Movie Review: The Blind Side

It's been a while since I've done a movie review on here and that is because there have been so few good movies out there. The Blind Side was a pleasant change from that. It was just an all around great movie. Based on the true story of professional football player, Michael Oher and the family that changed his life, it is both touching and uplifting. It brought me close to tears, and yet kept me laughing. I would definitely have to say it is the best movie I have seen in 2009! I now have a new favorite sports movie (it used to be Remember the Titans - still a close second). It portrays Christianity lived out. Don't get me wrong, it is not a Christian movie. Some people may actually be offended by some of the cursing, drug use, and violence in the movie. However, that aside, the focus is on the Tuohy family, the way they opened their home and their hearts to a poor boy from the wrong side of town, and the ways they changed each other along the way. It is a truly sweet story that leaves you with a feeling of happiness and good-will, and a belief that kindness still exists on earth.

Movie Review: He's Just Not That Into You

I remember when the self-help book came out... my friends and I all thought it was pretty funny and we used it as a catch-phrase quite frequently when discussing stupid boys and their unexplainable antics. So, when I saw the trailer for this movie I was actually interested in seeing this particular chick-flick (not a favorite genre of mine in general). Friday night, I went to the theater with a couple of friends, ready to sit back and be amused... but I was not - not really. Don't get me wrong; there were a number of really funny parts to it, but overall, I felt that the movie fell flat. The characters were losers. It was hard to relate or really empathize with any of them. I just kept thinking, "get a life already!" What I took away from the movie is that, girls, you are not the exception to the rule... until... you are. And guys, yes, even the most cynical of you can fall utterly, hopelessly in love with a girl. My recommendation: save your money. Rent it if you must, but don't rush to see it.

Culture Warrior: a review

For the last month, I have been reading Bill O'Reilly's Culture Warrior. Overall, I think it is a great book and brings out some really interesting points. However, I do not agree with him in everything. This morning, I was reading while working out (my normal routine), and came across a topic that definitely caught my attention.

In chapter 12, O'Reilly brings up the topic of religion in the culture war. I think he gets it right when he says that "the conservative Christian groups... are most engaged on the traditional side." What I disagree with is his statement that this war will not be won "in the religious arena" because Christians base their stand on morality, not necessarily economic prosperity. Personally, I think that if the Culture War is won at all, it will be because of the strong Christians in this country and the omnipotent God they stand for. According to a poll cited in the book, 15% of Americans are hard-core liberals, while 35% style themselves conservative, leaving the remaining 50% moderate (otherwise known as apathetic - in my opinion). If these numbers are correct, what it shows is that a passion for something is needed to get people motivated to even enter the war. Yeah, Americans care about the economy, but in reality, most only care about what their own bank accounts look like. O'Reilly suggests that traditionalists persuade the non-religious of this country that traditionalism is in their best interest. I do not believe this is a good strategy. The social-progressives are all about individulism. If the traditionalist tries to win an argument appealing to individual interest, he is already at a disadvantage against the S-P warrior. I would offer that Christianity, which appeals to a greater good outside of the individual, is one of the few ideologies that will successfully motivate people to rally for the traditional cause. That being said, it has to be a deep-rooted conviction and not merely a formality like the denigrated version of Christianity that is preached in too many churches across America. Like I said earlier, passion for a cause is necessary in order to rally the troops and take them to victory.

I suppose only time will tell how this war will turn out, but that is my two cents on the topic.

Oh, and as an aside (purely for amusement purposes), my favorite quote from the book is a statement O'Reilly directs at Nancy Pelosi after she has accused him of "calling for a terrorist attack." And here it is: "She... lives in a virtual Land of Oz. And to her I have only one thing say: You better knock it off lady, or I'll throw water on you and take your shoes."

Movie Review: Syriana

I suppose it is about time to write my review of Syriana (considering I watched it...hmmm... almost three weeks ago!).

Ideologically, it was awful! It does a great job of making the US government, along with the entire oil industry, look atrocious. The bottom line is, crisis makes the world go 'round, or, at the very least, is good for the politicians and big business owners in the United States, so it is in our best interest to keep the Middle East in constant turmoil. Nothing makes this more obvious that a quote near the beginning of the movie, "Corruption? Corruption is our protection! Corruption keeps us safe and warm! Corruption... is why we win!"

As a work of propaganda, it was beautifully done. I knew, going into it, that it was going to be a left-leaning movie, but I still left, feeling like the suicide bombers came out on top. They were the ones who were wronged and they were the ones that stuck to what they believed. There is something about self-sacrifice in this self-serving culture that appeals to the better part of our humanity.

Despite my disagreement with the politics of Syriana, I really enjoyed watching it. I loved all the Middle Eastern settings (as well as the many familiar DC shots) and, as someone interested in the language, I was mezmorized by the Arabic conversations interfused throughout the dialogue! The fact that I could pick out words and phrases that I recognized was very exciting to me. =)

Would I recommend it? Well, it depends... There is quite a bit of language and some of the images are extremely disturbing (to the point where I had to close my eyes). If it is a topic, you're interested in, it is worth it to see the liberal perspective as portrayed by the entertainment industry.