ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

Pandemic

Conspiracies Vindicated! Friends Reunion

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What happens when a “conspiracy” is vindicated? In this episode of the Your Sunday Drive podcast, we take a look at the Wuhan coronavirus lab leak hypothesis and its fascinating transformation from shunned conspiracy to legitimate possibility over the course of the past year.

Along the way we discuss other conspiracies that have turned out to be accurate or otherwise gained credibility, including the Christian faith itself. Also included: How to be a good friend to someone under the influence of a more radical strain of thinking, why to keep friends of varied perspectives and other related epistemological best practices.

Continuing the theme of friendship, we unpack the recent Friends reunion show on HBO. Was it good or bad? How do shows like Friends connect to our different phases of life? What are the benefits and dangers of nostalgia? Is Nate more a Ross, Joey or Chandler?

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

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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Apollo 11: Quarantine – The Past Meets the Present

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Set in 1969, Apollo 11: Quarantine is a documentary short that shows what happened after NASA’s successful launch to the moon. In case the astronauts made contact with any microscopic life on the moon, NASA deemed it necessary for them to distance themselves from others for 21 days as a precaution so that they could be properly monitored. Using never before seen footage, the film gives you an interesting look into what it was like for them to quarantine. 

Premiering during the COVID-19 pandemic, the release of Apollo 11 could not have been timed better. Directed by Todd Douglas Miller, the film does a good job portraying the mood and feeling of quarantine as well. By showing scenes of the astronauts playing mundane games to pass the time, waving to friends and family from afar and celebrating birthdays alone, the experience of the astronauts greatly mirrors that of people who are forced to quarantine today. Stuck in isolation, everyone is so close but so far away and cannot be reached. With most of the scenes filmed in silence, the viewer gets a good sense of the boredom and isolation these brave astronauts felt. 

Admittedly, the documentary does feel a bit slow. Though it may match the current feeling of quarantine by people today, the lack of narrative or urgency does make the film feel a bit boring. In many ways, Apollo 11 almost feels like we were just watching people relax or prisoners stay in their room all day. (Though, again, that’s a fair point considering the parallels to our experiences today.)

Even so, Apollo 11: Quarantine offers us a new look into the days that follow the Apollo 11 mission from the astronauts’ point of view. What’s more, given our situation in 2021 due to COVID, the film provides an interesting angle into both space life and quarantine in general. In many ways, though the footage was taken in 1969, it could have also been shot last month with the average American family. 

Apollo 11: Quarantine is available on Apple TV.

76 Days: The Fearless Frontline

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At a time when everyone is looking for answers, it can be frustrating when you don’t get the ones you’re looking for.

Thankfully, 76 Days is a reminder that we may be asking the wrong questions.

Directed by the team of Hao Wu, Weixi Chen and Anonymous, 76 Days captures the madness surrounding the onset of this year’s global pandemic in Wuhan, China. As ground zero of the COVID-19 outbreak, Wuhan was thrown into chaos, forcing the government to put the city of 11 million people into a lockdown that lasted 76 days. As hospitals began to fill and panic gripped the infected, health care professionals worked long hours in dangerous conditions in an uphill battle against the mysterious and deadly epidemic.

Some may be surprised—or even disappointed—to know that 76 Days neither offers any new insight into the creation of the virus nor does it discuss any of the global effects of the pandemic. What it does offer, though, is far more compelling. Instead of investigating facts and data, 76 Days shows the utter terror on the ground of Wuhan at the time of lockdown. Patients demanding care at the hospital entrance are reminiscent of the chaos of a sci-fi zombie film. Hospital workers seal themselves into PPE gear with duct tape to prevent their exposure. With each new infection, tensions continue to rise as doctors and nurses scramble wildly to care for a mysterious virus that they know very little about.

By taking this approach, 76 Days may not address the harsh truths that so many are asking for. Instead, it presents the pandemic in a way that feels more personal and intimate. By not emphasizing issues of blame or painting wild conspiracy theories, 76 Days is freed up to honour the people of Wuhan that fought so hard for the sake of their people. Like so many health care professionals around the world, these staff worked tirelessly in extreme conditions to give proper treatment to their sick. 

Admittedly, for many people in the West, Wuhan may have seemed like little more than name on a map prior to these events. In this way, 76 Days reminds the viewer that whether or not the virus originated in Wuhan is irrelevant. The people of Wuhan have had their lives upended by COVID like all of the rest of us. 

As we all know, COVID does not differentiate.

Following stories of a couple separated from their newborn daughter, an elderly man who simply wants to go home and a grandmother who takes a turn for the worse, the film highlights the stories that connect us all. Like us all, these are not merely statistics but people with families who love them. 

People who matter.

76 Days lasers in on local wards and lets the stories of both the professionals and the infected take centre stage. As everyone struggles to suppress an outbreak that has begun to grip the world, we are reminded of the value of all human life and how fragile it truly can be. Powerful and poignant, 76 Days takes an event that has shaken the world and highlights the damages that have been caused to a very small percentage of families. In doing so, though the narrative may zero in on a few small stories, we understand that these same stories could be (or have been) our own.

76 Days is available on VOD on Friday, December 4th, 2020.

Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N.: Saving the World Never Looked So Clean

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Sometimes, timing really is everything.

When Yorkdale Mall planned to bring in the world-renowned, interactive Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. exhibit to Toronto, there is simply no way that they could have ever accounted for a city-wide lockdown the day of its release. After all, to bring in such events takes months—even years—of preparation and the events surrounding the global pandemic would have been simply unfathomable at the time.

Even so, with much fanfare but little opportunity to impress at this moment, the Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. is officially open to the public. 

Filled with memorabilia and models from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, families can immerse themselves in the ultimate Avengers experience. The 25,000 sq/ft exhibit is based on the premise that you and your kids have been invited to participate in the Avengers training program, just in case Earth’s mightiest heroes need some extra help during the next attack. After being welcomed by a message from Agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), families are encouraged to interact with games and props that range from Thor’s Hammer to Captain America’s shield.

Now, before I go any further, I know what you’re thinking. 

The first question on everyone’s mind is (and should be) public safety during the time of COVID-19. At a time when daily cases continue to rise at an alarming rate, an interactive (and highly touchable) experience in a closed space seems like the last place that anyone would want to be. Somewhat amazingly though, Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. has managed to minimize risk across the board. Partnering with the city of Toronto, Marvel has managed to maintain the interactive component while making the entire exhibit touch-free. From my own experience at S.T.A.T.I.O.N., I was thoroughly impressed by their attention to safety protocols that seemed to go above and beyond the call of duty. Though I must admit that I did miss the opportunity to grab Mjolnir for myself, under the circumstances, the adaptations made by the Avengers crew were nothing short of remarkable. Aside from the normal (and hands-free) hand sanitizing stations and staff on hand ready to clean where necessary, some of their more impressive adaptations included:

  • re-usable styluses for every attendee in order to interact with exhibits, which are immediately sterilized after each use
  • double the ventilation required for the exhibits massive space in order to create better circulation
  • adapting exhibits (such as Captain America’s shield) so that photos can be taken without actually touching them
  • The exhibit only allows 10% of its normal capacity at any specific time slow to ensure guests have the opportunity for social distancing.
  • spraying the entire facility down every night with hospital grade sanitizer

Saving the world never looked so clean.

With that out of the way, guests are free to interact with the exhibits without fear. And, make no mistake, there is much to see within the S.T.A.T.I.O.N. itself. Multiple interactive games and stations line the area designed to bring reality to the whimsical world. (The touch-free game that suits you up like Iron Man as he battles Ultron’s robot warriors and interactive Incredible Hulk exhibit were among my favourites.) Behind glass, official costumes worn and props used within the Marvel films adorn the walls. (In fact, Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. even has special times to adjust their volume and lights for those who may be on the spectrum or hearing impaired.) 

What’s more, there is a remarkable level of detail to the exhibit for those who want to really explore. Wakandan language within the Black Panther exhibit is decipherable and elaborate. Digital ants greet you in front of the Ant Man costume. What’s more, around the exhibit, screens are filled with information that should provide any MCU fan ample opportunity to learn more about their favourite heroes.  Finally, as you leave the S.T.A.T.I.O.N., guest will be invited to play one final challenge to determine if their ready to join the team.

All in all, the place is an absolute blast for all ages.

Though I might argue that the price is a little steep at $40 given the changes that needed to be made to adapt the experience, Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. is still likely worth your time. At a time when we all need a little bit of fun, this is a truly immersive experience that wants to remind you of our need for heroes while inviting you to become one.

Perhaps most importantly though, they’re also concerned about keeping our world safe from disease as well.

Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. is currently closed for 28 days and plans on re-opening on December 21st, pending government restrictions. Tickets are available for purchase from December 21st onwards at https://www.avengersstationcanada.com

Plot Twist! Why We’re Thankful for 2020

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Between the pandemic, social upheaval, political turmoil, etc., 2020 has obviously been a challenging year. In this Thanksgiving episode of the Your Sunday Drive podcast, we flip the script and explain why – plot twist! – we’re thankful for 2020.

We start with some reactions to the current election drama and positive spins on this year’s political and media-related issues. Then we discuss a bunch of things we’re thankful for, such as kids’ resilience, the goodness of people, possible fruitful changes to work culture, and “small things” to appreciate such as video games (including an impromptu aesthetic discussion about the definition of art 🙂 ).

Finally, we examine how hard times, our view of God, trust and thankfulness are all intertwined in the Bible.

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

Election Final Thoughts; Year’s Best Shows; Tolkien on Stories

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With one week left before the 2020 election, we present some final thoughts, hot takes, questions, hopes and more.

We also share about some of our favorite shows and other media of 2020, asking the question “how can we redeem the time spent on such things?”

Finally – to help answer this question – we look at J.R.R. Tolkien’s “On Fairy Stories” and the idea that stories have three essential parts, all of which mirror the gospel.

All this (and more) in a new episode of the Your Sunday Drive podcast:

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

7.01 Running It Back in TENET

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We’re so excited to be back with the first episode of our 7th season (or is it the 7th episode of our 1st season?) as we talk about Christopher Nolan’s latest thriller, TENET which tells the story of The Protagonist (John David Washington), a time-bending secret agent charged with stopping a futuristic terrorist from destroying the universe.

With the theatrical system in shambles due to the pandemic, TENET was expected to ‘save the box office’ yet it hasn’t quite lived up to the hype financially. Is it really due to concerns over safety? Or was it merely the wrong film at the wrong time? In this 1on1, we’re thrilled to have back the host of Face2FaceLive.ca David Peck to talk about that issue as well as debate whether or not we think Nolan’s film believes in free will.

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 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.

7.01 TenetDownload

Note: For those interested in the link to Alissa Wilkinson’s Vox article regarding the Sator Square, click here.

Totally Under Control: Spreading the Truth Behind the Pandemic

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Don’t mess with Alex Gibney.

When it comes to documentary filmmaking, Gibney has shone a light on some of the biggest frauds of this generation. The Oscar-winning filmmaker of Taxi to the Dark Side, Gibney has also fearlessly taken on such hot topics as Enron (Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room), the Church of Scientology (Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief) and Lance Armstrong (The Armstrong Lie). Now, with Totally Under Control, Gibney returns to discover the truth about the current global pandemic and how the US government responded to its threat.

Beginning in January of this year, Totally Under Control is a documentary that explores the first stages of the COVID-19 outbreak and its rapid spread around the world. As the virus begins to spread, multiple wings of the United States government falter at the hands of poor leadership and miscommunication, leading to one of the greatest threats to the American people in history.

You can be forgiven for feeling like the events of January 2020 took place a lifetime ago. In a lot of ways, Totally Under Control feels like a film that exists outside of time, even though we’re very much in the middle of the same global pandemic. (Frankly, so much has happened over the last 10 months that anything that happened before lockdown almost doesn’t seem real at this point.) Even so, Control offers many of the answers for which we have been searching over the last few months. As always, Gibney does an excellent job of exploring the minutiae that led to the madness of the pandemic. Though it focuses its lens primarily on the United States government and their response, the film also holds the US in comparison with other nations and how well they established new protocols and managed their responses so quickly. 

Beginning the story with the maneuvering and mistakes within the CDC, Gibney effectively highlights the players who mismanaged testing and information (and aren’t named Trump). Though the mismanagement of the current administration certainly led to major mistakes, Gibney notes that there were other cracks in the system that appeared along the way. Faulty testing, the collapse of the domestic ‘mask market’ and general confusion that was rampant within other levels of government also wreaked havoc on the overall system and slowed down some key preventative measures. (Of course, as Gibney’s lens becomes increasingly focused on the blinders of the White House administration, Control also shows the chaos that the President’s team created all by themselves, including throwing out the Obama administration’s playbook simply out of spite, sending mixed messages within their own team and simply lying to the American people in order to spin the press.)

Further, by pointing to the gap between science and politics, Totally Under Control recognizes the flaws in an administration that chooses to ignore scientific fact and instead trust voices that they believe help their public image. Every comment by leading medical officials seems to be deemed traitorous by the government, simply because they are ‘off brand’ for their style of leadership. In Control, Gibney not only establishes a timeline of events but he also allows those voices who have been silenced to speak and tell their stories. Recognized as experts in their fields, Control points to them as those who should have been heard. In this way, amidst the terror and chaos of the pandemic and its bungling by the government, Gibney’s film demonstrates the importance of knowing who to trust. At a time when the public are repeatedly told that all messages are part of a vast conspiracy, Totally Under Control reminds us to truly re-examine what makes someone trustworthy in the first place. 

Insightful and tragic, Totally Under Control earns points simply for its commitment to honesty regarding the events surrounding the outbreak of COVID-19. While some documentaries feel overcome by their agenda, Totally Under Controlearnestly wants the same answers as everyone else. This is not a film that desperately wants to discredit the government’s handling of the situation. Instead, Totally Under Control is a film that desperately wants to know how this happened in the first place (and discredits the government’s response in the process.)

Totally Under Control is now available on VOD.

LX 2048: Searching for the Digital Soul

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The very best science fiction always looks at the technological issues of the day and expands on them to explore how they’re changing us. Having said this, Guy Moshe’s LX 2048 seems to take relevancy to an entirely new level. Though the film was developed and made pre-pandemic, LX 2048’s depiction of self-isolation and dependence on digital communication is not just timely. 

It’s downright eerie. 

Set in the near future, LX 2048 depicts a world where the ozone layer has been decimated to the point that humans cannot be outside in the daylight without wearing hazmat suits. As a result, from work to school to socializing, most people spend the majority of their time in the virtual realm. However, Adam Bird (James D’Arcy) still insists on engaging the ‘real world’. He goes to work and fights to keep his humanity in a world of artificiality. This becomes more difficult though when he learns that his heart is mysteriously failing and that he has been scheduled to be replaced by a cloned upgrade. In response, Adam fights to survive in a world where he has been deemed ‘unnecessary’.

Coming at a time when the world exists primarily in a digital realm under the blanket of a global pandemic, Moshe’s work could not seem more relevant. Written over a period of nine years, it’s frankly stunning to consider how accurate his vision of the future seems to be. While admittedly, the film takes a while to get going, Moshe’s script picks up as the film goes and and features some truly fascinating dialogue on what it means to be human in a digital world. In addition, D’Arcy’s work as the ever-shaken Adam is solid, especially when [spoiler] his clone arrives on the scene. [spoilers end] 

In a world where kids attend school virtually and everyone works remotely, Adam is a man who insists on being present physically at work. As the electronic revolution grows, most people have become content to digitally ‘chip’ themselves away into immortality. Even so, despite the digital playground (and workspace) that has engulfed everyone around them, Adam recognizes that reality is tangible. For him, humanity and the physical world are intimately linked. Though others have ‘improved’ themselves through the art of cloning, Adam recognizes that there is something deeply powerful about living with our flaws. Admittedly, he may not like much about himself (or has been made to feel inferior by others) but he still believes that he matters. 

Similarly, relationships have shifted dramatically in this vision of the world. Though he has three children with his wife Reena (Anna Brewster), Adam’s home feel particularly lonely. Because of the shift to the digital world, their engagement is primarily online as everyone exists in their own space with VR headsets covering their eyes and ears. Though they live together, their physical presence is no longer required. In fact, speaking to someone in-person feels invasive and individual space is coveted. Even the act of sex has become a primarily individual experience as they engage through digital and technological stimulation. (However, somewhat ironically, it’s worth noting that sex also still demands monogamy here. This unspoken moral code is apparent when Adam’s wife becomes infuriated by his willingness to have sexual fantasies with a digital adulteress yet she refuses to be with him physically herself.) 

For Moshe, Adam still wishes to be that ‘first man’. Not the only man, mind you. Adam wishes that others would also break the trends. Even so, Adam recognizes that there remains something intrinsically pure within human life, despite its brokenness and blemishes. He recognizes that relationships without presence lack intimacy and that cloning to ‘perfection’ doesn’t necessitate a soul. In this way, Adam’s great loss seems to be that the world around him is pressuring him to follow them blindly into the digital abyss. Though he yearns for personal intimacy, no one—not even his own family—is willing to join him. 

In essence, Adam can no longer find an Eve.

Engaging and powerfully prophetic, LX 2048 serves as a reminder of how we desperately need one another in the physical realm. As Adam fights to retain the soul of humanity, he understands that the digital realm ultimately provides an empty substitute for the real thing. Coming at a time when our socially-distant lives have been taken over by digital platforms, Moshe offers something truly unique and important that calls us to remember who we are behind the screens. Because, for Moshe, who we are is not determined by our profile pics or avatars.

For Moshe, true humanity connects our bodies and our souls.

To hear our conversation with writer/director Guy Moshe, click here.

LX 2048 is available on VOD on Friday, September 25th, 2020.