I guess what really matters is only what matters to God.

"But this is the one to whom I will look:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit
and trembles at my word."
Isaiah 66:2 ESV
If we could impress the Almighty---that would be the only way to do it.

It's also good to remember that someday the earth and ALL it's works will burn--guess that means all the movies too, and maybe the movie stars?
Pretty sobering thought.

I totally agree with you brother. Not to slight the artistic nature of film, and it's ability to convey messages to the culture (i.e. much of Mel Gibson's stuff, etc.) - but the vast majority of the "hoohah" about hollywood is a bunch of media inflamed hot air. They're not cutting edge. For the most part, they simply scrap the bottom of American immorality, slap a good looking cast on it, and call it a "blockbuster".

Many of my Christian friends got caught up in the "excitement" of the new Batman flick, and even came away thinking it was "amazing" and "absolutely awesome". I'm not saying that I know their criteria for those statements, but speaking generally, I think contemporary evangelicalism has given much of our media a "free pass" when it comes to "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure", etc, etc. Instead we settle for "whatever is entertaining".

I think its clear that in light of eternity, hollywood is vanity upon vanity...

Good post. Great idea for post. Listening to the radio this morning, I heard of one man who has seen the movie 8 times. If it were possible to model that kind of behavior, your 7.5% of population who have seen it would probably drop drastically. I have faith in the stupidty of the American public when it comes to watching movies over, and over, and over, and...!

I went to see WALL-E with my grandsons and Son-in-law.
I was impressed with the animation, if that's what you call Pixar.
The first 20 minutes there was no dialog. And yet it had even Noah, 3 years old, attentive, though he was eating popcorn.

I like movies too much I guess. I go to 3 or 4 a year i guess, and it's mostly with the grandkids.

Good thoughts to think over.

We make way too big a deal out of those who shouldn't be made a big deal about, and too little a deal about those who should be made a big deal about.

Just for the record, I’m not criticising or belittling the value of entertainment. I’m just commenting on how overblown it is, especially by the industry itself.

I enjoy movies myself; but most that I see are quickly forgotten, and of those that I own on DVD because I deem them worthy of seeing again, very few are any great “art” — they’re just good entertainment.

Thank you for your thoughts. It's heartening to see someone take a random fun fact, such as The Dark Knight breaking box office records, a fact that I may have simply dismissed as kinda cool...or vaguely nifty, at best...and apply that knowledge to their personal philosophy; giving them a better perspective of their faith.

I find it interesting that your conclusion that a piece of entertainment as, from your perspective, trifling would inspire you to read Ecclesiastes, which both labels all acts of man as trifling and vain (“ground breaking”, “innovative”, etc.) but also extols the virtues of enjoying the pleasures of life, including man’s acts, as they are gifts from God (Ecclesiastes 8:7 – “Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favours what you do.”)

What makes the film makers’ gift to the people, formed by their talents, which, the Bible teaches, are gifts from God, trifling? Why would you label their God-given talents as futile (as taught in Ecclesiastes) when we were taught (also in Ecclesiastes) that we should celebrate them (Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiastes...)?

What’s more: Why isn’t the Bible just as futile as The Dark Knight? It, too, is a blockbuster. I understand that it’s been around for nearly 4,000 years and that alone should be evidence that it is in no way a trifling. But even the Bible is penned by man, a work that Ecclesiastes (irrefutably penned by man) teaches is ultimately meaningless.

Finally: I disagree that DVD special features are boring. ;)

I kinda like them...especially the commentaries. But I don’t always want to watch them. Which is why I’m glad that the films always stand alone and that the special features aren’t requisite viewing...unlike the Bible’s “special features”, the nattering hypocrisy of the church, which is required.

Rob, I agree that artistic talent is a gift from God (although I would hesitate to call much of what Hollywood produces “art”), and your citation of Ecclesiastes is apropo. The point is that “blockbusters” are passing, quickly and easily forgotten, and no one is poorer for having forgotten them; and it is primarily the pretention of the artists regarding the profundity of their product, not the product per se, that I am challenging.

More importantly, though, the Bible is no human product. “All Scripture is inspired by God (theopneustos, God-breathed)” (2 Timothy 3:16); “no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:20–21).

Furthermore, the Bible certainly does “stand alone.” Anyone who requires any additional source of authority is simply wrong, or Catholic (which is a tautology).

Well said.

"Anyone who requires any additional source of authority is simply wrong, or Catholic (which is a tautology)..." made me chuckle.

I look forward to reading more of your words.