Monthly Archives: May 2014

The Worst Question

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“What’s your favorite movie?”

That’s it. Right there, those four words (five if we didn’t have the contraction). Yup. That is the WORST question you could ask me.

When I a senior in high school I thought nothing could be worse, than someone asking me, “What I was going to do with my life?” But that quickly went away, and what was left in it’s place, was the inevitable unanswerable question. “What’s your favorite movie?”

Now when I was a kid, this answer was always easy to answer. Between the ages of 3-8 it was probably a tie between The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and whatever Disney movie was recently released. From about 9-10 it was whatever Ninja movie my mother would rent for my brothers and I, so any of the 3 Ninja movies and Surf Ninjas.

These are all classics, but if you’ve never seen them and they are not a part of your nostalgic repertoire, don’t watch them, because you’ll think I am crazy

The summer of my fifth grade year on, if asked this most probative and obnoxious question, my answer was always the same, Newsies. That summer my mom had received a free movie of her choice from our favorite video store (Rest in Peace Video Excitement) and even though my younger brother denies it, we both chose Newsies. We then proceeded, he and I, to watch that movie everyday for the rest of the summer. It may have been a flop at the box office, it may be the movie Christian Bale (yes that Christian Bale), regretted making the most. But it had some seriously catchy tunes and could make me smile every day.

Eventually as time wore on, saying that Newsies was my favorite movie, became more of a knee jerk reaction. It had long become a fond memory and watched seldomly, but it was an answer, and one I could easily defend when necessary, or was so baffling that it shut the person up rather quickly.

In college I quickly came to realize that answering this question was like navigating a mine field. Depending on who was asking the question, you had to an answer that was either just pretentious enough to satisfy the cine-files, just jock-y enough to satisfy the athletes/frat brothers, just rom-com-y enough to satisfy the gal pals, or just independent/musical enough to satisfy the theatre peeps.  Though in all honesty the theatre people were always a mixed bag, you just have to play it one on one with them and when in a group setting best to just ignore the question or defer to someone else’s answer.

So I developed a hard a fast way to answer this question. I never classify my answer as my favorite movie.  For example:

Them: “Kelly, what’s your favorite movie?”

Me: “Huh, well currently I’ve been on a Marvel kick and I’ve really enjoyed Iron Man.”

Them: “Oh yeah, I really liked that movie, but I think I prefer RDJ in Sherlock Holmes.”

Me: “He’s also really good in Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang and I can’t wait to see Chef. I mean it’s really just a small part, but between him and Jon Favreau there’s really nothing that can go wrong…”

See how that works? I just deflect, then overwhelm with information until we’ve steered the conversation into a safe zone, or I’ve bored them to death.

However, you have to be ready to defend your answer, because sometimes people won’t like your answer and they’ll be sure to let you know. Last summer, over dinner with friends I was asked to name my favorite movie.  I made mention of the fact that though it wasn’t my favorite movie, it was the movie that was most representative of how I felt about that time of the year. The movie I picked was  A River Runs Through It.  Apparently that was not the correct answer because it sparked a debate among the table as a whole. I defend my answer and I moved on.  At the end of the conversation, I had answered the question to my liking, albeit I had tweaked it a little bit, but I was comfortable with it, regardless of how my friend felt.

So here’s the deal, if you’re going to ask me that question, please be okay with the fact that I may just ignore you. Also I may answer without answering you and talk you in circles. But please know that if you ask the question with the intent of belittling the answer that I give you. Just save your breath, after all you’ll spare me the teeth grinding frustration of having to answer, in my opinion,  an unanswerable question.

So what’s your favorite movie?

Kidding! 

P.S. Props to my mom for always saying that Newsies would be way better as Broadway musical than a movie. You win again mom.

 

I’d Like To Take A Minute, Just Sit Right There…

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Spoiler Alert: this will not be a story about how I became the prince of BelAir, or have anything to to with that. So if you now have that song stuck into your head, I am not sorry, it’s a great jam. Go enjoy it here in its entirety.
Fresh Prince of Bel Air

Late in my high school career I was introduced to the band Nickel Creek. They are a wonderful folksy band with a banjo. I am such a sucker when it comes to banjos. Unfortunately not long after my introduction they decided to stop playing for a little while. I was bummed and consoled myself by listening to their songs on repeat. One song in particular I listened to constantly was Doubting Thomas. It was a smooth song that just seemed to strike a chord deep down in my soul. Eventually Nickel Creek and Doubting Thomas slipped away into the nebulous realm of nostalgia. Until a couple of weeks ago.

During the process of moving some music around from computer to external hard drive I stumbled upon a folder labeled “Summer 2004.” When opened I immediately fell into the world of that bygone summer and once again was captivated by this little song.

I don’t know if you know the story of Thomas, but I personally think he gets a bad rap. He will perpetually be known as “Doubting Thomas” for his lapse in faith, but I would like to call attention to some of his other deeds, the few that scripture give us.

In the narrative of the death of Lazarus in John 11, we hear about the death of Lazarus a friend of Christ whom he loved. In the naïveté or ignorance of the disciples they try to tell Jesus that he shouldn’t go back to Judea to see Lazarus. Once they learn that Lazarus is not asleep as Christ first said (a metaphor they didn’t get) but rather dead it is in that moment we see the courage and love of Thomas when he says in verse 16,

“Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

Now I am not sure about you but as previously stated. I think this show tremendous courage and trust in Christ’s plan. Which we later learn is to raise Lazarus from the dead, so that they might understand the true power of God, as well as to foreshadow Christ’s own resurrection.

When we again meet Thomas in scripture it is after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, and this is pivotal to his story and reputation. Remember what he said about Lazarus? He has seemingly lost that courage and confidence he previously held, and honestly wouldn’t you? If your dear friend and mentor had been brutally tortured and killed out of cowardice and fright, wouldn’t you be distraught?

When Christ appears to his disciples the first time post-resurrection Thomas isn’t there. And he doesn’t believe them when they tell him about it. In fact he says he needs to see the marks on his hands and wound in his side before he’ll believe it. Even after he had witnessed the miracles of Christ, there is only so much logic, reason, and faith the brain can sustain when one grieves for the loss of a loved one.

When Christ appears again he shows his wounds and scars to Thomas, it is in that moment that Thomas falls to his knees and gives us one of the greatest prayers when he says,

“My Lord, and my God.” Jn 20:28

Christ continues with a gentle chastisement about true faith, to believe without seeing, as a lesson for future generations.

All it takes is but a moment for Thomas to forever be remembered as a doubter. However when you look at the whole picture we see him as he truly is an example for us all to learn from, in his courage, his doubt, and his prayer.

I leave you with this verse from Nickel Creek, a good reminder of how small and human we all feel, and it is in those moments we need faith the most.

Please give me time to decipher the signs. Please forgive me for the time that I’ve wasted. I’m a Doubting Thomas, I’ll take your promise, though I know nothing’s safe. Oh my of little faith.

Give the whole song a listen here. Listen and love my friends, listen and love.