Project Almanac - what would you do?

Last night I went to see this movie. There was no chance I was going to miss it from the moment I saw the trailer. Why? Because I am fascinated with time travel.

In the movie, David discovers that his his father had created blueprints for a time machine before his death 10 years ago. Along with his sister, two best friends and a girl named Jessie who he is crushing on, they find the materials to build the machine. And then, they get it to work....



I loved it, and not just because of the theme (although he had a big head start). I liked the characters, could identify with the emotions the ability to go back in time created, and was rooting for them. I thought David and Jessie had great chemistry, which made the chief dilemma of the movie believable. (Yes, I know - the terms believable and time travel probably don't belong in the same paragraph.)

And here it is: When you discover that you have changed history in a tragic way (no spoilers here), what do you do? Do you go back and try to correct it? And what if changing it would undo the thing that you want most in your life? What if you're with the girl of your dreams because of the way you changed history, but people are dead because of it as well?

What do you do? Do you do it on your own or do you keep your friends in the loop?

You know, it's not that different from the choices you and I face in our mundane linear timeline. We may not can change history, but we know when we are faced with choices that matter. Day after day, we have opportunities to do something in our own self-interest instead of for the benefit of others. Sadly, I know what choice I make way too often. How about you?

I love stories that make me think about who I am and the choices I make. They bring into focus whether I'm really living, as I claim, to love God and love others.

And when the story involvers time travel, so much the better. So I think I'll close this...and watch an episode of Doctor Who.

Iron Man 3 - demons

"We create our own demons." - Tony Stark, Iron Man 3

For me, the summer movie season officially opened this weekend with the release of Iron Man 3. A blockbuster with action, explosions, humor, and all the things we guys expect from our summer movies.

This one was a good start. It was fun, fast-paced (although in my opinion the climactic action scene ran a little longer than it should have), tense, and had an interesting storyline. And yes, it even made me think a little.

 The line quoted at the top of the page was from the opening narration. It refers directly to one night in 1999 when Stark (played by Robert Downey, Jr.) made a couple of choices that led directly to the mayhem that takes place over the following two hours. Both of them, depicted in the opening scene, were dismissive of others and obviously festered over the next 14 years. It refers more indirectly to the heroic choice Stark made in New York (and thus is intertwined with last summer's The Avengers) that saved the world but left him with anxiety issues.

I believe we all can identify with Stark's dilemma. How many times have I mistreated someone, either by being dismissive, short, angry, or condescending? Sometimes even with good intentions. Those choices affect relationships, shape people's lives, and have consequences. Granted, for you and me the consequences are unlikely to affect the fate of the whole world. But they affect our world...and they affect the worlds of those around us.

Yes, there is a devil and there are demons - Jesus said so. But there are also "demons" in the figurative sense that can be just as destructive. So when they come back to haunt me, I don't think I should be quite so quick to blame forces beyond my control. Like Stark, I should look in the mirror and see what I have done to create them.

And then face them.

And that's where the redemptive love of the Father through Jesus the Messiah comes in. He forgives and showers us with mercy. He will not remove all the consequences for us, but he will give us the power to face them and bring us through. And help us to stop creating them.

There was a lot of power available to Iron Man in his fight to put the genie back in the bottle. Gadgets, suits, technology. There is even more power available to us. And so our demons do not have a chance.

And oh...a tip. If you go to see Iron Man 3 (and I recommend that you do), don't leave before the credits are done like 2/3 of the people did tonight. Good grief people, have you never seen a Marvel Comics movie before?? Nope, you don't want to miss the last scene - "See, I have told you." (Matthew 28:7)

Enjoy!

Fringe: Finishing the story

Once again it's time. Time for one of my favorite television shows to finish its run. This time it's Fringe, and I'm going to miss it.

To me, the best shows, the best movies, the best books are those that tell an epic story. Movies that come to mind are mostly those told over multiple releases, and often are based on a book series. Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, etc. For television, LOST is the one that sets the standard for me, but there have been many others.

Fringe is one of the all-time greats. It is unique in that it such a wonderful show with magnificent actors but it never gained a large audience. I personally believe it may become this generation's Star Trek - a show that was canceled after one season but became a cult classic and the inspiration for a series of movies. Through digital media, many will discover this gem after the curtain has fallen.

This show was smart, thought-provoking, centered on extremely interesting characters, and even funny. The acting was amazing and the characters compelling. On the surface, it appeared to be about science fiction, but it was really about this collection of people who became a family. It was a story about choices, and how all our choices are important and affect people in ways we can't even start to understand.

Forgiveness. Love. Family. Choices. Fate. Free will. Redemption. Faith.  If these interest you, Fringe is your story.

So I'll gather with family and friends to see the end tomorrow night. I'm expecting a powerful conclusion. I love a great story.

And what a story it was.