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WandaVision: Reviving the MCU in the Past

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To an extent, the Marvel Cinematic Universe reminds me of the old song that says, ‘How Can I Miss You If You Won’t Go Away?’

It goes without saying that, after 22 movies (including the highest grossing film of all time) that have dominated the box office to the tune of over $22 billion, the MCU has become the premiere cinematic franchise in the last decade. Like many others, I’ve thrilled at watching a series of films where alien invasions, magic powers and even time-travel have become realities in a universe that seems to have no limits. However, after Avengers: Endgame destroyed all box office records and essentially wrapped up all their active storylines, my enthusiasm for their never-ending commitment to ‘the next phase’ was waning. Frankly, I needed a break.

In this way, the pandemic was definitely good for something.

After the worldwide shut-down forced the MCU (and most other things) to go on hiatus, the break has allowed the dust from the series’ dramatic conclusion* to finally settle. After 18 months—the longest gap without new Marvel material in over a decade, if you can believe it—the emergence of Disney’s streaming empire has allowed the MCU to slowly wind up the gears for its much-needed reset. So finally, with Friday’s launch of their new Disney+ series WandaVision, the MCU has officially returned. 

And it’s about to get weird(er)… in the best of ways.

Bound to be divisive, WandaVision’s refresh is an intentionally wild and unique re-introduction to the world of the MCU. Set in the world of classic television sitcoms, WandaVision is a limited miniseries that follows the marital bliss of the MCU’s beloved power couple, the mystical Wanda ‘Scarlett Witch’ Maximoff (Ashley Olsen) and the cybernetic Vision (Paul Bettany). As the two attempt to fit in to their unconventional suburban life, Wanda can’t help but sense that a darkness lurks that threatens their utopian world.

While not their first foray into the world of television (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter), WandaVision is the first of their truly integrated series that is supposed to blur the lines between cinema and streaming content. Stars Bettany and Olsen are clearly revelling in the opportunity to portray their relationship with a fresh lens and the results are palpable onscreen. Bouncing around with enthusiastic energy, the duo make good use of their chemistry from previous Marvel films as they bring revive a bygone era. (Though, arguably, the real MVP of this MCU property is veteran Kathryn Hahn who is simply delightful playing an endless string of ‘best friend’ tropes.)

With its bizarre concept and style, it goes without saying that WandaVision is Marvel’s greatest ‘risk’. But, frankly, that’s always when they’re at their most interesting. Without any mention of the Avengers, ‘the Blip’ or other MCU tropes (so far), WandaVision feels like the fever dream of Marvel’s super-couple after falling asleep on the couch watching ‘Nick-At-Nite’. Having said this, that same separation is what also makes make the series work. While it feels inevitable that WandaVision will edge towards the superhero epic, this classic sitcom diversion is simply stunning to behold. With each episode, the miniseries fully leans into a different decade of the early years of television. Whether it’s the static sets of 1950s comedy ala I Love Lucy or the more mischievous whimsical atmosphere of early Bewitched, Shakman and his team have managed to recreate television history without fully losing the sense that there’s a greater Marvel story lurking underneath. Small details like separate beds for the married couple, charming theme songs and commercial breaks help build authenticity with a playful wink. (In fact, they even recorded the first episode of the series in front of a live studio audience.) 

Of course, this is a Marvel product and the premiere episodes carry with them the bubbling undercurrent of a much larger conspiracy. Though this tv world feels ‘perfect’, Wanda clearly is experiencing some form of ‘bad reception’. There’s a certain level of fragility within their suburban utopia. Mysterious messages from outside the world break through the innocence of the black and white world. 

But who is in control? Without giving away any spoilers, this tv reality seems like the type of environment that one might create to avoid dealing with the darkness of the real world. Within the heart of classic sitcoms lies a certain level of distance from cultural (or personal) change. One does not have to look any further from the (far too) gradual developments within television’s early age regarding issues of gender, race or sexuality to see that they reinforce cultural ideas designed to reinforce ideas of the dominant culture of their era. Is it possible that there’s a certain level of safety in these spaces or is something more nefarious going on with Wanda and her digital spouse? (Knowing the MCU, it’s possible that it’s both but answers have been sparse thus far.)

With a fresh tone and absolutely bonkers concept, WandaVision is a welcome re-introduction to a cinematic (do we use that word in this case?) universe that seemed to be running out of ideas. Thankfully, with the gift of time and, more importantly, creativity, WandaVision shows that Marvel is willing to experiment in their quest for content when the opportunity rises.

And, when Marvel takes risks, that’s something worth tuning in for.

The first two episodes of WandaVision are available on Disney+ on Friday, January 15th, 2021, with weekly episodes to follow.

*For what it’s worth, its fair to say that the last Marvel film was technically Spider-Man: Far From Home. However, that film was ultimately considered an epilogue on a story that ended the film prior, Avengers: Endgame.

Everything is Spiritual: 1on1 with Pete Docter and Dana Murray (SOUL)

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When you write about the afterlife, you’re definitely wading into dangerous waters.

Produced by Dana Murray and directed by Pete Docter, Soul tells the story of Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx), a middle-school band teacher who yearns for something more. Passionate about jazz music, Gardner wants to be on stage yet he feels stuck. After his sudden death, Joe meets 22 (Tina Fey), a soul who has yet to begin her life on Earth and seems unable to find her ‘spark’. Together, the two fight to help Joe reclaim his live while also helping 22 to discover why life is worth living in the first place. 

Known for writing some of Pixar’s ‘headiest’ work (pun intended) such as Inside Out, Up and Monsters Inc., Pete Docter is certainly no stranger to the obscure. However, even for Docter, Soul’s interest in the afterlife provides one of the more complex conceptions ever dealt with by the company.

As they began to develop their visual representation of the Great Beyond, Docter understandably found the task to be an incredible challenge for himself and his team.

 “The afterlife was especially like danger, danger, danger,” he remembers. “There’s a lot of pitfalls and things that we could have stuck our foot in by accident… I think one of the first things we did was talk to a lot of different religious consultants like pastors, theologians, rabbis [and] shaman. We tried to understand from every angle how people across time have understood the soul. What does it look like? Are there any clues to us in terms of the design that we can use? We actually ended up staying away from the afterlife. There’s of course, the sort of cliché of going towards the bright light that we did.” 

“There was an early script where I actually wrote in the voice of God. I was thinking [that] if we’re talking about ‘Why am I here? Why am I not getting what I want?’, then it’s sort of a Job-like story. And I thought it’d be fun to have never referred to him or her. In fact, I thought it was horribly clever that every line would be spoken by someone else. So, it would be a woman, a kid, all ethnicities and races. But that was one of the first things to cut and probably good because the characters—like us—have to figure things out themselves, as opposed to be told.”

Of course, any conversation surrounding the afterlife leads to discussions about the nature of faith. Despite its exploration of the hereafter, Docter feels that Soul’s system of belief echoes more of the classic philosophers than it does theologians.

“I feel like obviously, beyond Christianity, I think a major goal of any faith is to try to bring sense for people in their lives,” contends Docter. “The idea of how do I know what I’m supposed to do. Am I making the right decisions? All those things are complicated and it’s super helpful to have help along the way. I actually feel like it’s maybe more of a philosophical film than a theological one. Essentialism, the idea that I was born to do this, [is] straight out of Aristotle or Plato. Then, we get to counter with the humor of 22 is for nihilism, the sort of ultimate meaninglessness of it all.

“I think where we come to in the end is existentialism, like a Soren Kierkegaard kind of thing of, ‘Hey, it’s not just meant to be localized over here and then the rest of my life happens.’ All of life is spiritual. Everything you do contributes to who you are as a person and so, the overall meaning of your life. I still struggle with that daily but I feel like having the chance to work on this film was a great reminder daily of how I can be bringing my full self into everything, being more present and… really trying to be. It’s tough because you have to balance that with [the fact that] the movie has to get done. I can’t stand here and talk about philosophy all day but it has made me more grateful and appreciative and desiring [to] practice that. Because… it’s not a personality attribute. It’s not something you’re given. You have to exercise every day, at least in my case.”

“I think, to me, faith and fate are really interconnected,” adds producer Dana Murray. “This year, especially, you just have to [realize that] I’m not in charge. I have to go and trust that my faith and fate that it’ll all work out. That’s threaded into the film, but also just timely of when it’s coming out, trusting in that.” 

One of the most unique aspects of the film is its presentment of Black culture. As the first depiction of an African-American lead character within Pixar’s canon, Joe Gardner was an exciting prospect for the company. Understanding that any portrayal of race deserved to be handled with the utmost care and sensitivity, Murray ensured that as many voices as possible were consulted so that Soul could visually provide the most authentic representation possible.

“We took it on as a huge responsibility to portray Joe and the rest of the cast [as] truthful and authentic,” she explains. “I think that 22 walking in Joe’s shoes is really special because we got to go into these Black spaces, like the barbershop and the tailor shop with Joe’s mom. I think that Joe is going through something that’s very universal and something that I think all of us, if we haven’t felt in our life, probably will at some point. I think he’s a character that so many people can connect to. Culturally, we wanted to make the black community proud. So, we brought on a lot of help. We had a ton of consultants and a culture trust and [then, there’s] our co-director and writer Kemp Power. All these voices were such a huge part in making these characters who they were. It was very important to us to portray them in a truthful way.”

“In fact, we, I think our initial concern was about religion,” Docter responds. “The longer term and the bigger concern became more about race and representing culture because there are a lot of pitfalls and things that we didn’t even know [that] we didn’t know. So, [there was] long learning there [for us[.”

Having said this, Docter recognizes that it was never the original intent for Soul to specifically depict Black culture in its story-telling. Even so, once that came into view, he also believes that it created incredible opportunities for learning that made the film’s development a richer experience for everyone involved.

“We didn’t set out to make the first African-American character,” Docter recalls. “It was really out of the decision that this guy who kind of reflects the artist’s journey should be a jazz musician and one of our consultants said, ‘Oh, jazz, you could more accurately call black improvisational music. It grew out of the African-American culture.‘ And we thought, it’s only right then to have our main character reflect that. As soon as we made that decision, I don’t think I knew how little I didn’t know. There was a lot that we needed help with. And [co-director] Kemp Powers, as Dana mentioned, was formative in bringing a lot of those details. But we also had extensive cultural consultants as well. People talking just about the black experience. People talking about music. We got to meet and work with Herbie Hancock and Quincy Jones, [who are] these living legends, which was just fascinating and mind blowing. It was a huge responsibility that we knew that we wanted to portray this life of this man as accurately as we could, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because the movie gets better when you talk about those things in an accurate, specific way. Strangely, I think it becomes more universal the more specific it is. So, we had a lot of the benefit of a lot of really great people that helped us. It was a great learning experience.” 

Speaking of 2020, because the film features characters in ‘holding patterns’ with their lives, there’s also an aspect of Soul that connects with the current pandemic. Although the film went into production years ago, Docter also feels like the story resonates in new ways in light of today’s circumstances.

“I think it sort of turned out that way,” reflects Docter. “We started at five years ago and the world was a different place, but a lot of the things that we were investigating, like basically why are we waking up in the morning? What are we doing with our time? Those, I think, are things that we’re maybe asking ourselves more now than we do in normal times. Maybe that’s not always good. I think there’s some value to asking those questions. That was our hope really from the get-go… It’s not like we ever hoped to answer the question of what is life all about. That’s ridiculous to think that you could but, at the very least, we hoped that we would incite some good conversations and make people say, ‘Okay, we got to go get some coffee and talk about this’. (Or, now sit on zoom, I guess, and talk about it.)”

In addition, another fascinating theme embedded within the film is it’s conversation surrounding what it means to know one’s calling. Unlike other Disney projects that encourage you to ‘follow your dreams’, Soul takes a more grounded approach to the idea. In fact, Docter’s script even suggests that over-emphasizing the importance of our ‘dreams’ may be limiting to our ‘spark’.

“That was one of the great joys that came with [it],” he beams. “I think there is, oftentimes, a narrative [of] ‘find what you love, do it, and you’ll never work a day in your life.’ That’ll lead to happiness and fulfillment. Well, no, it doesn’t work like that. There are times of intense joy and fulfillment, but it’s not the answer to everything. So, it was really exciting as a storyteller because I think everybody believes so strongly in that narrative that, when we don’t give Joe the happiness and fulfillment that he was expecting, it’s kind of shocking to people. I don’t know that we really ever pulled this off but the hope was that the word ‘spark’ would be reversed in a way. At the beginning, Joe assumes, like hopefully the audience, that [his] spark is the thing you love and your passion, like music or a science, or whatever those specific things [are]. But, in the end, spark really means life. You know that your job is not to just do this one thing, but your job is to live in all the complexity and nuance that that entails. So, I hope that came across, but that was the intention.”

Since 1995’s release of Toy Story, Pixar has continuously offered though-provoking projects that excite the minds of people the world over. Asked what it is that he finds so stirring about these films, Docter highlights the unexpected impact that these stories have on the audience.

“I guess it’s just wanting to reflect reality or my experience of it,” Docter explains. “When I started in animation, it was all about the joy that I got out of it. Now, I realize that one of the great joys of it is the ability for Dana and I and the rest of our crew to connect with people we will never meet in parts of the world that we will never go. Through the work that we do, we have this amazing ability to connect people. I think animation has a wonderful ability (and I guess, filmmaking and storytelling in general) to allow the viewers to step into somebody else’s shoes and experience life from a perspective that they have not been in themselves. So, those are the most important things for me is just representing the world as it sort of seems to me and that I’m struggling with in hopes that you will see yourself in there as well.”

“Sometimes we don’t even know [the impact it will have],” echoes Murray. “I remember, after Inside Out, getting letters and stories from people like psychologists who are working with traumatized children. The only way these children could express themselves is by using the dolls or stuffies, like the characters of all the emotions. That was kind of like crazy to hear because you just you don’t know how these are going to impact people until afterwards. While you’re making them, you’re so focused and busy doing it that it’s not until later sometimes that you can take it in.” 

Despite the film’s difficult topics such as the afterlife, Murray explains that she has been thrilled with the types of questions that Soul inspires within her own young children.

“We both have kids. Mine are younger, Pete’s are kind of young adults now,” Murray points out. “So, my kids just saw the film and I think the conversations that I hope are happening are happening. I think the things that they really connect [with] are discovering this great before, because it’s really interesting. We all like to kind of think about where we came from and where we got our personalities. So, that’s been a huge topic. Then, also the things like their spark. They’re trying to figure out what are the things that I really love doing? What am I interested in? They’ve [also] really leaned into the music, which is really cool, [especially] the jazz music and the Trent and Atticus score. But they’re not asking about the midlife crisis. So, we’re definitely having the conversations that I hoped we would be having. I think kids are really smart and they ask big questions so there’s a lot in there for them.” 

“It’s something that we talked about. Dana and I worried about it but I think that, in a way, doing Inside Out was a kind of boot camp for this movie,” Docter continues. “That was pretty abstract. What we found was, if you make it visual, then everybody gets it. If it’s about words, you’re going to miss some people. But visually and through action, ‘this character wants this but this is in the way’. Now, I can understand everything. That’s takes a long time to do but we have an amazing group of very talented people who assisted us and actually just did all the work. They didn’t assist us or anything. They did the work.” 

With his ability to make even the murkiest of concepts accessible to children and adults, Docter argues that he never begins with any particular audience in mind when he starts to write.

“Kurt Vonnegut said, ‘Pick somebody and write for them.’ That’s not been my experience,” he states. “I guess, at the beginning, I was writing more just for myself. ‘Ooh, what’s fun? What do I want to play with?’ Then, along the way, Dana will say something about her kids [and I decide that] we need to write for her kids. So, it’s almost like building up layers as we go. I want something just selfishly that is going to excite me and connect with other folks that I talk with. But then I’m also knowledgeable that my kids and Dana’s kids and all these different people are going to see it. So, it’s not really a simple answer I guess, but it is almost like switching the channel a couple of times as we go, sometimes even daily, to make sure we’ve got something there for everybody.”

Soul is currently streaming on Disney+.

To hear our conversation with writer/director Pete Docter and producer Dana Murray, click here.

Films in Full Colour #5 – SOUL

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We, at ScreenFish, believe that we are all created in God’s image and want to show our support where we can to those in the Black Community who continue to battle against systemic racism. While our team strives for diversity, we can always do better ourselves in giving voice to those who need the chance to speak out and be heard. 

In our series, ‘Films in Full Colour’, we examine films that explore issues specifically within the black community. For each episode, my co-host is Jordan Thoms, pastor of Warden Underground Church in Toronto and our hope is that, through the lens of film, we might be able to shine light on the issues faced every day by African Americans. This week, Jordan and I welcome Enrico back to the show to talk about lost souls and the spiritual power of music in Pixar’s Soul.

You can also stream the episode above on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Soundcloud! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts or Google Play!

Want to continue the conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

Films in Full Colour #5: SoulDownload

Soul: Jazzing through Life Together

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Every now and then, Pixar releases a film that is not just enjoyable or even powerful but truly special. 

Soul is one of those films. 

Directed by Pete Docter, Soul is a film that admittedly feels like it’s been made for adults but kids should still love as well. While Docter’s previous hits Monsters Inc. and Inside Out targeted the fears and dreams of children and youth, Soul takes a more mature approach that places the emphasis on the middle-aged Joe Gardner. While the film makes every effort to incorporate Pixar’s trademark sense of humour and joy, the film’s focus on Joe’s journey makes it noticeably different in its tone. As a result, this is arguably Pixar’s most ambitious piece since Inside Out by attempting to grapple with the spiritual realities of the afterlife in a way that feels authentic but still remains relevant to kids. 

Now airing on Disney+, Soul tells the story of Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx), a middle-school band teacher who yearns for something more. Passionate about jazz music, Gardner wants to be on stage yet he feels stuck. After his sudden death, Joe meets 22 (Tina Fey), a soul who has yet to begin her life on Earth and seems unable to find her ‘spark’. Together, the two fight to help Joe reclaim his life while also helping 22 discover why life is worth living in the first place.

Featuring endearing performances from Foxx and Fey, Soul’s characters feel true to life. As Gardner, Foxx brings a relentless ambition to the character yet never loses his earnestness in the process. Meanwhile, Fey bring an innocence and enthusiasm to 22 that counterbalances Gardner’s cynicism. However, despite solid work from its leads, the stand out performances stem from secondary characters played by icons Angela Bassett and Phylicia Rashad. At every opportunity, Bassett and Rashad steal their respective scenes as they embed their characters with their own unique blend of gravitas and confidence. 

As one would hope, the music of Soul is one of the film’s most inspiring aspects. Featuring a stellar soundtrack by John Batiste, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (?!), the film is a testament to the power of music and its spiritual qualities. In each musical number, Soul showcases music as a transcendent experience that speaks to the very… well… soul of the performer. To Gardner, music isn’t just something he plays. It releases a deep joy within him that transports him into a higher plane. In this way, Gardner interacts with spiritual realm, unleashing an inner creativeness. that (literally here) points to the Divine.

Co-written by Kemp Powers (One Night in Miami), the film is willing to engage African American culture in New York. Beyond the music itself, Soul makes sure to celebrate everyday moments like a quick stop at the barbershop or buying a new suit. Coming in the midst of a year when racial conversations have been brought to the forefront, these subtle inclusions provide the film with an additional layer of importance that inspires the viewer.

In fact, that spirit of the everyday speaks directly into the heart of the film. Though portions of the film take place in the afterlife, Soul is most interested in the way that we interact with the world around us. (In fact, much of the afterlife depicted within the film is shown as either a place of transitioning between realms or preparing for their new life, rather than eternity itself.) By partnering the two souls together, Gardner has the opportunity to reclaim his sense of wonder for the world around him while 22 continues to grow in strength about her new journey. Emphasizing the value of ‘jazzing through life’, Soul understands that there’s beauty in experiencing the moments around us, whether it’s helping a friend or grabbing a slice of pizza. In essence, this is a film which wants to encourage kids to step out and engage their lives while, at the same time, encouraging adults to support them along the way.

What’s most interesting about Soul, however, is the film’s more grounded take on realizing your dreams. For a company that calls us to ‘Wish Upon a Star’, Soul takes an almost anti-Disney approach by pointing out that one can’t always bank on their hopes and dreams to come true. For example, though he yearns to play on stage, Gardner cannot seem to get his ‘big break’. Struggling as a Jr. High music teacher, he lives his life in a constant state of waiting, making endless backup plans in an effort to be ready when his chance at success finally comes. However, in doing so, Gardner is never satisfied with the impact he makes on the lives of others. As a result, he fails to recognize the true beauty of the moment and his place within the world. While never stating that one shouldn’t have ambition, this is a staggeringly sober realization for any animated film, especially from the House of Mouse. (In fact, the film even goes so far as to suggest that those who remain trapped by their dreams can become ‘lost souls’ who never realize their potential on Earth.)

Ambitious and poignant, the spiritual journey of Joe Gardner feels relevant to anyone who has ever felt like their dreams remain out of reach. Though Soul feels more appropriate for adults than youth at times, it’s passion for embracing life is appropriate for all ages. As Joe and 22 work together to find their ‘spark’, the spiritual bedrock bubbles to the surface, challenging and encouraging families at the same time.

In other words, this is a film which knows the power of a Soul.

To hear our conversation with director Pete Docter and producer Dana Murray, click here.

Soul is available on Disney+ on December 25th, 2020.

Soul – Pixar’s Holiday Present (but…)

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“You can’t crush a soul here; that’s what life on earth is for.”

Since Pixar’s Soul is coming to us on Christmas Day, I can’t help but compare it to a present. This is the largest present under the tree. It has the most amazing wrapping paper and beautiful ribbons. We can hardly wait to get to it, but when we open it up . . . we discover it has clothes from Grandma. It’s not shabby clothes, but still ….

This really is a big package, as are all Pixar films. Not only is it Pixar, but it’s Pete Docter, who co-directs along with Kemp Powers, and co-writes with Powers and Mike Jones. Docter’s writing and directing credits include some of Pixar’s best: Toy Story, WALL-E, Inside Out, Monsters Inc, and Up. Originally slated for a summer theatrical release, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed it into the Christmas slot with in home viewing on Disney+ streaming service.

As to the amazing wrapping, Pixar always brings its A-game to animation. The animation here is a mixture of its familiar round seeming three-dimensional characters, astonishing realistic renderings of cities and nature, with some Picasso-esque art thrown in. Add to this the music. Jazz is integral to the story line, and it adds life, joy, and anguish to the film.

That gets us to the content.

Here is the story of Joe Gardner (voiced by Jamie Foxx), a middle school band teacher, who has struggled for years to be a jazz musician. The same day he gets an offer to make his teaching job full time, he gets a call from a former student who now plays drums for a well-known jazz quartet that needs a pianist to sit in with them. On his way home from a successful audition, there is an accident, and Joe wakes up as a sort of peanut shaped being on a conveyor belt headed to a bright light—The Great Beyond. Not ready to go there, he tries running back, but ends up falling through a strange vortex into The Great Before—a park-like setting filled with new souls waiting to get their personalities, and most importantly their “spark”, before they go to earth.

The counselors of the camp assume he has been sent there to mentor a soul. He is assigned Number 22 (Tina Fey), a cynical soul who has burned through a plethora of mentors—some pretty big names among them: Gandhi, Lincoln, Mother Teresa, Copernicus, Marie Antoinette, and Mohammed Ali. 22 just isn’t interested in living. And as her failures to find her spark accumulate, she has settled into being a loner who will never go to earth.

Joe’s plan is to help her find her spark, then steal her ticket to earth and use it to get his life back and begin his career as a jazz pianist. But when the two of them get past the barriers between the worlds, 22 ends up in Joe’s body, while Joe is in the body of a cat. They can speak to each other, but naturally no one else knows that the cat is speaking. He must try to shepherd 22 though the streets of New York to try to find a way back to Before and set things aright. That process gives them both new understandings that tell us all that every moment of life is worth cherishing.

So what makes this clothes from Grandma? First of all is that there are a whole lot of concepts that won’t be understood by many of the children who see it. But that really is only a minor problem since I don’t think Pixar makes movies for kids. Pixar makes movies that will draw kids into the theaters (or in this case to Disney+). The real audience for Pixar films ais the adults who bring the kids. Since it seems like a kids’ movie, adults watch with their defenses down. We often pay more attention to what we overhear than what is said directly to us. Pixar makes movies that adults will overhear.

In this case, however, there really isn’t that much to overhear. Here the film is clearly aimed at adults. We see a character facing a midlife crisis. In one scene Joe tells his mother, “I’m just afraid that if I died today, my life would have amounted to nothing.” Some of the language may even be over the head of many adult viewers. For example, 22 explains that “I was a theoretical construct existing in a hypothetical waystation between life and death.” The only real façade of this being for kids is that it is animated. The usual multi-layered humor that is a hallmark of Pixar films is missing. I wouldn’t be surprised if children came away deeply disappointed in the film. There really isn’t that much here for them.

I also note in my Christmas present analogy that these aren’t shabby clothes. There are times when the message about the importance of enjoying the life we have comes through. Sometimes it’s when Joe is told that he is important to students. He doesn’t really seem to appreciate that, but we do. Perhaps my favorite scene in the film is when Joe (inhabited by 22) goes to the barber. The barber tells of his dreams that didn’t play out, but the happiness he has as a barber. It is something Joe needs to understand in his own life. But that revelation is actually countered in a scene about rescuing a lost soul—an account manager who is stuck in his job without having any joy. The key should not be escaping your life, but rather finding joy in it. In the end, we have hope that both 22 and Joe will have a chance to live life more fully than either ever imagined.

.

But the best thing in the box is the concept of the “spark”. Joe and 22 mistakenly think that the spark is a purpose that animates your life, as music does for Joe. But it turns out the spark is really more akin to Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount: “No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” The spark is the light we share in the world to light the way for other. Maybe Joe will share that spark through his music, or maybe through his teaching, or finding a way for both. But he now knows that taking that spark into the world is the real purpose in his life.

And yes, I suppose I should write Grandma a thank you note for the clothes. They are, after all, very nice and I need them. It’s just not what I really hoped for or expected.

To hear our conversation with director Pete Docter and producer Dana Murray, click here.

Photos courtesy of Pixar.

7.08 Behind the Mask of THE MANDALORIAN

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When the Star Wars universe made the transition to the small screen, no one could have predicted the cultural impact that The Mandalorian would have. Featuring a sympathetic hero in Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), a wild-west atmosphere and, of course, Baby Yod… er… the Child, Mando has become a pop culture phenomenon, reviving a flagging franchise and rebuilding trust with its fans. This week, we welcome back pastor Jedi Greg Banik and ScreenFish padawan Gary Blaze to talk about the magic of the series and identifying with the man behind the mask.

(NOTE: This episode features spoilers up to episode 5 of Season 2.)

You can stream the episode on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Amazon Podcasts! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts!

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

7.08 The MandalorianDownload

Safety:

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Disney’s new film “Safety” is an autobiography on real-life NCAA player Ray McElrathbey (Jay Reeves), a struggling student on a football scholarship at Clemson University who must try to balance his life between school, work, football practice, and taking care of his younger brother. With their mother in rehab, Ray fights to persevere through the adversity and defies all odds.

As safety for the Clemson Tigers, Ray McElrathbey’s goal is to support his teammates as the last line of defense. In the same way, he must act as the last line of defense for his younger brother. With his mother in rehab and his father a criminal, Ray must choose between leaving his brother, Fahmarr (Thaddeus J. Mixson) in foster care or taking him in and risking his entire football scholarship. Being the loving brother he is, Ray decides to take him in. In the beginning of the film, Ray is relies only on himself, mentioning multiple times that he’s not a charity case. He lives his life clinging to the idea that total independence makes you strong and that you can’t rely on anyone but yourself. Over time, this idea has become embedded in his heart mainly due to his difficult upbringing and having to struggle so hard all his life to get to where he is now.

Overwhelmed and about to lose his brother to social workers, Ray’s team comes together to help take care of Fahmarr. Amazingly, his coaches and teammates create a community of support for the two brothers, taking turns taking care of Fahmarr and driving him to school as well as feeding him. While he may be the safety on the field, his team takes on the role of ‘last line of defence’ in his life and their support gives Ray the safe footing that he needs to push forward. 

Having said this, it’s important to note that, while the film carries a feel-good tone that’s appropriate for families, it does somehow feel like a missed opportunity to explore the types of challenges that Ray experienced. As a young African-American male struggling to survive, it may have been more appropriate at a moment like this to delve more into the lack of resources available to him and the loneliness that he would have experienced along his journey. Though the intent was clearly to provide a tale of uplifting joy, it also could be argued that it doesn’t always paint an accurate picture of life for students who have difficulty off the field as well.

Overall, Safety does amount to an inspiring film that charms its audience. As a student athlete, parent and working a full-time job, it’s fair to say that Ray’s journey is one filled with many roadblocks and challenges. Even so, what’s most inspiring is that Ray never thinks of giving up. As he pushes forward to do better, his sacrifice towards his brother is unwavering and his loyalty absolute. Though far from perfect, Safety ultimately ends up scoring as a true underdog story. 

Safety launches on Disney+ on Friday, December 11th, 2020.

Godmothered: Losing the Fairytale

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There is something about this time of year that makes me want to set aside the daily grind and logic and realism and trade it all for magic and wonder. The happiness that pushes its way through the fatigue and stress, the possibility of miracles…there’s just a spark that seems to only come around once a year, and now is that time.

That being said, Godmothered starring Isla Fisher and Jillian Bell seemed to have all the makings of a perfectly magical movie à la Disney’s Enchanted. Faced with the closing of the Motherland and fairy godmother school, Eleanor (Jillian Barr) sets off to make the happily ever after dream come true for 10 year-old Mackenzie. If she can grant that wish then the school will be saved and she will continue her journey towards full fairy godmother status.

But when she arrives in Boston, she finds Mackenzie is no longer a dreamy-eyed little girl, but a stressed and cynical single mom who is overworked and emotionally shut down. Now grown-up, Mackenzie (Isla Fisher) is clearly startled to see her “fairy godmother” come to grant her wish, especially considering she has long given up on happily ever after. Through a series of goofy accidents, mismatched spells, and giddy optimism, Eleanor breaks through Mackenzie’s walls and helps her discover both internal happiness and reconnection with her daughters. At the end, everyone learns that while there may not be such a thing as happily ever after, there IS such a thing as happiness…and it’s ok to find it for oneself instead of waiting for magic.

I wanted to love this movie. It had everything I need in a movie right now: Christmas lights, families reconnecting, quirky dialogue, minimal angst…but it fell flat for me. My kids especially enjoyed all of Eleanor’s mess-making, and while the middle was charming and witty, I found the beginning slow and the ending flat. 

You see, I think that fairytales can still exist. We can still hope for magic. No, it doesn’t have to look the way it does in books or movies–and no, it doesn’t always pop up out of thin air wearing a giant hoop skirt covered in flowers–but we don’t have to let the dream go completely. 

When Eleanor is explaining to her headmistress of the school, Moira (Jane Curtin) that maybe love looks differently in the real world than it does in fairytales, she delivers a speech that’s encouraging everyone to look for love as they see it – that love looks differently and comes in many different ways and faces. It was a good speech. But oh how I wished that lesson was woven into the fabric of the rest of the plot. There are hints of it for sure, as Eleanor learns of Mackenzie’s late husband’s passing, helps Jane (Jillian Shea Spaeder) overcome her stage fright, and stops trying to matchmake between Mackenize and her coworker Hugh Prince (Santiago Cabrera). But for this potential “drop the mic” moment, it didn’t feel genuine within the larger story. And it seemed to kill the fairytale ideal in a way that disappointed me as opposed to inspiring me. 

It’s a perfectly fine movie, and one that kids will enjoy. I’ve already seen a lot of reviews on social media already and people are loving it. And I’m sure it will be a weekend most-watched for Disney+. But for me, I was left longing for the magic of what could be possible…especially this time of year. 

Godmothered is available on Disney+ on Friday, December 4th, 2020.

Clouds: The Legacies We Choose

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Our time on this earth is limited. It’s a reality that finds all of us, no matter how far we push it to the back of our minds. We face the immeasurable grief of loss throughout our lives in seasons, and each time are reminded that there will be a day when others will mourn for us as we mourn now. Death is the universal equalizer – not one of us will escape.

I realize I may sound harsh and morbid, but after watching Clouds, now streaming on Disney+, it seems only fair that I face my own mortality. If Zach Sobiech (played by Fin Argus) did so with such grace and openness, then I owe it to myself and others to explore just how easily his story could be mine.

I was unfamiliar with the Zach Sobiech story until watching this film based on Laura Sobiech’s book “Fly a Little Higher.” A senior in high school with a terminal form of osteosarcoma, Zach is faced with the responsibility of knowing his remaining time is limited, and deciding what to do with it. As his parents Laura and Rob (Neve Campbell and Tom Everett Scott respectively), family, best friend Sammy (Sabrina Carpenter) and girlfriend Amy (Madison Iseman) process the news in their own ways, Zach sets out on his own path to coping. Complete with the brutal punches of reality and gried, Zach’s final months are also filled with laughter, quality time, and music. Especially music. Together Zach and Sammy form a band, A Firm Handshake, and before they know it are going viral online. News channels are picking up the story, local radio is playing their hit song “Clouds,” and they are even signed to record an album. As their music gains momentum and attention, Zach’s health deteriorates. 

I typically shy away from these kind of stories. I’m a mom of four, and I’ve watched friends and family say goodbye to their children – so I can’t handle it in movies. I also tend to find movies like this to be emotionally cheap in that they wreck your feelings but also leave you feeling empty. Clouds is not like that. It is compelling, well-written, engaging, and genuine. Fin Argus’ performance is a beautiful combination of the freedom that comes with being young with the overwhelming pressure to be strong for others – a burden that pulls down even the most mature of adults. I was so engaged with the story that at times I forgot I was watching a movie. It has left a lesson and impression on my heart that continues to linger. 

Zach faced a choice that no one should ever need to consider: the choice of how he wanted to live knowing at any point, tomorrow could be taken away. He had every right to choose anger. He had every right to choose depression. No matter what he chose, he would have had cause. But Zach chose to love. Zach chose to live.

Music is one of those things that transcends time. Even as styles and trends change, music journeys across generations and languages. Zach’s letters to those he was leaving behind went beyond paper and envelopes. His lyrics and music became pieces of himself, imprinted not only on those closest to him, but on people all over the world. Even as he passed, he lived. And the part of his heart left here is timeless. May we all live our lives in such a way that we “don’t wait until we are dying to begin living,” and that our legacies are ones of love.

And we start today.

Clouds is now streaming on Disney+

Alice in Wonderland: Finding Reason in Madness #TBT

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I’ll be perfectly honest with you. These last few weeks, or even months, have been challenging for me mentally, as I am sure they may have been for many of you. There seems to be so much pointlessness in the world. A virus that ravages the world without reason or discrimination. A seemingly pointless death coming on the back of so many other seemingly pointless deaths. Rioting that has led to what feels like pointless looting and destruction, of lives as well as property. When I came to work the other day, I find boards put up over the windows and massive wooden doors installed to lock over the automatic glass ones, as a precaution they say, and I struggle to find sense in it all. Everywhere I turn, there is a new madness in front of me, I feel.

I suspect Alice could relate… eventually. At first, the heroine of these 1951 Disney picture daydreams about a place where nothing makes sense. “In my world, everything would be nonsense,” she tells her already confused cat, Dinah, and that is what she longs for. For her, normal has become boring. She’d much rather the flowers and birds start talking to her than doing her schoolwork with her sister in the garden. So, when a White Rabbit runs by wearing a waistcoat and a watch and in an awful hurry, Alice dismisses her own forebodings (“Curiosity often leads to trouble”) and follows down his rabbit hole and into the curious world of Wonderland.

Immediately, nothing makes any sense whatsoever. Things that should be right side up are upside down, hallways get smaller and smaller, and doors are locked, and the key doesn’t appear until it is out of reach. Alice quickly finds herself bewildered and out of sorts. The locals are not much help either. They are more likely to exasperate you with pointless stories and inane ramblings.

Admittedly, the story of the Walrus and the Carpenter, as told by the twins Tweedledee and Tweedledum, is the best segment in the movie, but their advice upon meeting Alice seems less than helpful: “How do ya do and shake hands, shake hands, shake hands. How do ya do and shake hands and state your name and business. That’s manners!”

When she asks the grinning Cheshire Cat for directions, he answers, “Well that depends on where you want to get to.” Alice replies that it doesn’t really matter, so the Cat tells her “Then it really doesn’t matter which way you go.” Pointless, right? When the Mad Hatter and his equally mad companion, the March Hare, while hosting a surprisingly entertaining tea party, offer Alice some more tea, she points out that she hasn’t had any tea yet, so she can’t have any more. “Ah, you mean you can’t very well take less,” responds the Hare. “Yes. You can always take more than nothing,” agrees the Hatter. Wait a second…that actually made sense.

In fact, most of the lines I quoted above made sense. Now, I am not saying that there are messages to be found in everything these zany characters say. Indeed, most of this movie is pure silliness. I am saying is that I sympathized with Alice as the further into Wonderland she went, the more chaotic and nonsensical it became. Similarly, the more I saw in the world, in my country, at my own workplace, the more chaotic and nonsensical it felt to me. Why were people doing what they were doing?

Alice never stops to listen to what the wacky Wonderlanders are saying that might make sense, but she does stop and listen to herself for the first time. She admits that she often gives herself ‘very good advice, but she very seldom follows it.’ I gave myself good advice that I knew I should follow: don’t judge things on appearance alone. But when everyone seemed to be going mad, I struggled to follow my own advice. It was only when I stopped looking and started listening to why people said they were doing what they were doing that I began to see the reason.

Alice eventually stands up for herself instead of just being lead from one circumstance to the next and when she finally meets the maddest Wonderland inhabitant of them all, the Queen of Hearts, a ruthless bully who sentences everyone to death without discrimination and finds everyone guilty before giving them a chance to prove their innocence, Alice calls her out for her tyranny and confronts her with courage. That kind of madness, rooted in injustice, cannot be tolerated, even in Wonderland. This, of course, leads to Alice finally escaping in the nick of time, with the angry Queen in pursuit.

I like to think that Alice gained a new appreciation for ‘normalcy’ once she reentered her own world. Maybe she appreciated ‘normal’ things a bit more, like her history lessons or her cat who can’t speak or wear pocket-watches and waistcoats. I know I have learned to appreciate ‘normal’ things recently, like a brief visit with my sister in the park (first masked face-to-face since March) or watching the fireflies doing what they do in my back yard on a quite summer evening. There is reason in these quiet and happy moments, just as there is reason in the chaos and conflict that is in our world, though it may not be clear at first. Sometimes we have to search for it, understand it and maybe even learn from it.

Alternative: if you can find it, the 1999 made-for-TV version is excellent, featuring an all-star cast including Ben Kingsley, Whoopi Goldberg, Martin Short, Gene Wilder, and Christopher Lloyd, among many others, and it also gives Alice a much more proactive role without turning her into an outright rebel as the 2010 Disney remake did.