Inside the Brain of E.C. Henry

Textbook Perfection: As Good as It Gets: Exploring Issues in Rom-Com Movies Volume 40

There are some romantic comedy movies that transcend the genre they inhabit.  Such is the case with "As Good as It Gets" (1997: directed by James L. Brooks, story and screenplay by Mark Andrus).  I re-watched this film three time in the last two weeks, and I still marvel at how good it is.  This movie excels on several different fronts, is unafraid to be controversial, and actually transcends the genre and attempts to actually deal with real life issue.  I am going to laud a lot of praise on this film, and on several different fronts -- and this has nothing to do with the fact that both leads in this film, Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt won Oscars for their roles as Melvin Udall and Carol Connelly.  "As Good as It Gets" was also nominated for best picture of the year, but lost out to James Cameron's "Titanic".  

So what makes "As Good as It Gets" so good?  Let's ignore the obvious, great acting performances turned in by Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt.  No need to really elaborate more on that as both were honored with Oscars for the work they turned in.  

Story wise I la-oved how they handled the bigoted, mean-spirited loner against the sensitive, gay artist neighbor.  Greg Kinnear was great as the gay artist neighbor Simon.  I especially liked how writer Mark Andrus chose to give us additional information about Simeon late, ie. how he get the way he got from a confrontation he had with his father.  Very well handled.  Who says rom-com's can't deal with issues?  This one deals with Melvin Udall learning how befriend someone who's ideal and morality is complete than anything he's used too.  Catch this because it's deep.  Melvin's character is facilitated by him taking in the gay neighbors dog.  This is the catalyst that sparks change in the protagonist.  By loving Verdell, Simeon's dog, Melvin learns he NEEDS PEOPLE; he needs to interact and be part of society, not just a lonely writer cracking out novels.  

I thought the "gay" angle was handled brilliantly by the writers, director and actors in this movie.  And I'm not pro-homosexual by any stretch of the imagination.  But in seeing how Melvin and Carol interact with Simeon, you get to the human side of an active gay person, and realize they're just people too with real hurts in their lives like the rest of us.  

I, E.C. Henry, do not a gay bone in my body.  I'm 100% heterosexual.  I grew up in a time and place where homosexually shunned, and people suspected as being gay were routinely picked on and made fun of.  The truth of the matter is, I've never really hung out with gay people, men or women.  One time while I was living in Boise, Idaho I meet a guy in church and we hung out together.  I thought we were just being friends, but after taking him to hot spring I liked to frequent in the mountains just outside of Boise the guy told me he like me--sexually!!  THAT jarred me.  But I tastefully told that guy I had no interest in that, but that I was interested in him helping me get set-up with this hottie girl he was friends with.  Didn't fly, the gay guy didn't help me out, and after that we stopped doing things together and I like he moved away.  Weird, hug?  Meeting a guy through church who turns out to be gay--and ends up hitting on you!  Strange takeaway message there, but I digress...

This movie, "As Good as It Gets" also has a very solid theme.  Looking back at that post I made on rom-com themes back in April of 2013, I see back then I stated the theme of "As Good as It Gets" as being, love can cause growth and a broader life to be experienced by even the most crustiest of curmudgeons.  And this is surely true when you consider Melvin Udall's character arc.  But now watching it these two more times I found a similar character arc with Carol Connelly, the waitress that Melvin takes a liking too.  Only Carol's character arc is about acknowledging her own need for love and living a broader life then just existing to be an emergcy nurse for her sickly son.  

What I'm getting at here is that Melvin and Carol have similar character arcs.  Both are missing something, and don't realize it at first.  But when Melvin takes in Simeon's dog, he  comes to the realization, he needs someone in his life.  Then their is the key moment in the movie where Carol and her mother talk,and Carol pours out her heart and lamments the fact that she had ill-thoughts of a couple in love she saw on the bus.  With her son getting better, Carol now starts looking at herself and comes to the realization that she too needs love, love from a man.  

The chemical equation of these two characters, Melvin Udall and Carol Connelly is one of the best I've ever seen.  Maybe the best chemical equation for two leads in a romantic comedy of all-time.  So what do I even mean when bringing up this term, "chemical equation".  Well-p, Skippy, I can't claim ownership of this term, chemical equation, actually I'm using the very same term Billy Mernit introduces us to his his AWESOME book, "Writing the Romantic Comedy" which you can by buy here via Amazon link, which after you read you'll know what I'm talking about...  Okay, so for the purpose of this post I'll bring you up to speed, what Billy is referring to in a romantic comedy's "chemical equation" is the set-up with both participants in a potential romantic coupling go into at the start of the odyssey of their foray into a romance with each other.  Chemical equation = pre-romance set-up, i.e. the state of mind and where both people are coming from.  

Melvin is a reclusive writer who is mean-spirited and disliked my most everyone he runs into.  Carol is a down-to-earth realist who like Melvin lives a small life on a seemingly endless cycle of tending to the ongoing medical needs of her son.  What I like about the chemical equation about these two is the way after they are established Mark Andrus' story fleshes out their inner need to be loved.  Melvin's issues are titanic in nature, Carol's not so much.  Melvin loves Carol but is so self-centered he can't see it.  But in helping out his gay neighbor, Simon, through a very rough time in his life, Melvin gets to interact with Carol in a different way outside of the restaurant she works at, and eventually Carol comes around to the possibility of Melvin being the love interest that she is now aware of that she needs.  

What I'm getting at is that Melvin and Carol are two clearly defined characters that you're kinda curious about how a romance could be struck between them.  The story is kinda irrelevant.  Like say you did character bios on both Carol and Melvin.  The chemical equation comes into play when you START considering the plot point of a potential romance between these two.  What would that look like?  Fascinating spot from which to begin, and it's all character based, based on what writer Mark Andrus chooses to tell us about both characters.  

So in summary, here's what "As Good as Gets" does right:

• Powerhouse performances by its leads: Jack Nicholson as Melvin Udall, Hellen Hunt as Carol Connelly.  And one of greatest supporting actors jobs turned in by Greg Kinnear as Simeon.
• Moving portrayal of a homosexual and how they interact with an ill-natured neighbor.  Its all about breaking down the walls and seeing the humanity in someone else.  This sub-plot is BRILLIANTLY handled.  I bought it hook, line and sinker.  Wanna learn how you can take your romantic comedy and deal with contemporary, polarizing issues and handle it all in a tactful way?  Well then "As Good as It Gets" is a must-see move.
• Great theme, where the character arcs of the two leads bring them to each other to satisfy a clearly defined inner need they both become aware that they now have.
• GREAT use of a dog, Simeon's Verdell is awesome.  Best use of a dog in a movie I can remember ever.  And director James L. Brooks totally nailed when he gives us a low angle shot of Verdell when he's in the room with Melvin. 

For my money, "As Good as It Gets" IS textbook perfection, as far as romantic comedy movies go.  You can learn a lot from watching this movie.  And it just might even be the ticket for you to now realize that a romantic comedy can be about more than just the coupling of a two people trying a foray into a romance together.  "As Good as It Gets" gives the audience a take into how two people of very different mindsets can see the good in others, and reach a happier state of illuminated existence--and this is from a rom-com!  Can you believe that!!!

"As Good as It Gets" indeed lives up to its name, and is in my book textbook perfection!

Greatest Love Songs of All-time: Exploring Issues in Rom-com Movies Volume 39

What makes for a great love song?  Ask that to just about anybody, and I'm sure you'd get a wish-washy, nondescript answer.  Well, you won't get that from me, buddy boy!  O no, as you should know by, I'm pretentious as all fuck.  And that pretentiousness is now extending into the realm of analyzing love songs.  

So what does this hafta do with exploring issues in rom-com movies?  EVERYTHING, jackass, as music is oftentimes used as an accent to bring out the emotion in a given scene, but I already address issue in an earlier post which you can read here, if you're so inclined.

The crazy thing about this is my perspective on what makes a great love song.  You see, for the most part, I like the "happier" side of romance.  I wanna catch the vibe when things are going well, as opposed to hearing the bemoaning of the heartbroken.  

Here's an unordered list of some of the songs that I consider to be the greatest love songs of all time:

• "Hysteria" by Deff Leopard.  Justification: I love how this song ends, which in my mind is with a love interested couple getting closer, and closer to kissing.  "Get closer to me... Get closer baby... Oooo baby.  Get closer.  Get closer.  Get closer to me.."  And then the GREAT guitar sound accent. Forget that loser of video Deff Leopard made for "Hysteria", this song is great because it captures the feeling a guy can have for a girl.
• "Escapade" by Janet Jackson:  Justification: Fun!  Reminds me of a girl who knows how to have a good time, taking her guy out for a night when anything can happen.  HUGE fan of Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation" record.  Very good stuff there.
• "When I Saw Her Standing There" by the Beatles.  Justification: Reminds me of high school dance, where you see a girl across the room from you and sparks fly.
• "Faithfully" by Journey.  Justification: A heartfelt confession of love and devotion, man to woman, designed to make the girl feel loved and cherished.  THIS is what good romance is all about.
• "Crazy for You" by Madonna.  Justification: Desire expressed by a woman for the man she loves.  This is Madonna at her best.  Forget her sleazy ways, when I think of Madonna, THIS is where I wished she would have stayed.  Could have done it too.  Huge fan of her song, "True Blue" too.
• "Dreams" by Van Halen.  Justification: Love the uptempo soaring nature of this song.  "We'll get higher and higher / Straight up we'll fly".  To me this song captures the magic and feeling of invincibility one can feel when you're with the one you love.  This song will make your spirit, kind of a rare thing from the heavy metal music genre.

Don't tell me YOU can come up with a better list than mine as the greatest love songs of all-time.  Well, if you're ever feeling THAT pretentious you know where the comment section is.  

Knock a little louder, sugar

(lyrical line from the B-52's famous song, "Love Shack")

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

P.S. I started his post on my old computer, and completed on my new computer!  Yeah, that's right baby, I finally fired that sucker up.  Even got the Dragon speech recognition software working so I can listen to chapter of my opus novel and make it better.  Getting the Internet to work on this computer was trickier deal, but that's working now too.  Next up, the printer, then after that the new version of Final Draft screenwriting software I bought.  Kinda curious to see that improvement version 9.0 has...

Till we speak again, stay well!

 

Best Heroes in the History of Cinema

This is a corollary post to an earlier post, where I listed my favorite villians in the history of cinema.  Though I'm not as passionate about heroes, as I am about villains, I do admit that a "good" hero for the audience to root for or be intrigued by is important.  And over the course of my life and the movies I've enjoyed some memorable heroes. 

E.C. Henry's all-time favorite heros in the movies:

(last edit to this list 1-14-2022) 

1. Riggan Thompson as played by Michael Keaton in "Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" (2014)
2. Mad Max as played by Mel Gibson in "The Road Warrior" (1981)
3. Lucy as played by Sandra Bullock in "While You Were Sleeping" (1995)
4. Tony Stark/Iron Man as played by Robert Downey Jr. in "Iron Man" (2008)
5. The Mariner as played by Kevin Costner in "Waterworld" (1995)
6. Hans Solo as played by Harrison Ford in "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980)
7. Benjamin Martin as played by Mel Gibson in "The Patriot" (2000)
8. Captain Miller as played by Tom Hanks in "Saving Private Ryan" (1998)
9. Thorton Mellon as played by Rodney Dangerfield in "Back to School" (1986)
10. Andy as played by Steve Carell in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" (2005)
11. Dan as played by Steve Carell in "Dan in Real Life" (2007)
12. Archie Leach as played by John Cleese in "A Fish Called Wanda" (1988)
13. Peter Parker/Spiderman as played by Toby McGuirre in "Spider-man" (2002)
14. Rick Dalton as played by Leonardo DiCaprio in "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" (2019)
15. Lewelyn Moss as played by Josh Brolin in "No Country for Old Men" (2007)
16. Indy as by Harrison Ford in "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981)
17. George Taylor as played by Charleton Heston in "Planet of the Apes" (1968)
18. Frank Drebin as played by Leslie Neilson in "The Naked Gun" (1988)
19. Elizabeth Shaw as played by Noomi Rapace in "Prometheus" (2012)
20. Mr. White/Larry Dimmick as played by Harvey Keitel in "Reservoir Dogs" (1992)
21. Toula Portacaluous as played by Nia Vardalous in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (2002)
22. Tom Lefroy as played by James McAvoy in "Becoming Jane" (2007)
23. Martin Riggs as played by Mel Gibson in "Lethal Weapon" (1987)
24. Jack as played by Bill Pullman in "While You Were Sleeping" (1995)
25. Chris Leeche as played by Richard Dryfus in "Stakeout" (1987)
26. William H. "Billy the Kid" Bonney as played by Emillo Estevez in "Young Guns" (1988)
    
27. Kyle Reece as played by Michael Biehn in "The Terminator" (1984)
28. Logan/Wolverine as played by Hugh Jackman in "X-Men" (2000)
29. Rambo as played by Sylvester Stallone in "First Blood" (1982)
30. Sam Baldwin as played by Tom Hanks in "Sleepless in Seattle" (1993)
31. Laurie Strode as played by Jamie Lee Curtis in "Halloween" (1978)
32. Clark Kent/Kal-El as played by Henry Cavil in "Man of Steel" (2013)
33. Jack Cates as played by Nick Nolte in "48 Hours" (1982)
34. Forrest Gump as played by Tom Hanks in "Forrest Gump" (1994)
35. Melvin Udal as played by Jack Nicholson in "As Good as It Gets" (1997)
36. Happy Gilmore as played by Adam Sandler in "Happy Gilmore" (1996)
37. Nina Sayers as played by Natalie Portman in "Black Swan" (2010)
38. Jack Sparrow as played by Johnny Depp in "Pirates of the Carribean: the Curse of the Black Pearl" (2003)
39. Kirk as played by Chris Pine in "Star Trek" (2009)
40. Walt Koslowski as played by Clint Eastwood in "Gran Torino" (2008)
41. The Narrator as played by Edward Norton in "Fight Club" (1999)
42. Snake Pisskin as played by Kurt Russel in "Escape from New York" (1981)
43. Joan Wilder as played by Kathleen Turner in "Romancing the Stone" (1984)
44. John Bender as played by Judd Nelson in "The Breakfast Club" (1985)
45. Ted as voiced by Seth McFarlane in "Ted" (2012)
46. James Cole as played by Bruce Willis in "12 Monkeys" (1995)
47. Whip Whittaker as played by Denzel Washington in "Flight" (2012)
48. Eli as played by Denzel Washington in "The Book of Eli" (2010)
49. Allen Bauer as played by Tom Hanks in "Spash" (1984)
50. John McClaine as played by Bruce Willis in "Die Hard" (1988)
51. Leon as played by Jean Reno in "Leon: the Professional" (1994)
52. Roy McAvoy as played by Kevin Costner in "Tin Cup" (1996)

Pretty diverse group, eh?  Now for a few explanations...

Why did so many apocalyptic heroes register so highly?  Mel Gibson's Mad Max came it at #2, Kevin Costner's the Mariner was at #5 Charleton Heston's Taylor made #16, Michael Biehn's Kyle Reece clocked in at #26, Kurt Russell's Snake Pisskin at #41, Bruce Willis' James Cole at #45  and Denzel Washington's Eli at #47.  That's a placement of 7/50 which equals 14% of the total.  And that number would go up even more if you expanded to sci-fi, horror and apocalypse to include Elizabeth Shaw, and Laurie Strode, now 9/50 which equals 18%.

When I was growing up in the 1980s I read some post-apocalyptic fiction, most notably Steven King's "The Stand".  Then there was "The Day After" a network TV movie from 1983.  So this kind of story has some of roots of resonating in yours truly, that perhaps isn't there with those of today's youth.  I grew up wondering what would happen if the bombs went off, and Hollywood various renderings of possible scenarios usually register with me.  "The Road Warrior" was also one of the catalyst stories for me that made me think of what my take of such an adventure, a warrior trying to fend off a group of colorful, lawless thugs in a desperate time with no authority imposing its will on the lawless.  

Did you find it strange that I sited Steve Carrell's Dan as my # 11 hero all-time in the history of cinema, YET I ranked Matthew McConahuey as my favorite lead actor in romantic comedy of all-time back in March 2012?  What, is E.C. talking out of both sides of his ass being so duplicitous?  Naw, dude, don't be so harsh.  Lemme explain.  I LA-OVE the performance Matthew Mconahuey put in as Benjamin Barry in "How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days".  He was A-MAZING!  A hunk, eye candy for the ladies, showed he could be funny, and amp up the romance and drama at will.  His is a performance for the ages, and I graded it as such.  But for me as a hero of story, Dan's plight is much, much easier for me to identify and root for as opposed to the ego-com that is "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days".  Basically what I'm saying is I can identify with Dan's character in "Dan in Real Life" much more that I can with Benjamin Barry's plight in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days".  Dan falls head over heels in love with Marie, whereas Ben Barry is really just toying with Andie Anderson then kind of accidentally falls in love with her.  The nature of the love relationship is very different, you need to get that or you won't get me.

How in the hell did Sandra Bullock as Lucy get to be #3 best hero ALL-TIME over studs such as Han Solo, John McClaine, and even Rambo!?!  I LA-OVE the odyssey Sandra Bullock's character goes through in "While You Were Sleeping" 100 times over any of the dipshit shit Hans Solo, John McCaine, and even Rambo go through in their movies.  Lucy Elenor Moderatz is a sweet girl waisting away in a Chicago toll booth.  No family.  All she has is an attraction to a guy who only occasionally frequents her booth.  And what does Lucy want?  She wants to see if their any chance to two of them could hit it off and possibly have a romance.  THAT, to me is FAR more interesting than Hans Solo acting like a brash asshole trying to impress everyone in the Star Wars galaxy, FAR more interesting than seeing if the hostages in the Nakitomi Plaza can be saved, and definitely WAY MORE interesting than watch John Rambo showoff his survivalist skills in the woods while being hunted by other men.  You see my choice at the 2nd best hero in cinema of all-time is all about joining a hero on his or her journey.  Does the hero's journey, ie. what their striving for grab you.  Lucy need for love, and what's keeping her for getting that moves me, deeply.  I get her. I get her very easily.  Lucy Ellenor Moderatz is WAY easier for me to root for than jocks such as Han Solo, John McClaine, and John Rambo.  Thus she is deserving of my # 2 rank of all-time, thank you very much!

Clowns as heroes?  Why not!  If done right, and made memorable I treat them no differently than traditional heroes such as John McClaine, Hans Solo and Rambo.  Thorton Mellon, Andy from "The 40-Year-Old Virgin", Frank Drebin from "The Naked Gun" and Ted: 4/50, which only equals 8% of the total.  

Okay, now to put the screws to me solely because I love romantic comedy movies so much.  Let's see how many heroes E.C. Henry sited in top 50 heroes in the history of cinema that can be tied to a romantic comedy.  Lucy from "While You Were Sleeping" at #3, Thorton Mellon from "Back to School" at #9, Andy from "The 40-year-old Virgin" at #10, Dan from "Dan in Real Life" at #11, Archie Leach from "A Fish Called Wanda" at #12, Toula Portacaluous from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" at #20, Jack from "While You Were Sleeping" at #23, Sam Baldwin from "Sleepless in Seattle" at #29, Melvin Udal from "As Good as It Gets" at #34, Happy Gilmore from "Happy Gilmore" at #35, Joan Wilder from "Romancing the Stone" at #42, Ted from "Ted" at #44, Allen Bauer from "Splash" at #48, and finally Roy McAvoy from "Tin Cup"; 14/50: 28%.

Last look into the numbers, the genuine superhero.  Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man/Stark, Toby McGuirre's Spider-man/Peter Parker, Hugh Jackman's Wolverine/Logan, Henry Cavill's Clark Kent/Cal-El: 4/50: 8%.

When all is said and done I'm not sure how much you can look into the stats and find out what kind of guy I am.  I have a lot of different heroes for a lot of different reasons.  But thing is true: a hero is not a hero in a stand alone fashion.  The journey matters.  What the hero wants matters and needs to resonate within me the viewer.  

Eternal Springtime for the Dilagent Writer: Part Spring 2014!

Guess what time it is?  It's springtime!!!  Ooo yeah!  Out here in (the state of) Washington, this year, we're getting treated to temperatures in the upper 50s, and all over the buds on the trees are blooming, and the grass is once again growing.  Hence the green color of text and the larger than normal font selection.  

It's springtime!  Aren't you jacked about that?  I am.  As spring is BY FAR my favorite season of the year.  Reminds me of the true greatness of the God I love, the God of the Hebrews.  The God who is able to bring things back to life from the dead.  What other god can do that...?!  (Proverbial finger) Snap!!  Snap!!  None.  

There is something about seeing sights like this for months...

To sights like this...

Nature's reminder that life doesn't remain dead forever.  Sure their may be seasons of death, but the God of the Hebrews brings life.  That's just how He rolls, folks.  And it's a beautiful thing.  One of the best attributes God has, His ability to take that which was dead and make it alive again.

Revelation 21:5 "And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new."  And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true.""

Springtime is a reminder to us all of the magic that God has up His sleeve.  It is one thing to create something new and give it life.  And it is quite another to cause that which has looked for the longest time to come alive.  And not just come alive, but look at the colors of spring.  Vibrant, youthful colors.  Gone are the greys and dulled dark brown colors of the cold and dead.  In are the greens, the yellows, the pinks.  That which was dead comes back to life in grand fashion.  And that's something noteworthy.  Something you just don't want to let pass you buy without you savoring it.  Savoring it deep into your soul.  Haven't you had enough winter already?  

I have.  I'm ready to come alive!  The name of this post was originally used on a post I made back in May 2011.  But since I love this season so much, AND I'm trying to get my posts better and better, and building on one another to (hopefully) great heights, I thought it was time to do a follow-up post using the same name.  So here it is.

So is this writer living up to his billing and being diligent? This weekend, no.  But lately I have been writing 1-2 hours a day on the epic fantasy novel.  Progress is being made.  I'm in chapter 4 now.  So I have an edit in the books for the prologue, and chapters 1 through 3.  Not happy with the overall writing.  I definitely DON'T want to show my work off as is now, it's just not good enough, and I know that.  But more importantly the story is coming back to me.    

You see for the last 11 years I've been writing scripts, and the epic fantasy story fell by the wayside.  Now, it's coming back to me, and the later drafts of it will be better then the dreck I'm wading through now, I promise.  

Going with the whole newness of spring vibe, I even amped my game up recently buying two new draft of Final Draft software, version 9, and a whole bunch of script boxes for sending my work out.  Needed two discs of Final Draft 9, one for my new laptop which I bought a couple of months ago, but really haven't used yet--but that's going to change!  And just today I bought a new desktop computer.  So I'll need a disc of Final Draft for that.  I also bought the latest Dragon Naturally Speaking version so I can play my novel back to me and see how it sounds.  This audio playback feature is one favorite part of the Final Draft software package.

Okay, so now I have the hardware...   This week I'll start copying files off the old computer to cary over to the new one.  Then it's on to the novel.  

Like I said earlier, the novel is getting easier to write.  I am seeing the scenes that I'm writing, and it's starting to be like the old days of writing scripts.  I'm about 100 pages in off a 1,000 + page project.  The early chapters all clock in at around 20 pages each.  But later, I know, as the story heats up, some of my later chapters are 80 + pages.  Plenty of work to do, yet I remain resolved to do that work and hopefully someday make this story something special.  Thankfully writing is a progressive art; it get's better the more you work at it.  

Don't know if you noticed it or not, but I did change my top romantic comedies of all-time's list recently, and I also changed my best villians in the history of cinema post, originally posted in April of 2012, which now lists my top 50 villains in the movies of all-time.  One of these days, sometime soon, I'm going to do a top heroes off all-time post too.  Though in all honesty I'm not as passionate about heroes as I am about villains.  Know your villain, know your story; that's a mantra I believe in, though I am starting to come around to the notion that heroes deserve a lot of attention by the writer's too.  Duh!?  You may be think, but I'd be lying to you if I said I valued a good hero over a good villain.  There's just something about the bad guy.  Why do they behave the way they do?  It's different than the norm.  Get where I'm coming from now?  I'm also planning on putting another sidebar up on this blog for the best and most popular post I've done.  I know the comments don't show much activity, but in reviewing this blog's stats there are a handful of posts that people are going to more than others.  And one of these days I also wanna designing a banner for top of this blog. 

Anywho, it's springtime and every time I drive down the road I'm looking for more and more signs of life, and nature's not disappointing me.  I love this time of year.  There's just something about seeing the colors return that lifts my spirits.  I so wish I had a girlfriend now.  I would so go into a green meadow with a picnic basket, enjoy the flowers, and frolic about like lovers do.  Springtime turns me on.  Reminds me of life and the fact I want to be part of it.  Hope in someway you feel the same.

Sincerely,

E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, Washington

Mind Candy Movies

Do you like movies that make you think?  OR are you the kind of person who goes to the movies as an escape of sorts, and really doesn't wanna be challenged by what you see in the movies?

Me, I like to think.  And that's what the crux of this post is about.  Movies that make you think; mind candy movies.  

You see recently I watched a movie called "The Master" and I remember reading an analysis of this movie on a blogsite I visit on a daily basis a while back where the review was confused by the movie and didn't seam to like it at all.  Now, up here in Washington, where not all movies are available, and don't remember "The Master" being available for viewing.  Chalk another one up for those monkeys running the Bonney Lake, Mulitplex.  BUT I did manage to see "The Master" as cable TV station re-run a month ago or so.    

Now is "The Master" a great movie?  No, BUT it did get me to think.  Thus it's a mind candy movie.  How did it get me to think?  Well, that's easy.  "The Master" deals with issues of subverting the truth and believing lies.  The central conflict of "The Master" deals with a troubled man and whether or not he will succumb to lies and misleadings of a charismatic charlatan, who tries make others believe he can see into their past lives and uncover greater psychological issues they have "supposedly" been grappling with for much longer than they even know.  It's all bullshit, and Freddy suspects as much, but is never quite 100% sure, and still lingers around the charismatic leader, Lancaster Dodd.

The mind candy for me is the central struggle Freddy faces; do you remain complicit with a lie, when it is proved what is being done is a lie?  On one hand Freddy feels a warm friendship with Lancaster Dodd, he befriends him and lets him be part of their cult.  This is something the troubled man needs, a place of belonging -- but at what cost?  Are you willing to be complicit with a lie for the sake of belonging.  THAT is the central question raise in the movie, "The Master" as I see it.  I think it's a delicious high concept for a drama to embark on and explore.  

No, "The Master" is no GREAT movie, but it did get me to think.  Thus, it is a mind candy movie--for me!   

When I was younger another movie and it's continuing saga got the wheels in my mind to turn.  That movie was "The Planet of the Apes."  Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago in the mid-to-late 70s I can remember watching TV, when "Apes" week would play, and this sci fi, and b-grade monster movie station would play all the "Planet of the Apes" movies in a series -- and I loved it!  Why?  How could these flawed movies be mind candy?  I'll tell you exactly how "The Planet of the Apes" series was mind candy for me during my grade school formative years, they were the precursor to world building.  "Planet of the Apes" had an ape society and how it functioned, and then usually a human society usually in some kind bombed-out, post-apocalyptic form.  And even as boy, it caught fire in me, how to build worlds different then the ones I knew.  YES, "Planet of the Apes" had relatively simplistic worlds that could EASILY be eclipsed by the filmmakers of today.  Looking back, I see that now.  AND they dealt with issues like evolution vs. creationism that at the time when I was a boy went, whew right over my head!  But now as a man I see the issues more clearly, and quickly dismiss the misleadings of any evolutionary seeds the film-maker were trying to persuade.  

So what constitutes a mind candy movie?  Well, THAT really depends on the tastes and sophistication of the viewer.  I suppose, if you were stupid enough, you could make an argument for any movie as being mind candy unto you, making you think about an issue that the movie raised.  And now all good movies are mind candy.  So I think it's pertinent at this point to do two lists of movies.  The first as mind candy movies,  and the second as non-mind-candy movies.  

Mind Candy Movies, as seen by E.C. Henry:

1. "The Master" Justification: this movie made me think about those whom you follow.  And the choise whether or not to become complicit when you know the people you're with are false.  No no is above reproff.  
2. "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" Justification: this movie made me think about the roles your friends can play in either helping you with romance or keeping you from one you really love.  Andy has a problem he's a loner and needs a bigger life.  Then makes some friends at work, and those friends expose him to a bigger life, BUT there are costs involved with Andy's growth.  Namely loss of innocence: exposure to alcohol, marijuana and pornography.  And the way Andy's friends expose him to women, like at the bar and then with Beth, risks Andy selling his own ideals short.  "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" is one of the deepest romantic comedies ever made, in my opinion, and it leaves you with a lot to think about.
3. "Planet of the Apes"  Justification: this movie and its following series set in motion the idea of world building to me.  Now a lot of this is timing and when this movie cam into my life.  But there is no denying as grade schooler growing up, "Planet of the Apes" got me to think.
4. "Saving Private Ryan"  Justification: this movie got me to think about what the soldiers go through in the European fighting in World War II. "Saving Private Ryan" kinda is a heavy-handed mind candy movie for me, as Steven Spielberg clearly had this mind all along, and it was obvious to me that his intention was creating a movie that got its audience to remember and revere what our soldiers went through to defeat the Nazis on the field of battle.
5. "Pan's Labyrinth"  Justification: the unique blending of a dark fantasy unfolding amidst the historical record of the fascists army struggling to maintain a military foothold on a village in Spain got me to marvel and the power of Hollywood storytelling.  This story is so creative and imaginative, your mind has no choice but to think and marvel.
6. "Aliens"  Justification: world building.  This movie, like "Planet of the Apes" got me to think about a choose-your-own adventure style game I actually used to lead my friends in playing, which was a direct knock-off of the "Aliens" movie.  
7. "There Will be Blood"  Justification: Period of time curiosity.  My mind was curious how oil tycoons of old did it, and what they had to go through in times of old.  Daniel Plainview is just so captivating a character, he is his own villain.  
8. "12 Monkeys"  Justification: Unique blending of story element.  One hand you have a society living underground, whereas the world they used to live in is now filled with wild beasts, and then you have Bruce Willis' character time traveling back in effort to uncover the mystery of how the disease started so that his society could find a cure, and retake the world they used to live in.  And the end of this movie, when David Morse shows up at the airport with the virus was so cool.  Got me to think about telling stories creatively, and the use of red herrings: the entire 12 monkeys thing and Brad Pitt's bizarreness was a red herring and a diversion to real threat, the David Morse character who had created a deadly disease that wanted to wipe everyone out with.
9. "Reservoir Dogs"  Justification: The jumping around of the plot time-wise was a real eye opener to me.  And I loved Quentin Tarantino's diverse group.  This movie actually help me plot a spec. script I wrote entitled "The Judas Project".
10. "Sleepless in Seattle"  Justification: This movie got me thinking about destiny, and the distinct possibility that my Miss. Right may not even be living in the same area I am.  Sam was in Seattle, Annie was in Baltimore.  Fate/destiny brought them together.  I wonder how many other people this movie ruined for romance, thinking their soul mate was not someone in their immediate circle of influence, but could in fact be out there somewhere.   Thanks a lot Meg Ryan, you fucked up modern romance for a generation of us unsuspecting dupes!

Mindless movies, the antitheses of mind candy movies.  Ie. movies that are better when you turn off the analytical side of your brain, and really leave you nothing to think about once they are over:

1. "Star Wars: the Phantom Menace"  Justification: visually fun to watch, but the story lines are very childish and underdeveloped.  The whole Darth Maul/Dath Sidious thing has to be taken at face value because the storytellers don't give much to work with.  
2. "How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days"  Justification: Two good-looking people, while in the midst of the career ambitions find love.  Nothing groundbreaking here.  Sure you've got a good supporting cast, some great comedy, but really little to engage your mind and have you thinking about later.
3. "Avatar"  Justification: Has some very clever crating to it, a guy who can't walk be your hero, inhabit an avatar and go to a world for the military to infiltrate their culture and get them to peacefully move off a mining site.  But honestly after "Avatar" is over how much are you thinking about it's theme and the points it raises?  Don't be blinded by all the special affects.  Yes, "Avatar" is boat-loaded with eye candy, but it is decidedly deficient in mind candy.  
4. "The 5th Element"  Justification: Pretty much the same as "Avatar" some cool ideas thrown out there, but once blended I found thinking about those elements as a whole was easily dismissible.  
5. "Transformers"  Justification: Lots of whiz bang, a huge attempt is made at make a ridiculous concept realistic, but everything ultimately falls about in the ridiculousness of the high concept idea of machines that can hide as cars and military vehicles engaged in a secret war as members of the Autobots and Decipticons.  The truth is I even thought the cartoon series was COMPLETELY ASININE as well.
6. "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom"  Justification: This is roller coaster ride of a movie.  Fun in the moment, like eating cotton candy. You marvel at how they can go from one roller coaster scene to the next, but the movie as whole, what was it about?  Yeah, I can't remember either.  A thrill ride it is, but mind candy?  Hardly.
7. "Pacific Rim"   Justification: This movie is basically "Transformers" meets "Godzilla"-- and I'll bet that's how it was pitched!  But since neither of those movies are mind candy, so it stands to reason a fusing of the two movies will do little to engage the mind, and indeed that is the case.  The explanation of the Kujo was well done in the movie, but after watching it your mind doens't think of other ways the story could go, just what other monsters they could have had.  
8. "Porky's"   Justification: It's kinda funny to see Pee Wee sent through the ringer amidst all the sexually charged gags.  But after the gags and movies are over, you're not thinking too much about what you just saw, except for maybe comapre and contrasting it against what you went through during your own high school experience.
9. "While you Were Sleeping"   Justification: Suffers from sweet story syndrome.  Sure Lucy Elenor Moderatz is a sweet girl that we find our self rooting for.  But her ultimate choice of the brother she saved from run over on the train tracks vs. the brother she fell in love with as part of the aftermath dealing with his coma is very remote stuff.  I loved this movie for reason of craft: great acting, a warmth to it, some humor thrown into the mix.  But "While You Were Sleeping" is not the kind of movie you have a deep, philosophical discussion about afterwards.  
10. "The Bounty Hunter"  Justification: Do you even remember this movie?  What if I were to remind you that it had the gorgeous, heartthrob beauty, Jennifer Aniston in it, and hunk of a hunk, guy's guy, hyper masculine, Gerald Butler in it.  Remember it now?!   The Gerald Butler character trying to capture the Jennifer Aniston trying to take her in, and collect some kind of reward money for her, but ending up falling back in love with his old flame.  O, too much ridiculous shit after such a promising start of Jennifer Aniston and Gerald Butler.  "The Bounty Hunter" is one of the far-fetched ideas that goes the way of your uneaten popcorn and what remains of your soda in the movie theatre lobby, trash can.  Nothing to talk about in the car, it's just two good-looking people going on a strange ride that you can't relate to, romantic escapism at its worst.

And now let's deal with some corollary issues concerning what is, and what does not comprise a mind candy movie. 

I thought "Man of Steel" was a brilliant re-imaging of "Superman", but it was hardly mind candy.  Shit, it was more of creative fusion of "Superman I" and "Superman II", two movies that I had seen before.  Thus as I watched "Man of Steel" I was thinking, "Hey, this is a clever way of repackaging stories that I was already familiar with.  Which raises this key point to consider:

When you re-image an pre-existing movie, you inherently lose its original staying power, as some of the audience will already be familiar with the subject matter, themes and characters arcs being portrayed.    

 Now some movies that endeavor to be mind candy, misfire on that target.  Movies like,"Jacob's Ladder", "The 5th Element" and "Synoduche, New York" come to mind. "The 5th Element" has a Star War-eque vibe to it mixed with some strange philosophy.  Kinda fun to watch, but it's inner concept is a joke and easily dismissed.  Likewise "Jacob's Ladder" and "Synoduche, New York" were highly confusing for me to watch, even though it was abundantly clear that the filmmakers were trying something unconventional.  Which raises a final point to consider:

Mind candy movies should never be so "out there" that they confuse the audience.  And should never solicit a, who cares, reaction when the movie ends.  By definition mind candy movies are the ones that after the movie is over something remains in you mind and keeps you thinking about the thematic elements or questions posed by the movie.

 

Tips on Keeping the Screenwriting Dream Alive with Help from the Movies: Meatballs and The Master

Wow.  It's humbling how many people in the blogosphere have withered and gone away since I started this screenwriting thang about 11 years ago now.  I guess we all start out with a dream, but then the realities and hardship of actually making it catch up to us.  I know I'm STILL waiting to get discovered.  Still hoping to meet that one person who believes in me enough to help me get my first script sale.  

Disappointment.  It comes many different forms.  Not winning contests.  Getting bashed in reviews.  Not making tangible progress in getting a new "career."  

After a while I've come to the sobering realization:

It just doesn't matter!

So how do you avoid falling by the wayside?  How do you stay fresh after some time in the game and not achieving your dreams?

Well, I think are a lot of tips to keep going.  Here's some of my suggestions, which strangely enough were motivated, at least in part by the movies: Meatballs (1979: Bill Murray) and The Master (2012: Paul Thomas Anderson, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix).

1. Don't let others define you.  Don't let outsiders who have NO VESTED interest in you tell you what you are and what you are not.  I don't care who they claim to be: an agent, a manager, some big shot in the industry, Steven Speilberg himself.  If someone is not willing to come alongside you and help you achieve your goal -- THEY.  ARE NOT.  DESERVING.  DICTATING DECISIONS THAT YOU SHOULD MAKE.  
2. When you need inspiration turn to books -- not movies!  Reading books engages your mind, and has the power to get your creative juices flowing again.  So if you feel like your creative tank is running low, start reading fiction, let some other writer re-fire your own creative spark plugs.
3. Don't look at the success of others.  None of that shit matters.  Sure be happy for other people, but never bitter.  And NEVER get wrapped up in someone else's success or career.  That leads to pity partys, "Why haven't I broke in, when they have."  Bitterness in this capacity is harmful to you.  You gain NOTHING by being bitter over someone else's success.  Be the bigger man or woman and stay focused.  YOUR success matters, not theirs, so don't feed the root of bitterness in your heart.
4. Exercise.  A healthy body leads to a healthy mind.  If you work real hard on a story, don't foget your physical needs: exercise, sex, that kind of thing.
5. Comprise marketing goals.  Do some cold call queries.  What the fuck do you hafta lose?  Try to make contact with the people you want to work with.  Honor your heros.  Let 'em know you love 'em and wanna work with them.  Okay, so you're not a pro, give it a shot anyway.  
6. Gain understanding on those in the system.  I think everybody I've ever met had no power to do anything for me.  So I don't beat myself up anymore think if I'd done this or that, the outcome of my life would have been any different.  The sad fact of the matter is, most people you run into, even in the industry aren't willing to do a damn thing for you, so why get all wrapped up in it?  
7. Learn how to laugh at other people -- especially those who subtly try to put you down and make you believe their side of the story is fact.  There are so many people out there pretending to be big shots, when in reality they can't do a damn thing for anyone.  Doesn't that make you laugh?  The pretentiousness of other people.  When you come to that realization; that most people you meet are posers who can't help anyone, it's very liberating in a ha-ha ha-ha ha kind of way.
8. I'd love to suggest make friends on-line, but after being in this for 11 years and seeing so many people fall by the wayside and give up, I'm not sure that's such a good strategy.   Plus most of the pre-pro screenwriters out there tend to be kind of biting and mean.  
9. Remain passionate about your work.  Just because it didn't sell right after you wrote it doesn't mean what you wrote wasn't very good.  I love all my stories.  Every one of them is better than about 80 % of the movies out there.  If you feel your dream waining go back and revisit some of your stories.  Let them breathe life back into you.  You gave life to them, now when you're feeling down, let them breathe life back into you.  
10. Have a spirit-filled mother to talk to.  My mom is the best.  She's my favorite person in the world to speak to. I'm back to writing my epic fantasy novel in large part because of her encouragement.  And my mother is the one person on the planet I want to please the most.  She is soo cool.  Loves the Lord.  Speaks in tongues.  I think what I'm getting at here is that if you're down you need to visit my mom.  There is no one like her.  Be nice to her, and who knows maybe she'll even make you a batch of her homemade sauerkraut.  Now I know what you're thinking?  Sauerkraut, that shit's gross.  Ahght ahght ahght, not so fast, my mom's sauerkraut is not gross, it's awesome.  Maybe you'll just hafta come up here and find out for yourself...

What matters most is finding someone who loves your work, and is willing to come alongside you and help you get meetings and a sale.  I'm learning to sift through the bullshit, and false promises.  I'm also learning to place less and less credence in people in the industry.  Unless they're willing to come alongside and help, what do they really mater?  If they're so important let them do their thing and don't worry about it.  I'm looking for my champion.  I'm not looking to "learn" more about the industry.  I don't want "leads".  I want someone willing to to take me on and help me sell what I've already written.  Don't bullshit me.  Nothing else really matters.

So in closing.  Let me just reiterate.  If you're feeling burned out, you need to laugh.  Consider the quote from Lancaster Dodd as played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman in "The Master."

I have found the secret of life.  Of being in these bodies we have.  And it is very, very, very serious... It's laughter!

Charlatans.  Hollywood is filled with them.  Learn to identify and laugh at them.  People who talk a big talk--but put nothing on line to ever help you out.

The movie, "The Master" has grown on me.  I watched it on cable a couple months ago.  "The Master" is story of an outright bullshitter, who misleads people my making them believe he holds insights into their lives by looking at the past lives.  Joaquin Phoenix's character is of a troubled man, who lost his true love, and becomes a project for the charlatan, Phillip Seymour Hoffman's character to prove he can help and fix. 

"Meatballs" is bar-none Bill Murray's best movie of all-time.  One of the only Bill Murray movies I can stomach watching, "Meatballs" and Stripes (1981: Harold Ramis, John Candy), what happend to him after that?  Anywho, in "Meatballs" Bill Murray is a camp councillor helping a bunch of misfits get through the summer.  And it was co-written by Harold Ramis who like Phillip Seymour Hoffman recently passed away.  And no, I didn't work these two movies into the post to eulogize those two, it just so happened to work out that way.

Laugh at the crazy industry arround you.  Laugh at all the bad movies being made, when your good movies are being ignored.  It's just funny.  You mean to tell me that "Her", which just won Spike Jonze an Oscar for best original screeplay is better than E.C. Henry's "Cupid's Helpers", "An American Princess", "Cupid Got Stupid", or "Bubblehead Saves the Day"?  I don't believe it.  From my way of think I'm far more closer to the heart of the rom-com genre than Spike Jonze was with "Her".   I'll inspire America and the world with my romantic comedies, whereas "Her" will only drives home the sickening point that modern man is dead to romance and choses the illusions of technology over the real thing.   Sure "Her" had some creative twists, and was put together well.  But--and this is a damn big but-- but the central story was an imbicille falling in love with his fuckin' computer!!  How ridiculous is that?!  Still, true to this post.  Tip of the hat to Spike Jonze.  He wrote an intersting story, and is definately a talented person (I just can't get passed the failed concept of this movie).

It just doesn't matter!  It just doesn't matter!! 

Okay, so do you feel inspired now?  Hope so.  If so leave a comment in the comment section.  And o!  If you need furhter inspiration, check out Matthew McConaughey's oscar acceptance speech.  "Be your own hero ten years from now."  Gets me to smile.  NOT that I believe it, but its the ridiculousness of it, and more importantly who is saying it and under what context, that makes me laugh.  And this is coming from a guy that I hailed as the best male lead in a romantic comedy of all-time for his work in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" (2003).  I mean here's a guy SOOO FULL of himself that he's his own hero!!  I don't know about you, but to me that's laughable.  

 

Can Hollywood and Jesus Coexist?

What a weird dichotomy today was for yours truly.  First, I overslept and missed church.  Then I edited the novel adding something cool in the the 2nd draft.  Next went to see "Son of God" (2014: directed by Christopher Specers, staring Diago Morgado) at the local Bonney Lake Multiplex with my mother.  Then I capped the day off by I watching the 2014 Oscars broadcast.  And now obviously I'm doing this post.  

So what was the highlight of the day?  Probably working on the 2nd draft of the epic fantasy novel.  This is my opus we're talking about here.  ANY work I do it pushes it that much closer to completion--and I'm all for that!   What I'm working now is special.  Don't know yet if I can pull it off, but I know in my heart it has the potential to be my greatest work of all-time.  This epic fantasy novel I'm working on now is where it ALL began for me.  Someday, if the Lord tarries, I hope to show it to the world.

The low-light of my day came by me sleeping in until 11:45 a.m. and totally missing church.  Not good.  No star on my star chart today.  Feel bad about that especially since on Saturday I talked to my mom and it was agreed we'd go to Calvary's 9:30 service, then catch the 12:30 showing of "Son of God" at the Bonney Lake Multiplex.

So how was the movie, "Son of God"?  I thought the first third of the movie was really slow, and I wasn't engaged in it.  But the second half of the movie was ok.  Not the way I would adapt the story of Jesus, BUT this story didn't defame or degrade the narrative as recorded in the four books of the gospel: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  I did especially like how the writers of this story chose to end "The Son of God"; the resurrected Jesus comes back and talks to his disciples a couple times--even about the coming the Holy Spirit, and then ends with the disciple John exiled on the island of Patmos, where Jesus comes to visit him.  During John's exile on the island of Patmos he received the vision which comprises the book of Revelation, and some of Jesus' ending words in the movie are actual written in the book of Revelation.  I thought that was a very classy, and creative way of ending the story so good job there credited writers of "Son of God": Richard Bedser, Christopher Spencer, Colin Swash, and Nic Young.    

Once Jesus was captured and started getting beaten, my mom started crying.  And that's when it hit me: it's hard to screw up and not make a moving movie if you base it on events that happened in the bible.  The story of Jesus' trial, beatings, the crucifixion is deeply moving, so if you stay true to the bible, you can't go wrong.  

I was kinda disappointed by how the screenwriters of "Son of God" failed to show the devil's role in life and ministry of Jesus.  Before Jesus' ministry began, the Son of God was taken out into the wilderness and tempted by the devil, and scripture records that once Judas at the bread at the last supper Satan entered him.  None of that is the movie, "Son of God", so I felt a whole spiritual dynamic was missing from the movie.

Still, Diago Morgado did his depiction of Jesus just fine.  He honored the Lord with his performance, and gave a stirring depiction of the Savior that is worthy of inspiring faith in the Son of God.  

The "Son of God" movie was put out by a major studio, 20th Century Fox, and proves that Hollywood and Jesus can coexist.  And by that I mean when Hollywood puts its money behind spiritually uplifting films they do have the power to do the well and treat the source material with the honor and respect it deserves.

Why bring up respect?  Well, for starters I think that's one of the main reasons so many Christians will go see the "Son of God" movie, they wanna see if their beloved source material will be done well by those making the movies, or if they'll bastardize and by doing so influence those not familiar with this bible story and mislead them.

Their is room for SOME creative licence when doing a biblical adaption.  But this is a tricky two edged sword: go to far insult the church goers, don't go far enough and strictly by what's written in the bible you risk producing a boring product.  I think the trick is to treat the bible story with respect.  Try to honor the Lord in what you're doing--especially if you're making a movie based of stories or elements in the bible.  I know when I wrote "A King for God's People?" and "The Rival Kings of Israel" I had to take SOME creative licence.  Yet I still tried to remain true to the story of Saul and David's rise to ascendancy in becoming the 1st and 2nd kings in Israel's history.  

And as for the effect I saw from others in the Bonney Lake Multiplex where I watched the "Son of God" movie.  Well-p, my mother started crying when Jesus started suffering, and after the movie about half of the 40 or so in the theatre applauded what they had seen.  Now I suspect that of this 40 in the theatre, all were active Christians who either came to have the the fires of their faith fueled further, or to see how Hollywood depicts the holy.    

As for the Oscars?  Came in a little late, so I missed Ellen DeGeneres opening monologue and a couple of the first awards.  But from what I did see of Ellen Degenres made me think she is one of the worst Oscar hosts EVER and should NEVER be asked to host the show again!!!  The pizza gag was a ridiculous waste of time, and Ellen didn't have any funny cracks at all!  Is she always like that?  I know she has her own talk show... so I ASSUMED she could facilitate and keep the event moving nicely.  Not the case, at least from what I saw.  

This year I wasn't too jazzed about many of the nominated films so I was rather, "Who cares?" about the whole event.  Yes, I did like David O. Russell's "American Hustle" but I wasn't ecstatic about it.  And some of the other movies like "12 Years a Slave" and "Gravity" I could care less about.  I don't think I'll even bother seeing either one of these movies when they come out on cable; both fail to engage me at the premise level.  Would have like so see "Man of Steel" nominated for more awards, as I think that was my favorite movie of 2013.  Hopefully 2014 will have a stronger selection, because 2013 was very underwhelming.  

Still, Hollywood is SOOO loaded with talent that just watching the Oscars even in a depleted year my year still yearned to work with those pros.  I have sooo much respect for the movie-making talent in Hollywood.  They are so capable of making movie magic, they just need stronger stories and better decision making by heads at the studio level.  I have no doubt about the talent.  It's just the direction that talent is heading that scares me.

Remember all the flack Mel Gibson got back when his "The Passion of the Christ" staring Jim Caviezel as Jesus) came out in 2004?  I vaguely remember someone in the crowd even throwing blood at one of the screenings.  That's taking it was too far and acting waaay outside the bounds of good taste.  I kinda feel sorry for Mel Gibson.  He put himself out there when he made this movie, and afterwards his life unravelled.  I'm so glad he tried though.  That's right Mel Gibson had faith, and he used his power and talents for the kingdom, to show people how much Jesus really did suffer on their behalf.  Thankfully "Son of God" didn't have nearly half the blood and torture that Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" had.  

To this day I find that the best and most moving depiction of Jesus, His ministry and life came from the 1977 mini-series, "Jesus of Nazareth" (Robert Powell staring as Jesus).  I can still remember modelling clay watching that movie as boy, and I credit that as being one of those capstone moments where the Lord saw what I was doing and blessed me because of it.  

Movies of Jesus are important.  They help crystallize and form our opinions of the most important person to ever grace the face of this planet.  Jesus is the Son of God, He is the author and perfecter of our faith, He is our propitiation in the face of a Holy God, the sacrificial lamb who came to fulfill the law on our behalf so we can be reunited with a Holy God.  Not enough and be said, and lauded on Jesus for what he did.  I'm a believer and my worldview on EVERYTHING comes the lens of Jesus completed work on the cross.  

I have never seen Jesus face to face, nor have I ever had a dream or revelation where I could see Him directly.  But I believe in Him, and place my eternal salvation in His hands, and what He accomplished long before my birth on behalf of all mankind.  

Truth be told I got a lot more reading the bible and studying Jesus' life, then in watching a portrayal of it on film.  There's just so much there.  Like how can the main villains of the story be the religious elect of the Jewish people.  Read the gospels for yourself and you'll find that Jesus' biggest adversaries where the priests and people in high religious authority.  I still shake my head with disbelief at how religious people in the know could seek to slander someone who was healing people in their midst.  Bind people who could now see.  Crippled people set free.  Sick people made well.  Unapproachable, demon possessed people who were now in their right mind.  All because Jesus did the Holy Father's will and came down to us.  

Jesus.  Worthy of being center of movies.  Worthy of being in Hollywood.  Jesus: a life worthy of being studied.  A life worthy of being emulated and considered.  Can't say enough good things about Jesus.  He is the pride of the Jews, not their shame.  Jesus is the greatest Jew that will ever be.  And because He is a Jew and the law was given by God to the Jews, us true, bible believing Christian will always love the Jewish people, even the ones that do not acknowledge Jesus as Lord.  I just wonder what that is?  If the Swedes or Slovaks had someone like Jesus in their heritage I'd be all over that.  

Now I recognize that Hollywood is filled with a lot of people with Jewish heritage who practice their form of Judaism, yet do not acknowledge Jesus as Lord--and I love them all!  As a Christian I have a love in my heart that transcends all sects of Judaism.  In fact how they practice their faith intrigues me, and is something I don't wanna ever tamper with or infringe upon.  I, E.C. Henry la-ove the Jewish people.  

It takes the Holy Spirit to bring people to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  I have no interest in arguing someone into the kingdom.  Rather, I just want to love them the best I can, and give credit where credit is due.  Ah yes, the Holy Spirit; the 3rd and oftentimes the most neglected of the Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Ghost.  

Truth be told I am just as capable as acting as wickedly as the high priest who so cruelly enacted a plan to kill Jesus.  But by God's grace He gave me a 2nd chance when I was on the edge of suicide back in the fall of 1990.  

I've also come to the realization that I'm not going to change who I am for the sake of making it as a screenwriter.  I'm not going to sell my soul to the devil.  I am going to keep trying and praying to the Lord for Him to open a door for me so that I can sell some these scripts and stories that I've worked so hard on.  And yes, I have worked VERY HARD on them.  

Jesus is Lord.  And no matter how ungodly I think Hollywood has gotten, movies like "Son of God" do sow seeds of hope in my heart.   Hope that Hollywood can make a good, reverent, biblical adaption when it sets its mind and talents to do so.