::Leading With A Limp::

The Visitor

This past Wednesday I was invited to attend a West Coast premiere screening of the movie The Visitor.  What made this viewing all the more special was that my good friend Kim Dorr had an actor in the movie.  Kim is an agent and one of her clients, Haaz Sleiman, was the supporting lead actor.  Did I mention that Kim is also a pastor?  I love L.A.!  Oh, did I also mention that Haaz was in 24, the greatest television show around?  Very nice.

I cruised down to Westwood with my buddy JT Taylor, and we got there just in time to see alot of our other friends...it felt less like a premiere and more like a dinner party with our friends and coworkers.  Awesome.

The movie: what an amazing work of art!  I certainly cannot ruin it for you, because you must see it.  The lead role was played by Richard Jenkins, and throughout the film he portrayed a widowed man struggling to find life again.  Everything he did was rote, and there was no joy to be found anywhere.

A series of unusual events brings him together with two immigrants. Although at first the gangly, middle aged white man doesn't seem to have much in common with the bohemian Middle Eastern and his talented black girlfriend, but as the movie develops we see lives become intertwined.  Parts of this movie made me cry (yeah, I'm a big baby) and there were certainly plenty of laughs.

It's my first time attending a movie with an audience that REALLY wanted to be there (artists, activists, film veterans) and it really created an amazing environment. 

The story of hope and change come through loud and clear, as do the realities of lost hope and desperation.  It's a very moving picture, I strongly encourage you to see it.

I want to give a big public "way to go!"to Kim and Cassie Boyd, who put together one heck of an event!  After the movie there was a live four person panel, moderated by Kim, who asked questions of Haaz Sleiman, Judy London (an immigrant's rights attorney) and Dr. Rev. Paul Pierson (Dean Emeritus and Senior Professor, School of Intercultural Studies, Fuller Theological Seminary).  The panel looked like the beginning of an off-color joke. "So a professor, a Jewish laywer, a Muslim actor and a pastor walk into a bar..."  The discussion was incredible, and many of the non-believing audience members asked some great questions, linking together faith in Christ with social justice.

An interesting point that really stood out at me: the attorney was trying to really drive home the point that this movie was about social justice and the cruelties of the American system on illegal immigrants.  When asked directly about it, Haaz (the actor in the movie) indicated that he didn't feel that was the point of the head writer at all, that it was a movie about relationships and connections that also happened to deal with immigration issues.

Friends, if this Indie film makes it to your neighborhood, I strongly encourage you to go see it.  I doubt you will be disappointed.

My Wizard Friends

Well, well...look who Nick and I ran into at the Harry Potter showing: my blog buddy Dave and his daughters. Now it's a party!

Harry Potter

It about 1/2 hour, Nick and I are going to head down to one of the newer local theaters to stand in line to watch the new Harry Potter flick.  We're both excited!

Yes, I am on the pastoral staff at a large, evangelical church.  Yes, I am willingly taking my young son to see Harry Potter.  Yes, I'm perfectly fine with it.  Why?  Because I am involved in his life, and I am happy to be a part of this with him.  He knows the difference between right and wrong.  He loves Jesus.  By taking him to see the show (and BTW, he has read each of the books at least three times each), I am turning Harry Potter from an outlawed, naughty thing to a fun, shared-this-with-my-dad thing.

I have no doubt that afterward we will talk about how cool the movie was.  We will probably related it a little to Jesus too.  It should be a good conversation.

I will post a full review when I have a spare moment!

Oh, and if you want to tell me why I am making a massive life mistake by taking Nick to Harry Potter, feel free.  I'm open to hearing!

Review: Ratatouille

Before the marriage of barbecue and low-grade explosives took hold of our night on the 4th, we (my wife, kids and mom) all went to see Ratatouille. We were not disappointed.

Dave wrote a review that was spot-on.  I want to expand on that simply to tell you that this is a wonderful movie.  I am a huge fan of Pixar and everything that they do, so I went to this movie with very high expectations...and they were exceeded!

Not only did my kids love this, but I heard adults laughing throughout the show.  Being the big baby that I am I even cried at it.  Yes, I cry at cartoons.  Go ahead and make fun, I'm secure enough to admit that I can hardly make it through a Disney flick without shedding a tear.  Moving on...

The writing was very well done in this, the story never felt too slow or incomplete.  The animation was incredible!  The texturing on the water and the hair was seriously amazing.  At one point a chase scene that had the shorty chef going after our hero Remy felt like it was filmed, not animated. 

The music was excellent and weaved seamlessly in and out of the show. 

What can I say?  This is a great movie!  This is something that you can take your kids to (our 2 year old was engaged through the entire flick as were our 4, 6 and 9 year old) and still enjoy it yourself.  If anybody has seen this already I would love for you to leave a comment letting us know what you thought. My bottom line recommendation: go see this movie!

And if you are still not convinced, check out the trailer below.