What happens next...

Having watched the opening 4 minutes of LOST Season 6 that were leaked online yesterday (I know, I'm weak!), I have a theory about what is going to happen in the very next scene. I'm recording it here for posterity, so that when I'm right the world can stand in awe at what a LOST geek I am. Please read on ONLY if you watched the leaked footage or after you've seen the actual show on Tuesday...

MAJOR SPOILERS

My prediction is that Jack's dad will come back from the restroom alive and well and sit down next to Jack, commenting on the turbulence or something. It's obvious from the little differences from the way the original scene played out that things are different in this timeline, and this would be a great way to show us just how radically different things are. My second favorite theory is that we're being tricked, and that within the next few seconds the plane will go into a dive and crash again. And in this new timeline, Jack is going to die in the crash.

END SPOILERS

There you have it! Just three more days and we'll know if I'm right! Can't wait!

Top 50 Films of the Decade: Part 5 (The Final Chapter)

Okay, time for the fifth and final installment of my fave fifty films of the last decade. Roll out the top 10!

#10: Wall-E

Anyone who would dismiss this as "just a kid's movie" either didn't watch it or didn't get it. It's a visually beautiful, poetic, heartfelt commentary on the direction society is heading, as we focus more and more on instant gratification and entertainment and less on our relationship with each other and our world. How brilliant to have a robot who knows more of what it means to really live than the humans themselves, and from whom the human characters learn the lesson of what really matters in life. It's a story of love, self-sacrifice and taking personal responsibility that truly touches the heart and sticks with you long after you've seen it.

#9: Pan's Labyrinth

Don't be fooled by the title into EVER showing this to your kids. This is a dark, often disturbing and violent, story of a little girl who attempts to escape personal loss, the coldness of a cruel and unloving stepfather, and the brutality of the Spanish Civil War by disappearing into a fantasy world. It's a truly imaginative, visually compelling masterpiece, with some of the creepiest fantasy imagery I've ever seen.

#8: Sunshine

Danny Boyle conquers yet another genre to deliver my favorite science fiction film of the decade. The plot about a mission sent to reignite Earth's dying sun sounds like it could be cheesy, but it's truly a remarkable film. Everything just comes together, from directing, the acting, the cinematography, the imagery, the effects. Truly humbling and even terrifying in the way it portrays the immensity of our awe-inspiring sun. And only brings home the reality of how much greater still the sun's Creator must be.

#7: Slumdog Millionaire

Yet another Danny Boyle masterpiece about a young man from the slums of India who competes on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, not to win his fortune but to find the girl he loves and has lost time and time again. A commentary on the ancient religious and social divisions in India, a redemptive story of a young man who transcends his painful past, and a beautiful love story all rolled into one. And like all of Danny Boyles movies, it has an awesome soundtrack!

#6: Avatar

An absolutely groundbreaking achievement. James Cameron is a storytelling master, and it shows in this movie. He just has a way of making the narrative flow in such a way that you don't even notice the time passing. He never lets the incredible special effects overwhelm the personal stories, keeping the emotional core of the story centered around the two main characters. Although I would argue that the main "character" is the planet Pandora itself, and the majority of the screen time is spent developing this "character" (unfortunately, often at the expense of the other characters). He's also one of the best action directors out there, and this story is concluded by one of the most eye-poppingly dazzling action sequences in recent memory. A sequel has already been green lit (not surprising since the movie is well on its way to toppling Titanic as the number one grossing movie of all time), and given Cameron's history of turning out sequels that consistently rival the originals (Terminator 2 and Aliens), we're in for a real treat.

#5: Memento

This was director Christopher Nolan's breakthrough movie, and my second favorite movie of his. The plot of this film actually unfolds in reverse, with each subsequent scene revealing the events that led up to the previous scene. This narrative device has an important purpose, though: to brilliantly put us in the shoes of the main character. You see, years earlier his wife was killed and he was left with a brain injury that prevents him from being able to form new memories. So every few minutes he forgets everything that transpired in the previous few minutes, which is tough, since he's trying to track down the man who murdered his wife and left him in this state. The way this mystery grabs you and unfolds is nothing short of brilliant, and keeps you guessing until the very end.

#4: The Dark Knight

This one's my favorite Christopher Nolan movie, and the sequel to his previous film "Batman Begins" (see part 4 of my list). Heath Ledger's inspired performance as the Joker really steals the show on this one, but the script, the acting, the directing, the dark story, everything just really comes together to make this a masterpiece. Not so much a "superhero" movie as it is one of the most brilliant crime dramas in a long time.

#3: Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl

Who would have guessed that a live-action Disney movie based on a theme park ride would turn out to be one of the coolest movies of the past decade? I haven't seen a movie with such a carefree sense of fun and adventure since the original Star Wars and Indiana Jones films, and from my very first time watching this in the theater I knew I was seeing a classic in the making. Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow is instantly iconic, and really makes the movie.

#2: Gladiator

Oh, I know it's not historically accurate, but it's an amazing work of fiction that single-handedly resurrected the sword-and-sandal epic, bringing to mind such classics as Ben Hur and Spartacus. It really transports you to ancient Rome, bringing to life the interesting combination of culture and brutality. I'm also blown away by the amazing cinematography, musical score by Hans Zimmer, and brilliant performances, especially those of Russel Crowe and Jaoquin Phoenix. Another instant classic.

#1: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Anyone who knows me well will not be surprised to see this at the top of my list. Not only my favorite films of the decade, but also of all time. If any of these movies deserve to be lumped together as one, it's these: one long story filmed as one long movie divided into three parts. Never has there been a cinematic achievement like this one. It really does have everything: amazing story (thanks in no small part to author J.R.R. Tolkien), richly detailed world, groundbreaking effects, awesome action (including the most epic battles ever brought to the screen), brilliant complex soundtrack, fantastic performances, well-developed characters (the story always stays focused on them and their relationships, in spite of all the battles and effects), and deeply resonant themes (self-sacrifice, keeping hope even when things seem hopeless, the reality of Providence, the true unattractiveness of evil, the corruption of absolute power, the importance of mercy, compassion, love and friendship, etc.). It's about as close to a perfect movie that I've seen, and I can't wait for arrival of the Hobbit in just a couple of years!

Well that's it! If anyone's still reading, I'd be interested in hearing some of your favorite films of the last decade, too.

Top 50 Films of the Decade: Part 4

Okay, it's down to the top 20...

#20: Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

I know. How could I include one of the hated Star Wars prequels in my top films of the decade? Well for me, this film came close to the sense of fun and adventure present in the original trilogy while also being the darkest and most serious film of the whole series. Sure, there are moments of cheese scattered here and there, but they were there in the originals too. If the other prequels had been more like this film, I think we may have had a better story than what we had.

#19: A Beautiful Mind

Brilliant because it successfully takes us into the mind of a paranoid schizophrenic in a way that truly puts us in his shoes. This is no easy task because such mental disorders are so foreign to us, difficult to understand, and even scary. But for many that fear of the unknown was turned to compassion because of this film.

#18: Star Trek (2009)

What a reboot! I've never been much of a trek fan, but J.J. Abrams, the visionary creator of Lost (the best show on TV, incidentally), injects some real energy and a sense of adventure into the franchise. The amazing effects and awesome action sequences are grounded in the characters and relationships that Abrams masterfully develops, so that I connect with them in a way I never did in the original show/movies. Although technically a prequel, it also results in an alternate reality that will allow future installments to go in a completely different direction from the original series, so I'm really excited to see what we're going to get next.

#17: Batman Begins

Another reboot, this time of the Batman series. Again, never been a huge Batman fan. Liked the Tim Burton film, but not really much else that I had seen, at least as far as screen adaptations. But Christopher Nolan, director of the fantastic movie Memento (see my top 10), focuses on character, realism and draws some pretty deep themes out of the story. Leads into an even better sequel (again see my top 10), making this the best comic-based franchise of the decade.

#16: Signs

An alien invasion movie that's really more about a man's loss of faith in a good God and the deep love a family for one another. Also one of the most frightening and suspenseful movies I've ever seen.

#15: Spirited Away

One of the most imaginative films I've ever seen. It's kind of a Japanese Alice in Wonderland, filled with references to Japanese mythology and folklore. A visually rich story of a little girl's love for her parents and her willingness to risk anything to save them.

#14: The Ring

An American remake of a Japanese horror film. I use the term horror loosely, because this isn't a violent or gory film. Instead it slowly builds a sense of dread that culminates in one of the most terrifying final acts I've ever seen. Many other remakes of Japanese horror films followed in the footsteps of this one, but most were cheesy imitations that failed to capture the sense of fear of the unknown that this film so brilliantly did.

#13: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

One of the most unique films I've ever seen. A man pays to have all his memories of a painful relationship erased, only to realize while it's happening that there were also many moments of pure joy that the pain had eclipsed, and that he still loves this woman despite the suffering that she has brought. He fights to find a way to keep the memories of her, but it seems to be a losing battle. At times painful and heart-breaking to watch, but well worth the emotional effort.

#12: Minority Report

A sci-fi spin on the classic "guy-is-framed-and-is-on-the-run-trying-to-prove-his-own-innocence" story. Except that in this case he's accused of something he hasn't done yet, and for all he knows his own attempts to vindicate himself may lead to him committing the very crime for which he's accused. Full of thrilling chases, dazzling effects and some pretty mind-bending ideas, it's one of the best sci-fi films of the decade.

#11: Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

Originally pinned to be the first film in a series based upon the books (which I've never read), this unfortunately probably won't happen due to a lack of box-office success. Which is sad, because I've never had a film immerse me so deeply in high-seas adventure as this one.

Well, that's all for this installment. Stay tuned for the fifth and final installment of this epic saga, coming soon to a computer screen near you.

Top 50 Films of the Decade: Part 3

Okay, no long-winded intro this time. Just the list.

#30: Tropic Thunder

A spot-on spoof of Hollywood and the movie-making process made by those intimately acquainted with it. Brilliant, hilarious, but occasionally let down by some crude, unfunny humor.

#29: X-men & X-men 2

Served well by focusing in on several core characters, these films weren't as spectacular as some of the other superhero fare of the decade, but were good character-driven movies about power, prejudice, and our possible responses to these. But X-men 3 was unfortunately a mess, with too many characters and too much stuff going on with very little real plot.

#28: The Orphanage

A Spanish film about a woman trying to reopen the orphanage in which she was raised, only to discover that something terrible happened there shortly after she left and that the spirits of the dead children have never left. Truly one of the most terrifying movies I've ever seen. And like most truly scary movies, no gore but a really creepy atmosphere. Please don't get it mixed up with "Orphan" which I've never seen but which is supposed to be pretty mediocre.

#27: Up

My second favorite Pixar movie of the decade. Very emotional story containing characters with a depth unseen in many live-action movies, let alone animated. Even the canine comic-relief characters have a depth about them, and the writers got dog psychology spot on. :) This was one of those movies I mentioned in a previous post that inspired me to be a better husband and father.

#26: Enchanted

Brilliantly walks the line between outright satire and affectionate tribute to Disney animated films. Great performances, especially by Amy Adams playing the very lost Princess Giselle, brilliant humor, catchy music and an authentic love story make this one for everyone. No dismissing it as a chick flick, guys... I can guarantee you'll love it.

#25: Serenity

The movie based upon the television series "Firefly". Both the series and the film represent some of the most creative science fiction in some time. It's a true Western in space, spiced with Joss Whedon's consistently clever dialog and realistic, edgy, but lovable characters. Check it out if you haven't seen it, but make sure you watch the series before the movie. It's only one season, as it was sadly canceled well before its time.

#24: War of the Worlds

Stephen Spielberg brought the classic tale into the modern era with a terrifyingly real portrayal. The story and visuals are at times reminiscent of the Nazi Holocaust, with the entire human race at the mercy of a vastly superior enemy. Truly chilling, with a fantastic performance by Dakota Fanning being one of the highlights.

#23: Shaun of the Dead

A very funny British comedy that rips into the zombie genre. Sounds simple enough but turns out to be one of the best comedies of the past 10 years.

#22: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

My favorite of the Harry Potter franchise. It just has the best story with some really unexpected plot twists. It's also the first of the Potter films to really resonate emotionally with me. In this one, you can really feel Harry's loneliness and pain in a way you just couldn't in the first two films.

#21: Iron Man

My second favorite superhero film of the decade. Extremely witty dialogue, a flawed hero who is nevertheless very likable, a redemptive story and a realistic feel.

That's all for this installment. Have a happy new year everyone!

Top 50 Films of the Decade: Part 2

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with friends and family. Can't believe it's nearly 2010! I remember as a child thinking that by the year 2010 we'd all be flying to other planets in spaceships. Disappointing, I guess, but at least we got a great movie this year called "Avatar" that allowed us to virtually visit an alien world. So while reality may refuse me the opportunity to fly to another world, an artist's imagination brought to reality through film can allow me to experience something I've been dreaming of ever since I was a child.

I guess that's good enough of a segue into part 2 of my list of top films of the decade...

#39: District 9

Non-hostile aliens get stranded in South Africa and are treated with prejudice, locked away in camps, segregated from society and abused in a scenario intentionally reminiscent of Apartheid. After decades of films in which aliens are the enemy, we get two interesting films this year in which humans are the villains in an alien struggle.

#38: No Country for Old Men

Kind of depressing film about old school law ill-equipped to deal with a new brand of criminal. Depressing but also thought-provoking, and incredibly well-acted, especially the role of one of the most disturbing and evil villains ever put on film.

#37: The Last Samurai

Yes, Dances with Wolves did it, and more recently Avatar... A film in which a person begins to see things from the perspective of those who were formerly the enemy and switches sides. But there's a reason this kind of story has been done in some form or another so many times, and this is done really well. A very emotional story with some amazing action and battle choreography.

#36: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; and Prince Caspian

The Narnia movies aren't anywhere near on the level of the Lord of the Rings films, but I thought they were wonderful movies that were faithful to the spirit of Lewis' books if not the letter. The amazing musical score, the excellent effects, and the well-played characters of Lucy, Mr. Tumnus and the White Witch are special highlights for me.

#35: Ratatouille

My third favorite Pixar film of the decade. Very funny, great love story, and it actually made me want to learn more about cooking, something I've traditionally hated.

#34: Cloverfield

A monster attacks New York City and the action is filmed from the perspective of a camcorder. I'm a sucker for these handheld camera type movies and this one's done especially well. Very humorous but also thrilling and terrifying, leaving a lot to the imagination which I always find much scarier.

#33: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

I found the first two Harry Potter movies quite dull... Not bad, per se, just not very interesting, exciting or magical. But I've thoroughly enjoyed all of them since the third movie. This one is my second favorite. I've never read the books, and I've heard it makes a lot of changes, but as a movie it's really fantastic. It's just a tightly made film that has a level of emotional gravitas and suspense that the other Potter films just can't quite match.

#32: Kingdom of Heaven (Extended Cut)

It may not be very historically accurate, but a great movie in its own right. One of my favorite aspects is the way it delineates a clear difference between empty religion and genuine faith, and just how rampant the former has been for much of our history. See the extended cut only, because the theatrical cut is a mangled version produced by studio interference that doesn't reflect the movie that Ridley Scott was trying to make.

#31: Napoleon Dynamite

The little movie that became a phenomenon. This film is a joke that you either get or you don't. First time I saw it, I didn't get it... the second time, it clicked and now it's one of my favorite comedies of all time. I do think that if you've never spent time in the mid-west, a lot of the humor will be lost on you, though.

Well, that's all for today. The next 10 will be up in a day or two!

Top 50 films of the decade: Part I

In evangelical circles, I often hear movies and television spoken of as essentially an evil: at best a waste of time that distracts us from what's really worthwhile and at worst an idol that keeps us from intimacy with God and others. Like most good things, I think this is true when it's abused. But when enjoyed appropriately, the visual media is a wonderful way through which humans can express their creativity. It's the next logical step in what humans have been doing for as long as we've been around: telling stories.

Certainly, there is a lot of trash out there to be avoided. But at the same time, through the media of film and television, there has been some breathtaking art created and some amazing stories told. I have found my heart deeply moved through some of the things I've witnessed on both the big and small screens. I've found myself motivated to be a better husband and father, to want to live for something greater, to show compassion to the poor, to be braver in the face of suffering and opposition, to reflect on the fallenness of man and our need for a Savior. The visual medium is an important avenue of human expression, and to completely reject it as an evil is to reject the gift of creativity that we have been given.

So out of appreciation for this gift, I have recently compiled a list of my top 50 films of the decade. Actually got the idea from some friends who've done this, and they inspired me to do the same. I'll do this in multiple postings over the next five days, counting down from #50 to #1, ten at a time, and giving a brief reason for each of my choices. So without further ado...

#50: Spiderman 1 & 2.

I know, it's sort of cheating to have two movies under one listing, but I think it's fair enough for a movie and its sequel if the sequel is as good as the original. You'll see me doing the same thing again several times in this list. Anyway, these were great, character-driven movies that really helped to bring superhero movies into a new golden era where they were allowed to be great films in their own right. Unfortunately... Spiderman 3? Not so much...

#49: Solaris.

Very polarizing movie, but I for one loved it. Very slow-moving, but amazing cinematography and soundtrack. Showed the pain of loss and how important it is to appreciate the good things we have while they're still around.

#48: Matrix Reloaded & Matrix Revolutions

Nowhere near as good as the original, but still great. Some really groundbreaking effects and action sequences, and a resonant story of self-sacrifice for the good of humanity.

#47: Passion of the Christ

Speaking of self-sacrifice for the good of humanity, how about the True Story that inspired all the others? A brutal, realistic look at the suffering Christ endured for our justification. Keep meaning to watch it again every Easter, but haven't been able to bring myself to yet.

#46: Howl's Moving Castle

Filled with the imagination and visual spectacle expected of any Miyazaki film.

#45: Sin City

A film doesn't have to be squeaky clean to be inherently moral. Even though it's violent and bleak, it packs some important lessons. It shows how power (political or religious) can corrupt, the emptiness of vengeance, the darkness inherent in the human soul, and the transcendence of laying down our lives for those we love.

#44: "300"

The same creative team as "Sin City" delivers another excellent film. The classic underdog story of bravery in the face of unspeakable odds, while not shying away from the brutality of war. And a disturbing picture of what happens when man deifies himself.

#43: The Darjeeling Limited

The story of three brothers seeking spiritual enlightenment in all the wrong places. Quirky and hilarious.

#42: Donnie Darko

A bizarre film about one teenager's vision of the apocalypse. With elements of time travel, other dimensions and the end of the world, what's not to love?

#41: 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later

The first of several Danny Boyle movies that have made it onto the list. These are his take on the zombie movie genre, and in my opinion he does it better than anyone else.

Well, that's all for now. I'll try to get the next ten up shortly after Christmas Day. For now, have a very Merry Christmas everyone!

I do believe; help my unbelief!

So goes the desperate plea of the father of a demon-possessed boy (Mark 9:24). Jesus has just told him that everything is possible for him who believes. And in response to the man's seemingly contradictory reply, Jesus then proceeds to heal his son, who has been afflicted by this malicious spirit since childhood. And as I read this passage, something amazing occurs to me: Jesus rewarded this man’s imperfect belief.

This is a massive comfort to me, because I know that I believe very imperfectly. Oh, I’ve accepted the truth of the gospel, and I know I believe it, but so often I act in ways that betray the doubt that lingers in my heart. I believe that God is good, but I don’t trust Him fully. I believe that I’m completely forgiven, but my sin still feels like it’s separating me from God sometimes. I believe that it’s only because of Christ’s righteousness that I’m accepted by God, but I still find myself acting like my good deeds will earn me brownie points with God. I believe that total fulfillment can be found in Christ, yet I find myself not wanting to spend time with Him. I believe that sin hurts me and grieves the heart of God, yet I sin still.

If I believed completely and perfectly, I wouldn’t be plagued by these problems. I could entrust myself to the Father without reservation, just as Christ did. Why can’t I do this? It seems so simple! It’s because I’m a fallen man. The great sin of the fall was unbelief which led to disobedience. And that stain still remains on my soul. Even as a follower of Christ, it’s a daily struggle to believe. Which brings me to another amazing thing that occurs to me from this passage: even our imperfect belief is apparently made perfect in Christ. How else could Christ reward the man’s belief in spite of the fact that it was flawed? What’s amazing to me about this is that it’s our belief in the Gospel that allows us to be saved in the first place, yet even this foundational condition of salvation God doesn’t require to be perfect. This is another comfort to me, because I so often feel guilty about the unbelief in my heart… an unhealthy guilt that makes me feel like I don’t deserve to go before God. Which is actually true, but only part of the truth. Because the rest of the amazing truth is that even my fumbling, inept efforts to believe are perfect in the eyes of God because of Christ and His blood.

The final encouragement is that Christ himself is the solution to our unbelief. The man’s solution was to pray to Christ for help in overcoming his unbelief, and this was apparently the appropriate response. So let us pray regularly and fervently for help not just in overcoming this or that sin, but that God Himself would overcome the doubts and disbeliefs in our hearts that lead us to sin in the first place. I look forward to the day when I will fully believe and trust my heavenly Father; when I see him face to face with sanctified eyes and respond to Him with a sanctified heart. But for now I can stand confident in His grace, in spite of the fact that I see more of myself than I’d like to in the following passage from Deuteronomy I read this morning:

“Then I said to you, "Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the desert. There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place." In spite of this, you did not trust in the LORD your God, who went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day, to search out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go.” (Deut 1: 29-33)