Yesterday afternoon, Debbie and I went to see Of Gods and Men. I thought it one of the greatest films I have ever seen, perhaps the best cinematic treatment of faith ever. Here's a review. (I thought the Swan Lake heartbreaking. In fact, I cried. Here is another review.
James Bowman's review touches on those things I would have had questions, and answers them. The history of colonialism as one root of current events, for example.
Albert Camus was from Algeria, and his writings about Algeria and its relationship to France are revealing and powerful. Some of his best writing falls into the sublime and the questioning, as this film does.
I realize I'm in the minority, but I found the film an utter bore -- even if I do admire the Swan Lake scene. But then I am a man who does not and will not have religion in his life, finding a secular spirituality in the everyday. An upcoming movie called CIRCO, however, did utterly gut me. Maybe because the spirituality of trying to do something noble that most people ignore is more tangible when there isn't the barrel of a gun. OF GODS AND MEN is a technical reenactment of events that are more fascinating on paper than on film.
James Bowman's review touches on those things I would have had questions, and answers them. The history of colonialism as one root of current events, for example.
ReplyDeleteAlbert Camus was from Algeria, and his writings about Algeria and its relationship to France are revealing and powerful. Some of his best writing falls into the sublime and the questioning, as this film does.
Which makes me interested to see it.
I realize I'm in the minority, but I found the film an utter bore -- even if I do admire the Swan Lake scene. But then I am a man who does not and will not have religion in his life, finding a secular spirituality in the everyday. An upcoming movie called CIRCO, however, did utterly gut me. Maybe because the spirituality of trying to do something noble that most people ignore is more tangible when there isn't the barrel of a gun. OF GODS AND MEN is a technical reenactment of events that are more fascinating on paper than on film.
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