PRE-OSCAR LOOK AT MOVIES THAT HAD AN IMPACT ON ME, PART 8 OF 12: NEVER CRY WOLF

 For the loyal readers who have followed this series thus far, you may have noticed the first two were both Disney movies, but none since. Folks, we're back to Disney today. Not a typical Disney movie - this one is aimed for a more mature audience. Note this was about a year before the creation of the PG-13 rating and the emergence of Touchstone Films, which was a Disney imprint that was aimed for movies less family oriented.

Important to make a distinction. I said this movie was more mature. If it came out later, it would have probably been rated PG-13, and I have no problem with that. However, this is a movie that looks at the balance of nature, and if you have a more mature child or teen-ager (I know these often are two different things), it is one I'd recommend seeing with them and talking about it afterwards.

 

PRE-OSCAR LOOK AT MOVIES THAT HAD AN IMPACT ON ME, PART 2 OF 12: THAT DARN CAT (1965)

 

I debated whether this was the second or third movie on my list. Technically, it came out first and thus, I probably saw it first (I was 5 or 6 at that time). However, this movie had a delayed impact - it wasn't until I watched it as a teenager that it climbed to being my all time favorite comedy.

Even when I was a child at its release, this movie had a draw from having two actors I was a fan of. One was Frank Gorshin, who portrayed my favorite villain, The Riddler. The other was, of course, the cat. 

I will add that I could not stand the '97 remake nor, for that matter, John Astin's portrayal in season 2 of Batman. Also, I will also admit I'm not a comedy fan, in spite of me being quick to tell a joke. (Most of the time, my favorite comedies were ones that mixed adventure with the comedy like "Silver Streak" or those that try to keep you on the floor laughing like "Airplane".

One last comment - the first two movies on this list were Disney films. Is that expected from me starting chronological? Or is this a trend?

PRE-OSCAR LOOK AT MOVIES THAT HAD AN IMPACT ON ME, PART 1 OF 12: MARY POPPINS

 

I saw one person in the film industry (maybe Spielberg? Don't remember for sure) comment you can learn a lot about people from their favorite movies. With Oscar's 2 weeks away, I thought I'd use that time to share 10 movies that made an impact on me. Some of these would be in my top 10 favorite list, others aren't far, but I'm focusing on those that I think had an influence on me.

So should I do it as a list of how I'd rank those ten movies either ascending or descending? Maybe alphabetic order? Well, considering that this is dealing with the impact it made on my life, I'll start in basic chronological order. There might be one or two that I might have goofed between two I saw in close proximity; hopefully that's forgiveable.

Thus, I'll start with Mary Poppins. This is the first movie I fell in love with. I also listened frequently to the soundtrack and albums that included Mary Poppins music. I was disappointed, because most did not have my favorite song from the movie: "Step In Time." However, it did not make it to me reading the books - I was just learning to read.

It influenced me both with the movie itself and the music, but I'd also call it the first "event movie." There are few movies that I'd put in that category: these are ones that I consider its viewing an event. Some of them I became familiar with the story before seeing the movie, such as Disney's "The Jungle Book," the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine," or "Star Wars." 

Others are among the five I'd include as seeing on opening night. You might say "Star Wars" fit that category - I saw that on the second showing of its appearance at the Rialto Theater in Cottonwood. Of course, considering that movies didn't reach Cottonwood till the end of their run, this was after being part of the Christmas program at church in '77. I saw both "Hanky Panky" (starring Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner) and "Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan" the night they both opened; I went with some friends to the theater and both Star Trek and "Rocky 3" were sold out, so we saw the other movie. Then, one of the guys who had friends at the theater got us in for the final showing of Star Trek that night. Also in this category was "Batman Forever" and on a lesser scale, "Prodigal Planet" (the final of the four part "Thief in the Night" series.

Without a doubt, though, the one that made the biggest impact on me was "Mary Poppins." 

 

CHRISTIAN FAKE NEWS - CAN WE DO BETTER THAN THAT?

Pandemoneum, by John Martin

 I'll confess: I got dinged on Facebook for sharing a post that Fact Checkers found inaccurate. 

Yes, I know those fact checkers can be biased. I saw other stories that failed their tests, and the ones at the top of the list were stating a Conservative quote was false. But when I kept looking, I saw others pointing out the error of the liberal side.

In this case, I will raise my hand to acknowledge I'm guilty of the foul. I have no reason to appeal the ruling of the Fact Checkers.

The post I shared was stating a large number of Disney Plus Subscribers unsubscribing in a short time after the leak of the board meeting. The fact-checkers made this point - there was no way to access that information. Disney's numbers aren't due to be released for weeks, and they may not be.

The truth is we're involved in Spiritual warfare, and that reality overflows into culture wars. But are we using the world's weapons, and undermining our cause in the process?

I've remembered several waves, sometimes years apart, talking about atheist Madeline Murray O'Hair trying to get "In God we trust" removed and urging Christians to stand up against it. Each time, I remember other Christians pointing out that propaganda was not true.

In Blinded by Might: Can the Religious Right Save America, Cal Thomas pointed out that activists love having enemies, because that helps with fundraising. We need our white hats and they need black hats. 

Naturally, this doesn't at all resemble the command to love our enemies. The Greek word used is agapao, the same verb used in Christ's commandment for us to love one another (John 13:34-35) and for husbands to love their wives (Ephesians 5:25). It means to love in action without expecting anything in return.

It is ignoring Galatians 6:1-10 on numerous levels:

• It is not done in gentleness, and we aren't on guard to keep from being tempted (Galatians 6:1).
• It is heaping burdens on others (either their opponents or those who aren't joining their "holy" Crusade) instead of helping bear them (Galatians 6:2).
• It is thinking we're something, at least enough to judge and condemn others (Galatians 6:3) or in other words building our pride by tearing others down).
• It is sowing to the flesh (Galatians 6:7-8) instead of denying our self (Matthew 16:24) by judging others (Matthew 7:1-5; Romans 14:4; James 4:11-12).
• It is not done with a heart of doing good for all (Galatians 6:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:15).

Do you know what the worst part is? It is not showing Christ to others. It is portraying a God of vengeance towards our opponents, not a God who gave Himself, who died for our opponents while they were sinners (Romans 5:8).

I need to do better fact checking, but we also need to focus on winning others to Christ rather than fighting a holy war against the world by unholy means.