Well, it's now almost the end of January, and those who've been reading my blog for a while know what that time of year means: Time for my annual look at my favorite movie characters from the previous year!
As with previous years, there have been a lot of great movie characters to hit the scene this year, so I'll be looking at ten of my favorites from 2018, why I like them, and what I think they can teach us (Either as a "Be like them" example, a "DON'T be like them/ Beware of people like them" cautionary tale, or an allegory for a Biblical figure) about being a Christian.
All the same rules as previous years apply: The characters on this list are not put in any kind of order of preference. It can be any kind of character (Be it hero, villain, supporting character, comic relief, or whatever else), from any genre of movie last year, of any rating, be it an original character or one adapted from another work. Also, as I did last year, I'll include some characters who've already appeared in previous films, but who we learn more about this year.
DISCLAIMER! Some of the films on this list are not suitable for children or sensitive audiences (You can probably tell just by reading it which ones), so do your homework before watching them yourself or letting young children watch them.
All these movies are obviously the property of the studios that released them. All I own are my own words and opinions on them.
Also, SPOILER WARNING! I'll try not to give away more of their movies' plots than necessary, but I may need to reveal some key details about the plots to better show why I like those characters and what we can learn from them.
Now, let's get this show on the road, and I think a good way to start is with a character from the first theatrical film I saw in 2018:
1. Paddington, 'Paddington 2.'
(Credit for this image goes to the user "Valyrian Wildfire" on the Paddington Wiki)
Even though IMDB officially lists this film's release date as 2017, it didn't premiere here in the US until January of 2018, so I'd say it counts as a 2018 film. Now then, the delightful 'Paddington' films are, I'd say, the perfect example of the RIGHT way to bring a beloved vintage children's character to the big screen. It slightly updates and modernizes the concepts behind it when needed while still remaining true to its core elements and the things that made that character so well- loved. If only more such movies had followed the 'Paddington' films' example (COUGHCOUGH 'Peter Rabbit' COUGH). In the sequel, we see more of the pure- hearted, marmalade- loving bear, and all he goes through. He continues to be hilarious, sweet, honest, and so easy to love and root for, but now faces some real hardship. He is framed for stealing a priceless book and sent to one of the scariest- looking prisons in England. In spite of all this, Paddington keeps his friendly demeanor and adheres to his philosophy of "If you're kind and polite, the world will be right." In fact, he gets everyone around him to follow that same philosophy through his good example, and ends up leading in the prison miraculously transforming from a dingy, lawless dump into a marvelous place with pastry kitchens, gardening groups, and even bedtime stories for the inmates! He also manages to help transform the prison's cook, Knuckles McGinty (Another great character who I'd give an Honorary Mention to on this list), from an aggressive, selfish, short- tempered brute who lives up to his name into a delightful man who eventually earns a pardon for how much he turned his life around due to Paddington's influence on him. It is this quality that brings out the theological lesson that Paddington can teach us. It calls to mind Jesus's words in Matthew 5: 14- 16: "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in Heaven." By demonstrating goodness and righteousness in our lives as much as we can and doing everything with the aim of serving the Lord, we can similarly have a great, transformative impact on the world around us. Shame that it takes a bear with a marmalade sandwich addiction to teach us that.
2. James Halliday, 'Ready Player One.'
(Credit for this image goes to the user "Iroberts 34" at the Heroes Wiki)
'Ready Player One' was a brilliant movie in so many ways, from its story to its characters to all the innumerable pop- culture connections and commentaries on geek- culture. Definitely one of the most interesting characters in it was James Halliday, the tech genius who created the virtual- reality world known as OASIS. We learn that after he died, Halliday's will had a very interesting stipulation as to who would inherit his company; He carefully hid three special keys in three different areas of OASIS, and whoever gets all three gets the company. The various protagonists in the movie are all working together to try and unravel the clues behind solving this challenge, while trying to evade the efforts of a scheming executive within the company who wants to take it over himself. Halliday in a strange way acts as kind of a Willy Wonka- esque figure in the movie; He wants to pick someone, a young fan, to become his successor and the new head of his tech empire, but at the same time, he wants to ensure that it's someone who has the right heart to take on such a position, who can run things the way he'd have wanted them to be run, and who can even avoid making some of the mistakes he himself had made in the past. Mark Rylance gives a brilliant performance as him (Especially near the end, via a kind of AI avatar of him that appears in the game), loaded with heart and humble sincerity. The lesson that Halliday helps to teach is on knowing your priorities. It calls to mind Jesus's words in Luke 12:34, which says "For where your treasure is, there your heart shall be also." As the movie progresses and the heroes advance through the challenges to get the keys, it becomes clear that Halliday's main mistakes/ regrets in life largely involve the fact that the biggest treasures he served in his life concerned the company he built, to the detriment of his personal relationships and life outside his career. We too must remember to treasure and prioritize the things in life that really last, such as our relationships with family and friends, and ESPECIALLY our walk with God. So, there we have James Halliday, a wonderful character in a wonderful film who teaches an unbelievably wonderful message.
3. Taylor, 'Hell Fest.'
(Photo from “HELL FEST” courtesy of CBS Films.)
'Hell Fest' was mostly just a decent movie that could have been great with slightly better writing, but they atone for it with what an awesome character Taylor is! In this horror- comedy film, Taylor is part of a group of friends who go to Hell Fest, a kind of Halloween Horror Nights- esque Halloween event at a theme park, and have a great time until they find themselves being stalked and picked off one by one by an ACTUAL insane killer posing as one of the "Scare-actors" there. Among the major characters, Taylor is easily the one who steals the show, due largely to the talented young actress Bex Taylor- Klaus's great performance as her. She's outgoing, adventurous, incredibly funny, just a pleasure to watch in every scene she's in. She and her ill- fated boyfriend Asher are diehard horror fans, and from the very second they enter Hell Fest, it becomes clear they're having the time of their lives, especially her. Her excitement and enthusiasm in this place spread to all of us watching, and when things start getting deadly, her humor helps break the tension nicely.
I think one of the Scriptural messages Taylor helps to convey is on making the most out of life. It VERY quickly becomes clear that she's not the sort of person to sit back and let life pass her by. If a challenge appears in which a volunteer is needed, she'll be right at the front, hand stretched as high up as possible, shouting "PICK ME! PICK ME!" This (Minus the rather hedonistic tendencies Taylor at times displays) is what Jesus sought for us, as He points out in John 10:10, when He said that "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." God wants us to live our lives to the fullest, to not shy away from challenges but to see life as an adventure and an opportunity to do great things.
Unfortunately, Taylor also teaches a cautionary lesson on heeding warning signs while you can; Even as the night gets weirder and weirder (Even by the standards of an event like that), and more people in her group disappear, Taylor pays very little heed to the warnings given by the main character Natalie who suspects something's amiss. Taylor assumes it must all be part of the show, not realizing the genuine danger she and the others are in until the killer has personally singled her out to be his next victim. The Bible is clear that warnings given by wise people should be followed. The parable Jesus shared in Matthew 7:24- 27 about the wise and foolish builders is all about heeding and following Godly advice. Ignoring such advice could potentially bring about your doom.
While Taylor's ultimate fate in the movie, if she survived or not, is left rather uncertain (She's last seen taking a pretty bad hit from the killer that could potentially be fatal, but a radio broadcast heard in the very end of the movie makes it appear likely that she survived), one thing that IS certain is that she's an amazing character who teaches a great message about living life to the fullest while still listening for wise warnings.
4. Chewbacca, 'Solo: A "Star Wars" Story.'
(Credit for this pic goes to the user "Death Trooper Specialist Elite Commander" on the Heroes Wiki)
Yes, my undisputed favorite 'Star Wars' character makes the list! Considering that this film is about Han Solo's backstory, it makes sense that good old Chewie factors into it a lot too, and they nail everything about him in it! Of course, the film had to include a scene depicting how the two of them first met, and that scene was handled even better than I thought it would be. What's more, one reviewer of the film observed that this is one of the first times that, rather than being treated like Han's pet (i.e. "Will somebody get this big walking carpet out of my way?" Not cool, Leia), Chewie is treated like the intelligent, sentient being that he is. One theological lesson that Chewbacca can teach is on the need to follow after holiness and the greater good, at times regardless of personal feelings. A sad recurring tendency throughout the various forms of the 'Star Wars' saga is that his race, the Wookiees, are often enslaved by various outside groups, such as the Galactic Empire. In one scene late in the movie, while on a mission in a mine, the heroes discover that a number of Wookiees are being used as slave labor in the mines. When they bust up the operation and free the Wookiees, Chewie at first appears willing to go with them back to their home planet. However, he realizes that his new friend Han is the one who really needs him the most, and after giving a sad parting embrace to one of the Wookiees (Who I personally theorized was his wife), he heads off with Han instead. This sacrifice on Chewie's part calls to mind Jesus's words in Matthew 10:24- 25: "Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." In much the same way, we as Christians can at times be called on to sacrifice much for the sake of the Gospel. Some feel called by Him to missions work, and spend years overseas, far from their homes and families, to serve God through serving others. While we may not be called that far, there may very well be times we are called upon to make personal sacrifices, at times painful ones, in order to obey God's will for our lives.
So, let me end this portion of the list by saying "ROOOOAAAARR! RAAAH! RAAAAUGH!" That's Wookiee for "Way to go, Chewbacca!"
5. Domino, 'Deadpool 2.'
(Credit for this image goes to the user "RicoTubbs84 on the X- Men Movie Wiki)
'Deadpool 2' was as hilarious and action- packed as the first film, and one of the many good points of it is the introduction of the mercenary heroine Domino. In attempting to form his own team, X- Force, to try and rescue a friend of his, Deadpool hires a number of mutants with various neat powers. Among them is Domino. However, Deadpool mocks her for the fact that her power is apparently that she is "Lucky," and insists that is a stupid, worthless power to have, if it's even a power at all. Deadpool's taunts are soon proven to be unfounded, though, as while the other members of X- Force are killed in the initial parachute drop (Other than possibly Bedlam, who could have been revived by paramedics), Domino uses her luck/ probability manipulation powers to not only safely get to the ground, but to then dodge dozens of speeding cars and a gas- station explosion and catch up to the truck carrying Deadpool's friend ON FOOT! She can hold her own amazingly well in a fight too, with her luck powers clearly working in full force. Many of the most exciting fight scenes and action sequences in the film involve her. The Scriptural point to be taken from Domino deals with that surprisingly effective gift of hers. It calls to mind 1 Corinthians 12:15-20, which says " Now if the foot should say, 'Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, 'Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,' it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body." You see, we in the body of Christ are blessed with a whole cornucopia of gifts and talents that God has bestowed upon us to spread His Word and build His Kingdom. For some it's preaching, for others it's intercessory prayer, for others it's wisdom or discernment, and so on. Some people might see their particular gifts and talents as worthless and ineffective, just like how Deadpool viewed Domino's powers so dismissively, but God doesn't see any of our gifts as worthless, even the odder or more colorful ones. My own gift of finding Scriptural messages in pop culture is not a very conventional one, but I believe God has used it through me to help do His Will and bring His Word to people, through this blog and some of the messages and sermons I've given in various settings.
Similarly, some of you might have gifts and talents that you think are worthless, but through prayer, reflection, and faith in what the Lord can do through you, you can find ways to use them to help do God's will and bring many people to know Him, just like how Domino was able to use her strange but wonderful ability to help save countless people.
Next, we go from one Marvel character to another.
6. Eddie Brock/ Venom, 'Venom.'
(Credit for this image goes to the user "Dr. Everything" on the Heroes Wiki)
The 'Venom' movie proved to be a great deal more enjoyable than I thought it would be, and a big part of that is due to Tom Hardy's performance as both reporter Eddie Brock, and the alien- suited antihero and frequent Spider- Man foe Venom. The alien symbiote bonds with Eddie, turning him into Venom, and he regularly finds himself debating with the symbiote as it takes control of more of his mind and body, much like a split personality or possession. Nevertheless, Eddie eventually gains more control of things, finds a balance with the symbiote, and uses it to help stop an unscrupulous villain intent on harnessing the power of similar alien symbiotes for his own purposes. Seeing Eddie go through these challenges, regain control of himself, and use this little problem of his to ultimately help save the world is quite thrilling. I'd say the theological lesson that can be learned from Venom is in dealing with the sinful nature in all of us. The Venom side is at odds with Eddie for much of the movie, largely because Venom has MUCH less reservations when it comes to violence and killing than Eddie does, and the two sides wrestle for control frequently because of that. In that sense, the Venom side can be seen as symbolizing our inward nature steering us towards sin. Ever since Eden, all people have had a sinful inner nature that can override our consciences and common sense and lead us to sin if we let it. Jeremiah 17:9 demonstrates this nature by pointing out that "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Much like Eddie's conflict with Venom's influence on him, our sinful nature is in a near- constant state of conflict with the influence of the Holy Spirit which we gain when we accept Christ. This kind of inner conflict all believers face is illustrated in Galatians 5:17, which says that "For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do." Still, even when that nature is tempting us towards giving in to sin, God is always faithful to provide us with a way out. Through trusting in Jesus's strength, and coming to Him in prayer when we are tempted, we can keep our own personal "Venom" on a short leash and righteously serve the Lord.
Now, we go from a (Mostly) good man wrestling with an evil nature, to an evil man who presents himself as pure good.
7. Gellert Grindelwald, 'Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.'
(Credit for this image goes to the user "Loolveus" on the Villains Wiki)
As those of you who have been following this blog for a while would know, each year I do this list, I include a villain, the one I considered to be the best movie villain of that year (For 2015 I gave the honor to Ultron from 'Avengers: Age of Ultron,' in 2016 it went to Kimmy from 'The Purge: Election Year,' and in 2017 I picked the Vulture from 'Spider- Man: Homecoming'). For quite a while in planning out this list, I intended Thanos from 'Avengers: Infinity War' to take the title this year. However, while I still think he makes a brilliant antagonist, in early December, a new surprise contender beat him to #1 on my list (In addition to Thanos, a few other memorable 2018 baddies include Phoenix Buchanan from 'Paddington 2,' Michael Myers from 'Halloween,' and i- R0k from 'Ready Player One'). We saw a little of Johnny Depp as the corrupted wizard Gellert Grindelwald in the previous 'Fantastic Beasts' film, but not much, as he spent nearly all of his screen time disguised as someone else (Though his line near the end of "Shall we die, just a little" remains one of that film's most memorable lines). In THIS film, though, Grindelwald is front and center, and in the words of Ron Weasley, he is "Bloody brilliant"! In listing Newt Scamander in the previous film as one of my favorite movie characters of 2016, I brought up that I actually liked Newt a little better as a protagonist than Harry Potter himself. Well, now, I can similarly say that I think Grindelwald makes a slightly better antagonist than Lord Voldemort did. With Voldemort, great of a baddie though he is, it's kind of hard to see how he was able to amass such a huge following. His message was basically just that pure- blood wizards should rule over all because it's their right of birth to do so, and that's not the kind of message that a lot of people in their right mind could get behind. With Grindelwald, in contrast, it's terrifyingly clear already how he amassed his own huge following: He genuinely convinced himself and others that wizards should rule over non- magical people not out of snobbery or supposed birthright like Voldemort did, but instead out of a seemingly compassionate, altruistic desire to protect them and "Save them from themselves." In a speech he gives to his followers near the end, he points out that he has predicted the then- upcoming World War II and all the horrors that will come from it, and that it can all be prevented from coming to pass if Grindelwald and his followers manage to conquer the world before then, and that he'd then help bring about a new society in which wizards and non- magical folk can all live openly in peace and freedom. Even the character Queenie, who is able to read minds and thus tell if he is lying or otherwise deceiving people, does not sense any kind of deception within him. In fact, she becomes so convinced that he is on the right side that, in a gut- wrenching scene in the film's end, she decides to leave her good- hearted fiancee Jacob and join Grindelwald's campaign.
The cautionary theological message that I believe we can learn from Gellert Grindelwald is in not following after false teachers or bad leaders. Grindelwald is pretty much the perfect example of a false prophet. He genuinely seems so benevolent, even noble in his goals. The problem is, a benevolent tyrant who can tickle people's ears with pretty words is still a tyrant, and Grindelwald is still using and manipulating people to help himself gain power in a movement which, were it successful, would almost certainly be every bit as devastating as the war he claims to be trying to avert, if not more so. Many real- life tyrants such as Stalin, Mao, and Hitler and cult leaders such as Jim Jones and Charles Manson similarly claimed to want to create a better world for all, attempted appealing to people's better natures, and brought many to their side with such messages, yet ultimately brought about some of the most monstrous acts in human history in pursuit of those goals. The Bible is littered with warnings to avoid such people. In Acts 20:29- 30, Paul warns, "I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them." 2 Timothy 4:3-4 observes that "For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." Last but certainly not least is Jesus's admonition in Matthew 7:15 to "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." We all need to be careful who we follow, from a religious sense, a political sense, or any one of a number of other senses, that they are good and Godly people who genuinely have our best interests at heart.
So, there we have Gellert Grindelwald: Who would have guessed that a character in a fantasy film with wizards and magical creatures could help demonstrate what real- life evil can look like?
8. Ericka Van Helsing, 'Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation.'
(Credit for this image goes to the user "AlexHoskins" on the Heroes Wiki)
The 'Hotel Transylvania' animated film series, while not as epic as some of the animated films by Disney or Pixar, nevertheless remain extremely fun and enjoyable movies to watch that I always look forward to. The characters are likable, there's plenty of humor and heart, and Adam Sandler can do a surprisingly excellent Dracula voice! In the third film in this series, 'Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation,' we meet the new character of Ericka, who quickly proves to be a wonderful addition to the film series' cast. She is first seen as a ship captain running a cruise for monsters that Dracula and his buddies are all invited to take part in. However, this turns out to be a trap, as Ericka is the great- granddaughter of Dracula's archenemy, the monster- hunter Abraham Van Helsing, and together with Abraham is plotting on using the cruise as a way of killing Dracula and all of the other monsters all at once. She tries many times to take Drac out early on in the film (Including a hilarious scene in which her attempts to kill him while he's obliviously dancing are continuously thwarted by his apparently- unkillable blob- monster friend Blobby). Eventually, though, as things progress, she gets to know Dracula better and realizes he is not the evil threat she had been taught he was. She grows closer to him, and even falls in love with him! She ultimately helps thwart her great- grandfather's attempts to destroy the monsters, and convinces him that he was wrong about them. This transformation for her is played out in a very effective way (i.e. Before she fully sides with Dracula, she first kind of subtly tests him while in a booby- trapped chamber to make sure he is indeed good), and is extremely satisfying to see.
Ericka can be compared greatly to Saul of Tarsus, who went on to become the apostle Paul, as documented in the book of Acts. Like him, she initially was a genocidal bigot who set out to do her part to eradicate a group that she had been taught was a threat to the world (Monsters for her, Christians for Saul of Tarsus), only to have an eye- opening experience by learning they are in fact harmless and on the side of good. Lastly, like him, she eventually joins them and inspires others to embrace them as well.
From ruthless persecutor of monsters to a great force for peace between humans and monsters, Ericka is a great character who makes a wonderful allegory for someone who would go on to become one of the greatest champions of the early church.
9. M'Baku, 'Black Panther.'
(Credit for this image goes to "Valyrian Wildfire" on the Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki)
This is an example of a character from a previously- adapted work proving to be better in the movie than he was in the original work. In the original comics, M'Baku was known as "Man- Ape," and was a straight- up villain (And not a very interesting one at that, not to mention rather racially- offensive) out to violently conquer Wakanda and enforce his own primal, barbaric views on it. In the quite enjoyable movie 'Black Panther,' however, they give him a LOT more depth. Like Venom, he is now more of an antihero, and while he still is the leader of the rival Jabari tribe, is still opposed to Black Panther's rule and still desires to rule Wakanda himself, he now has enough of a sense of honor that he does not resort to evil or dishonest means to try and fulfill that. He also might have a seemingly stern and ruthless demeanor, but a lot of that appears to be just for show and an excuse to joke with people. For instance, he at one point terrifies a visitor by threatening to have him fed to his (M'Baku's) children, then a few seconds later laughingly reveals that his people are all in fact vegetarians! Another thing to admire about M'Baku, which is the spiritual lesson that could be taken from him, is that he also has enough of a sense of humility and "The bigger picture" that he is willing to fight alongside his rival Black Panther (Whom he even comes to call "Brother" at one point) in order to help stop a greater threat, as he does so not once but twice: In 'Black Panther,' he helps lead his tribe's warriors in backing up Black Panther's army against the evil Erik Killmonger's army, and in 'Avengers: Infinity War,' he does the same in the battle against Thanos's hordes. Hearing him lead his warriors in their battle chant whenever they show up to battle is so incredibly cool every time, he's almost as good at making an entrance as Iron Man and Captain America are! But, I digress: The point I'm trying to make is, even in Christian circles, there are going to be people who aren't necessarily big fans of each other. It might be for doctrinal differences, or personal matters, but whatever the cause, we can still work together in the name of helping to advance God's cause. Certainly in my own experience, there have been plenty of times in which I've had to work together with those of differing religious, political, or social views than my own, but we make it work because we focus more on the faith we have in common than on what divides us. This is clearly a Biblical principle. Galatians 3:28 has Paul reminding the believers that "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Also, 1 Peter 3:8 says "Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind." This second verse perfectly fits the attitude M' Baku eventually adopts towards Black Panther and his people.
So, that sums up M'Baku: A fascinating character who I hope we'll see more of in future Marvel films, again leading his warriors in with that incomparable battle chant!
10. Sarah Quinn, 'Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween.'
(Credit for this image goes to the user "JH10" on the Goosebumps Wiki)
This is an interesting pick for me; Not only is it the second time that a character from the spookily fun 'Goosebumps' movie series made my list (The first time being when I included Champ from the first movie on my Best- of- 2015 list), it's also the second year in a row that a character played by the young actress Madison Iseman makes my list, and for a film in which she co- starred with Jack Black, to boot (The first time being last year, for her character in 'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle'). Sarah is probably the most relatable character in 'Goosebumps 2.' She is going through all kinds of issues in the beginning of the movie; She wants to apply to Columbia University for their writing program but is having writer's block on writing a key essay for her application with the time before the enrollment deadline ticking away, she's trying to keep her younger brother Sonny and his friend Sam from unwittingly hurting anyone or causing damage with Sonny's quite hazardous school science project and generally keep them out of trouble, and she learns that her supposedly devoted boyfriend has been cheating on her. AND, all this is BEFORE she then has to deal with the evil ventriloquist's dummy Slappy returning, threatening her family's lives and setting out to resurrect an army of mutants, monsters and maniacs on Halloween night. Still, with help from Sonny and Sam, she manages to face her fears, defeat Slappy, and win the day. For Sarah to face so many challenges, both natural and supernatural, and overcome them so well, you HAVE to root for her! She balances so much for a girl her age, and it really is relatable for any of us who have a lot of responsibilities on our plate. The theological message to learn from Sarah mainly centers around the conclusion of the movie, when she uses her experience that Halloween as inspiration for her to write her application essay relating to the subject of fear (Which, of course, gets her in). She opens it by saying, "I think most of us are afraid that we don't have a story to tell, that there's nothing special about us. And then a moment comes, when you least expect it, where you have to step up, no matter how terrified you are. But, what I've learned is it's good to be scared sometimes. Scared of losing the people we love, or scared of not achieving our dreams. Because those moments remind us just how special our stories really are. And maybe when you face enough of your fears, life stops being so scary after all." This is all very much a Biblical concept, especially the last sentence. One of the first verses it brings to mind is James 1:2-4, which states "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." The hard and scary moments we all face in life are used by God to help us grow stronger and also more dependent on Him. Each one we face makes us better prepared for the next one, and makes us feel less and less scared. It also brings to mind James 1:12, which says that "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him." When we face such hard and frightening challenges in life, yet make it through out of our devotion to the Lord, we will be greatly rewarded for it by Him in one way or another, similar to how Sarah's perseverance leads to the reward of her being inspired to write the essay that gets her into the college of her dreams.
That about covers Sarah Quinn; A great heroine who faces a lot of trials and fears yet stands triumphant over all of them and can inspire all of us to do the same!
Honorable mentions go to George the gorilla from 'Rampage,' Mr. Chu from 'Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween,' Sister Irene from 'The Nun' (She nearly made this list), Knuckles McGinty from 'Paddington 2,' and Will Sawyer from 'Skyscraper.'
That's it for this edition of the Nightcrawler Experience. Keep your eyes open for my new entries I'll have on the way soon. Until then, may God bless you all!
Great reading, as always, Adam. While I haven't seen all of the movies, your Christian take on the characters is always welcome.
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