RACE TO THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: The Prisoner of Azkaban has flown the coop!

Just over 48 hours since finishing Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, a few minutes ago I wrapped up re-reading Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Which is always a pleasure to read because Sirius Black figures so much in its story.

So since I started re-reading all of the Harry Potter books, in preparation for the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows nineteen days from now, I've now read the first three books in exactly one week! And since Darth Larry was the one who called me out, I can brag that at this clip I should soon easily overtake him, as deep as he already is in Book 4, muhahahahahahaha!!

Something I spotted this time that I never noticed before: when Snape takes over the Defense Against the Dark Arts class he has the students read up on werewolves. When Lupin returns, he has the kids study vampires. Seems a bit removed from his usual curriculum of boggarts and grindylows, doesn't it? So I'm wondering: was Lupin playing some quid pro quo with Snape that we aren't supposed to know about yet?

Maybe some more stuff as this round of reading "sinks in". This is my usual rate of reading but all the same: the Harry Potter books are thick with intricate detail that is easily overlooked the first few times around. Going to let this bout with the Prisoner of Azkaban play in my subconscious, and maybe more stuff to comment on will surface.

Up next: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Which incidentally was the very first Harry Potter book that I ever bought: right after it was published in the summer of 2000, even though I didn't actually read it until I'd finished the first three almost a year and a half later. With everything going on in the next few days, I'm going to chart that it'll be sometime Thursday when I finish this one. Expect a report then!

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We've got tickets for TRANSFORMERS

Going to see it on Wednesday. It will be Lisa, me, and my life-long friend Chad Austin.

When he and I were ten years old we would be up all night during sleepovers fantasizing about what a live-action Transformers movie would be like. Wondering just how could technology of the mid-1980s pull off giant robots morphing into vehicles. I think that just like Star Wars fans spent decades seeing The Duel being fought in their minds before seeing it actually happen in Revenge of the Sith, so have Chad and I had our own "perfect Transformers movie" in our imagination this whole time.

To say that we grew up as die-hard fans of old-school Transformers would be a severe underestimation of things. So this movie has a lot to live up to.

And then there is Lisa, who mostly knows about Transformers from her younger brother. All told, this is going to be a good group... an ideal group even... going in to see this movie.

So how is Transformers the Michael Bay film going to stack up against the Transformers movie cooked up twenty-three years ago by a couple of kids? In two days' time, we shall find out!

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KarmaCritic coalesces cinematographers to counter corporate caper

I'm not watching Fox's On The Lot anymore, even though I made a film to enter into the competition. It's not out of "sour grapes" or anything: when the show premiered I was eager and excited about its potential, and I was glad for whoever it was that made it all the way to the Hollywood round even when I didn't.

And then the show... failed to meet my expectations. Worse than that: it became readily apparent in the first episode that the art and skill of film-making would not be what this show would be about. Before the first installment was up, I was already wondering how much of a chance my entry had, considering that the attitude I conveyed in my intro video wasn't the combative/aggressive that the On The Lot producers seemed intent on having from the show's cast. More time and effort was spent on creating and exploiting conflict than was on the actual creativity and craft of film-making. Which is what I wanted to see and learn from.

But how much skill can it be said that anyone can pick up from watching your typical Mark Burnett production? Why should we have expected On The Lot to be any different?

I don't regret trying out for the show though. For one thing, it led me to make Schrodinger's Bedroom, and I'm very proud to have come up with the premise, to have produced it in so short a time and especially for the wonderful people that I got to meet and work with in making it happen. Schrodinger's Bedroom is still one of the best highlights of this year so far. And I'm glad that I got to meet a lot of fellow film-makers through On The Lot's forums: people who I really could learn a lot from and better my skill as a film-maker.

Those are the kinds of people that I want to associate with professionally. Because to them it is the film that matters, and not how old we are or what sex we are or where we live or how much we are arrogant (a trait that I have not seen from the ones I'm most talking about here).

Well, long story short: in the past few weeks the shenanigans coming out of On The Lot have almost strained belief. I've heard that Fox is so outdone at how lousy On The Lot is doing in the ratings, that it held back on the money it was going to dole out to the contestants to make their weekly films and instead forced them to use the films they made for the second and third rounds of the selection process! You can read more about it at Ain't It Cool News, in a story that directed me to the topic of this lil' blog post...

Some of those who also competed in On The Lot, disillusioned by what Fox has done with the show, have started their own film-makers forum called KarmaCritic. And for something that just started up, it shows a lot of promise: enough so that I signed-up with them this morning, after seeing several familiar and trusted faces from the On The Lot forums already over there. That my friend Phillip Arthur alerted me about KarmaCritic just before I went to its registration page was even more a good sign that this was something I should associate with. And KarmaCritic already has its first contest for those who would like to have at go at a serious film-making competition. I'm going to be spending the next few days working on an entry for this one.

So if you also are earnestly interested in film-making and want the benefit of a community of fellows that you can both learn from and enjoy your trade with, give KarmaCritic a shot. In more ways than I know to comment about right now, I think this could be a huge success.

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RACE TO THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: The Chamber of Secrets is now closed

Starting with this past Monday night, I have resolved to re-read the entire Harry Potter series, as a lead-up to the release of the seventh and final book - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - now three weeks away. Early Thursday morning I finished the first book. And about ten minutes ago I completed the second chapter: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Funny thing: for awhile I've thought that Chamber of Secrets was the weakest of the Harry Potter series by far. Having read it again, in light of everything I know from the subsequent novels... well, I definitely have newfound respect for the second book. There was a lot of stuff that J.K. Rowling put right in plain sight, years before it was picked-up on again. The vanishing cabinet that plays such a major role in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince? There it was the whole time... along with its sister cabinet. Other stuff that may or may not be important by the time the saga concludes: things about death and ghosts that I caught in the chapters about Nearly-Headless Nick's "deathday party" and why Moaning Myrtle chose to haunt the toilet. There is something in Chapter Ten, "The Rogue Bludger", that made me do a double-take. The Horcruxes? Rowling put them right in front of us too, still way early in the series. This lady is the modern master of Chekov's Rule of Drama. And there were a few other things too that I caught this time, that I might write about as an edit to this post later.

So in less than five days, I've re-read the first two Harry Potter books. Up next is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the one that I've re-read more times than any other Harry Potter book (what can I say but that I'm a huge fan of Sirius Black). I might have that finished by Monday. And that will be the last of the "easy riding" because the next three books after that each weigh in excess of 700 pages at least. And there's now only 20 days left.

But, I've conquered worse. This will get done in time for Book 7 :-)

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George W. Bush's most savage sin of all

After more than six years of George W. Bush being President, it still hadn't hit me about what has been the most absolutely horrible atrocity he has committed during his time in the White House. And then today I read "The Worst Tragedy Of The Bush Presidency" by Christian minister Chuck Baldwin... and it hits me like an anvil between the eyes:

George W. Bush has almost completely destroyed sincere Christianity's foothold in America. And in its place, Bush has allowed a blasphemous god of power to take the place of Christ in the hearts of many, many professing believers: idolatry on an unprecedented scale.

Here is some of what Chuck Baldwin says in his piece...

... the worst tragedy of the Bush presidency lies with something even deeper and more permanent (if that is possible). The worst tragedy of the Bush presidency is the damage he has done to the image and influence of Christianity. It is no hyperbole to say that George W. Bush has done more to demean and mitigate the positive influence of genuine Christianity than any single person in American history. And I do not say that lightly.

Because George W. Bush successfully portrayed himself as the ultimate Christian president, his life and policies are indelibly linked to the very definition of what it means to be a Christian in public office. The Religious Right also share in this perception, as they almost universally and totally gave their allegiance to Bush. Hence, as far as most Americans are concerned, George W. Bush is a Christian, and, therefore, his philosophies and ideas are assumed to be Christian as well. THIS IS A TRAGEDY OF UTMOST PROPORTIONS!

For example, Bush has reshaped Christianity to include the acceptance of torture, the launching of unprovoked, preemptive (not to mention undeclared) war, the denial of constitutional rights to American citizens (whose legal status may be redefined at the whim of the President), the doctrine of religious egalitarianism (Bush repeatedly declared, "Christians and Muslims worship the same god"), the neglect and even repudiation of constitutional government (by his repeated refusal to allow the Executive branch to be held accountable to congressional scrutiny or judicial oversight), and the inattention to secure borders and national sovereignty (through his infatuation with providing amnesty to millions of illegal aliens and his unilateral decision to merge America into regional, hemispheric political and commercial entities).

As a result, not only do non-Christians look askance at Christianity, many genuine Christians have had their entire philosophy regarding Biblical principles uprooted and redefined. Worse still, many Christians have, either wittingly or unwittingly, chosen to adopt Bush's brand of Christianity, and in so doing, have abandoned genuine Bible Christianity.

There is much more at the essay's link.

Trust me: if you are the kind of Christian who, as Stanley Hauerwas has put it understands that "the God of God and Country is not the God of Jesus Christ", then prepare to be filled with righteous anger after reading this piece.

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If I were a character on THE SIMPSONS ...

A few months ago it was "Chris as a South Park character". Now today, after all of these years of dreaming and courtesy of The Simpsons Movie website, I am finally a character from The Simpsons! Looks pretty much like me, right down to that weird bit of hair on the right-hand side of my forehead that does its own thing without going one way or the other on the part (it's not so pronounced just after a haircut but after a few weeks you really see it). My Simpsons avatar is also wearing denim jeans (my usual style) and dark brown shoes which are meant to be my hiking boots. Lisa thinks that brown and green are my best colors, so I colored "my" shirt brown. And since I'm somewhat of a "fight the status quo" sort, I put the upraised fist/sign of defiance on my shirt.

Pretty nifty, eh? Head over to the movie's site to register an account and you too can be a Simpsons character! Thanks to Shane Thacker (who doesn't look too shabby as a Simpsons 'toon either) for the great find!

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TRIBULATION HOUSE: Whacked (and wicked funny) Christian novel is a must-read!

A short while after finishing my review of Kingdom Come (thank heaven that's the last we'll ever see of Left Behind... hopefully) I found out about another book that was coming out around the same time. This one also dealt with Pre-Tribulation Rapture theology, but with a twist: it's story was about what happens when Christians obsess about the Rapture to the point of ignoring the work that God has provided to occupy ourselves with until He does come. That alone would have piqued my interest. That the book's page on Amazon described it as a "quirky apocalyptic gangster novel" only fueled my desire to know more. And that this was a Christian satire novel that was - gasp! - said to be uproariously funny settled it in my mind: I absolutely had to read Tribulation House by Chris Well.

It wasn't until two days ago that I found a copy: at the Books A Million in the Concord Mills Mall. Tribulation House is such a genre-bending story that most bookstores, even Christian ones, don't seem to have it in stock. They should though: especially the Christian outlets like LifeWay and Family Christian. With Tribulation House, Chris Well proves that Christian fiction can not only be rollickin' good entertainment when it really wants to be, but that it can share profound wisdom and insight that leaves a person more enlightened for the time spent reading it.

Did I mention already that Tribulation House is also the most hilarious Christian novel that I've ever read?

Did I also say that after the dreck that Left Behind became, that Tribulation House is the most spiritually refreshing Christian fiction that I've read in a very long time?

I can't believe how much more I hate Left Behind now. Not just that series, but a lot of stuff on the "Christian culture" front. We should be giving God nothing short of our best efforts, in everything that we do. Including the entertainment we create. Instead for years now we've had this bass-ackwards approach where we give a blunt-force sermon some thin veneer of "enjoyment" and then expect people to be hooked by The Message, as if that is what's going to draw the crowds. Except it doesn't work and those we are trying to witness to only end up laughing at us that much more. But I'm beginning to sense that a lot of Christians have realized what we're doing wrong, and are now actively working to do something about it. The recent movie Facing the Giants (read my review here) and now Chris Well's Tribulation House "get" it. And I'm especially glad that Well makes a good commentary about that in his novel: maybe others will pick up on it also.

Tribulation House has a number of storylines, at the center of which is Reverend Daniel Glory, the prominent minister of a Kansas City church. Reverend Glory has confidently announced to the world that he has calculated the exact date and time of the Rapture: on October 17th at 5:51 a.m., Jesus will come for the true believers. Which is joyful news for church member Mark Hogan. And since his days on Earth are numbered, why not enjoy them a bit? Hogan immediately begins an insane spending spree that culminates in his lust for a $22,428 dream boat... which he can't get right away because his credit was declined at the showroom. No worries, figures Hogan: he'll just borrow the money he needs from the mob. Then he can buy his boat and enjoy clear sailing right up to the Rapture. And when Jesus comes, he'll be in Heaven and won't have to fret about the gangsters coming to collect what he owes them. And that's exactly what Mark Hogan does.

And then the Rapture doesn't happen. And the details of Pre-Tribulation theology aren't something that organized crime figures usually care to hear about.

Rife with slick dialogue and rich in pop-culture references, Tribulation House is an engrossing tale about family squabbling, Mid-West mafiosos, urban politics, whodunit murder, and an American brand of Christianity that's much too fixated on the Second Coming for its own good. With that much craziness poured into one book, Tribulation House can't help but be a joy to read. This wasn't just the funniest Christian fiction I've read: Tribulation House was one of the funniest books that I've ever read! And the part of me that seeks out opportunity for spiritual growth in this kind of literature... well, I finished Tribulation House feeling quite satiated on that front, too. Chris Well seems to be a Christian writer who is seriously tuned-in to my wavelength (which may or may not be a good thing): some things that he writes about in Tribulation House, in a lot of ways they affirmed a number of things that I've thought about lately. I definitely feel blessed in that regard to have read his book.

Chris Well is the Elmore Leonard of Christian fiction. I don't know if Christian literature realized it had such a vacuum, but I am thrilled beyond belief to discover that Well has found it and filled it. This isn't Well's first book, nor will it be his last: Tribulation House ends with an opening for a sequel, and apparently this is Well's third book set in Kansas City featuring two police detectives - Griggs and Pasch - who investigate organized crime. I will definitely now seek out Forgiving Solomon Long and Deliver Us from Evelyn, along with his next volume when it comes out. I especially like the character of Charlie Pasch, who I identified with a lot so far as Christian struggles go. And in regards to Hank Barton, the candidate for public office in a race filled with over a dozen characters and who also has a wife named Lisa... well, let's just say that my jaw dropped more than a few times at reading about what he goes through (see my posts about running for school board if you want the full skinny).

The last really good novel that I remember reading was Michael Crichton's Next (you can also read my review of that here), and after that has been a six-month run of turkeys like Hannibal Rising and Empire (which was ESPECIALLY disappointing for me, given that it was an Orson Scott Card novel) and Kingdom Come (the Left Behind book by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, not the DC Comics graphic novel masterpiece). Tribulation House by Chris Well finally breaks the streak. I give the biggest props that I can muster to this book. Absolutely recommended!

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