Building a Better Mouse Trap - Part 2

When talking about the media, Laura Ingraham and other commentators seem focused on nudity, sexuality, bad language, and violence.They see this as the main problem. Unfortunately, they are only highlighting the symptoms of a greater disease. And, as we know, treating the symptoms will not cure the disease. There’s an underlying issue that they are missing.

What’s driving today’s media culture is the relationship between corporations, big business, media companies, producers, directors and writers who have a hidden agenda. They have created a business model where everyone profits whether you’re conservative or liberal. Media and entertainment has one primary message that is essential in making this business model function. The viewer must believe he or she is more important than anything else. “You” are the center of your own universe, and you deserve to have anything you want. This is a powerful message and, most often, is deliberately hidden within the media and entertainment we view.

What’s different today is we have a force that is capable of defining and creating culture unlike anything we have ever seen in human history. And it has tapped into the human condition as an energy source. It has reinforced three principles within our society.

First, media is teaching us that there is no right or wrong. Everything is relevant to the person and the situation; therefore, the concept of sin no longer exists. In the past, people may not have gone to church nor done the right thing, but they knew they were sinning. The things they were doing were against God’s law. They had a conscience. Today, we are developing a society without a conscience. This allows us to do hideous things and not give it a thought or lose a moment of sleep over it. We are being conditioned to believe that we must define our own right or wrong.

The second thing is today’s media has created a sense of entitlement. Whatever we see or want we should have it regardless of the consequences. It is our birthright to have it. This entitlement concept goes well beyond the government providing for us. We don’t care if it’s our employer, credit card, bank account, our parents, or our society in general. We are entitled. It’s somebody else’s responsibly. The media has been very successful in weaving this entitlement mentality through the distortion of the so-called American dream. We have become a nation that loves material things because that’s what brings happiness. Our value is determined by the pursuit of the American dream through possessions and products that define our lifestyle.

The third thing is our mass media is creating a self-centered society. It’s all about “me”. When you can convince an individual that he or she is the most important thing in his or her life, that individual becomes a good consumer. You don’t think about anybody or anything else except what can make you happy. Forget about your family, society, or you fellowman. It’s all about getting yours. A self-centered attitude is the perfect recipe to fuel today’s mass media culture, and everybody is profiting. I’m not saying that consumerism is bad, but the model that we have built is out of control and has the ability to take our society down.

Laura Ingraham might blame Hollywood or the Left for what’s happening to America. But the truth is everybody is participating. While each party is blaming the other, the checks keep rolling in, nobody cares about the consequences. Big business and corporations are making money hand over fist because consumerism and materialism are fueling the American dream.

Final Thoughts

Western civilization, as we know it, probably will not collapse tomorrow. There are still plenty of people who believe in morals and values. Christianity continues to have a strong influence in our society; however, there’s no question that we are facing enormous obstacles. It remains to be seen if future generations will continue to follow Christ or some other type of belief system. As the bible says, there is nothing new under the sun. The “cheese” is the same. We just have more of it these days. What is different though is we have built a better mouse trap thanks to the expansion of mass media and the emergence of today’s media culture.

TRAILER: The 'Silent Hill: Revelation 3D' Full Trailer is Here!

Stuffing the blog o sphere good news is the release of the first trailer of the upcoming horror movie 'Silent Hill: Revelation 3D'.

The movie is a follow up to the first one that is also sourced from the infamous video game series (which I liked) but this time will focus on the character Heather Mason who tries to find the traces of her father who has gone missing. The only way to do so, apparently is to pass through the altered reality and meanwhile find answers to her personal mysteries concerning her nightmares occurring since her childhood.

The movie looks like hell of a fun. It's not correct to tell you guys that the movie looks super fantastic, because it's still bugged down with the first movie issues. I really don't care at all, this 'Silent Hill' movie looks fun and I'm one inch away the theaters the second it comes available to me.

Here's the full sneak peek to 'Silent Hill: Revelation 3D'.

Prediction: MIGHT HIT

NEWS: Release Date Changes for 'The Master' and 'Killing Them Softly'

Some important news about two of our top-anticipated films of the year (of course excluding 'Django Unchained', I love me some Tarantino movies the best), 'The Master' and 'Killing Them Softly'.

Variety posted and confirmed that release dates for both movies will have changes on their release dates over what they are initially announced at. 'The Master', one of the most troubled movies in the “upcoming” zone, had already faced funding problems which was thankfully resolved courtesy Megan Ellison, a hardcore Hollywood producer ('True Grit').

With the premise the trailer easily sets, many critics and casual moviegoers are instantly all-eyes, and avid anticipators even, as it will open in theaters a bit earlier on September 14.

'The Master' stars Amy Adams, Joaquin Pheonix and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

'Killing Them Softly' a crime drama that will star Brad Pitt, reunites with 'Assasination of Jesse James' director Andrew Dominik, will be officially open for theatrical release of October 19^th, a little later than the initial announced date of 21^st of September.

The movie is about Jackie Cogan (Pitt) who is called to investigate a heist that occurred on a mob-protected poker game.

Both 'The Master' and 'Killing Them Softly' are by The Weinstein Company. Both are also sourced from books which bugs me intensely as the majority of these types really doesn't work. I have my fingers-crossed, faith suspended in the sky and hope up in the air though.

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NEWS: 'Paranormal Activity 4' and 'World War Z' Updates!

We're in for a bit of a late night news roundup this time. Tonight we'll cover updates for two of the most anticipated films of the genre, 'Paranormal Activity 4' and 'World War Z'!

Paramount has already revealed an official title treatment for the fourth Paranormal Activity movie. Here's it.

As many may have already know, the fourth Paranormal will land on theaters October 19th and will come face to face with Michael Myers as Holloween 3(D) comes out too. There is no official plot yet but Henry Joost and Andrew Schulman is said to return as directors.

What is likable in the movie franchise is that it keeps you guessing. Film Police was actually shocked when the very sudden release date was spilled all over the internet; but then again, there's no questioning that. I mean...after grossing $200-million for a $5-million found footage horror.

For additional bits of news, follow the official 'Paranormal Activity' twitter page via @TweetYourScream!

After buying the movie rights for 'World War Z' by Plan B Entertainment, a company owned by Brad Pitt, the movie is finally settled on a June 21st 2013 released date after being pushed from an earlier December 2012.

'World War Z' will be directed by Marc Foster who did 'Quantum of Solace' and 'Machine Gun Preacher' (I'm comfortable with him) and will be made over the screenplay by J. Michael Straczynski who did 'Underworld: Awakening' (this, I'm a bit dubious about). The people working for the movie seemed to have heard my rant so they fetched Straczynski's script aside and went with Matthew Michael Carnahan's alongside Damon Lindelof (producer to 'Prometheus'). Brad Pitt will lead the cast.

Rumor control: Drew Goddard disclaims any credit for 'World War Z' and insists he only helped in the process of reviewing the movie. Humble man.

That's it for all the news we've got for tonight, always stay tuned for more!

NEWS: Rumor Control -- 'The Shining' Prequel?

 Here's some bugging news on the blog-o-sphere. Get this: Warner Bros. is actually in talks to make a prequel to the 80's horror, 'The Shining'.

Los Angeles Times said that one person who is familiar in the 1980 Kubrick horror film who is unauthorized to spill the beans, publicly told them that Warner Brothers is also negotiating with screenwriter Laeta Kalogridis (the one behind the screenplays of the third 'Scream' and the recent Scorsese's 'Shutter Island) to work as producer alongside 'Shutter Island' colleagues Bradley Fischer and James Vanderbilt.

The prequel is said to focus on the events that happened in Overlook Hotel before Jack Torrance went crazy and tried to kill his wife and son. 'The Shining' was a 1980 horror film by celebrated director Stanley Kubrick, sourced from a 1977 same-name Stephen King novel.

One Warner Bros spokesperson however clarified that any 'Shining' prequel should be in a very early stage and is not yet even approved to be formally undergo development.

In my own, 'The Shining' is already an epic horror film that a prequel of any sort may not be a necessity at all, anymore. There is nothing left to be covered besides the freaky pig-mask BJ scene. I'd buy it if they'd clear this thing out.

While the prequel is still walking in the middle of yes and no, a Stephen King book will surely be released. 'Doctor Sleep' is the sequel to his 1977 hit-print, 'The Shining'. Visit his website for more information about this approaching printed pleasure!

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'Dark Knight Rises' Weekend Box Office: Batman Finale Earns $64.1 Million

Despite much debate on Saturday afternoon over whether the massacre in Aurora, Colo. on July 20 would negatively affect ticket sales for the rest of the summer, "The Dark Knight Rises" easily topped a pair of newcomers at the box office. Thanks to a massive Saturday night bounce (up 42 percent from Friday, according to Deadline.com), Christopher Nolan's Batman finale earned an estimated $64.1 million over the three-day frame.
That gives "The Dark Knight Rises" roughly $289.1 million in North American grosses -- and over $500 million worldwide -- after just 10 days of release. (As the Los Angeles Times notes, Warner Bros. did not officially report "Dark Knight Rises" earnings for a second straight week out of respect for the victims in Aurora.)

While that still counts as a significant gross under normal circumstances, "The Dark Knight Rises" is running roughly $25 million behind "The Dark Knight," which came out in 2008. That could have to do with the Aurora massacre -- nearly 20 percent of potential moviegoers were reportedly still spooked by the tragedy and planning to stay home, according to research released last week -- but also the London Olympics.

 ("The Dark Knight" didn't have to contend with the Beijing games in 2008, as they started in August.)

As for the new releases, "The Watch" and "Step Up Revolution" both stumbled in their debuts. Whether audiences stayed away from "The Watch" because of residual fears, Olympic fanfare or simple disinterest is unclear, but the Ben Stiller comedy flopped during its opening weekend. Despite Stiller, Vince Vaughn and Jonah Hill leading the way, "The Watch" earned just $13.5 million. That's only about $500,000 more than "That's My Boy" earned during its disappointing opening. (Both films are R-rated.)

"Step Up Revolution" fared even worse, with just $11.8 million in ticket sales.

Building a Better Mouse Trap - Part 1

Are things as bad as they seem? Are we living in the worst of times? According to radio host and political commentator, Laura Ingraham, America is experiencing a total cultural and moral collapse. She highlights this in her new book, Of Thee I Zing. She believes the media is the source of America's decline. Of course, she’s not the only one who is pointing this out. Many social commentators believe morals and values are at an all-time low. Is this true?

Is there something different about today’s culture? Just like all complex issues, you’ll find no simple answer. How you address these issues will depend on your worldview. If you are a Christ follower, you have reasons for concern. On the other hand, if you identify yourself as a secular humanist, you probable believe we are living in the age of enlightenment.

Getting back to the question, what’s different today? Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 1:9, “History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new (NLT) and in Ecclesiastes 1:13, “I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind.” NLT

The Bible makes it clear that we’ve seen it all before, and we’ll see it in the future. Human activity and the human condition have not changed over the years. Since the dawn of time, we’ve seen murder, jealousy, greed, corruption, sexual impurity, lust, etc.—the same things we see today.

Laura Ingraham and other commentators would have you believe that sin and bad behavior all started somewhere in the 1960s with the counter culture revolution. I’ve heard many argue that America in the 1950s was something like a utopian society. Most people went to church, believed in God, prayed, and always did the right thing. We believed in morals and values and expressed them in our daily lives. Does anybody really believe this? Perhaps, Ingraham’s concept of America is based on TV shows from the 1950s and 1960s and movies from the 1940s and 1950s that depicted America as a wholesome, family-friendly, and God-centered nation. I somehow doubt we were ever the society that Leave It to Beaver or Father Knows Best would have us to believe. It’s a nice myth.

Sin didn’t just pop up out of nowhere; it’s been with us a long, long time. But Laura is right about one thing in her new book. The media is playing a significant role in helping to advance the moral and cultural decline of mankind. What’s different today is sin in increasing and becoming more public and more acceptable. Laura points to the media as the source of the problem and blames Hollywood elitists for polluting American culture.

But it’s more than just the media. Media is no longer just media, and entertainment is no longer just entertainment. They have become something greater than their sum. That something is difficult to express in thought or words. The best way I can describe it is as a media culture or a force where media and culture have combined as one. This force is now capable of creating, shaping and defining a reality that we all accept as normal. In other words, what we see and heard in the media, we accept as truth and thus becomes important in our lives. The things that we don’t see become unimportant even though they could hold the greater value.

We no longer think about faith, Christianity, and belief as important and valuable because they are no longer reflected in any significant form in our media. The mass media acts as a giant amplifier helping to increase the effects of sin. It communicates the importance of wealth, power, sex, influence, materialism and consumerism as the things to desire and aspire to. Mass media therefore is the perfect vehicle or delivery system to highlight the human condition. That’s what’s fundamentally different today. Media is only a conduit. I believe in the power of media and that it can be used in a positive fashion to lead people to the truth. Unfortunately, in our society, it’s primarily being used in a destructive manner.

REVIEW: 'The Incredible Hulk': Incredibly Underrated

Now that the fans (include me) already learn that new Marvel movies are around--the beans were spilled in Comic-con 2012, most of Avenger movies are going to have their sequels--I couldn't help but wonder why 'Hulk' is all the while left behind. The movie was incredibly underrated when it came out four years ago, perhaps compared largely with a co-Avenger flick, 'Iron Man'. On a closer look, 'The Incredible Hulk' is a good movie that may not leave many unforgettable moments, but as the ending credits roll, you'll be finding to realize its own merits. I really liked the movie, although I comprehend why people dislike it too. Nevertheless, 'The Incredible Hulk' is one of the many better entries that Marvel Studios have been contributing to the theaters years and years.

Witty and action-packed, 'The Incredible Hulk' presents a rather interesting spectacle than that of Ang Lee's 2003 version.

In the case that there are still people who doesn't know the infamous giant's background...an effort to have medical technology furthermore advanced, cellular biologists Bruce Banner (Edward Norton, 'Red Dragon') and Elizabeth Ross (Liv Tyler, 'Lord of the Rings') sports a scientific experiment involving gamma pulsing is green-lighted, literally. Banner is the lab rat and Ross alongside his grumpily obnoxious father/US General (William Hurt) are facilitators. The unlimited desire to furthermore advance medtech leads the experiment to a horrible incident, leaving two other scientists deceased and the "facilitators" hospitalized. Bruce, now gigantic, green and possessing superhuman strength, destroys the facility to pieces.

Months after, Bruce is living in Brazil, working quietly for a soda factory while secretly finding a cure to his gamma poisoning, if there is one existing. Or in his desperation, make one. Gen. Thaddeus Ross, Elizabeth's father, commands man hunt over Bruce's alive head because his blood is highly powerful that it can regenerate any disease, furthermore, can be turned in into a military weapon so destructible. Bruce goes on the run while chaos gradually ensues. 'The Incredible Hulk' tells the story of an experiment gone wrong, measures you can take in protecting credibility in the military, and some serious anger management (inside joke inserted).

I really liked this Avenger entry because it reveals the "human" side of the hero affectionately. This has also happened in 'The Amazing Spiderman' (also a reboot) wherein back story is treated with much better care than all-out action. 'The Incredible Hulk' had very strong content, by both emotional and physical means: the interaction between Bruce and Elizabeth was passable, but I believe that Bruce's character was better textured, let alone, Norton does very well in further stylizing him. Edward Norton is a very good Bruce Banner. The action was pulpy and there is no trolling when I say that. I love me some mutated green-giant but that is no excuse to be biased. Action scenes were exhilarating enough to keep you drawn in to the movie. I like the fact that the movie centered only on a few characters; that brought in strong focus that was sustained in the movie throughout.

Remember when I said "I really liked the movie, although I comprehend why people dislike it too"? Of course you do. I really liked the movie, that's legit. Although, there are some issues that makes me grasp why people dislike this movie much. Liv Tyler wasn't on top of her game in this. And although I admit that the villain has dang-of-a-lot to offer, I found him a little bit sketchy. Perhaps, what you expect from an Avenger movie is intense action and hence an intense flow of events. Well, you won't be getting that in this, it plays very gentle, in relation perhaps with the main character. Besides this, I have no predicaments in the movie.

'The Incredible Hulk' is a very good upgrade to the stifled superhero franchise, and I am pretty sure that comic book fans will have a good time watching it. Hulk smaaaaassssshhhhhh!!!

GRADE: A-

UNDESERVED BUDGETS AND GREENLIT STATUSES: WHY WE KEEP GETTING SUCH TERRIBLE FILMS

The summer of 2012 has arguably been the summer of Superhero Blockbusters, leaving our beloved horror genre to seemingly rot away from the movie theaters.  As of today, the most terrifying films in theaters are a tie between the Katy Perry biopic, and Madea's Witness Protection.  While drinking liquid drain cleaner sounds more appealing than either of those films, it's very strange to be starting the last leg of summer and have absolutely ZERO options for new horror films in the theater.  August is rearing its ugly head to deliver us a platter of new horror films, but many of them (based on trailers alone) are questionable at best.  The only thing I'm really excited for this summer is ParaNorman. That's right, a children's horror movie. That's a sign we've got a problem.  I don't know who is in charge of determining which films are green-lit or how much money a film is alotted in its budget, but my guess is that whoever it is, doesn't take the time to read a damn script.  It would appear that having a quality story means absolutely jack shit these days.  I only say this after enduring hours upon hours of horror films that never deserved to be anything more than chicken scratch on a stained napkin at Denny's.

The worst instance of this epidemic would have to be flashing the old (and I mean OLD) resume card.  There is a reason that athletes, musicians, and even public workers retire at some point.  Retirement doesn't mean that passion for your career has subsided, it just means you aren't quite as good at it as you once were.  Don't believe me?  Compare the voices of aging rockstars, the speed of aging athletes, and the film quality of aging filmmakers.  Ol' Uncle George Romero is the undisputed King of the Zombies, created the most beloved movie monster in nearly a century, and completely changed the face of horror as we know it.  When George Romero was in his prime, he was absolutely unstoppable.  Dawn of the Dead is still hailed as the greatest zombie film of all time and Romero has become the epitome of a horror icon.  No one is more memorable, recognisable, or as idolized as George A. Romero.  Flash forward out of the 1960's and you'll find yourself with an adorable old man who has completely lost his grasp of what makes a good horror film.  If stating the truth about the consistency of Uncle George makes me a blasphemous horror blogger, you're on the wrong site.  George had shown his decline with plenty of his non-zombie films like Bruiser and The Dark Half, but his latest installments of his "...of the Dead" series have showed that Romero has lost his touch.  It's not even the effects that are a problem, it's the storyline and especially so, the dialogue.  My God.  Anyone with half of a brain cell could read the screeplays to these films and know to run away. However, you slap the name "Romero" on a film with the words "dead", "zombie", or "horror", and movie studios will break open their Swiss piggy banks to fund the damn movie. Why? BECAUSE YOU'RE DUMB ENOUGH TO FALL FOR THE NAME.  You don't care about the trailer, you don't care about the dialogue, you don't care about the quality of it at all. You see the name Romero and you drop your panties and run to the theater and Phillip J. Fry style shake wads of money in the faces of ticket vendors.  Luckily the score on Rotten Tomatoes killed My Soul To Take so badly it scared most people away, even though a lot of you still fell for the name Wes Craven.

Another quick way to get unnecessary greenlights and big budgets is finding a way to milk a current cash cow.  All of the highest grossing horror films of the last few yeras have been ones that come from something else. The second someone slaps the title "From the makers of..." to a trailer, everyone loses their mind and has to go see it. Why? BECAUSE THE GUY FROM SAW MADE IT! or BECAUSE IT'S LIKE PARANORMAL ACTIVITY.  Remember what happened when they set up a horror movie like that? You wound up with The Devil Inside and had an ending you had to watch on the internet. Way to go, sheepies. The worst part about it, they were greenlit solely for that reason.  Some of the films that come from "the makers of..." are absolutely TERRIBLE, but the film industry knows your lemming ass will go see something solely because you liked what came before it.  I can't blame people for doing it, but it's a sham.  Running off of "brand name" horror will only get you so far, and then everything you create will be just another Crystal Pepsi failure. 

They say it's not what you know, but rather who you know.  Anyone who doesn't believe this is the truth is either sadly naiive, or the child of a famous person.  As much as the film Chronicle is a hell of a great big budget debut for Max Landis, it's hard to imagine that his screenplay would have gotten any sort of notice if it wasn't because he shares a name with an incredibly well decorated director.  World War Z is at best, an average zombie novel and in no way/shape/form should have ever crossed into the territory of film adaptation, but when it's written by a guy who sprung from the loins of Mel fucking Brooks, getting a publishing house to take a look at your zombie book isn't going to be difficult.  I'm not saying that anyone who comes from well established Hollywood parents is innately untalented, I'm saying they have a hell of a lot easier of a time achieving their dreams.  Some of the world's most talented filmmakers will never experience what it's like to see their film completed with the best of actors and the best of cameras simply because the film industry is really tough.  Add that to the fact that there are too many mediocre, yet entitled kids trying to do the exact same thing and there's no more room at the inn for Johnny Moviemaker.   

The absolute worst, most despicable offender of unnecessary greenlighting and budget approvals, is none other than the shameless associations.  I'm talking about films like Vampires Suck and the upcoming Warm Bodies.  These are films that are made simply to try and steal some of the money train off of Twilight. TWILIGHT. Of all the fucking things.  First of all, the lowest grossing Harry Potter movie has earned more money than all of the Twilight films COMBINED and yet this shit is producing unnecessary spin-offs? While Warm Bodies isn't a vampire romance, it is a zombie romance where the zombie looks like a pretty boy and it makes me want to violently shake.  This film would have NEVER been made if it hadn't been for Hollywood trying to replace the cash flow of the Twi-hards. It's situations like this that frustrate me to no end.  There are so many films that struggle to find the funding, films that DESERVE the funding, that will never reach it all because of the way the "game" is played.  It saddens me to admit that the world of cinema isn't funded by passion, creativity, or quality anymore. Movies now only exist because of dollar signs, and that my friends is very, very sad. 

REVIEW: 'The Dictator' (Suck it, Adam Sandler!)

Those are breasts? I thought you were a boy. Cohen is hilarious. A scene in which Wadiya tyrant Adm. Gen. Omar Aladeen (Sacha Baron Cohen) is being chased by the police, while on a scooter holding on Zoey's (Anna Faris, 'Scary Movie') breasts. Your another Cohen movie, 'The Dictator' is collaborated with director Larry Charles, like their two previous partnerships: 'Borat' and 'Bruno'. The former is the two's earliest work and is their best and the latter is a follow-up with diminishing laughs. 'The Dictator' however has funnier gags than 'Bruno', and yes, I've had the fainting-hilarious "singing penis" scene in mind before I hopped to this conclusion. At least that is how 'The Dictator' inflicted to me.

Negligibly directed with uneven pacing, comedy and plot, 'The Dictator' thankfully remained working in wonders courtesy of a strong lead actor and a thought-provoking piece.

Adm. Gen. Omar Aladeen is the dictator to a Northern African (fictional) country of Wadiya [that explains me blubbering in the cinema, what?? There's no Wadiya country in North Africa! *yes, I'm half-nerd, half-dumb*]. He likes his country oppressed that he will take measures when democracy is suggested. He literally even spilled Kim Jong-Il's (an infamous Korean dictator who died December last year, an opening gag will reveal that the movie is dedicated to Kim Jong-Il) ashes on Ryan Seacrest in an Oscar's. Because of this, the tyrant received invitation to New York to deliver a speech for the United Nations.

Upon arrival to the Big Apple, Aladeen will be put to a situation wherein he's beardless therefore unrecognized as the great dictator of Wadiya. He attempts to interfere the speech, where his closely equally moronic "double" (played by Cohen too) replaces him, but was held by the policemen causing a chaotic war between bystanders and rallyists. There Aladeen meets Zoey, an activist that fights for almost everything: better health; zero-racism; and equal rights for the gay and lesbians. Alongside his previously "executed" nuclear expert, Nadal (Jason Mantzoukas), Aladeen "risks his life to ensure that democracy to the country he so lovingly oppressed" (Paramount).

Sacha Baron Cohen is one of the most funniest people in the world, I am sure that no hired-assassin will kill me at night if and only if this notion was wrong. He delivers the movie well like with his two previous films. Anna Faris, whom we knew as Sydney in the Scary Movie franchise plays Zoey, a little too active activist. She plays well, at least she does not offer your wrist-slitting acting that majority of the actors usually give the masses. Ben Kingsley plays right-hand to the general and plays very good in this film. The majority of the poli-slapstick-com in the movie came from Cohen and you can't really top that. The movie had very tasty blend of one-liners, physical gags and the ever working racist jokes.

The predicament that the majority of the viewers may or may not encounter is the problems in the story and admittedly, in rare times, the comedy. It's uneven in every way you can imagine, although you will find it very good if you are just wanting to have a fun time. Fun time: certified you can get in this wild com, I'll bet my head chopped off. There could have been moments in the movie when you will realize what the? I'm neither smiling or laughing. This movie sucks. You're a normal person, congratulations. But once Cohen gets to build the comic climax, you'll be more or less struggling to refuse laughing. If I were to be asked, Cohen should really start to make work with a new director, one that has more careful decision-making (although I admire Larry Charles' slapdash moves sometimes). He's such a funny actor and he really could be in better movies. Even better than this.

Delightfully funny and entertainingly pulpy, 'The Dictator' proves one thing or more: Cohen is a gleaming star that will someday dictate the genre of comedy. Suck it, Adam Sandler [insert You Don't Mess With The Zohan meme here]!

GRADE: B+

REVIEW: 'Big Miracle' - Warmth In The Middle Of The Froze

A 1988 global effort to save three grey whales trapped in the winter-Alaska was told in a year-later published non-fiction book called "Freeing the Whales". It was one of the most bizarre events to ever happen in the history; turning an everyday happening (death of animals) into an international bond. More than two decades later, the fine print is now on screen and is lead by a Drew Barrymore whose acting is sometimes interesting and sometimes agonizing; in this movie though, she is somewhere in the middle. Directed by Ken Kwapis, director to 'He's Not Just Into You' and get this: a Sesame Street movie, 'The Big Miracle' is an overpopulated family movie that surprisingly whales you off your feet with certain tenderness.

Taking the generic figure of a Disney family drama, 'Big Miracle' proves one thing: innate charisma and magic has a very thick difference with miracle. And in the event that this worked on you affectionately, you'll be the first to say that the movie didn't need the latter.

John Krasinski is Adam Carlson, an ambitious local news reporter from Anchorage. His initial card he plans to play: report on the first ever Mexican food chain in Alaska, the uppermost part of North America. Amigos, the northernmost restaurant in the world, he would report in front of the lens. He has been living in Barrow for at least four years now and he will wait no long time until he finds out that three grey whales are trapped in a six-inches thick winter ice. The huge mammals will be required to regularly surface from the icy water in order to breathe. Their temporal home is a hole in the midst of icy Alaska which diameter is hardly comparable to a clubhouse's swimming pool. Carlson breaks the news and draws the attention of the globe.

Reporters land on the icy land, and day by day, as the threat to the whales become more and more intense, the effort becomes greater and greater too. Center of this global effort is Adam Carlson's ex-girlfriend Rachel Kramer (Barrymore) whose liking to help the poor mammals is never diminishing. The joint effort will eventually be consisting of many people, great and small, and will conclude an inspiring and all the while tear-jerking plight.

If we will be talking about technical things, we can straightforwardly say that 'Big Miracle' is a not really good movie. It has unconvincing plot, pacing predicaments and overpopulation issues. When you are in the premises of an Alaskan town where temperature is under forty centigrade, there should be icy mist, or at least visible breath in the mouths of the people as they speak. Ken Kwapis seemed to forgot something about detalyé, hence my understanding has became concrete on why many critiques also dismiss this "whale of a tail" as they call the movie names. The movie will be technically passable only if there is no overpopulation on both events and characters in this one hundred-minute-long movie. 

Drew Barrymore, even though I didn't see anything sparkly in her in this movie, gleams the movie throughout. Like the movie, Barrymore, even back in 'Charlie's Angels' and 'Donnie Darko'; needless to say that she was one of the iconic parts of the 'Scream' franchise, has her own innate charisma that make you drawn into her without thinking of technicalities. Ahmaogak Sweeney and John Pingayak are both Alaskan locales who give better depth to the film--spirituality even. The animatronics though looked impressively real creatures, 'nuff said.

'Big Miracle' is one of those movies that you will have a hard time explaining why it did work for you.

GRADE: B

‘The Bible’: Mark Burnett, Roma Downey Unveil Their Epic

Executive producer Mark Burnett of “Survivor,” ”The Voice” and “The Celebrity Apprentice” will deliver the biggest project of his TV career next year: “The Bible,” a 10-hour miniseries.

His producing partner is his wife, “Touched by an Angel” star Roma Downey, who plays Mary, the mother of Jesus.

The couple unveiled clips of the made-in-Morocco epic Monday at the International Christian Retail Show in Orlando.

“We don’t go out there waving a flag about our faith and belief,” Burnett said. “We decided to do this, and if we’re going to do it, to do it seriously.”

The plan is for the miniseries to premiere early next year on the History channel. Clips from the recently completed shoot received a standing ovation at the retail show. The scenes focused on Abraham, Moses, Jesus and key moments in the Bible.

In introducing the clips, Downey told the crowd her whole body was shaking. She said they were just back from five months in Morocco.

“It’s a passion project for Mark and myself,” she said. “We managed to get through this job without killing each other.”

Burnett said the project made their faith stronger. “We’ve worked three years on this,” Burnett said. “We love it. We believe in it. There’s a responsibility to the world to bring fresh visual life into this, as you can see in the way we told the political story here of the pressure on Pilate, the pressure on Caiaphas.”

Other scenes were action-packed, and Burnett said he hopes to reach viewers who aren’t familiar with the Bible.

“It’s the most important sacred text,” Burnett said. “Without this Shakespeare wouldn’t have existed, let alone ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Game of Thrones.’ ”

The clips had a gritty realism unlike many biblical epics, and Hans Zimmer (“The Dark Knight Rises”) supplies the musical score.

“A lot of things in the past were donkeys and sandals,” Burnett said. “This is like a feature film. It looks like a $100 million feature film.”

He declined to discuss the budget but said it’s “substantial” although “certainly not $100 million.” The production had three directors and a crew of 200.

Downey is the best-known name in the cast. “‘Touched by an Angel’ still airs every day all over the world,” Burnett said. “Roma gets offers every week. Turns everything down. This is the first role Roma has really stepped up and played.”

She said the casting of Jesus was most important. “We had some actors lined up, but we felt we hadn’t found the perfect actor,” she said. “We put it out in prayer circles to all of our friends and community.”
Shortly thereafter, they met a Portuguese actor — Diogo Morgado — and immediately realized he was perfect casting when they saw him walking toward their house.

Burnett said they consulted experts on every point in the script. “We’re just going down the middle and telling the stories,” he said.

“We had a lot of offers for this. We chose the History channel carefully,” Burnett said. “This is a big thing. This could actually be bigger than Hatfields & McCoys,” which was a ratings sensation for History. “There’s a bigger audience for this,” he added.

“We had a lot of offers for this. We chose the History channel carefully,” Burnett said. “This is a big thing. This could actually be bigger than Hatfields & McCoys,” which was a ratings sensation for History. “There’s a bigger audience for this,” he added.

REVIEW: 'The Healing' Has Major Updates But Is Stuck In Conventions.

Faith healing is one of the rather interesting parts of the Filipino culture. When someone who is ill, reaches his breaking point: desperation, when the doctors could no longer be his salvation, a Filipino will turn to a faith healer. 'The Healing', a movie about faith healing and curses and doppelgangers, is a major improvement to the Philippine horror genre. It delivers better camerawork and frees itself from censorship. A quasi-appropriate rating of R-13 will grab your attention when you enter the theaters. There are issues in this movie that you can't just ignore: the movie is stuck in the Chito S. Roño convention (something goes horribly wrong, the heroine finds people dying one by one and she figures the pattern, she tries to stop it, then poof! A big twist in the end will haunt you as the ending credits roll. You see following such convention will normally work for a time but will eventually be tired and unusable.

Nonetheless, 'The Healing' is a well-built suspenseful and fidgeting hour of scare, madness and faith healing-gone wrong. It's one of the movies that are downright conventional, so the tendency is to become predictable, but surprisingly, unusually, it works well.

Seth (Vilma Santos) is your friendly neighbor-although very successful in her white collar job. She is with a group of commoners in the neighborhood, one is her boarder, Alma (Pokwang); another is the resident police officer, Ding (Chris Villanueva); a mother (Janice De Belen) to a blind kid (Abby Bautista); Ruben and Greta (Allan Paule and Ynez Veneracion), husband and wife; and a disabled of speech Chona (Ces Quesada) and her husband Rex (Simon Ibarra). After recovering from a stroke, upon visiting one of Manang Elsa's (Daria Ramirez) healing sessions, Seth's friends became eager to go straight right to the faith healer. She is instant with deciding this matter, as five of her friends are in dire health condition. Some of them doesn't even see the tip of the iceberg anymore: one has breast cancer, one child has blindness and the other has goiter. The rest two are currently struggling through a skin disease.

As a result, they went to Manang Elsa's so that in there, they will be healed. Manang Elsa's brother, Melchor (Joel Torre) tells them that her brother cannot heal them as she is extremely ill. Seth was insistent, whose group came all the way from Manila, so Manang Elsa entertained her request. Patients were healed eventually, including Cookie (Kim Chiu) who is Seth's husband's daughter to another woman. Days will pass and they will brutally die one by one. What initially was an attempt to help her friends to acquire hopeful new beginnings has become their sudden ends. Seth, determined to find and ultimately put a stop to this mayhem, will take measures that will test her. Really will test her.

Like when protagonist are suddenly grotesquely killed, there has to be some real conventions this movie is strictly following. But I might repeat myself, I won't start talking about it again. Chito S. Roño has this nail-biting formula to the Filipino masses and sometimes I just opt dismiss the fact that it is tiring already even though it really is, needless to say. 'The Healing' should not work, but it does. It doesn't have moments of shocks, ones that are genuinely scary, but it has sustained sequences of suspense. See, there is a fine line between scary and creepy, but I won't bother myself explaining them no more. Clearly, Roño borrows many techniques from many superior overseas horror filmmakers and I really like this effort. What I also enjoyed, is the movie being eager to show us real gore. Just about time.

Philippine Star For All Seasons: Vilma Santos plays good in this movie. I'd really hate myself saying this but I think Kris Aquino really knows how to get scared; on the contrary, Vilma Santos REALLY knows how to act than compared with Aquino. Kim Chiu had very small moments in the movie. It only took Chiu little time to sparkle among the cast. Martin Del Rosario playing Jed, Seth's son, is really good and I like the fact that he has made it to this movie. The movie had textured characters that translated to believability to the whole performance. The interaction between Seth and all the characters were juicy yet raw, she is Star For All Seasons, after all. Spoiler alert: there is one particular scene in which you'll witness an almost-parody of a Hannibal Lecter x Claire encounter (you'll get this joke when you see the movie). Speaking of jokes, I felt joked and ridiculed with the movie's color schemes. My initial thought, even, was it was to promote a popular powdered milk brand.

Obviously, 'The Healing' had some issues. Some that I think we all have nothing to do about anyway. Regardless of these, 'The Healing' still builds tension and suspense to wander around the theater seats, as if persuading you to involuntarily fidget your fingertips for some moment.

GRADE: B

Sexual Content in Movies May Predict Teen Sexual Behavior

A recent study has found that exposure to sexual content in movies increases the chances of children adopting risky behavior later in life.

"Adolescents who are exposed to more sexual content in movies start having sex at younger ages, have more sexual partners, and are less likely to use condoms with casual sexual partners," said Ross O'Hara, currently a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Missouri, one of the authors of the study.

For the study, researchers analyzed sexual content in nearly 684 blockbuster movies between 1998 and 2004. They found that even movies with G and PG ratings had high levels of sexual content (such as heavy kissing) and that most recent movies do not portray safe-sex methods.

In the second part of the study, they asked 1,228 participants, between the ages of 12 and 14, to report which movie they had seen from a list of 50 randomly selected recent movies. The researchers then conducted a follow-up survey of these participants after 6 years. Participants were asked about their sexual behavior like when they had their first intercourse, use of a contraceptive method, number of sexual partners, etc.

Research has shown that there is a causal effect of sexual content in media on sexual behaviors of adolescents. Other studies have shown that teen-centered films almost always have sexual content in them. Experts say that exposing children to content that is more consistent with actual sexuality can help them think critically about their sexual behavior.

Much research has shown that adolescents' sexual attitudes and behaviors are influenced by media. But the role of movies has been somewhat neglected, despite other findings that movies are more influential than TV or music," O'Hara said.

Sensation seeking attitudes

Researchers say that sensation seeking attitude, a type of personality trait, may explain why young boys and girls undertake risky activities. Biological changes plus a desire to experience novel things pre-disposes many children to this kind of behavior.

"These movies appear to fundamentally influence their personality through changes in sensation-seeking, which has far-reaching implications for all of their risk-taking behaviors," O'Hara said.

Media as the main source for sexual information

Researchers say that sensation seeking personality may not be the only reason behind teens' risky sexual behavior. To many American children, 57 percent, media is the only source available to get sex-related information and sometimes about how to deal with a complex emotional problem. Thus teens, at times, can't differentiate between reality and fiction, according to the Association for Psychological Science.

The study will be published in a forthcoming edition of Psychological Science

Read more at http://www.medicaldaily.com/news/20120718/10926/sexual-content-media-teens-us.htm#1joxY074rRpUGb2U.99

Which group are you in ? Part 2

Group 5. The Under-the-Radar Group

This group wants to create non-evangelical, mainstream movies with some level of understated Christian content. The problem is that often the Christian content is just an add-on. It lacks a purpose or a justification for its existence. It feels like the writer is manipulating characters and plot points just for the purpose of injecting some Christian message. This group wants to work with Hollywood, but their primary motivation is not to the art form but to the message. They see the art form as a necessary means to an end. What we are left with is an unrealistic view of life.

Group 6. The Quality Circle Group

This is the most difficult to understand of all of the groups. They see that their primarily responsibility and duty as Christians is to create films and media that reflect quality and excellence. They also believe that their work must be marketable. They embrace moral integrity that treats people with love, honesty, and respect. They also believe that your moral integrity demands that you must serve your employer first and not seek to subvert your employer with hidden Christian motives.

I absolutely agree that Christians must embrace excellence; however, there is something missing that this group doesn’t recognize. A media missionary has more than just a responsibility to his/her employer and the media business in general. There is a spiritual component at play which is the will of God and what He wants to do in Hollywood. It’s not an either/or proposition. You can have integrity, believe in excellence, and create marketable work for your employer while also serving a greater purpose.

Group 7. Media Missionary Group

A media missionary must seek a greater purpose. I am sure most Christians have worked in each of these groups and at times have moved back and forth from one group to another. Are they fulfilling their calling as media missionaries. On some level perhaps. But I believe there is another group that goes beyond these six groups. In some ways, it is like entering a fourth dimension. I call it the Media Missionary Group. There are very few in this group, and most may not recognize that they are part of it.

The Media Missionary Group is under the control and direction of the Holy Spirit. Their faith defines who they are as a person, not their filmmaking or media making. They are motivated by something more than what they want. They recognize God at work and join Him in that work. Their work in essence becomes an act of worship to the Lord; therefore, their responsibility and calling is to serve Him through their art. Sounds easy. Right. Not really. It comes with years of experience, wisdom and knowledge.

Becoming a media missionary is a long journey. At some point, you are no longer pursuing projects that you believe will reflect Christian values, but those projects start to pursue you. I called it the fourth dimension because it is entering into a supernatural, spiritual realm. This is a place that will be different for every person. What this looks like will be between you and the Holy Spirit. Without His supernatural influence, favor and enabling, your role as a media missionary is like walking a high wire that can be dangerous and full of pitfalls. When you enter into the Media Missionary Group, you are not concerned with genre, rating, or how marketable the project is. You stop thinking about it. The main reason why we fail in the role of a media missionary is because we are trying to do the work and make the decisions in our own power. The media missionary has no agenda except to do the will of God. Ultimately, it will not be what we think it should look like.

Which group are you in ? - Part 1

How do you function in the entertainment industry as a media missionary so that you can complete your calling. In a practical sense, what projects should you work on. What roles should I accept or reject. How do I function as a Christian in this business. What is my responsibility as a Christian in this industry. These are some of the basic questions that students often ask. These questions get to the heart of the role and purpose of a media missionary. Ask these questions to Christians in the industry, and you will receive many different answers.

The concept of a media missionary is very much a work-in-process. Some Christian see themselves as media missionaries. Some do not. In fact, it’s quite possible that some Christians who reject the label as a media missionary are actually closer to being one.

Seven Christian Groups Working the in the Industry

I have identified seven groups of Christians that work in the entertainment and media industry, some within the system and others outside the system.

Group 1. Full Message Group

This group consists of Christians who predominately make evangelical films. For them the message is more important than viewing filmmaking or media making as an art form. They usually have a laundry list that needs to be checked off, which usually includes a full representation of the Gospel message and spiritual laws. Undoubtedly, a conversion scene will be portrayed at some point in the film. Most people in this group work outside of the Hollywood system.

There is a subgroup I call “Full Message Light”. Although the message is still important, they do believe that the entertainment value of the film has some merit. They are also not as likely to be as dogmatic in the need to check off every item on their laundry list.

Group 2. Conquerors

This group views media in a militaristic way and believe they are at war. Their goal is to infiltrate and conquer Hollywood for Christ. Their strategy can best be summed up as a Trojan horse approach. By entering Hollywood, they can inject mainstream movies with Christian values. In doing so, they can take over Hollywood from within. The problem with the Conquerors is that they don’t view Hollywood as a partner; therefore, they are unlikely to be employed for any length of time. Their rigid philosophical approach to filmmaking and their moral convictions make it difficult for them to relate to anybody in Hollywood. Most likely they are forced back to the Full Message Group.

Group 3. Positive Values Group

This group loves movies and believes in the power of media. They believe that entertainment, first and foremost, should be innocent and harmless. They create positive and uplifting entertainment that reflects family values. No darkness is allowed within their films, television programs or media in general. They are primarily interested in producing G or PG films.

Group 4. Positive Values with an Edge

This group supports many of the principles of the Positive Values Group. But they aim their material at a slightly older audience. They are willing to look at more complex moral issues as well as explore the human condition. They may on occasion support some R-rated movies, such as Schindler’s List and Shawshank Redemption. But, for the most part, they do not venture beyond the PG-13 rating.

REVIEW: 'The Forger' Reveals Beauty As You Take a Better Look!

You have no father, well, you never really knew him anyway. Your mother has left you behind in an apartment room, without saying goodbye. You have presumably a life that is rather wreck. But at least you have mad skills in painting, that is a score. With this talent, what will you do? a.) Take pursuit of what you love to do: paint, b.) "kiss the hand first, and then kiss the girl", or c.) be teased by an expert forged art dealer. Joshua (Josh Hutcherson) gets all of the above in 'The Forger', a movie with sustained compelling charm and finesse. It had its share of the many bantamweight predicaments a Hollywood movie faces, but with its sparkling cast, good direction and writing, the movie has finished a dreamy-feel landscape all-prepped for an exhibit.

I am not very sure if this is all coincidence but like an artwork, 'The Forger' reveals beauty as you take a better look. Upon your first glance it might appear as a scrap, but once drawn in to the movie, you will never be withdrawn as you are officially looking at a real treasure.

Joshua is an orphan who tries to stray around Carmel, Cali to see what his life has left in store for him. He was already left by his mother and he doesn't really know if she's ever going to come back. The thought of his mother thinking about him is an alienated feeling, equally when he thinks about her. His intricate set of painting skills will drive him into meeting an art dealer, Everly Campbell (look, we have Dr. Octopus [Alfred Molina] from Sam Raimi's second Spidey!) whose attention was immediately captured. In the apartment room, where our orphan was left by his mother, there rented Mr. Campbell. He saw the sketch on the ceiling and he thanked that he took a really quick look above.

As an orphan, Joshua is sent to live with Everly as his "temporary" guardian because there is no relative that is left to take care of him. Eventually, Joshua will find out that Everly is a dealer of forged art creations. Everly tried to temp the boy and he seemed to be good with that, the boy accepted his teasing proposal. They will work long hours to copy exactly one painting; one that will potentially throw wealth at Everly and Joshua. In the process of their forgery of the artwork though, Joshua meets a witty old woman, Anne-Marie Cole (Lauren Bacall), an infamous painter herself. There also came Amber (Hayden Panettiere) who will indirectly makes Joshua realize things. In the midst of being incomplete, will you find yourself in the midst of it still? Or will you go and set yourself in motion to the right thing to do?

Shot back in 2009, when Hutcherson was still fifteen years old, and still was honing his acting skills, 'The Forger' is one of those beginning movies wherein actors that are now-celebrated, you will see their improvement. For starters, Josh did a terrible job on the acting in this one. He was an on and off relationship with the audience. In one scene he'd be very good, in another he'd be the exact opposite. This lets one to think of him as Josh Hutcherson, not the orphan Joshua. There were solid acts in the movie lead by Lauren Bacall who seemed effortless when doing her craft. Hayden Panettiere was shown in very minimal scenes but easily had sparkled through the movie, perhaps her innate charm. Alfred Molina, hands down to the man. 'Nuff said.

(TRIVIA: The movie was previously called 'Carmel', then 'Carmel by the Sea' and then finally 'The Forger', which is the most relevant title anyway.)

I'll tell you upfront: 'The Forger' was easily a turn-off for me, initially. I mean, upon seeing Hutcherson in his worst acting yet is like the least of my predicaments. The movie was a blur, sending us to different focuses especially told entirely in Joshua's perspective. Upon seeing it in the first few minutes, you will really think that its a shrunk version of a TV soap opera. I liked however the bravery of the film when it comes to the story: it had little to offer but something that was entirely new. Something that is rare like a treasure nowadays.

It's my second movie to watch in Amazon Movie Rentals and so far I am enjoying the experience. 'The Forger' deserves no less than what it is receiving by random viewers, it deserves nothing like that I'm certain.

GRADE: B 

The Old Road

Welcome to the journey! It’s amazing the older you get, the less you know about how God really works. I’ve been a Christian for 34 years and have been in ministry for over 30 years. I started a media ministry in 1987 and went into full-time ministry 12 years ago. When you think you have nothing new to learn, that’s when you are in real trouble.

God has me on a personal journey to discover his nature, character and personality. It’s time to re-evaluate everything. You would think that after being a Christian for as long as I have there would be nothing new to discover. But you would be wrong. As I go through this process, he wants me to talk about this journey and to be open, honest and transparent. I’m sure this is a journey we can all take. At some point in our lives we are all going to ask who is this God we serve and what is his plan.

I have no plan other than to see where God is at work and join him in that effort. So I ask God each day, what should I be writing about. As I went out on my daily run, he showed me that my passion and love for the open road is a metaphor and a guide for my journey to discover how God works in our lives. I have driven across the country over 20 times. Most people think I’m crazy. I have been on practically every remote or off-the-beaten-path highway you can imagine. I particularly have an interest in Old Route 66. It is the ultimate old highway. It has been called The Mother Road. Amazingly, much of it is still intact, but it is not easy to find or follow. It requires dedication and determination. In many ways it parallels our walk with God. You have to work at it in order to follow the path.

I’m convinced that God can be found out there on the old road. Don’t look for him on the interstate. Why do I like the old road? You never know what’s around the next corner. There’s always something new and different. I find it to be mysterious, magical and often a spiritual journey. Each curve offers a different view. Perhaps the next diner will be the ultimate dining experience. Or what new fascinating roadside attracting could be lurking around the next dip or corner? The open road offers a sense of adventure and excitement. Nothing is more thrilling than getting up early in the morning, checking your map, getting your first cup of coffee and hitting the pavement. As the sun comes up, there is a sense of uncertainty and excitement in the air. Who knows what the day will bring. There is no other experience quite like it.

Perhaps our journey with God should be just like this. So why do I think God is out there on the old road? In life we are always offered a choice. We have free will. If you want to, you can live your life on the interstate, or you can travel the back roads. It’s always our choice. The interstate offers a predictable experience. No matter where you are whether in Florida or Michigan all interstates are basically the same. It’s a very easy place to become complacent and indifferent. If you have been on one interstate, you’ve been on every interstate.

But the old highway is different. There is nothing predictable about it. Each road is different. It has its own course, direction and flow. You have to pay attention because the road has many curves, dips and corners. You cannot put God in a box on the old road. But on the interstate, we are convinced that God is predictable.

The interstate is also convenient. We know exactly when and where the next rest stop, town or interchange will be. It’s also fast and efficient. It allows us to make our plans and meet our goals and objectives. It give us a sense of control.

The old highway is anything but that. Here you have to slow down and take your time. This is always the key to see where God is at work. How do you see God when you’re moving at 70 or 75 miles per hours when you have your own plans and goals to meet? The old road offers no convenience. At any time you can be caught behind slow-moving traffic. Who knows? The next town could be 50 miles ahead with no rest stops.

The interstate is also comfortable. It has smooth pavement. If you have been on the back roads, especially Rt. 66, you know it’s anything but smooth. In fact, the pavement is broken and has been patched up. I think that’s a good representation of our lives as we grow in our faith. God wants us to continue to grow, and it only happens when we encounter life’s bumps and dips. Can you really encounter God on a smooth surface? Did God really call us to a life of convenience?

The old road also follows the contour of the land. It zigzags across the landscapes as if it’s always been there. It fits into the image of the land. The interstate is anything but that. We have recreated the landscape to fit into the needs of the interstate. We have removed mountains, hillsides and valleys and have created elevated bridges to remake the land to fit into our plans. It’s not hard to see God out on the old road where the road flows naturally around rivers, valleys and mountains. On the interstate, we can create God into an image we are comfortable with. On the old road, we have to fit into what God has done and is doing as we flow with the natural landscape of the road.

The interstate is also safe. It is a divided highway with wide lanes. It represents technology and the advancement of man. But you can have a false sense of safety because the interstate has a lot of traffic and people on it moving in the same direction. It becomes easier to convince yourself that this is the right way to go. Because driving the interstate requires little effort, it can also lull you to sleep and you are unaware of danger. The old road is anything but safe. It has oncoming traffic, blind curves and accessible side roads. The old road requires you to be alert and prepared for anything. When driving late at night on a desolate highway in the middle of nowhere with the next town miles ahead, it is just you and God. Is our journey with God supposed to be safe and without dangers? If everything is safe, why would we need God? Are we supposed to be on the edge depending on him to protect us? A journey on the old road requires trusting in God for our protection and provision.

The old highway is connected to the land, people and places that it visits and occupies. It’s a place that you can feel alive and feel the presence of God. You can meet real people with real stories. The interstate offers a disconnected experience. From your window it is as if you can view life without ever experiencing it.

And, finally, the interstate is about a destination—getting somewhere, fulfilling a goal or objective. But the old road is more about the journey. It’s about what you learn and experience along the way and about how you have grown in your faith. It allows you the opportunity to know God better. It’s easy to stay on the interstate. It requires no effort whatsoever. It allows you the opportunity to go with the flow. But if you are like me, you are ready to take the next exit off. Life starts at the off ramp. There is a different road out there—the road less traveled. It offers excitement and adventure. I’m sure if we want to find God, he is more likely to be there on the old road than he is on the interstate.

Trust me. It’s worth the time and the effort to find him out there on the old highway