Tags
birds, blogging, crisis of meaning, culture, faith, humor, insanitybytes22, life, movies
“Change in the Air,” sadly, is not actual ‘change’ as in all the clowns running our asylum have now promptly resigned, but rather the name of movie hubby and I watched, made in 2018, starring Rachel Brosnahan.
I put a question mark next to the title which I think just about sums it up. I am laughing here, but it was one of those endearing chick flicks that tend to make my hubby groan and roll his eyes, except this time I was groaning right along with him. At one point he let out such a plaintive wail, w-h-y, that it just had me rolling on the floor.
In for a penny, in for a pound. I was determined to watch this movie to the bitter end when every hauntingly disjointed mystery would suddenly fall into place and the reason, the purpose behind wasting 90 minutes of my life would be revealed to us. Alas, no. It did not play out quite like I imagined, in fact it did not play out at all.
The blurb for this movie reads, “When a beguiling young woman moves in next door, a quiet neighborhood is awakened, bringing people face to face with their secrets and, ultimately, themselves.” That is a wonderful tag line! What astounds me even more than this movie is that somebody could take a storyline like that and NOT run somewhere, anywhere. You could pick that tagline up and just faceplant in wet cement and you would at least be telling a story.
The reviews were right too, “gorgeously-beautiful-mysterious.” Indeed it was, the problem being it needed some rhyme and reason, some order to it’s chaos, perhaps even something as simple as….a plot. I don’t wish to be needlessly harsh here, but I would label this movie, “humanistic spirituality porn.”
Spoiler alert here, not that it is even possible to actually spoil random chaos that springs forth from nothingness, but people die and people grieve and then their grief is turned into birds who fly away. Now that we have solved all the world’s problems, I’m sure you will share one reviewer’s wisdom, “heartwarming, profoundly spiritual, and thankfully not creepy and religious.” Dear heavens, I never thought I’d say this, but ‘creepy and religious’ would have been a vast improvement.
All of this lamenting over a 5 star movie brings me to my real point, we are definitely suffering a ‘crisis of meaning’ in this country. In my neck of the woods we have these Occupy people. What do they do? They occupy. What are their demands, what are they protesting? Their right to take up space. Clever, huh? Get it? They “occupy.” If you have any affection for logic, reason, or a plotline, you will understand my angst and woe, my short circuit when trying to understand the “why.”
“Change in the Air” also had a ‘crisis of meaning’ going on, as in their efforts to remove anything that might be misconstrued as ‘creepy and religious,’ such as truth and beauty, or Someone greater than ourselves, just left us with a storyline that lacked all meaning and purpose.
Truth and beauty is a person y’all, the personhood of Jesus Christ. He is connection, intimacy, a two way relationship with another outside of yourself. Sacrificial love. Meaning. Purpose. Identity. The birds in this movie were borrowed from Him. Without Jesus central to our own story, our tears are like birds and while that is lovely and poetic, it says nothing at all about who we are, why we are here, and what our purpose is.
“…..Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
christinewjc said:
Glad I won’t waste my time watching that film. People like that reviewer thinks she’s “above us all who believe in Christ and the Bible.”. she’s more like one involved with esoteric illusions and also appears to need to show her hate for genuine believers in God.
Made me laugh – “face plant in cement” and “humanistic spirituality porn” – nailed it IB!
People like that seem to think that they are above it all, when in reality they are hopelessly lost without the saving grace of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.
LikeLiked by 1 person
insanitybytes22 said:
LOL! I almost think we should all watch this movie just as a good teaching example of how not to write a story and also of why “spirituality” is such a poor substitute for the real deal.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Citizen Tom said:
It has been decades since I regularly watched the stuff coming out of our entertainment industry. Threw out the TV set almost 40 years ago.
When I read the above, I had to laugh. Of course, later you stated the problem. Without truth, logic and reason become meaningless.
Most entertainers love being the center of attention. Often that is why they entertain. Even those like myself who have battled stage fright crave the praise of others. But the praise of others — being at the center of attention — may dangerously feed our egos. Then we can begin to believe what we want to believe, that it is all about “me.” That is too much a denial of the truth to be sane and logical.
Still, we hope. It really is difficult to accept the fact that so many supposedly wonderful people have lost their minds. In fact, they have not lost their minds. The Holy Spirit has not yet remade them new. Until we are born again, we have never ever actually been sane.
LikeLiked by 2 people
insanitybytes22 said:
“Until we are born again, we have never ever actually been sane.”
Oh, I like that very much, Tom! Well said. Perhaps much like the Bible says how we must lose our life to gain it, we must also lose our mind to find it.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Lisa V said:
As a general rule, any movie that the official “critics” love, I don’t even bother with. I trust the google “real people” reviews more. Next time, you should watch “Chef.” Aside from the cursing in the beginning of the movie (it mellows out), it’s a heartwarming and simple story. I’ve watched it three times so far. Oh, great soundtrack too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
insanitybytes22 said:
Wonderful! I love a good movie suggestion, so Ill look into ‘Chef.’ 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
seekingdivineperspective said:
Thanks for the heads-up, IB. My husband and I are always looking for a good movie to watch. This will not be one of them. Might look into “Chef,” though. Thanks, Lisa. – Hey, have you been posting lately, Lisa? I haven’t seen your blog recently, just wondering I’m not getting your notifications..?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Lisa V said:
@seekingdivineperspective Yes, I have. I posted 4 times in the past week. You aren’t seeing them? Hmmm…
LikeLiked by 2 people
insanitybytes22 said:
yeah, I have to go hunt both of you down. Neither one of you shows up in my reader.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Lisa V said:
Hmmm…sounds fishy. I’m also kind of flattered that I may have triggered the “powers that be.” LOL!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lisa V said:
I wonder if this has something to do with it. https://whatsnewinpublishing.com/googles-massive-algo-update-in-2-months-publishers-concerned-about-wordpress-gutenberg-bloat/
LikeLiked by 2 people
seekingdivineperspective said:
Oh dear. I read the article,and I haven’t a clue what any of that means. 🙄 Maybe if we all “follow” (or re-follow,) one another’s blogs again, we’ll start getting notifications again. Worth a try..
LikeLiked by 3 people
insanitybytes22 said:
Indeed! Sometimes I try to do a post full of blog sites and I often save many to my “favorites” so I can just point and click without relying on WP at all. Some people post a blog roll on their site with all their favorite blogs.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Lisa V said:
Haha! I was thinking the same thing. I can USE technology, but I hate messing with it, if that makes sense. Mostly I work AROUND technology. I thought I might look into it today, but I’ll probably just get frustrated and screw something up. The “follow” thing sounds easier. LOL
LikeLiked by 3 people
seekingdivineperspective said:
You and me both, Lisa.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sam said:
My wife and I watched “Second Hand Lion” last week. Wouldn’t call it a chick flick but she did tear up a couple of times. A couple of unrepentant old heathens and a little boy. Who’d a thunk.
I guess we’re way behind in watching socially redeeming movies.
LikeLiked by 2 people
insanitybytes22 said:
I loved that movie! Good choice. 🙂
LikeLike
jilldomschot said:
I watched it when I was sick once. I didn’t hate it, but I have low bar expectations when I’m crashed on the couch feeling nauseous.
LikeLiked by 1 person
insanitybytes22 said:
LOL! I suppose it’s a good movie for when you just want to numb out and lay on the couch! The characters are kind of endearing but they just kind of exist in space, which is probably about all we can muster when we aren’t feeling good ourselves. 🙂
LikeLike