Happy Halloween!

Friday the 13th Part One – My favorite horror movie of all time. A classic slasher that kicks off the franchise with Kevin Bacon, strip monopoly, an archery range and the worst fake lightning I’ve ever seen. I love it. I own all of them.

The Shining – It’s not the gore that makes this movie scary; it’s one man’s decent into insanity that makes the Shining so terrifying. The imagery is haunting and the twist at the end will leave you thinking. (Different than the book’s ending, thanks for the reminder Kyle.)

Poltergeist – One of the first horror movies I ever saw. Nothing can beat creepy kids but the entire atmosphere of the film is eerie (the toy clowns everywhere.) And the scene when the guy peels his face off is the grossest thing ever.

Psycho – This list wouldn’t be complete without the Master of Suspense himself: Alfred Hitchcock. Of course it’s nearly impossible for me to choose just ONE for this list, but Psycho (aside from Peeping Tom) is considered the first slasher movie so I have to go with it.

Insidious – Easily one of the most creative and innovative horror movies in the last twenty years. Insidious is TERRIFYING and is the perfect blend of all types of horror. Its full of twists, jumpy moments, wtf moments and even heartfelt ones. A brilliant film that takes horror where it hasn’t gone before.

High Tension – Even though the first few times I watched this movie it was the poorly dubbed, English version, this movie got me SO pumped. Lots of badass moments, lots of blood, even a female masturbation scene (it’s edgy is all I’m saying.) Anyways, this is a must see for horror fans.

The Orphanage – Guillermo del Toro, need I say more? This movie is extremely suspenseful and keeps you guessing until the very end. Its beautifully shot and the disturbing conclusion isn’t just creative storytelling but a fascinating commentary about parenthood.

The Descent – Its hard to describe how great this movie is. The Descent is personal and gives you a claustrophobic feeling. The characters are forced to face their own darkest secrets, not just the secrets of the cave they’re stuck in.

Blair Witch Project – There haven’t been too many movies (even among the others on this list) that have freaked me out as much as the last five minutes of this movie. You have to wait it out on this one, but the pay-off is SO good.

Nightmare on Elm Street – While I didn’t see these movies until recently, the original easily makes my list. The beginning of iconic Freddy Krueger that takes us in and out of the nightmares of a handful of teens. Wes Craven is a master.

Exorcism of Emily Rose – This movie might be part court room drama, but I thought it executed a lot of the spiritual aspects and questions surrounding exorcism better than The Exorcist. Not to mention that Jennifer Carpenter’s scream was made for horror movies. This movie also delivers the creepy, disturbing body contortions, satanic voices, and distorted faces from all demonic horror.

Alien – Aliens are always pretty scary simply because they’re inhuman, but Ridley Scott’s alien is one like you’ve never seen. And its not just the mother alien that you need to worry about, but it impregnates the others on the ship so that you can’t know who might be an alien. Also, Ripley is a badass.

Amityville Horror – Last but not least, this was the first movie about demon possession I ever saw as a kid. Creepy house, possessed kids and questionable priests make for one scary movie. I can’t vouch for any of the sequels or remakes, though – haven’t seen them.

Higher Ground – NOW PLAYING at The Landmark, Culver City and Laemmle Town Center
Rebirth – Bel Air Film Festival will screen it Oct 22
Like Crazy – Oct 28
Tyrannosaur – Nov 18
Martha Marcy Mae Marlene – Dec 22

So I’m finally catching up on Mad Men. Awful. I know. I took a class on it for crying out loud. I had seen seasons 1 and 2; wrote my final paper and presentation on The Mountain King (S2) but for whatever reason never followed through with my obsession. I remember the first time I watched an episode I was eating sushi and complaining about why I never watch television. And there it was: something entirely new.

I wanted to hate the show at first. There was Don Draper, the womanizer and uncannily creative man that was on top of the world, even if they portray his silhouette falling from it in the opening credits. In season 1 we learned of his depravity. In season 2, his complexity. In season 3, his recognition of the problem. And in season 4 we watch him fall in and out of love, despair and even his identity. No, I haven’t finished season 4 yet but I’m sure I’ll write about it once I have.

The main point I wanted to make is that this show leaves me feeling similarly to how I feel after an episode of Californication. While there are some obvious similarities between the main characters, I think it just boils down to the universal truth that we all want to know that there are consequences for our actions and that there is hope even for the most evil people, because at any time we can be that person, as well. We want Don to succeed in his work and with his family, but not with women and secrecy. We want him to fail but secretly want him to be happy. We want him to be perfect at everything, yet flawed and in this way redeemable. My professor believes that the show will end with the story in the credits. Don’s indiscretions whether intentional or not, will ultimately lead to him either falling or jumping from a building; most likely his office. There’s no other way Matthew Weiner can let him get away with it.

Don wants everything we want. He doesn’t want to run or hide or lie. He wants a loving family. He wants respect from those he works with and everyone else. He wants to be the man we all want him to be, too. I know that the idea of projecting ourselves onto the characters we see on television isn’t a new one. But I wanted to comment on the anti-hero in Draper. Yes this show is something new because our society would not have accepted it until now. We know we are a fallen world and while we want someone to tell us its going to be okay, we want just as much for someone to tell us that wrong doing will not go unpunished.

Sorry if this is a rant. Just thinking.

Peculiar Grace from Benjamin Koppin on Vimeo.

(stream of consciousness with words from Tim Chaddick, the Civil Wars and Blue Valentine)

Each person should pursue the other in their own way. Initiative needs to be taken. If one person is doing all the work, they will always be doing all the work (Blue Valentine?) If these intentions are not apparent, they need to be. Ruth and Boaz show initiative and humility, and that their intentions are rooted in things way beyond themselves. They will also come to fruition in ways they could never imagine – in the family line of Jesus Christ.

“We must be defined by our faith and not by our past.” Ruth is not deterred by her widow status or her lowly place in society as a foreigner; why? Because she was perfectly justified through her faith in God. As a side note, this is the first thing Boaz sees in her.

Problems must be faced with righteousness in accordance to God’s law. Only then can there be true intimacy and security. By the grace of God we can love what we SHOULD do. In the face of these problems there must also be a commitment based on faith.

SO here’s the good news: Jesus has done all this for us. He fulfilled the law and he did it right. His righteousness protects not only himself but ourselves from condemnation and accusation. Jesus did not cut corners, he did as God asked so that we were perfectly justified.

AND WHERE DOES IMPATIENCE COME IN?

1. If you really want something to happen so you’re pushing regardless of whether the other person shows initiative, not only will this never change but you will always be trying to earn something that cannot be earned.

2. Righteousness is not the easy/quick fix. We have to do things right without cutting corners. If Boaz had made the easy choice he still would have reached his end goal which was admirable, yes, and the right thing to do BUT he would have arrived at it by dismissing his culture, forsaking his family and compromising his reputation and Ruth’s. He did it the right way though he risked losing Ruth.

3. We have to walk the line between initiative and humility; a balance of both. Do not just take what is laid in front of you or fight for something that shouldn’t be because “you deserve it.” Be justified in your faith and your righteousness, not a false confidence or sense of entitlement.

Oh I’ve got this friend
A loveless romantic
All that he really wants
Is someone to want him back

I’ve got this friend
I don’t think you know her
She sings a simple song
It sounds a lot like his

Oh I’ve got this friend
Holding onto her heart
Like it’s a little secret
Like it’s all she’s got to give

Ohh, if the right one came
If the right one came along
Ohh, if the right one came, along

It’d be such a shame
(If they never meet)
She sounds lovely
(He sounds right out of a dream)
If only
(If only)
If only

-The Civil Wars “I’ve Got This Friend”

-While I was not all-together surprised I was disappointed in the cliche opening credits music. There are a lot of chick flick scores that come up on my Pandora station..some are good!

-HAHAHA ITS JACK BLACK PLAYING THAT GOD AWFUL MUSIC. Touche.

-The opening VO is as I aspected though. With mentions of Shakespeare and the importance of love.

-And my Ben & Jerry’s is already done…damn..

-Kate Winslet is brilliant. Even though I somewhat feel her talent is wasted on a movie like this. I mean I like Cameron Diaz too, but this movie is more fitting for her.

-JOHN KRASINSKI IS IN THIS MOVIE! It just got decent.

-I’m sorry is this a love story between Kate and Cameron?

-Just realized I’m watching a Christmas movie in August.

-I’m falling asleep…its 7:21pm

-Jude Law is reeeeeally good looking. AND they should probably just bone already. The music is really killin it though.

-CLICHE NUMBER 34 – Girl rocking out in her pajamas because shes just SO stoked on life.

-IMOGEN HEAP FTW!

-I’ve spent the last twenty minutes looking up housing exchanges in London. I don’t think I’ve missed anything.

-”Sex makes everything complicated. Even if you’re not having it, its the not having it that makes things complicated.” Valid point.

-CLICHE NUMBER 78- Old men making jokes about being old men.

I may have to end this blog, as I don’t think I can finish the movie…

This is me.

I am a new creation in Christ.

He who started this great work in me, will not stop until He is finished and I am complete in Him.

My identity is found IN Him, not only through Him.

My guilt is a denial of His grace. Sometimes worse than self-righteousness.

Being a Christian does not mean being a “yes” person, or a “no” person for that matter. It means using wisdom and discernement and walking in the confidence of God’s grace.

Jesus forgive me for my apathy. I don’t know when I stopped fighting for myself, for my passions – for you.

Just seeing what happens is no way to live my life. Lord give me boldness. Make me fearless through your Holy Spirit.

“I’ve been trying so hard to do what is right, that I’ve forgotten to do what IS right.” – Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park

This is me. I am still that four year old evangelist. I am still that mentor in middle school youth group. I am still that worship leader in high school. I am still who God created me to be.

Loved Pastor Tim’s sermon on Naomi’s bitterness tonight. The main points you ask?

God’s blessing was not dependent on Naomi’s goodness. She had already left Israel and her people, forsaking God’s plan, taking matters into her own hands. Not only that, but she returns complaining that she left full and came back empty– she’s standing there with Ruth who has decided to stay with her mother in law instead of trying to move on with her own loss and new life. And it’s also the beginning of the harvest.

Sometimes self condemnation is worse than legalism. But both are  a denial of grace. This one stood out to me, because this has always been my burden. But it is as much a failure to recognize grace, as it is to attempt to earn it by your own righteousness.

Even though Naomi was complaining, God’s blessing was still on its way. For this one, Tim used the example of his daughter asking for presents around her birthday. They go to the store and she points to the doll she wants and tells him to get it for her birthday. He says no. But little does she know he already bought that along with lots of other gifts and he’s just hiding them in the basement until her birthday. She cries and screams when he says no, but she has no idea…

Here’s the passage he was drawing from. If you’d like to hear the whole sermon, you can find it here once they’ve posted it. Oh, and the title for the post is a line from OneRepublic’s Good Life that I’ve had on repeat ALL DAY.

1. Alice by Danny Elfman

2. Batman Begins by James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer

3. The Hours by Philip Glass

4. 3:10 to Yuma by Marco Beltrami

5. Atonement by Dario Marionelli

6. The Lord of the Rings by Howard Shore

7. Transformers by Steve Jablonsky

8. Road to Perdition by Thomas Newman

9. Bram Stoker’s Dracula by Wojciech Kilar

10. Les Choristes by Bruno Coulais

11. Signs by James Newton Howard

12. Finding Neverland by Jan A.P. Kaczmarek

13. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by John Williams

14. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by

15. Passion of the Christ by John Debney

16. The Natural by Randy Newman

16. HONORARY TELEVISION SCORE: LOST by Michael Giacchino