OPINION:
“The Book of Clarence” was irreverent, but surprisingly, not entirely irreligious while the space thriller, “I.S.S.,” may hit too close to home when it comes to current world affairs.
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The Book of Clarence – In Theaters
In 1979, the British comedy troupe Monty Python released “Life of Brian,” a farce predicated on the life and times of Jesus Christ. It featured a Nazarene (named Brian, of course) who, through no real fault of his own, is mistaken as the Messiah. Filled with irreligious humor and featuring a grand musical finale where people sing while being crucified, “Monty Python’s Life of Brian” was considered blasphemous by many. And many might still agree.
I walked into “The Book of Clarence” expecting something like an updated “Life of Brian” — though perhaps, in our increasingly secular age, something far more cutting and dismissive. It’d be long on gags, heavy on social commentary and very short on faith.
Imagine my surprise.
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Certainly “The Book of Clarence” is irreverent. But it’s not irreligious. Indeed, for all its jokes, the film takes faith very seriously indeed, and one could almost even call this a Christian film — one with more explicit religious content than many a movie churned out by the faith-based film industry.
We live in such a secular age, where religion can be reviled, and belief can be mocked. So for “The Book of Clarence” to land on such an unequivocable truth — Jesus is the real deal and He cares for you — was beautifully unexpected.
That said, “The Book of Clarence” might not be one to share with your family or small group just yet.
One could certainly quibble with the theology found in “The Book of Clarence.” We have a couple of feints toward Gnostic texts. And however the story ultimately lands, a lot of folks will feel the road it takes to get there — full of disrespect and borderline blasphemous markers — isn’t worth the trip.
And then there are the other forms of content we see here: a dancer entertaining brothel customers; some sparse-but-strong profanities. Plenty of drug use. Some bloody moments of torture.
“The Book of Clarence” is entertaining, insightful and a wee bit unhinged. And it ultimately points to Jesus and asks viewers to take Him more seriously than the movie itself. But the movie’s problems should make you think twice before adding it to your own cinematic canon.
Read the rest of the review here. Watch the trailer here.
I.S.S. – In Theaters
“I.S.S.” is an intense psychological thriller — and one that feels all the more frightening given the current state of foreign affairs.
It takes a deep look at what people are willing to do in life-or-death situations. Will they band together to save everyone? Or in their fear, will they abandon all alliances and betray those closest to them?
Some characters fall into the former category and some into the latter. But all wind up committing atrocious deeds by the film’s end. Violent actions kill several people, and it’s a bit unsettling to see the victims’ blood float in red bubbles around their corpses in the zero-gravity setting.
Swearing is another issue. Both God’s and Christ’s names are abused a few times, and we also hear a handful of f-words among other profanities.
All in all, as interested in the International Space Station you may be, “I.S.S”. isn’t the film to watch if you want any sort of realistic representation of it.
Read the rest of the review here. Watch the trailer here.
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Plugged In is a Focus on the Family publication designed to shine a light on the world of popular entertainment while giving families the essential tools they need to understand, navigate, and impact the culture in which they live. Through our reviews, articles and discussions, we hope to spark intellectual thought, spiritual growth and a desire to follow the command of Colossians 2:8: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”
Reviews written by Paul Asay and Emily Tsaio.
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