The Apostle -- blog #6

Hoo-whee! Sonny is a mess.  And as with Walt, he gets a whole lotta screen time.  So, consider what  we learn about the Apostle E.F. in the first ninety minutes of the film (we still have almost 45 to go!).

1. Is he a man of faith?  Is he a charlatan?  Is he unhinged? 

2. He seems to draw people to him wherever he goes but is that necessarily positive?  Does he need others' adulation or is he leading folk to God? 

3.  Does he share any qualities with another preacher we've met, Bishop Enoch?

Gran Torino -- post #5

Walt Kowalski dominates this film.  He appears in nearly every scene and, so, since you've spent a little over an hour with him thus far,  you are in a position to say at least a little about him.    What does he value?  What does seem to like?  What seems to most bother him?  And perhaps most telling of all for any character, what does he do?  In short what I'm getting at here is this: what does Walt believe in?

Red Hook Summer (pt 2)

Watch this short clip that includes some information from the director:

So, Mr. Lee says he trusts you to figure out the movie.  I want you to take him up on this compliment.
We broached the possibility that Box's drug deals on the corner may be a good bit like Bishop Enoch's work in Lil' Heaven.  What do you think Spike Lee is saying about belief in this film?  Is he satirizing it? Validating it? Something else?  Give this some careful thought before you answer.  Please post this blog by 8:00 Sunday evening.  (That includes you, Yani.)

Red Hook Summer

A summer vacation with a grandfather you've never met before in a place you' don't find comfortable  and habits that run counter to all that you know -- that's a tough gig.  So is watching some of these performances, but the color is stunning and the music stirring and the story, well, hmmmm, what IS the story here?  So, give the following a little thought:

1. Thinking about the two sermons we've heard from Bishop Enoch, how would you describe his theology?  What is his message for his congregation?

2.  What do you think about Deacon Zee?  What does his role offer the story?

3.  Yes, the kids who play Chazz and Flik lack the kind of acting skills that would prevent a good bit of cringing from the audience, but looking past the stiff performances, what is the relationship between these two characters?

Millions (pt.2)

 Just for fun you can review the brief reunion of mother and child:

 I find this scene quite touching, especially when viewed with Damian's perspective in mind.


And now for the blog-- for clarity's sake, use Millions as the source for a working definition of faith.  In other words what is faith according to the director (Danny Boyle)? Define the term with care.  Give examples from the film to support your claims.  We'll try to reach a consensus from your responses and use this definition as we move on to other films.

Millions

Answer each of the following questions with a well developed paragraph.
 
This film may find its way to the kids' section of the store or library, but if a child can fathom all the ideas it raises and catch all the details of the intricate construction of the scenes, I'll buff his halo.

1. Let's start with some general reactions.  What do you think of the movie so far?  What do you think the focus of the film is about half way through?

2.  What do you make of Damian's visions?  Is he a believer or is he just hallucinating?

3.  The saints in this film are hardly stiff icons of pious suffering. If we are to take them as guiding figures – and they do offer advice to Damian --, what kind of behavior do they promote? What does a faithful life look like if they are the representatives of such a life?

That's it for now.  There will be much more to say once we finish the film.