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.

Hannah Montana the Movie: Review

Overall Grade: C-

Believe it or not, I am a Hannah Montana fan. Along with several others on the Disney channel lineup, there are some simple pleasures to be found in their shows. While its true they can be saccharine, simple and pandering; they also can feature some truly charismatic comedic actors. Say what you want, Disney knows how to locate kids with talent, and the Hannah Montana show is loaded with it. While the writing is clearly aimed at kids, the show features some great chemistry and comraderie between the young leads and it truly is fun to watch people enjoy themselves in a show (The same can be said of the cast for Friends or Seinfeld).

All of that sympathy applies to the television show because the movie is nearly completely devoid of anything resembling a good time. Gone from the story are the simple comedic gags, the chemistry between Miley and Lilly, the competition between Rico and Jackson, and the pure enjoyment of life that makes the show so enjoyable. The closest the film comes to the unabashed enjoyment of the show is a credit reel set to the "Hoedown Throwdown". So in the place of the shows best features comes a message so preachy and wrong-minded that it boggles my mind to think of what the writers were attempting to achieve.

Just like in Sweet Home Alabama, "City folk" are skewed caricatures while the "country folk" are wise sages with all the essential knowledge to a satisfied life. If the caricature wasn't enough, an evil Mall Developer is thrown in, without ever explaining what exactly about a Macy's department store corrupts the soul. What makes the whole thing disengenious is that the whole Hannah Montana 'branding' (that includes sold out concerts, DVD sets, lines of clothes, as well as just about anything they can slap a logo on) is the antithesis of the film's message. To top it off, the whole film looks like an Abercrombie and Fitch shoot. It works for the TV show, but when the whole message is about returning to simple roots and traditional values, it would help if the film wasn't shot with Michael Bay's camera at a New York Fashion show. There are some truly wrong headed choices here, including some awful slow motion shots in a couple moments that reminded me of diamond commercials...and nothing says a traditional country values like a diamond commercial.

Of course all of this would be forgiveable if the movie was any good, but it isn't. So, even from someone who can enjoy the television show, I don't think that the film c works on any level it needs to. It's a shame, Miley Cyrus really does have some charisma and comedic talent, but the film does everything it can to hide it. Dare I say that Miley Cyrus is better than this material (never thought I would say that). Crossing over from the television world to the film world is a tough thing to do, and its sad to say that we really don't get the best of both worlds.