cup of gold.

He said \"I have many mansions
And there are many rooms to see.\"
But I left by the back door
And I threw away the key
And I threw away the key.

For the first time, for the first time
For the first time, I feel love.

---

Grace

Grace, she takes the blame
She covers the shame
Removes the stain
It could be her name

Grace, it\'s the name for a girl
It\'s also a thought that changed the world
And when she walks on the street
You can hear the strings
Grace finds goodness in everything

Grace, she\'s got the walk
Not on a ramp or on chalk
She\'s got the time to talk
She travels outside of karma
She travels outside of karma
When she goes to work
You can hear her strings
Grace finds beauty in everything

Grace, she carries a world on her hips
No champagne flute for her lips
No twirls or skips between her fingertips
She carries a pearl in perfect condition

What once was hurt
What once was friction
What left a mark
No longer stings
Because Grace makes beauty
Out of ugly things

Grace makes beauty out of ugly things

---

Yahweh

Take these shoes
Click clacking down some dead end street
Take these shoes
And make them fit
Take this shirt
Polyester white trash made in nowhere
Take this shirt
And make it clean, clean
Take this soul
Stranded in some skin and bones
Take this soul
And make it sing

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I’m waiting for the dawn

Take these hands
Teach them what to carry
Take these hands
Don’t make a fist
Take this mouth
So quick to criticise
Take this mouth
Give it a kiss

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahewh, Yahweh
Still I’m waiting for the dawn

Still waiting for the dawn, the sun is coming up
The sun is coming up on the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, tell me now
Why the dark before the dawn?

Take this city
A city should be shining on a hill
Take this city
If it be your will
What no man can own, no man can take
Take this heart
Take this heart
Take this heart
And make it break

---

To midnitcafe: I don't see "The First Time" necessarily as a rejection of faith but more as a rejection of the idea of God the Father as Santa Clause. A rejection of the idea that we come to God because of what we can get out of it (mansions, riches ect.), I think that Bono's looking for a relationship deeper than that. If viewed this way then this song would be an excellent companion to "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", (another song that is, addmitedly, open to interpretation). I could be way off base with these thoughts, but thank you, once again anyway for forcing me think.

Tribute, out of the blue.

This is for my friend Joel, who doesn't get nearly enough recognition. In this world of ours there are two kinds of people: talkers and doers.

I'm a talker, Joel's a doer.

I talk about music, he's recording an album.

I talk about film, he directs a film*.

I talk about literature, he writes a short story.

Did I mention that he also does all these things well?

God bless you Joel! And keep up the good work. I'm proud to know you.

~~~

Joel is the vigilant keeper of three weblogs:

Eucharisto - the one all of you know about,

The Grace Of Saint John Of The Cross - a more liturgical blog with special emphasis on the contemplative life

and

Animadverto - his photo blog.

Enjoy! And encourage Joel as he strives to do that for which he was made.



~~~

*with Superman! I haven't forgotten you!

A Collage of Articles and Links (Amazon Link Fixed)

College, where are goodness, truth and beauty to be found? James Scott Bell has some opinions. Joel, I thought that you in particular might find that link interesting.

~~~



Narnia pictures! Click here!

~~~

Also, what do Rock 'n' Roll, John Calvin, U2, Plato, and lap dancing all have in common? Read on.

~~~

I'm on Amazon! Strange but true, I've submitted my review of Frederick Buechner's On The Road With The Archangel to the .com behemoth. If you'd like to read it, click here.

~~~

Does Crouching Tiger have a hidden meaning? Steven D. Greydanus, over at Decent Films, thinks so.

~~~

Jesus according to Hollywood: We're fast approaching the one-year anniversary of the release of The Passion of the Christ and Mike Hertenstein at Flickerings has a massive survey of Moviedom's many Jesus films from the silent era to Mel Gibson's controversial indie film. Here's the link.

~~~

And just in case you didn't catch these the first time around, two MUST READ articles for U2 fans interested in exploreing the spirituallty of the band:

"Bono's American Prayer"

and

the Godspy review of "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb".

Oscar Perdictions!- 2005

The 2005 academy Award Nominations are out.

And it seems that, yes this is the year of the bio-pic (My perdictions have a period just to the left of them):

BEST PICTURE
The Aviator
Finding Neverland
.Million Dollar Baby
Ray
Sideways

BEST DIRECTOR
Clint Eastwood - Million Dollar Baby
Taylor Hackford - Ray
Mike Leigh - Vera Drake
Alexander Payne - Sideways
.Martin Scorcese - The Aviator

BEST ACTOR
Don Cheadle - Hotel Rwanda
Johnny Depp - Finding Neverland
Leonardo DiCaprio - The Aviator
Clint Eastwood - Million Dollar Baby
.Jamie Foxx - Ray


BEST ACTRESS
Annette Bening - Being Julia
Catalina Sandeno Moreno - Maria Full of Grace
Imelda Staunton - Vera Drake
.Hilary Swank - Million Dollar Baby
Kate Winslet - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Alan Alda - The Aviator
Thomas Haden Church - Sideways
Jamie Foxx - Collateral
.Morgan Freeman - Million Dollar Baby
Clive Owen - Closer


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
.Cate Blanchett - The Aviator
Laura Linney - Kinsey
Virginia Madsen - Sideways
Sophie Okonedo - Hotel Rwanda
Natalie Portman - Closer


BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Aviator
.Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind
Hotel Rwanda
The Incredibles
Vera Drake

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Before Sunset
Finding Neverland
Million Dollar Baby
The Motorcycle Diaries
.Sideways

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
As It Is
The Chorus
Downfall
.The Sea Inside
Yesterday

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
.Born Into Brothels
The Story of the Weeping Camel
Super Size Me
Tupac: Resurrection
Twist of Faith

ANIMATED FILM
.The Incredibles
Shark Tale
Shrek 2

ART DIRECTION
.The Aviator
Finding Neverland
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
The Phantom of the Opera
A Very Long Engagement

CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Aviator
.House of Flying Daggers
The Passion of the Christ
The Phantom of the Opera
A Very Long Engagement

COSTUME DESIGN
.The Aviator
Finding Neverland
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
Ray
Troy

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
.Autism is a World
The Children of Leningradsky
Hardwood
Mighty Times: The Children's March
Sister Rose's Passion

FILM EDITING
The Aviator
Collateral
Finding Neverland
Million Dollar Baby
.Ray

MAKEUP
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
.The Passion of the Christ
The Sea Inside

MUSIC (SCORE)
Finding Neverland
.Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
The Passion of the Christ
The Village


MUSIC (SONG)
."Accidentally In Love" - Shrek 2
"Al Otro Lado Del Río" - The Motorcycle Diaries
"Believe" - The Polar Express
"Learn To Be Lonely" - The Phantom of the Opera
"Look To Your Path (Vois Sur Ton Chemin)" - The Chorus


SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
Birthday Boy
.Gopher Broke
Guard Dog
Lorenzo
Ryan

SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
Everything in this Country Must
Little Terrorist
.7:35 in the Morning
Two Cars, One Night
Wasp

SOUND EDITING
.The Incredibles
The Polar Express
Spider-Man 2

SOUND MIXING
The Aviator
The Incredibles
The Polar Express
.Ray
Spider-Man 2

VISUAL EFFECTS
Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban
I, Robot
.Spider-Man 2



Do you have any rants? I wish that The Passion of the Christ and The Incredibles had gotten a little more attention. But did anyone else notice the snubbing of Kensy and Fahrenheit 9/11? That's something to sing about anyway.

Darkest Day

The anniversary of what was possibly the darkest day in American history, Jan 22, flew under most people's radars, mine included.

Not Barbara Nicolosi's.

New faces, new places

Announcing the birth of two weblogs:

silent shrouds

and

Midsummer Dreams.

Blogs are a dime a dozen, so why do I note these two in particular?

Because shrouds' Eriol is my brother and Midsummer my sister. They are both very creative people and I look forward to seeing what will come of this new enterprise. I guess we'll see.

Quick, U2 fans!

Fellow blogger, midnitcafe needs our help!

"Speaking of U2 and MLK I'm working on a little essay and could use some help. Essentially the essay is on love and God in their lyrics. I'm looking specifically at the albums from Joshua Tree to Zooropa, but lyrics from other albums could be helpful. Basically I always found that there was a change in their lyrics concerning God between these albums similar to the change of musical styles that came in those albums. Any thoughts?"

Well, friends do you have any thoughts?

As for me, midnitcafe, anything I would say would just be stolen from this piece of musical exploration by Jeffrey Overstreet. Shocking, I know. Oh, and to get a sense of the context of each album, I find it's best to read the reviews from bottom to top. I hope it helps!

Be afraid, be very afraid.

Coming to a Wal-Mart near you!

Safe and Sound

We're here in Portland, safe and sound (and a little bewildered). I'll try to give more information later but for now I'll just say to those in Tennessee that we miss you all (ya'll?) very much!

And we'll see you soon.

===

And if you're trying to get in touch with us you can do so at our "AT&T" account (for those who don't know what that is but know the address of our comcast account, just replace the word "comcast" in our other account with "att", that'll do the trick).

Oh and another thing, this has nothing to do with moving, but does anyone here know how to add permanent links on the sidebar? This is driving me crazy. Midnitecafe can you help?

In honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

From Bono...

Pride (In The Name Of Love)

One man come in the name of love
One man come and go.
One man come he to justify
One man to overthrow.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
One man caught on a barbed wire fence
One man he resist
One man washed up on an empty beach
One man betrayed with a kiss.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
Early morning, April four
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky.
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.
In the name of love
What more in the name of love.

Me again!

KnightrockTwo
Originally uploaded by Foolishknight.

This time as a chess piece. Snazzy, huh?

More voting fun!

At Eucharisto, my friend Joel is asking for your input. The topic? The music of 2004! So don't be shy! I know you have opinions, share them!

OK, this time I MEAN it!

No more internet for our family till we get settled in our new house - starting midnight tonight. Unless, of course, some passing stranger happens to have pity on us and lets us use his laptop that just happens to have a wireless internet connection or something like that. Yeah.


Anyway feel very free to review the contents of my archives, the stuff I write is meant to be read over and over again - though I am the first to admit that it does not hold up well, please read anyway (and feel free to criticize anything you find that doesn't hold up well - you folks keep me accountable bloggerwise, thank you).

Well, see you later and good knight! (sorry, bad pun)

Well Worth Reading

Jeffery Overstreet has compiled his year end list of the best music of 2004, and has written a short, year end commentary to boot.

It's well worth reading (and discussing - if you'd like).

Here it is.

Skeleton of a Post

I plan on developing this post later but for now here's the framework of a series of thoughts on why I believe the standards for Film are absolute:

1. I believe that Film is an Art form.

2. I believe that the purpose of Art is to point toward Truth.

3. I believe that Truth is absolute (whether relatively or absolutely so).

Thus I believe that the standards for Film are absolute.

Yeah, I was wrong...

... again. Misinformed is a better word, though. We can still connect to the internet after all. I'll try to let you know when this changes.

In a day's work.

George
Originally uploaded by Foolishknight.

Yep, that's me. On the left. Does it say anything about me that I draw Dragons better than Knights? (I'm not saying that either is very good.)

Installment Sixteen...

"The Christian writer does not decide what would be good for the world and proceed to deliver it. Like a very doubtful Jacob, he confronts what stands in his path and wonders if he will come out of the struggle at all."

-Flannery O'Connor

Walker Percy

I haven't read so much as a page of Mr. Percy's work but this article by Gregory Wolfe has certainly wetted my appetite.

Have any of you read anything of Percy's? Do have any suggestions as to where I should start?

2004, the Year in Books

All in all I've finished twenty-seven books this year (if you count the books I read twice - which I do). Here they are in the (approximate) order in which I read them:

1. Waking the Dead, John Eldredge
2. Telling the Truth, the Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy and Fairy Tale, Frederick Buechner
3. To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee Harper
4. The Hawk and the Dove
5. Addicted to Mediocrity, Franky Schaeffer
6. The Storm, Frederick Buechner
7. The Violent Bear It Away, Flannery O'Connor
8. The Ragamuffin Gospel
9. The Pilgrim's Regress, C. S. Lewis
10. Telling the Truth, the Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy and Fairy Tale
11. Not a Tame Lion
12. The Rock Cries Out
13. The Four Loves, C. S. Lewis
14. Brendan
15. What’s So Amazing About Grace?
16. Peace Like A River
17. Wishful Thinking, A Theological ABC
18. Something Wicked This Way Comes
19. Perelandra
20. Speak What We Feel (Not What We Ought to Say)
21. On the Road with the Archangel
22. Godric
23. The Wizard’s Tide
24. The Storm
25. Peace Like A River
26. Soul Survivor
27. The Alphabet of Grace

Have you read any of these? Do you love or hate any books on this list? Do you see any here you'd like to discuss? If so, comment! I'll try to put more content on the post later so keep checking back.

The hour is getting late...

We've been busy turning our home into a house (i.e. packing) and it's a sad time. But (oddly enough) a time so permeated with radiant shots of Joy (from sledding with friends and receiving eucharist on Christmas Eve to finishing a wonderful book and movie last night) that I've found myself a bit stunned, I want to develop this thought and maybe I will later but for now I only bring you an important bit of information:

We will have no way to connect to the internet, starting Monday. So, for those who would do this sort of thing, DO NOT e-mail to our Comcast account after Sunday. Thank-you.

Quoth Ron Reed;

"People are not only willing to tolerate us, they want to hear what we have to say, find out our spiritual strategies. Modernism, and its mystery-denying faith in science and pure rationality, has all but expired. People -- some people, anyway -- want mystery and humanity."

in an article from the Vancouver Sun.

And, by popular demand, the list I submitted at my own poll:

With Or Without You, U2

Like a Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan

Where The Streets Have No Name, U2

Wayfaring Stranger, Jack White

Anything, Sixpence None The Richer

Answers Don't Come Easy, Leslie Phillips

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, U2

daises&roses, Burlap To Cashmere

Help!, The Beatles

Honeysuckle Breeze, Lost Dogs

Idumea, Sacred Heart Singers At Liberty Church

Running To Stand Still, U2

It’s Not Your Fault, Ashley Cleveland

Jealous Kind, Jars Of Clay

Rock of Ages, Traditional

Small Great Things, Daniel Amos

The Author of the Story, Daniel Amos

Walk On, U2

Lines of My Earth, Sixpence None the Richer

Wondering Where the Lions Are, Vigilantes of Love

THE WAIT IS OVER!

The polls are closed! The votes are in! And the results of the first annual "Foolish Knight Reader's Favorite Songs Poll" are as follows:

==========================

1. Where the Streets Have No Name, U2

2. With Or Without You, U2

3. Jesus Freak, dc Talk

4. Red Letters, dc Talk

5. O Holy Night, John Sullivan Dwight (words) Adolphe-Charles Adam (music)

6. O Lord You’re Beautiful, Keith Green

7. & 8. (tie) Into the West, Annie Lennox and Be My Escape, Relient K

9. Honeysuckle Breeze, Lost Dogs

10. Vertigo, U2

==========================

There it is, like it or not, the people have spoken! Many thanks to all who participated, you folks don't agree on much but I guess U2 isn't going away any time soon.

More info to come...

Installment Fifteen...

“The Christian mind thinks sacramentally. The Christian Faith presents a sacramental view of life. It shows life’s positive richness as derivative from the supernatural. It teaches us that to create beauty or to experience beauty, to recognize truth or to discover truth, to receive love or to give love, is to come into contact with realities which express the Divine Nature.”

-Harry Blamires, The Christian Mind

Would you like to eavesdrop onto some of Foolish Knight's thoughts?

Let's listen in...

I tend to hold books and movies to different standards from each other. This is understandable. They are, after all, different mediums. Still... it seems to me that, when boiled down, the elements of story are the same. Aren't they? So why should I throw a fit if a film asks me to invest in it? Why not tolerate a film that leaves me with more questions than answers? G. K. Chesterton, Frederick Buechner, J. R. R. Tolkien, Flannery O'Connor, C. S. Lewis and Alan Paton--some of my favorite authors--all have written books which do just that. They allow for multiple visits and multiple interpretations of their minor themes and while their major themes are simply made clearer with each visit.
What I’m saying is why not view films with this some attitude? This attitude of exploration and viewing art as a journey--not a destination.
And it helps if we view this journey like all journeys--sometimes dangerous. sometimes thrilling sometimes beautiful, bland, entertain or tiring but only constant in one respect: it’s always a journey.

This reminds me of something I found on the Looking Closer web site:

"I think writers with actual intentions generally end up saying things they already thought they knew, and I'm not much interested in reducing my vocation as a poet to something like propagandist. I write poems to find things out, not to communicate some previously ossified conclusion."

-poet Scott Cairns in an interview with Image

God, I love so many people here...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

That’s all you can hear for now, the rest is a little personal. I do hope this excursion has been educational, thanks for listening.

Since I don't intend to do any blogging tomorrow...

...I'll just say it now,

MERRY CHRISTMAS,

and may you see how God has blessed you with his love, the love that brought his son here in the first place.

“And now I will show you the most excellent way.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs, Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. but where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. when I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. when I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known,
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love, But the greatest of these is love.”

-First Corinthians

Two opinions of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, in a Q&A format.

I thought it would be fun to give my opinion of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera in a question and answer format. Also, I thought that it would be good if you got another opinion of the movie, so I’d like to thank my sister for her willing assistance in that area.
Many thanks, as well, to Joel, for his provision of these thoughtful and though-provoking questions. (it should also be noted that Joel is in no way responsible for the answers to these questions, so if there are any knife-wielding Phantom fans out there who don't like what you read here, blame me, not him) Alright, on to the good stuff:

First my sister's answers:

1. Was it well cast?

Yes. All the actors did a great job portraying their characters personalities.


2. Did it go an original route or did it look like the stage play on
film?

Original, it didn’t look like someone sneaked a video camera into the play.


3. Did it use the original music?

Yes, as far as I know; I’ve only heard bits and pieces of the Broadway soundtrack.


4. Was it more style or more content?

Probably style.


5. Did it have good character development?

They concentrated on the Phantom and kinda left the rest alone.


6. Was it sappy or interesting?

Interesting. I didn’t feel like I was about to cry instead I wanted to know what was going to happen next.


7. Was it well directed (shots and such)?

Yes, the director did a great job moving from one point to the next without confusing me.


8. Was it worthy of more stars than CT online gave it?

Yes, out of four stars I would give it three and a half.


9. Is it worthy of one or more academy awards?

Yes, the costume and sets were incredible and the music was great.


10. Is it worth seeing more than once?

Yes, I would like to see the acting again now that I know what the story’s about.


============================


Now mine:

1. Was it well cast?

I think that the character of the Phantom will always be the most intriguing to me no matter what adaptation I’m watching (or reading) so it’s no surprise that I found Gerard Butler’s performance to be the most worthwhile aspect of this film

As for the rest of the cast they (for the most part) did a fine job with the material they were given; Emmy Rossum (who plays Christine) pulled off an impressive performance especially considering here age (only 18!) and Minnie Driver was entertaining as a spanish diva. Patrick Wilson however gets the short end of the stick with the character “Raoul”, I use the term ‘character’ lightly.


2. Did it go an original route or did it look like the stage play on
film?

It certainly did not look like a play on film, which is to the director’s credit but this had little effect since the film very much felt like a Broadway play trying to make it’s way onto the big screen.


3. Did it use the original music?

Yes it’s all here, from the bombastic main theme to the dated drum machines, though I wish it wasn’t, for I was made painfully aware from the moment Lloyd Webber’s music muscled it’s way into the movie that I was not watching The Phantom of the Opera but *ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER'S* The Phantom of the Opera . A fact I wasn’t allowed to escape for the rest of the film. It was the film’s greatest weakness.


4. Was it more style or more content?

Style definitely trumps content in this film. I did not feel like the filmmakers were trying to say anything through this movie, which is too bad since the original story naturally lends itself to many topics and themes.


5. Did it have good character development?

Despite the actors best efforts, we are often left with no clue or insight into the characters actions or motivations.


6. Was it sappy or interesting?

Neither, really. It tries to knock us over the head the characters' emotions (which are never exactly “sappy”, instead they’re usually a mix of awe/admiration/desire that gets old after awhile), I would have enjoyed the movie a lot more if it had opted to show instead of tell.


7. Was it well directed (shots and such)?

Though his direction is not award-worthy, Joel Schumacher, like the actors, does an adequate job using the material he is given.


8. Was it worthy of more stars than CT online gave it?

No, I think two out of four stars is a fair rating.


9. Is it worthy of one or more academy awards?

It had very high production values, that is to say that there was a lot of talent going into the look of the movie but, beyond awards for these things, I don’t see it winning anything big come Oscar time. Thank goodness.

10. Is it worth seeing more than once?

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Winter Wonderland (Pt. Two)

IM001223
Originally uploaded by Foolishknight.

Winter Wonderland

IM001220
Originally uploaded by Foolishknight.

Why read old books?

I think C. S. Lewis goes a long way in answering this question:

"Every age has its own outlook. It is especially good at seeing certain truths and specially liable to make certain mistakes. We all, therefore, need to keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds... by reading old books."

Penny Lane Blair has got me thinking.

With this comment:

"I dare ask you what makes a film great anyways? Isn't it up to the viewer to deside?"

A question for my readers,

What do you think?

Installment Fourteen...

“All that is not eternal is eternally out of date.”

-C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves

Art Needs No Justifcation

It's been about a mounth since I encouraged my readers to get off their computers and read a book.

Well, now it seems that you can be online and read a book at the same time. For those who like that sort of thing.

So I present to you, for your mind's enlightenment, Hans Rookmaaker's Art Needs No Justifcation.

I've made a terrible mistake!

I need you to help me! I need your list to be twenty songs long, not ten. You see, you (my readers) have such varied tastes that only a handful of songs even got voted for twice. Like I said, this is my mistake and I know that at least one of my readers will think unpleasant thoughts after reading this post. I'm sorry!

Remember the deadline's Christmas day. Oh and for order's sake please do not post any lists which are subject to change; I'm accepting all lists I see as final. Thank you, and once again I'm terribly sorry about all of this.

I need more hellos.

Have you ever moved a mountain?

Have you ever moved a tree?

The mountain doesn't want to be moved

Neither does tree

And I know why

It hurts

Early Draft Reflections

I once described myself as a recovering procrastinator. Well, I've decided to strike the adjective - I'm a procrastinator plain and simple I don't like it, I'm trying to fight it, but darn it! I am one.

A Man For a Seasons

This film's biggest weakness is probably that - because it's very much driven by dialogue - it (at times) can feel more like a play that's been filmed that a movie. As weaknesses go, this is not a very big one and is understandable since A Man for All Seasons is based on Robert Bolt's play of the same name

Fuori Dal Mondo (Not of This World)

Not of This World just may be the best movie you've never seen.

Moby Dick

Once again we end with my least favorite of the bunch and once again I'm fumbling to explain why. With Ray Bradbury’s pen and director John Huston's helmsmenship, why third place?

G. K. Chesterton on: Indiana Jones?

"Europe ought rather to emphasize possible perdition; and Europe always has emphasized it. Here its highest religion is at one with all its cheapest romances. To the Buddhist or the eastern fatalist existence is a science or a plan, which must end up in a certain way. But to a Christian existence is a story, which may end up in any way. In a thrilling novel (that purely Christian product) the hero is not eaten by cannibals: but it is essential to the existence of the thrill that he might be eaten by cannibles. The hero must (so to speak) be an eatable hero."

Now is the time for all good men (and women)...

... to stand up and be heard! In the first annual Foolish Knight If-You-Don't-Like-The-Rolling-Stone-500-Greatest-Songs-List-Why-Don't-You-Make-One-Of-Your-Own? reader's list-making event! That's right, I want you to help me compile a list of my readers Ten Most Favorite Songs of All Time! Here's how:

1. Compile your list of your ten favorite songs. Think good and hard; scratch your head, chew your pencil. Do whatever helps you think, then

2. Get it to me! Run across country (or across the ocean), or just do it the easy way and “comment” your list.

I’ll tally the votes according to my own special system, remember the polls close on Christmas Day! Have fun, think hard!

It's here.

The extended version of The Return of the King is in stores.

Here are some links to articles written while it was still in theaters.

Those who are fanatical about the film should read this one (just don't stone me after you read it)

and for those who want an in-depth review I recommend the one found here.

Enjoy and, as always, let me know what you think.

Update! Jeffery Overstreet's magnificent article on what we have lost because of the films

and

his interviews with The Lord of the Rings cast & crew.

My Favorite Films (Slight Update)

This is what my favorite movie list currently looks like. It will look very different by the time I'm done but I thought you (my "well watched" readers) might find it interesting. If you have any questions about any films on the list or disagreements with any film placements the list let me know!

The Lord of the Rings
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Babettes Gaetebud
Yi Yi (A One and a Two)
Citizen Kane
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
Master and Commander, On the Far Side of the World
Mr. Smith Goes To Washington
To Kill a Mocking Bird
It’s a Wonderful Life
Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea
Lawrence of Arabia
La Passion De Jeanne D’arc
Fuori Dal Mondo
Sense and Sensibility
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
The Many Adventures of Winne the Pooh
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
The Passion of the Christ
The Man Without a Past
A Man for All Seasons
Fantasia and Fantasia 2000
It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Tokyo Monogotari
On The Waterfront
Fiddler on the Roof
A Tale of Two Cites
It Happened One Night
Rebel Without a Cause
The African Queen
The Truman Show
The Princess Bride
Cyrano de Bergirac
Driving Miss Daisy
Singin’ in the Rain
Chariots of Fire
Groundhog Day
Searching for Bobbie Fisher
The Bridge on the River Kwai
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Arsenic and Old Lace
The Emperors New Groove
The Rescuers Down Under
The Magnificent Seven
Goodbye Mr. Chips
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Miracle on 34th Street
Remember the Titans
Shichinin no samurai (The Seven Samurai)
The Third Man
The Wizard of Oz
Maltese Falcon
Finding Nemo
Mary Poppins
Casablanca
Star Wars
12 Angry Men
His Girl Friday
Spiderman 2
Toy Story 2
What’s Up Doc?
The Quiet Man
Nicoholas Nickleby
The Sound of Music
The Great Escape
The Prince of Egypt
The Jungle Book
Field of Dreams
Roman Holiday
Amadeus
Le Fils
Tender Mercies
The Bicycle Thief
Shadowlands
Rear Window
Moby Dick
Babe
The Incredibles
Father Goose
Chicken Run
The Ladykillers
Toy Story
Henry V
The Searchers
El Dorado
Little Women
Charade
Ben Hur
Sleeping Beauty
The Music Man
Spider Man
Gandhi
Hamlet (L. Oliver)
The Russian Ark
My Fair Lady
Monster’s Inc.
West Side Story
The Rookie
Mrs. Brown
October Sky
A Bug’s Life
Witness
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Hero
Hamlet (Mel Gibson)
Harvey
Apollo 13
Pinocchio

Installment Thirteen...

“You say grace before meals.
All right.
But I say grace before the play and the opera,
And grace before the concert and the pantomime,
And grace before I open a book,
And grace before sketching, painting,
Swimming fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing;
And grace before I dip the pen in the ink.”

-G. K. Chesterton

All-Time Favorite Blog

Sorry guys, this a failed experiment. I should have deleted it.

I'm looking forward to only one movie this year...

... you guessed it!

Primer!

What's that you say? You didn't guess Primer?

You don't even know I'm talking about, you say?

Well then, let me educate you. Wait, on second thought I'll just let Jeffery Overstreet do it. (Be sure to follow the link)

There's also a full review here.

Smells like... List-O-Matic!

Speaking of Bob Dylan; guess who's song was picked by Rolling Stone magazine as the best song of all time on their list of The 500 Best Songs Ever. Good guess.

If that list isn't big enough then maybe this one of The New York Times 1000 Best Movies Of All Time will satisfy you.

Overwhelmed by the large numbers? How about a list with just one hundred selections on it?

If it's movies you want then The Arts & Faith Top 100 Spiritually Significant Films list is probably the one for you

If books, then look no further than Image Journal's similarly themed list of 100 books.

Continuing the search for my Favorite Film

As I look back over the archives of my blog I see that I once promised to share my thoughts on every film I’ve ever rented through Netflix.

What was I thinking?

That’s 16 movies!

But I must let my “yes be yes” as t'were. And (who knows?) maybe I’ll find my favorite movie through all of this.

You must bear with me though. For, though I will try to fulfill my pledge, I shall do so in baby steps (since I am a recovering procrastinator) about three films at a time, I think.

I’ll try to do it in chronological order which means the first three will be:

Tokyo Story,
The Passion of Joan of Arc and
Hamlet

Let me stress that these are not reviews and certainly not Plugged In style reviews (if a film sounds intriguing but you want to know if you can watch it with a six-year-old just leave a comment asking for specifics, I’ll try to oblige) these are simply thoughts and impressions on a odd little group of movies.

Tokyo Story

If you're looking for a film to put the aforementioned six-year-old to sleep; look no further! This movie has it all: black & white cinematography, meticulous pacing, and a grand total of two camera movements in the entire film! Plus the whole thing's in Japanese. No, this is not a film to watch when your tired.

That being said, you should know that this film also happens to be (at least, according to Roger Ebert) one of the five greatest movies of all time. Don't ask me what the other four are, I really don't know.

Tokyo's story is very simple: a couple of empty nesters living in post world war two Japanese suburbia decide to visit there kids in the big city. When they come it's clear that children view them as a burden. So after an unpleasant stay the parents go back home.

Like I told you: simple story. But for those who are willing to invest themselves in it, it can have powerful results. There's MUCH more to say about this movie but I've done such a bad job already. I think it's time to move on to

La Passion De Jeanne D’arc (The Passion of Joan of Arc)

According to the history books this is one of the first movies, if not the first, to show that films could be ART. But this is far more than just another museum piece. It's still a powerfully told (and surprisingly intense) story about a young women's devotion.

But devotion to what? Why did this maiden go to war? Did she really hear the voice of God?

How you answer these questions ultimately will effect how you ultimately view this work of art and whether you accept or reject its message.

But regardless of the conclusions you draw after watching this movie, I think you'll agree that The Passion of Joan of Arc is at least worthy of one viewing and discussing time. As with any great work of it's kind.

Hamlet

This is probably my least favorite of this particular batch. Don't get me wrong; you could do worse than to watch Sir Lawrence Oliver speak the words of William Shakespeare, but this is not my favorite of Mr. Shakespeare's plays. And the fact that Hamlet beat out The Treasure of the Sierra Madre for Best Picture at the Oscars doesn't help. However my mind has been know to change before and if anyone knows of some good study of Hamlet I'd love to read it.

Well, there they are; three shoddy pieces written on three excellent films. I hope my lack of eloquence will not steer you away from any of these masterpieces. Please enjoy, think about and share each one.

Onto the next batch...

Bob Dylan speaks!

For those who are interested, 60 Minutes has interviewed one of the centuries' greatest (and most reclusive) songsmiths. Here’s the transcript.

What's in a name?

I thought I'd explain a little of the meaning behind my name. And I intend to do it in true Foolish Knight fashion: by using a series of quotes.

Here they are:

No. 1

‘ “Well, what is the song, then?” said Alice, who was by this time completely bewildered.
“I was coming to that,” the Knight said. “The song really is ‘A-sitting On A Gate’: and the tune’s my own invention.”
So saying, he stopped his horse and let the reins fall on its neck: then, slowly beating time with one hand, and with a faint smile lighting up his gentle foolish face, as if he enjoyed the music of his song, he began.
Of all the strange things that Alice saw in her journey Through The Looking-Glass, this was the one that she always remembered most clearly. Years afterwards she could bring the whole scene back again, as if it had been only yesterday--the mild blue eyes and kindly smile of the Knight--the setting sun gleaming through his hair, and shining on his armour in a blaze of light that quite dazzled her--the horse quietly moving about, with the reins hanging loose on his neck, cropping the grass at her feet--and the black shadows of the forest behind--all this she took in like a picture, as, with one hand shading her eyes, she leant against a tree watching the strange pair, and listening, in a half-dream, to the melancholy music of the song. ’

-Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass

No. 2

“I’m a ridiculous man. Now they call me a madman. That would be a promotion if I weren’t just as ridiculous as before in their eyes. But it no longer makes me angry. I find them all nice now, even when they laugh at me--indeed, if they do, they’re somehow particularly dear to me. I’d even laugh with them-- not really at myself but out of sheer love for them--if looking at them didn’t make me so sad. Sad, because they don’t know the truth, while I do. Ah, it’s so hard to be the only one to know the truth! But they won’t understand it. No, they won’t.”

-Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Dream of a Ridiculous Man

No. 3

If the world is sane, then Jesus is mad as a hatter and the Last Supper is the Mad Tea Party. The world says, Mind your own business, and Jesus says, There is no such thing as your own business. The world says, Follow the wisest course and be a success, and Jesus says, Follow me and be crucified. The world says, Drive carefully—the life you save may be your own—and Jesus says, Whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. The world says, Law and order, and Jesus says, Love. The world says, Get, and Jesus says, Give. In terms of the world’s sanity, Jesus is crazy as a coot, and anybody who thinks he can follow him without being a little crazy too is laboring less under a cross than under a delusion.

-Frederick Buechner, The Faces of Jesus

No. 4

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the
wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I
will frustrate.”
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks. Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. for the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger then man’s strength. Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

First Corinthians

Citizen Kane is no longer my favorite movie.

Isn't it funny how a sentence or two in passing can have a revolutionary effect on one's thinking? The worst part about the whole thing is that I don't even know which movie to replace Citizen Kane with. Any suggestions?

The sentence or two in question can be found here in an article on the Devil at the movies.

For those of you who liked that piece here's one I like better by the same author.

Enjoy, but proceed with caution; you may find you come out with your thoughts a bit shaken; as I did.

Want ten free Over the Rhine songs?

Here they are. All perfectly legal and with the artist's blessing.

This is supposed to be our last day of High-Speed Internet

So I'm afraid you'll have exercise patience as it seems my posts will be few and far between.

To you

To all my wonderful, faithful, patient, loyal, well read, well watched, and highly intelligent readers: HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

If U2's new album is half as good as this review...

...then I think I'll be making a trip Best Buy soon.

Here it is.

Installment Twelve...

An unliterary man may be defined as one who reads books once only.

-C.S. Lewis

Why are you reading this post?

Why aren't you reading a book? Is it because you think you've read every good book ever written? Have you read these?

THE TEN BOOKS I WISH EVERYONE WOULD READ AND DISCUSS WITH EVERYONE ELSE

(Nonfiction)
1. Telling the Truth; the Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy and Fairy Tale (Frederick Buechner)
2. Orthodoxy (G. K. Chesterton)
3. Soul Survivor (Philip Yancey)
4. Addicted to Mediocrity (Franky Schaeffer)
5. The Ragamuffin Gospel (Brennan Manning)

(Fiction)
1. Till We Have Faces (C. S. Lewis)
2. Something Wicked This Way Comes (Ray Bradbury)
3. Short Stories (Flannery O’Connor)
4. The Lord of the Rings (J. R. R. Tolkien)
5. The Death of Ivan Ilych (Leo Tolstoy)

I don’t mean to sound snooty, I just thought that (maybe) if you had enough time you’d be better off spending it reading one of these books than my blog.

Installment Eleven...

"We are in great haste to construct a magnetic telegraph from Maine to Texas; but Maine and Texas, it may be, have nothing important to communicate."

-Thoreau

What did I learn?

What did I learn on my month without film? That's a good hard question (asked by only two people!). I learned two things mainly:

First: that when you do something out of the norm people are inclined to raise their eyebrows; "Why?" is the way most people responded when I told them my plans for a film free month, my heart goes out to all you vegetarians out there.

Second: this realization surprise me a bit more (OK, a lot more), I had been using films as something merely to fill time; any time I wanted to turn off my brain I'd say "Let's watch a movie!". I knew that this is how many people view movies; as something to snack on, but not I! Surely not I! But alas it was so.

Suffice it to say that I think much more carefully about popping in a DVD now. And the next time I do something like this (which may be soon) I shall try to have a good answer to the question Why?

Spiritually Significant Books

I recently ran across a list of 100 books from the Twentieth Century that each grapple with spiritual themes. It appears to be a very thorough and scholarly list and I almost cheered when I saw the entries. Well, at least the five or six that I'd read (and the two or three I'm reading now).

Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes,

Frederic Buechner's Godric (I did not cheer when I found this book on the list as I had not read it yet!),

G. K. Chesterton's The Man Who Was Thursday,

Annie Dillard's Pilgrim at Tinker Creek (I've not read this all the way through yet, but I'm almost done!),

Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time,

C. S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces,

Flannery O'Connor's Short Stories (Of which I have read some but not all), and

J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings,

Please comment! Have you read any of the 100 listed? Are there any books that you feel should be on the list but aren't? (I can think of at least one, Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton)

Installment Ten...

“I have always been more inclined to believe the ruck of hard-working people than to believe that special and troublesome literary class to which I belong. I prefer even the fancies and prejudices of the people who see life from the inside to the clearest demonstrations of the people who see life from the outside. I would always trust the old wives’ fables against the old maid’s facts. As long as wit is mother wit it can be as wild as it pleases.”

-G. K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

Moses and I

I was browsing through the Psalms late one night when, though I was not especially comprehending what was I was reading, a particular verse caught my eye. A prayer really. Of Moses:

"May the favor of the Lord our God
rest upon us;
establish the work of our hands for
us--
yes, establish the work of our
hands."

This prayer seemed to say what was on my mind and heart. It seemed that a prayer, which my heart was groaning out, had been translated to page by the Holy Spirit Himself. A prayer of the relation between Art and God and of myself, caught somewhere in the middle.

Maybe it showed me that God really does care about what I make with my hands and that maybe God is willing to "establish" it. Maybe that's why it caught my eye - even at 12:00 at night.

Grace & Sin

Grace & Sin
Originally uploaded by Foolishknight.

An unusual post inspired by my friend Nathan.

"There's fairies around us", an oldish man whispered to me, his whiskers tickling my ears, "sometimes you can see them - a glimpse of 'em here and there, out of the corner of your eye - while other times", he said pausing, "you can hear them... you can hear them laugh. In a waterfall or in the tinkling of silverware and plates at dinner; a laugh that all at once makes you feel that you are either the wisest man on the face of the earth or the greatest fool to set foot on it, sometimes both at once.”
“But mostly" he went on kind of squinting his eyes and twisting his mouth a little (making a face that did not remind one of fairies), "you feel them"
"You feel their little feet dancing on your back - if you lie very still, not a dance of chaos mind you but of order - or you feel their breath blowing your hair, you feel them in a loved one's embrace, you feel them in your teeth (yes your teeth!) when thunder rattles the windows."
"Yes - the shabby man said to me, "better you learn young to keep eye and ear out for the little ones."
His beard was no longer in my ear at this point and I could see him quite well and I noticed something I thought strange. Although his mouth stayed open after he said all this (as if he were going to add one thing more) he got up (with a sound that reminded me of the floorboards in the old house where I grew up) walked off rather slowly - his mouth was still open - I don’t know, he might have said something more but I didn’t hear it if he did.
That was years ago, I'm much older now. And I still don't know if I believe what he said though I think of it every now and again; when I think I see something that isn't there or when I think I hear more than babbling in a brook's playing.
But mostly I think of the old man when I feel something different in a friends embrace -or when thunder rattles my windows at night.

This is an experiment

IM001063Three
Originally uploaded by Foolishknight.

Installment Nine...

“The man that does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.”

-Mark Twain

A personal note.

Yesterday was my birthday.

A day (as it turned out) that grace came up and stared me right in the face; I had people for whom I'd never done a good turn coming out of nowhere to recognize and celebrate me!

Yes little ol' prideful, selfish me! I was stunned.

The experience was joyous and humbling at the same time. What's more is that when I experienced these acts of grace, it made me want to do something gracious for someone else.

I guess this whole grace thing is contagious.

Thank God.