Reel Conversations 07-08

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JUDSON UNIVERS UNIVERSITY Film Discussion Series

FALL September 19 | Children of Men

SPRING

October 10 | Miss Potter November 12 | Blood Diamond

January 23 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

December 5 | Amazing Grace February 20 | Evan Almighty Films begin at 7pm in the Marjorie Hall Thulin Fine Arts Performance Hall in the Fine Arts Building at Judson University.

April 2 | IMAGO Film Festival April 23 | Sicko

Reel Conversations: Conversations about Culture, Faith & Contemporary Film The premise of Reel Conversations is simple: film should be taken seriously. The Reel Conversations film series helps us engage contemporary films from a Christian perspective in terms of what they are saying and how they are saying it. Reel Conversations probes questions such as: • What difference do faith and Christian commitment make in how we view contemporary film? • What can we learn from them about human nature and culture, about diverse life experiences and societal problems? • What are filmmakers communicating to us and reflecting in their work? • What can film “do” to us in shaping our ideas, impacting our emotions, and influencing our behavior? • What is the difference between the accurate representation of reality, and exploitation or titillation? • Do films change culture or simply reflect it? With a member of the Judson community facilitating our conversation, we will seek to critically engage the films we view.

Children of Men

AMAZING GRACE

IMAGO FILM FESTIVAL

September 19 | 7PM Discussion leader: Prof. Terry Wandtke The year is 2027, and women can no longer give birth. The youngest inhabitant of the planet has just died at the age of 18, and all hope for humanity has been lost. As civilization descends into chaos, a dying world finds one last chance for survival in the form of a woman who has become inexplicably pregnant. Now, as warring nationalistic sects clash and British leaders try to maintain their totalitarian stronghold on the country, a disillusioned bureaucrat (Clive Owen) is brought back into the fold of activism by his guerrilla ex-wife (Julianne Moore). Reluctantly, he takes on the daunting task of escorting the young woman who represents humankind’s last hope for survival out of harm’s way. (Rated R for strong language, some sexual content and some violence. Strong caution advised.)

December 5| 7PM Discussion leader: President Jerry Cain “Every y song has its story. Every ggen generation neration ation hass its hero.” he The inspiring spiring piring story of how one man’ man’s an’s n’s passion n and perseverance ance changed the world. Based ed on thee true life story of William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd), a leader of the British abolition movement, move the film m cchronic chronicles his epic icc struggle to pass a law to end the t slave trade tra t in the late 18th century. Along the way, waay, y, Wilberforce Wilberfo meets intense opposition from members of Parliament who feel the slave trade is tied to the stability of the British Empire. Several friends, including Wilberforce’s minister, John Newton (Albert Finney), a reformed slave ship captain who penned the beloved hymn Amazing Grace, urge him to see the cause through. (Rated PG for mild thematic elements and brief language.)

APRIL 2 | 7PM Discussion leader: Special Guest Judson udson University University’ss week week-long long Imago Film Festival estival is designed to showcase films l of spiritual significance. Open to the campus and public at large, the festival will feature lectures ectures on faith and film, workshops about abou filmmaking, and screenings of original films. lms Several prizes will be awarded to the makers of exemplary festival submissions (including a $1000 grand prize). For more on festival events as they become available and for submission guidelines, visit our website at imagofilmfestival.com.

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Miss Potter

DEC 5 t h

HARRY POTTER / ORDER OF THE PHOENIX

October 10 | 7PM Discussion ussion leaders: Profs. Lynn Hamm Hammerlund and Stevee Layne The true story of Beatrix Zellweger), the eatrix Potter (René (Renée Zellweger Zellweger) woman who beloved h created d some off the h most b l d characters children’ss literature, brought to the screen in a rs in children drama romance. maa leavened with elements of comedy and rom roma Misss Potter is an imaginative but gently eccentric w woman living in the socially and intellectually confining circumstances of Victorian England. Potter’s wealthy parents are eager for her to marry a successful man and settle down, but she has ideas of her own. A strong personal bond grows between Potter and her publisher (Ewan McGregor) but Beatrix’s parents and fate have other plans. (Rated PG for brief mild language.)

January 23 | 7PM Discussion leader: Prof. Pat Hargis Rumorr has it that the dreaded Lord Voldem Voldemart mart has rema turned to Hogwarts, but the Minister for Ma Magic isn’t so agic isn sure what to make of all the hearsay currently floating curren floa oa around the campus. Suspecting that the Headmaster may bee fueling the rumors rum mors in order to undermine underm mine his hi aua thority aand lay claim to Fudge entrusts o his jo job, Cornelius Fudg dge ent entru the newly wly arrived Defense Against the Dark Arts w Ar profesprof sor with the task of tracking Dumbledore and keeping a protective watch over the nervous student body. However, the young wizards of Hogwarts will need something much more effective than Umbridge’s Ministry-approved course in defensive magic if they are to truly succeed in the extraordinary battle that lies ahead. (Rated PG-13 for sequences of fantasy violence and frightening images.)

Blood Diamond

EVAN ALMIGHTY

November 12 | 7PM Discussion leader: Ms. Wendy Bernhard, Missionary in Residence Ripped from his family farm and forced to toil away in the sweltering South African diamond fields, elds Solo Solomon Vandy dy (Djimon Hounsou) discovered an extraordinary eextraord rough gh stone of immeasurable value. Danny A Ar Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a hired gun who specializes in the sale of so-called “blood diamonds” that tha are used to finance nce rebellions and terrorist organizations. organization The pair enlist the aid of disillusioned American journaljou ist Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly) in recovering the treasure that has the power to save Vandy’s family and provide the desperate Archer with a much-needed chance for redemption. (Rated R for strong graphic violence, some sexual content, nudity and language.)

February 20 | 7PM Discussion leader: Prof. Marsha Vaughn “A comedy of biblical proportions.” Polished, preening newscaster Evan Baxter (Steve Carell) is the next one anointed nted by God to accomplish a holyy mission miss in this sequel el to Bruce Almighty. Newly elected ed to Cong Congress, Evan leaves Buffalo behind and shepherds d his hi family fa to suburban northern Virginia. Once there, his life gets turned Freeman) apd upside-down when God (Morgan Freem pears and mysteriously commands him to build an a ark. But hiss befuddled family just can’t decide whether EEvan is having an extraordinary mid-life crisis or is truly onto something of biblical proportions. What follows is an unusual adventure for a man who just wanted to serve his country but who may actually be serving humanity. (Rated PG for mild rude humor and some peril.)

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SICKO April 23 | 7PM Discussion leaders: Profs. Brenda Braaten and Tim Johnson “This might hurt a little.” After exploring the plight of American erican can workers in Roger an and M Me and the predomipredom nance for ce of violence in American America culture c ture in Bowling Bo Columbine, umbine, Michael Moore turnss his attention toward towa the topic of health care in the United States in this documentary umentary that weighs the t plight pliight ght of the uninsured uninsure uninsu (and the insured) against the record-breaking of reco ord-breaking profitts o the pharmaceutical and insurance insuran nce industry. industry After Aft conAf con sidering how the system got into such a mess, we are whisked around the world, visiting countries including Canada, Great Britain and France, where all citizens receive free medical benefits. Sticking to his tried-andtrue one-man approach, Moore sheds light on the complicated medical affairs of individuals and local communities. (Rated PG-13 for brief strong language.)

APR 2 3 r d

1 chapel credit for attending film and conversation

FEB. 20th

For more information on Reel Conversations, contact Professor Michael McKeever at 847-628-1054 or [email protected].