This Could Change Your Life

Hubby and I enjoy movies, although our tastes follow the stereotypical gender lines—he prefers action, shootings, and explosions. I like romantic comedies or dramas based on true stories. 

We’ve wasted many hours on mindless stinkers that, at best, bring a chuckle or two. But often enough, the stories we watch feel like time well spent. They pull us out of our own little worlds and open our minds to new ideas. Or they move us emotionally as a profound truth seeps in, dislodging a memory locked deep inside. Often, we learn things from history we didn’t know before. Sometimes movies simply make us laugh, and laughter is good medicine.

The best kind of movies, in my mind, are about real life heroes. Stories like Life of a King, Schindler’s List, and A Beautiful Mind inspire us with how ordinary individuals can overcome horrific obstacles to become heroes. One such movie about a modern-day hero is coming to theatres for two nights only—March 4 and 5.

The Drop Box is an award-winning documentary about the work of Pastor Lee Jong-rak of South Korea and his heroic efforts to embrace and protect his community’s most vulnerable children. In 2009, Lee installed a drop box in the outer wall of his home to provide a safe place for babies who would otherwise be left to die on the streets. Since then, he has saved hundreds of babies and adopted as his own many who would have perished. It’s a heart-wrenching exploration of the physical and emotional toll associated with providing refuge to those deemed unwanted by society. But it’s also a story of hope and a celebration of the reality that every human life is sacred, purposeful, and worthy of love.

Official reports say over 600 babies and young children are abandoned in Seoul annually, but actual numbers probably run much higher. Hundreds die in the street.

“The baby box should not exist,” Pastor Lee says, “but we live with a government where inaction and lack of concern prevail.”

Two years after the drop box was built, American Brian Ivie came across an article in the Los Angeles Times titled, “South Korean pastor tends an unwanted flock.” After reading the article, Brian knew he must find a way to share Pastor Lee’s story.

“If I don’t do something, everyone will forget,” he said.

Six months after reading the article, Brian Ivie and his production team from Arbella Studios headed to Seoul to live with Pastor Lee and film his story.

“Through this movie,” Ivie says, “I’m hoping people see a type of love that spends itself on behalf of others and doesn’t expect anything back. Because that’s what God’s love is like. It goes to the gutters for the broken and the lost.”

In Winnipeg, The Drop Box will play at the Cineplex Odeon at 2190 McGillivray and at Silver City Polo Park—March 4 and 5 only.You can buy tickets for yourself or obtain group sales for your friends, family, neighbours and small group at www.dropbox.focusonthefamily.ca. 

Please Don't Play It Again, Sam

In June, I attended a wind-up party where fellow Prairie Players members were discussing the old movie Casablanca. When I admitted I’d never seen it, my friend Terry promised to bring me a copy on VHS tape. When he delivered it, six others were in the bag: The Maltese Falcon, The Third Man, Kind Hearts and Coronets, We’re No Angels, My Girl Friday, and The Lady Killers. I guess Terry figured I have no life, and he must be right because I can now say I’ve watched all of these classics from the 1940’s and 50’s. And now I’m subjecting you to my opinion.

First of all, for the life of me I can’t find the appeal of Humphrey Bogart. The only attractive thing about the man was the double-breasted suit like my dad’s 1948 wedding suit. That weird thing he does with his mouth, the nasal voice, the ever-present cigarette, and the incessant sexist and racist lines might be given to the villain in one of today’s movies, but never to the leading man. Yuck.

As for the movies themselves, either the plots are awfully slow and simple or I am. Endless dialogue expresses every thought the characters ever had, in case the viewer is too dumb to figure out what’s going on. And in case you missed a thought, you can read their minds by the over-acted facial expressions interrupted only by occasional interludes of cheesy music. Clearly, the actors were more familiar with stage performance where the audience members might be 50 feet away as opposed to a camera lens smack in the face.

Fast-forward 70 years. Hubby and I recently saw two brand new movies: Lucy, and Guardians of the Galaxy. In today’s movies, real dialogue has been replaced with fast-paced one-liners you’d need to watch several times over in order to catch them all. Violence abounds. Slashing, bashing, smashing destruction is the order of the day. Explosions, high-speed chases, and high crime are requirements. Plot lines are completely out of this world. Computer animation makes it impossible to tell what’s real. (Did they paint that actor green or just colour him in later?)

I prefer to leave both the oldest and the newest movies for someone else. Give me a good romantic comedy for laughs or a based-on-a-true-story drama for inspiration.

Here’s an exercise for you. Without thinking too hard, list your five all-time favourite movies. After you’ve listed them, look for a common thread tying then together. When you can identify a theme, chances are it’s a clue to your passion in life.

My top five all carried the theme of people overcoming some kind of mental or physical challenge, most based on true stories: Rain Man, A Beautiful Mind, I am Sam, Door to Door, and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? What that says about me, I’m still trying to figure out. I certainly can’t pretend to understand what it’s like to live with autism, schizophrenia, developmental challenges, cerebral palsy, morbid obesity, or depression as depicted in these stories.

Speaking of movies and depression, everyone seems to feel the need to express an opinion about the death of Robin Williams. Other than feeling bummed because we’ve lost a brilliant humourist, there’s not much I can say. Never met the man. Pretending I understand mental illness would be stupid and wrong. Speculating on his eternal destination would be even more stupid and wrong.

Wikipedia credits Williams with 81 movies, and a quick glance at the list tells me I’ve seen about half of them. I enjoyed most of those, especially Patch Adams. The real Patch Adams practiced medicine around his philosophy of treating patients using humor and compassion. Hmm. My blog banner features the following words from scripture: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine...” (Proverbs 17:22) Perhaps therein lies the key to how the theme of my favourite movies lines up with what I’m passionate about.

What are your favourite flicks?