Hour 21: A Film and Interactive Media Blog

  Jesus of Nazareth, 1977 “This is the king of Israel who will take away the sin of the world.” “A staple, I thought my brothers were mistaken. But now I see the justice of it, there could be no other place.” “Before kingdoms change, men must change." “This is your hour Judas, the hour of shadows." “Now it begins, it all begins.” -Jesus of Nazareth, 1977 The most impressive aspect of Jesus of Nazareth is not its scale. This 1977 miniseries is remarkable because of its simplicity. It is a simplicity born out of a grand idea to be sure. Though, whether it be coincidental or intentional, this six hour journey through the life of Christ is the quintessential example of a medium reflecting the inner reality of its primary subject. The smallest of places, housing the mightiest of kings. The television does not deprive us of spectacle in this instance. It eloquently calls to mind the true sacrifice that was made to save us from our sins Jesus came to earth to set all free. T...

  Win or Lose “You want to unpack that? We should unpack that right now.” “It's never been about being the best, it's about trying your best.” “Then a meteor heading straight towards Earth, oh no! It's going to hit the softball game. What do we do?" “Just relax and let the game come to you.” -Win or Lose Win or Lose is a microcosm of charm, delight and human struggle as only Pixar animation can render it. With a young co-ed softball team as its abiding center Win or Lose effortlessly translates the ever-present Pixar charm to episodic storytelling. Jumping from player to player and beyond, each episode encapsulates how each of us deals with this world we inhabit. The series is a thoughtfully insightful deep dive into the nuances of our personal coping mechanisms, and how we deal with our day-to-day struggles. From a delightfully enthusiastic sentient bead of sweat, to a 5-year-old's richly charming hand-drawn-esque imagination, Pixar's knack for playfully ...

  Sunrise on the Reaping A Hunger Games novel by Suzanne Collins "All propaganda is lies, even when one is telling the truth. I don't think this matters so long as one knows what one is doing, and why." -George Orwell, BBC Broadcast, March 14, 1942 "A truth that's told with bad intent. Beats all the lies you can invent." -William Blake, Auguries of Innocence "Quoth the Raven “Nevermore." -Edgar Allen Poe, The Raven Choices, our choices have consequences. It seems rather morbid and frankly unaware to praise Suzanne Collins for Sunrise on the Reaping. Though, as I am thinking about it, if that statement is true then it should apply to all four of the previous Hunger Games novels. If anything is true about these novels, it is that truth comes at a cost. That cost may be a steep price to pay, sometimes it is worth it and sometimes it most certainly is not. This quandary is not the thematic focus of Sunrise on the Reaping, but it is one of many ...

  Disney's Snow White 2025 “That's why we fight in your father's name, your parents were brave.” “Because a hand needs a hand” .”It might have everything to do with you “ “"I remember, do you?” “"Where The good things grow.” -Disney's Snow White 2025      I don't want to mince words here. Disney's live-action reimagining of their 1937 animated classic is extraordinary. Snow White has never been more enchanting as she is in this film. From its painterly use of CGI to its meaningful parental thematic core I don't think it's hyperbolic to say that this is the best movie I've seen so far this year. This film is a storybook come to life. In short it is the embodiment of the Disney ethos with no self-important pride or saccharine overindulgence. It is classic Disney magic through and through. Its visuals enchant and its songs embed themselves in your ears with joyful wonder and meaningful thematic residence. As you can probably tell Disn...

  House of David “Master, where are we going now?” “To find a king.” “Deep calls to deep. Show me who I am.” “He is the great author of the story. Let him write it.” -House of David We so often disregard where we have come from and where we're going in pursuit of our own ambitions. Forgetting with ease that this world has value only because it is given from above. The God who made it has endowed it with his love and dignity. Yet, we seek after the pleasures of this Earth, constantly forsaking that fact. In that process we distort who we truly are as God's children. What is true power? House of David is a call back to an earlier time. A time of biblical epics built on the backs of larger than Life performances and visual spectacle. Though the series’s passion for this approach can be somewhat overwrought at points It use the form to great effect. Analyzing The many nuances of power as it is reflected in The show's two protagonists David and Saul. Power and desire to...

  As We See It "Why does nobody want me?" "I never should've taken that away from you, I'm sorry. I'm 29 Violet, I don't have this shit down. I don't know what I'm doing, I make mistakes, you know. And you know you need me, but I need you. You're my family Violet, you're my only family." “What's the big deal about normal?” -As We See It What is normal? It seems to me that normal is not a state of being in the traditional sense of the word. It is an equilibrium with ourselves. An acceptance of who we are in relationship to The God who loves us. Yet, normal is usually not understood in that way. Instead, the world's sense of normal is often derived from a cultural understanding of socially accepted behaviors. Though this interpretation precludes so many from the conversation. If those many are even brought into the conversation at all. Society frequently looks upon those with disabilities as people whose lives can be set as...