Films are at best art and at the least, entertainment and a form of recreation.
My friend Ed Travis who writes for Hollywoodjesus is the one who helped me realize films are just that, movies. they are not right or wrong they are about something, they have purpose, you can disagree with what a movie is about or the purpose of it, but you can not say it is wrong.
Ok, there are some discrepancies, obviously porn is one of them, but the purpose behind pornographic movies is not to tell a story, it is to turn you on. I do not put porn into the same category as the type of film I am referencing. The reason I think it is important to look at films as art and not as right or wrong is because when we do that we limit the possibility of what can be used to open us up to God and bring us into relationship with the world/people we are relationship with.
With music, art and film I live in conflict with the part of my brain formed in the evangelical world view. It is hard for me to enter a story depicting evil and not feel ill, like I am doing something wrong.
A film made with the purpose of exposing humanity allows me to enter a story and have something revealed about myself, this something I have come to appreciate and value.
My favorite films of all time have very different values, and have changed through out my life, here are a few:
Magnolia, Life as a House and Legends of the Fall,
This is a film recommended to me by my friend David Decker, he is an artist and i enjoy hearing his perspective on most anything.
This may be the most anticipated movie of the year for me: young@heart there just are not a lot of feel good movies out there, I don’t find boring.
What I expect from movies like young@heart is:
To feel good when I leave.
A cathartic experience of hope, laughter and tears.
A memory with a friend.
The movies of 07 that stand out in my mind are, No Country for Old Men and There will be Blood
If you have not scene these two movies do not go expecting to feel good after words. but if you expect the portrayal of raw humanity and enter the story you might find a depth to your nature you where not aware of.
Why do you watch movies?
What are some of your favorite films?
