REVIEW: ‘Alita: Battle Angel’ and the desire for immortality

by Michael Foust | Feb 15, 2019

Alita: Battle Angel (PG-13), a movie aimed at tweens and teens, opens this weekend. It has plenty of positive messages, but a few content problems, too.

Alita is a confident and independent young woman living in the year 2563 who would give anything to remember her past.

But so far, she can’t even remember how to eat an orange. It needs to be peeled—she is told—and not eaten like an apple.

“That is so good,” she says after her first bite.

It’s understandable Alita has a poor memory. She’s 300 years old. She is a cyborg—part human, part robot—who was left for dead in a pile of junk, after a major war three centuries ago destroyed much of Earth. People called the war “The Fall.”

Yet somehow, her brain barely stayed alive. A local scientist named Dyson Ido found her head and torso, carried it back to his lab, and attached it to a robotic body. Incredibly, she came back to life.

“I don’t even know my own name,” she said at first. Ido named her “Alita” after his deceased daughter.

Alita isn’t the only cyborg in town. Cyborgs are everywhere. Alita and Dr. Ido live in Iron City, a heavily populated dystopian town where survival is a daily chore, and police don’t exist. In their place, cyborg bounty hunters known as “hunter warriors” walk the streets and keep the peace. They also kill murderers… on the spot.

These hunter warriors are big and mean. Alita is thin and short. But something strange happens late one night when she gets caught in a fight between a hunter warrior and three bad guys. She whips the evil dudes—with ease. She also has a flashback to her past, a time when she was a deadly soldier with deadly skills, caught up in a war. 

Alita: Battle Angel (PG-13) opens this weekend, starring Rosa Salazar (Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials) as Alita; Christopher Waltz (The Legend of Tarzan, Muppets Most Wanted) as Ido; Mahershala Ali (Green Book) as the bad guy, Vector; and Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind) as a doctor and Vector’s romantic interest, Chiren. It is based on the Japanese comic book series, Gunnm.

The film has the feel of the 2009 film Avatar, and for good reason. It was written and produced by Avatar creator James Cameron. Avatar producer Jon Landau also helped make Alita. But unlike Avatar—which was fully CGI—Alita: Battle Angel features a combination of CGI and live action. Alita herself is a mixture of both, with Salazar’s facial skin surrounded by CGI hair and a CGI body. She also has gigantic eyes that appear borrowed from a Ty Beanie stuffed animal. Quirky, yes, but visually compelling, too.

The story follows Alita as she fights evil in the Iron City and then learns the skill of Motorball, a dangerous sport for cyborgs that looks like a combination of roller derby and handball. Every few years, the champion of Motorball is given the chance to move to Zalem, the city in the sky where the wealthy live. It hovers just above Iron City.

Warning: minor/moderate spoilers!

(Scale key: none, minimal, moderate, extreme)

Violence/Disturbing

Extreme. Alita is more violent than your average PG-13 superhero film, partially because we watch cyborgs—who have a human face but a robotic body—get killed multiple ways during fights. Arms are cut off. Torsos are sliced in two. A few times, we see heads decapitated. Once, we see a cyborg sliced from head to groin. Another time, a cyborg’s human face is partially cut off. Hunter warriors brag about how many people they’ve killed.

Sexuality/Sensuality/Nudity

Minimal/moderate. Alita’s robotic outfit is skin-tight, but for most of the film she’s wearing regular clothes. We see Chiren in a slightly revealing bedtime outfit. Alita’s friend and romantic interest, Hugo, is seen without a shirt. She and Hugo share a kiss.

Coarse Language

Moderate. The movie has little-to-no language for about half the film until Alita drops an f-bomb in a critical scene. It seems out of place for a character who doesn’t curse any other time. That’s too bad, because the film otherwise has little coarse language: h-ll (2), s–t (1) and b–ch (1).

Other Positive Elements

Alita has no family, but Ido becomes her adoptive-like dad. She eventually calls him “father.” 

Other Stuff You Might Want To Know

Alita’s body formerly belonged to Ido’s disabled daughter, who couldn’t walk. He built it for her, although she was murdered before she could use it.

Life Lessons

Alita is a likeable superhero who makes the rights choices. “I do not stand by in the presence of evil,” she says. She’s courageous. She’s a leader. She uses her powers for good.

But she lives in a city that knows nothing of grace and mercy. It’s a place where innocent people die and guilty people go free. It’s also a place where cyborgs often have their body parts—read “arms” and “legs”—stolen during late-night street attacks. Those parts are then used by Motorball officials.

It’s a world without police. That alone is worth discussing with young fans of the film.    

Worldview/Application

The movie’s presentation of a “city above” and a “city below” may have spiritual parallels, but without more details, application is difficult (Then there’s the problem of the “city above” housing the lead bad guy). A sequel apparently will fill in the blanks.

The film’s message about death and morality is worth exploring. Alita lives in a futuristic city where death can be cheated—sort of—by preserving the brain. In fact, we watch Alita keep a human friend alive by severing the head (that grotesque part is done off screen) and taking it to a lab, where it will be attached to a robotic body.

Although futuristic, the concept is very modern. The U.S. and Russia are home to private “cryonics” facilities that will freeze an individual’s deceased body at a low temperature in hopes it can be brought back to life when technology advances.

But before we criticize such people as “nuts,” we should examine our own beliefs. We live in a society that worships youth. We’re chasing after immortality, too.

The irony: Immortality is already obtainable to anyone who trusts in Christ. That’s what Paul says in 1 Cor. 15:53: “For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.” Yes, our bodies will die, but our souls—if we’re saved—will live with God forever. Scientific advances aren’t needed.

Sponsors

For children, Carl’s Jr. is the most well-known film partner.

What Works

Visually, the film is beautiful. Additionally, the ending had me ready to watch the sequel.

What Doesn’t

The film has too much violence, which is magnified because the cyborgs appears to be human.

Also, the f-bomb doesn’t fit. It’s as if the filmmakers were begging the ratings board for a PG-13 label.

Discussion Questions

1. What does the Bible say about immortality? What is the message about immortality in the movie?

2. One character says, “I’d rather rule in Hell than serve in Heaven.” What would God think of that?

3. Name three positive (even biblical) traits about Alita.

4. What did you think about the film’s violence? 

Entertainment rating: 3 out of 5 stars. Family-friendly rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars.    

Alita: Battle Angel is rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for some language.

Millennial Monday: Valentine’s Day ‘love your neighbor’ challenge

by Emily Howsden | Feb 11, 2019

I don’t know exactly how it happened, but over the past few years (or so it seems) it’s like people are no longer allowed to enjoy Valentine’s Day without being shamed for celebrating someone in their life that they love.

Maybe this isn’t the case in your circle, but in mine, or more specifically, on my list of Facebook friends, there are a lot of people who just seem to hate Valentine’s Day. Sure, Hallmark and other big companies have capitalized on this holiday, making it super profitable for themselves.

But I like to think of myself as a Valentine’s Day purist. I’ve spent Valentine’s Days single, in a dating relationship and now married. But one thing I’ve always done, no matter my relationship status, is make sure to tell people that I hold dearest that I love them.

Some make the point that you shouldn’t need a holiday to tell someone you love them and do something special for them. I agree, you shouldn’t just tell the people you love how you feel just one day every year. However, what’s so wrong with making it an even bigger deal, or going further out of your way to tell someone you love them?

When I was single, I spent Valentine’s Day with my sisters and moms, three of the people I love most in this world. Those are times I look back on fondly. Could I have spent the day full of cynicism, brooding and wishing everyone happy around me would keep their joy to themselves? Sure. But would that have made me feel better?

When I was dating, I didn’t forget about my mom and sisters, or my friends, or my nephews, or other family members. No! Because Valentine’s Day isn’t just about expressing romantic love, Valentine’s Day is a day where we can live out Matthew 22, the greatest commandment ever given.

“‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ‘This is the greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

I’m not going to lie and say I enjoyed every single second of being single, but I can say I grew tremendously in that time and learned to look outward, and be happy for my friends who did have the God-honoring relationship of their dreams.

Here is my challenge to you, whether you’re single, dating, married or widowed: Take time this Valentine’s Day to show love to someone in a non-romantic way. Maybe visit a nursing home, or pay a visit to a widower. Maybe someone in your family needs your love and affection on Valentine’s Day? Maybe your significant other has made plans for the two of you, take time before those plans to bless someone else this Valentine’s Day. There is no shortage of ways you can tell someone you love them.

For example: Fold someone’s laundry in your home (This came to mind first because it’s one of my least favorite chores). Do the dishes for your mom or dad if you still live at home. If you have a roommate, be the first to take out the trash. If you have children, maybe take over one of your husband or wife’s daily duties with the kids and give them some time to relax. Take someone to coffee or lunch. I’ve found there are no shortage of people who like a free meal.

I challenge you this Valentine’s Day to not make the holiday about yourself, but make it a day to serve others. I can almost guarantee you it’ll be one of the most joyful days once you focus on showing your neighbors love rather than looking inward.

REVIEW: ‘The Lego Movie 2’ and the theology of ‘Everything Is Awesome’

by Michael Foust | Feb 8, 2019

“The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” contains a few elements that parents will want to know about before taking their children

Emmet Brickowski is an optimist, sun-is-always-shining Lego character living in a Lego world where everyone else is miserable.

Gone are the times when—as the song says—“everything is awesome.” Those happy days ended five years ago, when aliens wrecked Bricksburg and took away some of the population, too. Emmet’s town is now known as Apocalypseburg, a desolate place where people often argue and no one smiles. Even the Statue of Liberty has been toppled.

That’s OK, though. Emmet still has his friend and romantic interest, Lucy. Yet even she believes Emmet should see the world for what it is, and not for what he hopes it to be.

“You’ve got to stop pretending that everything is awesome,” she tells him. “… We have to grow up sometime.”

Emmet, though, doesn’t believe her. But that begins changing when another alien, the masked General Sweet Mayhem, invades Apocalypseburg and kidnaps a few more citizens, including Lucy. Emmet quickly builds a Lego ship to chase Lucy to the other end of the galaxy. He begins wondering: Maybe everything isn’t awesome, after all.

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (PG) opens this weekend, picking up five years after the events of 2014’s The Lego Movie. It stars Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy series) as Emmet, Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games series) as Lucy, and Will Arnett (The Lego Batman Movie) as Batman.  

The film, in essence, is a pretend world told through the eyes of two children in the movie’s real world: Finn and his younger sister, Bianca. At the end of the first Lego Movie and the beginning of The Lego Movie 2, their father allows Bianca to play with the Legos—a decision that upsets Finn, who believes she will destroy them.

Finn’s instincts prove to be true. This explains the destruction of Bricksburg (Bianca did that) and the kidnapping of Lucy and Batman (Bianca took them to her room). It also explains the film’s out-there plot: In the Lego world, Batman is taken to the “Systar System,” where he is forced into a marriage with a chameleon-like alien, Queen Watevra Wa’Nabi. Only a girl would do that.   

Here’s the good news for parents: The Lego Movie 2 is mostly squeaky-clean, with no language (not even an OMG) and only Lego-style violence.

Here’s the bad news: It’s not as good as its predecessor. It’s slow at times and, often, downright weird. It also contains a few lines and angles that had me scratching my head, but most of them will go over the heads of children.

Warning: minor/moderate spoilers!

(Scale key: none, minimal, moderate, extreme)

 Violence/Disturbing

Minimal. Picture a child picking up two Lego characters and “making” them fight. That’s about as bad as it gets. The film does imply punches are thrown, and a few explosions do occur, and a Lego city is invaded, and there are guns with lasers, but it looks a lot like what you’d see in a kid’s bedroom floor. 

Sexuality/Sensuality/Nudity

None. Other than Batman saying he has “ribbed pecs.”

Also, see “Other Stuff You Might Want to Know,” below.

Coarse Language

None. The worst we hear is “butt” a couple of times.

Other Stuff You Might Want To Know

One character is called “Larry Poppins” —a knockoff on Mary Poppins. He has a flower on his head. Another character who looks like Dracula says he enjoys wearing women’s jeans.

We hear Z.Z. Top’s Tush and Motley Crue’s Kickstart My Heart.

One character tells another one, “Just listen to the music and let your mind go.” Someone says he/she has been “meditating.”

The Queen built a “space temple” where the wedding will take place. The wedding is called the “matrimonial ceremony.”

Life Lessons

It’s an ultra-goofy movie with few lessons until the final minutes. Still there, are a few. Lucy saves a “bad guy” from dying, displaying mercy. In a scene that borrowed a page from Back to the Future, Emmett faces a bad, future form of himself and declares that he wants to do good. The final scenes also include lessons on forgiveness, repentance and love between a brother and sister (Finn and Bianca).

Worldview/Application

Is everything awesome? That’s what we are told in the first movie through a hit song with catchy lyrics: Everything is awesome, everything is cool when you’re part of a team; everything is awesome, when you’re living out a dream. It added: Life is good ’cause everything awesome; lost my job, there’s a new opportunity; more free time for my awesome community. That’s certainly true, but then the song goes south. Dogs with fleas are awesome. Clogs are awesome. And “everything you see or think or say is awesome.”

Umm … no. Everything is not awesome, even if the song’s positive outlook is attractive. Sin certainly isn’t awesome.

The Bible would tell us that some things are awesome and some things are not.

That’s why the new song in The Lego Movie 2 — Everything’s Not Awesome — may be closer to Scripture: Everything’s not awesome; things can’t be awesome all of the time; it’s not realistic expectation; but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try; to make everything awesome.

Sponsors

McDonald’s is a partner. Lego-themed Happy Meals are on their way.

What Works

The humor. It’s funny for kids and adults, too, without being inappropriate. The filmmakers also give us plenty of flashbacks to the film’s real word (the brother and sister) to help explain the movie’s quirky plot.

What Doesn’t

The plot. Sure, the story could have been imagined by a child, but it would have been more relatable had it been a little less weird. 

Discussion Questions

1. What did you think of the song Everything Is Awesome? What about the new song Everything’s Not Awesome?

2. What can we learn from Finn and Bianca about getting along? About siblings and forgiveness?

3. What can adults do to recapture the God-given creativity and imagination that makes childhood so fun?

Entertainment rating: 3 out of 5 stars. Family-friendly rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Rated PG for mild action and rude humor.

Millennial Monday: Thoughts of a pro-life millennial

by Emily Howsden | Feb 4, 2019

This topic has been swirling around in my head since I heard the news of the state of New York legalizing late-term abortions.

Grief was the first thing I felt.

Grief. Not only for the innocent lives that will be taken, but grief, also, for the mother who feels like abortion is her only option.

I will admit, another feeling I felt was anger. How could anyone be so selfish? How could they think their life is more important than the life of another human being? Their body has worked HARD to create life, and they feel justified ending that life? It makes no sense.

And then again, grief struck. For the mom that will never feel the joy of holding her baby for the first time. For the family that won’t be able to enjoy their newest member, in their sparkling and glowing newborn wonder.

Grief. Grief for the mom that will never see the eyes of their little one and marvel at the fact that, not long ago, that baby was inside her womb, growing and becoming the tiny human that will on some days only want their mommy. While those days can be hard, I can assure you any mom who has felt the bond of motherhood with her child, will surely tell you it is worth the struggle, and while it is hard, it’s also entirely rewarding to be the only thing that can make their child feel better.

Grief. For the poor, sweet, innocent baby that won’t be able to experience a myriad of “firsts.” Their first time to experience the outside world, their first time to sleep through the night, their first foods, the first time they sit up, their first steps, which will inevitably be followed by their first scraped knee. That poor sweet baby.

Grief for the mom that feels so scared, alone, in danger, uncertain of her own future. I feel grief for that mom that made the decision to terminate her pregnancy. As someone who is a mom, I know the feelings of desperation, fear and impending danger that it takes to hold a baby in your body to term. For that reason I can’t imagine the amount of grief that would come after making the decision to terminate the precious gift of life.

Amidst all of this grief and admittedly, asking God why He would allow such evil things to happen, I felt something else.

Hope. Hope for the lost and lonely world, that through the courage of myself and my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, we would share with them the hope that Jesus Christ offers through a relationship with Him.

Hope. Hope that after they know about the grace, forgiveness and redemption of Jesus Christ that they would find peace and refuge under His protective and loving arms.

Hope. Hope that the future of our country doesn’t rest in the hands of any one lawmaker, or in the courtroom of any one courthouse, but that the Omnipotent God of the universe is in control.

Peace. Peace that the little ones who suffered at the hands of our sinful world are now in heaven and out of harm’s way. Peace that one day they might be reunited with their earthly parents and live eternally in heaven, where there is no more pain, disease or fear.

I encourage you, before you hand out judgement about abortion, consider that most women who have an abortion don’t do so joyfully. Meet them at the feet of Jesus with grace, peace, comfort and love.

Join me friends, on Wed., Feb. 6 at the Oklahoma State Capitol for the 28th Annual Rose Day Pro-life Rally. Come with red roses to hand out to your representatives as they are the ones who speak to the pro-life issue in our state. Take action. For more information about Rose Day, visit https://www.bgco.org/ministries/erlc/events/.

DHD: Feb. moniker, Walker, Abortion, Rose Day, Super Bowl and movies

by Chris Doyle | Feb 1, 2019

Greetings!

It’s now February, can you believe it? We woke up this morning, and all of a sudden, it’s the second month of the year.

February is a busy month. This week’s DHD covers a lot that will happen this month, as well as what has already happened.

Let’s get to it!

1. Racial Reconciliation Sunday

February is known for many monikers. One in particular that is greatly emphasized is “Black History Month.”

Among Southern Baptists, a particular Sunday in February is set apart every year to recognize and encourage racial reconciliation. This year, Feb. 10 is Racial Reconciliation Sunday. I hope your church is participating.

Would you like some suggestions on how to observe this significant day? My friend Chris Forbes offers some resources in his article “Resources help Baptists continue to seek racial reconciliation.” Chris was involved in the production of a video I shared in last week’s DHD titled “Building Bridges.” The video is one of his suggestions, which is about four-and-a-half-minutes long. It’s a powerful yet simple dialogue involving pastors in the Oklahoma City area.

2. Walker’s cell phone tips for kids

Walker Moore is a regular columnist for the Baptist Messenger and has been sharing his humor and spiritual insight for many years. Walker also told me in the past he is a regular reader of DHD (Walker, if you’re reading this, thanks for your encouragement and dedication!).

I could share a multitude of Walker’s write-ups (or maybe cut-ups?). Many Thursday mornings have occurred when the Messenger editorial staff is back at the editing board proofing pages and random laughter will break the silence. It doesn’t catch anybody by surprise, though, because we know the laughter is the result of reading Walker’s column.

This week, Walker gave some guidance to parents involving children and cell phones. He adds his humor, but he also is straightforward about the current issues kids are experiencing today with cell phones. His suggestions should be taken seriously.

Check out Walker’s column: “Rite of passage: Taming the cell phone beast.”

3. Abortions continue

Last week, the big news was the New York abortion law. This week, Virginia makes news involving its governor and a state delegate supporting abortion up until birth and beyond, leading to the conclusion of performing infanticide.

This is scary, horrible stuff. I’m blown away by how someone could be that insensitive to performing such a horrible, cruel, torturous act on a human life. Fortunately, Virginia’s state congress did not pass this bill proposing third trimester no limit abortion, but it concerns me that there are influential people in government positions who think this way.

I recommend listening to Al Mohler’s Thursday’s edition of The Briefing, or reading the transcript. Dr. Mohler is pretty aggressive when talking about the two Virginia lawmakers in question. He even calls Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam a liar, which is unusual for Mohler to be so pointed when talking about someone.

4. Another Rose Day promo

I mentioned last week about Rose Day. I think this is such an important event that I’m mentioning it again. On Wed., Feb. 6, supporters of the Sanctity of Life are encouraged to come to the Oklahoma State Capitol from 9:30-11 a.m. and distribute red roses to government leaders, including the Governor, Lt. Governor, state senators and state representatives.

Then a rally will begin at 11:30 a.m. in the House Chambers, featuring great speakers for life. Newly-elected Governor Kevin Stitt will be among the speakers.

There are many new members of state congress this year, and it would be a great encouragement to have them see how many of their constituents hold strongly the values of life and how they need to support legislature that involves promoting and securing Sanctity of Life.

For more information on Rose Day, visit this site.

5. Super Bowl stuff

I am not as interested in this year’s Super Bowl. I would have been more interested had the Kansas City Chiefs made it, or if it were a New Orleans Saints-New England Patriots matchup because I would find a Drew Brees-Tom Brady battle intriguing.

However I am encouraged with the many stories of players participating in the Super Bowl sharing their faith.

Baptist Press reports on Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Brandin Cooks sharing his faith and how he became a Christian when he was in college. BP also shared a story on Patriots player Matthew Slater whose father Jackie Slater is a former Rams offensive lineman and a member of the Football Hall of Fame. Both father and son have made professions of faith in Christ, and BP reports on Jackie leading Matthew to the Lord when Matthew was 7.

Also, check out the BP story on a ministry called “4Sarah,” which is an anti-human trafficking organization that sets up shop every year in the city that hosts the Super Bowl. And the article talks about other ministries that work during the Super Bowl to help those affected by human trafficking.

6. Movie moments depicting grace

If you’re not interested in the watching the Super Bowl this year, maybe you’d rather take in a movie. First, I recommend a couple of movie reviews offered by WordSlingers entertainment writer Michael Foust. This week, Michael critiques Academy Award nominee Green Book and a Christian-themed film The Least of These.

Also, consider movies mentioned in Brett McCracken’s article “9 Movie Moments of Unmerited Grace.” I haven’t seen all of the movies that McCracken promotes, but I appreciate his intention of showing how Jesus and His amazing grace are depicted on the silver screen.

“These scenes, even if they don’t depict Jesus explicitly, often remind us of the beauty, the heroism, the unearned gift of our divine Rescuer,” McCracken wrote.

See how many of the nine movies you have seen and if you agree with McCracken conclusions.