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nostalgia

Mass Shootings; Top Gun, Stranger Things, Obi Wan & Nostalgia

June 7, 2022 by Matt Hill Leave a Comment

It is a sad season of far too many mass shootings…

In this episode of Your Sunday Drive, we discuss details of the recent incidents, their complex causes, related political and cultural issues, possible solutions, and more.

How may our overall crisis of meaning be leading to a crisis of gun violence? What role does the church play?

Nostalgia rears its head yet again, as Top Gun: Maverick rules at the box office, while Stranger Things 4 and Obi Wan Kenobi take over streaming platforms. We talk about these stories, the positives and negatives of nostalgia, and why now might be such a fertile time for the familiar to find favor. (Sorry about all those Fs … sometimes things just happen and you gotta go with 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

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Christian, Crisis, culture, gun, guns, Mass, maverick, meaning, nostalgia, obi, Podcast, policy, politics, pop, shooting, stranger, things, top, violence, wan

Belfast – Hometown memories

December 23, 2021 by Darrel Manson Leave a Comment

“There are no roads to Shangri-la from our parts of Belfast.”

In Belfast, Kenneth Branagh, who wrote and directed, creates a fictionalized version of his childhood. It is a film built on the nostalgia of youth with a background of the violence of the sectarian struggles of Northern Ireland. It is a blend of an homage to the city of his birth, a paean to family, and a memorial to the lives changed and lost in that time. (The closing dedication of the film is “For those who stayed, for those who left, and for those who were lost.”)

Jude Hill stars as “Buddy” in director Kenneth Branagh’s BELFAST, a Focus Features release. Credit : Rob Youngson / Focus Features

Buddy (Jude Hill), a nine year old boy, lives with his parents (Caitíona Balfe and Jamie Dornan) and brother in a predominantly Protestant neighborhood in 1969. His Pa works as a joiner on projects in England, coming home for occasional weekends. His Ma keeps things running at home, dealing with the debt they’ve accumulated. The family has lived their lives on that street. He is surrounded by cousins and his grandparents (Judi Dench and Ciarán Hinds). It is a family filled with love, even if there are rough patches to get through. It seems like a wonderful place.

The film opens with an idyllic day in the street, with the children running and playing in various ways. There are the joyous sounds of song and laughter. But then suddenly a mob appears with rocks and Molotov cocktails, and starts destroying the neighborhood. The scene quickly becomes chaotic with frightened parents and children trying to get to safety. Soon the street is walled off. Vigilantes patrol the streets. One young man demands that everyone must contribute “cash or commitment” to the Protestant cause. Buddy’s Pa wants nothing to do with the divisive situation. Instead, he is trying to convince Ma that they should emigrate—bringing brochures for Sydney and Vancouver. In time, Pa gets an offer that would have them move to England permanently.

Caitriona Balfe (left) stars as “Ma” and Jamie Dornan (right) stars as “Pa” in director Sir Kenneth Branagh’s BELFAST, a Focus Features release. Credit : Rob Youngson / Focus Features

But this is all told through Buddy’s eyes. He overhears these discussions about leaving Belfast, but wants nothing to do with the idea. All he knows (and all Ma has known) is these few blocks. He also sees the world through the films he watches at the cinema and on TV. The films on TV are often classic westerns. We see as he watches The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and High Noon. High Noon seems especially appropriate because it is a story of leaving to avoid violence or standing up to that violence. It is very much the situation that Buddy sees Pa facing. And in a key scene we see Pa as Billy sees him: the marshal facing an evil mob.

The film has an interesting look: a darker, richer version of black and white than we are used to. There are also splashes of color when Buddy goes to the cinema to see One Million Years, B.C. and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. We see the memories of that time and place as a mixture of light and dark. It is the unreal world of the cinema that is full of color. The film is also filled with the songs of another Belfast native, Van Morrison.

(L to R) Jamie Dornan as “Pa”, CiarĂĄn Hinds as “Pop”, Jude Hill as “Buddy”, and Judi Dench as “Granny” in director Kenneth Branagh’s BELFAST, a Focus Features release. Credit : Rob Youngson / Focus Features

There is an interesting sign at the end of the street Buddy lives on. Painted on the side of a house row it reads, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” It comes from 1 Timothy 1:15 (AV). The presence of those words in this film is both a reminder and a critique of the religious foundations of The Troubles. The film doesn’t identify either side as “sinners”. However, we understand that Jesus came to save them all—both Catholic and Protestants.

Yet in spite of all that is going on, for Buddy, this is the place he loves—filled with people he loves—and will always love. Even after leaving to a different life, this is the place, even with all the difficulties, that has defined him. It’s taken Branaugh fifty years to find a way to tell his story this way.

(L to R) Caitriona Balfe as “Ma”, Jamie Dornan as “Pa”, Judi Dench as “Granny”, Jude Hill as “Buddy”, and Lewis McAskie as “Will” in director Kenneth Branagh’s BELFAST, a Focus Features release. Credit : Rob Youngson / Focus Features

Belfast is in general release.

Photos courtesy of Focus Features.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Reviews Tagged With: Belfast, Caitiona Balfe, Ciaran Hinds, Family, Jamie Dornan, Jude Hill, Judi Dench, Kenneth Branaugh, Northern Ireland, nostalgia, The Troubles

5.08 The Buzz Around BUMBLEBEE

December 31, 2018 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

http://screenfish.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/5.08-Bumblebee.mp3

As the sixth (!) entry into the TRANSFORMERS franchise, BUMBLEBEE is a complete course correction for the series. Taking us back to 1987, BUMBLEBEE focuses on the emotional journey of its characters, giving a feel reminiscent of the Amblin films of the 1980s… but is it too little too late? This week, Steve is joined by author Troy Kinney (Watching Movies, Watching Stories) as they tackle giant robots, the nature of letting go and what it means to be human.

You can also stream the episode above on podomatic, SoundCloud or on Spotify! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts, Google Play or more!

5.08 Bumblebee

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.

Thanks Troy for joining us!

 

Filed Under: Film, Podcast Tagged With: 1980s, Aquaman, Autobots, Bumblebee, Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena, New Years Eve, nostalgia, Optimus Prime, Transformers, Troy Kinney

The Ready Player One “Easter Egg” That Bypasses the Backlash

April 18, 2018 by Matt Hill Leave a Comment

this quick post plays
through three short stages

the third contains
the Easter egg

all three potentially
contain SPOILERS


Stage One: “Microreview”

if you haven’t seen Ready Player One
(or read Cline’s book),
you really should;
particularly if you’re the
target demo:
a “nerd,” “geek,”
pop culture afficionado
of a certain stripe
(70s-80s gaming, sci-fi, etc.)
(more on this later)

but even if you’re not
the target demo du jour,
you should still see it,
cuz it’s a fun,
eminently Spielbergian,
bombastic popcorn flick
(tho, prepare to
suspend plenty disbelief
and prepare to groan
at the too-neat ending)


Stage Two: “Context”

if you’ve seen this movie already –
more certainly if you’ve
read the book,
have this kind of thing
on your radar, etc. –
you may have a sense of the
Ready Player One backlash
that’s been afoot:

e.g. 1: Steven Spielberg’s Oblivious, Chilling Pop-Culture Nostalgia in “Ready Player One”

e.g. 2: The Ready Player One backlash, explained

(those two pieces are helpful
primers and there are others)

the gists of the criticisms
have to do with
Cline, Spielberg, or both
succumbing to certain
negatives of nostalgia and some
nasty exclusivity concerning
particular pet passions
(this involves something
called “Gamergate”)

i think there’s obv
plenty valid points here,
but delving in fully
is beyond this post

(for some
thoughts on nostalgia, see my
good, bad, ugly: nostalgia edition)

(for some
thoughts on how groups
(like gamers)
crave things like
ownership, community, etc. –
relevant to them
playing out negatively
re: Gamergate – see my
a pop invite to the church)


Stage Three: “Spiritual < Spiritual”

while in general i agree with
Rob Bell that
“everything is spiritual,”
i think some
desires
(longings,
hungers,
senses of privation,
experiences of lack,
problems,
issues,
whatever)
are more clearly so

in this instance, by “spiritual”
i mean something like
“essential to our being
as humans;”
i also mean something like
what’s at play here:

“If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.” ~ C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

here, in other words,
spiritual = supernatural

and HERE is where we discover
the titular EASTER EGG –
the “secret” that “saves”
Ready Player One
from some potential negatives
brought up in Stage Two….

Ready Player One, really,
is about these spiritual/supernatural
longings/desires;
specifically, i see
The OASIS
(the movie’s VR game world)
as a proxy for
desires for
things like:
love, belonging, community,
escape, freedom, victory,
meaning, enjoyment, passion

Ready Player One
says this about people:
people need
love/meaning/etc.
and they’ll do
whatever it takes
to get it
(including create
fictional worlds where they do)

but now notice how
Ready Player One‘s
counterintuitively anti-gaming ending –
when we’re told something like
“the real world is what’s real” –
also says this about people:
real (read: spiritual) problems require
real (read: spiritual) solutions,
and *bigger* ones, too

in other words: spiritual < spiritual

it may seem like The OASIS
can give Wade (the main character)
what he needs,
but nah: he needs Samantha (the girl)
irl for that;
in this same way,
our ultimately
spiritual/supernatural
desires for
love/meaning/etc.
must be “solved” by something/someone
ultimately
spiritual/supernatural –
and *bigger –
too

and,
to me,
with this Easter egg
of perspective in hand,
Ready Player One –
though imperfect –
communicates something
very valid,
very real
about being a human

(for some
thoughts on how
humans often
sneak these kinds of
Easter eggs
into pop culture, see
what it means that you like things that are like other things that you like
and
Get Re-Enchanted: Stranger Things 2, Pop Culture & God)

 

 

Filed Under: Editorial, Film, Reviews Tagged With: 1980s, atari, backlash, Christian, easter egg, ernest kline, gamergate, games, gaming, God, interpretation, Jesus, meaning, media, movie, negative, nostalgia, OASIS, ready player one; steven spielberg, religious, review, spiritual, video game

4.15 Finding your Oasis in READY PLAYER ONE

April 8, 2018 by Steve Norton 1 Comment

http://screenfish.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/4.15-Ready-Player-One.mp3

Set in the year 2045, the global population seeks solace in the OASIS, a digital haven with limitless possibilities. However, when the creator dies, he challenges the world to unlock an Easter egg hidden somewhere in the game, giving them total control over the system itself.

Filled with pop culture references and stunning visual effects, READY PLAYER ONE heralds a return to the adventure genre for Steven Spielberg. Though one could argue the film is primarily a nostalgia bonanza, Spielberg imbeds his story with his own Easter eggs of truth. This week, Steve welcomes Jeff Baker and Benjamin Porter to discuss about the nature of identity in the digital world and the relationship between Creator and his creation.

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.

4.15 Ready Player One

Thanks Jeff and Benjamin for joining us!

Filed Under: Film, Podcast Tagged With: Ben Mendelsohn, Delorean, King Kong, Mark Rylance, nostalgia, Olivia Cooke, Parzival, Ready Player One, Steven Spielberg, TJ Miller, tye sheridan, Zemekis

3.8 Dreaming in LA LA LAND

January 8, 2017 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

http://screenfish.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/3.8-La-La-Land.mp3

For our 1st ep of 2017, Steve welcomes Kevin McLenithan (co-host, Seeing and Believing) to sing the praises of Damien Chazelle’s LA LA LAND! In a great conversation, they talk about the tension between nostalgia and reality as well as finding a balance between love and purpose. In addition, the guys also reveal their Top 3 Movie Moments of 2016!

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.

3.8 La La Land

A special thanks to Kevin McLenithan for coming on the show!  You can hear more from Kevin on the Seeing and Believing podcast with Wade Bearden and read his work at Christ and Pop Culture!

Filed Under: Film, Podcast, Reviews, TIFF Tagged With: Academy Awards, awards, Damien Chazelle, Emma Stone, Golden Globes, JK Simmons, La La Land, Love, movies, musicals, nostalgia, Oscars, Ryan Gosling

La La Land – Hollywood Plays Itself

January 1, 2017 by Darrel Manson 1 Comment

Hollywood has played itself in films frequently. It is the land of glamor and dreams. But it can be very hard on those who dream of making it. It is filled with nostalgia and with visions of new art. How do you tell that story yet again in a way that is both conventional and fresh? Do those two ideas seem to clash? Not in La La Land, a musical that both pays homage to the history of movies and tells age old stories (like boy-meets-girl) in such a way that it seems like we’ve never seen it like this before, even when we know we have.

The story itself is simple. Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) meet somewhat un-cutely in a traffic jam. He lays on his horn when she doesn’t move; she flips him off. But soon their paths cross again—with less than romantic results. Eventually they come to discover the fit they are together and love blooms. But of course, love can also fade.

Sebastian is a jazz pianist whose life mission is to make people love jazz. Mia is an aspiring actress currently working at a coffee shop on one of the studio lots. Both have a strong sense of the past. Sebastian’s most cherished possession is a piano stool once sat on by Hoagy Carmichael. When Mia leaves work she loves to look across the backlot street at the window that Bogart and Bergman looked out of in Casablanca. These two struggling artists who look back to the greatness of the past also seek to make something that will be great and new for today.

All of this is set in the form of a classic musical. There are extensive production numbers that bring to mind such films as West Side Story. There are songs that define the relationship and other songs that speak of the dreams Sebastian and Mia have.

Writer/Director Damien Chazelle also made use of jazz in his previous film, Whiplash. In this film jazz is not just the music that Sebastian plays and often plays through various scenes; it also serves as a metaphor for the tension not only of the story, but also of the movie industry. When Sebastian explains jazz to Mia he notes that it is made up of conflict and compromise. That is true of the relationship in the story as well—and with all relationships. Later when Sebastian discusses jazz with a friend (John Legend), the friend points out that Sebastian is trying to hold on to something of the past—something that was revolutionary when it happened. Where is the revolution in Sebastian’s music? That very much reflects the tension that pervades Hollywood—the desire to make what has been successful before or to do something entirely new.

This is very much a Hollywood/Los Angeles story. (Although that doesn’t mean others will not enjoy the story and film.) But it is the L.A. of nostalgia. From the opening production number on a freeway interchange (one I’ve driven on often) to the frequent trips to Griffith Park and the iconic observatory to a studio backlot, all of this is the L.A. we’ve seen in films before. That is entirely fitting since the film is about that very nostalgic understanding of Hollywood. But while it looks back to the Hollywood we remember and uses conventions that we know, it also seeks to move into something new—which means things may not work out the way we have come to expect. It also reminds us that nostalgia can be painful as well as comforting.

A word needs to be said about the artistry of the film itself. I sometimes worry when I care more for the way the film was made than I do about the story itself. This film has several intricate production numbers that really are astounding—not just in the choreography (by Mandy Moore), but in the camera work that captures it. For example, the opening production number with people dancing on the roofs of cars stuck in a traffic jam is a long shot that shifts angles without cuts. I get a headache thinking of the logistics.

In keeping with the nostalgic nature of the film, the production design evokes not just the sense we expect from a Hollywood musical, but it also sets moods in more subtle ways. When I left the theater I thought the technical aspects of the film outweighed the storytelling. But as I’ve had time for it to marinate in my mind, I’ve come to appreciate the storytelling for its subtle celebration of dreams, even as it faces the reality that those dreams may have hard edges.

Photo credit: Dale Robinette, courtesy of Lionsgate.

Filed Under: Film, Reviews Tagged With: boy meets girl, Damien Chazelle, Emma Stone, Hollywood, John Legend, Los Angeles, Mandy Moore, musical, nostalgia, Ryan Gosling

good, bad, ugly: nostalgia edition

December 14, 2016 by Matt Hill Leave a Comment

re

some say
we live in an age
of nostalgia

round up the recent remakes,
the reboots, the revivals,
the side stories,
the things even just
intentionally reminiscent
of other, older,
more established things,
and prepare to be
flooded in the fond feels,
deluged in the delights
of yesterday, of yesteryear

remember Star Wars?
you don’t have to.
Disney will ensure
a regular fresh hit
from here on out.

want more Harry Potter?
no problem.
muggles everywhere
will always need educating
on fantastic beasts.

need you some Dory again?
some female ghostbusters?
girls of the Gilmore persuasion?
a differently, yet still
extremely packed abode?
Westworld for the 2010s?
all them stranger 80s things?
for some reason,
a bazillion different spider-men?

you are super. duper. covered.

i kinda bet you always will be

and sometimes, tbh, such things
are bad;
bad as in lack-of-quality bad;
maybe it’s a lack
in the original source,
maybe a misfire –
a spoiling of legacy –
maybe just
too much
too soon
of a good thing;
whatever the case,
let’s agree:
sometimes,
nostalgia is bad

and sometimes,
unfortunately,
nostalgia is ugly;
South Park‘s recent
memberberries storyline
reminds us what a
short walk it can be from
simple nostalgia to
nationalism,
racism, sexism –
of the inherent danger in
seemingly innocent desires like
“make America great again”

but sometimes,
nostalgia is good;
good as in quality good;
good as in
more-of-a-great-thing good;
good as in –
South Park be damned –
i think the new Star Wars
was cool,
and yeah, Rogue One probably
will be too,
and yeah, J.J. Abrams
could probably reboot
the “Star Spangled Banner”
and make it awesomer

and,
sometimes,
most importantly,
nostalgia is even
more good than that;
way even more good

sometimes it’s good in a
that’s-where-i-come-from
sort of way, a
this-is-what’s-important
sort of way

an
ah-yes-that’s-what-i’m-about
sort of way, a
that’s-who-we-are
sort of way

an
i’m-still-the-same, but
i’m-not-the-same
sort of way, a
this-means-this-
for-me-now
sort of way, an
i-own-this-anew
sort of way

you know:
a nostalgia-as-ritual
sort of way;
a vital,
bread-and-wine-
in-remembrance-
of-me,
write-my-words-
on-your-heart-and-
teach-them-to-your-kids,
everything-old-is-new-
is-old-is-new-is-old-
-(is-new)-
sort of way

you know:
the way where –
far from not
being able to look forward
for looking back –
unless we look back,
we don’t even know
what forward means

Filed Under: Editorial, Featured, Reviews Tagged With: abrams, Christian, Fuller House, gilmore girls, Harry Potter, nostalgia, south park, spiritual, Star Wars, stranger things, Westworld

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