Christians in Cinema

I recently heard Erwin McManus talk about the differences between coffee in America and Central America. He declared that in comparison with coffee in Central America, coffee here in the U.S. is watered down, ugly and safe. He said we’ve trained our palates to love ugly and appreciate it over beauty. That came after a discussion about setting up a museum to the “Worst Christian Films Ever Made.” I’ve seen some of those; they’ve crossed my desk. It’s not that I disagree with the films or the message they’re trying to get across. It’s that the message became so important the film suffered for it.

We’ve trained our palates to love ugly and appreciate it over beauty.

Do we want films that pose questions, make us think about them, and then answer them for us? Maybe. There are times I just want to go to the theater and escape. I don’t want to think, or process, or be moved, just entertained.

But when I am caught offguard and shaken to consider a new truth or paradigm, it’s exciting. It’s memorable. It keeps me in my seat while the credits are rolling and keeps me quiet as I go out to my car. I’m captivated and I’m forced to keep thinking, to figure out what moved me and how it’s going to change me.

When a movie can do that, it’s a beautiful thing.