The Westboro Baptist Church

The Westboro Baptist Church Visits Hampton Roads

The most hated family in America is now making its way to the area to protest the military. The Westboro Baptist Church is a radical group from Topeka, Kansas, not associated with any mainstream Baptist Church. Its founder, Fred Phelps, and its members preach a hate theology aimed at gays, Catholics, Swedes, Americans, Moslems, Jews, and everyone except for themselves. The Westboro Baptist Church has roughly seventy members, and most of them are related to Phelps by blood, marriage, or both. They are notorious for picketing the funerals of fallen soldiers and AIDS victims. It has been a long time coming, but now these sick individuals are bringing their cloud of filth and songs of ‘God Hates the World’ to Virginia.

No matter where one falls on the political spectrum, this group should undoubtedly be despised by every American. They claim that because you are an American, you are going to Hell, for a variety of theologically-twisted reasons. I had the opportunity to listen in, via speakerphone, to a conversation my friend had with Shirley Phelps-Roper during their picketing of a soldiers’ funeral in Pittsburgh last week. It is really disgusting what they preach. When Shirley was questioned about her beliefs, she answered, “If your parents did not teach you about the hate your Lord our God has then it is not my problem”. When questioned further about the hateful nature of her beliefs, she answered very loudly, “Are you accusing me of spreading hate to my children”, to which my friend answered “Yes”. After that, Shirley absentmindedly broke into a chorus of “God Hates the World”.

At the Pittsburgh picketing, those present were Shirely, her older daughter Megan Phelps-Roper, and an unidentified young boy, about 8 years old. Shirley has confirmed that she will be going to all of the picketing stops in Virginia, including Yorktown on December 3. Ideally, I would love to see a large flock of students to go there and show them how much they are not welcome.

While in Pittsburgh, not only were they protesting the funeral of a fallen soldier, but they were also protesting the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Melon University, which they claim are spreading the wrath of God. Although I think it unlikely they would make it alive to our campus, there still lies that possibility that after a few hours in Yorktown, they might decide to take a trip a few miles up the road to get attention from the College. It enrages me that they even have the audacity to come to this area, so I ask the community to stand together. Whether gay or straight, religious or atheist, American or international, these people are an enemy to society, and they need to be shown just what we think of them. I will be going to Yorktown to counter-protest the Westboro Baptist Church. I plan to interview Shirley Phelps-Roper and catch her in a web of lies, just as was done in Pittsburgh. If you need more convincing to join me, just visit www.godhatestheworld.com and indulge in hate ideology.

Changeling

I used to tell Walter, "Never start a fight... but always finish it." I didn't start this fight... but by god I'm going to finish it.

Clint Eastwood proves yet again that he doesn’t know how to make bad films.

As if Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, and Letters From Iwo Jima weren’t good enough, Clint Eastwood delivers us another hard hitting drama. Changeling tells the story of Christine Collins, a single mother in the 1920s whose son is kidnapped. When a child is found and delivered to her by the LAPD, she vehemently denies that the child is her son, and the story goes on a plotline exploring a serial killer and LAPD corruption.

Angelina Jolie leads the outstanding cast as Christine Collins. It is wonderful to see that Angelina is returning to good scripts and good roles. Like sociopathic Lisa in Girl, Interupted, Jolie nails this role dead on. She became the woman whose son was taken from her, radiating intensely every emotion a mother in this kind of distress might feel. It is easily the most powerful role I have seen her in, and I will be appalled – not for the first time – at the Academy if she isn’t put up for Best Actress this year.

Clint Eastwood is famous for his time pieces, and, once again, he has proved that he can do his homework with visual detail. The costumes, props, lighting, and general scenery were all well done and give the viewer an undoubting visual sense of the 1920s. It is by no means the most important aspect of the film, but it helps create something aesthetically astounding.

The film’s most important aspect is, like every great movie, its themes. In this case, the most prevalent theme is the corruption of the Los Angeles Police Department. If gave me chills to know that the LAPD actually had people who were exploiting their failures institutionalized. And this is a true story! It really opened my eyes a bit – perhaps I should trust no one? Another theme this film explores is a mother’s unconditional love for her child – brilliantly portrayed through Jolie’s Christine Collins. The end scene of the film almost had me in tears. But, it still didn’t make me waterlogged like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind did.

This film was brilliant in so many ways, and Clint Eastwood proves yet again that he doesn’t know how to make bad films. I am expecting this to be a contender for many awards this Oscar cycle. It’s been a great year! It is now the first time since 2004 that I will be saying this about a third film in one year – I give it an A!

Zack and Miri Make a Porno

“What? Han Solo aint never had no sex with Princess Leia in the Star War!”

The Lighter Side to Pornographic Productions Humours the Audience

It’s a Kevin Smith film, so it can’t be but so bad, right? However, this film is not set in his infamous View Askewniverse, so I was a little wary of Zach and Miri Make a Porno. All my doubts were cast aside within the first few minutes of the film, when the crass but satisfying humour begins and never ends. Zack and Miri tells the story of two lifelong friends Zack (Seth Rogan) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) who find themselves in financial difficulty and decide to make a porno film in order to pay their bills. The film features Kevin Smith’s regulars Jeff Anderson and Jason Mewes, which gives a certain taste of the New Jersey-based View Askewniverse in the film’s setting just outside of Pittsburgh.

The film showed Kevin Smith’s usual blend of sex jokes, toilet humour, and Star Wars references, but with a lot more sex and a lot more toilet humour, and only a small reference the Star Wars. I definitely wouldn’t classify this film as anything special in the Kevin Smith canon, but it provided me with an antidote for the gloom that came from seeing Changeling just days before. And even though I cannot place this film in the same league as Clerks, Mallrats, or Dogma, it was more than satisfactory, and, since my expectations weren’t particularly high in the first place, the film well exceeded them.

Seth Rogan was very well placed in this film; most of his punch lines were sex-related, which seems to be his token role. I still want to see more out of Seth Rogan because that little bit of idealistic faith in me sees more potential in him than the roles he chooses. I think that Rogan has talent, but he’s just uncomfortable stepping outside of the character he always plays. Hopefully, with a little more experience, and a little more pushing in the right direction, he will become something more.

The acting was well done. The premise was well thought out. The jokes were funny, but probably only the first time around. And, as always, it’s Kevin Smith – enough said. This film is a good upbeat selection for those who just saw a sad movie, and, for that, I give it a B+.