Tuesday, October 29, 2013

When Nobody's Looking...

I've never really been into much gory stuff, but every October, I love to watch classic horror movies. In fact, you may remember that last year, I wrote about two of my favorites - 1931's Frankenstein, and its 1935 sequel, Bride of Frankenstein. Today, I'd like to share about another classic, 1933's The Invisible Man.

On the surface, there are actually some strong similarities between this film and the old Frankenstein movie. For instance, both seem to be cautionary tales about the dangers of man putting too much trust in science rather than God. Like Dr. Frankenstein, The Invisible man comes to realize too late that - despite his best intentions in the beginning - "I meddled in things that man must leave alone." This realization, though, only comes after tragedy strikes. In the midst of things, the scientists are too wrapped up in their perverse desires to see what's wrong with what they're doing. In fact, you can even hear an eerie similarity in the maniacal laughs of both characters, though they're played by two different actors!

The idea of invisibility, though raises an interesting question: What would you do if you were sure no one would ever see you doing it? How would that change the way you live?

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

A Passion for Peace

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."
- Matthew 5:9

It's no secret, we live in a world filled with hatefulness, violence an war, and at times, it seems like there's nothing we can do to make a change. Our world is heading in a downward spiral, and the cycle seems to be never-ending. But what if I were to tell you that there IS something we can do to make a difference?

In Disney's 1995 film, Pocahontas, we get a glimpse into a world where opposing forces seem hell-bent on destroying each other, but somehow war is avoided. And who knows, but a closer look might actually give us some guidance for how to look at each other and handle hostilities in this new world we live in today!

The movie, of course, is based on the legend of the real life Native American girl, Pocahontas, who crossed paths with British settlers in the early 1600s. Disney has taken a little liberty with the tale, as usual, but that does nothing to take away from the story's impact or the truths that lie within.

In the movie (as in real life), Pocahontas' tribe is worried about the intentions of the strange new white men who are invading their territory. They fear that the white men will not be friendly, and it doesn't take long for their fears to be confirmed. At the same time, the white men - in the movie, led by an extremely greedy, spiteful and paranoid Governor John Ratcliffe - have a similar fear of the Indians. They are constantly mistrusting of the local "savages" - a fear that Gov. Ratcliffe harnesses in order to get the men to follow his orders.