tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post6202951920758452201..comments2024-03-10T10:54:59.776-07:00Comments on Ben Witherington: 'Atonement'-- Is it Humanly Possible?Ben Witheringtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06017701050859255865noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-71845647820687125782008-01-13T06:39:00.000-08:002008-01-13T06:39:00.000-08:00Thanx for all those reviews! I love going to the m...Thanx for all those reviews! I love going to the movies, and your thoughts always add some interesting perspectives to think about when coming home from the pictures.fröken lilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11446263858027877821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-4425504135819803352008-01-12T23:26:00.000-08:002008-01-12T23:26:00.000-08:00I would agree that the ending was a little surpris...I would agree that the ending was a little surprising and M. Night Shyamalan-ish, which some folks love but I'm kinda getting tired of. One thing that bugged me was the actors talking too fast. Kiera Knightley needs to learn to slow down! <BR/><BR/><BR/>By the way, I'll eagerly await your review of "There Will Be Blood", which everyone says is a capital C "CLASSIC" and even better displayer of the human condition.<BR/><BR/>PaulPaulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07483515277515922712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-56039200178464059522008-01-11T03:37:00.000-08:002008-01-11T03:37:00.000-08:00Hi Dr Witherington. Thanks for an interesting, tho...Hi Dr Witherington. Thanks for an interesting, thoughtful and useful blog. Keep up the good work! Many blessings for 2008.Kamal Weerakoonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08986038926569703410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-17349163142283043702008-01-10T20:02:00.000-08:002008-01-10T20:02:00.000-08:00Hi Ben,I agree, this is a powerful movie, although...Hi Ben,<BR/><BR/>I agree, this is a powerful movie, although my wife and I left the cinema feeling rather depressed. I wasn't surprised to learn that Ian McEwan, the original book's author, was an atheist, as I felt God's absence in the whole sprawling tale stood out like a large, sad hole.<BR/><BR/>I'm still coming to terms with the ending... I felt a little cheated by it, kind of like reading a book whose last page reads "and she woke up, and it was all a dream!"<BR/><BR/>But I think you're right in saying that this will become a postmodern classic. The story itself is ripe for analysis, and I can see that it could rank alongside Camus' works as a commentary on the human condition and the absurdity of life without God. <BR/><BR/>cheers,<BR/>JamesJames Garthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13658184692527152706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-74679241794747252832008-01-10T04:47:00.000-08:002008-01-10T04:47:00.000-08:00I reviewed the Zeitgeist movie about a month ago. ...I reviewed the Zeitgeist movie about a month ago. Check last month's posts.<BR/><BR/>BW3Ben Witheringtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06017701050859255865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-38033359201392603122008-01-09T23:54:00.000-08:002008-01-09T23:54:00.000-08:00Mr. Witherington,I have read many of your movie re...Mr. Witherington,<BR/>I have read many of your movie reviews and was wondering if you had heard of a movie called "Zeitgeist".<BR/><BR/>It is very... interesting...<BR/><BR/>It's basically a conspiracy theory in video form. the basic idea is that religion, 9/11, and the national banks are all part of a plan of world domination.<BR/><BR/>http://zeitgeistmovie.com<BR/><BR/>I found the religion portion about 2 parts humorous and 1 part insulting. Not because of the religious ideas, but because it was presented in a way that assumed I wouldn't do the research to verify it. Because I'm a sheep under the man's power, for sure.<BR/><BR/>Also, do you have a facebook or xanga or anything else like that, or is it just blog spot?Rob Pennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02213274926132371888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-13502661177935700132008-01-09T17:55:00.000-08:002008-01-09T17:55:00.000-08:00Facing the Giants is not even in the same ballpark...Facing the Giants is not even in the same ballpark as this movie. Amazing Grace is a fine film, but not as creative and intricate as this movie. This is a movie that forces you to rethink your categories, not merely make you cheery when something morally repugnant is finally voted down.Ben Witheringtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06017701050859255865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-83782719746209704872008-01-09T15:38:00.000-08:002008-01-09T15:38:00.000-08:00This was a very powerful movie for me. As one who ...This was a very powerful movie for me. As one who is not particularly fond of happily-ever-endings in reality based films this was quite pleasing and yet the film wasn't so overly-realistic that it left you anxiously sick through to the end. I actually wanted to see it again to get more unlike other volumes like Schindler's List or Children of Men. Instead, the entire thing was done quite beautifully and from a haunting perspective that is made clear in the end as you said. I never noticed the window metaphors before although now I will have to watch the film yet again to catch up on that. However, simply taken from my recollection, which might be wrong, could it have been that windows were representative of distortion and mirrors were of seeing clearly, as she did in the end? Either way, this is most noticeably postmodern in that it does offer no redemption for the deconstructed human soul into elaborate messy balls of emotion and confusion.Michael Gilleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00079643017537005996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-17926370977327121122008-01-09T14:13:00.000-08:002008-01-09T14:13:00.000-08:00Is it as good as Amazing Grace? or Facing the Gian...Is it as good as Amazing Grace? or Facing the Giants?preachermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09922837614859997243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-61238357662899424902008-01-09T12:35:00.000-08:002008-01-09T12:35:00.000-08:001 and 2 Peter should be out soon...Ben1 and 2 Peter should be out soon...<BR/><BR/>BenBen Witheringtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06017701050859255865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-31452797268236834692008-01-09T12:18:00.000-08:002008-01-09T12:18:00.000-08:00Hi Ben-Thanks for the heads up! By the way, do you...Hi Ben-<BR/>Thanks for the heads up! By the way, do you know if your commentary on 1 and 2 Peter is still on schedule for publication at the end of the month?Shanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10012132069904127909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-7283616866497106552008-01-09T10:57:00.000-08:002008-01-09T10:57:00.000-08:00Yes I think this movie will become something of a ...Yes I think this movie will become something of a classic, and will play very well in a post-modern world that already believes that we are all active readers of our worlds, busily reconstructing the world in our own imagination and image. <BR/><BR/>BW3Ben Witheringtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06017701050859255865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-64307211113425696002008-01-09T10:46:00.000-08:002008-01-09T10:46:00.000-08:00Ben--I just saw the movie last night and (among ot...Ben--<BR/><BR/>I just saw the movie last night and (among other wonderful elements) was struck by the use of windows and mirrors as reference points for the characters own misunderstanding of reality, as if in reference to 1 Cor 13:12. Briony especially continues to misinterpret reality, even in the end. Very powerful stuff.<BR/><BR/>Jeff P.Meddling Methodisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00119530780067644945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-40558919351164739682008-01-09T09:14:00.001-08:002008-01-09T09:14:00.001-08:00Ben,I want to thank you for recommending this movi...Ben,<BR/>I want to thank you for recommending this movie. I am looking for such a move as this brother. <BR/><BR/>On another note, I pray that God will bless you and your family this year in ways that you have never imagined. <BR/><BR/>Again, thank you so much for this recommendation.preachermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09922837614859997243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11840313.post-89721870653806908942008-01-09T00:27:00.000-08:002008-01-09T00:27:00.000-08:00Mr. Witherington, My name is Lee Witherington. I...Mr. Witherington,<BR/> My name is Lee Witherington. I am the pastor at Sycamore UMC as well as Marvin Chapel UMC. I would like to start a correspondence with you if posible. I am new to the ministry (second year) and your work has been a inspiration to me. Imagine my suprise to learn of another Witherington in the ministry that has acomplished so much. It was a little wierd to see my last name when I read Lee Strobels book "A case for Christ", but I thought it would be neat to try to contact you. <BR/><BR/>Hope to hear from you soon,<BR/>Lee Witheringtonpastorleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11389388284470383394noreply@blogger.com