Review of Facing the Giants

We had a wonderfully hot summer afternoon yesterday for the All-Church and Town social in Little River that featured a softball game, cookout, and movie.

50 people, from pre-schoolers to retired, came out for a friendly game of softball. All the little kids got a hit and ran the bases. The older youth flashed their athletic flair with some big hits and nifty fielding. And yours truly turned a pop fly into a home run.

The cookout following the game at the high school commons also had 50 people. Burgers and dogs hot off the grill and with all the fixings went great with a potluck of side dishes and desserts.

Afterwards, 30 people came together to watch the surprise movie of last year, Facing the Giants. The drama, an amateur (in the best sense of the word) creation by Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, GA, tells the fictional tale of football coach Grant Taylor who is on the brink of losing his job at a Christian high school after six consecutive losing seasons. Facing fear and failure at his job and also at home, Taylor turns to God in desperation and learns how to overcome the giants in his life.

While the movie is obviously a modern version of David vs. Goliath, the lesson to trust God is reminiscent of Job who declared, "Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?" The plot's movement from failure to epiphany to redemption is very good, with some fun surprise twists. The movie illustrates the tilt of Scripture--that in the end, God will vindicate his people.

One scene bothered me--where the school's "praying man" comes into Taylor's office and offers an unsolicited word of "prophecy." The word is an encouraging challenge, but Taylor and the man don't appear to be close friends of any sort. Speaking "prophetic words" to someone you're not particularly close can border on spiritual malpractice.

As far as the characters, you've got the self-doubting football coach and his supportive, but hurting wife. The antagonistic fathers ready to scrap the coach. The proud and boisterous coach of the legendary Richmond Giants. The comic relief assistant coaches. The wheelchair bound father who plays the wise sage.

Their personalities could have been truer to life if, for example, we could have seen the crippled father's own doubts and struggles. However, you do see this complexity in the assistant coach who weighs his own ambitions versus staying loyal to the coach. And the plot could been enhanced if the movie ended with one of the characters still waiting for his redemption. Sometimes, God vindicates us in the present time, but sometimes we have to wait--even until the end of the age.

My wife and I were tearing up and laughing throughout. This is one of the best movies not to come out of Hollywood that you'll ever see.

Amazing Grace--The Movie

William Wilberforce.

Ever heard the name before? I'd heard about him once, but that was a long time ago. Frankly, it's been years since I even thought about him. That's just the way it is when your life becomes a part of history. Not many people remember you, even if you did something significant.

So it was nice this past weekend to see a movie that reminded me of what faithful Christians have done for the cause of Christ in past generations. "Amazing Grace," goes back to 18th century Britain to tell the story of William Wilberforce, the man principally responsible for getting the then world's super power to abolish slavery.

Converted in 1785, Wilberforce had a long career in the British parliament. Because of his efforts, laws forbidding the slave trade were passed in 1806 and 1811. Shortly after his death in 1833, freedom was decreed for all slaves in the British Caribbean, and similar laws were later issued for other colonies. In many ways, the voice of Wilberforce set the stage for American abolitionists.

The movie is a bit heavy of dialogue, but the plot moves quickly. When Wilberforce realizes he can both serve God and do the work of a political activist, he pours himself into the abolitionist movement. His courage and perseverance is inspirational.

There's one historical inaccuracy: At Wilberforce's wedding, the church sings John Newton's tune, "Amazing Grace." However, as Steve Turner documents in his book, "Amazing Grace: The Story of America's Most Beloved Song," Newton didn't write the song's tune and he never heard the music we now associate with his song.

The movie will be on DVD in August. It's definitely worth seeing.

Movie Review of "The Nativity Story"

Film making is a difficult in and of itself, but it's even harder when you're telling a familiar story. That was the challenge facing director Catherine Hardwicke and screenwriter Mike Rich in bringing to life the story of Jesus' birth. Their movie, The Nativity Story, faithfully retells the story and offers satisfying visual and dramatic details.

I saw the movie twice over the weekend--once with my wife and another time with members from my church.

The film tastefully portrays elements not contained in Luke and Matthew's birth accounts and left to our imagination--like the circumstances that bring Mary and Joseph together, Mary's journey to visit Elizabeth, and the Magi's quest to find a newborn king.

One character the movie really brings to life is Joseph, played by Oscar Isaac (Interestingly, the Bible never quotes Joseph. His character is silent. But his actions speak volumes and proves what Matthew says about him--he was righteous). On the long, difficult, and sometimes dangerous journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, we see Joseph protecting and providing for Mary. Watching the couple come closer together in marriage and mission made me think that maybe God brought about the trip for that very purpose.

The scene of Jesus' birth was a little too Hollywood for me. I could have done without the multiple shots of light coming down from heaven (The language used in Luke's gospel is a very straight forward, earthy account that resists glorifying the fact that God has come down to earth). However, the portrayal of the shepherds and Magi's awestruck response upon seeing the baby Jesus was amazing and worth the price of admission.

What makes the story of Jesus' birth compelling is the faithful choices made by Mary and Joseph and the irony of earth's creator being born in the lowliest of places. The Nativity Story captures well these subtleties and should be a Christmas favorite for years to come.