re: The Cabin in the Woods. TulaneLSU's 2011-12 movie review thread

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The Debt A person who once called himself more than the personification of Truth but Truth herself, in Truth's very being, also said, "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you...and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." The movie Debt is a psychological twister which explores the weight of our debt to Truth. What should we do? What do we owe? While the movie spends most of its time superficially bouncing between political espionage, the history of abuses in Nazi medicine, and a triangular love affair that is thrown on tangent by a prisoner, the real issue Debt brings to fore is the fundamental need for humans to honor what is true.

But we have a hard time giving what is owed to Truth. Why? There is a long list of reasons why we lie. Sometimes we lie to hurt others. Other times we lie to gain an advantage. Still others, we lie to please others. Augustine, in his On Lying and Against Lying wrote extensively on what a lie is and why we lie. Is it ever right to lie? Even when it is a matter of justifying an entire people? That is the dilemma the three main characters face. The dilemma in this movie is a difficult one even for the viewer, removed from the story. And it's hard for anyone, IMO, to say what they did was wrong in the moment. Because we all too well know that sometimes what appears to be the right thing at the time is the wrong thing on reflection.

But Truth has a way of catching up and getting her due. We can try our best to put behind us our transgressions against Truth. We can travel the world and seek to circumvent our wrong. We can even build our lies and create a reality based on that lie, our nose growing ever longer, giving forth sprouts, but Truth will catch up and have her final say. That was Plato's belief. That is the Christian belief. In the end, by God's providence, there will be truth, and what was hidden will be made known.

I was impressed by this movie's use of sequencing. Less impressive was the length of time dedicated to the capture. It really played no role in the movie, except in a few scenes to show the sort of monster that was being developed and revealed in one character, which had the impact of making the dilemma more real. Jessica Chastain is the shining star in this film; look for her star to rise. The last scenes with the beautiful aged wonder, Mirren, in which she jumps into her previous life are out there, a bit unbelievable. But they are somehow necessary to the movie's theme, so I don't know how you would escape them, and I think the director faced this problem. The writer clearly built a movie on a theme first, and then wrote a plot based on that theme. It is a bumpy form of writing that yields a bumpy script with potholes. Still, it is an above average flick that should please a wide audience of viewers. And hopefully the message will hit home: that it's not always easy to tell the truth, there is indeed a burden attached to it, but telling a lie creates a far heavier yoke. 7/10

The Dilemma Pretty good romantic comedy. Theme of the movie is honesty. Really good message throughout. Perhaps it tries to touch on too many issues - unfaithfulness, faithfulness, moral dilemmas, gambling, anger, drugs, hard work, ambition, best friends, and marriage. But to make the characters more believable, I'd say erring on the side of too many issues is better than too few issues. Flashbacks in the movie were hilarious. Jennifer Connelly is stunning. She lost probably about ten pounds too much. Still, she is a striking beauty, not as beautiful as the Beloved, but very beautiful. The last scene with her and her man when they are alone made me cry. Literally, I was balling in the theater this morning. Really good ending. A well crafted movie that should be considered a modern classic of the romantic comedy drama, especially considering all the recent dross in that category. 7/10

Dolphin Tale "There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in," writes Canadian Jewish-Buddhist poet, Leonard Cohen. These are important words to consider in our culture, a culture that prizes perfection, usually of a superficial variety. Our world tells us that we should be outgoing, strong, fashionable, friendly, all the accoutrements of an American Dream-styled life. The result often leaves those who are shaped like the perfect vase with guilt that can turn into depression and self-hatred. Child prodigy actor, Nathan Gamble, begins this tale, not as a child ridden with guilt, but a child ridden with angst, the sort of angst only known by those who are abandoned by one of their parents. A life of broken relationships and broken community is the result.

It is only when something as broken as his heart enters his life that he begins to see light. Of course, the salvific thing is a dolphin, and while I am not an animal rights activist or a zoolater, we see here that animals can have a sacred power that is often ignored by ecologically imperialist Christians who see the world to be used rather than loved. I am reminded of the story the Irish monk missionary who helped revitalize Christianity after the fall of Rome. He understood that all of creation yearns for redemption so much that he told his companions, when he was leaving his horse for good, "Leave the horse alone, so that he may pour his grief into my bosom, if he will. For he loves me and is wiser than many men." In another story, Columba tells a fisherman to go to the beach and wait. There, "you will behold, blown by the winds and very weary, a crane...Treat that crane tenderly, and warm it in your bosom, and carry it to some neighboring house." The crane and the horse were more than mere objects. They were beings through which God's grace flowed. For Columba and for the characters in "Dolphin Tale" animals have a crucial role in salvation history: they heal what is broken.

I had no intention of liking this movie: it looked formulaic, sentimental for the masses, and cheaply made at first. But as I continued to watch, I could not help but be swayed by the ebullient performances and the sapid music of the most underrated soundtrack composer in America, Mark Isham. There are very few good family movies being made, but "Dolphin Tale" more that satisfies both children and adults. Kids will love it for the animal scenes and humor. Adults may love it for its positive, feel good story. Of course, snobbish critics may assail it because its style is as Promethean as a peanut butter sandwich, but who cares for such opinions? Such people are only hiding behind their own cracks, afraid to step from the darkness of artificial health. 8/10

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