Hello, everyone, and welcome back to the Nightcrawler Experience!
2023 is now half- over, and as usual, my first entry of the year will be a faith- based look at my 10 favorite movie characters of the previous year.
Sorry it's taken so disgracefully long to get this one out, work has kept me unbelievably busy!
2022 produced a whole host of wonderful cinematic characters, so narrowing my list down to just ten this year was tough!
All the same rules as usual apply:
1. The characters are not listed in any order of preference.
2. It can be any kind of character, be it hero, antihero, villain, or supporting character.
3. The characters can be from any movie that came out last year, be it in theaters or streaming online.
4. It can be from any genre of film, of any rating.
5. It can include original characters created for the film, or adaptations of characters from pre- existing properties that are getting the movie treatment.
6. It can include characters appearing for the first time in a movie, or those who we've seen before but who we learn more about.
Disclaimer 1: There will be some spoilers for the movies in question to better show why I like these characters and what they can teach us.
Disclaimer 2: Not every movie featured in this list is suitable for sensitive audiences (It should be pretty obvious which ones are and which ones aren't). Use discretion in deciding whether or not to see each of them or let children see them.
Disclaimer 3: I obviously do not own the rights to any of these movies or characters.
Now then, I've wasted enough time in getting this list out already, so let's jump right into it!
1. Abby Park, 'Turning Red.'
(Credit for this image goes to the user LegendsAvatar$$ at the Disney wiki at https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Abby_Park?file=Turning_Red_-_Abby_first_appearance.png)
'Turning Red' was a fascinating and funny look at topics like growing up, different generations relating to each other (Always a topic I enjoy seeing addressed, especially when it's done in a balanced way that doesn't make it seem like one generation has all the answers and the others need to just shut up and listen), and all that those entail. It involves a preteen girl named Mei who discovers that a family curse- of- sorts causes her to randomly turn into a giant red panda, and all the problems and opportunities that this brings.
Mei has a nice little circle of friends that do what they can to help her through this, and while all of them are pretty neat in their own ways, my favorite of them, favorite character in this movie, and obviously one of my favorite movie characters from 2022 in general has got to be her pudgy, purple- clad pal Abby Park!
This girl is completely nuts, yet in such an adorable way! Her short fuse, her exaggerated facial expressions (Just look at the grin on her face in the pic of her I used), and her quickly leaping to all manner of extremes are SOOOOOO funny! Her beatboxing skills are pretty amazing, too. I'm sure most of us had a friend a lot like her when we were younger.
Her voice actress Hyein Parks gives such a great, enthusiastic performance, you'd never guess it was her very first acting role!
As crazy as Abby is, though, her heart is most definitely in the right place, and she is marvelously loyal to her friends. She does all she can to help Mei get this little problem of hers under control.
This ties in to the Spiritual lesson that Abby helps to teach us, on the importance of loyalty and helping our loved ones when they face trials. Galatians 6:2 teaches us to "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ." Just as Abby helps Mei in her struggles with the curse, we all need to do what we can to try and help our own loved ones who may be facing real- life trials, such as illness (Of themselves, or someone close to them), loneliness, and depression, not to mention loads of others. That kind of loyalty and compassion is what truly marks followers of Jesus.
So, there we have Abby Parks, a kooky little girl whose love and loyalty to those she cares about are rock- solid, and she can teach all of us to do the same. Just don't try and face off against her in a game of dodgeball, she can get a little TOO intense then!
Now, we go from one rather overweight supporting character to another:
2. Jacob Kowalski, 'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore."
(Credit for this picture goes to the user Talisrael at the Harry Potter wiki at https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Jacob_Kowalski?file=Jacob_Kowalski_with_his_wand.jpeg)
Each of the 'Fantastic Beasts' films had a different character that particularly riveted me. In '... And Where to Find Them,' it was the main character Newt Scamander, in 'The Crimes of Grindlewald,' it was the evil Gellert Grindlewald, and in this one, 'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,' it's the incredibly likable supporting character Jacob Kowalski. Right off the bat, Jacob is unique in that he is the only prominent character in the entire Wizarding World franchise (Including not just the 'Fantastic Beasts' series, but also the 'Harry Potter' series) who is a Muggle/ No- Maj, so seeing the ways he interacts with all the different magical elements and people he meets makes for some great moments. 'The Secrets of Dumbledore' is good old Jacob reaching his true potential and showing what a hero he can truly be.
At the start of the movie, though, Jacob is in a really rough place. He's incredibly sad and lonely due to his fiancee Queenie having left him and joined the Dark Side at the end of the previous movie, his bakery that he sunk everything he had into is now struggling to stay open, and he is just generally miserable.
Things take a turn for Jacob when the witch Lally and his old friend Newt Scamander end up recruiting him in their attempts to stop Gellert Grindlewald from seizing power over the wizarding world.
Jacob ends up having quite a few adventures over the course of the movie: He is almost certainly the first Muggle/ No- Maj to enter Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in a VERY long time, he attends a number of very important wizarding world functions, helps foil an assassination attempt, stands up to one of the most feared dark wizards of all time, and is nearly killed multiple times. Yet, it turns out well in the end: He directly helps save the entire world from falling under the will of a wanna- be tyrant, his bakery gets back on its feet, and (This is what had me straight- up cheering the first time I saw it in theaters) he gets Queenie back. Throughout it all, he remains the kind, brave, loyal, lovable gent he has been all through the series, and his actor Dan Fogler's performance is as great as ever.
The Biblical point that Jacob helps to drive home is on everyday goodness and heroism that we all can show. At the start of the movie, like I said, he is not in a good state. That evening, while he is closing up the bakery and wallowing in self- pity, he sees a woman across the street apparently being harassed by a group of guys. Even though he's not exactly a combat expert and they outnumber him three to one, he still bravely heads out with a frying pan and tells them to scram. It turns out to be Lally and a few friends of hers staging it in order to sort of test Jacob and help him realize the hero he still has within him. That, then, leads to this exchange:
Jacob: "(Indicating the frying pan he is holding in his hand) Look, see this? See the pan? That's me. I'm the pan. I'm all dented, dime- a- dozen, I'm just a schmo. I don't know what kinda crazy ideas you have in your head, there, lady, but I'm sure as Hell you can do a lot better than me."
Lally: "I don't think I can, Mr. Kowalski. You could have ducked under the counter, but you didn't. You could have looked the other way, but you didn't. In fact, you were willing to put yourself in danger to save a perfect stranger. Seems to me, you're just the kind of average Joe the world needs right now. You just don't know it yet; That's why I had to show you."
Many of the figures in the Bible who went on to do incredible things started from unimpressive, average backgrounds. David was a shepherd boy and the youngest and smallest of his brothers, yet he went on to be a king. Peter was a probably- illiterate working- class fisherman with loads of issues, yet he became the leader of Jesus's disciples. Jesus Himself was the son of a poor carpenter, yet He saved all of mankind and altered the course of human history forever.
In much the same way, I'm sure many of us see ourselves as nothing special, but through following the Lord Jesus, trusting in Him, and striving to model everyday goodness and kindness like how Jacob did in the movie, we too can do incredible things for God and for the world around us.
Even though the poor box- office performance of 'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore' led to the cancellation of future sequels in that series, at the very least it ends on a good note for Jacob Kowalski, as he gets the happy ending he richly deserves for the good he did and the lessons he taught us on how anyone can become a hero.
Our next entry on the list is another average Joe who ends up doing pretty remarkable things, but unlike Jacob, he was actually a real person (Albeit a fictionalized portrayal of him):
3. Stuart "Stu" Long, 'Father Stu.'
(This fan- made icon was made by the Deviantart user Nandha602 at https://www.deviantart.com/nandha602/art/Father-Stu-2022-Movie-Folder-Icon-v2-913322957)
Right when I saw this movie, based on the true story of the late Stuart Long, I KNEW I had to put him on my list!
As we watch Stu in the movie, we see this troubled good- ol' boy go on all kinds of different paths over the course of his life; From amateur boxer eventually forced out of it due to injury, to struggling actor with multiple brushes with the law, to a nearly- fatal motorcycle accident which gets him thinking more about God and the concept of eternity, to finally setting out to become ordained as a Catholic priest. Even then, life has one more devastating curveball to throw at him.
Mark Wahlberg gives one of the best performances I've ever seen from him when playing Stu. He perfectly balances humor with heart, and you can feel for him with each of the assorted struggles he faces.
I'd say the Scriptural messages to be taken from Stu are pretty obvious. The first is on redemption and calling, and how God can save even the most fallen of us and give us new hope and a purpose. Stu was going nowhere fast throughout most of his life, accomplishing very little good and causing a lot of problems for others with his crude, reckless behavior. Nevertheless, God could save even him, helping Stu to find redemption through Christ and the chance to do great things for the Kingdom of God and draw others to Him. As he at one point puts it, " "God saved me and forgave me to show me that there's a reason I'm here." Interestingly enough, an epiphany similar to that was a part of what eventually led me to accepting Jesus as my own personal Savior in high school. It calls to mind 2 Corinthians 3:18, which says "And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His image with ever- increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." As learning more about the Lord saved Stu and transformed him from a directionless troublemaker into a genuine servant of Jesus, so He can save and transform all of us from flawed and desperate sinners into His true faithful servants.
Another point to be taken from Stu is the reality that if God is planning to work a miracle in us, Satan is going to do his best to try and stop it, but we must endure. Stu experiences this firsthand, between his parents scoffing at his newfound interest in the Lord, his girlfriend Carmen (A great character herself) attempting to dissuade him from getting ordained, and finally him being diagnosed with a terminal illness that goes on to have such a debilitating effect on his motor skills that the Catholic diocese very nearly cancels ordaining him because they're afraid his illness affecting his hands could cause him to not be able to properly serve Communion. Nevertheless, he pushes through, and his sufferings and losses draw him closer to Jesus than ever before. He has loads of great quotes throughout the film that show this:
"Like anything, Father, it's the struggle that brings you closer to God."
"When God wounds us, he calls us closer to Him."
"The experience of suffering is the fullest example of God's love. It is a chance to be closer to Christ."
There are loads of Bible verses that reinforce this. First up, 2 Corinthians 4:17 says "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." Also, 2 Timothy 3:12 says "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted..." Lastly, God Himself says in Isaiah 43:2 that "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."
It is just a simple fact that, when we start following Jesus and He begins working in us, the Devil will try and throw everything he can at us to try and stop us. Have faith, however, that God can get us through all of it, one way or another. If Stu could come to understand this so thoroughly through what he experienced, then so can we.
So, that sums up Stu, a great portrayal of a remarkable man who I wish I could have met when he was alive in real life. But, fortunately, we'll have that chance in Heaven.
Now, for the next entry on this list, we will be going from a troubled man who learns to reform and become good, to a truly evil young woman with no interest in reforming:
4. The Prince, 'Bullet Train.'
As proof that God works in mysterious ways, it at times is strange to me how He helps these lists come about, and how suddenly they can change. Each time I make one of these character lists, I include one villain who I consider the best cinematic baddie from the previous year, and for months it was assured in my mind that the Coachman from Disney’s live- action ‘Pinocchio’ remake (Which I'll be talking about REAL soon in a future entry on this blog) would take that position for this list, as he was a wonderful, charismatic rendition of a deeply- underrated Disney villain. I had a lot of his entry written out, and his picture selected.
So, imagine my surprise when, in mid-
January, I watched the 2022 film ‘Bullet Train,’ a marvelous action film about
an assortment of assassins and spies each with their own missions and agendas
who all happen to be on the same bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto, and found
that film contained an even nastier and more effective villain who can teach a similar lesson to the Coachman, but does so in an even better way. Enter “The
Prince,” a ruthless assassin posing as a British schoolgirl on board the train.
She’s out to kill a powerful crime lord known as “The White Death” as an act of
personal revenge, and to that end, she throws the young son of one of his
enforcers off the roof of a department store, knowing that the enforcer would
then track her down to the train. She points out that one of her men is watching
the child’s hospital room, and will kill the boy unless the enforcer willingly
acts as an accomplice to The Prince’s intricate plot to kill the White Death.
While The Prince may not be as physically capable as the
other assassins on board the train, her specialty lies in her cunning and particularly in her knack
for manipulation. She can quickly turn on the charm, acting like a shy,
terrified schoolgirl (Complete with tears if necessary) to earn people’s
sympathy or get them to underestimate her, then in the blink of an eye pull a
gun on someone or drop a figurative bombshell on them.
Joey King (A young actress I’ve been a big fan of ever since 2012’s ‘Oz, the
Great and Powerful,’ in which she played the adorable China Girl) gives a truly
magnificent performance. When she puts on her innocent facades, even after knowing her true nature, it still seems hard to not be as taken in by her as everyone else is. When she shows her true colors and reveals what a merciless sociopath she truly is, it's genuinely scary.
The main lesson to be taken from the Prince is on being careful whom you trust. Someone can put up a good show seeming to be harmless or friendly, but turn out to be sincerely evil and out to lure you to your destruction, as the Prince was towards pretty much every character she interacted with in the movie. She saw all of them as nothing but pawns for her to exploit and manipulate for her own benefit, and there are plenty of people in the world who could view us in the same way. The Bible often teaches this, the importance of discernment in whom we trust. For instance, Proverbs 12:5 teaches that "The thoughts of the righteous are right, but the counsels of the wicked are deceitful." Learning who is okay to trust is a hard skill to develop, but with the Lord's guidance, you should be able to pull it off well.
So, there we have the Prince, an amazing villain who helps demonstrate that we need to be careful whom we trust, and not follow those who seem okay but inwardly are evil to the core.
A few other memorable 2022 movie villains include the aforementioned Coachman from Disney's 'Pinocchio,' Jimmy "Mr. Scrooge" Martinez from 'Violent Night,' the Riddler from 'The Batman,' the Grabber from 'The Black Phone,' and literally ALL the villains from 'Puss in Boots: The Last Wish' (They're each awesome in their own way: Goldilocks and the Three Bears bring some humor and loads of heart, Jack Horner brings hilarious scumbaggery and acts as the most prominent threat, and Death brings a sense of more subtle yet terrifying menace and drives the titular character's inner turmoil).
Fortunately, our next entry on the list is a much more pleasant female British character:
5. The Ghost of Christmas Past, 'Scrooge: A Christmas Carol.'
There have been TONS of adaptations of Charles Dickens' unforgettable novella 'A Christmas Carol,' each of which brings something different to the table. While this version of it, which premiered on Netflix last November, isn't really one of my favorite versions of it (I personally think the 2009 version with Jim Carrey is the best, with 'The Muppet Christmas Carol' in close second), it definitely has lots of strengths and high points, with one of the foremost being how it portrays the Ghost of Christmas Past!
In most versions of the story I've seen, I've found the Ghost of Christmas Past to be honestly one of the least memorable of the major characters. I mean, that portion of the story in general is wonderful and quite essential to revealing Ebenezer Scrooge's backstory, getting him to feel a little more remorseful for how he treated some of the people in his life, and paving the way for his redemption, but the Spirit itself as a character doesn't have the charm or poignance of the Ghost of Christmas Present or the quietly ominous scare- factor of the Ghost of Christmas Future.
This version changes all that, making her easily the most memorable and likable of the three Spirits, and in my opinion the best character in the movie as a whole! Here, she is a perky, quirky, shape- shifting candle- woman delightfully voiced by Olivia Colman, who you can tell is having so much fun with the role! She hardly goes 20 seconds without bringing a smile to my face if not an outright laugh! Most of the movie's funniest moments involve her. I think this version of her could even make for a nice spinoff movie, maybe seeing her help someone else come to terms with their past!
Another thing I like about this version of the Ghost of Christmas Past is that, unlike prior versions of the character who are more like impartial observers of Scrooge's past, she seems just as emotionally affected by what she and Scrooge discover in his past Christmases as he does. In the scene where we see the memory of Scrooge's long- lost love Isabel breaking up with him (To the accompaniment of a suitably heartbreaking song called "Later Never Comes"), the Ghost appears to be on the brink of tears watching it.
One more thing I like about this version of the Ghost of Christmas Past (Especially in comparison to other versions of the character) and that ties into the Scriptural lesson she helps to teach, is that she not only shows Scrooge's past, but also helps point out the real importance of our pasts. As she tells Scrooge at one point in the movie, "The past can hurt, especially yours; but, it can also heal, IF you learn from it."
As I explained during my review of 'Avengers: Endgame' a few years ago, remembering and learning from our pasts can greatly help guide us throughout our lives and out walk with God. Throughout the Old Testament, the Israelites were in a kind of loop; They'd start faithfully serving the Lord, then over time, they'd forget all that He had done for them (i.e. Freeing them from their time of enslavement in Egypt, guiding them to the Promised Land, etc.) and start sinning and worshipping false gods, then God would allow them to be conquered and subjugated by rival nations, then over time the Israelites would turn back to God and He would free them again, and the cycle would start all over again. It's all because they kept failing to properly remember and honor their pasts, using the examples of all that God had gotten their ancestors through as proof that He is there for them and will continue to lead and guide them as long as they remain faithful to Him.
Isaiah 46:9 instructs believers to "Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me." Also, Romans 15:4 says "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
Through properly remembering our pasts, we can come to grips with our mistakes, learn from them, find peace over them, and see all the ways God has guided us through our lives and will continue to do so if we let Him. It might at times be painful, but it is how true healing through Christ can come.
That's about it for the Ghost of Christmas Past, a marvelous new take on a key character from a timeless story, who teaches us all an equally timeless message on the value of our pasts.
Next up is another character from a Christmas- related movie, except this one is a LOT more robust:
6. Santa Claus, 'Violent Night.'
(Credit for this image goes to the user Spongetoonnetwork on the Christmas specials wiki at https://christmas-specials.fandom.com/wiki/Violent_Night?file=ViolentNight.webp)
We see here a gruff, boozy, world- weary Kris Kringle, played by 'Stranger Things' star David Harbour. He nails this role, showing that Santa's grown tired of doing this Christmas gig for going on 1100 years now, yet still tries to be committed to bringing joy to children, and is trying to power through his disillusionment with Christmas and do his job as best he can. That is a great, original way to handle this character.
Speaking of original ways to handle it, the way they use his "Naughty/ Nice List" is really cool, too. Merely opening the list will cause it to magically display the name of the person he's thinking of, which of the two categories they fall into, and their good or bad deeds. It's amazing to see, almost like a fusion of modern technology and good old- fashioned Christmas- magic (Speaking of which, this Santa also has the recurring catchphrase of saying, regarding his Santa- magic, "I still don't really understand how it works."). Plus, seeing the good and bad deeds of each character examined with it is pretty funny.
Another thing I like about this version of Santa is that his disillusionment with Christmas that he feels at the start of the movie isn't just the usual "Christmas has become too commercialized, and kids have become too greedy and materialistic" point that we often see in Christmas movies. There is a little of that, but he also has grown to greatly dislike how increasingly tedious his job has become, as we see nearly everyone on his list now only wants three things for Christmas: Video games, gift cards, and cold hard cash.
All that changes one Christmas Eve, however. While drunkenly making his deliveries, he learns that a sweet little girl named Trudy and her wealthy extended family are in grave danger, having been taken hostage by a gang of mercenary thieves out to crack and plunder a massive safe that the family matriarch has hidden on her property. At that point, this not- so- jolly St. Nick decides to step up, save little Trudy and her family (Even though most of her relatives are pretty rotten), and teach the evil thieves a new meaning to the phrase "You better watch out."
One more immensely cool thing about this version of Santa is what we see as his backstory. Normally, in movies that show Santa's backstory (Including a couple I covered on this blog in the past, like 'Santa Claus is Comin' to Town' and 'Klaus'), we see that he was always a good, kind, generous man who eventually gained magical powers. That is NOT the case here. In a neat flashback scene, we learn that this Santa was once a particularly brutal Viking warrior known as "Nicomund the Red" who spilled a TON of 10th century blood with the aid of his warhammer "Skullcrusher" before eventually reforming and becoming a symbol of hope and goodwill.
That backstory even factors into how we see Santa fight the thieves in this; He's quite skittish about using guns, but once he gets his hands on a sledgehammer, he starts wielding it like the old pro that he is.
The Biblical lesson to be learned from 'Violent Night''s Santa is on staying true to our faith and the good work we do even when it gets rough and we don't feel like doing it anymore. Santa certainly learns this over the course of the film. As I said, he had been getting sick of doing this for as long as he had and how tedious it had become, but helping to save Trudy and her family and seeing the faith that she inspires in them and in him renews his love of Christmas and his commitment to spreading yuletide cheer and goodwill. As he tells Trudy in the end of the movie, "Thank you, for reminding me that Christmas still matters; That I still matter. You gave me my 'Ho, ho, ho' back."
In much the same way, for us as Christians, remaining committed to serving the Lord with our gifts and ministries can get tiresome, and we can have a hard time seeing the point of it. I've felt that way about this blog on some occasions, and about the other work for the Lord I engage in. Nevertheless, I endure because I know that what I do in service of Jesus has eternal effects and rewards, and the same goes for each and every one of you in the good that you all do for Him in your own lives. Galatians 6:9 says "Let us not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Remember that always, to never give up in our acts of service for the Lord.
So, that sums up 'Violent Night''s Santa Claus, a marvelous hero guaranteed to make everyone try extra- hard to remain solidly on the Nice List, if for no other reason than to make sure none of us earn a date with "Skullcrusher."
Our next entry on the list makes for another character who's not exactly kid- friendly, and seems to not belong on this list, but he actually does have a lot to teach us in his own way if we let him:
7. Beavis, 'Beavis and Butt- Head Do the Universe.'
(Credit for this image goes to the user "MasterShake" on the Beavis and Butt- Head wiki at https://beavisandbutthead.fandom.com/wiki/Beavis?file=Beavis-1.png)
Yeah, I know it seems weird to use this character in this capacity, but just hear me out.
Last year saw those two lovable morons Beavis and Butt- Head make their long- awaited return via the hilarious Paramount Plus streaming film 'Beavis and Butt- Head Do the Universe,' in which the dim- witted duo become part of a 1998 NASA mission into outer space (As you can probably guess, they mess it up), get sucked through a black hole time portal into the year 2022, and wreak all kinds of havoc in their continued, endless pursuit of some day scoring.
While Butt- Head remains mostly the same as ever throughout the movie, we quite surprisingly see Beavis experience some real growth and development as a character, and learn that he is actually A LOT more complex than he always seemed. While Beavis has always been consumed with the obsessive desire to score with a woman, this movie marks the first time that he actually, genuinely falls in love with one, at times with no physical lust involved at all. Mike Judge does his usual great job with Beavis's gravelly voice, at times even bringing real, relatable emotion into it.
A key scene with Beavis takes place about a third of the way into the movie. Having acquired a smart phone, Beavis unwittingly activates the interactive phone service Siri, and mistakes her voice for a woman named Serena that he and Butt- Head hoped to hook up with (As you can probably guess, the feeling is not mutual). He then is alone in a room with the phone, and starts having a conversation with Siri in which he really vents his emotions and bares his soul to her, which goes as follows:
Beavis: "So, um, I know you probably like Butt- Head more, but I was thinking..."
Siri: "I don't understand 'Butt- Head.'"
Beavis: "Yeah, yeah, heh heh, me neither! It's like, he thinks he can tell me what to do, he's always trying to kick my ^## for no reason, and it just gets old after a while! Heh heh, you know, I'm tired of it."
Siri: "How can I help you?"
Beavis: "Oh, just, you know, listening helps a lot. I guess I never really had anybody that actually listens, like, when I'm talking and stuff. Like, nobody hears the real Beavis. You know what I'm sayin'?"
Siri: "I don't understand 'Beavis.'"
Beavis: "You know, neither do I sometimes! Yeah, heh heh. Neither do I."
There is SOOOOO much depth and spiritual meaning from that exchange. Deep down, all Beavis really wants is people in his life who care about him, who listen to what he has to say, and are interested what he's going through. Really, most people you'll meet are like that, just wanting to know they are loved and listened to, and we should try and do that for them, especially as part of our walk with God.
Scripture is filled with calls for this. Galatians 6:2 instructs believers to "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." We need to be willing to look after each other and help each other (Especially our brothers and sisters in Christ) with a listening ear and a compassionate heart, through whatever we each may be facing.
Another Scriptural lesson that Beavis can teach relates to bringing hope. At one point over the course of the movie, the boys find themselves in jail and Beavis turns into his wild, hyper alter- ego "The Great Cornholio." In this state, he incites an inmate uprising over their unfair treatment by the guards (Most notably not being given enough toilet paper) that leads to genuine change and reform happening in the jail. A guard makes the comment that "He did the most dangerous thing he could do in this prison... He gave those men hope."
Hope can indeed be a powerful if not "dangerous" thing, as it can give people the strength to endure the hardest of times in the most desolate of places, by causing them to know that they can rise above those circumstances, even if they can't see how just yet. Hope is a key part of the Christian walk, the hope that God provides that He will get us all through this life, has amazing plans for us, and is preparing a place for us in Heaven. Romans 8:24- 25 says that "For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." Jesus is truly the ultimate bringer of hope.
That's about all there is to say about Beavis. He's as funny as ever, but also surprisingly deep and teaches us a lot here. As he himself would put it, "WHOA! That rules, heh heh!"
Next up is one more "Moral grey- area" kind of character:
8. Teth- Adam/ Black Adam, 'Black Adam.'
(Credit for this image goes to the user BuccaneerMarx on the Heroes wiki at https://hero.fandom.com/wiki/Black_Adam_(DC_Extended_Universe)?so=search&file=Black_Adam_%28DCEU%29.webp)
'Black Adam' was an intense, action- packed joy of a movie, with the entire cast quite solid. However, the standout was definitely the titular antihero from DC Comics, played by action superstar Dwayne Johnson.
The movie shows his backstory very well. Teth- Adam originally lived thousands of years ago in the country of Kahndaq, and gained powers to help overthrow the tyrant who had been oppressing and enslaving his people, but in the process, he let his rage overtake him, caused catastrophic damage that killed millions, and was magically buried/ exiled until finally being unearthed in the present day. He's regarded by the history books as a liberator of his people, but when unearthed and finding a new group of villains oppressing his country, he starts throwing down against them, but he yet again starts going too far, leading to a group of heroes called the JSA having to intervene. Eventually, he learns to control himself more, use his powers in a more helpful way, show mercy as much as he can, and eventually save all the world, and gains the new codename "Black Adam."
Black Adam is a character I'm not too familiar with, other than knowing that he becomes the main archenemy of the superhero Shazam, but the movie turns him into an excellent antihero that audiences can cheer for in one scene, then cringe in terror at in another scene. A scene early on in which he completely annihilates an entire squad of enemy troops to the accompaniment of the Rolling Stones' classic "Paint It, Black" is truly unforgettable in its carnage and sheer coolness. Dwayne Johnson brings his usual excellent screen presence to the character, but at the same time makes him a good deal darker than most of the roles he usually plays.
The first Scriptural lesson that Black Adam teaches is on self- control and especially controlling one's anger. As indicated earlier, his allowing his sheer rage to consume him caused untold suffering and death, and it's not until he learns to control it that he can become more of the hero that he is remembered as by his people. Self- control is a key part of the Christian walk, including properly controlling your anger. Psalm 37:8 tells us "Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil." Ecclesiastes 7:9 says "Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools." Proverbs 25:28 says "Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control." Those who have no self- control and let their anger control them may not be capable of leveling entire kingdoms like Teth- Adam did, but they can ruin relationships, get themselves in all kinds of trouble, and greatly hinder their Christian witness.
There’s also the matter of using your gifts for good. Teth-
Adam, when he first gained his powers, became so blinded with rage over what
had been done to him and his family that he became just as destructive as the
tyrant he was trying to free his people from. In the present day, the JSA and
the other new friends Black Adam makes help him learn that he needs to truly
put his amazing powers to the best use he possibly can, becoming a force for
freedom and justice rather than a force for vengeance. In much the same way, we all have our own gifts and talents, and God gave them to us not for our own benefit, but so we could help others and glorify Him. 1 Peter 4:10-11 says "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." We all have things we are good at, that God can use to help spread His salvation and His love to those around us, we just have to be receptive to using them the right way.
That's about it for this portion of the list and the look at the great antihero Black Adam. In conclusion, to paraphrase a key quote from his movie, when someone asks you how you learned the importance of self- control and directing your talents for good, "Tell them the Man in Black sent you!"
Now then, we go from a male antihero discovering his more heroic side, to a female hero wrestling with a newly- discovered dark side.
9. Giselle, 'Disenchanted.'
(She's definitely not looking as chipper as she used to. Credit for this image goes to the user Lola987 on the Disney wiki at https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Giselle/Gallery?file=Disenchanted_-_Photography_-_Evil_Giselle.jpg)
I have always adored the 2007 fantasy film 'Enchanted,' in which animated fairy tale girl Giselle (Amy Adams) falls through a portal and finds herself in real- life modern- day New York, gains newfound perspectives and helps others to do the same through her cheer, kindness, and belief in the power of true love.
Last year brought it a sequel, 'Disenchanted,' in which Giselle has married her true love from the first movie, Robert, and we see them move along with Robert's now- teenaged daughter Morgan and their baby daughter Sofia to a new house out in the country town Monroeville. Needless to say, it turns out to not exactly be the ideal, happy existence Giselle had hoped it would be. The house is in the middle of being renovated, she's starting to have clashes with her teenaged stepdaughter, and other problems ensue.
When Giselle acquires a magic wish- granting wand, she uses it to wish that her life could be like a fairy tale again. While it leads to some fun things like talking appliances and animals, and spontaneous musical numbers, there is a colossal downside to this: Not all fairy tale characters are good, ESPECIALLY step- parents. Giselle starts acting more like a fairy tale "wicked stepmother," cold and cruel to Morgan and viciously power- hungry, determined to become the new ruler of Monroeville. Her good and evil personalities war with each other constantly as the movie progresses, leading to a great ending.
Giselle has always been a great character, but 'Disenchanted' made her so much more complex. Amy Adams's performance as her is a masterstroke. Her "Good" moments are as delightful and heartwarming as they were in the first movie. Her "Evil" moments are brilliant as well; At times in this mode she is sinister and calculating (While still maintaining some of her old mannerisms), other times she is hilariously over- the- top, especially in the rivalry she forms with the town's snooty mayor Malvina (Maya Rudolph) who has been turned by the spell into an "Evil Queen"- type. They have an amazingly catchy villain- song- duet called "Badder," and you can tell both actresses must have been having the time of their lives making it. Nevertheless, by the end, we are eager to see Giselle restored to her pure- hearted old self, and her good relationship with Morgan restored as well.
The Biblical lesson that Giselle helps teach is on the transformative effect of unconditional love. As I said earlier, as the movie progresses and the spell does its thing, Giselle's good side and her newfound evil side clash with each other a lot, and the evil side quickly begins prevailing. Fortunately, the good in her is still there, and Morgan ultimately helps bring it back out of her again by reminding Giselle of all the love that she has always had for her husband and stepdaughter. This helps Giselle to snap out of it and undo the wish before its effects become permanent.
Unconditional love can indeed have a powerful, transformative effect on people. It can help end quarrels between families and friends, restore and strengthen bonds, and enable people to see the world in different ways. 1 Peter 4:8 shows this by telling believers to "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." It was God’s own unconditional love for all of us that led to Him sending His Son to Earth to die on the cross to save us from our sins. Romans 5:8 shows this by reminding believers that "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." We all similarly need that kind of love and mercy towards others, to help mend our relationships and she a light on God's amazing love.
That wraps up our look at Giselle, a character as delightful to watch as she's always been (Even when her nastier side starts coming to the forefront), who teaches an equally delightful message on what unconditional love can do.
Our final entry in this list is another character from a film series that takes a rather satirical look at fairy tales, but this time from Disney's #1 rival Dreamworks:
10. Puss in Boots, 'Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.'
(Credit for this image goes to the user RRabbit42 on the Dreamworks wiki at https://dreamworks.fandom.com/wiki/Puss_in_Boots:_The_Last_Wish?file=Puss_in_Boots_The_Last_Wish_Official_Poster.jpg)
'Puss in Boots: The Last Wish' was a straight- up animated masterpiece on a lot of different levels, a wonderful improvement from the previous movie in that series, one of the best animated films I've seen in years, and one of its main strengths is how amazingly well it handles its title character.
In this, we see that Puss (Voice of Antonio Banderas) remains the daring, adventurous hero he has always been, but also see the downside of this early on; His reckless lifestyle has resulted in him dying multiple times (Complete with a pretty darn funny montage of his previous deaths, from being trampled in a Running of the Bulls, to falling off a roof while drunk, to an allergic reaction to eating shellfish, and so on), and now he is on the last of his nine lives. A terrifying encounter with Death itself leads to Puss retiring and going to live with an old cat- lady, briefly taking up a miserable existence as a regular housecat who goes by the name "Pickles." Thankfully, this depressing state doesn't last long, as Puss learns of the existence of a magical star that can grant a wish to whomever finds it first, and so he reasons that he could use its power to get all his lives back. Along the way to try and find this star, he makes new friends, reconnects with old ones, and learns a lot.
Puss in Boots has always been easily one of the most likable and entertaining characters in the Shrek universe, and that certainly holds true here. While he still has his charm, his courage and his cocky, devil- may- care attitude, he also now has newfound vulnerability, gains a sense of humility, and starts to develop deep connections to his companions over the course of his journey to find the wishing star.
'Puss in Boots: The Last Wish' deals a lot with various concepts relating to life and death. Puss comes to learn that, rather than trying to regain the lives/ time he has lost, he needs to cherish the life he has left and make the most of it.
Indeed, making the most of our life and the time we have left on Earth are important themes talked about in the Bible. Ephesians 5:15- 16 instructs believers to "Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." An excellent way to ensure we get the most out of life is through actively pursuing the growth of our spiritual lives. Proverbs 21:21 says "Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity, and honor." This is what God intended us to do with our lives. In fact, John 10:10 has Jesus Himself saying that "I came so that they (All of us) might have life- indeed, so they can have life to the fullest."
Who would have guessed that a cartoon cat in boots could teach us all such a wonderful Scriptural lesson in such a magnificent movie? Good kitty!
A few honorable mentions for this list include include Lemon from 'Bullet Train' (A black, British assassin loosely affiliated with the Yakuza who has a deep love of 'Thomas the Tank Engine' and used what he learned from it to help him read people; You gotta admit that's an original concept for a character), Perrito from 'Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,' Dr. Fate from 'Black Adam,' Mr. Wolf from 'The Bad Guys,' Carmen from 'Father Stu,' Billy Butcherson from 'Hocus Pocus 2,' and P.B. the potbelly pig from 'DC League of Superpets.'
That’s all for this long- overdue edition of the
Nightcrawler Experience.
You won’t have to wait long at all for my next entry, as this very Thursday I
will be starting my annual partnership with St. John’s United Methodist Church’s
Summer at the Movies event, so stay tuned for that.
Until then, stay well, and may God bless you all!
