For this week’s Thursday Quote Day, here’s a quote from authors Mark Leiderbach and Alvin Reid:
“The missional worship nature of the Scriptures requires of us an entire life reorientation in which we see that church is not where we go so much as who we are, missions is not something we do so much as what we embody, and worship is not the songs we sing so much as the melody of our entire lives.” (Mark Liederbach & Alvin Reid The Convergent Church)
One of my favorite superheroes is The Flash. I always thought his super power of super sonic speed was so cool and loved watching cartoons (and even the old 80s TV live action show) that featured the Flash. Now, the CW network is coming out with a new The Flash TV show this fall. It’s another of a line of superhero TV shows that are becoming more and more prevalent on TV. They released a teaser trailer tonight during the season finale of Arrow (based on Green Arrow). I’m excited about it. Here it is:
Update: The CW posted a new extended trailer that’s cooler than the teaser trailer:
You know anytime that Cookie Monster is on around, it’s going to be a good time. Case in point, yesterday during the Atlanta Braves/San Francisco Giants game, Cookie Monster was interviewed by one of the broadcast reporters for the Giants TV crew. It’s an awesome clip & a nice shout out to Grover as well. Check it out:
This week’s Miyazaki Monday film is the 2004 film Howl’s Moving Castle:
Howl’s Moving Castle is the story of Sophie, a young woman who helps run a hat store. After unknowingly helping a powerful wizard named Howl, Sophie is cursed by the Witch of the Waste. The Witch of the Waste turns Sophie into a ninety year old woman. Her quest to be freed from the curse lands her in the Wastes. In the Wastes, she meets a cursed living scarecrow (which Sophie calls “Turnip Head”). This scarecrow leads her to a moving castle that incidentally belongs to Howl (hence the title of the film). Along with Howl, the castle also has other residents. They include Markl, a young wizard apprentice, and Calcifer, a fire-demon who powers the moving castle. Sophie joins the crew and becomes a cleaning lady.
In the midst of all this, a war is going on that encompasses both Sophie’s home country and a neighboring country. The two sides have recruited magicians and Howl is one of those magicians that both sides are trying to have serve their cause. Through the course of the movie, Howl occasionally turns into a bird like creature to interfere in the war but this takes a toll on him. Meanwhile, Sophie learns more about Howl & the secrets of the moving castle. She also grows to love Howl. Sophie must protect Howl & find a way to break a curse all the while trying to survive the war raging around them.
This film is based on a novel by the same name that was written by Diana Wynne Jones. Interesting enough, Miyazaki wasn’t initially going to direct the film. However, when the initial person selected to direct the film was unable to direct, Miyazaki stepped into the director’s chair. Miyazaki also wrote the screenplay for the film. It premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 5, 2004. It was released in Japan on November 20, 2004. In the following year, it received a limited release in theaters in North America on June 10, 2005 through Walt Disney Pictures. The English dubbed version featured voices by such actors as Christian Bale, Emily Mortimer, Jean Simmons, Lauren Bacall, Billy Crystal and Josh Hutcherson.
Howl’s Moving Castle was another successful film for Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. It would go on to gross over $235 million dollars at the box office. It received critical acclaim from numerous critics and received several nominations and awards. It would receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature (however it would lose to Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit that year).
In my top 5 favorite Miyazaki films, Howl’s Moving Castle is on that list. It has a great story, the visuals are stunning as usual & the voice acting is top notch. It continues the tradition of quality film making that is a staple of Miyazaki’s work.
“For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. ” Isaiah 30:19-20
As I was going through my devotions this week, I came across these verses and were encouraged. Here, the prophet Isaiah was speaking to the people of Judah. He had previously mentioned about what would take place and how the people would suffer (foreshadowing the future for the people) but here he reminds them of encouragement. Even in the midst of struggle and adversity, He is there. He hears their cries and is there for them.
The same is true for us today. When we go through adversity, He is there. If we look to Him we will find Him. If we cry out to Him, He will hear us. This week, just know that whatever adversity you may be going through, God is there. Call out to Him. Turn towards Him. Trust in Him and you’ll be comforted.
To celebrate “Star Wars Day” that was earlier this week, this week’s Thursday Quote Day features a quote from the second movie in the original Star Wars trilogy:
“You must unlearn what you have learned.” (Yoda The Empire Strikes Back)
I went and saw The Amazing Spider-Man 2 today (by the way some spoilers are going to follow but then again elements from that movie are based on a comic book storyline that’s 40 years old). I’m actually a fan of this reboot of the Spider-Man film series. That’s not to take anything away from the Sam Raimi/Tobey Maguire trilogy that was released in the early 2000s. So when the first movie in this reboot series released back in 2012, I was cautiously optimistic. I liked director Marc Webb’s film (500) Days of Summer. So after seeing the first film, I enjoyed it. I thought Andrew Garfield did a great job as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. I really enjoyed Emma Stone’s work who played Gwen Stacy.
Gwen Stacy as a character is a key figure in Marvel comic book universe and in the world of Spider-Man. In the history of Spider-Man, Gwen was early on the girl that Peter was in love with. They met in college at Empire State University and their relationship (like any relationship) had it’s ups and downs. Being the daughter of a NYPD Captain made it difficult at times for Gwen and Peter’s relationship, especially when her dad died (during a fight between Spidey and Doctor Octopus in the comics & between Spidey and The Lizard in the movies). But they stuck together through thick and thin.
Then came the story arc “The Night Gwen Stacy Died”. This story, which was told over the pages of two issues of The Amazing Spider-Man comic book (#121-122) in the summer of 1973. In the story arc, the Green Goblin (the Norman Osborn version) kidnaps Gwen & takes her to the top of the George Washington Bridge. In the subsequent fight between the Goblin & Spidey, Gwen is thrown off the bridge by Osborn. Peter tries to save Gwen but is unable to and she dies. Peter blamed himself for not saving her and for a time quit being Spider-Man but would eventually take up the mantle again.
At the time these two issues were released, it was a huge moment in comics. Gwen Stacy was Peter Parker’s girlfriend and marriage had been hinted about several times. Her death left an indellible mark on Peter Parker. Her death had an effect on his life but also her life. Peter Parker would not be the man that he is nor the superhero that he is without having Gwen Stacy in it. As much as Mary Jane Watson is known as the love of Peter’s life now, it came in the wake of Gwen Stacy.
We all have that Gwen Stacy in our lives. Whether it’s a person or an event, there is that moment of loss that in some way shapes who we are. It is that “Gwen Stacy Effect”. Those moments that we point to that we see when we look back in our past. They teach us something about ourselves. They help us to grow and mature. They are a part of our story.
As I walked out of the theater and saw the movie version of “The Night Gwen Stacy Died”, I thought about Peter Parker. I thought about how it’s widely talked about how the death of Uncle Ben defined Peter’s character but it’s also the loss of Gwen that helps define Peter’s character. Peter is a better person and a better superhero having had Gwen Stacy in his life. Even though he lost her, we know (through the comics) that Peter would go on to find love (with Mary Jane Watson). In our lives, we don’t know what the future holds. But we do know that the Gwen Stacys in our lives are there for our good and in the end we are better off having them in our lives for how long or how short that time is.
For this week’s Miyazaki Monday film, it’s the 2002 film The Cat Returns
The Cat Returns is a sequel of sorts. It has ties to Miyazaki’s 1995 classic Whisper of the Heart. The main connection is the character of the Baron. In this film, the main character is a young girl named Haru. She unknowingly has this ability to talk to cats. She finds this out when she saves a cat named Lune which turns out to be the prince of the Cat Kingdom.
Trying to get out of a marriage with Lune (proposed after saving the cat prince’s life), she runs into the Baron along with Muta (also from Whisper of the Heart). Haru and Muta are kidnapped and taken to the Cat Kingdom and it is up to the Baron along with Toto, a raven that is like the Baron in being a statue that can come to life, to rescue them.
While in the Cat Kingdom, Haru begins to take on more cat like features. The Baron warns her that she has to find her true self or she will turn into a cat. So the race is on to get back to home while also trying to find her true self and it’s up to the Baron and friends to help in that cause.
This is the first (and to date only) Miyazaki film that has had a sequel (of sorts). This story started out as a project for a theme park that was to be a 20 minute short to air at the park. The project fell through but the idea remained. So Miyazaki decided to use the project as a vehicle to help develop new directors for Studio Ghibli. He ended up using Hiroyuki Morita as the director and Miyazaki produced the film. The Cat Returns was only the third film at Studio Ghibli that was not directed by either of the founders of the company.
The film was released in Japan on July 19, 2002. Compared to previous Studio Ghibli films, it wasn’t as successful at the box office but still did pretty well by most standards. It ended up grossing $53 million dollars. The film was released in North America in 2003 through Walt Disney Pictures. The English dubbed cast included Cary Elwes, Anne Hathaway, Tim Curry, Peter Boyle, Judy Greer, Kristen Bell and Andy Richter.
The Cat Returns is another great film to come out of Studio Ghibli and tells a story that will draw you into it. Miyazaki does a great job of bringing richness both in the visuals as well as the story and this is another in a long list of those films.
“Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people dwelling in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.”
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:12-17)
This was Jesus’ first message that he preached as he began his earthly ministry. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” His message was a message of repentance. He wants us to repent because He loves us and wants us to turn to Him. God has come near to us. We are able to be forgiven through Jesus. We just have to repent and turn back to Him. This week, remember this message of repentance. Share this message as a reminder that we all need to repent and that we can be forgiven. There is hope in Christ.
For this week’s Thursday Quote Day, here’s a quote from former Dallas Cowboys head coach Tom Landry:
“Leadership is getting someone to do what they don’t want to do, in order to achieve what they want to achieve.” (Tom Landry)
There and Back Again: My Journey 