NS and Seminary

I just came from finishing a movie with the rest of the Seminary community. We saw it during our dinner as it was the eve of Hari Raya holiday. This is our usual movie night during such occasions. The movie? Ah Boys To Men (pt 1).

One of the aspirants who attended our last weekend's vocation retreat had commented that life in the seminary to him is somewhat more difficult than life in the army today! If he had come in and join us in the seminary during my time as a seminarian his comments may not have been too far off the mark. However, today, much have changed and the environment has improved tremendously.

Blue People

Image via Wikipedia

I went to watch the most recent talked about movie with blue aliens and floating mountains - Avatar. That was about two weeks ago.

I watched it for the entertainment value that it offered and for some two and a half hours was bedazzled by the seamless reality it brought, in the midst of all the 3-D CGI, technical and camera wizardry that James Cameron is capable of and famous for.

I wasn't too caught up with whatever underlying messages in this movie that can make people sit up and pay attention to. I was just revelling in all the 3-D magic and the action, plus the storyline, that took the audience from one breathtaking, fantastical scene to the next, making you feel as if you were there and that such a place exists.

It didn't prevent some some quarters, however, and other groups of people, including some from high places to weigh in their strong feelings and thoughts about what Avatar can represent or had subtly implied.

The following, so far has transpired, since the movie made its round across the globe:

- The Chinese government banned Avatar

- a branch of the Russian communist party condemned it 

- other groups are endlessly debating its political meaning 

- the Vatican has weighed in on this too! (Fr John Barron suggests why here and highlights a certain attitude that is prevalent in the secular, entertainment world)

An article here has a few words to suggest why this movie may be causing some ripples in high places and you may have your own view to this too. Realism or not, Avatar certainly has evoked many deep seated feelings and emotions, somewhat like what Star Wars did eons earlier, but this time it took on the proportion of a political effect that stoke the disquiet of many with regards humanity and freedom of the person. The article goes with a view that perhaps all this is an over-reaction to what is, after all, a fictional story. I'd prefer to go its statement towards the end: "... Or maybe this film is a reminder that stories, when told realistically enough, can change people's minds and lives."

We could use more films like that...

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• What should the Avatar sequel look like? (trueslant.com)
• James Cameron On How Avatar Technology Could Keep Actors Young (entertainment.slashdot.org)
• China Blocks Avatar, Citing Restless Natives and James Cameron's Filthy Wealth [Pandoras Blocked] (gawker.com)
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Blind Sided!

There are a lot of people in this country who do nice things for others. If you love the Lord, you do what you need to do. Talk is cheap.

Leigh Anne Tuohy

There is a little miracle going in with a particular new movie just out in the States and is drawing crowds away from the current mooning of a vampire movie, New Moon. The miracle that lies in this new movie is that it is Christian based, by a Christian director and tells a heart-warming true story of sorts which portrays Christianity that is neither didactic or gratuitious. It gives a sense of goodness which does not "slap people in the face with religion". I first came across this about a month ago when I happened to watch the trailer from iTunes and was immediately captivated by it, wondering if it will make waves or turn heads later on due to its motivational message and an honest-to-goodness Christian kindness that  would appeal to the ordinary senses tired of rethoric, supernatural gobbledeegook and New Agey nonsense.

Terry Mattingly, a religion columnist for Scripps Howard News Service and the director of the Christian-oriented Washington Journalism Center said, “Most films from Hollywood that involve faith take out all the details — it’s just vague and mushy or it’s negative religious stereotypes. But ‘The Blind Side’ is a real movie. And then it has another factor: showing respect for religious motivations and emotions.”

Check out the trailer here and a somewhat spoilery of a blog entry on the movie here!

Related articles by Zemanta

• The Religious Wars (samharris.org)
• Review: The Blind Side (cinematical.com)

Stewed Dish

Day 3 in the Convitto...

Today, I managed to do up the page structure for my thesis and started putting in the headings. That was it. Beyond that, I couldn't go on anymore because I couldn't find the right and proper starting words and statement that can begin the process of writing. Yes, I had read some references/books on the subject but nothing is 'clicking' just yet. So, I thought I'd let my mind stew over all the ideas, references, points and experiences (thus far), like a cooking pot on a slow boil, and wait for something that will pop up later on.

Meanwhile, I have also been getting a lot of ideas spinning off from an unexpected medium that was more an entertaining time passing but gave a lot of food for thought. That medium was the film/tv shows that I managed to view online (free) that reverberated with my inner senses which spoke to my heart.

One was New Amsterdam, a cancelled tv series in the States that tells the bizzare story of a New York homicide detective who is cursed with immortality. Apparently, he was a Dutch soldier in the year 1642 when he stepped in front of a sword to save the life of a Native American girl during a massacre of her tribe. The girl in turn rescued him by weaving an ancient spell that conferred immortality upon him. It was also prophesied that he would not age until he finds his one true love, and only then will he become whole and ready for mortality.

The idea of searching and capturing that 'true love' is also a theme that is very close to the life of a Christian for we all know that the one and only true love, if we allow ourselves to be utterly taken by the Truth, is none other than the One that represents all that is - God. However, human perception of true love interestingly reveals a lot of variety of what this can be or mean. Unfortunately because our desires are also mixed up or misunderstood, this 'true love' never lasts. The question then arises about finding that love: how do we know? Well, New Amsterdam offers a way out, albeit a human notion of it. But the series was abruptly cancelled and so I never got to see how they could develop this idea further. It would be interesting to see how the writers could offer an answer to this...

Then we have The Forbidden Kingdom. An American teenager who is obsessed with Hong Kong cinema and kung-fu classics makes an extraordinary discovery in a Chinatown pawnshop: the legendary stick weapon of the Chinese sage and warrior, the Monkey King. With the lost relic in hand, the teenager unexpectedly finds himself traveling back to ancient China to join a crew of warriors from martial arts lore on a dangerous quest to free the imprisoned Monkey King.

The best part of this movies is that we have both kung fu greats, Jackie Chan and Jet Li acting side-by-side showing off their martial art skills in the midst of all the other CGI effects which were just nice without being overwhelming.I gather from this story that it is about doing the right thing and finding that courage to go against the odds that always want to hinder your quest. That's our own struggle in life as a Christian isn't it? It is always better to look the other way, to take the easy way out, rather than stand and make it count for one's own faith. A Robert Frost 'Two Roads' poem comes to mind about making that difficult choice:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Lastly, we have August Rush. A movie that is described as magical and full of heart, it tells of a child music prodigy who was searching for his parents who had given him away at birth. It is a heartwarming tale that offers music as the soul of a person that can transcends time and space to bring about wonderful things, as long as you don't give up on it. As a Christian, we know our souls belong to God and He constantly sings to us to lead us to that wonderful place where we will find our position in the symphony of eternal life.

One of the comments about the movie went like this: "... if you are looking for a movie that will sing to your soul (and show you some beautiful eye candy as a bonus), look no farther... A trio of beautiful performances form the heart of this film, although the secondary characters are also crisply compelling. A day after seeing it, I find that specific shots of their faces still glow in mind like pieces of a mosaic. And the music is a genuine addition, as it should be in a film of this kind. I was genuinely moved." Yup, so was I.

So, the ideas are still being stewed and a good stewed dish of any kind means that I shouldn't rush things but enjoy its momentum, for something fascinating will eventually turn out...

(of those mentioned above, august rush wins hands down for being most moving! you may view these items here)

Hulk Smash!

I went to watch the Incredible Hulk at the cinema this afternoon. I enjoyed it not because of the action and the special effects but importantly I could understand the entire conversation - it was in English! :-)

I also liked it because it managed to get across some level of connection with the green man that though he was that much of a hulk, he was also a really messed-up human being trying to find a way to return to normal. It was a good hour plus of pure adrenaline action and enjoyment as I soaked in the story, incredible as it was, and having the day not worrying about studies and exams.

Besides, it was also a good opportunity to get out of the summer's heat to enjoy the cool draught of the aircon in the cinema. It was the same cinema where I also saw Iron Man and Indiana Jones 4....

I Want to Be Poor?...

What were your dreams when you were young on what you would be when you grow up?

This little clip taken off from the recent Stephen Chow's hilarious movie CJ7 tells of these class kids aspiration of what they would want to be when they become adults. The replies given are not so surprising given the condition that an average middle-income family lives in the world today. Who doesn't want to be somebody or be rich?

Yet the last reply of this kid, who is the principal character in the movie, struck a chord a little with me because, while on one hand can sound very naive and out of touch with reality with this matter, on the other, it touches on something that may be taken as spiritually inspiring for someone seeking the real treasures of what life can truly mean. Christ, our Lord and Saviour himself was all of what that child was saying (and of course, more!) and Christ has already shown us the way for that radical living. Over the course of the history of spirituality of the Church, many have also followed that radical calling of being poor for the sake of the kingdom, with St Francis of Assisi especially in mind.

We may say being poor or the poor can have several different meanings or connotations to different persons and is therefore opened to many interpretations. But the hard saying of Jesus continue to prod our consciences: When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

The challenge for us today, is how we ourselves who are Christ's followers would want to seriously make that a more concrete and viable reality and not just mere playing of words, should we be radically called...

Jealous...

This is the last day of the 1st semester and after all those exams, we will begin the 2nd semester tomorrow. I am taking this opportunity to do nothing much and just laze around.

There is practically nothing much for me to do now except to start attending classes again to see just what kind of workload I have gotten myself into. But I am not going to lose sleep over this and just let the schedule takes its course. However, I do need to remind myself often to do up whatever assignments that are given as early as possible and not wait till the last moment like the other time... :-P

Meanwhile, I am going to get excited over here with two 'friends' that never went away from my memory. One continues to present the fight between good and evil in a very simplistic and entertaining way while the other encourages a person of my age that growing old need not mean lying on the ground now and waiting for the first dirt to fall and cover you, mortal that I may be. Both give that sense of an ideal which speaks of live, vitality and acceptance of one's own dignity not to be made a slave of by anyone or anything. They display the potential of human freedom, used appropriately or not, and the responses given at each situation where an important action is to be taken. These 'friends' show how these decisions can be made rather easily and, or course, with their consequences.

But in real life, things are not that simple and unlike the movies, you sometimes just don't get up, shake off the dust, and walk away unscathe as if nothing happened. Which is why watching these 'friends' of mine perform (especially in their past exploits), I just can't help but feel a wee bit jealous... ;-)

Don't you?

Professors....

A good movie entertainment usually is one that takes you on a churning rollercoaster ride and after that is over, you say to yourself, "Let's go for another round!"

Well, for those of us who like such opportunities to engage in such a ride like this, just check out the latest on the return of Indy Jones! In this fourth instalment, he's not as young as he used to be but the ride is still dizzying and puts any potential young rival to the rescuing-damsel-in-distress business to shame! I mean, he had protected the power of the divine, saved the cradle of civilisation and triumphed over the armies of evil. Now he's going to save the world again. And all this while he is a 'part-time' teacher/professor!...

If the story does not make it stand out, which I doubt, the rousing theme song of the movie is more than enough to make you stand up and go out to find your own adventure of an Indy proportion! ;-)

May 22nd is the day to look out for!

Now, if only some of our professors could be tad like that... :-D