Aliens and Dolphins

It’s movie review time! I don't typically write these, but hear go my thoughts based on two very noteworthy films that Chris and I watched a few weeks ago.

Film One: Avatar. Before I went, I had heard a few good things about it: that it had cool graphics, etc. And I sort of went dragging my feet a bit (I really didn’t care too much to see it). But let me tell you, it was awesome! The ‘real 3D experience’ was pretty cool. It felt like I could reach out and touch the grass and the flowers. Although there is a lot of room for improvement for the 3D aspect of the movie, I quite enjoyed myself.

Theological reflections of the movie: The same weekend we had seen Avatar, the visiting pastor at our church who was preaching, was criticizing the movie because it was supporting the idea of pantheism. Meaning of pantheism: All is God – the Universe and God are one. He went on for sometime about this… I don’t think it had much to do with the rest of his sermon. Sometimes I find that Christians drop a deuce on films and other art just because it doesn’t fit into their theology. My question is, 'why can’t they just enjoy the art form in front of them'? Who knows if the writer was trying to make a statement about pantheism (I don’t really care if he was or wasn’t), but there was so much to the movie that could have been used for to teach us about theology, specifically in regards to creation and our role within it (just a thought).

That same Sunday, we went to another church in the evening to shake things up a bit (I can only take so much CRC). I guess it was the weekend for using Avatar in sermons (good thing I followed the trends and saw it that weekend… I’d be lost). The pastors at this church used the film to enhance their point of freedom found in Christ. They suggested that we are similar to Jake (the main human/avatar) because a second chance presents itself. Jake gets a second chance when he went from human to avatar. He was lame as a humans, but now he can run as an avatar. They suggested that we as humans are in a similar situation that we were lame (and blind, and such), but there is freedom in Christ (that will give us our legs to run and eyes to see). Cheesy comparison? Maybe. But I preferred their approach to the film over the morning pastor’s approach. They found the redemptive qualities within the film. I dig that.

Film Two: The Cove. Really great film. I recommend watching it. It is a documentary about uncovering a dark and dirty secret of a small Japanese town. It uncovers the inhumane, unnecessary, and tragic slaughter of dolphins for really no purpose whatsoever. The film shows what is done and not done with the innocent victims. Some are sold for food (packaged as another fish or meat), and most others are simply thrown away. It is informative and moves you to change (or at least makes you reflect on your own actions within this world). Not that I eat dolphins or anything, but after watching it, it made me quite happy that I am a vegetarian. I know that North America probably doesn’t eat a lot of dolphin (although it does support institutions such as Sea World - which the film targets as one of the largest threats to the well-being of dolphins), but we don’t put much thought or care into the food we eat, the entertainment we support, and the products that we buy. Although there are a number of individuals and groups who are taking a stand to make a difference today to bring justice to all of creation (humans and animals alike), humans as a whole typically don’t think about who or what they are harming to get their food, products, and entertainment. It is a thought-provoking, anger-provoking, and action-provoking film that should be listened to.