Don’t get me wrong…I’m a huge fan of movie critics like the Critical Drinker, Nerdrotic, Jeremy Jahns, and even a lesser known (but super funny) critic like Thorias Unlimited…but as a fellow writer, I have to say James Gunn’s Superman was really good and I’m glad I was able to see it in theaters.
Trust me when I say, I came into this movie fully prepared to be disappointed. Henry Cavill’s “Man of Steel” is literally one of my top 5 movies of all time. I was stubborn. I went into the theaters thinking to myself, “there’s only one Superman, and it’s Henry Cavill…”
Then I saw the movie. Brace yourself…spoiler alerts are coming. And cutting to the chase, as a Christian Conservative myself, I can tell you that I don’t think this movie was “woke”.
My wife and I went to see the latest Mission Impossible movie…and aside from the convoluted plot and exposition dumps where characters took turns saying one line at a time (making you fully aware that you’re watching a movie)…one thing you’ll notice about the film is the proliferation of women playing roles that were traditionally (realistically) held by men.
Seriously, the US president is Angela Bassett, the Secret Service agent who springs into action and takes down a bad guy is a petite Asian woman, the commander of an aircraft carrier is a Guile-looking white woman, and one of the main female soldiers on the submarine is a cringy tom-boyish lesbian in a tank top who acts more masculine than the men around her.
And these aren’t just background characters. Every time they’re on screen, they play the most prominent role over every other character. It’s in your face. As if, “You’re going to watch me whether you like it or not.”
I’m not saying it’s impossible for women to hold these traditionally male roles. But as I’m going to explain, it does ruin the magic of movies when you constantly have to work to suspend your disbelief.
Critical Drinker’s video about Disney’s “the Acolyte” was really impressive in so many ways. I don’t know if he’s Christian or not, but this guy definitely understands what’s happening.
In the video, Critical Drinker, a well-respected writer and film critic with over a million subscribers, questions Hollywood’s direction with their recent slew of movies. He asks:
“Why are they trying to dupe people into thinking that nothing is intrinsically good or bad, that morality and objective reality don’t actually exist, and everything comes down to what you personally feel? It’s almost like once you stop people from believing in anything, then they’ll eventually come to accept everything.”
When it comes to fictional characters, James Bond and Bruce Wayne have always been my favorite guys when it comes to encouraging me to stay focused and forge ahead. Heads up, this post is going to include just one spoiler if you haven’t seen “The Batman” yet.
Some of the greatest moments in my life were often unseen. So many times, I’ve helped people, sacrificed for them, pushed myself to get things done for them and went without recognition. So many times I’ve resisted temptation, yet still suspected of giving in. So many times I could have taken the easy way, methods that would’ve hurt or betrayed others to get me where I wanted farther and faster. But I didn’t. Instead, I see others taking the easy (wrong) way and reaping the rewards, looking at me as if I’m the fool.
Most of the time, I take it in stride. I tell myself that God sees it and that’s enough. But every now and then, it starts to wear thin. The lack of appreciation or immediate rewards that almost feels like self-inflicted suffering starts to make me question whether being a good man is really worth it. Reading the Bible helps, but not when I’m resentful. Not when I’m down. Reading the Bible while I’m so full of pent-up frustration only makes me angrier at myself for not having enough faith.
It’s then that I sometimes put on any Batman or James Bond movie (excluding the Roger Moore depictions), and through the example of these characters I’m able to shake off this human desire for recognition, appreciation, or validation. Just stay focus on the mission.
James Bond and Bruce Wayne have a lot in common, more than people realize. But for me, the main thing I’ve always admired was their almost dogged-like determination to stay focused on the mission, the overall objective. They may encounter romance, friends, and side-tasks along the way, but at the end of the day, the mission comes first. As a Christian living in these modern times…how can I not find that inspirational? Allow me to explain.
Stage In The Sky 