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Posted on 06/22/2007 7:10:53 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
If you've been paying attention, you might already know two things about "Evan Almighty." One: The family film about a congressman (Steve Carell) called upon by God to build an ark wound up costing an insane amount of money, something on the level of $200 million. And two: Because it's ostensibly a modern-day Noah story, Universal Pictures has been courting the church crowd, an audience it distinctly avoided with its last movie, "Knocked Up." Both bits of information are relevant because "Evan" might just be the most schizophrenic movie ever made. Yes, you could look at the film as the logical extension of director Tom Shadyac and Steve Oedekerk's "Ace Ventura" movies — harmless, fitfully funny comedies with wacky animals doing wacky things. "Evan" has all that — and then some — since exotic animals, live and CG, show up on Evan's doorstep almost from the get-go.
The presence of so many varieties of animals and birds allow Shadyac and Oedekerk to mine poop humor with an intensity bordering on the pathological. Then again, one of the questions every kid asks when they hear the story about Noah's Ark is: What did Noah do with all the poop?
The Bible doesn't go much into waste management of course, but then as God (Morgan Freeman, reprising his role from the decidedly un-family friendly "Bruce Almighty) tells Evan: The Noah story isn't meant to be read literally. And besides, He says, people miss the point of it anyway. It's not about God's anger. It's actually a love story about believing in each other.
That may come as news to the evangelicals being asked to see the movie. Believers might also blanch at the fact that God is something of a radical environmentalist who listens to Al Gore (or maybe not — after all, Rick Warren does) or grimace when Evan's congressional aide (the always welcome Wanda Sykes) notes of her boss: If he gets any crazier, he'll be in the White House.
That's a cheap shot. As manic as Carell is (and his comic presence certainly makes "Evan" palatable, even for those not inclined to laugh at bird droppings), he'd have to be a whole lot crazier to give the current administration a run for its insanity.
The movie's message about changing the world by practicing "acts of random kindness" (which is an acronym for ARK, get it?) would feel a lot more genuine if "Evan" had cost, say a 10th of its final budget and had those involved plowed the rest of the money into various charitable causes. As it stands, the excessive "Evan" suffers from an affliction almost as old as the Bible — Hollywood hypocrisy.
Can't people just enjoy a movie any more instead of trying to psycoanalyize everything or add moral weight?
The message is:
(1) God and the Bible are nice, as long as you don't take them too seriously and
(2) God's primary concerns are the environment and the excessive use of fossil fuels.
Whaaaaa....?
Is that meant to be read literally?
I’ll see it sometime. I like Morgan Freeman, and I think him portraying the Almighty is a good match.
I will wait to watch it since Bruce Almighty sucked. Although I did like Carrel as Evan Baxter in Bruce Almighty( I don’t know if it’s the same character reprised) usually those type of characters don’t do well on there own. Also the fact that they are trying to pimp the movie to the biblical crowd tells me that they don’t think the movie will do well.
God and the Bible are nice, as long as you don’t take them too seriously
That statement will make some on FR smile in agreement.
No thanks. Lipstick on a pig. Hollywood isn’t fooling anyone trying to pass themselves off as compatible with Biblical Christianity.
“Can’t people just enjoy a movie any more instead of trying to psycoanalyize everything or add moral weight?” ~ mnehrling
It IS sad, but as long as we have such people around, there is nothing I like better than to see them being psychoanylized, themselves, by professionals like Robert W.Godwin [Blogs as Gagdad Bob] , Ph.D - a clinical psychologist whose interdisciplinary work has focused on the relationship between contemporary psychoanalysis, chaos theory, and quantum physics.
For instance:
http://onecosmos.blogspot.com/2005/10/never-make-god-of-your-irreligion.html
bttt
And we should know better than to fall for the hype. After all ... God promised never to do that again to the earth so why would Hollywierd make a movie about Him doing it again?
Because it makes a funny plot and allows for a lot of animal jokes???????
Because it’s fiction?
Either that, or it's a self-love story about believing in yourself. Ultimately, that's all leftists have to believe in.
So, flooding the world and destroying every living creature but those in the ark is about "loving and believing" each other??? One would think there would be other ways God could get people's attention. He is rather resourceful.
No thanks. Lipstick on a pig. Hollywood isn’t fooling anyone trying to pass themselves off as compatible with Biblical Christianity.
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That may be the case with this movie, I am not familiar with the producer or the actors on a personal level. However, I must tell you that there are REAL Christians working in this field that are trying to make quality movies based on the truth of God’s word. I personally know someone who is trying this very thing and Hollywood is being receptive to him. His movie isn’t made yet, but we expect it to come to fruition. In the meantime, I intend on supporting anything that is remotely close, because the more support we give them than Hollywood will take notice and begin to make more and more movies that ARE aligned with God’s word.
It is true that Hollywood’s values cannot be compatiable with the truth of God’s message. However, unless saved and born again, no matter where you live, you are not compatiable with God and you need reconcilation. So the question isn’t what is Hollywood doing about God, the question is what are Christians doing IN Hollywood to try and make a difference, to stand out as different because they are true followers of Christ.
This is a mission field just waiting to be sifted. I encourage any Christian living there to build boldness in Christ and start declaring the truth of the gospel. To start speaking against those who oppose it so openly and to challenge them in their thoughts, opinions and attitudes. Of course, you can’t teach what you don’t know. so continue studying God’s word and pray for discernment and understanding.
And to Morgan Freeman, I totally disagree about Noah’s Ark not to be taken literally. This is a literal description of a REAL event. If it isn’t than why do we still have rainbows today????
Steve Carrell is hilarious. The “40-year-old virgin” should be mandatory viewing.
MOVIEGUIDE REVIEW: EVAN ALMIGHTYQuality: * * * *
Acceptability: +1
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EVAN ALMIGHTY stars Steve Carell as Evan Baxter, the anchorman from BRUCE ALMIGHTY. Evans moves his wife and three sons to Washington, D.C., where Evan will serve as a new U.S. Congressman. Evan prays to change the world, so God appears and tells Evan to build an ark, because there will be a flood coming on Sept. 22. God puts Evan into all sorts of predicaments, forcing Evan to announce what God has told him. This makes Evan the laughingstock of the nation. God’s plans, however, eventually bless everyone.
EVAN ALMIGHTY is a cute, funny and heartwarming family movie with a thrilling ending that makes up for the movie’s theological mis-steps. Steve Carell is wonderfully ditzy as the object of God’s direct affection and attention. Although EVAN ALMIGHTY has strong biblical references, it also has some scatological humor and theological problems. In particular, the movie does not make it clear that, when God appears in human form, he always appears as Jesus Christ as noted in John 1. Still, it is more family friendly than BRUCE ALMIGHTY, so it is a more suitable movie for older children.
For the complete review of EVAN ALMIGHTY, and other current movies, visit http://www.movieguide.org.
INTENDED AUDIENCE: Older children to adults
RATING: PG
RELEASE: June 22, 2007
TIME: 95 minutes
STARRING: Steve Carell, Morgan Freeman, Lauren Graham, John Goodman, John Michael Higgins, Jimmy Bennett, and Wanda Sykes
DISTRIBUTOR: Universal Pictures
mmm - I see it as an attempt to vault themselves higher than the mere pagans who might watch this stuff
I saw it last night - I wasnt expecting 600 level theology - but you know what - no other movie I have seen lately actually showed and had as a main theme a verse from the Bible - hey its a start
incidentally it was Gen 6:14
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