Movie Review of Jesus of Montreal
The film Jesus of Montreal is interesting story of a group of actors that are cast to perform an updated version of Jesus' life. The way that the cast comes together and the environment in which they perform have a strikingly similar resemblance to Jesus' life here on earth as reporter in the New Testament. This is especially true of the main character, Daniel Columbe, who seeks to alleviate all actors in Montreal from being mistreated and overlooked by standing up to the challenges presented by the church and the corrupters of the industry.
One of the first similarities in Daniel's "role" to that of Jesus was in the way he gathered those around him. When Jesus gathered his disciples, he required that they leave their families and jobs to follow him, dedicate their lives to his mission. Much like Jesus, Daniel goes across the city to find a group of actors that will help him put on the show. In each case, Daniel interrupts them from their work, whether it is waitressing or dubbing porn for the French speaking audience, and tells them that he wants them to help him create the play. In both cases, those that leave their current jobs to follow the one that seeks them, doesn't know what they are leaving for. The disciples had no promises or expectations on what to expect when they left and it was a very big risk for them to follow him. Not only was it risky, but they did it without asking any questions, "Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men. At once they left their nets and followed him" (Mark 1:17-18). This is the same for Mireille, Constance, Martin and Rene as they leave their jobs for an uncertain economic future of producing a play. They too seem relatively confident in their opportunity to work with Daniel. After working together for a short time, the group becomes very close and seems to be together very often, even for midnight drunken walks. The most important part of each group is their faith in the leader they are following and serving. They see and believe in them so much that they can't leave. In this way, Daniel very much resembles Christ because of his undying passion for his work and those he cares about.
The Seven Five is a documentary that frivolously reexamines the crimes of Officer Michael Dowd and his team of dirty cops. Dowd is a former New York police officer who was stationed in the 75th Precinct in Eastern New York. The film presents the nefarious deeds of these officers via original interviews with Dowd and his former comrades as they recount their crimes and explain the reasoning behind their unethical behaviors. While working as a cop, he embellished his income through criminal exploits which include stealing guns, drugs, money, and eventually he began working in drug rings selling cocaine. Dowd’s felonious activities were extremely lucrative and earned him approximately $4,000 a week. Dowd was eventually arrested in 1992,
In the film “The Holy Ghost People,” right away we get individual accounts of what the “Holy Spirit” is to certain individuals. One woman says the Holy Ghost guides her and keeps her going. The people are very intense about their beliefs, which comes from the religion Pentecostalism, which has a hyper focus on personal experience with God and baptism with the Holy Spirit. We see them in their church, we hear the sermon, and see the ritualistic dances and the way the prayer overcomes them, and causes seizure like motions. We see and hear the prayers for the healing of one woman’s eyesight, and another woman’s back pain. One man, seemingly the pastor, says that “if God is not doing what they ask, people aren’t believing hard enough.” Later we get an account from a woman of how she was nursed back to health as a little girl brought her nutrients, and she believes it was
Finally the actions and feelings of the other characters successfully shows the development of McMurphy as a Christ figure and hero. Clearly smiliarities can be drawn between McMurphy and Jesus' healing. Jesus, made blind men see and mute men speak. McMurphy is the one who prompted the Chief to speak for the first time in years, when he says "Thank-you." (Page 184) and eventually, McMurphy "heals" Chief of his `deafness' and `dumbness'.
The life of Jesus is one that is often discussed and debated among scholars and authors since the time Jesus walked this earth. Gerd Theissen’ s work, Shadow of the Galilean, takes the unique perspective of a grain merchant who has been enlisted by Pilate to find out information on various religious sects and report back to him. After Andreas, the grain merchant’s, first report he is given the task of finding out more about this Jesus who is gaining quite a following. Pilate and the Romans want to know if he is a threat to them. This book follows Andreas as he goes on a journey to find out more about Jesus from various sources for his report to the Romans.
...ude the controversial issues about Jesus. Andreas seemed to have been on the border line with following Jesus and believing he was some guy that was telling lies around the cities. It’s not until Jesus is up for execution when he becomes a follower of Christ. Once Andreas returns, he learns that Barabbas and two zealots were arrested. Barabbas is Andreas’ friend, so he decides to propose ways of rebellion to the Romans. Pilate decides to have a meeting with Andreas about his proposal leads. Pilate manipulates Andreas’s proposal by giving the people of Jerusalem the decision which criminal to keep from execution: Barabbas or Jesus. In the end the people chose Barabbas which meant Jesus, including two other criminals, was sent to be crucified. The story concludes with Andreas recognizing Jesus’ power after so many of the people in his life have been changed by Jesus.
From the excerpt from the novel, “Under the Feet of Jesus” by Helena Maria Viramontes, the main character is Estrella, a young Spanish girl with a powerful desire to learn to read. Although she is persistent, her teachers refuse to educate her because they are more concerned of Estrella’s personal hygiene. This leaves Estrella resentful because of the barrier between herself and knowledge. Estrella remains silent until a man named Perfecto Flores teaches her how to read by using his expertise in hardware and tools to represent the alphabet. Viramontes depicts the heartfelt growth of Estrella through her use of tone, figurative language, and detail.
Yet the Reverend also uses the word 'beautiful' and appreciates the wonders of the natural world. Certainly, a sense of something beyond the pragmatic permeates Maclean?s story. This ?something? is incarnated in Paul, who obviously does not conform to a narrowly-defined description of a ?good Christian.? He is a rabblerouser adrift in the world, a sophisticated ladies? man and gambler who squanders what is seemingly ample journalistic talent. Paul, however, is also effortlessly artistic, able to break free of his father?s strict fishing instructions to create his own poetry with a rod. Surely, something holy must reside in the sheer, effortless beaut...
Sartre, Jean-Paul. Saint Genet: Actor and Martyr. Trans. Frenchtman, Bernard. New York: George Braziller, Inc., 1963. Print.
Ever since its release and subsequent #1 status on the New York Times' bestseller list, Dan Brown's novel `The Da Vinci Code' has refocused the attentions of scholars and the ordinary man on the historical accuracy of the life of Jesus Christ. The crux of the debate relates to the closure of what are referred to as the Canonical Gospels, namely Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
"The Passion of the Christ" by Mel Gibson, recounts the last twelve hours of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, portraying his arrest, trial, crucifixion and death. One of the most popular religious movies in modern times, it therefore becomes susceptible to criticism. Although the film is based upon the stories within the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, there are many exaggerations and non-biblical elements present in the movie. This is not unexpected, since it is a movie, but the vivid detail of the brutality in the movie as well as the Anti-Semitic theme are the most publicly criticized elements of the movie. The Passion emphasizes the brutality Jesus endured to give himself for his people, but at the same time in the movie the Jews are the ones that cry for his death. During several scenes of The Passion of the Christ, there are elements such as characters, themes, and motifs that are not found within the gospels, but are in the movie to add more dramatic elements.
Daniel was taken captive at 15 years old and got put into unfamiliar territory. He believed in the Jewish God and got tested daily in his faith. Back then the most accepted action was whatever the king said. People believed in the Pagan gods and had rituals ...
The Gospel of Matthew is an eyewitness story written for an audience of believers, under great stress, and persecution. Matthew develops a theological plot incorporating genealogy, speeches, parables, inter and intra textual references, common vocabulary, and fulfillment quotations, with a tension that builds as we are invited into the story. The crucifixion and resurrection bring us to a Christological climax that symbolically points beyond its conclusion to God’s Kingdom, bringing atonement, salvation and the ushering in the Eschaton. The extraordinary events surrounding the crucifixion act as commentary, adding important details concerning the death of Jesus.1
The movie “Glory” tells the history and the story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry. It became the first black regiment to fight for the North in the Civil War. The Regiment was made up of black soldiers – some were Northern freemen, some were escaped slaves. The leader was General Robert Gould Shaw, the son of Boston abolitionists. The men of the 54th Regiment proved themselves worthy of the freedom for which they fighting, and the respect of their fellow white soldiers.
The evangelists wrote their Gospels from the point-of-view of faith, to convince readers ‘to share their faith and serve the God of Jesus Christ”. They demand a response from their readers. This is why they chose to write their accounts in narrative form. Narratives encourage identification with their central character, involve their readers in a rich network of human experiences and draw audiences into their world. in order to understand these narratives and be transformed by them, the modern reader needs to read them as a Bios of Jesus, that draws deeply from the Jewish world and represents the thoughtful testimony of trustworthy eyewitnesses.
Schindler's List, directed by Steven Spielberg, stars Liam Neason, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, and a host of wonderful co-stars, is the story of Oskar Schindler. Oskar Schindler was a Nazi businessman who saved hundreds of Jews from certain death during World War Two by employing them in his factory.