I caught a bit of some Hollywood gossip show late last night (TMZ) making fun of Kirk Cameron and his faith....
He has not been in trouble with the law, has not been in rehab, chooses to remain true to his wife and seems content with his life. I bet he even shows up to work on time. Hey Hollywood, do you think this may have something to do with his relationship with God?
I’ve seen the movie two times, in special pre-release screenings. This film will change lives.
Ok this is what I am posting to my blog:
It is a FANTASTIC GOSPEL CENTRIC/CHRIST CENTERED movie and doesn’t compromise the true Gospel. It does not make it squishy and mushy, nor is it about the power of positive thinking. It is about the illusion of human phileo and eros love (ie.e the transiency of infatuation) vs. the sacrifice and commitment of real agape love. I never thought I would see that kind of contrast accurately portrayed but they did it!
Regarding the 40 day thing — it is NOT like Purpose Driven at all — Kirk and his ministry buddies are VERY VOCALLY ANTI Purpose Driven. Those of you who know me know I cannot STAND Rick Warren and believe him to be a traitor both to our nation and to the cause of Christ. Possibly less so a traitor to our nation but not much less. The only thing remotely resembling PDL is the 40 day love dare. It is just 40 days of practical ideas for changing how you relate to your spouse (if you want to save your marriage). Caleb starts out just going through the motions and finds it doesn’t work. Then things change because he finally understands the gospel and it finally clicks in his head during a discussion with his dad. The 40 days of ‘law’ (e.g. rules and practical works for how to relate to your spouse) serve as nothing but a mirror to show him how he falls short and cannot fulfill it. It is exactly as it should be.
scripts and production values — well you can see places that could have been done differently. I won’t lie there. But they were also pretty pressed for time. The movie is 2 hr 12 minutes as it is, and what they needed to do was add more time to the beginning. But you make those kinds of compromises, I guess. Kirk has also spoken on how difficult the verbal abuse scenes were for him. I have to say it shows. I know I can be meaner than that. And people who are still passionately fighting back are not yet at the point of abandoning the marriage. Usually they are a bit more withdrawn deliberate, and sullen about it. But then maybe that’s my personality speaking and how I would go about it in that situation.
I thought the trailers on the site did not do the movie justice. I was not impressed with the trailers and even less impressed now that I’ve seen it. So if you liked the trailers you will be even MORE impressed with the actual movie.
The ‘gospel moment’ (if you’ve seen it you know what I mean but I won’t spoil it for anyone who hasn’t) literally was breathtaking and heartwrenching.
there is an IMDB discussion on the movie here regarding the kiss scene in which Kirk’s wife posed as a body double.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1129423/board/thread/118979135
I signed up just to post a reply. AARRGH!
I don’t get how people are judging Kirk like this... astounding. But then I shouldn’t be surprised.
They spent $500,000 making this film, and in the first 5 days they had grossed $7.2 million. It was originally released on 839 screens by Samuel Meyer, but will go to 1,000 screens this weekend.
Incidentally, this ‘eeeevvvvviiiilll’ Southern Baptist church plowed the $10 million they made from “Facing the Giants” in to building an 82 acre park with baseball, softball and soccer fields for their community.
I wonder what Michael Moore did with his earnings?