The Da Vinci Code

i rarely do anything on a friday night, but last night we went out on a date to the Afghan Horsemen Restaurant on Broadway & Cambie, to celebrate our 1 year, then he suggested we see The Da Vinci Code. i didn’t expect that my art history courses would be so useful, or would lend me such an appreciation. most of what i’ve learned about religion i learned in those courses. the introduction with Robert Langdon’s lecture was quite enlightening.

as a non-believer i found the film unoffensive. i found it intriguing from a humanities, historical, and cultural point of view. it was a beautifully well-done film, well scripted and intelligent. i definitely want to see it again.

another blogger posted forwarded, anonymous emails he received along with his commentary on them. the newest one is very heated and, i think, ignorant. the blogger, Ronald Allan, has very realistic, intelligent, and moderate views on the posted email.

i see it as quite possible that these events occurred. consider the power of the patriarchy. the papacy. the church. the rulers of religion have been male, so why would they want their power disrupted by the presence of a powerful female? as a non-christian, a non-anything, what i don’t get is why it’s such a horrible thought that Jesus (who i do believe existed) might have married and had a child. love itself is divine, having a child is divine. there is no love like the love for a mate and the love for one’s child. i find it fascinating that there could be any descendents of Jesus alive today. were he a mere mortal (which i guess is how i look at it), he still did amazing things for his people. isn’t that what counts?

“For as long as there has been a God, there has been killing in his name.” (hopefully i got that completely right.) isn’t that the great tragedy of our time? i used to have a more negative view on religion but i’d like to view it as something that saves people, that enriches their lives, that makes them believe in something when they need to, that makes them feel like they’re not alone when they can’t see a single being around them. it shouldn’t be something that kills people.

i believe in science, in evolution, in the facts, evidence, and theories. this film and book is essentially a theory, but i believe, given even human nature, that it is a very valid one. it is certainly something to think about.

you know you’re in vancouver when…

1. when you see the light turn green, yellow, red 5 times (or more) before you get through that intersection

2. when the only reason the traffic is backed up several kilometers is because there’s a hill with a slight curve and everyone brakes

3. when it’s raining so hard that you have to either a) tailgate the person in front of you and hope they’re driving between the lines, or b) leave 6 car lengths ahead of you, for you to make it across the bridge

4. when you’re about to leave the country and you can still see tiny white lights beaming from a mountain far far away

5. when you’re walking down a major street and running low on either caffeine or sushi and relief is near in sight

6. when you’re walking down a major street and having a hard time deciding which sushi place out of 1,052 to visit

7. when you turn around and you can see an undulating sea of people leaving an incredible night of fireworks on the beach

8. ??? tell me yours.

everything is illuminated

independent films never get enough credit. the box office and hollywood and the media are so obsessed with stupid, disgusting american teenager/adult comedy, meaningless teen movies, meaningless repetitive action flicks and unintelligent dramas that they make room for few gems. lucky number s7evin was brilliant and i expect the da vinci code to be as well. but what about the little movies you rarely hear about? i waited for this one to come to theatres, then completely missed it somehow (if it even, in fact, played at all), and then waited for it to come out on DVD. everything is illuminated was more than just a film, it was an experience. (based on the book, by the way.) it was funny, romantic, endearing, tragic, witty, bizarre, and beautiful. elijah wood plays jonathan, a collector. i finally realised my attachment to things when i finally leave them (moving out, etc.): alex, as jonathan bags a cricket: “why do you do this?” jonathan: “sometimes i’m afraid i’ll forget.”

after you’ve watched the trailer (linked above), if you like the song at the end, find it. it’s called How It Ends and is by DeVotchKa.