How Movies Helped Save My Soul
Gareth Higgins
As far back as I can remember, movies were always a big part of my life. I love watching movies. That's just the way God wired me. I especially like movies that stretch the mind and stir the soul. So reading a book like How Movies Helped Save My Soul was right up my alley. At some parts in the book, I felt like this guy Gareth Higgins could have been a long lost twin brother of mine. Reading this was like taking a trip down memory lane, remembering alot of the movies I watched in the past, as well as being introduced to newer movies as well. But as I remembered those films, this book provided insight into them that I didn't realize at the time I watched them. Reading this feels more like you could be having a beer (or wine if that's what you prefer) with him and chatting about movies. Gareth writes in a conversational style, not in a way like, "Here's the 10 steps on how to watch movies through the lens of Christian spirituality." If that was the case I would have thrown the book out after the first page. He says at the end of the book, "I did not write this book to give you easy answers but to provoke you in a new way of appreciating film." And that's exactly it. He's not feeding answers to the reader. But he tries to provoke you to maybe see films in a different light. And maybe you'll start to ask why certain films stir something up inside you, whether it be an emotional experience or something else. Maybe Someone could be speaking to our hearts and souls through these films. The chapters in the book cover movies with themes of Anti-Heroes, Brokenness, Conspiracy, Death, Community, Fear, God, Justice, Love, Quest, Outsiders, Power, War, and a chapter reserved for a movie with obvious spiritual themes, The Matrix. If you're a movie lover like myself, this is a great read. Even if you're not, you might find yourself eager to check out some movies you may have ignored, and be surprised at what you may uncover while watching.
1 comment:
sounds interesting. I already sort of do this withmovies anyhow. But it is neat to hear someone wrote a book on it. I have a really god friend who is awesome at seein spirituality in stuff. It is really awesome to see through the lens of your faith the things that the "christian" culture would demonize. Like harry Potter. I see so many redemptive qualities in that film.
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