My family sees almost no movies in the theater. Truth is, we don't have time to watch movies, especially when so many today are vapid and vulgar.
Our gracious friend, Eric, invited us to go see Pixar's latest, Cars, on him. That's the kind of friends we have! Not being the kind to turn down a free movie that will probably be great, we saw the film Friday evening.
This isn't an in-depth review. A million reviews exist elsewhere. But I will say this: the themes covered in Cars are the exact same ones I discussed in "Unshackling the American Church ." The movie is about as "crunchy" as it gets. The value of small town life, valuing one's neighbors, understanding the sacramental, treasuring beauty, the need for local economies, learning to lean on others, even eating organic—the list goes on and on.
I think some people are getting it. I don't know if there are any Christians attached to the film, but I pray there are and that they have a positive impact in their churches.
A thumbs up from me.
Thanks for letting us know about this one, Dan. We saw “Over the Hedge” the other day. I am still mulling over some of it’s perspectives of suburban life. I suppose you might say it is “crunchy”, too. It humorously points out some flaws in the suburban mindset and (I don’t want to give away the ending…) the critters decide to return to their natural state and natural food supply. Once you see it, I would be interested in hearing your reaction to this one, too.
Cars was a bit unlike other Pixar films in that it had a lot of topical references geared for adults, a romance (that made the center section of the film drag for the kids), a scene of mischief that was more understandable by teens and adults, and a moral that also was a bit lost on the really young. The very heart of the film was the remembrance of things past, and when your kid’s five, he doesn’t have much of a nostalgia factor.
Still, kids will enjoy it, but I was surprised by how much more sophisticated it was than a film like Finding Nemo or A Bug’s Life. Think more along the lines of The Incredibles.
Saw Over the Hedge on its opening week — my little financial salvo against DVC. In my review of the movie, I said that it
So, “crunchy” might be over-stating it a bit, but the themes would definitely ring true with a crunchy person.
There is a definitive odor infiltrating our society; MAYBE, just MAYBE consumerism is not an end to itself. Maybe there is more to life than three computers, four cars, an iPOD and two cell phones…
Dan, while we have not always agreed 100% on everything, I so appreciate your heart, and the heart of thers who are trying to answer the hard questions about our consumerist lifestyle, and the idol of materialism…
Not only have I learned a lot from reading your excellent articles, but I have been pointed to good reads, and now, good movies!