Creative Momentum!

Well, this has been a great week for getting creative work done! I'm basically finished with the track layout for "Destiny" and am now going back to re-mix the vocals for Joyce Smith (White) and myself.

I'm so happy with the pace I've been keeping and hopefully the momentum will continue into next week!

-Paeter Frandsen

Destiny

In preparation for the "song bundles" I will be releasing a few months from now, I'm currently working on the re-mix for "Destiny"! It's coming together well and I'm able to create some sounds this time around that I couldn't before.

The lead synth has been given a harder edge by de-tuning it slightly and adding distortion and octaves. I'm also adding an "epic men's chorus" that helps to give the song a paradoxical sound when contrasted with the harder electronic textures.

I'm having a ton of fun and feel like I'm finally starting to gain some creative momentum! Woohoo!

-Paeter

In Search Of Truth, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

So far in this chapter, Paul has told the Corinthians about the future eternal bodies for believers (v.1) and how we were made for this future and have been given the Holy Spirit for now as a "deposit" toward our eventual state. (v.5) Given this truth, our perspective is meant to be different(v.7), viewing this promised future as more important than our present circumstances. We also now see that our actions in this life effect our rewards in eternity(v.10). Christ's love will compel us to live differently and see our lives and the lives of others on these terms.(v.15-15) Because of this, Paul doesn't look at anyone from the perspective that comes naturally to humans, as he once did regarding Jesus.(v.16)

To be "in Christ" means to be united with him and his will. Paul uses this phrase to refer to trust and belief in Christ in general and trust in his sacrifice which pays our debt of sin in specific. Anyone who trusts Jesus for their forgiveness is a "new creation". Up to this point, Paul has talked about the future state of believers, but he says here that a believer in Christ is a new creation right now! (v.17)

Although our bodies, confined to four dimensions, do not change at the moment of belief in Christ, our immaterial being undergoes a transformation that is obvious to God. From a natural, four dimensional perspective, this is a hard truth to take encouragement from. But Paul has been urging us to see the world with an eternal, spiritual perspective. And as the Bible consistantly demonstrates its reliability in the realms of history and archeology, we can adopt this spiritual perspective with confidence that it is the truth and not simply a nice thought.

Paul reminds us of God's incomparable love when he says that all of these things are a gift from him.(v.18) Notice that we don't play a part in our reconciliation to God. It is God who restores the believer's relationship to him through the sacrifice of Christ. And now believers are given the opportunity to tell others about God's act of reconciliation! He could have given this role to the angels, but he chooses to use normal believers like you and me.

The message we have to share is condensed very simply here. God was united with Christ to reconcile the world to himself, not counting their sins against them(v.18-19) God is both perfect morally and absolutely just. So he knows that we are sinful even when we'd rather think we're not so bad. However, even while recognizing the depth of our sin, he provides a free and just solution through Christ.

Paul pleads with the Corinthian church, which likely contained some unbelievers, to recognize his words as the words of God, which plead with them to let God restore their relationship to him. (v.20)

This chapter ends with a staggering thought. Although Jesus never once sinned in his actions or even his thoughts, God gave him the role of sin on our behalf. Since God is absolutely just, he must punish sin and remove it from himself. This is what we see happening to Jesus on the cross. And as a result of this mysterious transaction, believers are given the righteousness of God. So when God looks at a person who trusts in Jesus and his sacrifice, he sees someone with God's own absolutely perfect moral character!(v.21)

Next Week-

The Life Of An Effective Christ Follower

Coffee House Question-

What have you found to be helpful as you aim to keep an "eternal perspective"?

Legion (Movie Review)

Imagine for a moment a musician watching a movie about musicians. In the movie it is assumed that all musicians can play the piano. I suppose that the piano is a very common instrument that many musicians do play, so I can understand how someone might make that leap if they weren't a fan of music. A man on the street might see this movie where all musicians can play the piano and enjoy it very much. He might even compliment how well it was thought out and written. But a musician would walk away from the movie and say that it was very poorly written and not very though out. Hopefully, you and I can agree that the musician is not uptight or acting like a "know-it-all" because of this opinion. He simply has some information that the man on the street does not. The man on the street isn't stupid. He just hasn't spent any time looking into what it means to be a musician.

Why am I saying all of this when I'm supposed to be reviewing the movie "Legion"? Because I am the musician, and "Legion" is about a world in which all musicians can play the piano.

The premise of "Legion" is that God has finally lost faith in humanity and is just plain sick of us, so he is going to wipe us all out. But the archangel Michael rebels and comes to earth to defend an unborn child that will change God's mind about humanity if it lives. (Although why this is the case or the significance of the baby is never explained.) The mother works in a remote truck stop on a desert highway and it is here that the battle for the fate of mankind takes place.

Now, before I spend time evaluating the logic of the script (easily the film's weakest point) I'll tell you what I liked about this movie.

Visually, this flick is exactly my cup of tea. Dark and dirty. Even the angels have dark gray armor and silvery black wings. It's also deliciously creepy, taking innocent ideas like children, sweet grandmothers and ice cream truck drivers, and turning them into nasty cruel monsters. Brrr! I get a shiver and a grin just thinking about it! The atmosphere of this movie is great!

The special effects are pretty good and sometimes even wonderful. Of particular note is a fight scene between two angels near the end. I sometimes couldn't make up my mind if the wings were CGI or practical, which means they looked pretty good! Visually exciting but not groundbreaking or even very original.

Nothing particularly good or bad about the cast performances. They all get the job done but nobody's winning an Oscar.

Yep, all around a very cool movie... if I leave the sound off. This script falls apart to the point of being nonsensical almost from the get go.

The first image we see is Psalm 34:11 on screen, which reads: "Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD."

There are also several Christian references to the film. A crucifix around the neck of a character who is a self-professed Bible reader, a man tied up and tortured in the pose of an upside down crucifixion and several smaller references throughout the film. This is a script clearly pulling inspiration and frame of reference from the Bible, both Old and New Testament. And though I may be mistaken, it seems as though the writers simply scanned the Bible and took a few bits that, out of context, would support the reality they wanted to create, rather than using the text as a resource to determine the realities set forth in their story.

In the opening narration, it is suggested that God once loved us, but no longer does because he got tired of our behavior. But in the Bible we see that God has always been angered about our behavior. God's sense of justice and wrath are clearly evident in both the Old and New Testament. Jesus actually talked about hell more than he did about heaven. God's view of our sin has been consistent. The Bible also teaches that God does not change, lie, or change his mind. (Numbers 23:19,1 Samuel 15:29, Malachi 3:6, James 1:17)

We also hear about the idea of God losing faith and hope in humanity over and over again in the script. But God does not have faith in anything. God does not hope. Faith and hope both require someone to have incomplete knowledge. Michael also claims to be serving God in the way he needs, but not in the way he wants, as though Michael knows better than God. But God knows everything about everything, whether past present or future. (1 John 3:20, Isaiah 42:8-9, 46:9-10, Matthew 6:8, Psalm 139:4, 139:16) God knows exactly how badly we have failed and how badly we will fail long before we make the choice to be selfish or unloving. Our lack of goodness never surprises him. He doesn't become "tired" of us in the way "Legion" suggests because God's existence is not composed of a number of successive moments in which God, were he not all powerful, could "become tired". He is timeless in his being. (Psalm 90:2, Job 36:26, Revelation 1:8, 4:8. God's eternality is also suggested in the very construction of his name, Yahweh, as introduced in Exodus 3:14) Although he interacts with us in time, he is not limited to four dimensions.

God has zero faith in our ability to make up for our mistakes. Our ideas of what actions are sufficient to make up for our mistakes fall impossibly short of God's standard. God knows we are hopeless. That's why he entered the world as Jesus and voluntarily paid for the sins of everyone who ever chooses to trust in him for that purpose. Romans 5:8 says "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Early in the film, Michael warns that God has sent his angels to exterminate all of humanity. One character asks Michael how this can be the case when the Bible portrays angels as "the good guys". Michael replies, without any explanation: "The truth is not that simple." This is an example of what we might call "assumptive language". Michael does not come out and say: "The Bible sometimes misrepresents the truth." His version takes the edge off, but you still have to buy this assumption, slipped under the radar, if you are going to accept Michael's statement. The same is true of statements like, "God lost his faith in humanity." This statement slips the statement "God does not know everything" under the radar. I'm not suggesting that the writers are trying to deceive viewers, but we should still realize that these are the worldview statements that drive their dialogue in its final form, and we are asked to accept these worldview statements if we want to suspend disbelief and enter their story through our imagination.

Probably the most critical of these worldview statements is the one connected to the Bible. In order for "Legion" to be possible in any form, the Bible has to be considered unreliable as a representation of the truth on some level, set aside and mostly ignored.

At this point you might ask, "What's wrong with picking and choosing what you want to believe from the Bible?"

Well, in a fictional story world, it's not catastrophic unless someone allows that story to influence their thinking about reality. This happens more easily than you might think. On more than one occasion I've talked to people who've told me that their very ideas about what might be real in the supernatural world came from TV shows like "Supernatural" or "Buffy The Vampire Slayer". Fiction is meant to excite our imagination and allows us to consider the possibilities of the universe. This is a great thing, although we need to do our homework and see which ideas presented in fiction are based on fact and which are fiction. It's dangerous to assume that the storytellers did a perfect job of collecting and applying research to their story.

Picking and choosing what we want to believe from the Bible in real life is nonsensical. If the Bible is not trustworthy, we ought to throw the whole thing out the window. Otherwise, how can we know which parts are reliable and which parts are not? We have to become our own ultimate source of truth if we believe we have the ability to choose what is true in the Bible and what is not. And if we know perfectly what is true and what is not, we don't need the Bible to begin with, do we? So why even reference any of it as true in this flick?

It would have made much more sense to present a modern world where the Bible does not exist and pagan polytheism is the truth. The god's of ancient Greece (and your average fantasy role-playing game) are very much like the god portrayed in "Legion": Petty and prone to changing their minds frequently as they fight among themselves. This would have been much easier to swallow and more internally consistent.

This movie fit very well with the philosophy of someone who is angry at God or Christianity. In this movie, God is a petty bad guy who needs to learn his lesson, and his creations are there to teach it to him. For someone with a tendency to reject anything to do with God or "religious stuff", this movie will speak to them strongly and affirm their belief. For someone who is interested in the Bible and is making an effort to understand what it teaches, this movie will likely make no sense and feel like a movie about musicians who can all play the piano, or about a world in which all Doctors are qualified to perform brain surgery. Logically, this movie falls apart from beginning to end.

All that said, my advice, Christians, is not to boycott this movie or raise a big stink over it. Controversy breeds interest in any case. It's not an awesome flick, so you won't miss much by passing on it. But if you know someone who is interested in watching it, take advantage of the opportunity to go and see it with them and exercise your ability to discern the truth. There is tremendous opportunity to have meaningful discussion after viewing this movie and have a much more positive impact than refusing to see it if someone you know is going. Hopefully the car ride home will be interesting and lead to a mutual exploration of truth.

Rated R for strong bloody violence and language.

Quality: 7.5/10

Relevance: 10/10

Check Out "Paeter's Brain"!

Not much to update you on this week. I've been getting some mixing done finally, but I won't bore you with the details.

If you want something to read though, jump over to www.spiritblade.net/paeter in a minute or two. I'm posting my review of Legion and this flick gives Christians and non-Christians some very interesting things to talk about!

-Paeter

The Book Of Eli (Movie Review)

After seeing this Post-Apocalyptic movie by the Hughes Brothers, the first question I asked out loud was "How did this movie get through the Hollywood system?" More on that in a moment.

This movie takes place 30 years after "the flash", which we can assume is some form of nuclear holocaust. Eli, played by Denzel Washington, is traveling across the scorched landscape on a mission to deliver a book to an unknown destination in the west. He passes through a small "town" ruled by a local overlord named Carnegie, played by Gary Oldman. Carnegie is in search of a very specific book that he believes will give him the power to manipulate and control those around him like never before. Eli recognizes the potential for the book he carries to be used in that way, but also knows that in the right hands it will bring about goodness and restoration to the entire world.

Within the first 30 minutes or so, it becomes clear that this book is the Bible. You heard me right. The Bible.

First I should say that this probably isn't the movie you take your Lutheran grandmother to. But for fans of dark sci-fi like myself, this is a really good thing. This movie has some extremely brutal yet captivating fight sequences. They are almost the opposite of 300's slo-mo "bloody ballet". They are fast moving, messy and ruthless. Eli never once looks for a fight, but he is one of the most efficient killers I've ever seen at the box office.

There are also some great gun fights and explosive moments that sound terrific and are captured with fascinating camera angles and continuous shots that keep the action beats unpredictable.

Washington brings a thoughtful and subtle performance to his role. Despite being a flawless killer, he is also a soft-hearted everyman. Oldman reminds us how well he plays villains and makes me want to take a shower after looking at him for too long.

The color is a little washed out and the environments are dusty and scorched. The visual look of the movie creates a tone of desolation that put me perfectly in the bleak mood the directors intended.

This is a great post-Apocalyptic action flick. But it's also something significantly more.

Because the word "Bible" is only used once or twice near the end of the movie, the film can get away with talking about it quite a bit without feeling preachy. The film acknowledges two things that both Christians and non-Christians should consider. Firstly, it is indicated that the Bible can be used by people to manipulate others. It is even implied that the Bible was used by people to start the war that resulted in "the flash".

As Christians, we need to acknowledge that there are those among us, leaders and laymen alike, who twist the words of scripture to gain power or praise. We can't shrug this off and pretend it is insignificant. We have some housecleaning to do among our own.

Secondly, this film singles out the Bible as unique in its ability to change lives and the very foundation of society for the better, worldwide. Despite showing the Bible on a shelf with the Torah and Koran near the end of the movie, there is an inescapable uniqueness the movie gives to the Bible. And although today popular culture seeks to blend the Bible in with other religious texts, it is undeniable that the Bible has proven far more influential worldwide over the years. It is a book that demands fair-minded examination more than any other.

These two realities regarding the Bible make this movie an easy starting point for extremely worthwhile conversation. This is true whether you are a Christian or not. It's a shame that many Christians will avoid this movie simply because of it's R rating. If your dedication and obedience to Christ will not be compromised by movie violence and hearing some harsh language, I'd recommend buying a ticket for a non-Christian friend and seeing this movie together. Then prepare for some great conversation on the drive home.

Rated R for some brutal violence and language.

Quality: 9.5/10

Relevance: 9.0/10

In Search Of Truth, 2 Corinthians 5:10-15

If the gift of eternal life in the presence of God is free, why should a Christian bother trying to live a better life now? Why make any sacrifices? Why not pursue nothing but pleasure for the rest of our lives? Because of verse 10 in this chapter. (You might remember that this idea was also touched on in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15.)

Everyone who has ever lived will one day be evaluated by Jesus Christ. Everyone will be compensated for what they have done, good or bad. The exception here is that those who put their trust and sense of self worth in Christ's sacrifice on their behalf, will not be punished for the wrong they have done. But they will miss out on some form of eternal reward that they would have gained, had they invested their time in doing good instead of pursuing selfishness. God is completely just. Those who spend eternity apart from God will experience various degrees of punishment. And those who spend eternity with God will experience various degrees of reward. All based on the small and large choices made in this life, every single day.

It's Paul's awareness of this fact that motivates a healthy "fear" in him. He recognizes the responsibility he has to serve God during life on earth.

Paul aims to make his motivations clear so that the Corinthains do not assume he is manipulating them. He knows God sees his motivations and hopes the Corinthians can see his sincerity as well. (v. 11) He wants them to be equipped to confidently defend and speak well of Paul when questioned by others. (v.12) Keep in mind, this wasn't about Paul's ego. Any attacks on Paul's legitimacy as an Apostle were attacks on the words of God spoken through him. Paul was defending God's reputation here.

Additionally, if Paul seemed a little extreme or even crazy to them at times, he explains that it was for the sake of God. But when he appeared level-headed, it was to benefit the Corinthians.(v. 13) This is in keeping with the way each Christian lives their life. Some aspects of the way a person excercises their faith may seem strange to another. We don't all have to worship and serve God in the same way. (Woohoo!) There are ways we each have of relating to God that are unique to us, and there are also times when we aim to be "sober" and on the same page with other believers.

Paul is compelled or controlled by Christ's love, actively working inside of him. Christ died in the place of all who trust in him for their forgiveness and rescue from punishment. In one sense, all believers "died" with Christ.(v.14) Christ did this so that those who die with him will live with him as well. Not just after this life, but now, in this life, compelled by his love as Paul is. Living not for themselves, but for others.(v.15)

The reason we should live life with a purpose fixed on God is because we will be rewarded for it, and because we were made for it!

Next Week-

How we become a "new creation"!

Coffee House Question-

What activities, people or habits have helped you to grow in love and service to God?

Freedom!

Today we can celebrate two kinds of freedom.

First, the political freedom we have because of the sacrifices of men who gave their time, efforts and sometimes lives for the sake of human freedom. Men who, whether they believed in God or not, were used by him to make our lives better.

And second, though even more important, the freedom we have from the penalty we each deserve for our individual selfishness. The freedom we can have from our selfish tendencies and habits. The freedom available and given freely to anyone who decides to place their trust in Jesus.

I hope you'll take a moment with me today and thank God for both of these freedoms.

Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (NIV)

Ephesians 3:12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
(NIV)

Galatians 5:13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
(NIV)

Have a great day and come back on Wednesday for "In Search Of Truth"!

-Paeter Frandsen

Daybreakers (Movie Review)

I like a good vampire flick now and then, but these days it’s hard to bring something new to the genre and still leave it feeling like a proper vampire story. The “Underworld” movies brought a sense of cool superhero action to the genre. So did Blade and Ultraviolet, but the former is even more a straight superhero flick with a vampire theme and the latter is barely recognizable as a vampire story at all.

Daybreakers, starring Ethan Hawke, Willem Defoe and Sam Neill, creates an entirely new vampire story while keeping it firmly in the genre. 10 years into the future, over 95% of the human population is made up of vampires. Normal humans are an endangered species, hunted down to be placed in “blood farms” to supply food for a starving population of vampires.

Ethan Hawke is a scientist looking for a blood substitute, but he may have just stumbled on a cure. A cure that his company doesn’t want, since it will mean the end of the blood farming business.

Naturally there is a human resistance and of course there are bloody blood-sucking scenes. But two things make this movie a unique vampire movie experience.

The first is the world itself. In a world where most everyone is a vampire, a car chase during the daytime suddenly becomes much more intense than it would normally be. And that’s just one example. The unique application of vampire lore to this world was a high point of interest for me.

The second unique aspect of this vampire flick was the type of relationships focused on. Usually, vampire flicks lean toward romance stories of some kind(if you can really call them that). But family relationships take center stage in this movie and it makes for a refreshing change. Emotional investment in a genre film like this can be hard to come by, but Daybreakers provides characters you can care about.

Although the overall plot is not unpredictable, there are several scenes and elements that took me by surprise, especially one shocking scene near the beginning. Blood sucking also feels painful and unromantic in this movie. Overall, this film is an emotionally engaging experience.

Ethan Hawke is great at being vulnerable, Sam Neil brings some of the menace he displayed in “Event Horizon” and Willem Defoe is Willem Defoe. He also has a fantastic one-liner that had me unexpectedly laughing out loud! Overall, very solid cast performances throughout, with only one slip of an Australian accent (where it was filmed) that I caught.

The special effects are well done, though they aren’t shooting for anything new. I’d compare the quality and frequency of special effects to the first “Underworld” movie. Cool and economical.

There is some brief nudity in this movie, but it is thematically non-sexual and much like “corpse nudity”. (The bodies in question are very dead-looking humans being farmed for blood.)

There’s a little room for discussion of fearing death after watching this movie. But not much, as the point isn’t emphasized. Those who have difference of belief between them and their family members (Be it morality, God or politics) will probably feel a little extra resonance with this movie. But the script is not constructed in a way to make any particular commentary on family relationships in conflict and so discussion is not likely after viewing, even though the themes are strongly present.

This is a cool, intriguing vampire flick that genre fans shouldn’t miss and others may still enjoy for its dramatic elements. There’s not much of philosophical worth to talk about after this movie, but opportunity is there if you scratch around a bit for it.

Rated R for strong bloody violence, language and brief nudity.

Quality: 9.0/10

Relevance: 6.5/10

Spirit Blade Productions 2010 Plans

2010 will be a very important year for Spirit Blade Productions! Here are a few things you can look forward to and in their planned order of execution!

1. Music! Currently, I'm making plans to release "song bundles" or "soundtracks" (not sure which I'll call them yet) for both "Spirit Blade" and "Spirit Blade: Dark Ritual". I'll also be creating some remixes of these songs for inclusion in the bundles. Some will be minor re-mixes and some will be complete overhauls.

2. More Cool Goodies! During the production of "Pilgrim's Progress: Similitude Of A Dream" I made some video recordings of dialogue recording sessions and some screen capture video with commentary as I created and mixed some of the unique sound effects and scenes of the project. I'm not sure of the specific method of delivery for these videos (Youtube or downloads on the "Media" page) but I'm looking forward to editing the footage and putting it together for you all very soon!I'll also be making some cool T-shirts available this year and some other goodies you'll be able to get at the site. As always, I plan to keep up with my schedule of releasing one new free special feature on the Media Page every month. So keep checking back! (spiritblade.net/freestuff)

3. The Secret Project! It's... well it's a secret. I should be able to announce it in full about three months from now (that's the current plan anyway, but you know how that goes). I can tell you that Spirit Blade fans will dig it, though! And although it is third on the list, this project is actually my highest priority project for 2010 and I hope to release it before or during the summer, or at least before the end of the year.

4. The Spirit Blade Audiobook! I released the first part of this project on the podcast in December. I have finished recording it all and only need to mix and release it. It will be made available for free and released all at once, rather than in "chapters". The project is be read by me and enhanced with music and sound effects. This book is the basis for "Spirit Blade" and "Dark Ritual" and although the story has some very noticeable differences, it will hopefully provide an interesting look into where the "Spirit Blade" universe began and where it might have gone.

5. Relaunch Of Spirit Blade Productions! Although 2006 marks the first year of our existence, 2010 will be the year that this little company becomes re-established. I believe it will be looked back on as the year we hit our stride. The reasons for this will become clear as the year unfolds, but I hope you'll stick around and be a part of the celebration!

6. Spirit Blade 3 Begins Pre-production! (Or should it be "Pilgrim's Progress"?) At this point, my
plan is to begin writing "Spirit Blade 3" later this year. I would
estimate that pre-production work on SB3 will take 6-12 months. The
script for "Pilgrim Ep. 2" is nearly finished. But in order to save
money on production costs, I will be recording both SB3 and Pilgrim
Ep.2 at the same time. SB3 will be produced and released first, and
then Pilgrim Ep. 2 will immediately begin production afterward. SB3
will probably take about 12 months to produce after recording with the
actors. Pilgrim Ep. 2 will probably take around 4 months.



So a very rough estimate (given all of these other estimates) would put
the release of Spirit Blade 3 at around April 2012 and Pilgrim Ep. 2 at
around July 2012. Thereafter, I will focus all of my efforts on
finishing the rest of the Pilgrim's Progress series, releasing them
much closer together than previous projects. Should Pilgrim's Progress
gain a larger response than our Spirit Blade series, I would reverse
production order, resulting in a roughly August 2011 release for
Pilgrim Ep 2 and an August 2012 release for Spirit Blade 3.

I say all of this because I'm actually ready to give you all a voice in my production schedule! If you'd rather hear the next part of "Pilgrim" before the final chapter of "Spirit Blade", make yourself heard! Comment here or send me an e-mail. If I get enough interest in "Pilgrim" coming first, I'll set up a poll and give everyone a chance to vote on my future production schedule!Otherwise it's full speed ahead to the climax of the Spirit Blade Trilogy!

Thanks so much for your involvement with all I've been juggling over the last 3 1/2 years! I hope you'll join me as I continue to enjoy geek culture and search for truth both here and on the podcast. I also hope you'll consider joining the creative fun as Spirit Blade Productions continues to sponsor the online volunteer community, The Spirit Blade Underground Alliance! You don't need to be an expert. This is a place to learn how to pool your creativity with others to create fun and exciting Christian Sci-fi, Fantasy and Horror that engages both the imagination and the critical mind! Check it out at spiritblade.net/alliance

Drop me a line any time. I love to interact with you guys and hear what you're thinking about these announcements, the blog posts in general anytime, the podcast or whatever randomly pops into your head!

Hope to talk to you soon!

-Paeter Frandsen

Moon (Movie Review)

Lately I've felt like I haven't seen a really good movie in awhile. Looking back at my reviews, I realized that I haven't seen a new movie that I really enjoyed a lot since late September! Thankfully, that good movie itch has finally been scratched by an independent gem now on DVD called "Moon", directed by Duncan Jones and starring Sam Rockwell.

The basic premise is that in the future, we have discovered a plentiful source of energy on the dark side of the moon and keep a single astronaut there in three-year shifts to refine it and send it back to us periodically. Sam Rockwell plays an astronaut who is just two weeks away from the end of his shift, when he starts to notice some strange things happening around him. By the end of the first third of the film, we discover a major revelation that we spend much of the rest of the film trying to understand.

It's unfortunate that I don't feel free to tell you more about the plot of the film, but the unfolding of the story is half of the fun. What I can do is attempt to tell you what kind of film this is. Although it is not an action movie, the threat of death is very present and the story is compelling from beginning to end. This is dramatic, character-driven sci-fi like we've not seen on the big screen for a long time. Sam Bell, the featured character in "Moon" is a very relatable character that pulled me along on his emotional journey through fear, anger and loneliness. When I was finished watching this movie I felt very grateful for my wife.

Some may compare this movie to "2001: A Space Odyssey", but I would have to ask those people when the last time was that they actually watched "2001". Although "Moon" features only one leading actor, it is a far cry from the slow moving and "quiet" feeling of "2001". Duncan Jones has actually clarified that if anything, this movie found inspiration in films that were inspired by 2001(Solaris, Silent Running, Alien), but not by "2001" itself. And if the idea of spending 90 minutes with only one actor on screen sounds stifling in some way, be assured that Sam Rockwell's performance is rich and varied enough to take the place of two or even three different characters.

If the phrase "independent film" sounds like code for "cheap looking", be not afraid. Despite a tiny budget of 5 million dollars, this movie has some incredible special effects that look so real you forget they are effects! I tend to be very critical of CGI and am usually able to pick it out easily. But I was amazed to discover how many elements in this movie were visual effects instead of practical effects. In addition to CGI, some other visual effects (of which I dare not describe the nature) were the very best I've seen of their kind, without exception. So whatever you do, don't avoid this film because you think it will look cheap. It won't dazzle your eyes with multi-colored CGI effects that look like CGI. But it has numerous special effects shots that will look more real than many special effects films with more than ten times the budget of this one.

One downside of the movie was that during the last third, I felt as though I were about 5 minutes ahead of the filmmakers. I didn't have the whole story mapped out, but I could predict things a little faster than I think they intended me to. However, this was not a significant problem for me and some earlier mysteries of the film kept me from settling into my assumptions too much.

Although Duncan Jones has a background of philosophy, it doesn't show much in this movie and he admits himself that it didn't play a significant role. Potential conversation topics after this movie may include the nature of the human soul and what makes us human. Loneliness and the need for human relationships may also be a connected topic. But any deep conversation after this film will likely only happen between people who are itching to wax philosophical.

To sum up, this is a compelling movie with great effects and a wonderfully engaging performance by Sam Rockwell that may not make you ponder, but it will very likely make you feel. You may even, like me, feel more thankful for the relationships you have.

Rated R for language and brief male nudity.

Quality: 9.0/10

Relevance: 6.0/10

Must...be...creative!

For almost a month now I have been itching to look at the bland waveforms and track files of my mixing software. Never before has taking two weeks off from work resulted in so much catch-up time afterward. I'm finally back to my normal pace of e-mails and other correspondence, but yesterday was the first time in almost a month that I have done anything creative for work. It was driving me nuts!!

And I still haven't satisfied my craving, so I'd better go mix some more audio or something!

-Paeter Frandsen

In Search Of Truth, 2 Corinthians 5:5-9

In the first four verses of this chapter, Paul talked about
how Christians look forward to the immortal existence and new bodies we will
one day have. In verse 5 of this chapter, Paul reveals that God actually made
us for this purpose! Although we can live in very purposeful ways now, our
ultimate purpose will not be fulfilled until after this life. Our sense of hope
should not be fixated on what our lives might be on earth. We are meant to
place our hope in what God is preparing us for that comes after this life.

 

Paul also says in verse 5 that God has given us the Holy
Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what he has promised to us. So how exactly
does the Holy Spirit act as a source of assurance to us? What does he do that
gives us hope that God is really faithful and will genuinely give us an eternal
life worth putting hope in?

 

The Holy Spirit is the source of spiritual gifts used by
believers. (1 Corinthians 12:11) The “fruit” that the Holy Spirit produces in
the life of a Christian (Galatians 5:22-23) is evidence of his presence. As
believers change and grow to become a little more like Jesus as time passes,
this isn’t because of the strength of their own efforts. It is because the Holy
Spirit is working on them, changing from the inside out. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

 

It’s vital to point out that if you don’t perceive continual
change for the better in your character, this doesn’t mean your faith is not
real. But ask God to help you grow in the “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians
5:22-23) so that you can gain the assurance that the Holy Spirit is present
with you and that God’s future promises are real. These kind of changes in our
character serve as a reminder that God is real and his power is real.

 

Paul saw the reality of what the Holy Spirit was doing in
his life and in the lives of others. This filled him with confidence in God and
gave him an “eternal perspective”. He didn’t fixate on what he could gain from
this life. He knew that every moment in this life is just another moment he had
to spend away from the direct presence of God that he would experience after
his bodily death. (v.6) He chose to be guided by what he believed, not only by
what he could see. (And keep in mind that the Biblical us of the words “faith”
and “belief” is not irrational, as we often assume today. These words were used
by the Bible authors in a manner that was based on the “trustworthiness” of the
subject of faith or belief.) (v. 7)

 

His confidence was so great that Paul’s preference was to be
away from his physical body and with God instead. (v. 8) He knew his future in
eternity with God involved more excitement and fulfillment than anything he
could have on earth. So instead of living from thrill to thrill, he spent his
time investing in God’s agenda. (v.9)

 

But why? Why not make having fun our number one priority now
and then have even more fun in eternity? Why spend time and energy on loving
others, investing in relationships, learning more about God and finding new
ways to express love to him? If heaven is free, why put so much effort into
pleasing God before we get there?

 

We’ll take a look at verse 10 and beyond and endeavor to
answer that question next week!

 

 

Next Time-

 

If it’s all free, why pay anything?

 

 

Coffee House Question-

 

What change has God brought about in your character and what
change would you still like to see him bring about?

 

No Podcast, BUT...

A had a very unexpected and rare opportunity to connect with a friend this weekend, but it means no podcast, I'm afraid.

HOWEVER, if you're looking for some cool audio to stick in your ears, I just released two, count them TWO new special features at www.spiritblade.net/freestuff !

The first is PART 8 of the Spirit Blade: Dark Ritual audio commentary and the second is a revealing look at the making of the "spellcasting" (miraclai) in Dark Ritual. Just what were the actors REALLY saying during all of those strange backwards talking moments? Go find out at www.spiritblade.net/freestuff !

See ya!

-Paeter Frandsen

Catch Up Week

Well, I had originally thought that I might post "In Search Of Truth" here today this week. But it looks as though I won't have the time this week. (Believe it or not, I've been doing nothing but answering e-mails and other correspondence for almost three full days now!) As of this moment, I'm about two hours from being caught up, which I should be able to do tomorrow. But that still won't leave me enough time for "In Search Of Truth" this week. Not only that, but a really cool opportunity has come my way for this weekend (not related to Spirit Blade Productions) that will prevent me from producing a podcast this week as well.

So my apologies to everybody, but the big announcements about what is coming this year from Spirit Blade Productions will have to wait until next week.

Meantime, I've got some more e-mails to answer. See ya!

-Paeter Frandsen

Back And Ready To Go! (Almost...)

After more than a week of vacation, I'm finally back and ready to go!
Almost.

I caught a cold at the tail end of my vacation and so am a bit low on energy
and blowing my nose a lot. I've also got a TON of e-mails and correspondence to
catch up on before I get to do much of anything creative. But I should be back
to my normal routine later this week.

I'm not sure yet if there will be an "In Search Of Truth" post
this week, though I'm hoping to do one. I'm still planning on the podcast this
weekend either way, and you can count on hearing about the big 2010 plans
coming from Spirit Blade Productions later this week, either here or on the
podcast!

Stay tuned!

-Paeter Frandsen