LINK Die Hard Review

Christmas Movie Winner 2016: Die Hard (1988)

LINK Rating 8/10

Thinking of a festive Christmas movie, Die Hard was not the first thing that sprang to my mind. However, the lack of snow, elves, or Santa did not dampen our appetite for Bruce Willis in his prime, even though he didn't even wear a Christmas vest.

John McClane is not a muscle-bound action hero or a lycra-clad superhero, he's just an everyday New York City cop, on his way to Los Angeles to see his kids and make peace with his estranged wife on Christmas eve. John meets his wife Holly at her office Christmas party at their multi-national Nakatomi Corporation's new building. Unwittingly, John gets embroiled in a tower heist where thirteen armed terrorists led by Hans Gruber seize control of the building and take the occupants of the 30th-floor hostage. John ultimately, against all odds, saves the day by using his street smarts, inventiveness, and determination, which flys-in-the-face of the L.A. police dept. regulations and the F.B.I's by-the-book procedures. John is the archetypal wise-cracking maverick, who bloodied and bruised survives by the skin-of-his-teeth.

In the same way, the first Christmas was a celebration of victory against all the odds: the humble son of a carpenter and a peasant girl, was born into poverty and adversity, but by the grace of God manages to survive against King Herod's murderous and despotic schemes. He grows to become a man who speaks and acts against the restrictive religious regulations of the Scribes and the Pharisees and offers hope in a time of the military occupation by Rome. Bloodied, bruised and crucified, he defeats the status quo and is victorious, even over death. Jesus was branded a maverick by some, and a messiah by others. Who do you say he is?

LINK: Rush Review

Forgiveness Film Winner: Rush (2013)

LINK rating: 9/10

In a nutshell, this film is about the ruthless rivalry between Formula One racing opponents James Hunt and Niki Lauda.  The backdrop of the 1970s car racing scene paints a picture of excess, danger and recklessness, where regularly drivers would die on the track in the name of sporting entertainment.

James is an English playboy, whose love of speed translates to fast living on and off the race circuit. Niki is an Austrian heir to a business empire, who forsakes it all for his vocation to race. When it comes to their approaches to driving James and Niki are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Niki is methodical, strategic and technically brilliant; James is about risk, passion, and instinct.

The story follows their distinctly different styles, their setbacks, their personal relationships, and the infamous 1976 season in which both drivers risk everything to become world champion.

James and Niki’s rivalry was at times playful, sometimes hurtful, but mostly distracting. Their urge to beat one other to first place caused them to push the boundaries of behavioural acceptability and ultimately risk. The fine line between competitiveness and hate seemed blurred at times, but at the end of the movie, we hear Niki commenting about how he last saw James alive:

“When I saw him next in London, seven years later, me as a champion again, him as broadcaster, he was barefoot on a bicycle with a flat tire, still living each day like his last. When I heard he died age 45 of a heart attack, I wasn't surprised. I was just sad. People always think of us as rivals but he was among the very few I liked and even fewer that I respected. He remains the only person I envied.”

James and Niki’s very public rivalry seemed to be less about enmity, but more about difference; their competiveness on the track drove them apart, but their common love for racing allowed them to forgive and even become friends.

Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” (Matthew 5:44) Dealing with enemies and rivals, is not just about keeping quiet towards them, or tolerating their negative behaviour, it’s about actively loving, blessing, and praying for them.  In that environment and with enough time even adversaries can become brothers.

Is there someone negative in your life that you could see transformed if you chose to love them?

LINK: BULLITT REVIEW

LINK: BULLITT REVIEW (1968)

Lieutenant Frank Bullitt, played by the legendary Steve McQueen, is a quiet no-nonsense detective for the San Francisco Police Department. He is asked by the ambitious politician, Walter Chambers, to protect a key witness in a court-case of embezzlement from the Chicago mob.  However, before the night is over two hit-men break into the witness's room, they shoot him and wound a police officer. Chambers blames Bullitt and his team for allowing this to happen, but Bullitt is suspicious, because the witness seems to have let the hit-men in on purpose. Despite Chambers protests, Bullitt decides to investigate the case himself and discovers all is not what it seems. What ensues is in the investigation is a lengthy car-chase through the hilly streets of San Francisco, followed by the discovery of the now dead witness’s murdered girlfriend and a shoot-out at the airport. Bullitt is exonerated, the case is closed and Chambers looks a fool.

To modern viewers this film's pace seems a tad slow, it's commitment to  realism and procedural accuracy jars with the modern appetite for all out escapist action, but we have to remember that it was such a breakthrough movie at the time for the very reasons I have just described.

Frank Bullitt is not a muscle bound, wisecracking action hero, he is simply a police detective trying to get on with his job. He has a team and he cares about his officers, he has a boss who he listens to and is honest with, he has a girlfriend, an artist, who struggles with his involvement with the seedy underbelly of city life and fears he is becoming emotionally cut off from normal life. All-in-all he seems to be an average mid-level cop trying to do his duty. The only fantasy part of the movie seems to be his penchant for and access to amazing American muscle cars from that era.

It seems to me that what really singles Bullitt out from your typical Hollywood Action Hero is integrity. In a shadowy world where the bad guys look just like the good guys, and nobody really stands out from the crowd, it’s Bullitt’s character that makes the difference. Chambers wants his day in court, he wants the limelight, he wants to be seen to be doing the right thing. Bullitt just wants to catch the real culprit, to conduct himself with integrity and determination, to fulfil his duty and get to the truth, to simply do the right thing.

I wonder what’s more important to you: fame or function; recognition or responsibility; distinction or duty? The writer of the wisdom sayings in the book of Proverbs states: ‘Everyone may think his own way of living is right, but the Eternal God examines our hearts. To do what is right and to seek justice—these please Him more than sacrifice.’ (Proverbs 23:2-3). The proverb writer recognised that God examines our motives. Like the pushy politician Chambers we can sometimes try and justify our actions by appearances, but God sees through that, He knows what’s really going on in our hearts. Integrity, truth and justice with ourselves and others matters far more to God than religious performance, political slickness, or personal well-being and comfort. Bullitt put his life on the line to do the right thing, what would you do?