Twister Season

I like a wide variety of films, and there are certain films that I come back to time and again. "Twister" is one of those films. I still remember when I saw it in theaters. We didn't go to the theater as much as I do now, so when I went it was memorable, as was the film itself.

You see, sometimes it's fun to escape into the world of disaster movies. Most people are familiar with the formula. You take some characters, throw them into a harrowing situation and kick back to see how they survive it. The best films in the genre, however, take it to another level by creating memorable characters and injecting a little humor. That's what I like about "Twister." Sure, the special effects are fun and the action sequences are cool, but it's the story and the characters that help make it memorable. For that, we can thank Michael Crichton.

My mom is also a fan of disaster movies, and of the weather channel, making "Twister" the perfect Saturday afternoon film. Each year, when tornado season gets going in May, we usually watch the film. But this year I got caught up, so I didn't get my annual "Twister" viewing until this afternoon.

I had a couple thoughts while watching the film for the...we'll say conservatively the 20th time. First is that being a tornado chaser has to be one of the few socially acceptable forms of thrill seeking, right? I mean, you'd have to have a pretty big thrill seeker's mentality to spend your free time purposely driving into major storms. But as a storm chaser who's a scientist chasing storms for legitimate reasons, no one questions your sanity. I couldn't help but think it would be simultaneously thrilling and terrifying.

Second, when watching giant storms, it's hard not to be awestruck by the power of God. Natural disasters cause a great deal of pain and suffering, don't get me wrong, but to see how powerful natural forces are and to think that God is in control of it all is a humbling thought. Plus, I think that's proof that even a cheesy disaster movie can be a spiritual experience :)

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