Category Archives: Cinema

5 Leadership Lessons From Rock Royalty

If you get the chance, go see the new documentary film, It Might Get Loud. This film is a 90 minute love letter to the electric guitar starring three of the most amazing and talented rock icons. The film chronicles the careers of Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), The Edge (U2), and Jack White (The White Stripes) letting the viewer catch a glimpse (or a listen) of the history, hardware, and creative power that fuels each artist’s unique sound.

Never one to pass up a learning experience, I walked away from the film with a little bit more than just a greater appreciation for all things rock. As I listened to each of these masters talk about their experiences I couldn’t help but jot down a few notes for myself. I feel like I got a good dose of rock ‘n roll today but I am even more appreciative of the leadership lessons I gleaned from the movie. Here are 5 Leadership Lessons I Learned from It Might Get Loud:

1) ABL- Always Be Learning: Jack White, 34, is the youngest guitarist in the film’s trio. He is fourteen years younger than The Edge, 48, and thirty years younger than Jimmy Page, 64. White is featured in the film because, without a doubt, he has developed a distinctly unique sound. When you hear him play you know for certain that it is Jack White. White could have strolled into the studio, unique sound in hand and a chip on his shoulder, ready to show the old guard a thing or two. Instead, White showed that he understood the opportunity handed to him through this project. White, with a huge knowing smile, says, “I plan on tricking these guys into showing me all their tricks.” Always be learning starts with a humble attitude and a desire to make the most of every opportunity. Yes, White has a lot to bring to that table but someone with a teachable spirit and a heart for learning will walk away from experiences like these richer for it.

2) Disregard Most Critics: Everyone has a shared experience in receiving criticism. Critics love to cut you down and write you off. A perfect example of this comes from Jimmy Page as he is discussing the harsh criticism that he and the other members of Led Zeppelin received with each album release. Page says that Led Zeppelin IV was only given a one paragraph review. One paragraph!!! For those of you who are unaware, this album contains a wide variety of music and some of rock’s quintessential tracks including Black Dog, When the Levee Breaks, and Stairway to Heaven. Everyone can listen and learn from constructive criticism. However, most critics just love to hear themselves talk. Learn to discern the helpful from the hurtful. Get better from the critics who want to see you do better and ignore the ones who just want to cut you down.

3) God Moves In Mysterious Ways: Jimmy Page says that the only reason he even began playing guitar was because they had moved into a new house and the previous owner had left a guitar behind. The only reason one of the world’s greatest guitar players even picked up a guitar was because some man’s trash became another boy’s treasure. I don’t know what Jimmy Page’s religious persuasion is. I believe that God determines the steps of the believer and non-beliver alike. I believe that coincidences like this are not really coincidences at all. That well worn passage in Jeremiah says that God has plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future. He does this- directs our steps- so that we will call on him and seek him with all of our hearts. Maybe God has led you to this place, opened this door, or given you this gift so that you may see him, know him, and seek him. What ever it is you do, do it for the glory of God.

4) Do the Hard Work: The Edge is a master technician. A great aspect of the film is watching him run his guitar through various amps, filters, pedals, and gadgets to produce just the right sound. In fact, The Edge calls the sounds from his guitar “his voice” and righty so. In the film, you get to watch The Edge alone in the studio with just his guitar, equipment, and computer tweaking away at a few chords for what ultimately becomes the opening of “Get On Your Boots.” You see him working late into the night– strumming here, moving a dial there, stepping on a pedal over here- until the final product emerges. What started out as a straight-forward lick becomes and full fledged rock riff. It all came about because the Edge put in the hard work. Many may never know the behind the scenes struggle, the tweaking, or the long hours you put into something but you know that it was in those moments that the project was given life and brought to fruition. Do the hard work every time- even if you are the only one who ever knows.

5) Seize Opportunities: Every U2 fan knows that the band was formed when the boys were schoolmates in Ireland. Larry Mullen, drums, put a flyer up on the school bulletin board to recruit band members. The rest they say is history. The film takes you back to the school with the Edge as tour guide. He walks through the halls and over to the bulletin board telling us that this was where the flyer was posted. The Edge admits that he probably would have joined another band at some point but he wonders what would have been different. Would he have gone on to fame and fortune if he had ignored the flyer? He admits he couldn’t play very well at that time. What if he had seen the flyer but had been too afraid or self-conscious to follow up on it. In a very matter of fact way the Edge says, “Who knows? I could be working at a bank somewhere.” Seize every opportunity! Don’t let fear or critics or even your “small” abilities keep you from pursuing the right opportunities when the present themselves. The Edge answered that flyer and found what he was looking for.

I absolutely loved this film. If you like rock music or documentary films or if like me, you like both of these things, find a theatre showing It Might Get Loud and rock out with your bad self. The music is great, the conversation is great, and you might walk away thinking about more than just rock ‘n roll.

Top Eleven Moments in Yellow

As of today there are only 11 more Fridays until the Best. Episode. Ever.

The Simpsons Movie opens worldwide on July 27, 2007 and I can hardly wait. I have welcomed the yellow family from Springfield into my home for over a decade now. The show went from being banned by my parents, to slightly tolerated, to a nightly ritual by my wife and I.

Every Friday from today until the release of the movie I will be recounting my favorite moments, episodes, and things that I love about the longest running television sitcom of all time.

Today’s installment:
When I Fell In Love With The Simpsons Part 1

If I had to pick a favorite episode it would probably be I Love Lisa (9F13). Everything about this episode speaks to why I love this show. It has satire, a great story, wonderful gags, and, above all, heart.

The story begins on Valentine’s Day. Remember when you would spend the morning creating “mailboxes” for everyone to put their Valentine cards into? You would sweat and worry that you wouldn’t get one. You glanced around hoping to catch a glimpse of someone dropping a little card into your sack. You didn’t care about the cupcakes at the party. All you cared about was finding out whether or not someone cared about you.

Well, in Lisa Simpson’s class everyone but Ralph Wiggum gets a Valentine. Ralph is the weird kid. He eats glue and crayons. He’s annoying. He’s simple. He simply doesn’t fit in. When Lisa sees that he has been left out she quickly writes him a card and slips it on his desk. The card says, “I Choo-Choo-Choose You” and there’s a picture of a train on it. Her small act of mercy is taken by Ralph as a act of true love. Ralph soon becomes her shadow. While walking home he let’s her in on everything in his small, little life. I mean everything. He tells her, “The doctor said I wouldn’t get so many nose bleeds if I kept my finger out of there.” It is more than Lisa can stand. All she wanted to do was show a little kindness to poor Ralph. She doesn’t want to hurt his feelings but she can’t figure out a way to let him down easy. They even get paired up as George and Martha Washington in the upcoming president’s Day program. Her plans to distance herself from Ralph become even further complicated when Ralph invites her to the Krusty Anniversary Show, the event of the year.

During the broadcast Ralph introduces Lisa to Krusty as his girlfriend exclaiming, “This is Lisa Simpson and one day I’m going to marry her!” Lisa can’t stand anymore. In front of the cameras, Krusty, and the world Lisa revealed that the only reason she gave Ralph a card was because she felt sorry for him. Ralph’s little heart can’t take the pain. later that night Bart replays the video frame by frame so that Lisa can see the exact moment Ralph’s heart broke. It is a lesson we have all had to learn the hard way. Lisa tries to apologize but she isn’t able to before the President’s day performance.

Speaking of…

We are the Mediocre Presidents!
You won’t find our faces on dollars or on cents!
There’s Taylor, There’s Tyler, There’s Filmore and There’s Hayes
There’s William Henry Harrison: “I died in thirty days!”

Right smack in the middle of the episode is this little jewel. It’s President’s Day and the children of Springfield Elementary are performing a Broadway-style review of the history of America’s leaders. Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln are always center stage but in the twisted world of the Simpsons everyone gets their due. Even John Wilkes Booth.

After misbehaving backstage, Miss Hoover grabs Bart by the collar and flatly delivers a classic example of Simpson humor: “Do you want to play John Wilkes Booth, or do you want to act like a maniac?”

Awesome.

As Ralph takes the stage as George Washington everyone is rightly nervous. Will Ralph remember the lines? Will he embarrass everyone? Will he eat his wig? To everyone’s surprise Ralph is mesmerizing as our nation’s first president. As Washington lies on his deathbed, Groundskeeper Willie fights back the tears saying, “I didn’ta cry when my father was hung for stealin’ a pig but I’ll cry now.”

Ralph becomes a hero to everyone at Springfield Elementary that night. Lisa asks for an apology and gives Ralph another Valentine. This time there’s a picture of a bee on it. It says, “Let’s BEE Friends.” Ralph thinks that will be just fine.

Growing up, I was always told that I shouldn’t watch the Simpsons because it was rude, crude, and had a bad attitude. However, episodes like this are the rule rather than the exception. The episode also rang incredibly true to me.

Who didn’t have the weird kid in their class?
Who didn’t feel sorry for them?
Who hasn’t experienced a time where your kindness was pushed to the limit?
And after you blew up at them when didn’t you realize that your limit was set way too short?

In a day where most animated shows seek to shock and push the limits of taste and “humor” the Simpsons has at its core the one thing that “Family Guy,” “American Dad,” and “Moral Oral” will never have:

Heart.

Ralph Wiggum: Portrait of a Legend (Includes clips from “I Love Lisa”)

Next Friday: Why I Love The Simpsons Part 2: I Don’t Want to Look Like A Weirdo. I’ll Just Go With the Muu-Muu

Quick Hits

Just a few thoughts for this morning:

Dating: Here is some free, unsolicited marital advice. One of my favorite things to do is to go out on dates with my wife. They never get old. Any couple can stay at home and watch a movie but there is no substitute for picking your spouse up at home, driving to dinner, and then catching a flick at the theatre… on a Tuesday. Don’t even wait for the weekend. These dates keep our love life fresh and exciting. It gives us time to sit together and talk about the day instead of frantically throwing a dinner together after a long day at work. Let someone else do the dishes while you connect. So where are yu and your spouse going to go tonight?

Busy and a Stiff Necked Guy: I hesitate to complain about how busy I’ve been because the summer is right around the corner. That is when I fear my reference point for being busy will be blown out of the water in a matter of weeks. However, I have been extremely tired and worn out. Today is the first day in two weeks that my right shoulder feels ok. A combination of sleeping wonky, working a tiller, sleeping on the ground for the Global Night Commute, and general use has left my right side stiff and unmanageable. Driving has been difficult because I have struggled to turn my head to the right or left in order to check my blind-spots. The pain has been frustrating. However today is good day.

Reading: When I get busy I miss out on my reading. I have updated the On My Desk page and On My iPod page to better reflect what I’m reading and listening to right now. Yancy’s Prayer and Wright’s Justice of God have been on the list since Jan. 1. I want to just finish them but I want to be very Berean about reading them. My goal will be to finish those two book by Dec. 31!

Long Distance Phone Call: While I was writing this post I got a very special international phone call from my friend in London, England. He and his family will be coming back to the states very soon. Austin City Limits here we come!!!

Beethoven’s 9th: Fantastic! I get teary and overjoyed every time I listen to it.

Creativity Should Never Go to Waste: before being called into ministry I had a great desire to become an animator. I loved to draw and I loved being creative in everything that I did. Thankfully I can still use my artistic eye and my flair for the creative in youth ministry. I spent the better part of yesterday working in Photoshop creating posters for different events and had a great time. Most of what I’ve learned in Photoshop has been trial and error. I’m not great at it but it feeds by need to create. Below is a poster for our Spider-man movie event. Our ministry name is Element523 so I tried to incorperate the logo and our name. Again, nothing ground breaking but I had fun. What do you think?

spiderman3_1024x768-1.jpg

Hope you all have a great day. It is beautiful here in the DFW area. Spring time rocks!

Peace.

Wormwood on Film

Ralph Winter Prods. is producing a bigscreen adaptation of the C.S. Lewis novel “The Screwtape Letters” with Philip Anschutz’s Walden Media.
Pic will be produced via Walden’s Bristol Bay Prods. banner (“Ray,” “Sahara”).

Pic, which Walden hopes to release in 2008, is the company’s second Lewis collaboration following “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” which grossed $744 million worldwide. The sequel to that pic, “Prince Caspian,” is due out next year.

Like “Narnia,” “The Screwtape Letters” — which is described as a midbudget, primarily live-action pic — embodies Christian themes.

First published in 1942, “The Screwtape Letters” takes the form of a series of missives from a senior demon, Screwtape, to his wannabe diabolical nephew, Wormwood. As a mentor, Screwtape advises his protege on the finer points of undermining faith and promoting sin. His instructions are interspersed with observations on human nature and Christian doctrine.

Since taking over the publishing of “The Screwtape Letters” in 2001, HarperSanFrancisco has sold almost 1 million copies of the trade paperback alone.

Producing are Ralph Winter, Randy Argue and Lewis’ stepson Douglas Gresham.

Wow, this is pretty cool news. Winter produced a little franchise called X-Men. It didn’t make much waves at the box office… oh wait… yeah, it did!

“The Screwtape Letters” is a great book and I hope that it can translate well to film. With Winters behind it I’m sure that it will.

link

More On Jesus Camp

I am at a loss for words really. However there is one thought that is consuming me.

Shame on everyone involved- the film makers, the camp directors, the adults, the producers, the parents.

You are all guilty of exploiting those children for profit and power.

For shame!

Live Blogging Jesus Camp

After the State of the Union address I went back up to my office to grab a few things that I had left on my desk. On the way home I decided to stop off at Blockbuster and rent a couple of movies. I immediately grabbed the (as of today) Oscar nominated documentary, Jesus Camp. I have been waiting to see it since its release and I wanted to write about it here on the blog. Rather than writing a review I thought a live blog of my thoughts as I watch the film for the first time would be a neat experiment.

Here it goes:

  • Missouri is pretty but looks as exciting as cardboard.
  • I feel like any objectivity that the filmmakers were going for is out the window already as the radio host dismisses the “Christianity” that I feel is about to be presented for the next 90 min.
  • I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep after watching the musical at the Children’s Prayer Conference. Freaky music. Marching. Stick dancing. War face paint. “Arise! Prophesy!” Creepy.
  • I don’t think I’m comfortable with teaching elementary kids about changing the world through fasting for God.
  • I don’t think I’m comfortable with watching children speak in tongues either.
  • “(Children) are so usable in Christianity.” Did she really just say that children are usable?
  • “I want to see young people who are as commited to the cause of Jesus Christ as the young people are to the cause of Islam.” (Ok I’m tracking with that) “I want to see them as radically laying down their lives for the gospel as they are over in Pakistan, in Israel, Palestine and all those different places because, excuse me, we have the truth.” (errr. I don’t think that “laying down their lives for the gospel as they are over Palestine” comes across like she thinks it does or at least I hope so)
  • The kid who said that he was shy is homeschooled. Imagine that.
  • “Objective Radio Host” is back. He is telling his audience that these “Christians” are taught that destroying the earth is ok. I was never taught to “rape the earth” or to live as though I could create as much trash and to take as much as I can from the earth. The earth is the Lord’s and everything that is in it. Besides a Boy Scout always leaves a place better than he found it! I don’t deny that people believe that we have freedom in Christ to destroy the earth’s ecosystems but that has never come up in a sermon I’ve listened to.
  • Bowling Ministry. Touching and off-putting at the same time. That was quite possibly the coldest call ever.
  • I had no idea that there was a “Pledge to the Christian Flag” or a pledge to the Bible
  • The name of the camp is “Kids on Fire” and it is held in Devil’s Lake, ND. No kidding.
  • The opening message of the camp is being delivered. The ages in attendance seemed to be between 7-12. It was very intense and not age appropriate. Alter calls with 8 year olds is insufferable.
  • The camp director, Beckie Fischer, did have some great illustrations and object lessons that she showed in her office.
  • “How many of you want to be those who would give up their lives for Jesus?” (Again, I don’t think that comes out like they mean it to.)
  • “Take these prophecies and make war with them. This means war!” (Errr. Ak-ward!)
  • There is a cut out of Pres. Bush on the podium.
  • Ok, they didn’t pray to him (the cut out) but they did lay their hands on him (the cut out).
  • There is something unsettling about teaching elementary kids about abortion.
  • There is something unsettling about children chanting for “Righteous Judges”
  • “Objective Radio Guy” again. This time there is an Air America sticker visable. I don’t connect with this guy either.
  • Look who it is: Ted Haggard
  • My heart goes out to New Life
  • I think it’s about time to drop the christian mission as war metaphor
  • “Objective Radio Guy” is back and interviewing the camp lady. Two faces of the same coin.
  • Norman Greenbaum’s Spirit in the Sky– Cue Credits
  • A few more cold calls and fade to black

Wow. I just couldn’t connect with anyone in this film and it made my tummy hurt. I’m going to bed.

Chili, A Roaring Fire, and A Good Movie

With the threat of ice and freezing rain tonight, we decided to spend the evening at home curled up on the couch in front of a nice, warm fire. Sandy cooked some awesome chili and we watched possibly the best movie I’ve seen in a long while.

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre was on TCM tonight and we loved every minute of it. Bogart was perfect as Fred C Dobbs, a would be gold prospector who slowly decends into greed and madness. Not only was it a great movie but I also found out where the famous “We don’t need no stinkin’ badges!” comes from. What a great movie.

I would love to host a Film and Theology at our church geared toward 20-30 somethings. Watching films and discussing them through a theological lense could be a great way to spend an evening. Sierra Madre and Citizen Kane are two classic films that you could start with. Pair them with a study of Ecclesiasties and you’ve got yourself a lot to think about.

Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.

If you’ve seen either one of these films you can see how Solomon’s words could easiy be spoken by a number of different characters in Kane or Sierra Madre. I think “chasing after the wind” still goes on today. It is almost as if there is nothing new under sun!?!?! Almost. Just some thoughts for this cold, wet Saturday night.

Stay warm out there everybody. Peace.

The Pusuit

pusuit.jpg I don’t know how these things happen to me but I am glad that they do.

I received an email inviting me to the Dallas premiere of Columbia Pictures’ newest release, The Pursuit of Happyness starring Will Smith. The invitation stated that not only was the event free and not only would we get to see the movie a month before it was released but the real treat would be that the Fresh Prince himself would be there for a Q&A immediately following the film!

So we drove all the way out to NorthPark last night to see the movie and I’ve got to tell you:

Go See This Movie!

The Pursuit of Happyness tells the story of Chris Gardner and his young son who were forced to live on the street after Gardner’s wife left them during the early eighties. Gambling everything for a better life, Garner takes an internship with a brokerage firm with no pay and no promise of future employment with the firm all in the pursuit of happyness.

And yes, I am spelling it correctly.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house and afterward Mr. Smith was articulate and passionate about why he made the film and what he hopes it will accomplish. As you watch it, you cannot help but ask yourself when you would have given up. When you would have let the dream die.

You ought to see this film.

Probably the neatest experience was when an executive from Columbia Pictures led a prayer before the movie started.

I don’t know how I got invited last night. But I am forever thankful that I did.