"My Favorite Martian": Man's Limited Perspective

 

My Favorite Martian, with Jeff Daniels and Christopher Lloyd, is a comedy about a martian who crashlands on earth and befriends a news reporter, who is thinking of breaking this big story to the world.

 

The movie opens with a view of the planet Mars and then focuses on a Mars probe with six huge tractor-like wheels slowly crawling along Mars red and rocky surface. The text on the screen reads: MARS PROBE MISSION DAY 85.

 

A voice from Mission Control in Houston says they're ready for the data. Another voice, possibly from the team specifically responsible for the Probe, gives brief technical data on its status. Everything is working fine.

 

A view from the Probe's camera goes fuzzy for a second then goes back to normal. A voice acknowledges the problem and says, "Copy. We'll see if we can better that for you. This is the Probe's last pass through this quadrant. We'll get all the data we can."

 

A concerned voice says, "Stand by. We're getting a low current level here. Voltage is down to 185." Next we see through the Probe's camera again as it approaches a giant rock. The picture gets fuzzy again. The concerned voice is now alarmed. "Here it is again. Here it is again. Voltage is down to 113." After some brief technical talk the Probe's screen goes completely blank and the voice says, "We're losing the signal. We're losing the signal. Transmission terminated." The Probe stops in front of the big rock and its main body sinks slightly to indicate it has died. Mission Control summarizes, "Well people, congratulations. We've collected data on over a dozen new rocks. I'd say this was five years and three trillion dollars well spent!"

 

The film's camera is behind the Probe and slowly pans just above and beyond the rock, revealing what the Probe could not see: a spectacular, futuristic, high-tech Martian civilization. The film's title hits the screen. Scene and clip ends.

 

In his pride and unbelief man creates many obstacles which prevent him from spiritual perception.   

 

Time: Start of movie to 1 minute 35 seconds

 

 

God created man on the 6th day. The movie is set in the future and is about a billionaire tycoon who illegally and successfully clones humans. Because of a strange set of circumstances, Adam Gibson (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is cloned and the clone takes over his life.

 

This clip is found in the Special Features of the DVD and is a infomercial and TV commercial for RePet - a company prominently featured in the movie. First click the infomercial, then the TV spot.

 

A spokesman is in the RePet store and is speaking directly to the camera. As he speaks he walks around the store, which features large and small statues and pictures of pets. The spokesman says:

 

"Welcome to RePet, where love means no surprises. Your pet doesn't want to break your heart. Thanks to RePet, he doesn't have to. We can clone your 4-legged loved one in just a few short hours. How can we do it? It all begins with the growing of blanks. Animal drones stripped of all characteristic DNA in embryonic tanks at the RePet factory. In stage 2, your pet's DNA is extracted from a lock of fur or a drop of blood, and then infused on a cellular level into the blank. In the final stage, using RePet's cerebral syncording process, all your pet's thoughts, memories, and instincts are painlessly transplanted via the optic nerve.

 

"It's important to have your pet syncorded on a regular basis. And we'll do the syncording free at any RePet store. But, if you lost a pet that hasn't been syncorded, in most cases we can still take a post-mortem syncording within 12 hours of your pet's demise. Your cloned pet is exactly the same as he was before, right down to the DNA. With all the training and memories intact. You and your child will never know the difference.

 

"Cloning is just the beginning of the story here at RePet. We also offer many genetic engineering options to make your experience with your pet even better than before. (He stands in front of 2 portraits of cats.) Are you allergic to your cat? You can make your RePet cat hyper-allergenic. (He walks to a picture of a dog.) Wish your dog were smaller or larger? We can do that too. (He walks to a picture of a multi-colored bird.) And let's say you just redecorated your home. We can coordinate your pet's colors and markings to match the new decorating scheme.

 

(He stands in front of the RePet logo - 'Where love means no surprises'.) Does your otherwise perfect pet have one or two behavior flaws? Does your cat scratch the furniture? Does your dog dig up the back yard? We can eliminate these unwanted behaviors at a slight additional cost. Both the cloning and genetic engineering are backed by the same simple pledge. Zero defects guaranteed. If you have any questions or if you wish to hear about today's special offers, one of our knowledgeable sales staff will be more than happy to help. Once again, welcome to RePet, where love means no surprises."

 

Now click the 30 second TV spot. The option appears immediately. There is cheerful music with adults and children joyfully playing with their pets. The announcer says: "They're playmates. Companions. Best friends. They keep our secrets. And give us unconditional love. They're members of the family. But because of their shorter life span, these family members can't help but break our hearts. Until now. Should accident, illness, or age end your pet's natural life, our proven genetic technology can have him back the same day in perfect health with zero defects guaranteed. Your pet doesn't want to break your heart. Thanks to RePet, he doesn't have to." The words: 'Cloning is life. Cloning is love.' appear at the end.

 

DVD Special Features: RePet - Infomercial and TV Spot. Infomercial is 2 minutes 30 seconds and TV spot is 30 seconds.

 

 

"Meet Joe Black" is a bizarre movie about Death inhabiting the body of a just deceased young man (Brad Pitt) and soon being given the name Joe Black. He makes an agreement with sophisticated and worldly media tycoon William Parrish (Anthony Hopkins). Parrish, whose time is almost up, will have his life extended in exchange for giving the curious and naive Joe a tour of what life and being human is all about.

 

The one minute ten second clip begins in a diner early in the morning with the Brad Pitt character before his accidental death. (His name is not stated before he dies and becomes Joe Black, so we'll call him Joe.) He is a young single lawyer and has just met and is getting acquainted with Susan (Claire Forlani), a young single doctor. Joe tells Susan he has taken a 'pro bono' job.

 

"Pro bono. Meaning doing good?"

 "That's me."

 "You've been doing good all your life?"

 Joe laughs. "I know what you're saying. It doesn't pay so well. But I like it. Eventually it'll depend on the woman I marry. Maybe she'll want lots of kids. Bigger home. Better car. College doesn't come cheap. I don't know."

 Susan is impressed. In a moderately skeptical tone, she says, "Wow. Give up what you want for the woman you marry."

 

Sipping coffee and sensing her skepticism, Joe says, "Yeah. You know what? I would. Gladly. 'Cause you make your choice, you know." He stands up and takes out his wallet. "Say you and I, you and I were married. (Susan laughs) As an example, okay. If we were married, I'd want to give you what you need. That's all. I'm talking about taking care of each other the best that we can. What's wrong with taking care of a woman? She takes care of you."

 

"You'll have a hard time finding a woman like that these days."

 "Shoot. You think so?" He puts on his jacket.

 "Um hum." She stands up.

 "I don't know. Lightning could strike." She is momentarily surprised by his saying this. End clip here.   

 

VHS Time: 18 minutes 15 seconds - 19 minutes 25 seconds.

 

 

This is an unusual clip - no dialogue - and a bit of a long shot, but here goes. It can work well for a teenage audience, but can apply to anyone. "John Q", with Denzel Washington and Robert Duvall, is the story of a middle class married couple who discover their 10 year old son has a serious heart defect and is close to death. They can't afford the $75,000 down payment for a heart transplant. John Q. Archibault is so desperate that he takes several people hostage in a hospital waiting room to force the hospital to save his son's life.

 

The clip takes place in the first 2 minutes and 45 seconds of the film. It begins with an overhead shot of a car on a 2 lane highway that winds through mountains and lakes. As the credits appear we see it is a 4-door white luxury sedan. It speeds up to a slow moving car in front of it, moves to the opposing lane, and passes the car. It easily does the same to another slow moving car. Inside the car we see a close-up of a young, well-dressed woman and a silver cross and chain hanging from the main rearview mirror. The sedan then passes another car, only this time a car coming in the opposing lane beeps its horn and is forced to move on to the paved shoulder of the highway.

 

Then the woman finds herself behind a large, slow moving Mack truck. She impatiently says, "C'mon" and beeps her horn. She slightly sticks her head out of the door window to see if there are any oncoming vehicles. Seeing none she makes her move and is driving beside the Mack truck.

 

The next shot is from the perspective of another large truck driving toward the Mack truck and the sedan beside it. They had just gone through a curve in the road. The woman calmly sees the oncoming truck and looks beside her to see how much space she still needs to pass the Mack truck. The oncoming truck is now very close and the woman makes a sharp turn right in front of the Mack truck. The oncoming truck nicks the back fender of the sedan and sends it on a half-spin. It stops on the road with the driver's side immediately in front of the Mack truck. Expressionless and helpless, the woman looks up at the oncoming Mack truck. It smashes right into the sedan's side and sends it into the gutter by the side of the road. Glass shatters, metal is bent and the hood comes off, but there is no close-up, or any view, of the woman. Scene and clip ends. Later we find out she had died in the accident.

 

In life we take wise and unwise risks. If we don't use wisdom and discernment, the consequences of our wrong choices can be tragic. Taking risks for trivial reasons can be especially heartbreaking. How do we assess which life risks are worth taking?

 

Time: Start of film to 2 minutes 45 seconds.       

 

 

"Beyond the Sea" is an intimate portrait of the life of 1950's and 1960's singer and actor Bobby Darin (Kevin Spacey). The film explores his lifelong struggle with rheumatic fever as well as his numerous successes and his relationship with his wife Sandra Dee.

 

It is Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee's wedding night. Sandra is extremely nervous about being intimate with Bobby. She is so upset she is crying. Bobby is holding a long, silver sword and tells Sandra: "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. My mommy used to tell me a story when I was a kid. In the Middle Ages one of the knights in King Arthur's court, he laid down his sword between himself and Guinevere.

 

And he promised that he would never cross over to the other side of the bed."

 

Sandra has since stopped crying and says, "Really."

Bobby places the sword in the middle of the small double bed. "I am laying this sword between us. That's my side of the bed. And that's yours. And I will never cross over. Ever." Sandra slowly walks toward the bed. "And I don't care if we don't touch for a thousand nights. Only you can cross over to my side. Only you."

 

They stare at each other from the two sides of the bed with the sword prominently displayed in the middle. Then their evening clothes fades and are replaced by pajamas for Bobby and a very conservative night gown for Sandra.

A voice over sings about being young and not having a care. Bobby gets into bed on his side. Sandra then gets into bed on her side. They lay there for a few seconds, then Sandra puts her hand over the sword and onto Bobby's hand. They look at each other. Sandra then moves her head over to Bobby's side and kisses him. As the lights go out the two calmly kiss and embrace. Bobby picks up the sword and drops it to the floor. The scene fades to black.

 

Would that all men respect their wives or girlfriends like Bobby Darin did. Women respond to this kind of respect. Darin died in 1973. Sandra Dee never remarried and was in love with Bobby Darin to the day she died in 2005. (Statement during film's end credits). 

 

DVD Scene 6: Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Darin. 47 minutes 00 seconds - 49 minutes 23 seconds.   

 

 "The Gathering Storm": Churchill Was Certain of His Calling

 

"The Gathering Storm", with Albert Finney, is about the pre-war life of Winston Churchill. Many in the British government refused to take the Nazi threat seriously. With confidence and certitude Churchill warned of the impending war.

 

It is just before the start of the World War II and Churchill is speaking to another government official, Ralph Wigram. Wigram is pessimistically saying, "Hitler is unstoppable. In three years he made himself dictator of Germany. He dumped the Treaty of Versailles and rebuilt the armed forces. He'll march into Austria, and then Czechoslovakia, and then, God knows what, the whole of Europe."

 

Churchill, firm and adamant, replies, "There may be a war. I grant you that. Nevertheless, we shall win."

"How can you say that? It's just mindless optimism."

"When I was in school, I had a friend called Murland Evans. One day we were talking about what we would do when we were grown up. And I don't know why I said this or why I thought it. But I said: 'One day in the future, Britain will be in great danger. And it will fall to me to save London and the Empire.'"

 

"Schoolboy fantasy. I wanted to play for England and go climb Everest."

"My destiny. And I truly believe it."

"You're an extraordinary man, Winston."

"I am. I know it."

"Nobody but you could say that sort of thing and expect people to believe it."

As Christians, we need to be as confident of our calling in our service to God. This confidence and certainty inspires followers and emulation.

DVD Chapter 13 Destiny Commands. 1 hour 15 minutes 06 seconds - 1 hour 16 minutes 23 seconds.

 

 

"Ladder 49" is about average, everyday fireman Jack Morrison (Jaoquin Phoenix). He has a wife, kids, close friends, doubts about the risks he takes, but ready to be courageous when duty calls and lives are in danger.

Jack Morrison's wife, Linda, is observing her kids as they watch TV and laugh. She notices a red car pull up and two men get out. She realizes what this means, puts her hand in front of her mouth, and begins to cry.

 

The scene immediately switches to the funeral in a large church. The camera pans Jack's family as well as his fellow firefighters. His captain, Mike Kennedy (John Travolta) is standing in the pulpit saying the eulogy:

 

"It's never an easy thing, saying good bye to a brother firefighter. It's not. And this time particularly is difficult for me because I watched Jack grow into a, well, into one of the finest firefighters I've ever known. He joined this department because he wanted to help people. Who knows how many homes are still standing because Jack was there, or how many lives were spared? He gave his life for that cause. We'll never forget you, Jack. And we're better for having known you. But I make you this one promise: Tomorrow, when the bell rings, we will be back on the truck because you were the bravest of the brave. People are always asking me, how is it that firefighters run into a burning building when everyone else is running out? Well, Jack, you answered that question by saving another man's life. Your courage is the answer."

DVD Time: Scene 12 "Saying Good bye". 1 hour 42 minutes 56 seconds - 1 hour 45 seconds 06 seconds.

 

 

"Beyond Borders", with Angelina Joli and Clive Owen, is about two humanitarian workers who fall in love as they face the hardships, frustrations, and dangers of international relief work.

 

This 2 1/2 minute clip is from the Special Features segment of the DVD. The clip begins with a close-up of Angelina talking about the U.N. agency she represents:

"UNHCR is the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and they were established after World War II to deal with all the displaced persons from that war. The sad thing is, they're a temporary organization so they're reevaluated every few years. They thought the refugee situation would be over. And, in fact, there have always been refugees, forever, and there always will be as long as there is war and persecution. UNHCR is in over 120 countries dealing with refugees from all over the world."

 

Angelina is now in a helicopter flying over a lush, green landscape. "I think there is a fight to be had. I know what the fight is." She is now over a small village of a couple of hundred huts. The words THAM HIN REFUGEE CAMP - THAILAND appear on the screen. "It's to look after each other and to right the wrongs around the world. If there's war, or if there are people suffering, you have to do what you can. Everybody can do something." She is now walking among the refugees, smiling and nodding at them.

 

The UNHCR representative for Thailand, Cambodia,  Laos and Vietnam briefly appears on the screen and says that Angelina's help is crucial to publicize the plight of the refugees, especially among young people, the leaders of tomorrow. She is also helping to correct negative impressions and incorrect facts about refugees.

 

Angelina is now standing with a refugee family. She asks the interpreter to ask the father what he would like to say to the world. He answers in his own language and the interpreter says he said they need food and assistance and protection. Angelina asks if they had been safe since they were in the camp. The response is "yes" but he is uncertain of the future.

 

Back to the original close-up of Angelina, who says: "A lot of people thought the first time I was going in I was going to come back to Los Angeles and the poor thing is going to need therapy. And the thing is I will never be um ... I am so much more grateful for what I have. I have no reason to be stressed or complaining or depressed. I can't afford that. I shouldn't dare. I've seen so much worse." 

 

DVD Special Features: "Angelina: Goodwill Ambassador." Start of feature to 2 minutes 39 seconds.

 

 

"Around The Bend" is about a family of four generations of men and a boy and how they deal with the death of the family patriarch, who they all call Henry. Early in the movie Henry's son, Turner, returns after being away for 30 years. He refuses to deal with the guilt of his neglect and a serious act of physical abuse of his son, Jason, long ago on a stairway.

 

Henry (Michael Caine) and his son Turner (Christopher Walken) are talking privately and Turner is looking at an old family heirloom. Henry says, "Remember that?"

"New Mexico."

"We're going back. All of us. We'll take a trip. The family."

"I can't, Henry."

"Of course you can. We'll fix up the van."

"But I'm catching a bus in the morning."

"A bus? Where to? You just got back, son, I mean, you just got home."

"I can't stay, Henry."

"You're not ready. You're still on the stairway."

 

In the next brief scene Turner's son, Jason, is putting his 7 year old son, Zach, to bed. Zach asks his father if he's happy to see his own father. Jason hesitates but then responds that he is.

 

Next scene Jason checks up on his grandfather, Henry, to see if he's sleeping. Henry is in bed but awake, and tells Jason, "Some of us are more broken that others. A family carries each other. I carried you. You carried me. We have to carry him."

 

Jason eventually forgives his father and helps him deal with his guilt.

DVD Scene 4 "Carrying Each Other". 12 minutes 23 seconds - 14 minutes 26 seconds.

 

 

 "Gladiator" is an epic movie about the struggle between the often incompetent but power hungry Emperor Commodus (Jaoquin Phoenix) and the heroic General Maximus (Russell Crowe). Emperor Commodus's dying father had snubbed his son and appointed General Maximus to be his heir. A power struggle leaves Maximus a slave forced to fight as a gladiator and his family killed by the jealous Emperor.

 

The 3 minute clip begins with a far away shot of the center of the packed Coliseum and Maximus walking away from a dead body. Maximus had just killed the evil Emperor Commodus in a one on one battle. Earlier the Emperor had injected a poison dart in Maximus's back and it was gradually taking effect during the battles.

 

Maximus is groggy and stumbling slightly with each step. In a sort of "vision" he sees a metal gate between thick stone walls. The imagery of the "vision" sequences are dark bluish with "dreamy" type of music. In the arena he raises his hand forward as if to open a door.

 

Immediately the gate opens revealing a long dusty road surrounded by tall trees on both sides and a house at the end of the road.

 

He hears his name called by the military commander in the arena and snaps out of the "vision". He tells the commander to free his men, and, "There was a dream that was Rome. It shall be realized."

 

He feels faint again and now you see him walking through a wheat field with a long winding road in the distance. A close up sees him more faint and suddenly he falls back and hits the dirt with a slight thud. A woman, the Emperor's sister, runs to him and kneels over him. Sorrowfully she watches his life ebb away. Finally she says calmly, "Go to them."

 

Maximus's body appears to float just above the dirt floor of the arena. Next you see a mother and her little boy in the same wheat field standing by the road. The boy puts his hand above his eyes and looks at something in the distance. His mother bends down to the boy's shoulders, smiling and looking ahead, and encourages the boy to go. The boy begins to run along the road. Maximus is again walking through the wheat field heading toward them. The Emperor's sister puts her hand over Maximus's eyes, closing them, and says, "You're home." She puts her hand on her head and laments his death for a moment. End clip here.