Movies good...Reviews BAD.

[ingonyama70]

I have a question.

How come movies are always better when you haven't read the reviews for them?

Is it free will? Does the fact that I don't like my opinion being decided for me have something to do with it

Comments

Religion and Narnia

[nievelion]

While normally I agree with you about critics, in actuality Curt may have exaggerated what I told him. Overall the reviews for Narnia were overwhelmingly positive. A few of the criticisms I actually agreed with, if only slightly, and the rest I ignored--and they weren't that terrible in any case. What I had a problem with was all the Christian Right people coming in and posting reviews like: "This movie is so beautiful and wonderful, it will lead the faithless back to the One True God" *poses with beatific smile and hands clasped piously...then retches*

I myself am religious, or rather spiritual. I fully believe all religions have it right, at the core, that the beliefs they espouse and the teachings they impart are all correct, different sides of the same thing, and that there is no one true path--or if there is, that path is "Love" rather than "Jesus Christ" (to me they're the same thing, but I differentiate them to emphasize it's more important to follow what he preached than to believe he was the Son of God and died on the cross for our sins and so on). I agree that religion and myth have a lot to teach us. What I hate is when people make that the be-all and end-all of everything, especially something like Narnia.

I understand what Lewis was doing, and I don't agree with a lot of his beliefs, especially how he conceived of God as being so stern and judgmental like in the Old Testament. But there are many other things he believed I do agree with, namely the power of love and sacrifice, as well as the important role of change and openness in becoming a better person. And overall, I think he made a wonderful story that, while enriched by its Biblical allusions, stands up perfectly well to scrutiny without them. If people come to God, or to spirituality or love, because of Narnia, wonderful. But they shouldn't be forced to or told this is the one true way. And it seems to me that making Aslan's death scene be a shot-for-shot parallel to the Crucifixion in Passion of the Christ is tawdry and cheapens BOTH stories. Why can't I cry for Aslan's death and cheer for his resurrection without being constantly reminded of how he is Jesus and I should feel just as distraught over his death and what he gave up for me? Stop flagellating deceased equines already, people!

Re: Religion and Narnia

[caliburnis]

Look for a series of books by the title of "Conversations with God" By Neale Donald Walsch, and another book called "What God Wants" by the same Author.