Student Choice
1. Bruce Almighty does a fantastic job of portraying the transformation of Bruce Nolan. At the start of the film he lacks both grace and salvation but as the film progresses we see him change and begin to gain a new perspective on life and as he does so he begins to gain both grace and salvation. “Grace was defined for us as “another word for God’s life and holiness, which he shares with us. Grace is free, unconditional, and undeserved help that God gives us.” There are two types of Grace: actual and sanctifying. Actual Grace is a gift from God that helps us to do what is right, and Sanctifying Grace is a gift from God that reinforces our ability to live and do God’s Will” (Bruce Almighty, 2007). In the movie, religious symbolism is used as the viewer is able to interpret Grace (his girlfriend) as the actual representation of grace. She embodied the concept of grace because she was a gift from God given to Bruce in an attempt to impact him for the greater good (Bruce Almighty, 2007). I believe that we see two examples of sanctifying grace in Bruce Almighty; they come in the form of his girlfriend and God’s decision to save him after he was hit by a truck. As the movie progressed Bruce becomes aware of the positive influence Grace has upon him. He also begins to realize her importance in his life and comes to the realization that he wants to be the best possible person for her (Bruce Almighty, 2007). In addition it becomes clear that God saved him for a greater purpose. God’s grace was overwhelming and he decided to save Bruce because he knew Bruce was going to learn his lesson and go forth and do his will. This could be seen in the transformation of his character as at the end of the film he was living life to better others and not just himself---seen when he is reporting on the Blood Drive.
2. Limitless was a movie we saw that displayed interesting symbolism. I throughly enjoyed the movie and loved the concept and idea behind the movie. The idea of being under a pill to achieve everything you could imagine is frightening yet exciting at the same time. I can't say one way or the other if I would take the pill because I'm not sure how I'd feel about relying on something other than my natural state. It was cool to watch the transformation in terms of looking at all the cool stuff he was able to do while on the pill yet we also saw the harsh reality when he was not on the pill. The movie speaks to American's in that the pill is probably the easy way out because you are in a way given things and don't have to work for them. It shows the materialism and immediate gratification we strive for as Americans. The addiction to the pill seen in the movie allows the viewer to see the power of the drug while also see its harsh effects when not having it. I probably would not take the pill because it ultimately changes who you are artificially which I wouldn't want.
3. K-Pax was a film we watched in class that I really liked. I thought the movie was filled with symbolism and had plenty of humor from the main character. I really felt that Kevin Spacey did a fantastic job in portraying the main character. I believe the most interesting part of the film is the significant amount of influence he (Prot) has on others in the movie. I believe that Prot was indeed an alien. This could be seen because from the evidence such as time travel and knowing so much about where he came from. I like the mystery of the film as you are left to question certain aspects of the movie. The end was confusing because at first I thought he left but then they found he body under the bed and it was determined that Bess had left. Maybe it was him who left through her body? The film shed light on our existence on earth and the possibilities of other things in space. The movie definitely makes you think critical about your place in this earth.
4. The Batman and Superman movies focus much like The Boondock Saints on an earthly figure saving us. Batman and Superman are both characters in the human fleshy that take it upon themselves to save those around them and protect us from evil. It is interesting to note the underlying religious symbolism in these movies and how it connects to the Bible. Much like Christ came in the humanly flesh to save and protect us, these fictional characters do the same thing apart from their jobs and protect us. These characters take it upon themselves and view it as their duty to protect us much like our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ does. I have learned much from this class and one thing is that religion can be applied to all things. When I watched Batman for the first time the last thing I thought of was how religion tied into the movie but after taking this class I have learned to analyze films and see the symbolism.
5. Another recent film I saw that I believe to demonstrate religious concepts and symbolism is the Book of Eli. In this film Eli travels to the West Coast of the US with a scared book in the hopes of getting it there safely. The movie much like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind focuses on the concept of faith. Eli charged by his belief in his faith and the protection from God travels on the journey to bring the bible (as he later finds out) to a safe place. He looses the Bible to his rival but because he has had faith in the journey and protection makes it to Alcatraz where he is able to successfully orate what was in the braille bible from memory. The movie harps on believing in something and following that belief. Eli was blind yet still listened to the voice in his head and was rewarded in the end by making it to the place where he could share the information. It speaks to the importance of faith because he though he couldn't see he still had the belief that with the help of God he would transport the word and that he did. The movie was powerful and made me realize the importance of having a strong faith and not letting anyone get in the way of that belief.
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