But sometimes just a mouthful's worth it.

It is a much overworked theme in movie-land just as in Pop music. Who can forget "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing" or the sappy Barefoot in the Park (which gets a 92% thumbs up on Rotten Tomatoes though I wouldn't waste a rotten tomato on that one)?

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

Blablablalbabla...and

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, - I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life - and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Yup. Even when we do triumph in love, isn't this a blessed aspiration we might take heart in?

It aint easy, but nothing good is (so I'm told). I'm prone to believe that. As someone else says often in her signature line, "It's the relationship (stupid)!" The process, however, often does stink.

Let me count the ways...

*

D'oH!

Many a serious thing is said in jest. Many a not so serious thing is said all too often.

That about sums up Hollywood currently. I have to say "Harold and Kumar" is the exception (reviewed today). Additionally, I've thrown in some classics this week that may have fit in last week's Madness theme. I'm afraid that'll be a good theme to discuss America's current state of affairs for much too long a while yet to come.

Interestingly, I've recently noticed a new crop of films coming out soon, whose subject is overwhelming viral epidemics; Legend, Doomsday, Infection, Andromeda Strain and (most promising) The Happening from M. Night Shyamalan. The premise is some sort of "natural" crisis exterminating humanity. I believe this is a metaphor for our political crisis; that we are, indeed, killing ourselves as Americans if America means Civil Liberties, The Bill of Rights and the Constitution. As last weeks review of No Country For Old Men closed, America "carries in its bones the virus of what we've become..."

Too bad we just can't come out and say it.

No, no this is not Sparta, it's not.. And this is not Madness either...it's Heresy.

Yes, looking for a theme for this week from the films suggested at our last Film Review, I chose Heresy over Madness or Spartaaaaaaaa even. Now, last week, a number of Prophets stopped by our little theater to recommend some fairly fantastic cinees. Videes I can not ignore, neither can I dispute their true horror show nature. Worse than recommending Ruthless People (as many did during Brillig's Tea Time) I'll be going with the enlightened classic Earth Girls Are Easy (I know, I know... I'll burn in hell over this alone). Just to make things hotter for myself allow me to recommend a little Dogma for those already on fire with religion. Well, really I am only human, though fiery the angels fall...Hmmm, did I get that right (I wonder)? Oh, well, I suppose being human is not all it's cracked up to be...

Someone pile some more wood beneath that popcorn popper, it's showtime!

:: Whadaya mean that aint no popcorn popper? ::

So, here they are...

Wednesday during Tea Time, Brillig asked folks for their favorite movies of all time and I was there, lurking with my notebook. Now, if your suggestion wasn't included today please keep in mind that I am only able to see so many films in such short notice and also there is that little thing I call the focus of this diary. For example, many people recommended Ruthless People; a very funny film, I agree, but one where the protagonist does all he can to get his wife zapped? Pleeeaze, Lord have mercy! Yes, I think it is very funny, but Killing Zoe, is also a great film though equally twisted for my intent in this diary. I dunno, you decide. Should I review Ruthless People next week (warning: if you say "yes" expect to see Killing Zoe here too!)

Now, it's off to the movies!

Someone call a cab...

For forty years I have been in mourning with little real hope left.

This year it looks like things could be different (Barack Obama/Hillary Clinton). This year I CELEBRATE Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and all he has done for his children. Thank you, father....

Turn down the lights someone.

Given that the greater part of our site's purpose here on the Street of Prophets is to provide a place where people who might describe themselves as religious progressives can come together to explore not only faith but the larger questions that revolve around it and our hopes of impacting the world in a positive, progressive way, I am  providing these weekly film reviews. I thought that submitting reviews of off-the-beaten-track films that often nudge this kind of thought and discussion might be a plus. I'll be offering this each week on Fridays and would happily entertain recommendations for future reviews. Feel free to post comments about the films reviewed here today as well as your own recommendations of films you feel may fall along these lines.

Some suggestions on what you consider "Classics" would be nice...

Turn down the lights, please...

This has been a daunting and busy week for me with two demonstrations planned, tabling, marching, and staying up late to work on a 30 foot banner we hung off a freeway overpass imploring our neighbors to do whatever they can to stop the war. I've been running on vapors. As if that weren't enough, I got to watch in dread and disbelief as the nation, instead of focusing on its five year anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, turned its attention to vilifying an angry old black preacher and by association his youthful congregant who, of all people just might have the wisdom to lead us out of our collective nightmare.

Strapped as I have been, I've not written all the following reviews but instead provided snippets from the better articles available online. The reviews I have written are the better ones, BTW.

Next week let's hope for, well, hope...and peace.

Shalom

Following the first installment last week, I've tried to incorporate some of the feedback given and will attempt to feature films which cover the full gamut of offerings from comedies to documentaries, from dark to light, as we build a reference library of our own to consult (see the bottom of this post). While I've tended to focus on new and recent releases, I'd be interested to hear your recommendations for films which could be considered "classics", those that have sparked deep existential, spiritual or theological epiphany, angst or bliss.

Having muddled through all this up to this point, let's continue to travel down this celluloid pathway from midnight through till the dawn. Todays offerings are In Bruges, For The Bible Tells Me So, Into The Wild, and Lars and the Real Girl.

Someone clean the squirrel hair outta the popcorn popper while I go wrestle a flashlight off one of the theater attendants...

That said; let's get to it...