ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

Gotham

TV Screened: Gotham (2.3) – Who Will Laugh Last?

by Leave a Comment

gothamvillainsGotham discussions have been ripe with rumors, innuendos, and theories that had Jerome was in fact the man who would one day be known as the Joker. The third episode put a sudden, stabbing end to that.

But while we saw the bravery of Bruce Wayne, the loyalty of Alfred Pennyworth, and the boldness of Harvey Bullock (has anyone received such a magnificent retooling on this show?) the ultimate message of the storyline that resonates throughout “Rise of the Villains” is this: it’s going to get really, really dark before Batman shows up.

While Penguin has had his fair share of reminiscing with dear, old batty mum, Jerome had his moment with his blind, fortune-telling father. As his father was about to get whacked by the team-up that Jerome had worked out with crime boss-masquerading-as-hero Theo Galavan, he announced that Jerome’s name would be a curse upon the city that would bring death, madness, and the screaming of children in their sleep.

There are significant mythos that pass on curses, but I was reminded of this passage from Exodus 34: “The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.'” In this case, it’s the opposite of love and faithfulness, the opposite of sin demanding justice. In the case of Jerome, it’s an evil spirit of sorts that has been introduced, and let loose to wreak havoc throughout the city spreading its own brand of madness.

This madness takes the form of Jerome’s laugh, which literally causes madness and murder. It’s a form spiritual warfare that we know will run rampant, until a certain savior of sorts rises to stop it. That crazed laugh…

Folks, it’s only going to get darker in Gotham for awhile.

Gotham airs on Mondays at 8 p.m. on FOX.

Hollywood & Violence: More Than Gun Control

by Leave a Comment

 

gunIs peace even possible?

The Umpqua Community College has my Facebook feed in its grip, not because of its desire to “be the center for quality teaching and learning, and a key partner in the wellbeing and enrichment of our communities,” but because of the violence which encroached on the campus’ safety and wellbeing last week. My friends are divided; some say guns are the problem, while others say more guns are the solution. Some blame mental health, while others talk about sin and brokenness. Some play video games, while others blast them for their first-person shooting. Some want change; others seem to think the world is the way it is.

I don’t have any easy answers, but I believe there’s plenty of blame to be spread around our society. As someone who constantly digests media and pop culture, I’m aware that the answers (and questions) all start with our societal values – but I think we choose to ignore some of the red flags. Still as I explore the aspects of our society that fall into ScreenFish’s purview, I wonder if ‘blame’ isn’t the wrong word.

Walking out of the theater a few weeks ago, I was sickened by the thought that Oscar buzz could stretch out the amount of time that we’d be talking about Black Mass. While Johnny Depp’s performance (or is it amazement at prosthetics?) was above reproach, the biopic about Whitey Bulger troubled me for a number of reasons. The film highlighted the casual negligence of governmental oversight for its own gain. It portrayed the easy way in which a bully, a psychopath, could go from nothing to esteemed community leader. And it glorified the life and times of this notorious psychopath who was apprehended at the age of eighty-two.

blackmass

In a world where people are motivated by their quick ascension into the world of the ‘known,’ where Facebook and Twitter followers are resume builders, the media gives a certain credence to what is newsworthy, trumpeting the intentions of killers in Roseburg or Charleston. What is news and what is inflammatory? I am not sure I know the difference, but in watching Black Mass, I see the embers of hate and power, now turned into a moneymaking illustration of what Hollywood will willfully emphasize.

But you say one is just the reporting of facts and one is the telling of a true story, so what do the two have to do with each other? In the social media commentary of the UCC shooter prior to his rampage, he wrote, “I have noticed that so many people like him are all alone and unknown, yet when they spill a little blood, the whole world knows who they are. A man who was known by no one, is now known by everyone… Seems like the more people you kill, the more you’re in the spotlight.” Hardly original, but hauntingly similar to the thoughts of the man who killed two news reporters just a month ago in Virginia, the thoughts reflect that of a fictional serial killer … The Joker.

In the second episode of FOX’s Gotham, we saw the Clown Prince of Crime kill for sport, kill those who steal his lines, and kill the chief of authority in opposition to him, Captain Essen. In doing so, he tells her that he’s going to kill to get attention, to become famous, and strike fear, negating any value other humans might have. He’s reciting the thoughts of killers through time, and terrorists everywhere. And yet, we know that Jim Gordon (and later Batman) will stand against him. Fiction, or skin crawling fact?

gothamvillains

While the reality and fiction of these situations continue to blend, I’m left wondering what Christians will do to make a difference. I’m struggling internally with what it means to follow Christ in a world where security, freedom, and safety are as fleeting as taking a breath. I’m questioning what we as Christians should do with our vote, our voice, and our decision-making.

Is it enough to outlaw guns, or buy more weapons?

Is it enough to evaluate mental health, and tag some individuals for further testing and care?

Is it enough to shake our heads at a fallen world with sinful people, of which we are numbered?

Or… is there something more?

There are certainly some actions that could be taken – we might stand to make it more difficult to own a gun or consider whether a hunter needs an automatic, military grade weapon to kill a deer – but the answer isn’t simply political or legalistic. It’s not about “gun control” or “gun safety.” The issue is deeper than that.

We should consider what we glorify as a culture. We should consider what we value for ourselves and those we call our community, in our families and in our churches. We should consider what you and I are responsible for aiding and abetting ourselves.

Do we elevate those who are truly good, or do we bring further unwarranted attention to those who don’t merit our societal praise?

Do we practice what we preach in our individual, day-to-day interactions with our family, neighbors, and strangers on the street when it comes to exhibiting peace?

Do we engage in ministering to each other, and especially the least and the lost, as we encounter the opportunity to walk hand-in-hand on the journey of life?

Do we exhibit a life that seeks to follow Jesus, or are the trappings of our temporal society more powerful than the call of the creating God of the universe?

I don’t know what it will take to stem the tide of violence in our schools, in our communities, and in our world, but I believe that the solution starts with you and me.

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.–Romans 12:18

TV Screened: Gotham (2.1-2) – When The Right Way Is The Ugly Way

by Leave a Comment

gothams2

“Are you not sacrificing the greater good for the sake of your dignity and self-esteem?”– Bruce Wayne

If you’re looking for a light-hearted (mostly) take on DC superheroes, go check out The Flash. If you’re looking for a creative reimagining of Batman’s origins with humor, panache, and deep meanings that just might critique our society today, then tune in to FOX’s Gotham.

In an explosive premiere and followup, Bruno Heller’s series focused in on the villains in a way that even the first season had not. Marketed as “Rise of the Villains,” it’s clear that we’ll see a wider variety of villain from the Batman canon … and elsewhere. Notably, we see a broader, deeper view of Jerome (Cameron Monaghan, first introduced in “The Blind Fortune Teller”), whose laugh is a dead giveaway as the introduction to Batman Enemy Number One, The Joker. But there’s also an original brother-and-sister combo, Theo (James Frain) and Tabitha Galavan (Jessica Lucas), who intimidate their way into running a violent crew parallel to Oswald Cobblepot’s (Robin Lord Taylor) mob, enforced by Zsasz (Anthony Carrigan). Deeper and darker than even the first season proposed, this growing mass of depravity stands against any future hope of Jim Gordon’s (Ben McKenzie) fair city.

Somehow, the show tends to highlight the irregularities and issues of its villains even more intensely than it regularly shows the goodness of its protagonists. It feeds on the mentality of those who see doing evil and ‘making a mark that people will remember’ as the course of their own legacy. They are not evil because they are sick or because they hurt; they are evil because they choose to find pleasure in it. This is a mark of the latest batch of shows like True Detective but it doesn’t have to be all that there is to highlight the line between good and evil.

To provide a better balance, the creative team has introduced a second layer to Bruce Wayne’s (David Mazouz) mansion, and twisted the decision making that both Wayne and Gordon will take in this second season. Will they choose goodness at the expense of stopping evil, or will they wade into muddy waters at the risk of getting dirty themselves? And will they rally people to their cause, like Alfred Pennyworth (Sean Pertwee), Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue), and Lucius Fox (Chris Chalk)?

gothamvillains

While the most captivating scenes are dedicated to Jerome’s twistedness (throwing a series of bodies off of the top of a building to spell a clue) or Edward Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) slowly losing his mind, I’m drawn back to the show because of the internal/occasionally external dialogues that Wayne and Gordon bring to the show. How far would they go for truth, justice, or revenge? What does their ‘word’ really mean? What does it mean to be called to something, and what does that call cost?

In Matthew 10:16, Jesus sends his disciples out with the injunction that “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” There’s a certain degree of subterfuge, of playing the game but yet being above the game, that seems laced in these words. Ultimately, the way that each character responds seems based on what their nature really is. Jerome is doing what he thinks he’s supposed to; Bullock returns to the force because “there’s no use fighting who you are.”

While Christians continue to argue about whether they should be in the world, out of the world, or above the world, the reality is that if we are going to create a world where the kingdom of heaven is a reality, we will have to wade into the dirty water of real life. But it’s only in those same waters that baptism occurs, right? It’s only by the purity of heart, by having faith in what is ultimately true, that salvation happens.

For Gotham, true salvation – not that version offered by the Galavans – will only occur when the pure of heart wade in the water.

Gotham airs on Monday nights at 8 p.m. on FOX.

On The Small Screen Vol. 3 (September 8)

by Leave a Comment

SmallScreen

 

In our third installment of TV-related reviews, we tackle Gotham, Madame Secretary, and Harry.

gotham

Gotham: The Complete First Season Blu-ray & Digital HD – James Gordon, Come On Down!

Marvel has been owning the multiplex with hits on mainline titles like The Avengers and the surprise success of lesser known characters like Antman and Guardians of the Galaxy. But until recently, with the arrival of Daredevil, Marvel has come in a distant second to DC’s line of small screen hits, like Arrow, Smallville, and others. Just last fall, DC released three new shows, Constantine (meh), The Flash (okay), and Gotham, while announcing that Supergirl was on the way. With all of the men and women in tights flashing to the screen, there are plenty of options to choose from, but Gotham is the best.

Boasting a cast that includes Ben McKenzie as the central character of James Gordon, the show sprawls out through the nooks and crannies of what will one day be Batman’s city. We have villains like Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith) who are original to the show, and others, like Oswald Cobblepot AKA the Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor), who serve up elements of the Batman mythos. Some characters are more hinted at than announced, whether it’s Poison Ivy, or Two-Face, or Catwoman, but the darkness itself threatens to envelop young Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) before he could ever get started. It’s a wonderful exploration of the way things motivate us to be who we become, the dynamics that allow evil (or good) to pass forward through the generations, and the power of those who make the decision to stand for something greater than themselves.

Special features include several featurettes about how the city of Gotham was laid out, and how the minds behind the show worked out the backstory of characters who are well known to many. Of course, the Comic-Con 2014 will be of interest to some as it takes a look at DC Comics latest releases as they’re presented to the most rabid fans! 

 

Téa Leoni stras as Elizabeth McCord in the new CBS drama "Madam Secretary," premiering Sunday, September 21 at 8:00 PM ET/PT.

Madam Secretary: The Complete First Season – Elizabeth McCord Puts Her Money Where Her Mouth Is

Dr. Elizabeth McCord is our fourth female Secretary of State. Well, not really, but in CBS’ original series, Tea Leoni plays McCord as the highly intelligent ex-prof who rises to prominence while balancing her family responsibilities. While political shows revolving around men seem to deny that they have much in the way of outside responsibilities (The West Wing was the previously most balanced show), Madam Secretary shows McCord’s relationship with her husband (Tim Daly) and children in a way that makes this seem more real.

Regardless of your political stance, it’s interesting to see how things might play out behind the scenes. There’s been a vacuum since the aforementioned Martin Sheen serial, and CBS has filled the void admirably with a leader and character who balances her moral being with the needs of the country. It’s not always pretty, but it’s often interesting. What we all think about politics (and especially foreign policy) is mostly done as Monday Morning Quarterback. So what would happen if all of our theories (taught, written about, or spoken about) suddenly became what the country actually did? This is a classic case of someone finally getting to put all of the theory into practice.

harry

Harry: The First Series – The Best New Zealand Show You’ve Never Heard Of

Oscar Kightley plays Detective Harry Anglesea, who must return to work to clear his mind and keep the city safe after the suicide of his wife. He’s the best detective that DSS Jim “Stocks” Stockton (Sam Neill, Jurassic Park) has at his disposal when tackling a major case that has his city in fear. While Anglesea is trying his best to keep it together, his teenage daughter, Mele (Hunter Kamuhemu), struggles with her own issues of grief and anger.

Acorn Media (RLJ Entertainment) has been pumping out stellar overseas series for years (Midsomer Murders, Poirot, etc.) and Harry is a six-part wonder that will challenge what you think when considering racial tension in North America. It’s also an exploration of the drug trade in New Zealand, especially methamphetamines, and a solid reminder that we don’t know where someone is coming from or what their struggle looks like. This is heady, dark entertainment (not quite True Detective, but…) that will serve as an alternative to reruns, waiting on network TV to resume in the fall.