Matt's Musings

Yesterday I bemoaned the choices at the local theaters. Over the next couple weeks, I will be offering a few films I like in a variety of genres. Considering today is Halloween, I decided to start with five horror films I like. The films are listed in ascending order. 5. The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) This film, co-written and directed by a Biola University graduate, is a hybrid exorcism-court room drama film. It offers plenty of food for thought and Christian themes as well. There are some chilling moments, but this one is mild enough to watch with a variety of audiences. I covered it in my Faith in Film class this summer and will cover it with the high school group Wednesday. I think the film offers some interesting talking points for Christians, as was the intent of the filmmakers. 4. Halloween (1979) This film is what I would consider the first modern slasher film. Some give that title to "Psycho," but I think this John Carpenter film was really a first of its kind, ...

I went to the theater on Friday, as is my usual custom, and was a little deflated by the options. On the first four screens sat three releases — "Saw 3D," "Jackass 3D," and "Paranormal Activity 2." I couldn't help but think to myself, is this what it has come to. This recent installment of the "Saw" franchise — they claim it's the final one but I somehow am not believing it — was the only major new release this weekend. The other two were the top grossing films in the country the last two weeks. I couldn't help but think about how sad a statement that is for our nation as film goers. I wonder what D.W. Griffith, Frank Capra and Cecil B. DeMille would think of those as the top three choices at the theater. Is that really furthering the medium of film? And of the horror films, what would Alfred Hitchcock think of what's going on with the genre? Then I couldn't help but wonder how many people in the current filmgoing public would...

I have attended several concerts in my lifetime. Probably the best live show I've seen was "Glee Live" last May. What made it stand out wasn't just the showmanship and craft, it was the joy and heart on the faces of the performers. You could tell they loved what they were doing, they were excited to be there, and that made a big difference. If all you wanted to do was hear the songs, you could buy a CD. You go to a live show for the experience. That's why tonight's Theater 3 concert was so special. The energy, heart, and joy exhibited by all our dedicated and talented band members is what made tonight a special experience. In fact, I think that's what makes Highlands such a special church. Tonight's show had everything. It had instrumentals, though-provoking videos, ballads, classic rock songs, modern rock songs, a live art exhibition, and an incredible worship set. You could feel God doing something bigger in that room tonight, just as I've felt h...

I finally crossed the 100 threshold for 2010, the earliest I've ever hit that mark. Luckily, good old No. 100 was reasonable and not a complete disaster. Here is a look at the new films I've seen this week. Hereafter Starring: Matt Damon, Cecile De France, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Frankie and George McLaren Synopsis: This was my 100th ticket of 2010, the latest from director Clint Eastwood. Eastwood continues to be one of the most reliable directors of the last 10 years, delivering another solid film in "Hereafter." The direction is solid and the performances are strong, but there is something off about the story. Peter Morgan ("The Queen," "Frost/Nixon") is a strong screenwriter, and he does a decent job of developing the three principal characters, but this story doesn't feel like it has much of a point. It claims to be an exploration of what happens after we die, and there are some moments where it begins to explore that subject, but the ult...

When the TV season kicked off in September I reviewed all the new shows I saw. This TV season hasn't produced a lot of hits; in fact some are calling it the worst crop of new shows in a decade. We've now seen between five and six episodes of these shows — enough of a sample to get a feel for their identity — and as we are heading into sweeps, it's time to take a look and try to find some diamonds in the rough. New shows I like: There are really only two new shows I think have potential for the long term. A possible third is "Boardwalk Empire," but I am still not sure what they are trying to accomplish with the show... Anyway, the two I like are "Hawaii 5-0" and "Detroit 1-8-7" "Hawaii 5-0" — I wasn't going to try this show when it was announced, but after reading about it and seeing commercials, I decided to give it a shot. This isn't the greatest show, but it is entertaining, has a cool location, and a strong cast — with the ...

Last Wednesday during our high school group meeting, the focus of the discussion was on the topic of Free Will. It's always an interesting topic for Christians, and one that stirs a lot of debate. There are two basic camps. One is that we have Free Will to determine what path we will take. The other camp is that everything is predetermined, including our response to the choices put in front of us. Many take hard line positions on that issue. I, of course, choose choice C. I don't think it is Free Will or Predestination, I think it is Free Will and Predestination. Let me explain. God gives us Free Will. That is a principle and an idea that is hard to argue with. It is also impossible to argue that God doesn't know what will happen. Our God is omniscient, meaning he knows what is going to happen before it happens. It's not that we don't have Free Will, we do, it's just that God knows what we're going to choose before we do it. That can be a tough concept to wr...

I still remember when I was a junior in high school watching the Super Bowl. The Broncos finally made it to the big game, where they were to face the Green Bay Packers and their gun-slinging quarterback Brett Favre. Favre was already fast becoming a legend. The Packers had won the Super Bowl the previous year and were looking to capture a second title. The Broncos, meanwhile, were led by John Elway, a great veteran looking for his first title. It was billed as a battle of two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks. In that battle, Elway won. But I figured Favre would get more chances along the way and would probably go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. But that feels like a long time ago now. Favre ended his Green Bay Packers career four years ago with a tearful retirement press conference. Except he didn't retire. And when he came back, he was no longer a Packer. At 41, Favre is still playing despite attempted retirements for four years running. He holds almost ev...