United Methodist Reporter Blog

Back in the game

For anyone wondering why you haven’t seen my film reviews in the Reporter since at least February, rest assured it isn’t because I’ve lost interest in them. A staff transition has meant most of my time lately is spent on “associate editing,” but things are returning to normal.

Just in time, too. Two faith-based movies arrive in theaters on May 6: Jumping the Broom, a wedding comedy co-produced by Dallas megachurch pastor T.D. Jakes, and There Be Dragons, a historical drama centered on Josemaria Escriva, founder of the Catholic lay movement, Opus Dei. One of the stars of There Be Dragons is Wes Bentley, the son and brother of United Methodist clergy in the Arkansas Conference; staff writer Mary Jacobs has a related story in the works.

Meanwhile, I hope to offer reviews throughout the summer. Also, not long ago I was able to visit the set of Dolphin Tale, coming in September from the producers of The Blind Side. Targeted for family audiences, it’s based on the story of Winter, a dolphin at the marine aquarium in Clearwater, Fla. Rescued from a crab trap several years ago, she has since been fitted with a prosthetic tail that enables her to swim normally—and serve as a potential inspiration for humans who cope with disabilities.

Dolphin Tale’s stars include Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd and Harry Connick Jr., who spent weeks filming with Winter at the Clearwater aquarium. I have a feature story coming in the next week or two, with quotes from the cast.

Waiting for "Superman"

I took part last week in a roundtable interview with filmmaker Davis Guggenheim, whose new documentary Waiting for “Superman” opens soon in theaters across the country. It looks at the current, mostly sorry state of U.S. public schools, where 1.2 million students fail to graduate each year, and reading and math scores have flatlined since the 1970s.

The film follows the lives of five children as each enter lotteries to get into successful institutions like Geoffrey Canada’s Harlem Success Academy or KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program), the nation’s largest charter network. Their stories are often heartbreaking to watch; but Mr. Guggenheim (who sparked dialogue on the issue of climate change with his 2006 film, An Inconvenient Truth) sees hope for reform starting at a grassroots level.

My review will run in the Sept. 24 Reporter. For now, here are a few excerpts from the interview:

Rob Reiner on "Flipped" . . . and the struggle of marketing small movies

I had a phone conversation three weeks ago with famed actor-turned-director Rob Reiner (Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally) about his new movie, Flipped. Haven't heard of it? That's not surprising—even I haven't been able to see it yet. But the film begins a wide release today after selected bookings that included a showing at the Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis.

Based on a popular book for young readers by Wendelin Van Draanen, Flipped follows a girl and boy from elementary school through eighth grade. For years Juli (Madeline Carroll) has eyes for Bryce (Callan McAuliffe), but her affections aren't at first reciprocated.

Set in the late 1950s and early '60s, the story's perspective flips or switches between the two characters as they both mature. Veteran stars like Aidan Quinn, Penelope Ann Miller, Rebecca De Mornay and Anthony Edwards are on hand as the parents.

I still hope we'll run the complete interview as a Q&A when I have a chance to review the movie. But for now, enjoy some excerpts:

Shift Happens

Last weekend my wife, Christy, and I made time for a date at the movies. We stood at the ticket window for a moment trying to decide what to see. I'm sure it seemed longer for the people behind us in the ticket line. In the end - no pun intended - we chose 2012.

After the movie, we threw away the popcorn bag and soft drink cups and walked to the car. Instead of thinking about special effects and theories of end times, I left talking with Christy about The United Methodist Church. Weird...I know.

There are cataclysmic shifts taking place right under our feet, and most of us are oblivious to what is happening. We can't see it. We react to the effects. We don't understand it. We try to fix blame for it, but no one did anything to cause it. Shift happens.

When social and political shifts occur, human-made monuments and infrastructures crumble. Dust they were; to dust they will return. Some of the storyline is corny and unrealistic, for sure. But let's be honest -- so is much of the ecclesial drama that is enacted to preserve the sentimental.

A pivotal question concerns power and privilege and how it conducts itself in the face of change. Will it try carefully to control the gene pool in order to ensure the survival of what is deemed by some to be the best and the brightest, or will it open its doors to the diversity and differentness of that which God created?

Throughout the action and drama lie opportunities to redeem and redefine relationships within a new landscape. It's not easy - it requires humility and courage - but this is the essential work of loving neighbor. This is intensely personal work. No one can do it for us.

For the doomsayers who announce demise, I choose hope over fear. Natalie Sleeth writes in Hymn of Promise, "In our end is our beginning," and in the beginning, God creates. God's not done with us yet.

What do you think? The next General Conference is in 2012.

Spiritually literate cinema

The website Spirituality and Practice (billed as a site “devoted to resources for spiritual journeys”) has released its list of the Ten Most Spiritually Literate Films of 2008, along with subcategories for foreign-language films, animated films and documentaries. Though the word “spiritual” is often an empty vessel whose value shifts depending on the user, it’s nice to see feature films, documentaries and animated features recognized as something than time-killing entertainment. Helpfully, S&P list each movie under a heading of that film’s particular virtue (“compassion,” “transformation,” and so on.)