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When I first saw the teaser trailer for Where the Wild Things Are, I couldn’t help but be excited. I don’t have a strong attachment to the source material, but I did enjoy it as a kid and I do love Spike Jonze’s work. I mean, he did Sabotage, as a geek I am forever grateful.

As the movie was released, however, word of mouth seemed to be very harsh. Looking back, it has a 73% on Rotten Tomatoes which is not indicative of a bad film by any means. It just seemed like everyone that had seen it was extremely lukewarm to it. People complained about the tone, the handheld camera techniques, the lack of resolution. I decided to wait and Netflix it.

I just finished watching the Blu-Ray and I must say… I loved it.

Max is a child with a lack of friends and a temper beyond his control. He becomes furious with his mother and acts out, then runs away after an ugly confrontation. He ends up finding his way onto a small boat and sets sail, ending up in a land far away inhabited by the titular creatures.

And my, how wild they are.

These enormous monsters are conned by Max into making him king and it becomes apparent as he gets to know them that they are not as powerful as they seem. In fact, many of Max’s own troubles are reflected in each of the wild things. Carol has some serious anger issues and his relationship with KW is trying for both of them. Judith is afraid that Max does not like her. Ira has resigned that he is unlikable and wallows in self-loathing.

This sounds heavy for a kids movie. Maybe it is. I would suggest that it isn’t though. Kids experience all of these emotions and have no idea what to do with them. Everyone wants to be loved, everyone gets frustrated. Relationships are hard and they’re messy. We have fears and doubts that we don’t know what to do with and don’t know how to process. We had them as kids, when we get older we just don’t know what to do with them. Perhaps being a kid wasn’t so simple after all. As we grow older, the problems become even more complicated.

I guess that’s part of the magic of this film. As an adult, it takes you back to your childhood in such a raw manner that you don’t normally see. It’s easy to be taken back to your childhood through the lens of nostalgia and feel as though it was a perfect time and nothing was wrong. To make you feel like you would give anything to be back there and escape your woes today. Rather, Where the Wild Things Are reminds us that there were woes then, as well. It tears into who we are and reminds us that we all have the same fears, the same questions, the same problems.

It doesn’t make us feel like a kid again, when we approached the world with wonder, it reminds us that we still are and there is wonder still to be seen.

Technically, the movie is beautiful. They made the wise decision to go practical for the monsters, as opposed to computer generated creatures. The result is believable characters that never feel out of place. The cinematography is breathtaking; all of the different environments in the world look fantastic. It is just so beautifully shot.

The music is provided largely by Karen O. and the Kids, which is actually a group of kids provided most of the vocal parts. It is equally as inspiring as the visuals and lends to creating a fantastic mood. It functions in the same way as the Juno soundtrack, only to a much greater degree. I’m listening to the soundtrack now. It’s fantastic.

I loved this movie. I think people that did not like it simply didn’t get it or chose not to buy what it is selling. There is so much to be had here. Make sure you see this film.

Parents, watch this with your children. Talk with them about it afterwards. You’ll both come away richer from both experiences.

The trailer made great use of the song “Wake Up” by Arcade Fire. These are the first two stanzas and they sum this all up better than I could through my prose.

Somethin’ filled up
my heart with nothin’,
someone told me not to cry.

But now that I’m older,
my heart’s colder,
and I can see that it’s a lie.

Do not miss out on the experience of Where the Wild Things Are.

Here’s a few links to some resources that we use at NCC for this, that and the other.

Video Copilot: FREE After Effects tutorials and great, cheap stock footage and audio.

Spectrum Printing: Great printing company based in MD. We push almost everything to them.

Tuts +: Great, free tutorials for Photoshop, After Effects, sound editing, web design and more.

ProPresenter: The presentation software we use at NCC.

ExpressionEngine: The content management system that powers all of the websites for NCC.

Light Cast Media: The video streaming we use for the web.

KeepVid: Download and save YouTube videos.

Leadership Retreat has come and gone. Every year, NCC takes our small group and ministry leaders to a campground in Falling Waters, WV for a weekend where we attempt to pour into our leaders and cast vision for this coming year. It is absolutely a highlight of the NCC calendar.

This was the first year without Dave Clark and David Russell and thus I was set to oversee the truck loading and production setup and so on. Unfortunately, I could not possibly be more disappointed with myself. I dropped 2 or 3 balls on the truck loading leaving us with 1 dead projector, a couple Wal-Mart runs, and a lot of tension. I can’t even express how frustrated I still am with myself over it all. As someone who prides himself on “making things happen,” I really didn’t this year.

However, we blew a power breaker about 10 times as a result of the building’s age and the amount of gear we setup and try to run. This certainly added stress, but was a touch out of my control. We did the problem solving steps and so on, got it up and running, with one exception… the Mac Mini that was displaying our graphics and videos got severely damaged by the power issues.

Like, “literally doesn’t know what a .app file is” damaged. (That’s an application for those unfamiliar. Think .exe file.)

There’s something funny about adversity and greatness. The two go hand in hand. What I mean is that you only ever become great when you’re faced with adversity. Think of some of the greatest sports highlights you’ve seen; each one is founded on adversity. Buzzer beaters aren’t necessary unless you’re losing with seconds left on the clock. No one throws a hail mary when they’re up by two touchdowns in the second half.

I pulled off the video. The “how” isn’t really important, all that mattered was that the videos that Andy Pisciotti worked so hard on would be seen and that the words to the songs that Steph and the band slaved over in practice would be seen and sang by those who didn’t know them.

Last night, as we sat snowed in, a few people carried on about how amazing the job I did was. I smiled and thanked them for their kindness and their compliments, but was internally still deflated from my shortcomings on Friday. There’s another lesson here, I think. Not only does your adversity bring the best out of you, it is those moments that people will remember you by. No one is going to remember Willie Mays by his strikeouts or his errors. They’re going to remember Vic Wertz hitting a long ball to center field of the Polo Grounds and “Say Hey” making a catch that seemed impossible.

What I don’t know is how Willie remembers himself. How did he feel after that game? Was he thinking about “The Catch?” Or was he thinking about going 0-3? Because he did, in that very game. What went through his head that night at home?

I guess that’s what I’m wrestling with.

Last year, I began a tradition I hope to continue onward of noting the top 10 films I’ve seen that year. I posted earlier the list of movies from 2009 that I saw, though 2 of them will not be in contention for the list this year. I’ll get to that later. I’m finally now sitting down to compile this year’s list; and my, what a year it’s been!

I tossed and turned over whether to make this a top 10 or not and finally decided that it would be. I like the bold and assured nature of a top 10 with rankings. Is film #5 meaningfully better than film #6? Probably not, but gosh darnit, this is my list!

I leave off The Wrestler and Revolutionary Road from contention because they were in award consideration for the 2009 Oscars. Guess I don’t get to count them, even though my theatrical experience happen in this past calendar year. I will say The Wrestler is one of my favorite films of all time. Revolutionary Road is also incredible. You should see them both. Though, be warned, The Wrestler contains a large amount of nudity. It’s sad nudity, but I throw it out there for those of you that want to avoid it.

So… drumroll… here’s the list!

Honorable Mentions

Zombieland

Zombieland is an extremely entertaining movie. If the one sheet doesn’t automatically sell you on this one, you just don’t get it. Thankfully, the film was geared specifically for people who would get it and for that, I salute them. It was funny, it was violent, it was a perfect American-style zombie comedy to stand next to the very British Shaun of the Dead.

Pirate Radio

I didn’t exactly know what to expect going into this one and ended up loving it. A strong comedy about an illegal radio station that broadcasts from a boat off the coast of England, Pirate Radio was one of the more enjoyable film-goings I had this past year. If you love Almost Famous, there’s most likely a lot here for you, too.

The Brothers Bloom

I saw this one in sort of a rush at the end of the year to squeeze it in after the /Filmcast had talked so much about it. The three leads are all terrific in this one and the script is fantastic. It’s a very funny, entertaining and, at times, moving film. I don’t feel I have the distance from it yet that might’ve bumped it in to the top 10.

10. Bad Lieutenant Port of Call New Orleans

Worst title of the year. 10th best film. There are two kinds of people when it comes to this one. Those who embraced Nic Cage’s overacting and this movie’s quirky tone and feel and those who just don’t get it and think it’s awful. I loved the insanity of Cage’s character and the bizarre nature of this whole movie and enjoyed myself like crazy for this one. With 2 minute long whimsical shots of smiling iguanas, how can you not?

9. The Carter

I’ve never been a fan of Lil’ Wayne. He’s claimed by many to be the best rapper in the world. Anyone who tells you this is wrong. I won’t even hear a case for it. There isn’t one. However, he is one of the most fascinating characters in entertainment and this documentary is a hit simply by virtue of following him around. It is an incredible picture of narcissism, celebrity and debauchery. Total must-see.

8. District 9

District 9 is an incredible science fiction film. The interaction between the aliens and the humans is remarkable and the whole movie is very convincing. Especially considering the film was made for around $30 million! It does feel a bit like two movies smashed together, but they’re two very solid halves that make an incredible whole.

7. An Education

When a drama that centers around a romance keeps my attention the whole time, it’s an achievement. When it does it with the grace and ease that An Education does, it’s a sign of a fantastic piece of work. The performances are all incredible, the script is tight, the plot goes places I didn’t expect it to, I highly recommend this one. So strong.

6. I Love You, Man

You see Paul Rudd and Jason Segel and think we’re in for a crass comedy that will be a lot of fun, but inspire nothing more than some t-shirts. I Love You, Man is sneaky. I felt this movie had a ton to say about male friendships and the difficulty in finding them. Living in a major city, I could find many places I could identify with Paul Rudd’s quest for a best friend. This movie is funny, insightful and contains a live performance from Rush. Perfect movie?

5. Up

This is where the list takes a jump to movies that are flat out brilliant. Up might be my favorite Pixar film and that’s saying something. There’s a sequence where there is no dialogue and they take you on an emotional rollercoaster that caused this strange liquid to come from my eyes. I don’t need to explain this pick, if you’ve seen the film, you know why it’s here. If you haven’t, you just got homework.

4. In the Loop

This is the best screenplay of the year. In the Loop is a British political satire that goes back and forth between the UK and the US over conflict in a middle eastern country that remains nameless. The dialog is smart and rapid. Joke after joke flows seamlessly from some incredible characters. This is the kind of comedy where individual lines will make you laugh out loud when you remember them to yourself weeks later. For example, “I can’t stand to see a woman bleed from the mouth. It reminds me of that Country & Western music which I cannot abide.”

3. The Hurt Locker

I found Hurt Locker to be an incredibly interesting character study of one soldier who perhaps represents many others addicted to the rush of combat. His job, a bomb specialist sent in to disarm explosives and the tension of those moments comes across extraordinarily well. This is a great war movie. There’s a reason this is winning awards already.

2. Up in the Air

Jason Reitman, George Clooney, Jason Bateman, Vera Farmiga. That was all I needed to know to sell me on this one ahead of time. It’s a thoughtful, insightful exploration of Clooney’s character who lives his life with as little attachment as possible. Very few films have spoke to me personally as strongly as this one did and the more distance I get from it, the more I love it.

1. Inglourious Basterds

This was the best film I saw in 2009. Tarantino’s latest is a World War II film that follows a band of Jewish-American soldiers that stage an Apache resistance behind enemy lines and French Jew operating a cinema in Nazi-occupied Paris. The performances are all phenomenal, the story is incredible and there is a gigantic amount of depth here. Christoph Waltz as Nazi “detective” Hans Landa is the performance of the year. I eagerly await what he and Quentin will do next, together or separate.

So, what do you think? What was on your top 10?

Tomorrow, I plan on writing my list of the top movies from 2009. Before I do so, however, I feel that I must first list what I got around to seeing this year. So, if you are going to flame my choice for the top films, please first consult this list before you do so.

The list!

The Wrestler (Released in December, saw it January 1 in the theater)
Donkey Punch
Fanboys
He’s Just Not That Into You
Watchmen
I Love You, Man
State of Play
Wolverine
Star Trek
Up
The Hangover
Away We Go
The Hurt Locker
Brüno
(500) Days of Summer
In the Loop
Funny People
G.I. Joe
Paper Heart
District 9
The Goods
Inglourious Basterds
Extract
Paranormal Activity
Capitalism
Zombieland
A Serious Man
Baader-Meinholf Complex
Law Abiding Citizen
Pirate Radio
Revolutionary Road (Saw it in January, though it had Oscar consideration in this past year’s award show)
The Girlfriend Experience
Up in the Air
The Road
Thirst
Bad Lieutenant
Avatar
Sherlock Holmes
Food, Inc
Collapse
Julia
An Education
The Carter
The Brothers Bloom

There it is. Either tomorrow or this week, I’ll break down my favorites.

Any thing missing from the list that I MUST see?

DC is a terrible city in which to own a dog. Well, cities fundamentally are terrible places to have dogs, so I guess DC is no different. I don’t own a dog, mostly for that very reason. It’s so much harder to deal with a pooch in an urban environment.

For one, you do not have a backyard. When I was growing up, until the day I drifted off to college, I had a certain job in our house. That job was to grab a shovel and a bucket lined with a black trash bag and clean the back yard of… landmines. It was not all that unlike The Hurt Locker. In fact, it was decidedly less invigorating than Jeremy Renner makes his duty out to be. There’s a pun in there, but I’m going to take the high road.

In cities, you have not the luxury of opening the back door and letting Rover run free to do his business. Instead, you have to walk with him, observe his… doings, and then, using only a plastic bag to shield your hand, reach down and pick up his gift to the ecosystem. I flat out refuse to do this. And thus I don’t have a dog.

There’s another reason that dogs are so much harder to keep in DC and it’s an issue of space. There simply isn’t much. Many a tale has been told of couches having unplanned amputations to fit through our tiny doorways. The founding father types that constructed many of these homes must have been considerably smaller than we are these days, because I’d like to have just a smidge more space. I can only imagine how man’s best friend feels about this arrangement.

There’s a dog a few houses down from me that appears to be half chocolate lab, half bear. It is a giant beast. It often barks at anyone and anything that passes by and has sent several children screaming down the block. That’s not poetic license here, I’ve seen it and it’s hilarious.

Unfortunately for him, the space in which he has to roam would barely fit my love seat. He lays down and… that’s about all the space. Every time I pass him, I can’t help but feel sad for him. Here’s a creature that was made to run, was made to chase things and expend great amounts of energy and there he sits. Alone. On a brick walkway. Encaged by a fence. He could probably jump it, but he hasn’t the motivation. He’s defeated and drained and depressed.

I wonder if that’s how God sees some of us. Of course, when Jesus says that He’s come to set the captives free He means from the clutches of sin and death and the Law. But what if that’s not all He means… What if when He says that He’s come to give life abundantly, He means it?

Perhaps some of us used to sit, and still do, in small landscaped gardens when we were made to run free in the wild. Maybe Jesus died to set us free from that too.

To open the gate, release us into the wild and let us loose.

Maybe that’s what it means to be free.

I’m writing this In the Loop review now in the hopes that it reaches you before it leaves theaters. You see, no one is talking about this movie and it is criminal. Hopefully, you’ll go see it and tell other people about it and it will start a chain reaction of people enjoying one of the smartest comedies I’ve seen in a long time.

The film is not rated, simply because the BBC never submitted it for review. I will rate it for you now. R for language, language, and more language. Peter Capaldi’s character in this film swears a blue streak through it’s entirety. But I’ll be darned if it’s not the most clever uses for said words I’ve heard on screen in a long time.

In the Loop is a British political satire. That’s all I knew going in. That’s all I really know now. I’m not going to try to summarize the plot because, well, I can’t. I’m not sure what happened in this movie. Some people talked about politics. Then they talked about politics in DC. That’s… the movie. I know that doesn’t sound very entertaining, but you’d be wrong. Oh… how you’d be wrong.

This is some of the smartest dialog you’ll see on film all year. Wait, this is the smartest dialog you will see on film all year, I guarantee it. The writing here is on such a level above everything else. Nothing is wasted, every line is moving this thing forward and keeping you engaged. It makes me wonder why more movies aren’t written this way. It just sounds so natural and is so well done.

I will concede that it is a British comedy and that will turn off some people. It’s not exactly Faulty Towers in terms of inaccessibility to a general audience, but I can understand how some that are not used to British humor might not appreciate it as much. Walking out of the theater, a couple was walking just ahead of me and both seemed to be rather humdrum over it. “Well… it was kinda funny…” Though, in my mind, I’m thinking, “Kinda funny? This movie was genius!”

If you’re a fan of comedies, particularly smart ones or British ones, this is a movie you simply must see. Like now.

And if you’re going… call me. Cause I’d see it again and again.

Went Thursday night and saw the movie Funny People by Judd Apatow, starring Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and Leslie Mann. Figured a controversial film such as this was just the right one to kick off movie reviews here on the blog. Controversial not in the normal sense, that it tackles some taboo subject matter, but because reviews of this film have been all over the board. Some people have loved it and said it was the funniest movie of the year, some people have hated it and called it self-indulgent and elongated.

I’ll keep my reviews spoiler-free, so no worries if you haven’t seen it. By spoiler-free, I’m going with the normal definition meaning nothing that isn’t in the trailer. I guess the problem with the Funny People trailer is that it gives away what should’ve been a huge plot development. Well, is a huge plot development, but one we all know is coming thanks to the trailer. Perhaps that’s a rather honest way to market the movie. Right up front, no twist, you know he’s getting a second chance at life. Similar almost to 500 Days of Summer, which I saw, loved and will review shortly as well, in that you know from the onset that Summer isn’t “the one”.

Sandler, as George Simmons, handles the dramedy well in this movie, bouncing back and forth between real emotion and humor. It seems to me that many comedians struggle with this same sort of double-life. On stage they’re the funny man, but behind the curtain are often people that are very insecure and sometimes rather troubled. I recall seeing Greg Giraldo at the Improv in DC and this idea was rather evident. Any perceptive individual heard what he was saying and, though it was very funny, could tell that at times it was a situation where the phrase “if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry” was in full effect.

Perhaps that’s what Apatow is trying to do with this film, put flesh on what goes on in the minds of “funny people”. There’s an interesting exchange between Sandler and Rogen in the movie about how our generation will never aspire to the comedic genius of Sandler’s, because we simply haven’t had the same degree of abuse to work past. The cancer, in this case, is the way to give the audience something identifiable to attach to an abstract problem. In that, I feel it’s very successful.

Seth Rogen is great as Ira, the young comedian that Simmons employs to be his assistant. He is the character in the movie that is actually going to arc when it’s all said and done. You begin to see that George was correct by seeing himself in Ira and that is illustrated beautifully through his relationships with his roommates, Jason Schwartzman and Jonah Hill, and his crush, Aubrey Plaza. Schwartzman’s character, the star of a terrible tv show called Yo Teach!, is a joy to watch. He is incredibly charming and a very welcome addition to the Apatow troop. Jonah Hill is Jonah Hill. I happen to think Jonah Hill is very funny, so I enjoyed his performance. I almost wonder if the relationship between Ira and Leo (Hill) is very similar to that between Rogen and Hill in real life. I’m fairly certain that they are pals off-screen and the chemistry in the movie is obvious as a result.

There are also a gigantic amount of cameos, many of which are completely unexpected and I won’t spoil them. I will say though, that a particular heart-to-heart with a particular hip-hop star is a scene that many have derided, but i found to be very good. If you’re aware of my feelings about that rapper in a movie that he was in previously, you probably won’t be surprised I thought so. Man, is that a nebulous sentence or what?

The film looks far better than it has any business looking. It’s obviously not Kingdom of Heaven, but this is one fine looking picture. I was really surprised by how beautiful this film is. 40 Year Old Virgin at times looks practically like a sitcom, this is very elegant and rich.

Many people have said that the movie is self-indulgent. I really disagree with that. Yes, Apatow casted his wife and kids in major roles and spends a lot of time with them, but I thought it much more charming and personal than obtrusive. There’s a scene in particular where they watch a home movie of the one girl and it goes on longer than you’d expect that scene to last, but I didn’t have a problem with it. I also disagree that the film is too long, I did not feel that way at all. I personally feel that I’m sensitive to the lengths of films. I thought Watchmen was too long, for example. Though Funny People is long, it never felt to me like it was overlong and I never felt the need to check the time.

I had been warned that the content was a little “blue”, as one would probably expect from this director and cast. I honestly thought that it was far less offensive than 40-Year Old Virgin or Knocked Up. It wasn’t necessarily these gross-out sorts of situations, but more of an inside look at these comedians’ lives. Comedians tell crass jokes. I feel like had it been chock full of squeaky clean material, it would’ve not nearly felt as true.

All in all, I thought Funny People to be a very warm, personal, interesting picture that was a joy to watch. It will not have you laughing as loudly or as often as say, The Hangover or I Love You, Man, but it was very funny and simultaneously pulled you in and felt very rich. It is not what some expect from Judd Apatow and the gang, but I for one am interested to see him continue in this trend of telling honest, meaningful tales that rely more on great performances and insightful writing than sight-gags and sex jokes.

I’m really starting to get annoyed.

REALLY annoyed.

As of yesterday, Michael Vick is officially a Philadelphia Eagle. Many of my tweeps who claim to love Jesus are unhappy about this. He killed dogs, it’s horrible news, how could they employ such a person? At first, it just rubbed me the wrong way as a football fan who is aware that teams play to win games, not be shining examples of morality. Afterall, if Vick makes Philly money, why should they care about his past transgressions? That’s capitalism, baby.

But now, it’s taken a turn. My feelings, that is. See… it’s continuing to bubble as people continue to make comments and I can’t help but think of the overwhelming hypocrisy of it all.

Not in a “I’m sure glad Jesus gave me a second chance” kind of way. Though there is a lot of truth there. No, what I can’t help but think is that each and every one of you is a murderer too.

Every. One.

Me included.

We’re all murderers. And not of dogs, of people. We’re all murderers. Every single one of us. Didn’t Jesus say, “I’m telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder.” That’s just what the Bible says. Period.

We ALL murder, but by the grace of God. And don’t you EVER forget it.

It’s been a while! Every passing day, i’ve been more and more shamed by my concerted lack of effort. Guess that’s why this works, can’t quit on it!

Honestly, it’s been a pretty crazy couple weeks since my last post. In that time, the media department has become me all by my lonesome, I’ve worked what basically was a 40 hour day, and have felt on numerous occasions like Chicken Little.

I’m writing this from the Lincoln Memorial on my phone. Sometimes technology really sucks and sometimes, like right now, it’s terrific. Absolutely beautiful night out, too.

To get back on track, we’re looking at chapter 3, continuing my little experiment. In chapter 3, we get dudes eating bugs, dudes getting told where to shove it, and dudes getting baptized.

Which reminds me, if you haven’t yet, check out our Baptism by the Bay video from this year. Afterall, it’s one of the things that kept me from this!

What I want to sort’ve discuss though, is the last sentence of the chapter.

And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Tonight, a question entered my mind that never has ever before with this verse. Why? Why is God pleased with Jesus here? I have a couple possibilities in mind…

One, He’s pleased just because it’s his son. I’m not a father, but I know that when you have kids, they don’t have to try hard to win your approval. It doesn’t matter how bad something I’ve done for is, my parents think it’s wonderful. I know we don’t have to do anything to earn God’s love or mercy, but his approval… I feel like that’s different. It’s probably not as free based on his demands in Scripture. I know God loves me, I’m not quite as certain He’s pleased.

Two, the moment. They say every great journey begins with a single step and this is it. Game on. We’re instituting the Kingdom right… NOW. Perhaps God is pleased because it’s finally beginning. Granted, it’s God and he’s eternal and thus time is irrelevant, but finally sounded so much more cinematic.

Three, Jesus’ willingness to embark on this mission. In some pre-temporal Big Idea meeting between the trinity, the idea gets tossed out, what if Jesus dies a brutal death to redeem these human things we’re rolling out soon? Salvation history gets set in motion and leads to the time when God takes on humanity, completely humiliates himself and sacrifices it all. This is that time, this is where it begins and the Father is pleased.

So which is the answer? I don’t know. Maybe it’s one of them, maybe it’s all of them, maybe it’s none of them. I’m inclined to believe it’s some combination of the three. I guess I just wish I knew the formula for how I could evoke that same blessing. That I would know that what I’ve done has left him “well pleased,” because often times, I feel like it hasn’t.