I have begun to like Keanu Reeves
Againast my better judgement; less for the eyecandy stuff like Matrix than for things like Johnny Mnemonic, the Devils Advocate, and Constantine, which I’m watching now.
I like the visuals in Constantine, I like Gabriel as played by Tilda Swinton, I like Satan as played by Peter Stormare, but most of all I like Keanu as Constantine.
I likke stories of redemption. They don’t give me hope that I’ll ever acheive any, but they do make me reflect on my own life, and remind me of the wrongs I must redeem. They also remind me how much that redemption costs. I don’t know that I’d call this a good movie, but I enjoy it.
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I just watched it again, only two nights ago. The moral message is there, if hidden under spectacle.
We all have choices to make in life. I suppose that is the point, isn’t it?
I like both Constantine and The Devil’s Advocate and will watch them when either of them are on. Rachel Weiss was fantastic in Constantine as well.
But I do like the message from The Devil’s Advocate– free will trumps all (Free will, it is a bitch!). And with Constantine, the willing sacrifice (freely choosing) trumps all.
Both good movies!
I thought Constantine’s comment to Gabriel was great – “It’s called pain, get used to it.”
I loved Constantine and objected to its “R” rating. “Demonic Images” were enough to bump it up to “R”? Bullshit.
I took my kids to see it.
I likke stories of redemption. They don’t give me hope that I’ll ever acheive any
You’re right, but for the wrong reasons, not the least of which is that redemption is indeed something we can’t achieve for ourselves, which is the entire basis of the “faith, not works” doctrine. It’s one area where self-reliance is entirely out of the question.
And yes, I do take this stuff very seriously.
lol.
Be careful of that “Faith not works” doctrine, that’s a bad rabbit hole to slip down. It is clear that we can not earn our redemption but we must certainly deserve it. That idiot Calvin fucked over so many generations of Christians because of his stupidity.
Whoa.
…I didn’t like “Devil’s Advocate”. That’s the movie that led me to realize I have never liked any movie which starred Al Pacino. Don’t ask me why.
Tell you, though: there’s a series of three movies starring Christopher Walken, “The Prophesy” (and “The Prophesy II” and “III”) which includes the redemption theme, and I found them–unexpectedly–to be quite good movies. If you watch them all together it’s clear that it was meant to be a trilogy from the get-go, too.
Walken plays Archangel Gabriel. In the first movie, Viggo Mortensen shows up near the end as Lucifer.
The movies do some interesting things with the Hollywood conventions surrounding angels and demons.
We recently got a movie catalog here at the bunker, and the trilogy is in there for around $12 per movie. As soon as I get off my duff, I’m ordering it.
Yes! I have seen the Prophecy movies,. though not together, and liked them a good deal. I should rent and watch them.
I confess I have copies of all 4 titles at home :) Good movies, all of them!
That idiot Calvin fucked over so many generations of Christians because of his stupidity.
Oh, I know that. My point is that the actual work (no pun intended) of redemption is beyond the human sphere of influence; works that please God are only really possible once we’ve surrendered ourselves to that idea.
Sure. The problem is, the calvinists have convinced millions of people that all they need to do is “Accept Jaysus as their personal Sayvior!” and you can go about your life being a cockmonkey and everything will be just fine.
It does go both ways — I’ve known quite a few “catholics” who assumed the same thing, only they substituted “go to mass/confession” for “accept Jaysus”.
Which I think means “cool now I don’t have to follow the rules” is simply a very human reaction, and one that has to be consciously overridden in most cases. I know it took me a while to figure out.
I hear you. I’m surrounded by Catholics who don’t get it- including the priest at our church!! I think a lot of these dorks need to get their asses whipped a few times.
I’m surrounded by Catholics who don’t get it- including the priest at our church!!
*headdesk*
I mean, I’m as non-denominational Protestant as you can get, and still …
*headdesk*
*headdesk*
*headdesk*
Don’t sweat it. There are plenty of decent Christians in the world. Not a lot of them are in the clerg, though. We DO have an associate pastor who isn’t an idiot, and I sometimes attend mass at a Franciscan Monastery full of people who are the Grand masters at getting it.