Redeeming the Week in Entertainment: 6/12 - 6/19

This will be the first entry into what I hope will eventually become a weekly one. I watch a variety of different television shows, films, youtube videos, DVDs, and sporting events, in the span of any given week, and this weekly feature will aim to 'redeem' them. In other words, was their something redeeming about that Seinfeld episode I watched earlier in the week, what about the NBA Finals game, and how about that video that got e-mailed to me?

What exactly do I mean by redeeming? Instead of just simply looking to kill time or 'veg out', I'll be looking deeper into the entertainment I take in and try and glean something of value from it. This will probably manifest itself in a quick paragraph or two on a few of the things I watched the previous week. You might get an articulate discourse on deep philosophical themes, or just a quick unsupported opinion or two. Some of the items included may seem 'unredeemable', but certainly I feel the act of thinking critically about it and recognizing its' faults and weaknesses, can itself be a redeeming act. It's ultimately an exercise for me to continue thinking deeper about the entertainment I consume, as well as a way to kind of share a 'week in review' with anyone who cares to read. All in all, we'll see how it turns out.

"California Gurls" by Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg
Youtube Music Video
**Video is not suitable for Work or for All Ages. Watch at your own discretion

I heard the song on the radio a couple weeks ago, then kept hearing it. It eventually got stuck in my head and I began to get curious about a few of the lyrics so I then looked up the video. Beyond being an extremely catchy tune, this song and video are horrendous. It certainly follows the current trend of kitschy and over the top music videos, but ultimately also follows the trend of women allowing themselves to be exploited simply as objects of sexual satisfaction. The video ultimately features a lineup of women dancing in suggestive (and terribly unimaginative) costumes, while singing lyrics about how California women are openly promiscuous. Snoop Dogg comes off as the 'pimp' in the video, a role he clearly seems comfortable with.

I include this video because it's so easy to just listen to this song and sing along with it, without actually considering what it's lyrics and video are presenting. I'm not saying its wrong to listen to it (darnit for being so catchy), but that once one knows fully well the underlying messages and video portrayals it just becomes harder to overlook them. I'm just tired of women portraying themselves as objectified sex objects for the pleasure of men. It's one thing to sing your own praises, but a complete other to obviously pander to men's basest desires. Perhaps it doesn't help matters that Snoop Dogg is a peddler of his own pornography line, this continues to give the impression that Perry (whose career this is) is just a girl in Snoop's own lineup.

"I Can't Be Tamed" by Miley Cyrus

Youtube Music Video

**Video is not suitable for Work or for All Ages. Watch at your own discretion

It really is an unfortunate turn for the career of Miley. It seems as though every young female artist has to have some type of "coming out" song that declares they aren't the young pop princess they used to be, and as much as this song wants to claim that Miley can't be tamed, she certainly is following a predictable, bankable, and artistically empty course. How is this video and song any different than what Britney, Christina, or Lady Gaga have done? Songs like "The Climb" and "Party in the USA" for all their cheesiness or pop ballad machine cut feel, were different than the field of dance club fetish songs out there right now. There's nothing more tame and predictable than for Miley to re-envision herself as a fetishistic, brooding, and 'un-tameable' woman. No one needs to tame something thats already lame.

Celtics vs. Lakers
Game 7 of the NBA Finals

The last couple of years I've enjoyed watching the NBA playoffs. I typically don't follow the regular season (just don't have the time), but the playoffs have always made me clear my nightly schedule. Now there are certainly exceptions to the rule here, but NBA playoff basketball is filled with redeeming storylines, players, and performances. In particular, the two teams that made it to the finals this year really captured my attention. The team play of the Boston Celtics was incredible to watch and follow. In fact, when the Celt's played the team defense they were capable of playing it was beautiful to watch their team make defensive rotations, double teams, blocks, and steals, then run down the court in transition and put it in the basket.

On the flip side, the Lakers were a case study in steady and determined reliance and trust in their system and strategy. It seemed as long as the Lakers were able to remain consistent to their strategy while the Celtics made their bursts of inspired play, they were able to outlast and overcome the Celtics. Overall, the effort, determination, mental adjustments and restraint displayed by both teams is something to walk away from inspired. It has certainly gotten me back into playing basketball, as well as considering how those qualities and values can be adapted to a ministry team.

Toy Story 3

For a detailed look into "The Hidden Story Behind Toy Story 3", check out my previously posted essay here.

USA vs. Slovenia
World Cup Soccer

The first time I've found myself completely engrossed in a soccer match. It was great to see a deflated US team come back during the second half and rally to tie. It was frustrating to watch a poorly officiated call rob the US of a much needed win. What to take away from this?

It's easy for non-soccer fans to make fun of the sport. It certainly isn't as schematic driven as football or basketball, and several elements are easy to pick on. However, I'm glad that I haven't given up on the sport when my first few viewings were not enjoyable. There is an interesting ebb and flow to a well played soccer match that can be just as entertaining as any sport I've watched. Between penalty kicks, corner kicks, crossing kicks and breakaways, there is little lack of tension and suspense.

As an American I would love to see instant-replay, less ties, and less emphasis on taking a dive, but for all those faults, there is plenty here to like. I'm glad I've stuck with the sport and didn't just close off to it. For those still not convinced, watch the games with other soccer fans, or if possible, soccer players. Ask them questions about what is going on, why certain players reacted in the way they did and so forth. There is a lot going on that I didn't know about, and if there is anything redeeming to take out of all the time I've spent trying to enjoy soccer, it's that we sometimes have to put forth a considerable effort to understand things we initially don't enjoy or understand. In the end, it was really worth it.

The Hidden Story Behind Toy Story 3

After watching Toy Story 3, hearing reviews from friends, and reading several critical reviews of the film, I am stunned that much of the real story in Toy Story 3 has gone unnoticed. Underneath the bright colors, the funny lines, and the tear-jerking moments lies an existential tension that ultimately upholds a biting and deceptive nihilism that most audiences don't pick up on and if they did, would probably sour on the film. What am I talking about you ask? Lets dig a bit deeper.

SPOILER ALERT

Let's first get this out of the way; Toy Story 3 is a good film. The love from the writers and animators is clearly on display here, leading to a film that is equally parts funny, engrossing, and touching. Add on top of that continued great voice work, some fun new characters, and how could this film not be a success? While Toy Story 3 is clearly a winning film, there are a few issues that serve to limit this film (in many ways the series of films as well) for me, and it surprises me that many other critics and moviegoers don't seem to notice these issues as well.

The drama of the Toy Story Universe depends on its ability to create relatable situations between the toy subjects and the audience members. While there certainly are emotional points the audience can relate to within Toy Story 3, the overall dramatic issues are a failure as they fail to offer appropriately translatable situations for us, the audience. Toy Story 3's primary dramatic tension comes from Andy's growing older and no longer playing with his toys; he'll be going off to college by the end of the film. As such, the whole cast of toys has been getting neglected, thrown out, or donated. Our remaining cast of toys has to struggle with no longer being useful to their owner and eventually getting thrown into the trash, tossed in the attic, or donated to a daycare center. While it's a very relatable feeling to no longer feel wanted or used and indeed presents the audience with a similar existential crises, I don't think it becomes an appropriate tension for an audience to relate to.

Woody makes the argument early in the film that a toy's purpose is to be "there for Andy, whenever he needs them", basically saying that the purpose of life (for a toy) is to fulfill their role (being available to give joy to the kid) regardless of the circumstances (his seeming apathy and neglect). This makes things difficult for the audience because our purposes in life are very different. While Woody makes the argument that a toy's value comes in it's usefulness and acceptance by it's owner, that's a diametrically opposed value to what we feel humans have.

For instance, if something only has value because something outside of it finds it useful, attractive, fun, or whatever, then it has extrinsic value. Yet, most religions and the predominant culture of the day would argue that humans have intrinsic value. Meaning that we are valuable simply because of who we are and not based on anything outside us, say our family's love or our boyfriend's value of us. I would argue that this is the mindset the audience comes in with. It surprises me that the audience never picks up on the idea that the movie doesn't agree with that viewpoint. Woody makes this extrinsic argument in the beginning of the film (and in a way, the whole film series has been making it.)

You might say that this is just a beginning point for the film and that the theory undergoes change. Well, does it? By the end of the film, we find that the theme has gone from, "We are here for Andy" to "We are here for each other". This is told poignantly in a moment where our cast of toys embraces their seemingly inevitable fate of death (in a tear-jerking scene that would on its own stand as one of the best dramatic scenes of the year). However, has it changed our main issue of extrinsic versus intrinsic value? Unfortunately not, it's only multiplied it. Instead of finding one's value in the acceptance of the joy of it's owner, it's now about finding value in the acceptance of community. While it's true that genuine satisfaction comes from pleasing others and finding acceptance by others, should we be so comfortable with a film that makes it not a side-truth of our world, but 'the truth' of our world?

Ultimately what it comes down to is that Toy Story 3 is a nihilistic story at its heart, making it more akin to The Road, Up in the Air and No Country For Old Men than people would think. It's a story about beings who realize their ultimate purposelessness (Andy's growing indifference, toddler's mayhem, their fate being out of their hands, their ultimate fate at the dump), and must come to terms with creating value out of that world, where none exists. In this case, the value is family and staying together. There is nothing wrong with having a movie with this theme, however, it does strike me as odd that most people don't see it, or even know that it's going on.

I don't mind a nihilistic theme in a major release, but what I do mind are inconsistent themes of nihilism, which Toy Story 3 has in spades. As our film progresses, our characters ultimately catch onto tha "finding joy and purpose in their owner" is meaningless and changes their value to "finding joy and purpose in community". However, through some clever work by Woody (read writer manipulation), they are able to find a warm and caring owner again by the end. In essence, they are able to find a new Andy, one who takes care of them and looks after them. This is a lazy way to reward our characters and resolve a major worldview issue. Instead of our toys actually embracing and finding their fates as temporary passing objects of other's affections, they are rescued and sent into the hands of a new loving owner and community of toys.

One reviewer called this as close to 'religion' as a secular film gets, in remarking that there is an acceptance of mortality & purposelessness, but through the building of values they kind of find 're-birth' into a new world. I disagree. I think it's half-hearted nihilism. Here is the rub, if Andy can grow indifferent than so can their new owner. If Andy and the new owner can grow indifferent, then so can the other toys in their acceptance of each other. This is what the toys and the audience, after our experiences in this film should have learned. We shouldn't feel like the toys find a 'happily ever after', they have simply prolonged their fate, and allowed their value to come from community and the acceptance of an owner. What happens when this new owner tires of them? The film doesn't really want to embrace a nihilistic view of the world to it's end. It's more interested in a happy ending and a friendly loving community.

While the Toy Story 3 Universe may admit that these toys are just a piece of plastic meant to be thrown away when it's outlasted its usefulness, it ultimately doesn't treat them that way, because the audience wouldn't accept that. A brave film would've followed our heroes to their demise and to the triumph of its dramatic themes. Instead, the film stutters and panders not just to the audience, but more than likely to the half-hearted existential nihilism of the writers. It only makes me appreciate more the fully committed nihilism of a Charlie Kaufman, Cormac McCarthy, or Werner Herzog. They stare into the face of the abyss and come out changed, scared, and scarred. Our brave Toy Story characters stare into the face of the abyss and come out with smiles, hugs, laughs, and the welcoming arms of a re-born owner who lavishes attention, care, and love upon them. Something doesn't seem right here and I hope that audiences would take notice.

Sidenote: Does anyone else find it a little sad that rather than say goodbye to friends and family, Andy has to say goodbye to his 'good' friends Buzz and Woody? It's as if the film says that the best friend a boy could have are his toys. I'm all for creative play with toys, but shouldn't there be some balance with human interaction there? I just find the emphasis on the importance of toys (and the ungodly amount of toys) in a child's life to be a little scary.