ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

Faith

The Lord of the Rings vs. Game of Thrones

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Amazon’s The Rings of Power and HBO’s House of the Dragon are two of the hottest shows out right now. In this episode of the Your Sunday Drive podcast, we dig deep into the authors, fantasy universes and worldviews behind The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones.

How are these works similar and different? How do the new series fit into the larger universes? How are Tolkien’s and Martin’s sensibilities reflected in our current culture? Our politics? The church? And how do these fantasy worlds ultimately relate to the faith?

Come along for Your Sunday Drive – quick conversation about current events, politics, pop culture and more, from the perspective of a couple of guys trying to follow Jesus.

Hosts: Matt Hill and Nate Polzin. Presented by the Church in Drive of Saginaw, MI, as often as possible. Please visit churchindrive.com and facebook.com/thechurchindrive

Carmen: The Separation between Church and Faith

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People often come to the church looking for God… but is he really there?

Directed by Valerie Buhagiar, Carmen (Nastascha McElhone) is the younger sister of the current town priest. Designated as his caregiver, she lives a lonely life of shame and desolation. The priest is a harsh man, touting strict discipline and pervasive sinfulness of the soul. But when he passes away suddenly, Carmen suddenly has nowhere else to go. Sneaking into the rectory, she hides out in the confessional only to have the townspeople begin to treat her as their new priest, without knowing her identity. Offering advice infused with grace, Carmen brings light into the community instead of the burden of shame. 

Starring Natasha McElhone, Carmen is a delightful yet savage satire of the church and its role in society. Set against the stunning Maltese countryside, Buhagiar infuses a certain dryness to the landscape. It’s a bold choice for the director, especially considering the beauty of the area. Nevertheless, Buhagiar allows her colours to become muted and minimize the visibility of water, highlighting the fact that life has been drained from the community. However, as the film progresses, this begins to change. As Carmen begins to rediscover her voice and passion, slowly vivid colours and water begin to return to the screen. 

As Carmen is revived, life is restored to the community.

Best known for playing roles with quiet charm, McElhone shines on screen, coming alive slowly as the film progresses. Carmen is a woman of courage and strength yet lives in a place of repression and shame. As a result, McElhone gradually becomes a light in this community of darkness, and it’s a role that suits her well.

Although, what really makes the film interesting is that it separates God from church. Within the church, the Christ figure is one of harshness and depression. Images of Jesus on the cross wearing a bleeding crown of thorns are ominous and oppressive. However, for Carmen, it becomes increasingly clear that God is not like this in reality. Taking the form of a pigeon (and a sassy one of that) or a stranger simply riding by a bicycle, the Carmen‘s practical experience of God is very different. Smiling and playful, this conversation joyful in his engagement with life. In this way, Carmen suggests that the God that the church proclaims is actually very different in reality than he is presented through theology. 

Having come from a doctrine of shame and the sinfulness of man, Carmen has been told that there is very little room for the celebration of good in life. (“Sin, sin, sin. All you ever talk about is sin [and] you know nothing of sin!,” she exclaims.) Here, however, she is drawn towards love, service and joy by a God of vibrancy.

For Carmen, God inspires the her dying soul and helps her rediscover her life.

Interestingly, because of this division, Carmen is able to navigate its criticism of the church without setting fire to the faith. With honesty and boldness, Buhagiar highlights the brokenness of the church and the severity of its doctrine. However, through Carmen’s journey, she also sees the value of a God who invigorates the spirit and brings it to fullness, instead of draining it of life. Because, to Buhagiar God doesn’t necessarily live in the church that was built for him.

Carmen is available in theatres on Friday, August 19th, 2022.

Poupelle of Chimney Town – Conviction of things not seen

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“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1, NRSV)

Faith in the unseen is the driving force in Yusuke Hirota’s animated film, Poupelle of Chimney Town. It is a faith that seems ridiculous to some and dangerous to others. But for the boy at the center of the story, it is so strong that he must find a way to show the world the truth that has been hidden for centuries.

Chimney Town is a town filled with smoke belching chimneys that run day and night so that the sky is nothing but dark smoke, Lubicci is a young chimney sweep without friends. He remembers that his father Bruno would tell stories about what was beyond the smoke—a sky filled with stars. But there is no one in all of Chimney Town that has ever seen such an unlikely thing.

A bright object falls through the clouds and land in a trash pile, and transforms into a creature made of garbage. Lubicci befriends him and names him Poupelle. Together they dream of seeing the stars that Bruno spoke of. But the authorities are on the look out for anyone who speaks of stars or anything beyond the smoke. Inquisitors are constantly seeking out heretics who do not accept the official belief system. When the Inquisitors start coming for Lubicci and Poupelle, Lubicci comes up with a plan that can show the world the truth.

Lubicci operates out of faith. He knows that there is nothing to prove that stars really exist. But there is also nothing to disprove their existence. But such open-mindedness is a threat to the tyrannical regime that has created the world of Chimney Town. The stability of the society is built on accepting the key dogma, “There is no outside world; there is only this world.” As Lubicci lives out his faith in the unseen stars, he challenges the very fabric of the society. As such the story serves as a fable about speaking truth to power.

Faith, as we see in this story, can be an oppressive force, as with the Inquisitors who seek heretics. It can also be a liberating force when it opens a world to new ideas that may not seem obvious. Within the political world, there is a constant struggle to find truth among the massive amounts of “smoke”. No doubt those who buy into QAnon believe that they know the stars are behind the smoke of mainstream media. Others will see the conspiracy theories of QAnon as the smoke we must get rid of.

We can see the same if we look at religious life. Dogmatism and the thought that one group has the truth are always divisive and destructive.  Evanglicalism and broad ecumenism seem hard to put together. Multi-culturalism and diversity may seem to be smoke or they may be the forces that prevent calcified belief systems from obscuring our view of the truth.

Lubicci didn’t just speak of his faith in starts; he acted out that faith. It was through his actions that the truth had a chance to be known by all. And by acting on his faith, he discovered new depths within himself that allowed him to expand his world.

Poupelle of Chimney Town is available on VOD and will soon be available digitally and on DVD.

Photos courtesy of 11 Arts.

How (Not) to Talk About Our Faith: Elon Musk, Bob Saget & The Babylon Bee

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What happens when culturejacking by Christians goes wrong?

In the Season 4 debut episode of the Your Sunday Drive podcast, we look at a controversial recent Babylon Bee interview with Elon Musk and an article about the passing of Bob Saget, and attempt to answer some perennially important questions: Where’s the line between making the gospel relevant and staying faithful to it? Why is it sometimes difficult to talk about our faith in a vulnerable way? Ultimately, what can we do to help match the most important message the world has ever heard with the ears that still need to hear it?

Come along for Your Sunday Drive – quick conversation about current events, politics, pop culture and more, from the perspective of a couple of guys trying to follow Jesus.

Hosts: Matt Hill and Nate Polzin. Presented by the Church in Drive of Saginaw, MI, as often as possible. Please visit churchindrive.com and facebook.com/thechurchindrive

What Non-Christians Get Right; Suicide Squad; Green Knight; Ted Lasso

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Is Christianity “metaphorically true, but literally false?”

In this episode of the Your Sunday Drive podcast, we look at recent critiques of (and hopes for) the faith from non-Christian “new pragmatists” such as Jordan Peterson, Bret Weinstein, Tom Holland and Douglas Murray. Along the way we discover some things non-Christians get right, some things they get wrong, and ask how the church can be faithful to its message, but still relevant in a changing culture.

We also chat about our current pop culture faves, including Ted Lasso, The Suicide Squad and The Green Knight. These are all good, btw, and you should watch them all, btw, but for different reasons…..

Come along for Your Sunday Drive – quick conversation about current events, politics, pop culture and more, from the perspective of a couple of guys trying to follow Jesus.

Hosts: Matt Hill and Nate Polzin. Presented by the Church in Drive of Saginaw, MI, as often as possible. Please visit churchindrive.com and facebook.com/thechurchindrive

Asking the Tough Questions: SCENES FROM AN EMPTY CHURCH

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Coming off of its recent world premiere at Chattanooga Film Festival, MPI’s Scenes From an Empty Church will arrive on VOD and in theaters July 2nd.

The Covid-19 pandemic has unquestionably had a massive impact on the film industry, shutting down productions, bankrupting theaters, and perhaps irreversibly hastening the adoption of streaming services and VOD over the traditional communal, theatrical viewing experience.

What largely remains to be seen is the narrative and creative impact it will have going forward. Will interrupted film productions and TV series set in a fictional version of our present acknowledge the hiatus, or the pandemic itself? What kind of stories will emerge as we return to normalcy? What will the “new normal” even look like? For many, watching movies has been a form of escapism, especially in lockdown. Will audiences want to watch, much less embrace, “pandemic movies”?

Set in New York City, one of the most dangerous and heavily quarantined metropolitan zones impacted by the outbreak, Scenes From an Empty Church uses the pandemic as a raw backdrop for a story exploring theology, spiritual connection, and what it means to be human.

The film is directed by NYC filmmaker Onur Tukel, who cowote with Andrew Shemin. It is, so far as I’ve seen, the greatest meditative piece of art to directly emerge out of the pandemic.

The film centers on two depressed Catholic priests dwelling in the silent emptiness of their locked-down church. Like everyone, they’re feeling the anxiety of the situation, scared and disconnected. Their doors remain closed, their ministry halted and their mission uncertain. An unexpected visit from his old friend Paul (Max Casella) reignites Father Andrew (Kevin Corrigan)’s hunger for connection, and he convinces apathetic Father James (Thomas Jay Ryan) to begin to slowly allow the church to resume its work – albeit in a very limited fashion.

Though he’s not a Christian, Paul also hangs around. He’s on a spiritual search, and enjoying the company of the priests and their deep, lively conversations.

As parishioners return for prayers and confessions, the Fathers are reinvigorated in their mission, but also confronted with deep questions about their faith as they encounter different people with varied experiences and backgrounds. The film isn’t shy about asking these difficult questions, as characters grapple and debate in earnest over some of the biggest quandaries and criticisms of Christianity and Catholicism. Would modern day Christians recognize and believe in Jesus if we encountered him performing miracles today, or write him off as a charlatan? Is a priest’s ministry less valid because he set out on that path for the wrong reasons? Or if he has homosexual urges? Is a child molester who has accepted Christ more deserving of God’s mercy than an atheist who leads a righteous life?

One of the film’s saddest critiques is the response of the priests when a stranger comes into the church eager to be saved and baptized. Rather than being equipped with the gospel and ready to engage his plea, they stammer about how busy they are and hide behind protocol, more annoyed by his interruption than joyous at the spiritual rebirth of a new believer.

Another great conversation, and perhaps the most “real” in the film, finds Father Andrew, who is Jewish, getting back in touch with this estranged dad (Paul Reiser): the cause of their rift was his conversion to Catholicism. In still another discussion, Andrew explains how believing in Christ isn’t antithetical to his Jewish roots, but complementary: he embraces Jesus as the very fulfillment the Old Testament.

These conversations and engagements are the heart of the story, which clearly portray the priests as fallible, human beings trying and sometimes failing to honor God. There’s not really any deeper plot; the film is more interested in how we engage and connect. It’s sometimes sad, sometimes hilarious, always thoughtful, and ultimately hopeful. The big questions are left unanswered, leaving them for the audience to consider.

This isn’t exactly Sunday School material – there’s a smattering of profanity, mostly by priests, and a small bit of sexuality and nudity – but the film is an earnest and incredibly thoughtful exploration of both faith and the human experience. Highly recommended viewing.

Scenes From an Empty Church will arrive on VOD and in theaters July 2nd, with a DVD planned to follow in August.

No More Masks; Israel Conflict; The End for the Church?; Resident Evil 8

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In this jam-packed, lightning round episode of the Your Sunday Drive podcast, we cover four fascinating topics in just one hour!

First, mask mandates go away as we seem to be approaching the end of the pandemic. What’s our experience so far and how do we handle the inevitable cultural friction of the moment?

Next we talk about the renewed conflict in Israel. What’s the history and context of the current violence and, most importantly, how can Christians respond?

Church membership is down and deconversion stories are on the rise. We dig in to these trends and how, counterintuitively, there may be good news afoot.

Finally, we spend some time discussing our current fave books, shows and games. Resident Evil Village (Resident Evil 8) is the focus, with a surprising connection made between fandoms and the church.

Come along for Your Sunday Drive – quick conversation about current events, politics, pop culture and more, from the perspective of a couple of guys trying to follow Jesus.

Hosts: Matt Hill and Nate Polzin. Presented by the Church in Drive of Saginaw, MI, as often as possible. Please visit churchindrive.com and facebook.com/thechurchindrive

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Bobbi Jo: Under the Influence – Safe at Home

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Bobbi Jo: Under the Influence focuses its lens on the life and impact of Kansas City social worker Bobbi Jo Reed. Having turned to drinking and drugs at a young age, Bobbi Jo’s life spiraled further out of control. Left broken and destitute by a life of abuse and prostitution, Bobbi Jo rediscovered her spiritual faith. Now in her mid-30s, Bobbi Jo felt called to use her newfound strength to help others in need. With the development of the ministry at Healing House, Bobbi Jo and her team have seen amazing results by helping more than 8,000 men and women transformed by discovering the power of faith, love and family.

Written and directed by Brent L. Jones, Bobbi Jo: Under the Influence is a powerful documentary of how God can use one person’s shattered story to bring hope and healing to many others. With an emphasis on one particular person and their impact, Jones keeps the film simple and straightforward with its focus. This is not a film about the nature of addiction or the larger problems that plague Kansas City but rather, as the title suggests, the testimony of one person and the impact that they have had with others. By exploring Bobbi Jo’s past and how it led to the development of Healing House, Jones seems to step back and simply allows the story to tell itself. In the process, the film feels very personal as Bobbi Jo is given the freedom to be open about her past battles with addiction without hinderance.

What struck me most about Bobbi Jo’s story is that she’s so… ordinary. For Bobbi Jo, her success lies not in her grand public speaking or any amazing skills. Instead, Jones presents her as a woman who has seen the worst parts of herself and found redemption in her faith. In fact, for the first third of the film, Jones allows Bobbi Jo to share her life’s narrative in grand detail. Having suffered with addiction and prostitution since her youth, she rediscovered her faith and found the strength to ‘get clean’ in her mid-30s. However, even after all her struggles that she has overcome, there’s a humility within Bobbi Jo that Jones allows to come to the surface. 

She understands what it means to feel lost… and she’s determined to help others who feel the same today.

While it may seem like a cliché to suggest that Bobbi Jo is fearless in her pursuit of helping others, it does seem to apply here. (If you’re unsure about that particular word choice, a story about her confronting a man with an AK-47 on Thanksgiving may justify it to you…) Coming out of addiction herself, she understands the needs of those on the street and she has thrown open her doors to reach as many as possible. From the moment that they arrive at Healing House, new residents are welcomed ‘home’ and treated with love and respect. (For many of the residents, this is the first time that they can say such a thing.) Essential to the foundation of the ministry is that this will be a place of safety where they can heal. They’re given clean clothes, a new room and help acquiring their personal identification.

Most importantly though, they’re given a fresh start.

You see, the beauty of Bobbi Jo’s story is her stunning commitment to the broken. By recognizing that all people have value, she is able to accept them with their flaws and see hope for them moving forward. With a passion to stand alongside addicts, ex-convicts, prostitutes and more, Influence shows the incredible power and influence that Healing House has in allowing its residents to have all that they need to begin again. Through each testimony with the film, Influence highlights the fact that Bobbi Jo is willing to help anyone who truly wants to get well. While not everyone succeeds in breaking free of their past issues, there are countless others whose lives have been turned around by Bobbi Jo and her amazing work at Healing House. To them, she has become far more than another community service worker.

She is their mother, friend and pastor.

While Bobbi Jo: Under the Influence may not be a flashy documentary, it does provide some well-deserved press for an organization that doesn’t seem to be well known outside of its sphere of influence. Anchored by her faith, Bobbi Jo and her team continue to build something amazing in Kansas City that changes lives on a daily basis.

Maybe this film will help change some more.

Bobbi Jo: Under the Influence is now available on VOD.

This Episode Has No Agenda

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This is an experimental episode of the Your Sunday Drive podcast, recorded with literally no set topic, no notes, no agenda.

We can’t (won’t) even pitch what we actually ended up talking about (because we do, of course, now know what that was), even though it for sure turned out to be very, very interesting.

We could tell you what the goal of this experiment was, but that may be construed as an agenda and/or otherwise give you information about the episode ahead of time, which we can’t (won’t) do. You’ll just have to listen and find out. We do, as usual, hope you find this beneficial 🙂

Come along for Your Sunday Drive – quick conversation about current events, politics, pop culture and more, from the perspective of a couple of guys trying to follow Jesus.

Hosts: Matt Hill and Nate Polzin. Presented by the Church in Drive of Saginaw, MI, as often as possible. Please visit churchindrive.com and facebook.com/thechurchindrive

Gun and a Hotel Bible – The Word Speaks

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“Don’t most hotels have the courtesy to leave you in the drawer? Jesus Christ!”

Sometimes, I miss those all-night bull sessions I would have with roommates in college. We would delve into deep questions about God, morality, and the meaning of life. We would sometimes pick a perspective just for the sake of seeing where it would lead the discussion. Such is Gun and a Hotel Bible, directed by Alicia Joy Leblanc and Raja Gosnell. The film is based on a film festival play developed by the two actors in the film.

We first meet Pete (Bradley Gosnell) as he reflects on his relationship with his wife and the love they shared. But something has gone wrong. The rest of the play takes place in a seedy Chicago hotel room where he has gone to wait. He plans violence because of his wife’s affair. In the hotel room, he encounters Gid (Daniel Florin), the personification of the Gideon Bible. At first, their banter is banal. We discover that Gid loves baseball and is positively rapturous over learning that the Cubs won the World Series a few year ago. Gid is a bit behind on things because he’s been in this hotel room since 1953.

Pete is drawn to the Bible (and hence Gid), but doesn’t really want much to do with it. As Gid tries to interest him in diving in, we discover that Pete is pretty knowledgeable about the Bible, but he rejects its teaching. The ensuing conversation between Gid and Pete covers areas of the nature of scripture, its authority, interpretation, and the very existence of God.

I entered this experience with some trepidation. It would be very easy to see this as an opportunity for cheap grace in the form of a doubter giving in to the Word of God. I usually classify such views is Bibliolatry—making an idol out of the Bible. Making it seem that the Bible is the most important thing, not the messages within it. And to be sure, there were times in the film that I thought it might be going that way.

But in the end, what we have is two different perspectives on religion and faith that struggle to understand each other and to be understood by the other. While it often seems like the kind of theoretical discussions we would have late at night in college, in this setting it is of the utmost importance for Pete’s life. And in the end, there is no definitive answer to any of the questions.

I have to admit that Pete has by far the more interesting questions and opinions.  Gid struggles to hold his own. That may be because Gid (and thus scripture) seems to present answers that are a bit to osimple, or that can easily be set aside because of context or interpretation. If one fails to acknowledge the authority of scripture (and that term itself is open to a wide range of interpretations), why should one even listen to what Gid has to say? I would also say that Pete is far more interesting because he is the one who has to deal with his doubts—and maybe his faith. Gid is nothing but faith.

The discussion between Gid and Pete is not nearly involved as delving deep into the Bible or theology. But it does serve as a nice primer to give people a chance to think about some of these issues. Although, I wouldn’t be surprised if the story serves as a Rorschach test that will affirm the importance of scripture for some, and the validity of skepticism and doubt for others.

Gun and a Hotel Bible is available digitally.

Photos courtesy of Freestyle Digital Media