manna?

Hollywood Touts Devine with Upcoming Films by Marshall Allen (Pasedena Star)

Posted by Ed Miller

The horror movie “Constantine’ features demons, exorcisms, readings from a Satanic Bible, suicide, a priest who uses vulgarity, graphic depictions of hell and a gory scene involving an electric chair.
Many evangelical Christians eagerly await the movie’s opening on Friday.

These pastors, seminary students and youth leaders say “Constantine’ will provoke valuable discussions about subjects like heaven and hell, angels and demons, and God and salvation. They cite the film as an example of God using unusual channels to communicate with people.

Also opening Friday is “Because of Winn-Dixie,’ a family and faith-friendly movie about a young girl who adopts an orphaned dog. The movie’s official Web site features a Bible study to connect moral themes in the story with passages in scripture.

Perhaps it’s more obvious than “Constantine,’ but Christians who want their entertainment to reflect their morals are excited about “Winn- Dixie.’

Neither movie is overtly religious, but they are both crossovers mainstream movies that also appeal to people of faith. After religious filmgoers helped “The Passion of the Christ’ reap more than $611 million worldwide, some say the two films may also be harbingers of films to come.

Because of Winn-Dixie’ is based on the award-winning novel of the same name by Kate DiCamillo. In the film, a lonely girl named Opal befriends a dog, and the two breathe new life into a small town.
This one has morals to it, character building, and it’s done creatively,’ Cordeiro said. “And when you go away from it, you feel awfully good.’

Viewers will likely not leave “Constantine’ with the same warm feeling. The movie is the latest and perhaps most extreme example of the evangelical embrace of popular culture. Those who recommend the movie acknowledge the R-rated film’s graphic nature and muddled theology.

In the film, Keanu Reeves plays a man who has the ability to see angels and demons, the latter of which he hunts and destroys in an attempt to earn his way into heaven. It’s violent, fast-paced and utterly appealing to the same type of evangelicals who enjoyed discussing the philosophical and religious beliefs that undergirded “The Matrix.’

Full Post:http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/Stories/0,1413,206%7E22097%7E2708486,00.html#