Tall Skinny Kiwi

World Changers - 5 week course

Did you know I watched "Amazing Grace" at the East India Docks in London? Best place to watch it. Really.

Bob Beltz of Walden Media tells me the World Changers Resource website is now up and a resource kit is offered. Well done! Some of us were hoping for an earlier launch - like - to coincide with the Amazing Grace movie, but at least the Calvary finally came. And its not too late at all to start a 5 week course for a small group journey into what it means to bring transformation to your world in the way William Wilberforce did 200 years ago. Chuck Colson (here on TSK last month) writes a hearty recommendation for the WorldChangers course. [MP3 broadcast here]

Anyway, if you cant afford the whole kit, just buy the book "World Changers Live To Serve" - its got the 5 week small group discussion guide in it.

Technorati Tags: amazing grace, bob beltz, walden , walden media, world changers

2008 Belief Net Film Awards

Time to vote for the best spiritual movies, documentaries and performances of last year. Link.

Golden Compass and Atheism

Lotsa emails and discussion on the web regarding whether or not author atheist Philip Pullman is promoting atheism [or anti-theism] to children in the movie "The Golden Compass" which gets released Dec 7. Philip Pullman answers some questions regarding atheism and church and basically says he has no agenda but Matt Barber writing for the Examiner says Pullman's agenda comes across strongly and so he will be spending his eleven bucks elsewhere. I think I lean on the side of Matt but am open to being evangelised.

UPDATE: Kester is worth reading.

Related: The Skinny on New Atheism which - btw - appears to have been vandalized recently by people not happy with it [whatever happened to FREE SPEECH?] and no longer loads properly. Could some geek out there view the html source and tell me how to fix it? In the meantime, scroll down to the text and have a read.

Technorati Tags: atheism, golden compass, new atheism

Narnia Secrets: Whats coming up

Attention C.S. Lewis fans: Walden Media's Bob Beltz told me he can share with us what to expect with the upcoming films in the Narnia series. In fact, you can ask him yourself tomorrow (Monday) on my Happy Hour because he is one of my guests.

Technorati Tags: narnia

Evan Almighty and Ark Almighty

Interesting development regarding the movie "Evan Almighty", which we will see when it comes to Europe next month. Bob Beltz emailed me to say how much he loved the movie and respected it as the kind of movie that his team at Walden Media has been promoting and producing. In fact, Bob has been collecting opinions on the movie and doing a chat-by-email kind of discussion that I have been privy to.

It seems the movie had some mixed reviews and it really is a pity Jim Carrey doesn't feature like he did in Bruce Almighty. But there might be something of a long tail building up behind the movie comprising of people who really enjoy the movie's message and dont view it as a complete theological statement.

Helping that long tail along was my friend Marko who was providing do-it-yourself kindness kits through the Ark Almighty website - something that has been helping people perform their own random acts of kindness and tracking who was doing what around the country. Thats USA . .. not other countries.

Despite resembling BMI Baby airlines in the UK, the Ark Almighty location is a good strategic site and perhaps a model in partnership between church and hollywood in making and tracking an impact in society. The kits may have run out but there is still scope on the site to sign up for some random kindness stunts.

Technorati Tags: ark almighty, evan almighty, movies

Heroes - what a ride!!!

Just saw the final episode of Heroes. What a ride! Wont say what happened for those have haven't seen the final or for those outside USA without broadband but hey . . . it finishes well and i cant wait for the next Volume.

Its been a great show. Tight story and script. I LOVED the Japanese guys. Masi Oka was hilarious and his friend was great also. I wish the evil Pettrelli mother didnt say that she would "say a prayer" for the dying man. With so much supernatural stuff happening, both good and bad, its a shame that Christianity peeks its head through this horrible lady. Anyone have some thoughts on the religious themes in Heroes??????

I really don't watch TV episodes and I hate sitcoms. I like LOST and our family is committed to an hour a week. I didnt have time for 24 but may consider it in the future.
We did watch Alias - buying the DVDs on ebay and selling them again made it cheap and convenient.

Technorati Tags: heroes, masi oka

We finally saw Amazing Grace

After our huge Easter lunch we all went out to see Amazing Grace the movie at London's West India Quay. Best place to watch it! West India Quay is one of the first places mentioned in the movie and the scene where much of the slave trade took place in London. About 11 of us went, including our German friend Claudia, and we all enjoyed it.

Amazing Grace released in UK

Quite a serious buzz in London about the movie Amazing Grace. I saw it all over the buses during my time here, as my little video clip below will show. Hope it does well.

Technorati Tags: amazing grace

'Swang' and Producer Jason Rey

Here is one of video producer Jason Rey's videos called Swang, which has achieved almost legendary status in the Houston hip-hop scene and is now a standard for other short hip-hop videos. One of the hip-hop artists, Hawk, died tragically from gunshot wounds shortly after this video was taken. Check it out and watch the cars SWANGING down the street. [Did i say that right, Jason?]

Jason Rey [de Leon] has been one of our Christmas guests. His favorite food at our feast, in case you were wondering, was the goose and chestnut/apple stuffing. Despite having his ass kicked by my 7 year old daughter Hannah in last night's karaoke competition, Jason managed to find his groove in one of the hip-hop songs and used his advantage to beat Abigail, who is a few years older than Hannah.

This is Hannah licking a lollipop after humiliating Jason (right) in the Jones's Christmas Karaoke competition, while Jessica plays with our kitten Charlie Chaplin.

I asked Jason about his video "Swang" and what that word means. I have nailed him down to a quasi definition:

Swang is a word given to the sync'd swerving down the street of a groups of "slabs" ie, late 70's/early 80's American big bodied cars. Think 1950's low-rider cruising making it into todays world.
- Rapper Z-Ro from Rap-A-Lot Records uses "swang" in at least one of his songs on Z-Ro vs the World.
- Swang on Wikipedia is not very helpful here, referring to a folk dance from Malwa but the ending sentence alludes to this new word:
"More recently elongated to "Swanging" in the verbal form for a more "hip" and "youthfull" use. For example "I was swanging allnight baby!""
- Swang on Urban Dictionary offers some helpful sentences that will help you talk like a native:
"look hear comes some hot whips they'r swang'n"

Technorati Tags: hip hop, video

Amazing Grace Trailer, Wiki, Website and Blog

The Amazing Grace project seems to be picking up speed. Walden's Bob Beltz tells me the official website has been revamped - and it looks really good! A nice trailer is floating around. Its a lot shorter than the trailer Bob showed us earlier this year at Freakstock but it still captures the heart of the movie. Amazing Grace the movie project is now on Wikipedia. The Amazing Change suggests some ways you can get involved. And Erik Lokkesmoe (project manager for Amazing Grace) has started a simple blog called Grace Notes that I expect will keep up with this movie's progress and how people are using it to bring freedom in the various levels of life where slavery and oppression still rule.

I was thinking about throwing some parties and seeing who else wants to throw a party around the release date of the movie (23rd Feb and 23rd March, 2007). These could be coordinated globally with not much effort - a bit like the Firefox 2.0 release parties. Anyone up for that? Now here's that trailer:

Technorati Tags: amazing grace

Rocky Balboa: My Conference Call With Sly

I got an email invitation to be in phone chat with Sylvester Stallone last week regarding his new movie, Rocky Balboa. Which I accepted. But I didnt hear from them again. I am guessing they saw that i am now living in UK and decided to GIVE ME THE SHAFT which is fine. . . no hard feelings . .. just means Sly didn't get to say "Yo! . . Tall Skinny Kiwi!" and I didn't get any specific info on his movie that I can share with you.

But let me throw out a Sly quote:
"If you don't have a great relationship with God, you can go off the deep end. The Christian foundation of life is really the perfect ideal which one should base every decision they make on, because it comes from a sense of kindness, a sense of giving, a sense of fairness, and it avoids everything which I'm exposed to every day in my particular industry which is greed, and avarice and jealousy and bitterness . . ."
Interview with Catholic Digest

Technorati Tags: movies, rocky, sylvester stallone

The Truth Isnt Sexy and other Freedom Projects

Quite a number of projects heating up as March 2007 gets nearer. March, as you know, is the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery.

1. The Truth Isnt Sexy
Check out these flyers and banners. Its almost enough to get my blogged banned from censoring software programs . . . . AGAIN!
My friend Si Johnston of Protest 4 says The Truth Isnt Sexy Campaign is kicking off. It needs your prayer and support if we are to make a dent in the human trafficking situation by MARCH next year. The beer mats are not available online yet but i have seen the e-versions - really powerful and sad. The front side contains the images like you see above, and the back has the story of abuse and slavery that is connected.

2. Setting Captives Free
If you make it to Greenbelt Festival this weekend, check out the CMS area and all the resources they have related to the "Setting the Captives Free" theme this year

3. Amazing Grace
This month I saw a short preview of "Amazing Grace", Walden Media's movie based on the life of William Wilberforce. Really excellent film!  The venerable Bob Beltz from Walden Media graced our presence at the Die Gefaehrten Roundtable at Freakstock Festival and showed the preview to about 800 young people who gave enthusiastic approval. Bob's photo was taken by LovingBoy [real name: Emmanuel, and he took lots of great pictures]

There is a lot of possibilities with this movie and the various discussion groups and action groups that could arise from it. Love to hear your thoughts on that.

UPDATE: Amazing Grace the trailer, wiki, website and blog

Technorati Tags: amazing grace, cms, die gefaehrten, walden, wilberforce

The movie with no cuts

Further evidence that we value continuity over cut.
"The making of RUSSIAN ARK is a story of records and firsts - the first entirely unedited, single screen, single take, full-length feature film; the longest-ever steadicam sequence, the first ever uncompressed HD Movie, recorded onto a portable hard disk system, rather than 35mm or tape."
Classic quote from filmaker: "I am sick of editing", Sokurov said, "let's not be afraid of time".

Saved!

Pre-film ponderings about the movie "Saved!" at blogs4God.com

Experiencing Matrix

I am adding some comments to a friend's book today - a book about emerging church that will come out next year. I was writing about our redefined relationship with media and the Matrix came up as an example. Sure would hate to leave my thought undiscovered and untested for a year, so i will blog it out here. This redefined relationship with media has been . . .

. . . "reflected in the way we experienced the Matrix films.
1999 - Matrix 1: Within a week of its theatrical release, we Emailers had a discussion that continued for 2 months.
2003 - Matrix 2: Within a week of its theatrical release, we Bloggers posted a single weblog entry that added to our interpretation and appreciation of the movie. It lasted a few days.
2003 - Matrix 3: Within a week of its theatrical release, we VJ's had access to enough footage to reuse the video in our own presentations. Even before its release, we could download the movie trailer files, edit, modify, and reuse in totally different ways.
2004 – Matrixonline.com: Within a week of the matrixonline.com game release, we Gamers will have another playground, another world, another community in which we can play and live.
Within 6 years, we have moved from Consumer, to Commentor, to Co-author, to Citizen"

Van Helsing and church

Beliefnet.com: Van Helsing' takes the radical step of portraying the Roman church as a force for good. but some people r leaving statements to the contrary.

Muslim Passion For Christ

Muslim Passion For Christ is an interesting article about Gibson's film from a Muslim perspective. It is also open to comments.

Nicole Kidman in Narnia

Christdot reports that Nicole Kidman Will Play White Witch in the C.S. Lewis Movie that will be shot in NZ. Looking forward to seeing that one!

Passion film beats Rings record

Passion film beats Rings record at $125.2m in its first five days. Wow! I'm impressed. What do the Hollywood people make of that?

Passion Bloopers

Bob Carlton sent me a script from The Passion of the Christ: Blooper Reel

[Cell phone rings.]

Soldier: Want me to get it?

Jesus: Yeah.

Justice

At last . . . JUSTICE!

The Passion

I expect that Mel Gibson's movie will be the point of focus for bloggers over the next 2 days. I cant see it until it is released here in London so I want to pass you on to those who can speak from perspective.
Who? I would probably start with veteran theoblogian Rudy Carrasco at urbanramps.com and go from there. If Rudy doesnt deliver, then good ol' Coop always has something up his sleeve.
As for me and my house, I am getting back to writing my book.

Hanging with Gandalf

Return of the King premiere in Berlin. As you know, we drove up there and watched all the actors, listened to Peter Jackson give his speech, but there was something more.
Sir Ian McKellen (Gandalf) walked out and had a chat with us.
Yes, I took that photo!
He stood in front of me and asked about a play in Hamburg that he was in - what play was it? he asked. I didn't know, nobody did. He asked what other movies or plays he had starred in and I told him I had seen X-Men 2 a few nights earlier.
But now I am kicking myself for not asking him some prevalent questions.
Like that scene in The Two Towers when he 'excorcises' Sauramon's spirit from the king - dang that was realistic - I have been involved in kicking out spiritual hitchhikers before and Gandalf's encounter was realistic. How did he know? Why did they put that scene in the movie?
And now . . . because I got star-struck and tongue-tied, we will never know.
My apologies to Blogdom for my blogging failure.
Never mind.
Good news is that he went over and shook my kids hands and that made their whole trip.

Orlando Bloom

According to Bloomed.net (Orlando Bloom's fan site), Orlando and his mates have been trying to kick some demon butt.
Quote "So the actor and his fellow cast members - ORLANDO BLOOM and SEAN BEAN - visited a village church while filming in Mexico to pray for any curse to be lifted."
[BACKBLOG: OOOpppppssss - false alarm - Hes been praying to Greek gods who cant hear him. I might have to talk to him about that. Thanks Jaime Puente who followed the story for putting me straight. ]

Now, if my kids have their way with me, we will be on a train to Berlin tomorrow to see Orlando, Elijah Wood, Cate Blanchet at the European premiere of Return of The King, which , I need to point out, comes earlier than the USA premieres.
Theres justice for you. Yes, there is a God!

Big-Budget 'Narnia' Film

Big-Budget 'Narnia' Film Nearing Production This should be an improvement on the last Narnia film series!!! Good to see them film it in NEW ZEALAND.