Saw The Book of Eli

I watched The Book of Eli today. It was surprisingly good. There is an undertone to the movie that I think most people will not get, sadly but it’s true. Most, I am sure by the tone of the movie and its trailers and advertising, assume the same as I did, that it is a morph of The Road Warrior, I am Legend and other apocalyptic stories. But it is less about that and more about religion and what it means to the world.

All through the story there are notions and comments as well as themes that point right to what religion provides for this world and what happens without. Over and over the main character finds people that have committed suicide, gave up on society and each other as well as turned pure cannibalistic and hedonistic with no focus on a deity or faith at all. They have either forgotten or turned from it in despair and allowed materialistic views and survival needs rule their lives.

Another underlying theme with the antagonist of the story is that some people DO realize what religion means to the world and can manipulate it for their own gain. Some lines refer to it specifically how the book, has been used in the past for the purpose of control and will be used again. How it is something people hold strong to and use and will follow anyone as long as what they say comes from the book. This referring to charlatans and what many refer to as antichrists or false prophets lead the way to showing all phases of Christianity and other religions that provide that one thing that man has searched for from the beginning of time: Why am I here?

The movie does a good job in relating the importance of religion and what it does to the mind if absent. The thought of just being molecules in space with no purpose other than to procreate is truly a depressing thought and truly reduces a person’s contributions and existence to an undue disrespected position in life in my mind. And the results of an apocalyptic change as this and trying to survive would truly provide these myriads of expectations given the different minds and wills at present in the world.

Once the Book of Eli was place don the shelf next to the Qur’an and other scientific and religious books, the story culminates itself to show its true meaning, to me anyway. There wasn’t just a sole individual of divine selection transgressing across Post Apocalyptic America to provide the world with a book, it was a person of divine selection providing the world with another form of peace and contentment as well as hope to live on and help one another. That’s the point of religion correct? Provide a place of solace and hope while showing a way to help other people MORE than yourself.

Although this was Christian based, as it is considered an American tale and the majority of Americans are currently Christian, it did truly focus on the Christian as it really waits until half way through the movie for one to finally put together it was about the Bible. I did notice however it was the New King James Version that made it, and not the regular King James. A nice twist there by the author as well.

I commend the script writer as this was a good story with enough intrigue and action to retain the action minded and fiction based viewers: But I applaud the writer for thinking deeper into the minds of humans and doing a true study not just on how people will react but WHY they will react the way they do. A person needs to understand and believe they are more than just surviving from day to day or why exist at all?

Thank you Gary Whitta for a good story and making some of us think a little instead of just a mind numbing experience of violence and explosions. Although it does not provide the full action most of this type of film look for, I think a person that likes to see symbolism and a little more thinking to a movie it is a good mix of both and not a bad see.

New Things

I can’t believe how selfish I have been in my thinking. I have now, for quite a while thought, I wouldn’t mind another child but I wasn’t excited or driven to get one. My mind set has been I don’t mind.

Yet again I listen to that damn song by Paul Ellis and it makes me see my life differently. The World Ain’t Slowin’ Down. It’s not. I get it. But as I hear the one line, “Aren’t you the kid that climbed on the merry go round?” I start thinking of how a child comes into the world and there they are…ready to rid eon the merry go round. We guide them and teach them and hope for the best.

Then I begin to think, The World Ain’t Slowin’ Down and I am reminded of my one thought which floors me and makes me sad of how when I die, nothing will stop. Everything will just keep going on whether I am alive or not. So why am I so selfish in keeping a gorgeous child from experiencing this worked with my family?

I began to cry thinking about how that merry go round should be full that I am on. As full as I can handle and give the love they deserve. How fun is it to be on a merry go round by yourself? Exactly, it sucks. But fill that thing up with kids and people that love you and it’s a blast! I want my kids and I want more. I want them to try and fail and try and succeed at the things they do. I miss my first two kids and I hurt every time I see my youngest ask for them and where they are. But the pain is worth it if I can impact another child’s life and experience that wonderful feeling every time one of them says I love you daddy. The feeling of one of them smiling at me and hugging me means more than anything I have ever felt in the world.

Honey, give me a new baby. You can thank Paul Ellis. It wasn’t you who gave me the epiphany I know. But it is still our child I want and is what will keep me alive long after I am gone. I love you.

Yadda Yadda...

I don’t get on here much. I was intending on writing a lot this year but my job has just absorbed me and now all I get done is work, reading my wife’s blog occasionally and Farmville on Facebook. Yes that absorbs a lot of time, work and Farmville. Sometimes I multitask and do both at the same time but here lately, I have not been afforded that opportunity. That’s a good thing though. As long as there’s work and I am progressing, I have a job.

We got back last week from a business trip and my truck was frozen. I think the starter froze with some water or something as well as some water in the gas line which caused it not to start. This was premature to the tune of two months as it needs to last at least that long so I can get into another vehicle. So this morning I tried to start it and it finally did. Sounded more like a fuel problem than a start so I am glad for that. BACK ON TRACK!

M
As I said early on in this post, I had intended to write everyday. I believe I lost quite a few that were going to follow it and I apologize. I may be able to pick it back up here soon once this part of my corporate year is over with. However not sure how long that will last as I want to go back to school this fall and get my MBA. Maybe minor in some sport thing and see if I can get into that arena. I have a knack for picking rookies that excel apparently. I either need to start betting on it or parlay it into a career and make some kind of money. I just don’t know that I want to travel that much if I’m not playing golf or fishing.

So anyway, I love my kids, love my wife, love my job and I cant wait till I can do what I want when I want or at least have the monetary means to do so. That would be cool in itself. Ta Ta!