Hello, everyone, and at long last, welcome back to the Nightcrawler Experience!
I know it's been a LONG time since you last heard from this blog. 2026 has proven to be a very busy year for me, between work, social obligations, and ESPECIALLY planning and celebrating my wedding this last June!
As such, it's taken me a very long time to get this entry for my blog out and ready for you all, my traditional Top 10 favorite movie characters of the previous year, and what we can learn about each of them about being a Christian!
This entry is the first that I will be working on as a partnership with someone else: My lovely wife Hannah! She went over this list with me, and gave me the inspiration for one of the characters to include on the list (# 10), whom we both liked a lot.
All the same rules from previous years of doing this list 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 in this movie.
7. I'll explain a little about each character, the movie they were in, why I like them as a pop culture fan, and what Scriptural message they can teach us (Usually either a "Be like them" example, a "DON'T be like them" cautionary tale, or an allegory of someone from Scripture).
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.
Let's start things off on a cheery note with a cheery character:
1. Petunia Pig, 'The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie.'
The Looney Tunes franchise has not been doing so well for a long time now; They haven't made a good new show in many years now, and an attempt to revive their popularity a few years ago with 'Space Jam 2' failed to impress most people.
Fortunately, at least a little new life has been breathed into this mostly- dead franchise with last year's wonderful animated comedy 'The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie,' which largely centers around Porky Pig and Daffy Duck (Who here are sort of like adopted brothers) setting out to save the world from an intergalactic threat.
My favorite character in it was an older Looney Tunes character who is taken in a great new direction here: Petunia Pig (Voiced here by Candi Milo).
In older cartoons, on the rare occasions when Petunia appeared, it was usually just as a rather one-dimensional love interest for Porky. 'The Day the Earth Blew Up,' however, gives her a great deal more personality while still having her budding relationship with the stuttering pig intact and adorable to watch. Here, she is a scientist (Hence her lab coat) for a chewing gum factory, who regularly experiments with different bizarre substances in the hopes of creating a hit new gum flavor. Her path quickly crosses that of Porky and Daffy, and long story short, while falling for Porky, she gets drawn into their efforts to save the world.
Petunia is funny, cute, well- developed, and it becomes VERY easy for you to root for her and Porky to end up together.
Candi Milo has always been a quite talented voice actress, and her performance as Petunia's voice does not disappoint.
In Petunia's first scene, it's clear she is frustrated over the fact that the gum factory she works for just keeps churning out the same flavor with different names each time, so she's determined to create a brand- new flavor that people will like, even if she has to try all kinds of unappetizing- sounding ingredients in order to do so. As she puts it, "You've got to take risks if you want to make something that's really good."
This is a Godly sentiment to express, as many Bible verses support it. Ecclesiastes 11:4 says "Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap." In other words, waiting for conditions to be perfect before doing anything just ensures nothing gets done. The parable Jesus tells in Matthew 25: 14-30 about the servants with the talents drives home the point that we should invest our talents in doing Godly work rather than just hiding them out of fear of it being too risky. Lastly, Joshua 1:9 says "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
Taking risks can be essential to leading a full, Christ- filled life. The risks I've taken in my own life have propelled me well into becoming the man of God I am now and fulfilling the calling He has for me. They can do the same for you. Knowing God is with us during uncertain steps can give us the confidence needed to step out in faith and do truly great things.
Th- th- th- that's about all there is to say about Petunia Pig, a marvelous reinvention of a classic character who teaches us about showing faith and courage in the face of the unknown. Here's hoping that the upcoming film 'Coyote vs. Acme' (Live- action/ animated hybrid coming out in a few weeks, in which Wile E. Coyote files a class- action lawsuit against the Acme corporation for how often their products have failed him) continues to help restore the Looney Tunes brand to its former glory!
Next up, we have another character from a movie that seeks to revive a largely- forgotten comedic franchise:
2. Lt. Frank Drebin Jr., 'The Naked Gun.'
(Credit for this image goes to the user NathanJohnson on the Heroes Wiki at https://hero.fandom.com/wiki/Frank_Drebin_Jr.?file=Frank_Drebin_Jr..png)
Last year's remake of the 'Naked Gun' franchise was just as funny and enjoyable as the earlier films in that seemingly- dead franchise were, bringing it back into the public eye in a hilarious way. At the heart of it is Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson), the son of Leslie Nielsen's character from the original movies. It quickly becomes clear that he is very much his father's son: Driven by his job, not very smart or competent most of the time, but well- meaning and hilarious!
Frank Jr. here finds his own reputation, and the future of Police Squad as a whole, in serious jeopardy. His reckless tactics have repeatedly gotten the department in trouble, and he now is investigating the mysterious death of a software engineer whose boss is involved in some highly suspicious and often- sinister dealings. In his investigation, he is nearly killed by a sabotaged smart car, framed for murder (The scene in which this happens will have you in tears laughing over how naive and gullible Frank Jr is), has to save Police Squad from being shut down forever and turned into a Spirit Halloween, and ultimately saves the world as a whole.
As you can probably guess, Frank Jr. is an incredibly funny character from start to finish, as much so as his father had been. If the scene right at the start of the movie in which he single- handedly fights off a gang of bank robbers, taking each of them down in increasingly ludicrous ways (i.e. He at one point actually eats the gun of one of the robbers) all the while wearing a ridiculous disguise doesn't get you laughing at least once, have someone check you for a pulse.
Liam Neeson's typically stoic, serious delivery makes Frank Jr's lines and antics all the more hysterical. Big props to him for keeping a straight face while saying so many silly one- liners throughout the movie!
However, for all of Frank Jr's bumbling, at his core he is a mostly good, honorable man whose chief concern is justice, just like his father was. For all of his recklessness, he does what he can to uphold the law and bring criminals to justice for their crimes. His whole life philosophy is likely similar to that of what is expressed in Amos 5:24- "But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never- failing stream!" Furthermore, Isaiah 1:17 says "Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed."
We, too, should always strive to stand for righteousness and justice in everyday ways, doing what's right and modeling what it means to live for the Lord and bring His justice to the world. It's not always easy, as we live in a world that often celebrates vice, cruelty and godlessness, but it's hat we are called to do.
That sums up Frank Drebin Jr., a hysterical hero who nevertheless drives home some serious truths bout the importance of pursuing righteousness and justice. Hopefully he'll be having more misadventures soon!
Our next character is someone else who is not very good at his job, but in a different way, and lacking the generally good intentions Frank Jr. has:
3. Mr. Berg, 'Five Nights at Freddy's 2.'
(Credit for this image goes to the user ViolettSmith at the Five Nights at Freddy's wiki at https://freddy-fazbears-pizza.fandom.com/wiki/Mr._Berg_(Film)?file=FNaF2Film_MrBerg.png)
I'm sure most of you are at least somewhat familiar with the 'Five Nights at Freddy's' franchise. What started as a horror app game (And one created by a born- again Christian, if you can believe it) quickly skyrocketed into a global franchise incorporating everything from many games to kids' books to comics to a Haunted House at last year's Halloween Horror Nights to now two theatrical films.
To sum the storyline up, the basic lore of the games and movies is that the main character works as a night watchman at a long- since- closed- down Chuck E. Cheese knockoff restaurant called Freddy Fazbear's, and each night has to keep from being killed by its animatronic mascots that are sort of possessed by the angry ghosts of children who were murdered there.
In this sequel, the "World" is expanded, as we see the original Freddy Fazbear's (The one in the first movie was apparently a spinoff) has some dirty little secrets and hostile ghosts of its own, AND see that the local community celebrates the Freddy Fazbear's legacy by holding an annual festival called "Fazfest."
This brings us to the cautionary tale of Mr. Berg (Played by Wayne Knight, of 'Seinfeld' and 'Jurassic Park' fame). He is the robotics teacher at the young girl Abby's (The younger sister of the films' main character) school. He ruthlessly pushes his students to create projects that will wow everyone at the upcoming school science fair, stressing that his robotics class has won the science fair three years in a row and he fully intends to keep that streak up; In other words, rather than wanting his students to excel for their sake to help them grow academically, he just wants to keep this winning streak alive to make the robotics class look good, since that of course would make himself look good. He also makes it clear that he despises anything to do with the Freddy Fazbear's animatronics, and entertainment- based robots in general, viewing them as "An insult to the field of robotics."
It quickly becomes clear Mr. Berg is not fond of Abby, and due to his aforementioned prejudice is openly disdainful towards her robotics project: A miniaturized replica of the Freddy Fazbear's animatronic Chica the Chicken.
He openly tries to dissuade Abby from entering this into the science fair, and on the day of the fair, when she shows up with it anyway, Mr. Berg "accidentally" drops the miniaturized animatronic on the floor so it shatters to pieces, then to add literal insult to injury refers to it as "Trash." When an offscreen student calls Mr. Berg a rather foul name in response to this, it honestly feels well- warranted.
A heartbroken Abby goes to the original Freddy Fazbear's, where a life- sized Chica animatronic possessed by a spirit that is secretly a LOT more hostile and sinister than the ones in the first film tricks Abby into trusting it and bringing it (The life- sized animatronic) to the science fair as a replacement project.
Mr. Berg is predictably furious at this; He thinks it's just a person in a suit (Even though that would be physically impossible due to its dimensions), calls Abby "An embarrassment to this school" to her face, and storms off. The Chica animatronic then tells the unsuspecting Abby "How about if I go talk to him?... I just want to see what's going on inside of his head"; As you can probably guess, Berg ends up not surviving this little "Conversation."
I get the feeling that many of us have likely been under the instruction of someone like Mr. Berg at some point while in school: Pretentious, condescending, needlessly cruel, allowing his personal views and biases to inappropriately influence how he teaches, and more interested in self- promotion than in helping his students to reach their full potential. He is the sort of teacher who gives all educators a bad name. Nevertheless, he steals every scene he is in and brings a lot of laughs in his own way; Wayne Knight excels at portraying characters who, while generally not very sympathetic (Though there are a few exceptions such as the good- natured Stan Podolac in 'Space Jam' and voicing the lovable elephant Tantor in Disney's 'Tarzan'), are at least interesting and amusing to watch, and Mr. Berg fits right in with that trend. He thus was definitely one of the characters that stood out for me the most in this film, even more so than the actual main characters.
Mr. Berg's cautionary story can call to mind the Bible verse James 3:1- "My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we receive a stricter judgment."
This passage can in fact be seen as a warning to people in ALL fields in which they have a direct responsibility to instruct others in some way, be they actual schoolteachers, ministers, curriculum designers, etc.. It's a serious responsibility to have due to the influence they can command over younger generations, and much is expected from those who take such a position as a result, both by their direct supervisors and by God Himself.
Mr. Berg's neglecting this responsibility by frankly abusing his position in the school and needlessly making enemies as a result are what ended up getting him killed. When he first sees the life- sized possessed Chica animatronic and it tells him "I've heard SO much about you," you know he's a dead man, and that thought becomes honestly rather satisfying.
Mr. Berg all in all makes for an at least funny and engaging character to watch, right up until he meets his end as a direct result of him not following the wise Biblical advice about teachers using their authority well. Class is well and truly dismissed for him.
Even though Berg is antagonistic towards Abby, I wouldn't call him a villain, more of a nuisance. The same cannot be said of the next character on this list:
4. Shepard Leopold, 'Death of a Unicorn.'
(Credit for this image goes to the user CosmicMecha-G on the Villains Wiki at https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Shepard_Leopold?file=Shepard_Leopold_%28A24%29.jpg)
Last year's horror- comedy gem 'Death of a Unicorn' was a real treat for me to watch, and one of its better parts was its eventual main villain, who gets my vote for being the best movie villain of 2025: Shepard Leopold (Will Poulter).
In it, widowed lawyer Eliot and his rather estranged daughter Ridley (Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega, respectively) are traveling to Eliot's billionaire employer Odell Leopold's isolated mansion in the woods so Eliot can talk a little business with him, when they accidentally out of nowhere hit a unicorn. It doesn't look like how they are usually depicted: Picture a creature with a huge stature, long shaggy fur, Clydesdale- like hooves, a horn that's curved almost like a rhinoceros horn, and a mouth full of VERY sharp teeth. When Odell and his own uber- rich family eventually find out about this AND find out that the poor creature's blood and bits of its horn have miraculous healing properties, they see a big profit off of selling what they can get of it to wealthy sick people who'll pay any amount for a cure, and have a lab set up right away to do this. Problem is, the unicorn in question turns out to be a foal, and its parents are NOT happy about this. They quickly begin rampaging through the estate, killing everyone in their path, and so it's up to what's left of the people on the estate to try and survive this onslaught.
While Eliot, Ripley, and Odell Leopold are all great characters in their own ways, Odell's son Shepard fascinated me in a way I didn't think he would, and did a great job of illustrating who the real "Monster" in this situation is.
Shepard in some ways is a character who defied my expectations of him; Usually, characters like him in modern movies (Adult sons of billionaires) are portrayed as nothing but lazy, stupid, spoiled playboys without a single working brain cell in their heads and with more interest in just living off of their family's wealth than actually taking part in the family business, but Shepard is not really like that. Yeah, he is a high- living hedonist who is usually shown drinking and has a drug problem, but he's also shown to be very intelligent, charismatic and competent. I could picture him sitting in on a board of directors meeting at his family's company, making astute and significant observations about the matters being discussed.
What Shepard is completely devoid of, however, is anything that even vaguely resembles a conscience. While everyone in his family becomes more fixated on the profits to be made by exploiting the unicorn's healing properties than on the ethical ramifications of what they're doing, he's definitely the worst in this regard.
He also steals a vial of the powder grated from the horn and actually snorts it like cocaine, instantly becoming addicted to the magic it contains.
For a lot of the movie, Odell seems like the main antagonist, but then when he is killed by one of the unicorn parents at around the 2/3rds mark, Shepard fully reveals his true colors and makes it clear he's even worse than his father.
Shortly before meeting his own well- deserved end in the film's climax, Shepard reveals that he wants to take his now- dead father's ideas for the unicorns and expand on them: Rather than just making a profit off of selling what's left of the foal's blood and horn to whoever can pay enough, he wants to capture the unicorn parents and use them to start a whole unicorn ranch so he can then breed them, harvest their blood and horns, and make billions of dollars in the global pharmaceutical market off of them.
Rather than admiring those incredible creatures and recognizing the need to protect them, Shepard becomes so blinded by greed and ambition that he sees them as merely something to get even richer off of.
He even cared more about this exploitation than about his own family; When he and his mother are cornered in a room by the unicorns, the mother starts to tell him something personal and likely quite loving in the event they don't make it, but Shepard coldly cuts her off. Then, when one of the unicorns gets to the mother and attacks her, Shepard has the opportunity to take out the beast by having a clear shot to shoot at an oxygen tank that could create a nice big explosion, but he feels "Killing the golden goose" would be worse than losing his own mother, so he just lets the unicorn devour her.
Actions like that make Shepard almost like the living embodiment of the wisdom expressed in 1 Timothy 6:10, that "The love of money is the root of all evil." Notice the key term there: "The LOVE of money." The problem isn't in having money or even seeking it honestly, it's in loving money so much that it becomes an idol which can drive people to pursue all manner of evil acts. Shepard had definitely crossed that line.
Another important concept to learn from Shepard is the importance of caring for the environment, and in this case for animals. God loves animals as well as people, and wants us to treat them well. Back in Deuteronomy 25:4, God commands farmers to not muzzle their working animals like oxen while treading grain, so they can eat while they work. In Proverbs 12:10, it says "The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel."
God entrusted us as Christians to be good stewards of the world and the plants and animals it contains, and to protect it from being ravaged by people like Shepard who only worship money and self- promotion. Out of all the characters in this movie who end up losing their lives as a result of the unicorns' rampage, Shepard is the last one I can picture anyone mourning. A heartless yet fascinating villain to watch.
Other memorable baddies from 2025 include King Saul from 'David' (He becomes a very effective, tragic antagonist who definitely comes in close second behind Shepard in my book), Remmick from 'Sinners,' Charlotte from 'Five Nights at Freddy's 2,' and Lex Luthor from 'Superman.'
Our next character has something in common with Shepard, as he too is the son of an important and prominent man, but unlike Shepard, he also has a pure heart and a sense of decency:
5. Walter Dickens, 'The King of Kings.'
(Walter's the little boy holding a wooden sword; Credit for this image goes to the user ALTRGAMING2007 at the Moviepedia wiki at https://movies.fandom.com/wiki/The_King_of_Kings?file=The_King_of_Kings.jpg)
The very young son of famed author Charles Dickens, Walter is in a phase in which he is obsessed with stories of King Arthur, waving around a wooden sword and proclaiming himself king. When this overenthusiastic playing causes his father to become angry with him, his mom gets the idea to have the father and son reconcile by having Charles read to Walter a story he came up with which is a retelling of the life of Jesus, the King of Kings.
From the combination of his father's delivery and his own vivid imagination, Walter finds himself becoming deeply immersed in the story, as he and his rather temperamental cat Willa imagine themselves as being part of it, seeming to follow Jesus every step of the way, from Bethlehem to Calvary and the Resurrection.
Walter is an adorable little guy; Even when causing trouble in the beginning, you can't be too mad at him because he is just a very small boy who sometimes gets carried away with his imagination, and he clearly has a kind and pure heart. He learns much from hearing his father's story, his inserting himself and Willa into it the way he does is so cute and endearing. Roman Griffin Davis gives him a sweet little voice that fits him well and adds to his cuteness. His reactions to Jesus's death, the revelation of Him as one who would take the penalty of our sins upon Him, and His ultimate resurrection will have you near tears.
Scriptural lessons that can be taken from Walter are obvious. Most notably, the sincere, childlike faith that Walter ultimately shows embodies the sort of faith we as believers should have. Jesus Himself says in Luke 18:17 "Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." It's saying we need to receive God with the humility and simple dependence that a child shows toward their parents. We need to know, as Walter learns, that salvation cannot be achieved through any of our own efforts, but only through humbly trusting in Jesus and accepting Him as our Savior.
In short, Walter Dickens is an adorable, delightful character who fully shows what it means to learn humble submission to Christ. From a King Arthur fanboy, to a faithful servant of the King of Kings.
Next, we go from one character in a faith- based animated movie to another that was made by the same studio:
6. David, 'David.'
(Credit for this image goes again to the user ALTRGAMING2007 at the Moviepedia at
https://movies.fandom.com/wiki/David_(2025)?file=David_%282025_film%29_poster.jpeg)
The film 'David' made for a genuinely wonderful, heart-warming and inspirational animated musical adventure showcasing the Biblical David's early journey from shepherd boy all the way to eventually becoming king of Israel. The fact that it even impressed one of my favorite Youtubers, the Critical Drinker (Who is notoriously hard to please and by his own admission was not part of the film's target audience), enough that he gave it a very positive review states volumes about the movie's quality.
It did a great job fleshing out all of the characters (Both those who were clearly described in the Biblical account of David, and those created for the movie), with David himself being easily the most unforgettable.
We see all the conflicts he deals with, from facing down the brutal Philistine warrior Goliath, to his complicated struggles with King Saul, to his eventually having to rescue many of his people that had been abducted by the terrifying Amelekites, and debating if he is ready to one day become king.
Through it all, he's brave, loyal, kind- hearted, funny at times, devoted to God, and easy to cheer on. Just a great hero in general. Even right in the beginning, when he as a shepherd boy bravely defends his sheep from a lion, and even helps spare the lion's life when it is later trapped by rocks, I found myself telling my wife "I can see why he's called a man after God's own heart."
Christian singer Phil Wickham does a marvelous job with David's voice, both for his regular dialogue and of course for his songs (My favorite is the magnificent "Follow the Light," which acts as sort of a montage from after David's victory against Goliath through the restoration of Israel as his fame grows).
In addition to obviously pointing out some details about the early years of David's life, this movie's portrayal of David has other Scriptural lessons to teach, as well. Probably the foremost is on devotion to God at all times. Amid all that David faces, even when he feels he has lost everything, he still remains committed to God and trusting in His power rather than human effort (Even just his initial victory against Goliath shows this). A perfect depiction of God's calling for us in Deuteronomy 6:5 to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your strength." God is the true source of our strength, the One we must depend on and remain loyal to at all times. He can get us through anything, just as He did with David time and time again. David also teaches us the importance of living in a way that inspires others. He regularly goes out of his way to inspire and motivate others to do what is right, through his singing, his courage, his example, and his leadership, he brings out the best in everyone he meets. It helps to demonstrate Hebrews 10:24- 25: "24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
We similarly need to act in a way that can inspire and encourage others to be the best they can be and bring glory to the Lord.
All in all, this version of David makes for a wonderful portrayal of one of the greatest Biblical figures who shows the importance of leaning on the Lord at all times and inspiring others to do the same; He truly shows us how to "Follow the Light."
7. William Bludworth, 'Final Destination: Bloodlines.'
(Credit for this image goes to the user AdamKirshner at the Final Destination wiki at https://finaldestination.fandom.com/wiki/William_Bludworth?file=Wiliam+Bloodworth+Bloodlines.png)
The 'Final Destination' franchise remains a solid, terrifying horror film series, in which a small group of people survive some horrific tragedy in each film due to a main character having a premonition about the tragedy just a few minutes before it actually happens, only to then begin dying themselves in grisly, elaborate accidents as Death itself (Portrayed as more like a quasi- sentient force of nature than like a tangible Grim Reaper- esque being) sets out to reclaim the souls it felt cheated out of.
A frequent presence in those films is the grim, enigmatic mortician William Bludworth (Played to perfection by the late horror legend Tony Todd), who often has run- ins with the main characters in which he explains to them the "Rules" that Death follows and gives them cryptic advice on how to survive.
The most recent film in the series, 'Final Destination: Bloodlines,' is the final appearance of William due to Tony Todd's passing away from stomach cancer in 2024, and even though he only really appears in one scene this time, they definitely make the most of it, and it makes for quite possibly the single most memorable scene of the entire film.
As the new protagonists talk to William in his morgue, we learn a little more of his backstory and find out he himself was a similar survivor of a prevented accident when he was a boy, he as before gives the new protagonists a few of Death's rules and a bit of advice, then out of nowhere reveals that he is retiring due to the fact that he has terminal cancer.
Knowing that Tony Todd was sick and likely wouldn't be around for much longer, the 'Bloodline' filmmakers allowed him to ad- lib William's parting line to the new survivors, and so he does, giving a simple but wonderful farewell to not just these characters and the 'Final Destination' franchise, but to his real- life fans as well:
"I intend to enjoy the time I have left, and I suggest you do the same. Life is precious. Enjoy every single second. You never know when... Good luck."
As you can probably guess, the Scriptural message to be taken from William Bludworth ties into that last line of his, the importance of making the most out of our time on this Earth while we still can.
It makes for a kind of paraphrase of Ephesians 5:15- 16- "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."
While our survival situation is obviously not as dire as those of the 'Final Destination' survivors, the fact is we never know when the Lord will call us home, so it is important for us to truly be mindful of how we use our time, doing all that we can to serve God and fulfill the calling He has for our lives, as well as be there for those we love.
May every second of our lives be a reflection of our service to God and our commitment to Him. A great parting lesson from a great character AND actor. Rest in peace and power, Tony Todd AND William Bludworth.
From here, we go from one returning legacy- character to another, this next one being someone who actually DOES seem to gain a new lease on life, in his own way:
8. Shooter McGavin, 'Happy Gilmore 2.'
(Credit for this image goes to the user Hitman1345 on the Villains Wiki at https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Shooter_McGavin?file=Shooter+McGavin+2025.jpg)
'Happy Gilmore 2' was no masterpiece, but it was a funny, engaging enough sequel to the Adam Sandler- led classic golf- comedy film. In addition to obviously the title character, we see a few other characters from the original movie (The ones whose actors are still alive, that is) make return appearances. The one whose character clicked the most with me in this was surprisingly Happy's egotistical rival from the first film, Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald).
As you can probably guess, when we see Shooter at the start of this film, he has definitely seen better days. After losing to Happy Gilmore in the climactic golf tournament of the first film and trying to steal his golden jacket, he spent a lengthy amount of time in prison, THEN in a mental hospital.
He is released from the hospital by this film's new villain, Frank Manatee, an energy drink CEO and all- around jerk who is forming his own golf league called Maxi Golf that he intends to use to completely change the game of golf forever, and not in a good way. Manatee wants Shooter to become the captain of this new league, in which all members will secretly have their iliolumbar ligaments severed to improve their driving distance so they can beat Happy and any other competitor they face (In other words, cheating).
In a LONG- overdue display of integrity and sportsmanship on Shooter's part, he makes it clear that he is completely repulsed with this and the other "Extreme" elements that Manatee intends on throwing in to make golf stray from its traditional roots. He turns down Manatee's offer, throws hot coffee right in his face, and eventually declares a truce with Happy and agrees to help him and some other old- school golf champs face off against the Maxi Golf players in a high- stakes tournament to settle things once and for all and save the sport they've devoted their lives to.
Another reason why I liked what they did with Shooter in this film is the way they presented his eventual redemption. It's becoming a common trope in movie sequels for the heroes to reluctantly join forces with the previous films' returning villains in order to face a new threat, but with Shooter McGavin in this movie, the way it's handled/ written actually makes a lot of sense. See, Shooter may hate Happy, but he LOVES the game of golf. It is his lifelong passion, and so he is not going to sit idly by while a money- hungry opportunist sets out to deliberately pervert it.
This, then, ties perfectly into the Scriptural lesson that Shooter helps to teach us, that what is sacred needs to be protected. All throughout Scripture, this concept is frequently seen: It's why God gave the Israelites such specific instructions on building and keeping the Ark of the Covenant, it's why in 1 Samuel 6:17 God struck down some people who were treating the Ark with irreverence, it's why Jesus drove out the moneychangers and merchants who were turning the temple into a glorified shopping center, and it's why the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:19- 20 points out that we need to take good care of our bodies as they too are temples of the Holy Spirit. We similarly need to know what's sacred and important in our lives, and treat them with the reverence they deserve, not taking them for granted or misusing them.
(Picture this being said in the whispered tone of a golf reporter not wanting to break anyone's concentration) And, there we have a master stroke by Shooter McGavin, who brilliantly goes from arrogant antagonist to helpful ally of the forces of good, and in the process shows the importance of actively standing to protect what is sacred. Well done, Shooter! (Golf- clap)
Now, we go from a legacy character, to a brand new one:
9. Zoey, 'K- Pop Demon Hunters.'
(Credit for this image goes to the user Jetnoire on the K- Pop Demon Hunters wiki at https://kpop-demon-hunters.fandom.com/wiki/Zoey?file=Zoey_-_Full_Body.png)
The Korean- American animated film 'K- Pop Demon Hunters' became a surprise global phenomenon, and it's easy to see why. Its music is great, its animation is incredible, and its story about a trio of Korean pop singers known as HUNTR/X who must use their music and mystical abilities to fight off evil demons was surprisingly poignant.
While all three of them are great, my favorite is definitely the perky, bubbly Zoey (Voice of Ji- young Yoo).
She is colossally funny in practically every scene she is in, with her quirky, childlike personality and zest for life shining through in all that she does, from performing to eating to relaxing on the couch.
Seeing her fight in battle alongside her bandmates is great too, with her wielding magical daggers called shin- kal that she puts to excellent use.
She's just a real sweetheart from start to finish, albeit a sweetheart who can kick some serious demonic butt when the occasion calls for it.
For her bubbly personality, though, Zoey also has some serious insecurities of her own she is working through. As she is not fully from Korea (She was raised in Burbank), she feels like she doesn't fully belong to either Korean or American culture, and is also facing the baggage of the fact that, before joining HUNTR/X, her songs and lyrics she wrote in her notebooks were poorly received by her peers.
At her core, Zoey is ferociously loyal to her friends, always trying to look out for them as best she can. Even when one of them appears to be going rogue, Zoey only pulls out two of her shin- kal, rather than her usual six, cautious but still refusing to hurt her friend unless she absolutely has to. That makes for an excellent balance of discernment and love/ loyalty.
Romans 12:10 is a good Bible verse to sum up Zoey: "Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves." That's what Zoey does with her friends in the movie, and that's what we need to do with one another s followers of Christ. Another Scriptural lesson to be taken from Zoey is on belonging. Even though, as I said, she feels like a stranger in both Korea and America, it's clear that in HUNTR/X, Zoey has found the family and sense of belonging she had always been missing before that. This ties into Ephesians 2:19- "You are no longer strangers, but members of God's household." All of us, even those who might feel like we don't belong anywhere, are loved and welcomed by Jesus, and can find a great family and sense of community with each other. The Kingdom of Heaven will have so many people of different races, nationalities, and views, all united as part of God's family.
That sums up Zoey, an adorable character who helps us learn about loyalty and love to each other, and finding true belonging with our brothers and sisters in Christ. She's truly something to sing about!
We will now finish this list by looking at another unorthodox character from an animated sci- fi movie:
10. Glordon, 'Elio.'
(Cute little guy, isn't he? Credit for this image goes to the user "Mate Chinche 3000" on the Disney wiki at https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Glordon?file=Glordon_-_Profile.jpeg)
The Pixar film 'Elio' made for a heartwarming, funny, meaningful look at loneliness, grief, and belonging, and the character who stood out the most for me in it was the sluglike alien kid Glordon (Voice of Remy Edgerly). When the main character Elio (A lonely boy mourning the death of his parents and obsessed with aliens) is accidentally pulled up into an intergalactic community, he soon meets Glordon and quickly becomes friends with him.
In spite of his freakish appearance, Glordon is a sweet, funny, very likable little guy. Even though he is the prince of a warlike alien race and is expected to follow in his vicious father Lord Grigon's footsteps by becoming permanently bonded with a kind of robotic armored suit and becoming a warlord out to conquer the galaxy, it's clear that Glordon's initial enthusiasm at this is fraudulent, he really doesn't like the idea of fighting due to his kind and empathetic nature. So, he and Elio set out to find a way to help him avoid this fate. This leads them on a great adventure on Earth AND in space, and helps a lot of characters find the inner peace they were lacking.
The Scriptural message Glordon teaches is on a commitment to peace. As I said, even though Glordon comes from such a brutal, violent culture, and even though refusing to put on the armored suit when he is of age will cause him to be seen as a pariah to his people, Glordon refuses to embrace violence, determined to not let it become his destiny. He even eventually inspires his own father to learn the true strength that can come from gentleness and seeking peace. He really lives out Psalm 34:14- "Turn from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it." He also, through the impact he ends up having on his father and others, sums up what Jesus said in Matthew 5:9- "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." We all as part of our witness for Jesus should turn from what we know is evil and harmful, and try to bring more goodness and peace to the world in the Lord's name, even just in simple everyday ways.
That's about all there is to say about Glordon, a sweet little alien who helps sway the course of an entire planet and shows us the importance of living for peace and holiness. Go, Glordon!
A few "honorable mention" characters include Gary from 'Zootopia 2' (He very nearly made this list), Delta Slim from 'Sinners,' the Thing from 'Fantastic 4: First Steps,' Superman from 'Superman,' and Stitch from the live- action 'Lilo and Stitch.'
That's about it for this entry of the Nightcrawler Experience. Don't worry, I have many more entries in mind for the rest of this year. Until then, stay safe and healthy, and may God bless you all!
