While in Honduras I got in a spirited debate with one of my teammates about Pixar movies. I said that WALL-E is my favorite Pixar movie; my teammate could not believe me. She thought that WALL-E was the worst Pixar movie and couldn’t understand how anyone could like it. I love WALL-E and how it examines love and the human condition through a tiny little robot.
WALL-E shows us a little bit about what it means to be human and desire love and relationships. Since the movie addresses these topics through a small, quirky robot, the audience is more willing to hear the message. We were all created to be in relationship with others, a reality that far too many of us are willing to deny. When our defenses are knocked down by a funny little robot, though, we may not as readily deny our need for relationships.
A lot of movies provide a great way of examining ourselves and our values. Obviously, something like The Hangover 2 doesn’t say a lot about the human condition or add much value to our lives. But we can definitely learn about bravery and courage from a movie like Braveheart. We could also learn about loss and longing from a movie like Finding Nemo. God’s story is written on our hearts and souls which is why so many of our narratives reflect that story.
As followers of Jesus we should be open to studying our culture, to see how God’s story is being told in movie theatres and book stores. We should be selective of what we choose to consume and thoughtful about that which we do. God’s story is being told all throughout our culture and we have a tremendous opportunity to show and share that with those around us, whether we see it in a robot or a Scottish rebel.
What movie do you think communicates God’s story?
I love wall-e he reminds me of Johnny five.
Firefly/Serenity is about a young man who gives up wealth and power to heal a broken spirited girl.