RT, movie critic

On Saturday I saw Indiana Jones #4. It was, for the most part, enjoyable. Some parts terrific, some parts off-putting, some just good. At the very least it was remarkably consistent with the first three with style, plot, character personas...and of course, snakes. Still, it left me a bit uneasy. The phrase "mindless entertainment" kept coming to...um...mind- and that bothered me.

Is "mere entertainment" enough? Simply put, No. There is far too much to do in this world to justify mere entertainment. Why settle, when there is so much else that is every bit as enjoyable, but also infused with enough meaning--or enough open questions--to be inherently worthwhile, and subsequently satisfying.

And yet here I am, writing something (of whatever worth) in response to that of which I am critical. The movie has become a medium. So should that "No" be a conditional no?

Here's the catch: I went to the movie with friends. I saw it in community. We went together, laughed together, talked about it afterwards, together. And that just makes sense. Kingdom living demands such community. Not that I'm never supposed to do anything on "my own"- read a book, or listen to music, or work out- but that it is in the kingdom community that I learn to do such things well, and to pass on the good to others. How else could it be for broken and redeemed servants of a triune king?

So the 'No' isn't conditional (neither is this no). Time with friends can obviously be well spent even if the context isn't itself particularly worthwhile. So then, how much more will that time be well spent if both the company and the context are good!

Movies are stories. And Story is a medium that unites all humanity as a method to learn and to teach, regardless of time, age or place. Indiana Jones is fun, and I'm glad I went, and I'm especially glad of how I went. Spending a saturday afternoon with friends watching a childhood hero saving the world while escaping poison darts, atom bombs, cate blanchett, and REALLY big ants, then talking about it afterwards, is definitely worthwhile.