11 December 2006

Happy Feet

I know a lot of people have been down on this movie, but to be honest, I liked it! Lots of music, lots of dancing. Who could ask for anything more? Oh, and don’t forget Robin Williams, who’s always good for a laugh. “Let me tell to you something.” Laugh-out-loud jokes. A tad bit of sexual innuendo inappropriate for children’s movies, I thought, such as the Lovelace character. A friend of mine expressed a problem with the violence, but I didn’t think the violence any scarier than any Disney movie, really, with their villains. We took my six-year-old niece. She seemed to be fine.
Two annoying factors: Nicole Kidman. Her voice reminds me of the drip that won’t stop dropping or the fly that won’t shew. And I can’t stand her (for those of you in the audience not familiar with classics, Singing in the Rain).
Second, the seal. They led me to believe that the seal factor would be this danger in the future. Every time a penguin dove into the water, I expected the teeth of the seal. But then the seal never came back. A McGuffin, perhaps. (How do you like them apples? Hey, mom! Look! No hands!) The chasing seal forced Mumble out of his ordinary world then was useful no longer.
Now, to the Christianity factor, the writer obviously had a bad experience. (Man, I’m just full of those movie references today.) The leadership of the tall penguins resemble some stoic puritan leadership with their disdain of the “pagan dancing” that leads others down some sort of slippery slope (they didn’t actually use that term, but used another favored by Christian leaders afraid of the world influences – I just can’t remember the exact term) away from the unity that will save them. The first time we see the destructive wasteland of the humans that steals away the fish of the penguins, the camera focuses on a church, steeple and all, then pans down to the crusty rusty boats reminiscent of Monet’s industrial trains. Apparently, the guy just doesn’t have a high opinion of Christianity. Here’s the ironic thing: in all honesty, Christians are the ones who have to keep dancing when the rest of the world demands something else. If you live in the Bible belt, it means living a risky Christianity when your neighbors want the Sunday-morning-I’m-seen-at-church-experience-and-let-nothing-else-touch-me-just-keep-me-safe-for-the-whole-family. If you live pretty much anywhere in the Western world, it is being dangerously Christian instead of materialistic (and by that, I don’t mean enjoying God’s creation but an instant gratification lifestyle with the gimme-gimme line). If you live in the Muslim world, it means reaping the shame of your family and banishment if not physical suffering. As Christians, we know the source of evil, and as the Body of Christ, incarnating Him everyday, we can bring healing in this world.
So there you have it folks. Dance with happy feet. Share the healing and hope of Christ.

6 comments:

Erin said...

The dancing theme carries over into our Sunday morning pews... not too many of us are moving with the Spirit (and I do mean THE Spirit) in a worship service. Not too many of us are willing to BE moved by the Spirit, whether He moves us in our feet, our wallet, our family calendar, or our station in life. He just disrupts the old comfy status quo and we don't like it.

Who knew you could glean so much spiritual depth from a movie about a dancing penguin? And I've never even seen the movie.

Pamela said...

You promise the seal doesn't come back?... grin. I get so anxious watching movies that it's not a good thing.

I'm dancing in my heart.... because you are so right on with the things you're speaking in conclusion.

L.L. Barkat said...

Movie. What a concept. I guess I rarely see them now that I have kids! Anyway, I'll put this on the video list (and see it when no one cares to hear about it anymore! :)

Robin said...

Funny, I've heard little about the movie, good, bad or indifferent and I have THREE children. I guess this appears a little "beneath" them now (to them), they think it's a movie for preschoolers.

Me? I love the title of the movie, makes me smile. "HappyDance..." is part of my "real" email address;), but it tells too much about me, so we'll leave it at that. I'm always "happy dancin'" inside, it's the expression I use when something makes my spirit SOAR!

Life IS a dance...faith IS a dance... It's a partnership with a mate, give and take, twirls and dips, art and body in motion. I'm smiling thinking about your tagline of your blog :)...you see it that way, too. So, small wonder you saw this movie in those terms.

Grieves me when Christianity is portrayed as you described...grieves me just as much that it has "earned" that characterization based on the...inconsistent...actions of many (me included). Oh, how I want to "dance" riskily and generously!

Claudia said...

well, i haven't seen it yet, but maybe this weekend, I finally will!! It looks great!

Unknown said...

Interesting! My daughter went with a friend. She said that she liked it.

I hate hate sexual inneuendo and it's in ALL the movies. Fortunately, it still goes over her head (at 8!).