Revisiting a maligned film (Part 1 - Introduction)

My life has been heavy lately.  And because I’ve desired to share with you what has been going on, this blog has been rather heavy too.  So I thought I would switch things up a little bit and talk about a superhero film that is worthy of revisiting.  A film that is often maligned.

Back in 2016, I wrote a two-part blog on, at the time, the new film “Batman v Superman: The Dawn of Justice”.  I basically stated that there were good elements in the movie, as well as bad elements, and then some just flat-out bizarre stuff.  However, as time went on – 7 years already; wow, how time flies! – there was something about it that bothered me, yet I couldn’t place my finger on what it was.  One day, it finally dawned on me, and this realization colored my view of this film negatively.  So, for today, I thought I would begin by addressing this specific troubling aspect of the film.

First off, believe it or not, I finished viewing the “Ultimate Edition” of “Batman v Superman” for the first time.  This is, without question, the definitive version of the film (the theatrical version cut 30 minutes out).  To refresh your memory, Superman (Henry Cavill) and Zod engaged in an epic battle in the 2013 film “Man of Steel”, which resulted in lots of collateral damage, and even loss of life.  In one of the beginning scenes of “Batman v Superman” (I’m going to begin abbreviating it to “BvS”) we see a flashback of Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) seeing a brief moment of their fight for himself (incidentally I submit that Affleck is excellent in this film).  Bruce sees the death of some of his employees, a direct result of the Superman/Zod battle.  While he does manage to save a little girl, she tells him that her parents were also killed as a result of the destructive fight. 

The film jumps to 18 months later, and we see discover that Bruce was deeply impacted by the chaos those months ago; it changed him.  He is angrier, vengeful, and full of rage.  He blames Superman for the death and destruction he had witnessed.  He begins branding the necks of criminals with a bat-shaped hot iron.  This raises the eyebrows of the Gotham media, and even Alfred himself (played quite well here by Jeremy Irons).  In fact, there’s a scene where Alfred drops a newspaper detailing Batman’s new habit of escalated violence, and calls Bruce out on it; he rightly calls Bruce’s actions “cruel.”  Bruce basically just shrugs it off, and says something to the effect of, “People in this world don’t stay good.”

When it finally occurred to me that this is a very different Batman – an outright murderous one – it became a negative issue I had with this film.  Of course, the Caped Crusader is in the wrong here, but for some reason, his motivation eluded me; these murders were not something that he had done for years and years (as I previously thought).  Rather, it was all brought on by the one he perceives as a threat to humanity – Superman.  Now, a person can contend that this an implausible plot point, and that’s their prerogative.  But in this movie universe of “BvS” – often referred to as the “Snyder-verse” after Director Zach Snyder – we are steeped in a realistic tone.  And realistically, if there was an alien invasion that resulted in loss of life, and you witnessed some of it, wouldn’t you would fear the alien and consider him a threat to humanity?

However, contrary to popular opinion – an opinion I too had at one point – this dire mindset of Batman’s is not the end of his story arc in this film.  To put it in a nutshell for today, after Batman finally comes to understand that he was completely wrong about Superman, he fights alongside him.  Ultimately, the Man of Steel’s heroic example shows Bruce the error of his ways; we see a changed man, both through his actions (I realize this is a debated point, I want to tackle this in more depth in the next blog), and also his words.  By the end of “BvS”, Bruce actually encourages a morose Wonder Woman (played by Gal Gadot; who was so good in this, she got two standalone movies of her own).  He resolutely declares, “Men are still good. We fight. We kill.  We betray each other.  But we can rebuild.  We can do better. We will. We have to.”

To conclude, what I’ve written today doesn’t mean that I now think this is the greatest superhero film ever made; I don’t.  I think it has glaring flaws.  But I don’t actually think this movie is as bad as the general consensus seems to convey it is.  I think it gets some hate that is unjustified.  Yes, it’s different and controversial (once again, I’ll address some of the controversy next time), but I’ve discovered you really can’t put your brain on a shelf while viewing this.  I freely admit that I was guilty of not thinking everything through that was being presented.  Today I appreciate “Batman v Superman” (or “BvS”) for what it is, glaringly obvious flaws and all.  It is to this movie universe that I plan to return to again next time.

To be continued!

God bless,

Kevin

Reflections on my father's birthday

I’ve had a lot of extra free time on my hands of late, as I’ve documented.  Not long ago, I watched the 2018 film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse”, and as with previous viewings, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  At the end of the film, a Stan Lee quote is given: “That person who helps others simply because it should or must be done, and because it is right thing to do, is indeed without a doubt, a real superhero.” 

This made me think of my dad.  In fact, in 2015, when I spoke at Dad’s memorial service I called my dad a superhero.  I made it clear that day (and I reiterate it again here today, this designation is a massive compliment).  Today is my dad’s birthday, even if he is in Heaven.  Dad routinely helped others “because it is the right thing to do.”  First and foremost, he served his wife, my mother.  I have seldom seen anyone in my life who was so devoted to loving, cherishing, serving, and protecting his spouse as my dad.  He also consistently helped his children, my brother and me.  I could tell story after story of how he did this.  Furthermore, I could tell stories of how dad selflessly helped his coworkers.

My dad’s passing was a difficult time in my life.  This man who was always in my corner, who was there to provide encouragement, love, and help was suddenly gone.  I had to grieve this tremendous loss; incidentally, maybe that’s a word of challenge for someone.  You’ve lost a loved one, but you haven’t let yourself mourn.  You’ve buried it and stuffed it down.  You must give yourself permission to grieve, to fully feel the intensity of the pain and the loss.  To do otherwise isn’t healthy.  Don’t misunderstand me: that’s not to say that one ever truly over “gets over” the loss.  In many ways, it will stay with you; it will remain a part of your story. 

For example, I could write a whole blog on why I appreciate the 2005 film “Batman Begins”; I think it is the most underrated of the trilogy.  I happened to finish this movie again today, of all days.  You may recall that, at the end of the film, there is a bittersweet scene between Bruce Wayne and Rachel Dawes (played here by Katie Holmes).  Rachel states that while she never stopped thinking about Bruce, he was not the same person; but perhaps one day, when Gotham no longer needed Batman, the old Bruce would return and they could be together.  She went on to make a statement that caused a wave of tears and grief to unexpectedly hit me.  She said to Bruce, “Your father would be very proud of you, just like me.”

I did a few things today to honor Dad’s memory, including this blog.  Why did I do this?  Because the Bible says, “Give honor to whom honor is due” (Romans 13:7), and that certainly is true of my dad.  I purchased some red roses (I should take a picture and share it with you); I did this because an online article written by Shannon O’ Conner for a flower company stated that while red flowers can signify true love and passion, they can also be used to convey respect and courage.  As per usual, you can find the link I’m referencing right here.  I think this is a fitting tribute to Dad’s legacy.

In conclusion, my recent overnight stay in an emergency room was a reminder that tomorrow is not guaranteed.  I heard a program by Billy Graham and his team today; I resonated with him when he said, something to the effect of, “We think death is coming to others, but somehow not to us.  But the Bible says, ‘It is appointed for man to die once, but after this the judgment [Hebrews 9:27].’”  I confess I naively used to think this; not anymore.  These days on Earth are fleeting and numbered.  We can’t afford to put off the spiritual decisions that need to be made.  The next verse in Hebrews 9 says, “so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.”  If you’ve never placed your faith in this Christ – the One who out of His great love, willingly shed His blood for you – I urge you to do so.  The Bible says, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

God bless,

Kevin        

God's gracious dawn after a nightmare

2023 has been a difficult year for me.  I’ve documented some of these lows; they were all legitimate heartaches.  But I come to you now ready to describe the most recent heartache – perhaps you could even call it a nightmare that you can’t wake up from.  I went to the doctor on September 1 because of lingering physical issues that I mentioned last time.  After running a few tests, I returned home awaiting the results; soon after, the doctor called me and informed me that my hemoglobin was low.  No, hemoglobin isn’t the name of a Spider-Man villain.  I was told that this is a protein that carries oxygen to the organs of the body.  My hemoglobin test was low, signifying anemia.

It was strongly encouraged that I go to the emergency room.  Not long after, I was having my first IV, blood transfusion, and overnight stay in a hospital.  I could go on and on, but in a nutshell, I ended up staying three days in that emergency room!  An ulcer on my small intestine, and internal bleeding was also discovered.  In short, this was a scary, dire situation not only for myself, but for my loved ones too – incidentally, they deserve a medal for the incredible compassion, love and kindness that they extended to me.

Finally, I was able to go home again.  Even though, I’m still regaining my full strength, I’m out of the danger zone.  Now that I’ve had the chance to process everything I've just been through, one of the things I marvel at is the fragility of God’s gift of health.  One day, you are going through your everyday life, the next day you are speaking to medical professionals who all comment on how pale you look (unusually pale complexion is a common side effect of anemia).

In the past, I’ve spoken of Rebecca St. James’ latest musical project “Kingdom Come”.  After this recent nightmarish ordeal, one song in particular gripped my heart and soul in a fresh and new way.  I’m referring to her song called “Dawn”.  Rebecca herself describes this song in this way:

“For me, this song is very, very personal; one of the most personal songs I’ve possibly ever written.  It really ties into a time of winter that my husband and I experienced just a few years ago…we experienced two miscarriages in between having our first daughter and our second.  There were vocational challenges…outside family issues, internal emotional things that both my husband and I were dealing with.  Just a lot at once.  And there were definitely times of just wondering, ‘How are we going to not only walk through this right now, but we believe in the faithfulness and redemption of God, but how is this going to happen?  How are we going to see good come out of this season?’

[Rebecca continues:] Out of that time, God brought my husband and I, and our little family into such a brand new [season of] spring.  And such a new time of joy, and sunrise, and dawn.  This song is a song of hope…it talks about being held by God’s love; and that He brings the dawn.  He brings hope to our lives…I pray that when people hear it, not only will they authentically resonate with the lyrics, but they also a reminded that Jesus brings the sunrise; He brings redemption; He brings restoration to our hearts.  (Her words can be found here)

The song (and by the way, I’ve included the official studio session of this song from Rebecca’s you tube channel which can be found at this link) starts in this way: “Lord, I’m so tired in this fight.  Tired of waking up with no end in sight.  I feel I’ve got so little left; I know that I’ve come to the end of myself.  Help me hold on, cling to You ‘til I see the sun.  Held by Your love, I sing allelujah.  You’re lifting my heart, as I lift my hands.  Safe in Your love, I sing allelujah.  You’re healing my heart, as I lift my hands.”  It would be neglectful of me if I didn’t also cite these powerful words from the song: “Even in the darkness, even when it’s hardest, You are faithful and You bring the dawn.  On every mountain, I’ll sing it even louder, You are faithful and You bring the dawn.”  Amen and amen!

Praising God,     

Kevin

Reflecting on a rotten week

It all started this past Monday morning.  After having my breakfast, my stomach didn’t feel right.  I called in sick, and soon after, I threw up.  What followed was a rotten week of vomiting every day (which, it turned out, was due to food poisoning).  This led to excessive dehydration, which led to a persistent headache that basically lasted the whole week.  I had no energy to speak of, leaving me sidelined, and forced to watch my whole world crumble around me.

As I look back at the ordeal, I probably could write a week’s worth of content.  I could speak about how my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), and so I need to be careful with what I introduce into that temple.  I could write about how this reminded me that every day we wake up to face a new day, it’s a gift from God.  Believe me, the older I get, this is not something I take for granted.   

But one of the most interesting things I found to note is that, it seemed like everywhere I looked, every devotional book and sermon, someone was speaking about the account of the disciples in the storm.  Mark 4:37 states that “a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.”  The disciples are freaking out, and the next verse tells us that Jesus was asleep.  Verse 39 can be so familiar that, if we aren’t careful, we are not struck by the incredible awe of the moment; Jesus actually gets up, and says, “Peace, be still” and subsequently there was a great calm.    

Mark 4:40 gives us a rather puzzling response from Jesus.  He tells His disciples, “Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?”  Someone must have raised an eyebrow, and said, “Well, that was scary; we thought we were going to die.”  But the fact is, there was Someone in the boat who was in complete control of the situation.  He had the power to calm the storm, after all.  They needed to put their faith in Him.  In Luke’s account of this, Jesus’ words are rendered, “Where is your faith” (Luke 8:25)? 

This lesson was hammered home to me on more than one occasion: just like the disciples, Jesus will call me to a storm; this week was a time of extreme weakness, growing uncertainty, and intense pain.  But, even in the midst of this, I’m to put my faith in Him, not give into fear.  I am to remember His promise: “I will never leave you, nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).  Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying this is easy.  But it’s the right outlook, nevertheless.

Let me address this question that someone might be thinking.  Is it possible that we may not even survive the storm at all?  Yes, it’s possible.  We don’t like to think about it, but the reality is, none of us knows how many sunrises we have left; only God knows.  To be candid with you: I thought about whether or not I would survive this recent storm.  No, I wasn’t on the brink of death, but I was still very weak physically and thus such thoughts popped into my head.  1 Corinthians 15 says, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.”  The glorious truth is this: A Christian’s hope goes beyond the grave.  Because of my faith in Jesus, I can look forward to the paradise in Heaven one day.

In conclusion, there is a song from the group Passion that came out this year.  Every time I hear it, I resonate with it on a deeply emotional level.  On this most recent hearing, as I finally begin to rejoin the land of the living, I sang out these words of praise to God:

“In every high and every low, You never left me without hope.  You were good, and You’re good right now.  I’ve witnessed Your faithfulness; I’ve seen You breathe life within.  So I’ll pour out my praise again. You’re worthy, God, You’re worthy of all of it.  Your promises never fail; I’ve got stories I’ll live to tell, so I’ll pour out my praise again.  You’re worthy, God, You’re worthy of all of it” (lyrics from the song “I’ve witnessed it”).

God bless,

Kevin

Crucibles

The word crucible isn’t used all that frequently.  But the word came to mind in reference to what I want to talk about today.  Dictionary.com defines the word as “a severe test or trial or an extremely challenging situation.  This figurative sense of the word is based on the literal meaning of the word: a heat-resistant container used to melt metals” (found at this link under the "more about crucible" section of the webpage).  

It was eight years ago, this past Saturday, when we had the memorial service for my father.  This saga was a crucible.  Initially, I was going to share some of my thoughts on my dad’s legacy, grief, and the hope of Heaven.  But that content will be another day.  However, I do want to state – for the record – if I had to single out the most intensely difficult crucible in my life, it was my dad’s unexpected passing.  I continue to miss him, but I carry his example, humor, and virtue with me in my heart.

But as difficult as that season was, haven’t you discovered as I have, that there’s seemingly always another trial right around the corner?  For example, I recently shared that another dark season recently had come upon me.  I didn’t call it a crucible that day, but I did state that it was such a shattering time that I likened it to Humpty Dumpty falling off that wall.  I quoted a preacher who said that the King Himself had to put Humpty back together; that’s what God did for me.  I stand by that analogy, and I give Him all the glory for this!

It occurred to me that someone reading this might really be going through it.  You may be going through the worst crucible in your life right now.  You feel like you have been whacked around so much by life’s trials, you can hardly even tell which way is up.  If that’s you, I know what it’s like.  I’ve mentioned some examples of trials to make it clear that I’m not in some ivory tower, unattached from the crushing pain of life.  I’ve been there. 

As a matter of fact, I could write a whole blog about what has transpired in the last few days since I began writing this particular blog.  Although the situation isn’t fully resolved, I can state that in the pain, frustration, and loneliness, God has been so faithful.  He used Jordan St. Cyr’s song “Fires” to encourage me.  “You walked me through fires, pulled me from flames, if You’re in this with me, I won’t be afraid.  When the smoke billows higher, oh, and higher and it feels like I can barely breathe, I’ll walk through these fires, ‘cause You’re walking with me.”

Furthermore, Psalm 42 gives profound words of help to me, and I give them to you now.  The Psalmist was apparently going through it.  The heading in my NKJV Bible, right after the Psalm 42 heading, actually reads, “yearning for God in the midst of distresses.”  Psalm 42:5 says, “Why are you cast down, O my soul?  And why are you disquieted within me?  Hope in God.  For I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.”  In a few verses, in verse 11, he restates these words again for reminder and emphasis.  I can’t leave out verse 8: “The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me – a prayer to God of my life.”  There is hope and help in God. 

In conclusion, in the epic “Crisis on Infinite Earths” saga (the TV version from the CW), Superman gave us a memorable and stirring line.  Incidentally, since I’ve brought it up, the so-called “Arrowverse” had its flaws, I see them clearly.  But I don’t think enough credit is given to those involved in creating that shared TV universe of superheroes. 

Part 3 of the Crisis crossover event is where we are treated to Superman’s motivating words. Brandon Routh portrayed an older Superman who had tragically lost several loved ones.  But he chose hope over despair; he signified this mindset when he changed the color pattern in his iconic S emblem on his chest.  Rather than the yellow and red design, the yellow was replaced with black instead, with the red S.  When asked why he added black, he said, “Even in the darkest times, hope cuts through.  Hope is the light that lifts us out of darkness.”

God bless,

Kevin

Independence Day thoughts - one week late

I found myself quite embarrassed when I realized something: I had inadvertently skipped over my Independence Day thoughts in this blog last week.  This was not my intention; so I wanted to correct this glaring omission right now.   

Amidst the festivities of my July 4th celebration a week ago, I was blessed to hear most of a rendition of Lee Greenwood’s classic song “God bless the USA”.  Nostalgia washed over me because when I was a small boy, I sang this song several times on stage, with my father providing the piano accompaniment.  Let me present a small sampling of this song’s lyrics:

“I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free.  And I won’t forget the men who died and gave that life to me, and I’ll gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.  ‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land.  God bless the U.S.A.  From the lakes of Minnesota, to the hills of Tennessee, across the plains of Texas; from sea to shining sea.  From Detroit down to Houston, and from New York to L.A.  Well, there’s pride in every American heart and it’s time we stand and say, that I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free.”

Freedom, as the saying goes, isn’t free.  Thomas Jefferson once remarked, “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.”  Ronald Reagan declared, “I don’t have to tell you how fragile this precious gift of freedom is, every time we hear, watch, or read the news, we are reminded that liberty is a rare commodity in this world.  Harry Truman once said, “Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid.  They have earned our undying gratitude.  America will never forget their sacrifices.” (all the quotes can be found at this link)  I thank God for the freedom I enjoy as an American.  I will not take it for granted.

God bless,

Kevin

   

Birthday aftermath

Tim Tebow, in his one-year devotional titled “Mission Possible” writes,

“In Bible times, high-temperature flame was a process used to purify gold…the clean gold was placed in a crucible over a hot fire or in a hot furnace.  After a period of time, dross formed on the surface, and the refiner skimmed it off, leaving behind only pure gold…I’ve read that some refiners considered their work finished when they could see a reflection of themselves in the crucible-cradled gold. 

“The Bible is replete with images containing “refining by fire” language.  It’s a process that obviously is uncomfortable and excruciating at times but requires a greater work than searing pain.  It bears a refined image of Jesus Christ in our lives…when we stay and trust in the process, yes, even in the pain, we will become more and more like Jesus” (from the 6/24 reading titled “Stay in the Heat”). 

As I process life in the aftermath of my birthday, I look forward to the future with hope and gratitude in my heart.  However, I also have to admit that this past year has been filled with some incredibly difficult episodes.  You say, “Wow.  You ought to share in detail what happened.”  No, the happenings aren’t as important as what I felt like as a result of these episodes. 

I seriously felt like Humpty Dumpty who had fallen, and was shattered into a million pieces.  And, as the poem goes, “all the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again.”  Do you know why?  As Michael Youssef once put it, the king’s horses and men couldn’t fix Humpty because only the King Himself can!   I want to forever inscribe my gratitude to God; He took my broken pieces, and healed me.  God is real!  He is faithful and He is good! 

But this is more than just celebratory birthday aftermath.  Many years ago, I sang a Don Moen song at a church, and I still sing it to God to this day.  The chorus says, “Lord, I offer my life to You, everything I’ve been through use it for Your glory.”  I vulnerably share my heart with you on my mind.  Maybe you are in a dark place in your life right now.  Perhaps you feel completely shattered.  I want to encourage you to look to God. 

The opening verses of Isaiah 61 are powerful.  This is a passage that was/is fulfilled in the Person of Jesus Christ.  Isaiah 61:1 (b) says, “He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted.  To proclaim liberty to the captives.” Verse 3 says, “To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes; the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.”  This is what God for me, and I trust He will do the same for you.  Look to Him in child-like faith.   

Not long ago, I heard a riveting sermon where the pastor was speaking about how God uses the suffering in our lives.  And this is true even in the lives of unbelievers.  He quoted from Michael J. Fox’s 2002 book “Lucky Man” as one illustration.  Michael is not a Christian, but I love this quote from his book.  In chapter one, he writes,

“If you were to rush into this room right now and announce that you had struck a deal – with God, Allah, Buddha, Christ, Krishna, Bill Gates, whomever – in which the ten years since my diagnosis could be magically be taken away, traded in for ten more years as the person I was before – I would without hesitation tell you to take a hike…I would never want to go back to that life – a sheltered, narrow existence fueled by fear and made liveable by insulation, isolation, and self-indulgence.”

Obviously I’m not Michael J. Fox.  I have not lived with Parkinson’s disease; I have not suffered like he has suffered; I can’t begin to imagine the hard road he has had to walk.  All of that said, I agree with him in reference to my own recent negative life experiences.  I too would not want to magically be spared the pain of this past year.  He has used these hard episodes, through the fire, to refine me to be more like Jesus.    

God bless,

Kevin