Post-Digestive Thought Process: Movie Reviews

I've decided that, throughout the day, I will make several posts with after-Thanksgiving thoughts, most of which actually entered my mind before Thursday. Go figure. First of all, my Thanksgiving was great. I spent the day with Tricia's family, and I cooked my grandparents' food since I won't get to have it straight from the source this year. I was extremely pleased with my continuing ability to effect culinary smackdown. And now for the thought of the moment: I am sick of "Christian" movie reviews. Fed up. For an example of what I am writing about, go no further than Crosswalk's review of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, found here. All right, I understand the need for reviews of movies from a Christian perspective, but what I don't need is inane moralizing. I don't need silly editorializing that does not review the movie itself. I don't want to be preached at while reading a freakin' movie review, for cryin' out loud! If one reads the linked review, one sees absolutely no enjoyment of the movie as it is. Clearly this writer went into the movie with an agenda, and that agenda played itself out in the review. Where is the celebration of imagination? Where is the childlike wonder that used to accompany movies such as these? Where is there praise for making a good movie? Certainly, "all things are lawful, but not all things are profitable;" but when one actively works to portray something as non-profitable, especially in the bulk of cases, with no simple enjoyment of that something, your worldview is messed up. No, I praise God for the creativity and imagination displayed by Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling and the movie makers. I praise God that children everywhere will have their imaginations stimulated. I praise God that children who otherwise would sit in front of a TV will read the books instead. I praise God that make-believe actually encourages faith in God instead of faith in only what you perceive with your five senses. If we are truly going to do "everything for the glory of God," then we're going to have to put our money where our mouth is and give God glory even for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I will take the extremist position that even entertainment that in no way appears to glorify God does, in fact, give Him glory, because just from our being able to perceive something is not right is proof of His guidance in our lives. So I leave you with a closing thought on this post-digestive thought: Thank the good Lord for porn and porn stars. Without them, we'd have no conception of modesty in the world. ;-)