www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall V is for Vicious, Vile and aVoid

Well, they say that the Great Fast is a time of penance. I just did mine in the 2 hour 12 minute left-wing, anti-religious right, homophobic-phobic, cultural elite tirade known as V for Vendetta.

V should also stand for "vindication of terrorism", since that ultimately is its underlying purpose...all under the sleak guise of Hollywood high end production and a mask.

If you are even the least bit inclined to watch this movie, take my recommendation and aVoid it. Unless you want to watch religious Values mocked and spun through the celluloid cycle. You'll only end up coming out dirty from that wash.

My three cents.

Gordo

I saw it last Saturday night. It was a complete propaganda piece. The worst part was portraying terrorism in a positive light. The only somewhat noble characters in the movie were the inspector and his deputy. I wouldn't recommend it either.

I'm going to see it tomorrow.

I did see The Hills Have Eyes last Sunday night because a friend wanted to see it. I borderline wanted to commit suicide it was so depressing and awful; we left the movie with 30 minutes to go because it was so horrific!

I shouldn't have gone in the first place. It was pure shock value!

Anyway, I'm interested in seeing V for Vendetta and will contribute my own thoughts after I do.

Logos Teen

I thought the Great Fast was a time to become more holy not more jaded. It seems curious that you all would countenance seeing movies like this at all but especially during the Great Fast. Help me understand. If I'm missing something for my own Theosis I want to know about it.

Do you plan these adventures so you will have something to confess? Is that sort of like "sinning so grace may abound". I thought we weren't supposed to do that.

BTW If you all know that these movies are depressing and disingenuous in the first place why do you waste the Lord's money on them? It would seem that at least you'd wait a couple of weeks until they come out on DVD and rent them thus saving money that could be used for Godly purposes.

CDL

Um, Dan, thanks for the lenten "encouragement"...

You are correct. It is at times better to wait until the DVD comes out. But there is nothing that pecludes us from watching movies during the Great Fast. Each person has there own discipline. Your suggestion is a worthy one. I am not a monastic, though. I had my reasons for going with a colleague of mine. Let's just leave it at that.

But theosis is not always threatened by watching moves, even violent ones (to a point). Flannery O'Connor used violence in her short stories to make vivid spiritual points. Violence can even be virtuous. (The Old Testament is full of examples.) In the case of this movie, which I reviewed to warn others to stay away, violence has a purpose, but it is an evil means to a mixed end. I had no idea that it would turn out that way.

Back to my ascesis...

Yes, Dan, we should all aspire to be as holy as you.

You should strive to outdo what little I accomplish.

Don't be so touchy.

CDL

Dan,

I'm going to go see V For Vendetta tonight because, as much as I value the opinions of others, I'm not going to let their reviews plot out the course of my own decision to see the movie (duh).

Anyway, what makes you think that if I go see this movie I'll be sinning? Perhaps I want to see an insightful movie and reflect it onto my life and whether or not I'm acting as a "terrorist" to myself or to others.

Or maybe it'll just be a total buzzkill! But I'd like to find out. And plus I can't go downtown tonight because I have a test so I'm in need of another diversion and the movies seem like a good one to me!

Logos Teen

Do as you wish. But as I asked before help me understand how seeing this movie will move one toward holiness. If it will I may wish to see it also.

CDL

Well, I liked it a lot. My friend and I couldn't decide whether it was genius or just totally corny. Probably a little bit of both!

For those who can't handle the sight of blood...rest assured, it wasn't real.

No, but seriously, if you can't handle violence don't go see it.

Indeed, the persuasions of the film were not (and were not attempted to be) hidden. Striking parallels to Abu Ghraib, orange jumpsuits and black hoodies and all, and some other facets of modern-day American life.

I can see how one could think this movie implicitly supports what we know to be sins, such as homosexual relationships, but I got something different entirely from the movie. What it appeared to me to support is free speech, the free exchange of ideas, and other basic inalienable rights. And we all know that totalitarianism and the militant attempt at extermination of the voicing of opposing viewpoints is terribly anti-Christian.

Therefore, I believe that one can take away a Christian meaning from this film (the immorality of stealing one's right to free speech and belief), or one could take away another view.

Logos Teen

Logos Teen:

I am looking forward to hearing your review.

First, any movie that has William Hurt as a supporting actor has a lot going for it. He has been one of my favorite actors for the past 25 years.

Second, a friend told me the special effects are state-of-the-art. He especially raved about the mock explosions.

Third, he said the soundtrack is great, especially Cry Me a River, and the Rolling Stones' Street Fighting Man. Is it true that Cry Me a River sounds like a 1930's classic?

Fourth, he said the plot bites.

In other words, great acting, great special effects, great soundtrack, but who in the world directed this thing?

Looking forward to your thoughts,

JP

I'd like to add that on average, the Greeks eat 23.8 kg cheese per year while the French consume 23.7 kg. Don't believe stereotypes about french eating the most cheese.. I don't watch many R rated films myself. This holds no more interest for me than did "the passion".

I have to agree with Logos Teen. I enjoyed the movie and thought it presented a lot to ponder.

My take on the so called "terrorist" aspect of the movie is that while superfically V appears to be a terrorist, he does not follow through with the terrorists methods. Modern terrorism cares nothing for justice (except Islamic justice). It is only concerned to destroy what doesnt conform to it and that includes the lives of human beings who have never done anything to offend it. In other words, terrorists more often look for ways to kill people en mass than not. V did not operate this way. What he did was more akin to what the American patriots did in the events leading up to the revolutionary war. In fact there were oblique references to this in the movie. He does indeed kill people, but it is people who have suppressed the truth and imposed a tyranical regime on the people. Also, he explains at length that he blows up the old Bailey and parliament for idiological reasons that he believes will sink into the subconsciousness of the people and rally them to demand "liberty and justice for all" so to speak.

Granted there was a pro homosexual agenda in the movie, and that cannot be justified. But to be charitable, remember that to many today the homosexual is presented as the example of freedom of speech being suppressed. I dont agree with this and I hope no one accuses me of doing so, let alone justifying it. I simply make the point that for many it is so.

All in all I intend to see the movie a second time to see what I missed the first time around.

Jason

Just my two cents worth, but I think Dan is correct. We should all be more careful about what we put in our minds, i.e. movies, books, music, internet, etc. Once the junk is allowed in there, it's in there to stay.

1 Peter 4:11
Whoever preaches, let it be with the words of God; whoever serves, let it be with the strength that God supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ , to whom belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Does V gloify God in this Lenten season?