Danul in the Real World: The Obligatory Christmas Episode

Let me start by saying that I have a certain…naivety when it comes to Christmas. I love this time of year. I love everything that comes with it. I love the music (The Glee Christmas Album is a new favorite). I love the decorations (I have a tree!). I love the commercials (the first one I saw this year was for Christmas-scented Glade candles!). I love the TV specials (“I’m Mister Green Christmas, I’m Mister Sun!”). I love the birth of Baby Jesus (You didn’t seriously think I was gonna forget Jesus, did you?).

I love this time of year. :D

And I cannot comprehend it when people tell me they hate Christmas. What’s to hate? The cheery attitudes? The sale prices? The tinsel and twinkly lights? The shortened church services? What, pray tell, is so awful about Christmas that people cannot simply enjoy it?

Well, let me tell you a little story…

It was early October. Being in Texas, the weather was still unapologetically warm, and the leaves on the trees and shrubbery were adamantly green. People were filing in and out of Target and Walmart trying to find costumes and candy to assuage their children’s appetite for the truly unruly event that is Halloween. But atop a hill at the cross of two parkways, inside First Lutheran Church, the office was buzzing with discussion of Christmas.

The advent of Advent was upon him and one young, bright-eyed director of youth and family ministries was scrambling to come up with a youth-centric event to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child.

I, Daniel Hofmann, was trying to find a Christmas program that would ease the kids of FLC into becoming more involved. As I had been told over and over and over, this was to be the first time in years that this congregation would have anything of the sort. Of course what I was really hearing was, “don’t screw this one up, you whipper-snapper!”

After much deliberation, I settled on a light play (more like a glorified skit than anything) set around the silly notion of the shepherds (you know, the ones from the Bible) being put on trial for disturbing the peace (you see, it’s funny because they didn’t have a judicial system). I was satisfied with my choice. Now I had to begin the joyful task of spinning play practice every Sunday after church into something young people would want to be a part of.

Let me tell you the real magic behind my choice: this play, wink-wink-nudge-nudge-ingly titled A Not-So-Silent Night (get it?!), was manufactured to be as painless as possible. The entirety of the play, from the dialogue to the sound effects, all came prerecorded on a CD. In essence, all the kids would have to do was pantomime the lines and actions described! It was genius! Genius, I tell you!

So Halloween comes and goes without many people showing a sudden desire to be in a Christmas play (go figure). About two weeks before Thanksgiving, I, the charming, naïve youth director decided to take matters into his own hands…something he really should have done from the start.

I divvy out parts, completely and shamelessly conning and bribing kids to participate with promises of stardom, free food, and confirmation credit (it’s a very funny thing how kids will do so much work just to get out of having to actively listen to a sermon that they have to sit through anyway).

We begin our first practice that next Sunday. I bring the promised free food and look out to see only about half the people I gave parts to.

No matter, I tell myself, it’s only the first practice. So all we do is eat pizza and listen to the prerecorded CD. I left that practice none too reassured.

Our next practice was when things actually started rolling. We began in the sanctuary this time, and each child star was given a script to follow along with as we played the CD. Of course, this proved too much for the ittie bitties and some of the more…attention-deficit older kids. We struggled along on shaky ground until a particularly exasperated mother offered the suggestion that the kids actually say the lines. Unsure of what would happen, I agreed that we could try this. So yes, we were rolling, but the question of rolling uphill or downhill remained unanswered.

The practice after that (the Sunday after Thanksgiving) was the first one where I actually thought we were putting something together worth seeing. Sure, the kids still had their faces glued to their scripts, but they were actually getting into it…as much as confirmation-age kids can get into a children’s pageant. The only problem was, we still had not had a practice with all parts present.

My love for the winter months was beginning to wane. It didn’t help that my mother called to tell me that she and the rest of my family would be trekking to Longview to see my production. It also didn’t help that the greater population of adults within my congregation had not come forward to help out.

The final week of practice loomed its ugly head on Sunday December 12. We would have one more practice that afternoon, a dress rehearsal on Saturday, and then the finished performance the next Sunday, December 19. I stressed to everyone that dress rehearsal was not an option. I must have sent about three reminder emails that week, praying to God that everyone would show up.

On the night of the dress rehearsal, we were missing four kids. The projectors were acting up. The set was still not complete. And my parents were in town. If someone had told me to, “cheer up, it’s Christmas,” I would have punched him in the neck. I went home that evening feeling less than hopeful. At best, the show would be a scattershot of kids bumbling around the stage in funny costumes. I had so much riding on this event, and it didn’t look good.

The next day dawns cold and crisp, with a foreboding fog mystifying the ground. The morning’s worship time is a blur of people’s well wishes and how excited they are for the evening’s performance. Great. So excited. I spend the rest of the day getting the set ready and making everything look perfect. At this point, the silver lining is, “at least it looked great.”

To what I can only chalk up to a Christmas miracle, the entire cast makes it to the church in enough time for us to be more than ready for the absolutely unexpected throng of people that mill into the sanctuary before the show.

With a quick silent prayer and a nod to the kids, I signal to the sound guy to begin the music, and then we’re off.

Apparently, Christmas is magic, because every person hits their lines. Every costume looks fantastic. Every actor is speaking clearly and without slur. And people are laughing. Actually laughing.

The show ends with a rambunctious “Joy to the World” and as I step up to the podium to wrap up the event, I cannot believe how well it had gone.

Every single face is smiling at me. My mother is positively melting my face with her beaming grin. I stutter through a quick thank you and begin to walk down the aisle. Not daring to look anywhere but at the double doors ahead of me, I see out of my peripherals every person standing and applauding. One even shouts my name. I make it out of the sanctuary and lock myself in the bathroom, listening to the people outside praise the production they’ve just seen. Breathing way too fast, I lean against the wall and congratulate my reflection on a job well done.

Once I’ve calmed down and changed into a new shirt, I slip casually into the fellowship hall, where Christmas treats are being served as a reception snack. And when I say casually, I mean I was immediately bombarded with handshakes, high-fives, and someone even tousled my hair. Speechless, I simply smile.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I owe everything that happened that night to the kids. Without them, this would not have happened, and I do make time to say that to the room at large, but of course, the adults make no apologies for giving me equal praise. And who am I to stop them?

The night loses steam slowly; people dwindle out the doors one by one (my parents are of course at the height of alertness, conversing with everyone they can about the wonder that is their oldest son). As the last group hails, “good night,” I am more than ready to go home, crack open a beer, and put my feet up.

I started this post by telling you that I love Christmas. Like any TV Christmas special worth its tinsel, my story has gone through all the staples of development: the cute, naïve main character, the impossible Christmas task, opposition from Grinchy Scrooge-misers, a Christmas lesson learned, and a climatic happy, musical ending in which everyone basks in the sparkly joy of Christmas.

Where I hope my tale differs from others is the lesson learned. While the Grinch and Scrooge both hated Christmas from the start and were shown the errors of their ways, I began my story with an brazen admiration for the holiday.

I said before that I don’t understand why people hate this time of year. Some say it’s become too commercial. Some say people don’t celebrate for the right reasons. Even pastors say it’s become a time when their roles as spiritual leaders are shrunk into roles as entertainers. I get all that. I really do. Having had to put time and effort into what was essentially a piece of entertainment for the rest of the congregation, I can sympathize. However…

I also said before that I approach Christmas with naivety. And with all the complications our little pageant was confronted with, there were times when I wanted to throw up my hands at the impossibility of celebrating Christ’s birth with 20 kids whose attitudes said they’d rather be somewhere else. I guess you could say my heart was shrinking to three sizes too small.

But when that first musical cue on Sunday night began, the Spirit of Christmas Present slapped me in the face. That impossible Christmas task was unfolding very possibly in front of me.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that Christmas will most likely always be a commercial smorgasbord. It will likely always be celebrated by Christians and seculars alike. There will always be things that make you want to run over a snowman or smack a Salvation Army bellringer.

So get over it.

Being naïve about Christmas, in my ever-so-humble opinion, is the only way to approach this time of year. With all the secularization of Christmas, it boggles my mind that so many Christians opt to turn up their nose at the holiday instead of choosing to instill its true meaning. We cannot afford to let that stand in our way of celebrating the “most wonderful time of the year”.

Do you think the shepherds thought themselves better than others because they saw Jesus? Do you think Mary and Joseph even began to grasp the weight of the events of that night long ago? No way. Instead they unabashedly, almost foolishly, celebrated the birth of Jesus, without regard for anything else.

Because really, what else matters?

So that’s it. My very own Christmas Carol. Kind of a backwards journey, now that I look at it. But I hope you can find some meaning in it too. For all its ham and cheese, my story is one I’ll always remember.

I love this time of year. :D

-Danul

An Emmaus Reflection

First off, thanks to everyone who gave insight and guidance to my spiritual dilemma (OMG those actually exist) I wrote about in my last entry.

I have chosen to stay in the Sunday evening Bible study group and not attend the YL training. Like so many of you said, it wasn't worth it if I was not receiving fulfillment anywhere. However, since I feel strongly about the ministry of YoungLife, I have also chosen to serve on the local YL committee. This way, I can still have a hand in the ministry as a local professional, which, I think, better suits me where I am.

So thanks. :D

Now here's something I hope you'll really like!

Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to go on a Walk to Emmaus retreat. For those who don’t know, this is a Methodist-born retreat that allows for a spiritual reawakening over the course of three days. Not an issue. Each retreat is gender-specific, so I attended with 30 other men. Not an issue. Upon arrival, I see that I am clearly the youngest participant by at least 20 years. A slight issue.

Now, thanks to camp-taught schmoozing skillz, I am rather comfortable talking to adults I don’t know. The problem is that a lot of older men don’t really know how to respond to me…especially East Texas men who were most likely brought up shootin’ deer and bleedin’ blood and twangin’ words.

Suffice it to say, I’m not the standard Texan idea of a man. And I’m totally fine with that. And it’s not that these older guys weren’t fine with it, but that they didn’t know how to respond to me. So, for the first day and a half, I was rather subdued and quiet. Which was…different, to say the least.

As the weekend tread on, I slowly became more comfortable with my assigned group, and they with me. But along with that air of comfort came some more challenges.

Challenge #1: Like I said, I was the youngest there. By a lot. So that was the first thing people saw when they looked at me.

Fortunately, the other men saw this as a positive- that I was so young and so willing to dive deeper into my faith. The first few times this happened, I accepted the compliments with an aw-shucks smile and a “thank you.”

Unfortunately, this happened all the time…to the point where I was beginning to feel undeserving and uncomfortable. I wanted praise to go to other people, or better yet, God. Just because I’m young doesn’t mean I’m amazing (no matter what we tell our parents).

Challenge #2: The Walk to Emmaus retreats are rather... notorious for rekindling one’s faith. Before I left, I was told by members of my church, friends, and family to expect to be reduced to a blubbering puddle of God-fearing tears by the week’s end. Going in, I honestly did not think that was what I needed.

Let me explain: I have never really felt separate from God. Sure, there have been times in my life when I have asked myself those questions:

• · “Why would God let this happen?”
• · “Does God really know me?”
• · “Who or what is God?”

But I’ve always known the truth in my heart: God loves me and has a plan for me. As a kid, growing in faith was not an option. Church was on Sunday mornings and daily devotions or Bible studies were expected. I was baptized as a baby and confirmed as a teenager. I have always been active in whatever church my family was attending. It apparently had such an impact that I chose to go into the ministry professionally. So throughout college I was also surrounded by faith-building people and events, whether it was Camp Chrysalis, TLU chapel, or a particularly challenging Ruge-Jones class. And of course, I now work at a church, where faith and study is front-n-center.

I don’t make a habit of claiming to know what I don’t, but I felt like I knew I didn’t need to rethink my entire faith identity because a few charismatic men told me to.

To put it simply, I spent a great amount of time wondering what someone like me could get out of the retreat.

The retreat started on Thursday evening with a vow of silence. We were told not to speak until the next morning after worship, so as to get in tune with the Holy Spirit. Thankfully, I had a roommate who, like me, did not fare well with rules against talking. He was a guy with two kids and a heart of gold, and talking to him was a welcome respite from the uncomfortable larger group.

The next morning, after we were allowed to speak again, we dove into sessions, or “talks” on different aspects of a healthy Christian life. Each talk was about 20 minutes in length, and after each one we were told to discuss the content with our table groups, come up with a summary, and plan a creative expression of the topic.

The talks themselves were fine. Many of them inspirationally incorporated the speaker’s personal life, usually a sweeping tale of falling away from God and finding God again in the lowest of places. Seriously, people got REAL. But as I said before, I have never been in such a situation, so I had a hard time identifying with the stories… I didn’t know what I was supposed to gain from these testimonies.

Fast forward to Saturday night. After another full day of talks, discussions, summaries, and creative expressions (and you had better make sure it was in that order), we were taken to a small cabin-like building for a worship service. By the time the service was over, late evening had fallen. The in-charges told us to line up by group, with our hand on the shoulder of the gentleman before us.

As we were led outside, the path we were walking was revealed to us, bordered on either side with lit candles within white paper bags. The path wound around the camp, going up small hills, crossing bridgeways, and looping around the pond in the center of the grounds. It was truly a beautiful sight. I marveled at the candlelight until we reached the dining hall, where we were met with calm singing. I was yanked forward by my own hand on the guy in front of me and was pulled into a crowd of people, each holding a single lit candle. What light wasn’t given by the candles was beaming from the smiling faces of all these strangers.

The crowd sang to us as we walked through them. Once we reached the other side of the room, we were told to sing back to the crowd. The candle-holders were silenced as the group of men began to sing- some voices shaky with emotion, some with nerves.

We sang the chant three times through. On the first breath of the fourth go-round, every single candle was lifted into the air and the volume in the room swelled with every single voice joyfully singing, the face of Jesus clearly lit up on each one of them.

In that instance, I knew God had led me here for a reason.

It didn’t matter what it was. It didn’t matter that I couldn’t figure it out. At that moment, I knew God would let me know his purpose in his own sweet, sweet time.

The next morning, I started looking at the retreat in a new light. I saw all these men around me.

• · Men who were old enough to be my father.
• · Men who were old enough to be my grandfather.
• · Men who had seen Hell and made it through.
• · Men who had met God on the path farthest from the right one.
• · Men who had raised children.
• · Men who had seen marriage fail and succeed.
• · Men who were on this retreat because they recognized the need for it in their life.

And these men were men I could only hope to be like someday.

After lunch on Sunday, we were taken into the same cabin-like building from the night before and each handed a thick yellow envelope. The group leaders told us to open the package and read in silence as they each placed an ominous box of tissues in the center of each group circle.

The first letter I opened was from my Aunt Hope, who I haven’t seen in much too long. She wrote of the times years ago when she would read to me each book I brought her. She wrote of how proud she was of me and my life’s choices. She wrote of how her sister (my deceased grandmother) would light up when she used to see me coming when I was a toddler. I finished the letter and wiped my wet eyes with the sleeve of my jacket.

Other letters I got were from the rest of my family, members of my Longview church, and even friends from Camp. Each one brought with it a surge of emotion and primal, instinctual agape love for each and every person.

You often wonder how people really feel about you. You worry if you are being the Christian God called you to be. When you get 30 letters not only telling you that you are being that person, but that all these people love you even more for it…man, it hits you like a ton of bricks.

As I was being driven away from the campsite by my Emmaus sponsors, I reflected on what I had gained from the weekend. No, it wasn’t a rededication of my life. No, it wasn’t a sweeping epic tale. But what I got was inspiration. Inspiration to take back home to Longview. I had been inspired by the events of the weekend. Inspired to be a man of God through the good times and bad. Inspired to bring creativity back to First Lutheran. Inspired to be the person everyone who wrote me letters said I was.

My Walk to Emmaus wasn’t a usual one. But it wasn’t unlike the walk the Gospel of Luke describes to us.

A couple of Jesus’ disciples were walking along to Emmaus when a stranger comes up to them. He begins walking and talking with them about many things. When they make it to Emmaus, they offer to feed the stranger. It is then that Jesus reveals himself to his disciples.

I went on this retreat not really looking for anything. I was introduced to 30 older men with who I had nothing in common. I went through the first few days almost ignorant to the Holy Spirit’s work. All of a sudden, Jesus slapped me in the face, as if to say, “WAKE UP.”

He had been there the whole time.

I just had to stop looking.

-Danul

A Very Thoughtful Blog Entry

Because I can't think of anything clever to start off this post, I'll simply remind you in all caps that HP7 ARRIVES IN 44 DAYS. OHGAWD.

*Ahem*

In other Danul news, my life in Longview has fallen pleasantly into an early autumn. As I write, it is a breezy 70 degrees (Fahrenheit, for the smartmouths out there) outside and I'm wishing to be outside. No color changes yet, but as it is October finally, those highly-anticipated oranges and yellows should be here soon.

This past weekend, I had the pleasure (?) to be the center of attention at Longview's annual "Touch A Truck, Feed A Family" event, benefiting the local community ministry organization. I spent the five-hour event atop a dunking booth, hovering above a tub of blurry brown water(honestly- it looked like an iced coffee after all the ice had melted); a sitting duck at the mercy of the hundreds of kids who could not wait to see me submerged.

Seriously, I must have been dunked over 200 times. I had to wash my hair three times before I actually felt clean again. But it was a good time. We were the "it" thing at the event, even beating out the baby animals and the bouncy houses. Go us. :D

You will all be undoubtedly be proud to hear that I have finally ventured out of my apartment and into the real world of young adults. And even better- it's paying off! However, I've been feeling a bit conflicted in this area, and so I've come to the blogosphere for assistance.

Not too long ago, I was attending a church fair at the local university as First Lutheran representative. It was a bit...unsettling to see all the other churches in the area set up shop with flashing lights, videos, free T-shirts, and multi-dimensional displays. It was definitely a wake-up call. I told myself to go check out these other churches and see what their stories were. God must've been thinking the same thing, because the first booth I went to was full of people who looked my age. I inched in a little closer, still wary that they could really all be a lot older, a lot younger, or a lot weird.

I got to talking to several of them, the whole time expecting them to bust out with some ape-crap theology or ask for a vile of my saliva, but none of that happened. Instead, they invited me to their Sunday night study group for young adults. I told them I would definitely be there, and with a homemade cookie in hand and a smile on my face, I walked back to my own booth.

I have been attending the group, called "Shift", for around two months now, and I'm, like, loving it. Good people, good discussion; good God, it's just awesome. I honestly haven't felt this included in a long time.

So there's that. And now here's this.

I've also become involved in the local YoungLife group in Longview. For those who don't know, YoungLife is a ministry geared toward unchurched high schoolers that sets up different chapters in each high school in the area, so each school has its own place to go. The chapters meet every week at "club" to play games, sing songs, and generally exert pent-up energy. It's a rambunctious affair, but I can see the kids love it. Toward the end of each club, the kids are quieted to hear a short-n-sweet message from one of the leaders.

Right now, I'm in training to be one of the leaders for a YoungLife chapter at one of the many high schools in Longview.

Therein lies my conflict.

The YL training is on the same nights as Shift, so I'm missing out on building friendships with this group that I truly enjoy being around. I feel spiritually and physically well when I attend Shift. When I have to leave early to get to YL training, I feel like I've driven away from the gas station with the nozzle still gushing fuel all over the now empty concrete.

At the training, I am easily the oldest person being trained. And honestly, it's nothing I don't already know. Having gone through camp staff training four times and taken youth ministry courses in college, I know how to handle kids. I also am very familiar with a lot of the theological training they are putting the trainees through.

We're reading a book by A.W. Tozer- a 19th century theologian who writes like he's amending the KJV Bible (it's really quite amazing to think how much language has changed in 100 years). True, I'm no stranger to fancy words, but my critically-trained mind wants to unpack Tozer's words while the rest of the young trainees are very quick to agree with whatever Tozer says. It's not that I don't agree, it's just that I would like to discuss them. One big topic is the moment at which one knows they've been saved, and how everyone should have one. While I applaud and support those who have had such a moment, I do not. I've had a lifelong close relationship with Christ, and I'm not going to second guess it because Tozer says I should.

I've already dealt with this theology. I've read it, considered it, and come to my own conclusions about it. I'm not saying it's bad theology or that the other trainees won't benefit from it, but that I've already gotten everything that I could personally get out of it. But I can't see myself sitting through another month's worth of weekly training, while missing out on something that is spiritually fulfilling to me personally.

For lack of a better word, I feel a bit more advanced than the rest of the trainees. And like I said, I would rather be at Shift anyway.

On the other hand...

YoungLife is a ministry I have personally seen God work through. It is indeed a great thing. I got involved in YL to reach more kids for my church, and I am sure that would happen.

But which is more important: my personal social/spiritual fulfillment or my obligation to bring kids to my church?

Recently, I thought I had this all sorted out. I was going to set YL aside (for the time being, anyway), and focus on building up my own spiritual well-being. But like always, God threw a monkeywrench into the proceedings.

I attended a YL dinner last night and basically had my mind changed for me by a young girl who gave a very emotional testimony on how YoungLife had changed her life. And just like that, I was back to square one. I knew I was being told to be involved.

I can say for sure God wants me to be involved with this ministry, but I don't yet know how. I can't see God wanting me to put my own spirit on hold, so I'm hoping and praying for an answer soon.

I'm meeting with the YL area coordinator this week to discuss this all with him, and hopefully he'll have an idea.

---

So that's the conflict I face right now. There's some more to it, but I got the gist of it together for you. I figure anyone who reads this can sympathize with at least one side of the fence I'm straddling right now. I'd appreciate any comments, thoughts, and even sternly worded critique if you feel I so deserve it.

I can't thank you enough for reading my rambles. I babble so much, it's not often I find myself with actual problems to write about. But my parents love it, so I keep on. The things I do...

- Danul

Movie Review Monday: Easy A

So, I honestly loved this movie. Easy A is "easily" the best movie of its class since Lindsay Lohan's Mean Girls. An enjoyable, hilarious movie-going experience coupled with smartly presented insights into an American high school.

This film stars Emma Stone (Superbad, Zombieland). If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing Stone in something else, this film is a fantastic starter. Though she doesn't have too much experience, Stone expertly characterizes herself as Olive Penderghast, the film's very likable heroine, whose reputation is exalted and subsequently trashed thanks to a little-white-lie-turned-rumor about her losing her virginity. Next thing Olive knows, she's being sought out by the school's most unfortunate male students who offer to pay her to tell people she cashed their V-cards.

The rest of the cast is full of "oh-my-gosh-where-have-I-seen-him/her-before" actors, which, for me, made the movie experience more enjoyable. Alyson Michalka (Disney Channel's Phil of the Future) plays Olive's BFF; Dan Byrd (TV's Cougar Town) portrays Olive's gateway vanishing virginity act; Amanda Bynes (TV's The Amanda Show, She's The Man) plays the school's venomous, judgmental Christian crusader (grr...more on this later); Stanley Tucci (The Devil Wears Prada) is Olive's father; Penn Badgley (TV's Gossip Girl) plays the quirky love interest; Thomas Haden Church (Spider-Man 3, Sideways) portrays Olive's favorite English teacher and Lisa Kudrow (TV's Friends) is the school's guidance counselor. This last one drew a delighted smile from me in the theater...I love me some Friends.

The story unfurls very easily. Nothing feels forced and everything feels so well-paced and thought-out. The humor along the way is executed with a class and wit we haven't seen in a long while.

As a high school movie, Easy A will amuse it's target of 14-18 year-olds without much effort. Those who have lived long enough to appreciate the different generations of high school movies, will be able to see the subtle social commentary within the film and reflect on it.

The film addresses that age-old question: "Why can girls have sex without being called sluts?"

It's a valid issue. And one Easy A chooses to poke fun at via Nathaniel Hawthorne's high school English class standard, The Scarlett Letter. Olive takes a cue from Hester Prynne: in response to all the finger-pointing and rumor-mongering about her fake trysts, she decides to give the public what they want and begins wearing a red "A" on all her clothes. Of course, what starts out as a funny joke quickly turns into an uncontrollable destruction of all her close relationships (and in one case, a marriage).

With such an issue as the main focus, one doesn't go into Easy A without expecting sex to be front and central, unless one is exceptionally naive.

Olive's initial fake romp to help out a friend's reputation is only the beginning of a lot of frank sexual candor throughout the movie. Olive also revamps her wardrobe from conservative-yet-stylish to downright slutty, complete with corsets and stilettos. Thankfully, no nudity is seen. However, parents be cautioned.

If I had one compliant about this movie, it would be how the Christians are portrayed. With Amanda Bynes as their leader, I expected a charicature, but what I saw was a bit unsettling. These characters are seen as the villains of the film; as issue-buriers, closeted sluts, and pious pigs. This made me incredibly sad. Is this really how the greater culture sees us?

This is made worse when Olive actually seeks out help from a pastor. He ends up just being a self-righteous jerk to her. Sadly, every single Christian character outright refuses to help Olive when she recognizes she needs it.

But even with all this negative publicity, I think Christians (and young people in general) can walk away from this movie strengthened. Christians can use the movie to see how to be counter-cultural (camp shout-out!) and stand out against the modern world's assumption of Christianity.

Unlike so many of its compatriots, Easy A is not a tale of losing one's virginity, but rather the opposite. Olive is on a quest to restore her virginity (which, in point of fact, she never physically lost) and validate herself in her own terms, not the terms of her peers. Young people can see this and understand that once you've made your bed, you must lie in it. This film gives great insight into the aftermath of a young person becoming sexually active and what it can do to your relationships. The baggage and destructive traits Olive takes on in the film are prime examples (albeit extreme ones) of what can come from doing it the wrong way and what happens after. The right way is something everyone must turn to God for. The Bible gives many thoughts on the subject- whether you like them or not, they're not going anywhere.

In this situation, Olive was lucky enough to get hers back, but in reality, that can't happen. So I guess my main point is this: youth are bombarded daily with movies, shows, songs, and even books that scream at them to cash in the big V. Easy A is a refreshing breath into popular culture that looks at the morning after and cautions kids to reconsider. If only the Christian characters were this helpful...

All in all, this movie is a good one. Full of great comedic performances, a really fun soundtrack, and a lesson I didn't see coming, Easy A is a future pop culture lesson waiting to be written.

Go see it and tell me what you think!

- Danul

Movie Review Monday: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Hello and happy Monday! I humbly offer to you my review of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. This little film has been publicized for over a year, which is an achievement for a movie that doesn't have Johnny Depp or Angelina Jolie as its star. However, it is based on a comic book - excuse me, graphic novel - so that may have had something to do with it.

Feeling at first glance like the man-approved Juno, the film is a good, solid ride. Scott is your average twentysomething nerd living a meaningless existence in Toronto, Canada until a girl with pink hair enters his life and turns it upside down. To win the heart of his true love apparent, Scott must defeat her seven Evil Exes. The things you've heard are right on: the film feels like a video game, from beginning to end, complete with level-ups, boss battles, and multiples "lives."

I cannot express how much Michael Cera's (Juno, TV's Arrested Development) restricted version of comedic acting grates on me, but he fits the bill as a nerd so well here that it works. All the "Evil Exes" are expectedly campy, and they are easily the best parts of the movie. You may recognize some of the faces of the Exes (Chris Evans of Fantastic Four, Mae Whitman of TV's Parenthood, Brandon Routh of Superman Returns, and Jason Schwartzman of TV's Bored to Death). The battles between Scott and each Ex are exciting and just plain awesome.

Then we have Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Sky High, Final Destination 3), who plays the girl of Scott's dreams, Ramona Flowers. She's cute and she dresses quirky (OMG just like Juno!), but that's about it. Her character comes off as flat and uninspired (very unlike Juno), which made me wonder why Scott falls so madly in love with her.

The writing is compact and tight. Every supporting character is given a specific personality, all of them funny. There is not a scene that doesn't add up to the finale. Again like Juno, this film seems to have created its own dialect of sorts, speaking with enjoyable and smirk-worthy pop culture references peppered into all of the conversations.

At the time of this writing, Scott Pilgrim is sitting at number five on the Top Ten, which, in box office terms, is bad. I find this interesting, since when I went to see it, the theater was packed and all the teenagers who thought Juno was the "OMG awesomest movie ever!" would not stop laughing at the screen. For sure, Michael Cera is becoming more and more a mainstream name, so I thought his first hugely marketed film would do well, or at least better than debuting at number five.

Still, I think Scott Pligrim is already a cult classic with the fans of the source material and a sleeper hit with the folks who went to see it this weekend. If given the longevity it now needs, I think the film will find its audience. As far as reaching that desperately coveted young demographic, this film does that in spades.

In a weird way, Scott Pilgrim is an intriguing social commentary on today's youth. In a world where it is so easy to transport ourselves into our TV sets and laptops and live through the lives of virtual avatars, how often do we get up and fight for something in the real world as hard as we fight to get past that villain and on to the next level of some game? Food for thought, I guess.

Like my last reviewed film, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, the violence in Scott Pilgrim is hard to define. Yes, there are battles. Yes, there are weapons. Yes, the losers perish. But remember - the film takes place inside a video game universe, so every time Scott defeats an Ex, they burst into glittering coins, not blood 'n' guts. The battles themselves are bloodless, but both parties do get knocked around. Several instances of guy-on-girl violence may not sit well with some people, as it didn't with me.

This being a PG-13 offering, sex is everpresent. Scott and Ramona tumble into bed within days of meeting each other, which I thought was wholly unnecessary. At the beginning of the movie, Scott (a 22-year-old male) is dating a girl named Knives Chou (a 17-year-old high schooler). The legality of this is never brought up, but it made me feel uneasy. Plus, as Scott's infatuation with Ramona grows, so shrinks his courage to be honest with Knives. Parents and conservative minds be warned.

My biggest issue with Scott Pilgrim was that Scott falls for Ramona after simply seeing her in passing. From this, the movie unfolds into an "epic of epic epicness" depicting Scott proving his unfailing love for this girl that he just...saw. And I could deal with this...if...

Ramona reciprocated the unrequited love of Scott. But the girl is so distant and seemingly disinterested that i sat wondering why the poor guy was putting himself through all this for a girl whose attitude toward him kept saying, "Eh. I could take it or leave it." This triangle is all made worse by the inclusion of poor Knives, who genuinely likes Scott, but isn't given the benefit of honesty. I would think if he's man enough to engage in sparkly battle with seven bitter, super-powered exes, he would be able to grow a pair to tell Knives how he really feels.

Don't misunderstand me. The film does address the cheating issue, and all characters leave hunky-dory, but I just didn't get Scott's behavior.

All in all, the film stumbles, but is still a great ride. The utterly dazzling special effects made me want to brush my teeth after watching them. The very definition of eye candy.

My Christian conclusion is this: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is a fantastic satire of our modern world. The film inspires you to fight for what you want, while simultaneously pointing out how insipid it is to fight for something that's not worth it (i.e. that sweet new gun in Halo). Walking out of the theater, I wanted to go out and win the approval of someone by showing what I'm made of. I wanted to log off my laptop, switch off my PS2, and go out and live to the fullest. But what? What in the real world is worth fighting for as hard as Scott fights for Ramona?

Jesus answered that for us. He fought and died for us because of his love for us. And I like to think it was worth it. Like Scott's seven battles, Jesus' triumph over the ultimate Evil Ex inspires me to go out and live my life to the glory of what matters: the person I love, to whom I owe everything. And while Jesus may not have purple hair or zappy one-liners, the life I gain continues to power me to fight the things that stand in my way of the ultimate level-up: eternal life in paradise.

Movie Review Monday on Tuesday: The Sorcerer's Apprentice

So I've decided that I'm going to do this thing. I'm calling it "Movie Review Monday." Whether it will happen on Mondays remains to be seen, but there you are.

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If you know me (in any capacity), you know three things about me:

1) I am tall (and thanks for letting me know...'cause I had no idea),

2) I melt with fanboyish delight at the mention of Harry Potter, and

3) I pride myself on my ever-expanding film collection (latest count sits at 431).

In recent months, I have found myself to be something of a very critical...well, critic of movies and TV shows. I guess it comes with the territory.

So rather than flood my friends' News Feeds with Flixter Reviews from my iPhone (shameless plug!), I'm going to channel those critiques into my blog. That way, you four loyal readers are guaranteed at least one entry a week. :D

I will model each of my reviews as follows:

- how well the film is made (acting, writing, direction)

- if it reaches its target audience

- parental cautions

- Christian conclusion

DISCLAIMER: I am in no way a professional movie-maker or movie-breaker. These are my personal thoughts. 'Kay?

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The subject of my first review is The Sorcerer's Apprentice, the newest lovechild of Jerry Bruckheimer and Disney. It stars Nicolas Cage (National Treasure) as Balthazar Blake, a centuries-old sorcerer in search for the "Next Big Thing" in magic. Jay Baruchel (Knocked Up) stars as Dave Stutler, that "Next Big Thing." Naturally, the film follows the story of how Dave becomes a sorcerer under Balthazar's tutelage. Oh, and there's also a evil sorcerer, played by Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2).

I thought this film was a lot of fun. The acting is good enough with a healthy dose of camp to let us know that the actors aren't taking their roles too seriously. Cage is best when he doesn't try too hard and here we see that. Throughout the film, Baruchel delivers more of those great one-line zingers that got him noticed in his earlier films. Surprisingly, he capably carries the film as the titular hero. The supporting cast all does a great job with what they're given, and unknown Teresa Palmer works as the quirky love interest.

Like the acting, the writing is believable enough to not make you groan, but campy enough that lets you know not to take it too seriously.

The film is directed by Jon Turteltaub, who we've all seen before with both National Treasure films. Apprentice is very much in the vein of those two, and Turteltaub proves he can capably handle a popcorn flick.

With its mid-summer release opposite Chrisopher Nolan's mindbender Inception, Apprentice aims to appeal to all those who aren't yet able to (and those who plain don't want to) appreciate Nolan's conceptually-layered parfait of a film. To that end, it succeeds. Every young boy is going to eat this film up. And if the teenage crowd can get over the PG-rating and lack of boobs, I think they would be pleasantly surprised.

Oh! And if you are a OneRepublic fan, you'll be happy to know that the song "Secrets" features strongly in a particular scene in a very cool way. in fact, the film's entire soundtrack is enjoyable. The end credits led me to discover (with the help of Shazam for iPhone) the band Alpha Rev and their song "Phoenix Burn".

Of course, no one film will appeal to all types. Young girls won't find much beyond a few cute magic tricks and a light romance in the way of a fairy tale. Older folks who are looking for a more mature magical movie would be better off watching something else, too.

For any parents- that being potential, pending, and present- this film does hold some caution. First off, while no blood is seen (hello? it's magic), the film features a lot more death than I expected. Several characters are done away with so suddenly that it caught me off guard. Secondly, there's the giant CGI dragon. It's not in the film for a very long time, but for the time it is, it's pretty in-your-face.

Then there's the issue of the magic. Without being too spoilerish, I will say that the film explains its magic in a scientific way, which I assume is to placate any claims from conservative families of occult themes...as if that would stop them. But still, a parent is a parent is a parent, so there you go.

My conclusion on this movie is that it is a very fun and fast-paced summer flick. It's not going to win Oscars, but it's not going to interest the Razzie board, either. That the film seems to know this is a relief, too.

If you're a Disney fan, you will like this movie. The more hardcore Disney fans will know that this film is based (very loosely) on an animated short of the same name from Fantasia, the ambitious 1940 musical film. There is a specific scene in Apprentice that pays homage to the short that is sure to make you smile.

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As a youth minister, I try to find Christian truths in the pop culture world we live in. I see The Sorcerer's Apprentice as harmless entertainment, but that doesn't mean it can't be used to bring Christ to the surface. For starters, the bond between Balthazar and Dave is reminiscent of a healthy father-son relationship and the ups and downs it goes through. The theme of sacrifice is strong in this film, first seen during the medieval prologue and brought full circle during the finale, which features a character making the choice to save the girl he loves with great consequence to himself, and another choosing to sacrifice himself for the sake of the many. The film even hints at an unseen, unnamed higher power, from whom the ability of magic came from.

Once this film is out on DVD, youth groups all over the country could easily turn this into a lively movie devotion.

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So that was my first review. Awful? Awesome? Well, whatever it was, I had fun doing it. Look for more to come. If you want me to review a specific film that you don't see here, ask me! That would make me feel special :D.