Saturday, January 2, 2016

Ten of my Favorite Movie Characters from 2015, and What we can Learn From Them...

I'm sorry I haven't posted more often lately, but I've gone through a number of changes this year, including a new job as a church youth director. I'll still try and make entries on the Nightcrawler Experience whenever I can, and this year should provide some good material for me.
Well, happy New Year, everyone! 2015 is over, and it's been a great year. I've seen and learned a lot, taken my life in new directions, yet still remain the same Christian pop- culture geek I've always been. I can't wait to see what 2016 holds! 2015 has been a great year for movies, too, of all sorts. One thing that really sticks out for me this year in movies is some of the interesting, well- written characters I've seen in them. So, for this edition of the Nightcrawler Experience, I will be counting down what I consider to be my top 10 favorite movie characters from 2015, both as a Christian and as a movie buff.
They aren't in any kind of order, because they're such diverse characters and it is hard for me to choose one as better than others. This list can include all kinds of characters, from heroes to villains to supporting characters. It can include adaptational characters (Characters from media that we've already seen, such as books or comics), or original characters. One thing all of them have in common is each of them, in one way or another, whether as a "Be like them" positive example or as a "DON'T be like them" cautionary tale, helped me to learn an important lesson about being a Christian. WARNING! I'll try to keep this review as spoiler- free as possible, but in some cases, I might need to reveal important things about the movies in question to show more of why I like these characters.
 As an additional warning, some of these films are not fit for younger audiences, so do your homework before seeing them or letting kids see them. So, let's get this party started:

1. Sadness (Voice of Phyllis Smith), 'Inside Out.'
This was quite possibly the most intelligently- written movie Pixar's ever made, it's not often that you see a kid's movie dealing with subjects like the human subconscious and abstract thought. The character Sadness made for quite an interesting case. Right off the bat, for a movie revolving around living, sentient emotions inside a girl named Riley's mind trying to help her get through life, they did a great job portraying Sadness (Matter of fact, they did a great job portraying the other emotions, as well, but especially Sadness). It would have been so easy for the writers to make Sadness a whiny, weepy, obnoxious drama- queen, but instead, they went a much more subtle route, making her more quietly mopey and depressed, which is really how most people act when they're feeling sad. The voice that Phyllis Smith gives her fits that mindset perfectly, and she provides a lot of both comic relief and truly moving moments throughout the movie. For most of the movie, the other emotions made a point of trying to give Sadness as little control over Riley as possible, on the grounds that they felt she had nothing positive to contribute to Riley's well- being. However, as fellow emotion Joy is forced into going on an adventure with her through Riley's subconscious, she realizes just what an important role Sadness really does play in Riley's life. It becomes clear that Sadness's main strength to Riley's emotional well- being is that through her, other people in Riley's life can see when she's hurting or in need of help or comfort. Sadness ultimately uses this to help save Riley from making what would have been the biggest mistake of her young life. In much the same way, for us who follow Christ, our own times of sadness can be just what's needed to remind us of how much we need the Lord and His salvation and guidance in our lives. This then helps us to gain through Him the strength to get through the times of sadness that come in our lives. It says in Psalm 34:18 that "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." Many of us could never have that kind of closeness to God if there wasn't a little sadness in our lives, and Sadness in 'Inside Out' helps to flesh that idea out.


2. Blaire Lily (Shelley Hennig), 'Unfriended.'
Blaire is among those on the list as a "DON'T be like them" cautionary tale about how initial appearances can be deceiving. For those who haven't seen it, 'Unfriended' is a pretty good (In my opinion, at least: People seem very divided on this movie, with apparently an equal amount of people loving it and hating it), and at times pretty scary, variation on the "Found Footage" horror film, in which Blaire and her friends, in the middle of a Skype conversation, find themselves being stalked and increasingly tormented by an online identity appearing to belong to a bullied girl named Laura who committed suicide a year earlier. The movie's a great look at cyberbullying and the darker side of social media, makes for a pretty relevant social commentary, and gives new meaning to the phrase "Ghost in the machine." It ultimately shows to me how you never really know the depths of cruelty a seemingly good person can be capable of, ESPECIALLY nowadays with the quasi- anonymity and permanence that the Internet and social media can offer, and none of the characters in 'Unfriended' demonstrate this more clearly than Blaire. For most of the movie, Blaire comes across as being a typical friendly and good- natured teenage girl, and the most mature of her friends, trying (Usually in vain) to keep them calm as the situation escalates, basically acting like a typical "Horror movie heroine." By the end of the film, however, not to give things away, but a lot of skeletons come out of a lot of characters' closets, and we realize that Blaire was not the kind of person we assumed she was at the start. While all the surprise revelations made about the characters as they are tormented online and picked off one- by- one in the real world by "Laura" are all pretty shocking (Especially in the climax, when "Laura" forces the remaining characters to play a high- stakes variation on the game "Never Have I Ever"), none are more so than what we end up learning about Blaire. The Bible is pretty clear that, while we might think that our sins aren't noticed by anyone and we have gotten away with them, God sees all, and all will be brought to the light in time, just as Blaire and her friends find all of their misdeeds brought to the light by the end of the movie. Jesus Himself said in Luke 8:17 "For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open." Additionally, through watching what happens with Blaire and her friends, I realized that, in my current roles working directly with kids and teens (Both as a youth director and as a substitute teacher), I have a responsibility to teach them to show kindness and mercy towards each other, to try and prevent tragedies like what happened to Laura in the movie from happening in real life.

3. Fairy Godmother (Helena Bonham- Carter), 'Cinderella.'
This version of Cinderella was great, with a lot of fun characters. A couple that I really liked were how they portrayed the Stepmother (Played in the movie by Cate Blanchett) and the Captain of the Guard, but my favorite character in it HAS to be the Fairy Godmother. Helena Bonham- Carter plays her with the combination of witty humor and eccentric charm that she brings to most of her roles, and I really like her because, unlike in some other versions of Cinderella, here the Fairy Godmother doesn't just randomly pop up and turn Cinderella's life around just as a cool thing: She first tests Cinderella, appearing before her as a haggard beggar- woman asking for some food, and it's not until Ella helps her that she reveals her true form and starts  "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo"-ing everything into place. We are taught in Scripture to always be ready to show kindness and generosity to those in need. In Hebrews 13:2, it says Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!" Also, of course, in Matthew 25, Jesus tells the parable of the sheep and goats, in which we learn that, when we show kindness and compassion to the poor and hungry, it's as though we showed it to God Himself. Oh, and for those who plan on seeing this version of 'Cinderella' any time soon, fast- forward through the end credits to near their end, and you'll hear Helena doing a quite good and freaking hilarious cover of "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo."


4. Charlie Brown (Voice of Noah Schnapp), 'The Peanuts Movie.'
Yes, the beloved comic strip character makes my list, for the way the movie portrayed him. Charlie Brown, in his own way, shows what it means to be a true success in life. All throughout the movie, he is trying to reinvent himself, to become more of a winner so the Little Red- Haired Girl will like him and everyone else will stop viewing him as such a failure. While his various attempts (At a school talent show, a school dance, and other settings) seemingly fall flat every time as is typical for his luck, in each case Charlie Brown shows what a deeply good person he is. Over the course of the film, he (Without realizing it until later) demonstrates compassion, courage, honesty, good work ethic, and just a general commitment to what's right. In other words, he demonstrates Christ- likeness, and fully shows the Fruits of the Spirit seen in Galatians 5:22- 23. Seeing this commitment to righteousness ultimately pay off for Charlie Brown in the end as he finally gets a lucky break is so satisfying for all watching it, and through this and many other reasons, 'The Peanuts Movie' is easily one of the best animated films from 2015, and Charlie Brown is easily one of my favorite movie characters from last year.


5. Ultron (Voice of James Spader), 'Avengers: Age of Ultron.'
Ultron is easily one of the best villains from the Marvel Cinematic Universe so far, and I consider him to be the single best movie villain of 2015 (A few runners- up in that regard in my book are the Stepmother from 'Cinderella,' Kylo Ren from 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens,' and Scarlet Overkill from 'Minions'). A big part of his appeal is how really unique he is as a villain. He isn't a typical "I'm an evil bad guy, I'm going to conquer the world, MUA HA HA HA" type of villain. He genuinely believes, in his warped mechanical mind, that he is doing what is in the best interests of the evolution of humanity, and the world in general (Which, ironically, was the same sort of well- intentioned mindset that Tony Stark had when first creating Ultron in the beginning of the movie). That his plan for said goals would include the near- complete annihilation of the current human race is considered by him to be a minor, quite bearable consequence in the face of the greater good. Through both Ultron's creation and the path he takes, we recall that even good intentions can lead to truly evil outcomes. There are many verses in Scripture that show this, especially in Proverbs, such as Proverbs 14:12 ("There is a pathway that seems right to a man, but in the end it's a road to death"), and Proverbs 21:2 ("Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: But the Lord pondereth the hearts"). Another interesting quality about Ultron is, for a robot, just how much of a personality he has, thanks to a combination of how the writers portrayed him and James Spader's incredible performance as his voice. He thinks about things, he waxes philosophical, he struggles at times for the right words to say, he even has something of a sense of humor (Albeit an extremely twisted one). He's the epitome of a villain you love to hate.

6. Nux (Nicholas Hoult), 'Mad Max: Fury Road.'
You probably wouldn't think a character who looks like this would teach about things like honor, perseverance, and living with eternity on your mind, and for about the first third or so of the movie, you'd be right. As I first sat down to see this movie, I certainly had no clue that I'd end up liking this guy so much. As the movie progresses, however, and Nux shifts from being a devoted soldier of the film's villain Immortan Joe to being a reluctant yet valuable comrade of the hero Max and his allies, his more noble (In their own way) qualities surface. We see that he is dying from sicknesses caused by his prolonged exposure to the environment around him, and that he earnestly hopes for a more noble death in battle to secure his place in Valhalla in the afterlife. Nux doesn't use his condition as an excuse to just hang back, stay out of the conflict, and die a lonely, miserable death from his illnesses; He wants his life and death to mean something in the big picture, and discovers the best way to do that is to help Max and his allies endure and survive as they are chased by Immortan Joe's army. Only someone with that kind of faith and dedication could, in the face of seemingly certain death, proclaim as Nux famously proclaims, "WHAT A LOVELY DAY!" It calls to mind Hebrews 12:1-2: "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and protector of our faith, who for the Joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has set down at the right hand of God." We too should strive to live lives of substance for Christ, so that our lives will have a positive impact in the Kingdom of God and be something worth remembering.



7. Champ (Ryan Lee), 'Goosebumps.'
 One of the most ironically- named characters ever, Champ is a socially- awkward nerd who's far from what his ex- athlete parents clearly hoped he would be when they named him. Still, he ends up having a lot to offer to help the forces of good in this movie, and he in his own way does end up living up to his name. His knowledge of the Goosebumps books and their characters makes him a great asset in helping to fight their villains and monsters that have escaped from the pages and into the real world, and this ordinarily weak and rather cowardly boy ends up demonstrating astounding courage in the film's climax by single- handedly fighting off one of the most vicious of the escaped monsters to save the life of a girl he likes. The Bible is full of "Zero- to- hero" type people like him, such as David and especially Gideon (One of my favorite people in the Bible). Through trusting in the Lord and clinging to what's important, even the seemingly weakest and least impressive of us can learn to be brave and do great things for the Kingdom of God. In Philippians 4:13, it includes a claim that all believers can make as their own: "I am ready for anything through the strength of the One who lives within me." Champ is also just a very fun comic- relief supporting character, Ryan Lee is definitely proving to have a lot of talent as a young comedic actor, as shown here and in other roles I've seen him in. If, in the movie, an angel of God appeared to Champ, he'd probably greet the boy the same way that the angel greeted Gideon in Judges 6:12: "The Lord is with thee, mighty man of valor!"

8 and 9. A tie between Max (Emjay Anthony) and Great- Aunt Dorothy (Conchata Ferrell), 'Krampus.'

I included these two characters from this Christmas- themed horror- comedy film together because they contrast each other so completely that the lesson here is best taught using each of them as examples. On one side of the spectrum, we have Max. He's a decent, good- hearted young boy who still sort of believes in Santa Claus, and in the beginning of the movie is seen fighting with another boy who was bullying younger kids and telling them that Santa isn't real. That decency and hope is rocked soon afterwards, though, as his dysfunctional extended family gets together for Christmas. As is usually the case at such gatherings, there is a LOT of friction, and Max becomes so disgusted at the way everyone's acting that he loses hope and renounces Christmas. This, unfortunately, causes Krampus (A kind of demonic "Anti- Santa" from Alpine folklore who punishes bad children) to besiege their house and all within it, yet through this ordeal, Max regains his hope and demonstrates the spirits of giving and self- sacrifice that Christmas is really all about. Now, on the other side of the spectrum, we have Great- Aunt Dorothy, who is pretty much Max's opposite in every way. While all of Max's relatives make for less- than- pleasant Christmas company, none are worse than her. She is a crass, cynical, selfish old grump who wasn't even supposed to come to the family's Christmas event but invited herself to it anyway, and blasts caustic remarks at everything in sight pretty much as soon as she arrives (Viewing the house's festive holiday decorations causes her to observe "It looks like Martha Stewart threw up in here"; Learning that ham will not be served at the Christmas dinner causes her to bark at Max's mother "What are you now, a Jew?"). It may provide for some funny scenes in the movie, but it also makes it clear that the concepts of "Peace on Earth, Goodwill toward Men" are completely lost on her. In Max, we see the importance of keeping hope and good will alive in our hearts and showing them in how we relate to others, and in Great- Aunt Dorothy we see the sorts of people we can end up becoming if we lose hope and allow our hearts to grow cold as ice and bitter as month- old eggnog. These are certainly Biblical concepts. In Hebrews 12:15, we are warned to "See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to trouble and defile many." In Ephesians 4:31-32, Paul tells the believers to "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." Through following all that, we can keep the spirit of Christmas (And the One whose birth it celebrates) with us year- round.

10. Clara (Karen Abercrombie), 'War Room.'
 Man, I freaking LOVED this woman! In this powerful, inspirational Christian movie, she is trying to sell her house, and learns that her realtor's family life is crumbling. She decides to politely do what she can to help save her new friend's marriage by teaching her, among other things, the importance of prayer. Clara has loads of worldly and Scriptural wisdom and good anecdotes, and she also has a lot of extremely funny (Intentionally so) moments. She's brave enough and confident enough in her faith that she drives back a would- be mugger by invoking the name of Jesus. She's basically like if Yoda from 'Star Wars' were a black Christian woman. Her passionate prayer in the very end of the film remains one of the movie's highlights, as she thanks God for the miracle worked in her friend's life, asks the Lord to send someone else for her to help, and for Him to raise up those who love Him to lead and guide our nation. May all of us become those sorts of disciples of Christ. Clara's a true example of what's taught in James 5:16: "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man (Or, in this case, a righteous woman) avails much."

A couple Honorable Mentions for this list would be Bing- Bong from 'Inside Out' and 'Rey' from 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens.'
That's all for this edition of the Nightcrawler Experience. Happy New Year, see you again soon, and God bless you all!