Directed by: Michael Cimino
Written by: Oliver Stone, Michael Cimino
Studio: MGM
Starring: Mickey Rourke, John Lone, Ariane, Leonard Termo
Rated: R
About the film:
When a young man named Joey Tai uses violence to become head of the Chinese Mafia in New York, Stanley White, a Vietnam veteran turned police officer, is assigned to Chinatown and charged with keeping the peace. His racial bigotry and brutal manner make peace an unlikely prospect.
Movie Quote:
“Well, a great man is one who in manhood still keeps the heart of a child.”
Stanley White (Mickey Rourke) in Year of the Dragon (1985)
Bible Quote:
“Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 18:4 (NIV)
Commentary:
Nobody would accuse the bigoted Stanley White of having a childlike heart but that doesn’t mean that the comment he makes in Year of the Dragon is void of substance or meaning.
There are few things in this world as powerful or pure as the believing of a child. And yet, the “whole heart believing” which comes so naturally to a child can be a rare commodity in an adult.
To be as humble as a child is to recognize that there is a higher power to whom we are to lovingly submit. To do so requires a degree of meekness which we, as adults, are unaccustomed to practice. It would do us well to try. As we are meek to do God’s bidding, He grants us the strength and ability to succeed.
“Whole heart believing” is the one requirement needed for salvation and deliverance. To trust, as a child does, that our Father is there to love and protect us; that He wants us to have everything good He can provide. When we believe this to be true - beyond any doubt - we have everything that we need.
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24 (NIV)
Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. What is it about the maturing process that robs us of our childlike believing? How might we retain it as adults?
2. White’s racial bigotry affects how he performs his job. What is the root of that bigotry and how can White overcome it? How are we to view and interact with different races and cultures?
Michael Elliott
www.screensermon.blogspot.com
Showing posts with label children. Show all posts
Showing posts with label children. Show all posts
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Friday, October 23, 2009
THE GODFATHER, PART III (1990)
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Written by: Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Starring: Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Andy Garcia
Rated: R
About the film:
In the continuing story of the Corleone family, an aging Michael seeks to end his family’s association with crime but is hampered by the greed and ambition of the other Mafia families who are not so willing to legitimize their businesses.
Movie Quote:
“The only wealth in this world is children. More than all the money, power on the earth.”
Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) in The Godfather, Part III (1990)
Bible Quote:
“Sons are a heritage from the Lord; children a reward from Him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.”
Psalms 127:3-5a (NIV)
Commentary:
Perhaps it may sound odd to hear such a loving sentiment delivered by a man whose life has been filled with violence and crime, but the sentiment is nonetheless true.
The very first command given to man by God was to “be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” That should give an indication as to the importance God places upon children. They are a heritage or an inheritance which continues to increase as each generation adds their offspring to the family of God.
It is no surprise to discover how God feels about children and the relationship between a parent and a child. It is this father/child relationship that God has chosen to have with us. There were other options He could have selected. Instead of master/slave, owner/pet, or boss/employee, God wanted us to be his children and for us to love and respect Him as a father.
In an age where gaining material wealth is often seen as the ultimate symbol of success, we owe it to ourselves and to our children to remember what true treasure is. Raising children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord carries its own reward… one that cannot be assigned a price tag.
Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. Though he states a wonderful sentiment, did Michael Corleone take action that reflected his love for his wife and children? What could he have done differently?
2. What, from our observations of life, are good or bad examples of how man prioritizes the importance and value of our children?
Michael Elliott
http://screensermon.blogspotcom
Written by: Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Starring: Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Andy Garcia
Rated: R
About the film:
In the continuing story of the Corleone family, an aging Michael seeks to end his family’s association with crime but is hampered by the greed and ambition of the other Mafia families who are not so willing to legitimize their businesses.
Movie Quote:
“The only wealth in this world is children. More than all the money, power on the earth.”
Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) in The Godfather, Part III (1990)
Bible Quote:
“Sons are a heritage from the Lord; children a reward from Him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.”
Psalms 127:3-5a (NIV)
Commentary:
Perhaps it may sound odd to hear such a loving sentiment delivered by a man whose life has been filled with violence and crime, but the sentiment is nonetheless true.
The very first command given to man by God was to “be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” That should give an indication as to the importance God places upon children. They are a heritage or an inheritance which continues to increase as each generation adds their offspring to the family of God.
It is no surprise to discover how God feels about children and the relationship between a parent and a child. It is this father/child relationship that God has chosen to have with us. There were other options He could have selected. Instead of master/slave, owner/pet, or boss/employee, God wanted us to be his children and for us to love and respect Him as a father.
In an age where gaining material wealth is often seen as the ultimate symbol of success, we owe it to ourselves and to our children to remember what true treasure is. Raising children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord carries its own reward… one that cannot be assigned a price tag.
Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. Though he states a wonderful sentiment, did Michael Corleone take action that reflected his love for his wife and children? What could he have done differently?
2. What, from our observations of life, are good or bad examples of how man prioritizes the importance and value of our children?
Michael Elliott
http://screensermon.blogspotcom
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