ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

Acts

Smallfoot: Truth Can Be Costly

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As a child, I remember reading about the legends of Bigfoot and the Abominable Snowman, also known as the Yeti.  What in the world were these huge hairy creatures, and why were people unable to capture anything other than shadowy pictures of them?Were they simply afraid of people? Did they have something sinister to hide? Or were they allergic to anything relating to humanity?

Past films have done one of three things involving Bigfoot and/or Yetis: (1) identified them as gruesome monsters nobody wants to mess with, (2) portrayed them as creatures worth exploring the woods and mountains for, or (3) simply casting them as misunderstood beings.  Fairly recent examples of this last phenomenon include Harry and the Hendersons and Monsters, Inc.. We can now add to that Smallfoot, a animated feature from Warner Brothers.  Based on a book called Yeti Tracks by Sergio Pablo, Smallfoot offers viewers a story about discovering the truth that’s wrapped in layers of colorful, pastel-tinted computer graphics. There are definitely some things kids (and adults alike) will take away from the film, but I feel like it cobbled too much from past movies, limiting its effectiveness.

In a nutshell, Smallfoot is about a land of Yetis who seem to have the perfect life living on their mountain perch.  Nobody visits their ‘world’ and they don’t visit anyone—mainly because the world ends in a cloudbank of unknown depth (paralleling Storks). Nobody is convicted to go beyond what they already know as safe (paralleling The Giver).  A tight set of rules, drawn on stones in pictorial form and worn by the Stonekeeper (voiced by the rapper Common), governs the Yetis in an attempt to keep them safe and insulated (again, paralleling The Giver).  Questioning is severely frowned upon (paralleling 1984).  When Migo (voiced by Channing Tatum) spots a Smallfoot—err, human, he’s immediately fascinated.  Maybe the stones were incorrect!  But the human suddenly parachutes below the bank of clouds, leaving Migo (and later, a few additional Yeti) curious at what lies below.  When he discovers humans aren’t as bad as one might think, Migo brings his discovery to the attention of the people and the Stonekeeper. At this point, the film spirals into the realm of why humans and Yetis cannot co-exist before a betrayal-redemption sequence (including a chase through the Pac-Man inspired town where the humans live) occurs. In addition, a number of peppy songs contribute to making the film lighthearted, even when the subject matter becomes more serious in nature.

The quality of the animation is quite good, though it’s in more in the vein of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs versus anything Pixar-related. As for the characters, Migo is somewhat memorable for a lead, as he discovers himself and what he truly believes in while filling in the blanks about questions he’s always had. The Stonekeeper has a unique outfit along with truths to tell—and hide (although it’s pretty jarring to hear a rapper’s voice leading the group at first). The group that seems to understand Migo are completely serviceable—except for Fleem (Ely Henry), who attempts comic relief but completely falls flat. Percy (James Corden) is a Steve Irwin wannabe who wants to get rich but finds something more when he looks beyond his dreams, plans, and numerous selfies.

There are a number of themes kids and adults alike will be able to take from a viewing of Smallfoot, especially in the area of telling the truth. Migo sees the Smallfoot (i.e., Percy) and, when he tells the community, he is banished because it goes against the stones and causes the other Yetis to start questioning. At this point, he could’ve simply accepted the ruling of the Stonekeeper and moved on, but he held fast to what he believed, found Percy, and proved they exist.  Later, he suppresses this truth in the name of keeping the Yetis safe.  However, Migo learns that telling the truth can be costly. In a similar vein, we can consider the apostles who were commissioned by Jesus in Matthew 28 to tell the world about him.  They knew what the truth was, but not everyone wanted to hear and/or believe it.  As a result, persecution followed (and, in some cases, death).  We need to understand that it’s always better to tell the truth about what we believe rather than give in and confuse and/or deny our beliefs.

Kids are going to find Smallfoot to be an entertaining, joyous romp peppered with lessons they’ll be talking about on the way home from the theater. Adults may also find this to be the case.

Smallfoot is in theatres now.

For audio of our interview with Smallfoot writer/director Karey Kirkpatrick, click here.

The special features on the Blu-ray include the Yeti Set Go Sing-Along, the “Super Soozie” Mini Movie featuring Soozie, the featurette on “The Secret of the Yeti Stones,” “Yeti or Not, Here They Come!”, and the music videos for Nial Horran’s “Finally Free,” Cyn’s “Moment of Truth,” and “Wonderful Life.”  

Origins Ep 1 — Fire is Life

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If you try to play with fire, you get burned.  Or your city burns down, as London learned in 1666. (photo credit: National Geographic)

It’s quite difficult to imagine living life without fire.

Go on; give it a try.

Staying warm would be an issue on cold evenings.  Food would have to be consumed in its natural form—raw (okay; fruits and veggies might not be that bad, but carnivores would probably not like the idea). There wouldn’t be any steel for buildings or even weaponry to protect oneself. In a lot of ways, humankind would become primitive.  The saying on the show Survivor is true—fire is life.  Lose it, and the game is over.

But over the centuries, people have learned to harness the power of the red flower (quoting Kipling’s Jungle Book) for good. As a result, we are able to live the modern lives we so enjoy, with our towering skyscrapers, gleaming knives for cooking over stoves, and even the creation of the cell phones we use to communicate with others.  A new series on National Geographic Channel is set to explore the important innovations and moments that helped to bring modernity to our society. Called Origins: The Journey of Humankind, it will air on Monday nights at 9 PM (8 CT).  It’s hosted by Jason Silva (Brain Games) and is a fast-paced journey that is worth a look if you’re into science and how things came to be.

Guess what this led to. (photo credit: National Geographic)

The first episode is on the aforementioned fire and is fascinating in both its scope and context. John Boswell (known as Melodysheep) handled the audiovisual sequences, which are rapid-fire and bring immediate clarity to the topic at hand.  Silva’s narration is interspersed with various dramatic portions, such as when London learned the hard way that fire can be difficult to control—as a result, there was a huge fire in 1666 that destroyed much of the city.  But we learned to harness it (somewhat), when Robert Goddard created the first rocket.  Overall, the show is fairly well conceived and presents numerous opportunities to consider how we got to where we are today.  I think Silva repeats himself too much, but that may just be a matter of personal taste.

Just as Silva notes that fire plays a role in the modernization of mankind, we can see similar ‘moments’ in the Bible. Moses saw a burning bush where he first encountered God (see Exodus 3). The Israelites were led by a pillar of fire on their journey to the Promised Land (see Exodus 13:2-22).  The fire on the Temple altar was never to go out (see Leviticus 6:12-14). Peter began the process of denying he was a follower of Jesus while staying warm at a fire (see Luke 22:54-56). Jesus cooked a meal over fire, after his return to life, before he restored Peter after the above-mentioned denial (see John 21). The Spirit passed over the new believers in Jerusalem, granting them the ability to speak in other languages when tongues of flame landed on them (see Acts 2:1-12). James even likened the tongue to a fire—it can start forest fires of problems if not checked consistently (he also notes that no man can tame it, but we should certainly give it our best try—see James 3:5-7). And there are plenty more to consider.

Fire is life.  Without it, we cease to be what we are.  It would be wise to consider that as we go through our day—and as we think about God.

Mars Ep. 5 – The Importance of Community

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(photo credit: National Geographic/Robert Viglasky)
(photo credit: National Geographic/Robert Viglasky)

The area I live in is known for occasional dust storms that are more of a nuisance than anything, blowing tumbleweeds across the highway and make driving a bit of a challenge.  However, we had a dust storm two years ago that literally scared me. The winds whipped with such frenzy that the dust in the air caused the sun to completely disappear.  As a result, the sky went pitch black and visibility was reduced to zero.  The conditions continued for over an hour, causing my commute home to become a white-knuckle affair.

As a result of that dust storm, I cannot imagine being in the situation our group of intrepid explorers face in the penultimate episode of Mars (Monday, 9 PM/8CT, National Geographic). Recall that at the end of the fourth episode, three of the original crew members stare at an incredibly large dust storm spewing lightning.  This storm has dragged on for eight weeks and isn’t close to subsiding.  As a result, any activity outside the complex is prohibited.  And since the nuclear reactor was not put back online before the storm started, battery power is the only thing running the place (the solar arrays are covered with dust and are useless). That’s an awfully precarious scenario to be in. Power has to be rationed, causing the plants in the greenhouse to wither and die, much to the chagrin of Dr. Paul Richardson (John Light), who has changed significantly as a result of the trip.  He’s incredibly distant and crew doctor Amélie Durand (Clementine Poidatz) senses a psychological issue is the problem. His drawings, however, may tell a different story.

(photo credit: National Geographic Channels/Robert Viglasky)
(photo credit: National Geographic Channels/Robert Viglasky)

The focus of this episode of Mars centers on why a psychological balance in space life is important.  It’s not as easy as one might think. Going outside isn’t always a possibility. Astronauts may not see the sun for months at a time. If a person gets upset with someone, they can’t deal with the issue(s) by simply walking away. Space life is, in many ways, like being in prison, only with (hopefully) nicer individuals to deal with. There is a severe toll placed not only on the human body, but the mind as well. An example from Russia is cited, where a six-member crew was placed in a sealed environment for 520 days; only two of the six managed to stay psychologically stable for the entire time period.  Hollywood may glamorize space, but it’s not as much fun as one might think.

Yet at the same time, community is of the utmost importance.  People have to learn how to get along, how to take care of each other, how to live life together. Loners are prime candidates for causing problems to themselves and others.  It reminds me quite a bit of the early church after Jesus’ resurrection. The Bible says, “And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people” (Acts 2:44-47 NASB).  Taking care of each other is important in life, and the sooner we realize that, the better off we’ll be as a collective whole.  It allows us an opportunity to put Jesus’ words into action in tangible ways people can see and react to (the story in Acts notes that as a result of their actions, God added to the believer’s numbers daily).

Will the colony on Mars survive the storm (and each other)?  Will the powers-that-be on Earth pull the plug on the whole mission?  Will there be a surprise none of us saw coming?  Only one episode remains to answer all of these questions . . .

Describing the Divine: The Story of God (Ep. 3)

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Past Articles in This Series: Episode 1| Episode 2
Sunlight through the cloudsDiscussions of spiritual topics, in some way or another, invariably revolve around one single question: Who is God? What are the qualities of the divine?  Why in the world do people choose to live in wonder and adoration of one they cannot see and talk to physically? It’s a question that has challenged people for centuries—and one Morgan Freeman takes up in the third episode of National Geographic Channel’s The Story of God with Morgan Freeman (Sunday, 9 PM/8 Central). In the final analysis it turns out that, despite different belief systems, there are some common elements that people experience as they live their lives on earth. I just wish the episode had gone a bit further in the discussion.

Freeman begins the episode in a blues bar and notes that people’s reactions to music (such as blues) is similar to how people experience God. What are the universal concepts of God? he asks.  From there, he goes on a whirlwind tour around the world to get some answers.  Some of the places he visits are the same as in previous episodes (India; Egypt, Jerusalem), but new wrinkles appear as he takes trips to Stonehenge in England, a Navajo family in New Mexico, and a medical facility in Philadelphia—the latter to discover what happens in the brain when a person has religious experiences (note: the answers, provided by Dr. Andy Newberg, are pretty interesting).

Since the show seeks to compare different belief styles, Freeman hears some very different things about the religions of the world. Hindus have millions of gods with thousands of names for those individual gods. He moves from the polytheistic to monotheistic as he looks at the sun’s role in Stonehenge, King Tut’s father, and Abram (Abraham’s) role in Jewish belief.  It turns out that however well we think we can imagine God, he is always beyond what we can consider (see Ephesians 3:20).

The Navajo section was interesting, as the cinematographers chronicled (with one exception) a young girl’s transformation to a young adult—a time, in their belief system, where God and human become one (a very large corn cake is involved—you’ll just have to see the episode to understand).

Morgan Freeman at Lakewood Church, Houston TX
Morgan Freeman at Lakewood Church, Houston TX (Photo credit: National Geographic Channels/Matthew Paul Turner)

In the end, Freeman seems to realize that the commonalities in faiths are that a) God surrounds us and b) God has the power to move inside people and change them. This takes him to his final destination of the episode—Houston TX and Lakewood Church, a Christian megachurch pastored by Joel Osteen and his wife Victoria. He talks with the two just before their service, which he attends, stating he felt a real sense of joy in the auditorium. Freeman asks Osteen point-blank after the service, “Who is God?”  Osteen responded, “I believe God is our Father, the Creator, Somebody that gives us purpose and destiny . . . Sometimes it’s hard for people to say, How can I believe in something I can’t see? But it’s what you choose to believe, through faith.” Osteen added his goal as pastor was to make God approachable, useful, and helpful to people.

There’s plenty to consider in this episode, but my mind goes back to a passage in Acts 17 where Paul addressed a group of people in Athens and brought up a similar question.  “For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you,” he said (Acts 17:23). He then shares that God doesn’t live in human-made temples, gives life and breath to all humanity, is not far from people, and wants them to seek him and repent of their evil ways. He’s all about justice and will judge in the end through one he brought back to life from the dead (in this case, Jesus).

I wish there had been time in the episode to discuss the justice aspect, as it would’ve provided some levity to what is perceived as a God who could be perceived as touchy-feely and happy all the time.  As it is, the third episode of The Story of God with Morgan Freeman provides some pieces to consider but could’ve gone farther with the discussion.  But at least it’s a start.