Willa's Flic Pic: A History of Violence ½*

Here's my first really bad movie review. Let me know if you think I'm wrong.

Willa's Flic Pic: The Woodsman * * * *

Check out this week's movie review of The Woodsman with Kevin Bacon.

You Can Tell Their Stories

My Geek is amazing at finding the most obscure and interesting stuff on the internet. He managed to distract me for almost two hours one Saturday morning with a web site of old photos.

The host of the web site has several interests which include all kinds of photography. One of the things he does is develop the old film he finds in antique cameras. These mysterious lost old photos are what kept me occupied for so long.

It's mesmerizing to look through each photo and wonder who these people are, where they are now, and what the occasion was that prompted a Kodak moment. Click on a single picture and you can see all the photos he was able to develop off the roll of film found in that particular camera. My Geek has an old camera with an undeveloped roll of film much like the Pocket Kodak pictured here. We've always wondered what sliver of life is frozen in time on that celluloid cylinder.

Particularly fascinating are the 7 rolls of film from a 1940 Argus A. Are these from WWII in Europe?

My favorite picture is on a roll that appears to be a family vacation. Do these remind you of any of your family trips? Be sure and check out the little girl riding the tricycle. Priceless.

Are you having an artistic block? Visit this web site sometime and create the story behind these photos. It's irrisistable. (Be honest. Don't steal the photos. They are copyrighted.)

Willa's Flic Pic: Layer Cake

This week's review is the crime dramaLayer Cake.

Also, on the same page, check out My Geek's film pic's this week for crime drama's.

Boris Artzybasheff

M.C. Escher

James Montgomery Flagg

I love black and white art. The first medium I ever fell in love with was graphite. It is detailed and hazy, strong and gentle, and very convenient. Years later I was exposed to pen & ink. Some of my favorite black & white illustrators are M.C. Escher, James Montgomery Flagg and Aubrey Beardsley.

Aubrey Beardsley

Recently I learned about the illustrator, Boris Artzybasheff. Born in Russia, Artzybasheff came to the US after the Russian revolution and became the cover illustrator for Time Magazine from 1941 until his death in 1965. His work captivates me because it has a science fiction theme of merging humans and machines (which reminds me of H.R. Giger) and the first pieces I ever saw were in black & white.

A book of his work, As I See, can be purchased at Ken's Publishing.

Willa's Flic Pic: Equilibrium * * * 1/2

Check out this week's movie review of Equilibrium.

Linens Infused With Light

Rachel Wingfield and Mathias Gmachl have turned everyday linens into fine art by adding programmable light-emitting materials. These pillows, duvets, tableclothes and curtains have a beautiful glow. Learn more about them and where they can be purchased.

Willa's Flic Pic: Primer * * *

I've posted my first movie review over on DroolontheFrog for Primer. Check it out.

Movie Reviews

I've been planning a movie review blog for about six months. I've finally decided to get it started. I will be putting up reviews every Friday on my other blog, DroolOnTheFrog. Check out today's post where I talk about what I'll be reviewing and how.

Postmoderism and "The Da Vinci Code"

I didn’t think The Da Vinci Code was a good novel. There are some things that Dan Brown did very well but he did just as many things very poorly. He just happened to hit on the right combination of good and bad writing to make it a page-turner. I loved Mary DeMuth's post on authorial convenience. It's the same issue I have with the Left Behind series, The Lost World by Crichton (sequel to Jurassic Park) and Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card (sequel to Ender's Game) – the authors are preaching at me about one thing or another. If I want a sermon, I’ll go to church or listen to talk radio. When I pick up a novel, I want good characters and a story.

So why has The Da Vinci Code sold 40 million copies? There are a lot of reasons but I think what Brown did right was capitalize on the postmodern culture.

Ladies, don’t be fooled by this novel. Brown is no friend to women. In the beginning, he really plays up Sophie's independence and intelligence - until they get to Teabing's estate. Then she seems to lose all ability to reason and act on her own, buying anything the two men say and doing whatever they ask. I don't think Brown is an advocate for women. He basically condones sexual exploitation of women akin to temple prostitution! Ladies, it sounds noble but this is an old scheme used in the name of spirituality. I think Brown is a wolf in sheep's clothing where women’s issues are concerned.

In the story, I think it's fascinating that Teabing yanks out all these books to prove his point. Where do these come from? What's their validity? It's very pomo and very cunning by Brown. If it's written down, it must be true. I don't know how many times I've heard, "If it's on the internet, it must be true."

I've also wondered why homosexuals haven't come out against Brown. Basically, he says homosexuals cannot achieve spiritual enlightenment because they don't have sex with women. He never addresses gay sex but he makes it very clear that woman is key to spiritual fulfillment.

My friend, Erin, sent me a great article on the 10 mistakes Christians Make in the Arts. I saw a headline on The Drudge Report before the movie opened that Christians were boycotting the movie, which this article addresses. I'm torn. People think it's so noble that Islamists turn violent at any mockery of their god or physical scriptures. I think we should be offended at mockery and lies about our God but they are non-believers. And isn't our God and conduct more relational than the Islmist's are? Their god is not personal. God is in my heart not in print.

Last year my small group decided to discuss the historical and scriptural references made in The Da Vinci Code. The novel was having impact on the culture and we wanted to be able to discuss it. As a result, we were asked to present our material to the entire church. My topic was the reliability of scripture. But I find it much more important to get believers to understand how to communicate with their culture than in providing them with facts about their own gospel.

Christians see the opening of the movie as a great opportunity to discuss Jesus. It is but I urge you that the audience for this discussion is very small. The people open for this discussion are (1) Christians or believers in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who's faith is shaken by this or (2) non-believers who accept this as their next spiritual guide.

The audience for this discussion is not simply everybody who goes to see the movie or reads the book! When my unchurched, postmodern friend heard we were doing a study at church about the novel she said, "You guys are taking this way too seriously. It's just a novel." She's not your audience.

Not only is the audience limited, the Christians who are called to discuss this are limited. Only certain people are called to go to Papua New Guinea. I believe that My Geek and I are uniquely gifted for the multi-media/art based mission field. In one church group discussion about the novel, a guy spoke up and said we were wrong for purchasing Dan Brown’s book. I don't think this person is called to this mission field.

Here’s a question.

My lost friend asks me to go see the movie with him. I see it as an opportunity to have a spiritual discussion. Is it o.k. for me to see the movie?

My lost friend asks me to go to a strip club. I see this as an opportunity to talk about marriage, monogamy and sexual purity. Is it o.k. to go to the strip club?

What’s the difference, if any?

Rock On

I have no musical talent. I can't read music or play an instrument. It is a real stretch to say that I make "a joyful noise unto the Lord" when I sing. I have a great deal of trouble sorting out sounds. I am almost purely a visual learner. Don't tell me to remember something. If one of us doesn't write it down, I'll forget it before you can finish the sentence.

But I love music. It comforts me, it makes me happy and it helps me get through my work day. It's an art form that I couldn't live without. When I hear music, I hear evidence of the Creator. I can appreciate it but I'll never make it on my own. That's why I was fascinated by a recent article in WIRED magazine.

In the March issue Rachel Metz writes about some Princeton students who formed the Princeton Laptop Orchestra last fall. They connect their Macs to custom omnidirectional speakers to emulate a full-fledged philharmonic, electronica band, or jazz combo! Is it real art? Is it real music? I say, "Rock on geeks!"

Star Wars Meets Veggie Tales

If the Star Wars philosophy has always bothered you a bit, be bothered no more. Now Luke and Co. have morphed into Cuke; his sidekick, Chew-Broccoli; and master mentor, Yogurt. Yes, in true Veggie Tales fashion Luke and the gang have exchanged their talk of the force to talk of the farm. Check it out.

Once you have seen it, put your creativity to work and ask yourself this: What story that I've heard over and over can I re-tell in veggie or fruit form? Just keep in mind there's a reason Veggie Tales never had Jesus represented as a veggie. They reportedy had creative difficulties figuring out which one was worthy. (By the way, somebody should tell Larry that tomatoes are fruits.) Good call. Always good to show a little respect.

10,000 Hours

In a WIRED article entitled "Buddha on the Brain":

The Dalai Lama is here to give a speech titled "The Neuroscience of Meditation." Over the past few years, he has supplied about a dozen Tibetan Buddhist monks to Richard Davidson, a prominent neuroscience professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Davidson's research created a stir among brain scientists when his results suggested that, in the course of meditating for tens of thousands of hours, the monks had actually altered the structure and function of their brains.

This reminded me of Romans 12:2 that says:

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

I wonder if we, as Christians, were to spend thousands of hours meditating, what might happen?

Bezalel's Guild

Recently as I read Exodus, I was reminded of something in chapter 31 that every Christ-following artist can appreciate:

God had just given instructions for the tabernacle, and then he said this: "See, I have chosen Bezalel ... and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts--to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship. Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab ... to help him. Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you: the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the Testimony with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent--the table and its articles, the pure gold lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand--and also the woven garments, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them just as I commanded you."

Here's what I love about this: Moses and his siblings weren't the only ones filled with the Spirit; it wasn't just the leaders or the speakers whom God used. He also filled the artists so they could practice their crafts to His glory. Tentmakers. Stonemakers. Weavers. Incense workers. To all of these God gave skill.

God seems to have done something similar in you who have sent files for the art gallery. We can see how you've interacted artistically with the truth in God's Word and through your craftsmanship we get a glimpse of His glory. Surely the Spirit of the Lord is in this place.

Great Resource for artists

One evening when my Oregonian mother was visiting me in Dallas, we stopped channel surfing when we saw a guy playing "the aquarium section" at a symphony performance. If you've seen Sandra Bullock's character in Miss Congeniality play the musical water glasses, you know the sort of "instrument" I'm talking about. (I have since learned that the musician, Jamey Turner, is called a "glass harpist.") Mom and I stopped and watched what turned out to be a great television program. It was the broadcast of a Catholic Communications production titled, "Creativity: Touching the Divine." We later tracked it down for purchase. Since then I have shown it every time I've taught Christian Journalism at Dallas Seminary (four or five years).

The fim explores "the universal virtue of creativity ranging from the fine arts to daily living." It was my first introduction to Frederick Hart, the sculptor responsible for the creation scene over the doors of the Washington National Cathedral, where I try to go once every holiday seaon. It also includes Madeleine L'Engle, whose book A Wrinkle in Time had a profound impact on my imagation in the sixth grade.

Have a look. If you love the marriage of faith and art, you'll find yourself savoring a feast.

Science is Art II

"Microchip engineers may not seem like creative types, but they've been quietly using silicon as a canvas for decades. When magnified 1,000 to 5,000 times, some semiconductors reveal tiny works of art etched there by their makers." - START, etchings, Todd Jatras, December 2005.

Chipworks is an engineering firm that has collected these disappearing little art forms and put them in a gallery on their web site. There's everything from animals to fictional characters to messages. Ghost in the machine?

I remember back in the 80's typing out an image of the robot from "LOST IN SPACE" in the comment lines of my code (pre emoticon days).

People just can't help but be creative.

Science is Art

I will never be able to get away from being a geek. And I love seeing how my scientific and mathematical background influences and enhances my art.

I'm a huge fan of Project Runway, a reality show on Bravo. It's somewhat like American Idol. They find 16 aspiring fashion designers to compete for a big break in the design world. This season there is a geek, Diana, competing and I love it! She has a beautiful, unique artistic style and frequently incoroporates technology. I don't think she'll win but she is gathering a fan base through the message boards.

In the October issue of WIRED magazine, you'll find an article on the first Art of Science Competition at Princeton University. The challenge was bold: "Science Is Boring. Art Is Stupid. Prove Us Wrong." The results are fabulous. Check it out.

Food is Art

Look at this little slide show of new, unique food presetation techniques. Beautiful, creative, yummy.

What's better than art and coffee! Check out the fabulous art on The Newtown Coffee Company packaging. The names of these coffees remind me of the new Coffee Cup Bible Study Series coming out by Sandra Glahn (AMG Publishers). Pass a biscotto.

Creativity Makes Us Human

Recently I've seen three very different movies whose underlying message is "creativity makes us human": Unleashed, Equilibrium, and The Shawshank Redemption.

Equilibrium is set in a future society run by a fascist government that has made all emotion illegal. In order to uphold this law, anything that evokes emotion is considered contraband. This includes all forms of individual expression such as music, art and literature. The greatest enforcer of the law becomes the savior of the resistance after encountering Mary. She questions the purpose of his existence and declares life without emotion "is just a clock... ticking".

In Unleashed a boy is raised as a dog. And not just any dog but a dog specifically trained to fight and kill. Like a dog, he does not question his owner or his purpose. He is obedient and appears to be without conscience - until he hears music. This, as well as the kindness of a stranger, awakens something in him. Suddenly he encounters his humanity and begins to desire it, especially through music and love.

My favorite example of the connection between humanity and creation is The Shawshank Redemption. The majority of this movie is set in Shawshank Prison in the 1940s. The existence of these men is brutal and base. This is sharply contrasted in several key scenes with some form of beauty: literature, opera, sculptures, financial savvy and Rita Hayworth! The narrator, Red, describes these moments as hope, being like free men, and "being the lords of all creation".

Creativity is a part of what every human is. It is a part of our nature. We are naturally creative! In these movies, it took an entire prison system and a dictator govenment. In the real world the prince of lies is our oppressor. He hates creativity above all things and seeks to destory it. One of his lies to us is that we are not creative. What a thief he is, stealing what is righfully ours.

Do you know of any other movies that express this same theme? Maybe even a novel? Let me know.

"The Sovereign God Controls Even the Pur"

This is one of the "Play Your Hand" questions for Esther Lesson #3.

Haman tossed the purim to determine the best time to slaughter the Jews in Persia. Perhaps he thought the timing was best left to chance. He played the odds. Or maybe he believed that his pagan gods would direct the pur to land on the most auspicious date for a mass murder.

Have you ever made a decision by "tossing the pur?" When I was a kid, I used to pitch wads of paper at the trash can in my room to determine if I ought to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or a burrito for lunch. (As though the mighty God of the Paper Wad had a message for me regarding my destiny at the lunch table.) My brothers and I spent huge amounts of time calling "heads" or "tails" as we flipped nickels into the air. I played "Engine Engine Number 9" and "Eeny Meeny Miney Moe" on the playground to figure out which square I got in the four square game. M.A.S.H. games on the classroom chalkboard would tell who I was going to marry and how many kids I'd have. Cootie catchers and jump rope songs. If you think back over your own life, I'm sure you'll come up with a surprising number of ways in which you innocently played the odds regarding the small matters of life.

As I've gotten older and grown in my Christian walk, I hope I can say that I no longer rely on luck and chance to determine my direction in life. My faith has become, well, faith. I trust in more than a flipped nickel or a rhyming playground song. Or a ballot with a dangling chad. Or a medical test with a small margin of error. Or an insurance policy. Or the new study that says eggs are bad for me. Or the other one that says an egg is the healthiest thing I could ever hope to eat. (So which is it, guys?!)

"Now hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. And we were saved in this hope, for hope that is seen is not hope, for why does one still hope for what he sees? For if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance." Rom. 5:5 and 8:24-25
This is Paul's winding and wordy way of saying that we live our lives by faith in Christ rather than by faith in the "pur". As Christians, we ought to place no stock in what is seen in this world. Our circumstances, the "proofs", the wisdom of men, the lab's test results, the tally at the end of election day... it is all destined to lead us astray and to disappoint. But if we put our hope in the things we will not see until the great hereafter, we are guaranteed not to be disappointed. There are so many things in this life that clamor for our trust and hope. So many things that look trustworthy. Worthy of the investment of our heart and soul.

Haman trusted in the purim he tossed that day. We are trusting in the sovereign God who's hand controls even Haman's purim.