a swift sunrise

The Themes of LOST, Part 1: Mystery and Faith

2010-06-04T15:45:00.001-07:00

After six thrilling seasons on the air, the television show “Lost” has finally come to an end. For some of us, our relationship with this show was a casual affair, nothing more than weekly escapism, and indeed it was a show that could be legitimately enjoyed on that level. For others, myself included, I couldn’t help but see it as something more.

Some of the best memories I have revolve around watching this show. I was introduced to it very late, shortly after the beginning of Season 5. I watched an episode or two a night for the first season and a half, then marathoned my way through the remaining episodes while I lay on the couch for several days sick with the flu. The experience was wholly thrilling, deeply emotional, inspiring, and even life-changing. Kristen didn’t join me until after Season 5 was over, when she finally took my advice and started watching. I rewatched most of it with her, and just loved seeing the expression on her face as she experienced the same things that I had. We both agree that one of our very best times together was when she flew out with me to Colorado and Washington State while I went around interviewing for veterinary jobs. Every evening in our hotel room we’d share a few bottles of Breckenridge Vanilla Porter and watch several episodes in succession. Very often we’d intend only to watch one or two, but when each episode ended Kristen would turn to me with a bright smile on her face and ask, “Do you want to watch just one more?” And of course “one more” became however many we could fit into the evening until we were too tired to stay awake. It really was one of the best times we’ve ever had together and I’ll always remember it fondly.

The best stories transcend mere entertainment. These stories have themes and lay out truths that change the way we view the world and ourselves. For me, Lost was one of these stories. While not strictly “literature,” it nevertheless possesses a great deal of literary merit, and in order to be fully appreciated for what it was, it should be analyzed as such. This is why I’m undertaking to explore each of the major themes of the show as I see them. I’m not an academic, so this is not intended to have either the depth or quality of an academic analysis. It’s just one layperson’s perspective of the themes that resonated most deeply with me and had the greatest impact on my life. There are many themes to talk about, so I’ll discuss two or three at a time over multiple postings so you don’t have to read too much all at once. I’ll also end each posting with a little section of personal reflection, where I discuss how each of these themes is applicable to my own personal story.

NOTE: If you haven’t seen the series in its entirety, please read no further, as there are many spoilers ahead. Or better yet, watch the series (it’s still available for free on abc.com and hulu.com) then come back and take a look at what I have to say.

1. Mystery

One of the biggest expectations that many Lost fans had of the show was that all the mysteries would be answered. Therefore this was also a source of great disappointment for some of these fans, as many of the mysteries built up throughout the previous seasons went unanswered (although intriguing hints were frequently dropped that allow us to piece many of them together). Many of those fans who stuck with the series primarily because they wanted to see those mysteries explained are walking away from the series unsatisfied, and even feeling angry and cheated.

However I think many of those people may have missed what I see as one of the major themes of the series: Mystery must be accepted, not answered. We live in a universe that inherently possesses a great deal of mystery, and so the Island in many ways serves as a microcosm for the larger world, where there are phenomena that occur that simply lie beyond the realm of human understanding. There are two ways in which humans seek to understand the mysteries of the universe: Science and Religion. And indeed we see both groups represented on the Island: the Dharma Initiative and Jacob/The Others. The ultimate message the show was trying to communicate is that even science and religion can’t answer all the mysteries of life. In a universe that is actually far more mysterious than we can possibly imagine, what we're able to know and understand is actually very little, and those who often seem to have all the answers are really just stabbing in the dark like the rest of us. We humans simply create the illusion of control and comprehension for ourselves in a universe that is actually well beyond our control and comprehension.

This was brilliantly laid out on Lost in the following way: Every time we met someone who we thought was in-the-know, who would have all the answers, it turned out they were really pretty clueless after all, and had simply created the illusion that they knew what was going on. First we were introduced to John Locke. He seemed to have some deep connection to the island and to be some kind of survival guru. He turned out to be a wheelchair-bound, fear-filled man who was desperately searching for a purpose beyond himself. Next we met Desmond. Surely whoever was living in that hatch would have the answers to what was happening on the island? But no, Desmond was just as clueless as the rest of them, going only off the little information that his predecessor had provided. And even his predecessor didn't know if what he had been told was true. Next we met Ben. Surely the leader of the Others would have all the answers! But no, Ben simply came to the island as a young boy and was only acting on what little information he could glean from Widmore and Richard (and, of course, it turned out that Widmore really knew very little, too). Well then, what about Richard? He was ageless and had been living on the island with Jacob for “a very long time.” Surely he would know everything? But no, he came to the island, was given two sides of a very incomplete story, and picked a side. He was acting mostly by faith and actually knew very little.

Then we finally got to the two men with all the answers: Jacob and the Man In Black. At least, we expected them to have all the answers. But no, it turned out that Jacob and the Man In Black were simply going off what their "mother" had told them. Even they really didn't know exactly what the island was or what it was either protecting or containing. And presumably their “mother” similarly came to the island and was simply going off what little information she had been told. So we can see that there was really no one who had all the answers. If that person existed, they were lost in the mists of time, or more likely that person never existed.

So what is the Island? Where do its mysterious properties come from? Well, Science explained it as “electromagnetic pockets” and “exotic matter,” while Religion explained it as “the light” and “the source of all life.” Both explanations are probably insufficient, fumbling attempts to explain something that is ultimately inexplicable because it’s beyond our understanding. “Every question you ask will just lead to another question,” said the “mother” of Jacob and Man In Black. As finite, limited beings we need to learn to be okay with the fact that some mysteries just can’t be explained – at least not in a way we’d understand.

2. Faith

So then, how are we to function in a universe filled with unsolvable mysteries? How are we to make decisions when nothing is certain? The answer is Faith. The theme of Science vs. Faith ran throughout the entire series, most explicitly introduced in the Season 2 episode, “Man of Science, Man of Faith,” where Locke characterizes himself as a man of faith and Jack as a man of science. Since the very beginning, Locke has believed that the Island brought them there for a purpose, and although he doesn’t know what that purpose is he’s willing to do almost anything to discover it. Jack sees no reason to believe this, thinking that they just randomly crashed on an island, and therefore he’s willing to do almost anything to help everyone get off. The tension between these two views drives much of the next few seasons. One of the more notable exchanges is in the episode “Orientation”:

Locke: [trying to convince Jack to push the button in the hatch] You saw the film, Jack. This is a... this is a two person job, at least.
…
Jack: It's not real. Look, you want to push the button, you do it yourself.
Locke: If it's not real, then what are you doing here, Jack? Why did you come back? Why do you find it so hard to believe?
Jack: Why do you find it so easy?
Locke: [shouting] It's never been easy!
…
Locke: [pleading] I can't do this alone, Jack... I don't want to… It's a leap of faith, Jack.

In the same episode, there’s this exchange between Jack and Desmond:

Jack: It says quarantine on the inside of the hatch to keep you down here. To keep you scared. But you know what? We've been up there for over 40 days and no one's gotten sick. You think that this is the only part of it that's true? Do you ever think that maybe they put you down here to push a button every 100 minutes just to see if you would? That all of this, the computer, the button, it's just a mind game? An experiment?
Desmond: Every... single... day. And for all our sakes, I hope it's not real. But the film says this is an electromagnetic station. And I don't know about you, brother, but every time I walk past that concrete wall out there, my fillings hurt.

These two exchanges really summarize a lot of what the show had to say about Faith. First, it isn’t easy. It’s a lot easier to make a decision and to act when we have all the information we’d like to have, but it’s very difficult when we’re dealing with uncertainty – especially when we’re being called to live in a hatch pressing a button which may or may not do anything, and especially when Jack’s explanation for the button, that it was just a mind game, made so much sense and seemed to be a much more logical explanation. Even Locke struggled with his faith many times during the series, such as when he found evidence at the Pearl station that Jack’s explanation might be right after all. This led to him not pushing the button which almost led to disaster (although again, the nature of said disaster was never clear).

Second, Faith is not blind. Both Locke and Desmond have good reason to believe what they do, Locke because he was able to walk again and Desmond because “his fillings hurt.” Although there may be a great deal of uncertainty, we’re not required to put our faith in something without any evidence at all. However some people, such as Jack, need a lot more evidence than others before they’re willing to take a leap of faith. As Ben told him in Season 5, the apostle Thomas needed to stick his hand in Christ’s wounds before he would believe, with the subtext being that Jack is like Thomas. Yet as Ben also said, everyone believes sooner or later, and interestingly Thomas went on to martyr himself in India for his faith. In hindsight, this is some brilliant foreshadowing of the fact that Jack, like Thomas, would ultimately sacrifice his life for his faith despite the fact that he initially had trouble believing.

Lastly, Faith requires action, perhaps even sacrifice, whether that means becoming a martyr in India, pushing a button in a hatch for 3 years, or laying down your life to save an island. The finale represented the completion of Jack’s journey of faith. By the end, he’s a true believer, even defending Locke who had for so long been his antagonist, saying that he was “right about pretty much everything.” One criticism of the end of Lost is that it never made clear exactly what the stakes were. What would happen if the Man In Black left the island? What would happen if the Light at the center of the island was put out? What would happen if the island sank beneath the waves? The answer was kept intentionally vague so that the answer could quite easily have been “nothing.” The hatch was like a microcosm of the island as a whole, where pushing that button may have been doing nothing at all. And in the same way, perhaps the island would have sunk, the Man In Black would have left, and life in the world would have gone on without even noticing. As we learned, Jacob himself only did what he did because of what he was told, and for all he knew it was all a lie. It’s essentially a metaphor for religious belief, where we are willing to believe something that changes the course of our entire lives based upon the age-old testimony of people who could very well have been completely untrustworthy. But despite the uncertainty, both Jack and Jacob had seen enough to be willing to stake everything on what they believed to be true. They (and the viewers) had seen enough evidence that the Island was special, that the Man In Black was a real threat, and that the Light or exotic matter or whatever you wanted to call it needed to be protected at any cost. And so Jack was willing to lay his life down to fulfill what he saw as his purpose. It was important that Jack not learn too much information about what exactly he was protecting and preventing so that his decision would be one of faith and not one of science. And in the same way, we the viewer are required to exercise our own faith in believing that Jack died for an important reason.

There are many mysteries in our universe, most of which will never be resolved, yet in the face of such mystery we must be willing to make choices – even life-altering ones. Again, “every question you ask will just lead to another question.” The time comes when we must stop asking questions, put aside our doubts, and be willing to act upon what information we do have. That is the very nature of Faith.

Personal Reflection

The theme of Science vs. Faith is a big one for me because it represents a tension that goes on inside me almost constantly. I’m a very science-oriented individual. I like to have empirical data to support my conclusions and I like to have all the facts before I make a decision. At the same time, I also believe that God became a Man over 2000 years ago, died on a cross for the sins of the world, and rose again from the dead. And that takes a great deal of faith for me. I’m constantly wrestling with doubts over the truth of this. As I discussed, my belief is based on the testimony of men who claimed to either know Christ or to have interviewed men who knew him, testimony that was written thousands of years ago and has since been copied and recopied thousands of times. My faith isn’t blind. There is actually very good circumstantial evidence that these testimonies are reliable and have been reliably preserved over the centuries (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historicity_of_Jesus -- yes, I know it’s Wikipedia, but it’s a good summary of my own investigations; also check out the book, “The Case for Christ,” by Lee Strobel). Additionally, I have the evidence of my own experience: my personal relationship with God, the transformation He’s brought about in my life, the miracle of Creation. Nevertheless, I must accept the possibility that it’s all a sham. What if I’m going to die one day and just cease to exist? What if there’s no blessed hope of resurrection and eternal life? What if I’m wasting what little time I have in this world grasping at straws? It’s not an easy choice to daily follow Christ with this possibility in the back of my head.

What helps me is reflecting on the fact that there is always doubt. Certainty is a myth (check out the great book, “The Myth of Certainty,” by Daniel Taylor for more on that). In the end, everything I believe about myself and the world requires some level of faith. Interestingly, my journey to faith came through science. The more I studied science, the more I realized just how ill-equipped it was to truly explain the world. There was just so much speculation and guess-work! Even the great scientists are really just stabbing in the dark. And the belief that science will eventually be able figure out the answers is ultimately a faith in the God of Science itself. Likewise, everything we know about history is based upon the testimony of people who lived many years before us, so it’s fundamentally no different to the Gospel accounts. Yet most of us don’t doubt the ancient accounts of Rome, Greece, Persia, etc. In the end, there is doubt in almost every piece of knowledge we have, and so belief in anything requires faith. So, humbled by the revelation that I could actually know and understand a lot less than I had once thought, I made a decision of faith to devote my life to what I believe to be the most worthwhile thing of all.

I do disagree with the writers of LOST in one area, though: I have faith that there was one Man who did have all the answers. I haven’t met Him yet, at least not in person, but I do believe I’ll meet Him some day… and then maybe He’ll be able to tell me what the Light at the heart of the Island was. :)

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

2010-01-09T11:32:00.001-08:00

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

2010-01-06T08:40:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-31T04:56:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-28T08:32:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-23T12:33:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-12-09T12:17:00.000-08:00

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)

Made for another world.

2008-12-25T18:04:00.000-08:00

I'm still not sure about this whole blogging thing. I mean, is anyone really interested in reading my thoughts on anything? It's not like I have much to say that hasn't already been said, and probably said much better than I ever could. And though sometimes I like to think I know better than others, God has been increasingly showing me just how little I know.

But here it is... A little corner of the Internet where I'm going to share things from my life--pleasures I'm enjoying, struggles I'm enduring, lessons I'm learning. And perhaps God in His mercy will let there be something here that may help, encourage, or perhaps even bless you.

So I feel an explanation is in order for the title of this blog. "A swift sunrise" is an exerpt from one of my favorite lines in Lord of the Rings. Here is the entire quote: "White shores and beyond them a far green country under a swift sunrise." In the books, this is what Frodo sees at the end of his journey across the sea to the Undying Lands. In the films, it's Gandalf's description of what awaits him and Pippin should they be killed in battle. In both instances, it's a simple picture of a longing that is deep inside all of us: a longing for a better world.

This is a longing I've found in my own heart for a very long time. I look at the world, and I can see that something's wrong. Things aren't the way they should be. This was something that struck me, even (and perhaps especially) when I was an atheist. Why do I long for joy, yet this life gives me sorrow? Why do I long for peace, yet this life gives me worry? Why do I long for acceptance, yet this life gives me rejection? Why do I long to be part of a grand adventure, yet this life gives me monotony? Even as a child, I noticed it... this dissonance. I remember being seven years old, crying in my bed one night because I wanted someone to come and take me away from this world to a place where people were kind to one another, where goodness reigned and life was full. I absorbed myself in fantastical stories, filled with adventure and heroism and love, stories that gave me glimpses of how I wished life could be.

There's something wrong with this world, and for much of my life it's made me feel like a stranger in a strange land.

One of my favorite C. S. Lewis quotes is, "If I find in myself a desire which no experience in the world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." It is this reality that first pointed me towards God. The reason that nothing in this world satisfies me is that I was created to find satisfaction in God. God desires to satisfy all my deepest longings with Himself for all eternity. And because of Christ and His work on the cross, that can begin here and now!

Yet I still seek satisfaction in things I know can't satisfy. I have, just a prayer away, the most satisfying Person I can ever know, and yet I so often settle for lesser pleasures. Why? Because I remain a fallen person in a fallen world, and my tendency is still to try to make this world work the way I wish it would, instead of looking ahead to the better world that God has prepared for His children.

This really represents the two paths that a person can go down in order to cope with the fact that we do not belong in this world. Either they can try to make the world work for them, or they can trust God while looking ahead to something better. I've been doing the first thing for so long, it's been a difficult-- even painful-- process for me to transition to the second. My overwhelming tendency is still to try to control my life in my own strength, futilely trying to make the world into what I wish it would be. But I feel that I'm at a defining moment in my life, when I'm learning truths about myself and God that could utterly transform the way I see the world. So a lot of what you see in this blog may be a picture of one man struggling to live out these truths in his daily life, as I try to give the fight up to God and let Him carry me into the better world I'm longing for.