Family Force 5 - Tank Top 

Brilliant track! 

thehitchhikersguidetotheuk:

It is widely assumed by the British that things in other countries, primiarly America, are much smaller here than there. It is true that some cars and houses are rather small as well as washing machines and refrigerators. But what most Brits do not tell the world is that most families own more…

From the announcement of the film to the controversial casting of former Fantastic Four star, Chris Evans, Captain America was probably this summer most questionable summer super hero film right behind X-Men First Class and the bombshell that was Green Lantern. 

The story it self was not something overly complicated or hard to follow. Its a story of a guy who wants to fight for his country but medically isn’t able too. He is experimented on and becomes America’s first Super Solider. Inevitably the villain who in some ways is Rogers evil counterpart is trying to, through the aid of Hitler, to take over the world using technology not of earth.  

The film opens in modern day in the Arctic where some sailors had stumbled across an 70 year old wreckage. Inside they discover the iconic shield of Captain America. We then are shot back into the past to the start of the second world war where we are introduced to Hugo Weaving’s Red Skull who is searching for the cosmic cube and obtains it. Next we are introduced to a very sickly looking Steve Rogers who is attempting to sign up for the military only to be denied again.

Rogers is a true patriot. He doesn’t scream American, he’s just a good guy who wants to do the right thing and wishes he had the ability to make a difference. As fate has set up Rogers is chosen for an experiment by Dr. Abraham Erskine to become the first Super Soldier. Immediately following the experiment a double agent sets off an explosion and kills Erskine, the good Doctor and friend, of Steve Rogers. It then becomes established that the Nazi organisation Hydra was trying to rob the Super Solider serum, but Steve destroys the last vile at the end of a chase through a 1940’s New York. 

After Steve’s transformation he isn’t rushed right into the war. He becomes a poster boy for American propaganda in an attempt to frighten the Nazi’s. But during a trip to entertain the American Troops he discovers his good friend Bucky Barnes was captured and presumed dead. Steve goes on a one man mission to rescue his friend and ends up freeing 400 captured men. From this point on Steve is given a team of soldiers whose mission is to target all of Hydra’s bases and destroy them. 

We learn that the Red Skull, in his attempt to harness this new technology from the cosmic cube, is planning on destroying all major cities in the world and set up a new world order under him. It is near the end of the second world war when Captain America and his team storm the final Hydra base. The Red Skull tries to escape in an incredibly large aircraft but Captain America manages to get on board before it takes off. The two have a battle to the death on the aircrafts bridge.

Cap destroys the power source for the craft and the Red Skull picks up the Comic Cube and is evaporated and Captain America realises he has to crash the plan or it will continue on its course towards America and destroy its major cities. 

During the crafts decent there is an emotional exchange between Steve and his love interest Peggy, who talk to each other about the future before the craft crashes and the radio goes silent. 

It is here that we see Captain America waking up in a 1940’s hospital bed only to realises that it is a fake and bursts his way out onto the streets of modern day New York city where he is stopped by Nick Fury who tells him when and where he is. 

Having the film bookended in modern day was a nice touch to the film, but more impressively was the re-creation of the 1940’s. Like many who wondered if Chris Evans could pull off this role, after being attached to the shameful Fantastic Four franchise, was able to make us believe his was Steve Rogers and NOT the awful Human Torch. The film was a good stand alone film that had nice foreshadowings for Iron Man, Thor, and Avengers, such as the weaponry created by the Red Skull using the Cosmic Cube which inevitably is used later on by Howard Stark…

…(Tony Stark aka Iron Man’s) dad to create the arc reactor seen in Iron Man one. As well you learn that the cube is not man made but is from the ‘gods’ and came from ‘Odin’s treasure room,’ hinting toward its origins being in Asgard home of Thor, as well as been rediscovered in the post credit scene of Thor. 

Something else I liked was that Cap did not act like a poster boy for America, but was simply a good guy who doesn’t like to see innocent people being hurt no matter who they are. Which in my mind is what makes him a true patriot. 

The love story was probably the films weakest point, but the thing I did enjoy is that Peggy did not suddenly fall in love with Cap after the experiment but rather before when she saw what kind of man he was on the inside. 

The only real downfall was the 3D which, like in most films, was not great and at times was too distracting and hard to focus on. But that aside this was one of the best Super Hero films this summer. Clearly Marvel has swept the stage this summer and its got everyone excited for 2012 for the release of

The Avengers! 

Brand new song called, “In the Year Two Thousand and Eleven”

Obviously we all saw it in iron man 2, but did anyone else ever notice Captain America’s shield under Iron Man’s arm in this scene from Iron Man 1?

The fourth instalment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is hands down the dullest of the films. The main plot for the last two films dealt with the fading out of Piracy, and this film shows that Pirates of the Caribbean is over. 

One of the biggest flaws with this film is the lack of familiarity. Apart from Jack, Gibbs, and Barbossa there is no returning cast members, not even the famous Black Pearl, which was such a prized treasure of the first three films. 

Jack is running around england, Barbossa is working for the Royal Crown, and Angelica (Cruz) is recruiting under Jack’s name. In a story that feels very forced, Jack is tricked to aid Angelica, Blackbeard’s Daughter, into looking for the fountain of youth on board the famous Queen Anne’s Revenge, Blackbeard’s ship. Jack is nothing more than a witty crew member with no real goal in the entire film. It’s almost like a reality T.V. show followed Jack around and this is what we see…a whole lot of nothing. 

With three groups, Blackbeard’s crew, Barbossa’s crew, and the hardly mentioned Spanish crew all searching for the Fountain, the reasons become rather cliched. Blackbeard is running from a prophesy that the ‘one legged man will kill him’ (ironic that Barbossa happens to have that wooden leg, so no mystery there), Barbossa wants revenge on Blackbeard for kidnapping the Black Pearl and trapping it in a glass bottle (because Blackbeard is not a pirate but a magician), and the Spanish are nothing but holy rollers who see the Fountain as an evil river of life.

The new characters were incredibly underdeveloped; Angelica, Blackbeard, the Minister, and the mermaid all felt forced upon the audience as if we were suppose to enjoy them, but realistically they were just annoying. Angelica is mad at Jack for taking her virginity (wasn’t pirates suppose to be geared for Children?) Blackbeard hides in his cabin for most of the film (wasn’t he the scariest pirates of all time?) the Minister falls in love with the mermaid just because he sees her naked (again, Disney, Pirates, Children?) and the Mermaid needs to shed one tear (there were enough tears of pain from the audience to solve that problem). 

By the end when Barbossa has his revenge and Blackbeard is dying, naturally Angelica is facing death too while Jack is frantically trying to complete the fountain of youth ritual. Next the typical one glass is poison, one glass is the antidote comes into play. Blackbeard selfishly drinks what he thinks is the Fountain of Youth, while Angelica drink the bad water, but of course we all know that the cups are switched and Blackbeard dies while Jack is not tempted once by the fountain of youth. 

As much time as Jack wasted in the first 3 films wanting to be the most memorable pirate and wanting to live forever he isn’t even fussed about the fountain being right in front of him. The ending was an anti-climax with no big reveal. The biggest cringing moment was at the end when Jack and Gibbs reunite, after Gibbs had stolen all the ships in a bottle from Blackbeard’s ship, now Barbossa’s. Then to end with a bang Jack turns to Gibbs and says, “A pirates life for me,” screen fades to black and I want to fall over dead. 

If I had the choice of watching pirates 4 again and gaining eternal life or simply dying, I think I’d choose death. Rob Marshal (director) clearly tired to cash in on the already established franchise by adding pointless underdeveloped characters and plot lines. It was a truly exhausting film that made you miss the silliness of Will and Elizabeth. Every word Jack uttered felt forced, as if someone was trying to be Jack but not doing it very well. 

On Stranger Tides is nothing but a cheap rip-off of a book fused with Disney characters and Blackbeard. By the end you feel like you’ve sat through twice the length of the previous films and are left flabbergasted at how awful it was. Hopefully this puts a long needed rest to the Pirates franchise as it clearly needs it. Mediocre scripts and acting is not enough to carry something that was so special in its debut in 2003.  

Going there in 7days! Can’t wait

Smallville, one of the best shows on tv, is coming to a close. I’ve followed the show since it started way back in October 2001. Uniquely, for most kids my age that watched the show loved it because they felt they were growing up with Clark Kent. My home town itself wasn’t too far off from what the town of Smallville looked and acted like. So for me it had a strong sense of familiarity. In this small town was Clark Kent, the one destined to become Superman, chucking hay bales, falling in love, making mistakes, and dealing with the process of becoming a adult. 

The show is about to reach its climatic 10th season finale, which will be the series finale as well. In a way the shows ending is gonna feel like saying goodbye to someone I’ve known for ten years, somewhat in a way like saying, ‘we had a good run, now we gotta go live our lives.’ Growing up with smallville, I felt like I was there facing some of the issues the Clark did. In fact a number of the natural real life issues that Clark did have I had myself. This ability to relate so well with viewers is what really kept Smallvile good for so long. Watching Clark battle moral and ethical questions in his quest to become the worlds greatest hero wasn’t to far off from what happens in every day life with everyday people. 

For me Smallville really taught me something about looking for the best, and not giving up so quickly on people. More than that, it made me realise that destiny is something we make, not made for us. We chose who we are and what we do with our lives. I am going to miss the show when it ends forever on May 12th, but like I said for me the show was like having an extra buddy who helps you deal with issues and now its time to say goodbye and deal with the world in a whole new way. 

Back in the 1920’s the US Government stumbled across an uncharted Island some ways off the Haitian coast. After spending several months surveying the island they discovered that it had inhabitants. An uncivilised people who could be in shock by this “modern” invading force. After some time the government decided it was time to send someone in to attempt “talks” with the people. 

Captain Fredrick Johnston was chosen to go ashore and begin the talks. He discovered that the natives spoke a similar dialect to the nearby Haitians and that the population was between 15-20 thousand people.

What Captain Fredrick discovered was that this little untouched society was not that different, it had its own government set up, its own rules, its own hierarchy. It also had a massive volcano as well. It was soon discovered that the volcano was unstable and going to explode fairly soon.

Fredrick made it clear to the natives the seriousness of the volcano, and that they will put together a mission to rescue them.

After Fredrick reported back all that he found out, he urged the government to begin a rescue missions to save the people before the volcano erupts. The next week was full of meetings and ideas of what to do for this little Island of people, whose fate rested in the hands of the US government. 

Finally they came to a conclusion. They wanted Fredrick to go back to the Island and hand pick a quarter of the population. But they must be the best of the best, the smartest, most skilled, and most able to communicate, and this quarter would be taken off the island. However, the rest of the people would be doomed to face there impending death with no aid of rescue whatsoever. 

When Fredrick asked why only a quarter is to be saved his superior, General Charles T. Eccles said, “We have the ability to get them all off, but we don’t want to spend the money, as we need to fund other projects.” Fredrick a little shocked at this response still carried out his mission. 

The government sent in ships took a quarter of the population off the Island and three weeks later the volcano exploded killing everyone else who was left. 

Fredrick wrote in his journal saying, “I am in disbelief of the crime I have committed. I had no right to chose who lived and who died, when we had the power to save them all”

What kind of government is willing to pick only a special number of people to save and damn the rest? The people of that little island knew their deaths were hovering over them and that their salvation rested in the hands of this man. What would the people have done had they known this man was going to hand pick people for salvation and leave others? The fact is, if any real government did this, there would be severe consequences. People would stop trusting in a government like that. People would think, why trust them when there is no hope, when you are left unknown if you are special enough for aid. 

This story is 100% ficticious, but the idea is not. 

For years the Christian faith has been consumed with the idea of “predestination.” Predestination is the doctrine that all events have been willed by God. John Calvin interpreted predestination to mean that God willed eternal damnation for some people and salvation for others.

Much like this story, some believe that God has chosen a special number of people to be “saved” and a special number to be “damned.” This idea, though held to be true by some, does not hold up to what the scripture says about God, about salvation, and about the mission of Jesus the Christ. 

In Genesis God created Man and Woman be live in perfect community with him. He gives them the world to inhabit and do with what they please, just not to eat from a tree. Well, these two humans ate from the tree that God told them not to eat from. At that moment sin entered into the world but also in that moment God devised a plan to save humanity from sin and the consequence of death. Because God loves his creation and did not want it to face death. 

So God made a promise with a man named Abram that his descendants would be as numerous as the sands of the sea or stars in the sky. God then chose a people, Israel, to be an example to all the nation. They were picked to be a light to all the nations, but so many times Israel rebelled against their calling. And God said that he will send someone, born of a virgin who will be immanuel, meaning “God with us” and he will be “exalted and lifted up…many will be astonished by him…he shall startle many nations; kings will shut their mouths because of him..he has born our infirmities and carried our diseases..he was wounded for our transgression…upon him was the punishment that made us whole” Isaiah 53. 

Around 4 b.c.e. a child was born. This child was born of a virgin named Mary and his name was Jesus. This child grew into one of the most influential people in all of history. He performed miracles startled the nations and many were astonished by him. Jesus was the Messiah, the one who was prophesied to come and save the world. 

He came preaching the “good news” that the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. He came to be God with us, to show us what it means to lives in obedience with God, to lives as God wants us and that is to live in love for every person, every thing. Jesus was God made flesh and preached that, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”

Jesus was the sacrifice for all humanity. He was God, willing to become man to face human temptations and desires and to over come them. Where the first Man and Woman did not overcome temptation Jesus did and stands victorious. He was brutally murdered as an enemy of the state and a disturber of the peace because he challenged the people with love, love that all should come to know Him and be his. 

Three days of being in a tomb Jesus rose to life, completely renewed, restored, and whole. He told us that he will be sending the Holy Spirit to come and aid us as we go into all the nations preaching the good news that he gave us, that God is here, and God loves you, and wants you to be with him forever. 

Jesus’ disciples understood Christ’s message, “The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9. 

The God who created the universe created each and every person. Humanity was created special, above all creation to be in communion with God. God’s saving work through Jesus is not limited to a number, there is no special group of people that God has ordained for salvation and other for damnation. 

The Bible is clear that those who deny Christ and those who chose to not accept his invitation of communion, and chose to not live as he called us to: in love and communion with God, those people will be damned and will go to hell…unless they find repentance. 

As 2 Peter says, “not wanting any to perish, but ALL to come to repentance.” 

God is patient. He is restoring all creation. All does not mean a few, but all. 

Why put limits on God? Why put limits on Christ’s atoning sacrifice? Why should Christians not want ALL to enter into the salvation knowledge of Christ?

Unlike the story above, God is not hand picking special people to save, he did not send Jesus to save a speical number. God is a big God and can save and wants to save ALL who chose him, and every person is given the choice, not once, not twice, but time after time. When a person wakes up in the morning they are given more time to chose God, to repent and give their lives to him. 

When Paul says “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order tha the might be firstborn within a large family.”

“Foreknew” and “Predestined” are uncommon words in Paul’s letters and are not meant to be taken in an exclusive sense, but rather it is related to the concept of Romans 8:29 of God’s eternal plan. 

That eternal plan was to send Christ making a new way for people to enter into relationship with God.

There is no room for predestination in the gospel of Jesus. There is no room for predestination in the Bible, and there shouldn’t be room for predestination in the Church. Why would God chose to save a limited number of people when he has the power to save us all? And if predestination was truth, why should Jesus call us to go into all the world and preach, why should we even bother with Church, community, and outreach. Because there is no room for predestination in Christianity.