10 Movies That It's Okay For Guys to Cry About

I've been seeing a lot of these lists lately, so I've decided to jump on the band wagon myself and give a list of my own.

Movies are great for entertainment and escaping the world around us.  However, there are some movies out there that will literally make you cry.  Normally, we would think that it's mainly girls who are guilty of this, and you would be right if we're talking something like "Titanic" or "The Notebook."  (Seriously, if you're a guy who cries over those movies, or watches them at all for that matter, just stop...unless you're dating someone.)  But, there are some movies out there that guys can become pretty emotional about, too.  Now, if you're thinking, "No, that's not me.  I never cry over movies," you're either a liar or soulless.  Guys shouldn't be afraid to show their emotions, should the need arise.

So, here are 10 movies that it's okay for men to cry about (at least, I hope so because if they're not, that means I'm a wuss).  These are in no particular order.  (Spoilers ahead).  (Also, some clips may contain language you don't prefer.)

1.  The Green Mile

I've seen this movie three times now, the last one being a few days ago.  I honestly think I got more emotional the last time than the other two times.  There are several moments in this film that would induce tears.  One would be when the mouse is crushed, but then it's okay because John Coffey heals it.  The most disturbing moment in the film is definitely Eduard Delacroix's sabotaged execution, where the audience is forced to watch as a malicious guard purposefully forgets to wet the sponge for the electric chair and Del basically burns to death inside his hood.  And, if you've somehow gone most of the movie without emotion, you will definitely lose it at the end when the innocent John Coffey is electrocuted for a crime he didn't commit.  (This is sad to me mainly because it brings to mind another innocent man who died, and, coincidentally, has the same initials as John Coffey.)

2.  Good Will Hunting-At first, the title character appears to be just the standard genius wasting his life that we see all the time.  But, thanks to some digging by his therapist, Sean (played excellently by Robin Williams), we discover he also has a dark past of abuse at the hands of foster parents.  Because of this, Will finds it hard to accept love.  The tear-jerking scene comes at the end when Sean repeatedly tells Will that what happened isn't his fault, and Will breaks down sobbing in Sean's arms.

3.  Saving Private Ryan-Not really any need to explain this one too much.  It shows the reality of war better than most of its peers, which any veteran can tell you is definitely reason to lose it.

4.  Stand By Me-Where to begin?  At first, the movie starts out as just an adventure with typical twelve-year-old boys.  But, this movie does have some surprisingly intense moments, some of which may hit a little close to home for some.  One moment is when Chris Chambers is lamenting his inability to rise above his family's bad reputation and his grim outlook for his future. Another is when Gordie Lachance dreams about his brother's funeral and how his father flat-out said that it should have been Gordie.  Gordie eventually breaks down saying, "My dad hates me!" to which Chris answers, "No, he just doesn't know you."  The last heart-breaking moment is when Gordie, as an adult, tells us the future of his friends, including how they eventually parted ways with two of them and how Chris was stabbed as an adult.

 

5.  Dead Poets Society-Yet another fantastic Robin Williams vehicle.  This tells the story of a man who taught young boys to "seize the day."  Unfortunately, not everyone agreed with him, particularly the father of one of the boys, whose controlling ways become so bad, that the boy eventually shoots himself.  Robin Williams' character is blamed and fired from the school.  But the boys show him a final tribute as he's leaving his classroom for the last time (shown below).  And, of course, it's even sadder now that Williams truly has left us.

6.  The Shawshank Redemption-If you know me, you knew this one would be coming eventually.  Tear-jerking moments include when the captain of the guards beats a prisoner to death, when Brooks Hatlen hangs himself, when one of the prisoners is shot for no reason, and you might well up a little when Andy talks about his dream of going to a place it doesn't look like he'll ever get to.  But, this movie also produces some tears of joy when Andy finally escapes his personal hell and makes it to freedom.

7.  God's Not Dead-Many emotional moments, so, to save time, I'll just list them all and move on.  Mom has dementia, Amy has cancer, Radisson's mom died of cancer, Ayisha gets slapped and disowned for her faith, Amy has a breakdown when it hits her that she's going to die, Radisson reads the last letter his mother wrote, demented mother has unexpected moment of spiritual clarity, Radisson gets hit by a car and accepts Christ right before dying, and the Newsboys sing "God's Not Dead."

8.  Courageous- Come on, the guy's sweet little daughter died.  Cry, or everyone will know your heartlessness.  Also, Adam's speech at the end truly inspires awe.  And, let's not forget Nathan's speech at his father's grave.

9.  Toy Story 3-Yes, even the animated films are capable of producing tears.  This one is particularly emotional if you're like me and you grew up on the first two movies.  Seriously, that trash incinerator scene?  It's almost like the director said, "Hey, let's forget about the fact that kids are watching this, and just destroy everyone emotionally."  That moment when the toys are holding hands, waiting for their fiery death is among the most intense I've seen in an animated film.  And, of course, the end where Andy gives up the toys is sad because he not only says goodbye to his toys in this moment, but his childhood, too.

10.  The Passion of the Christ-From His condemnation, to His scourging, to His crucifixion, there is not a dry eye in the house when this movie is showing.  Admittedly, if you're not a Christian, you probably wouldn't get too much out of this, but if you are, you will be destroyed by the graphic realism of what our Lord went through for us.

(Warning:  Don't watch if you have a weak stomach or heart.)

So, there you go fellas.  Now you know when it's okay to show your emotions you pretend you don't have.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go somewhere and cry for a very long while...

How Does "Bruce Almighty" Relate To Spirituality...and Me?

"Bruce Almighty" is both a hilarious and touching movie.  It contains probably the most respectful portrayal of God there is in a secular movie (#MorganFreeman'sAwesomeness).  God is shown as a benevolent Creator, who cares for his creation and also has a sense of humor.  And the lesson Bruce (played hilariously by Jim Carrey) learns through Him is a lesson we could all take to heart.

For those of you who haven't seen the movie, here's the basic plot:  Bruce is a news anchor who's unhappy with his life.  He's unhappy with his home, his dog refuses to be housebroken, he loses a promotion to a backstabbing co-worker, and he finally loses his job after having an on-air meltdown.  He blames God for his troubles, and rails continuously against the Almighty.  God hears Bruce and gives him a challenge.  If Bruce thinks he can do better, God will give him his powers.  There are only two conditions:  He can't tell anyone, and he can't interfere with free will.

We get a number of great spiritual nuggets as we go along, and, unlike the other two movies I've done this with, the spirituality is explicit, not hidden.

It's no surprise that Bruce uses his powers for himself.  He parts traffic, gets revenge on a gang that mugged him earlier, parts his soup in half a la Moses,get his job and promotion, makes his enemies look stupid, and makes his girlfriend...ahem...more appealing.

But all is not well.  Bruce is hearing voices that he learns are prayers.  He decides to save time by just saying "Yes" to everyone, which leads to disaster for all involved.  Here we learn why some of our prayers don't get quite the answer we want.  We truly don't know what's best for us.  Only God really knows that.

Bruce's selfishness causes his girlfriend to leave him.  Here, we get one of the movies most poignant moments.  Bruce asks God, "How do you make someone love you, without affecting free will?"  God just answers, "Welcome to my world, son.  You figure that one out, you let me know."  Wow.

Bruce does learn to start using his powers for good.  He even gives his promotion back to his arrogant co-worker because he knows he's really the best man for the job.

But, there is still disaster.  And Bruce's separation from his girlfriend becomes even harder when he hears her praying for God to allow her to stop loving him, so she can let him go.  Bruce can no longer stand it.  He kneels down in the street, and cries out to God, "I want You to decide what's best for me.  I surrender to your will!"

Bruce gets hit by a truck and finds himself with God.  He tells God what he wants for his girlfriend.  He wants her to find someone who will make her happy and see her the way he saw her then.  God knows Bruce has learned his lesson and sends him back to Earth where he does his best to be a better man.

Again, while this is all good, there are some potential content concerns that should be mentioned.  The movie does contain some foul language, inappropriate humor, and the fact that Bruce living with his girlfriend is never brought up in the Heavenly chit-chat.  Also, while God is clearly shown, Christianity isn't necessarily.  God also mentions how He's talked with Gandhi before, so the Gospel isn't really communicated, other than that we need God in our lives.  Then again,let's be honest. Expecting an explicit Gospel message in a Jim Carrey film is unrealistic.  We're lucky we got what we got.

I'd also like to address how it relates to me.  I, too, have been in the same place Bruce was.  I have been in a spot where I would become angry with God and say similar things to what he said.  ("Oh, God, why do You hate me?"  "The only one not doing His job is You!"  "You suck!")

And this is why the scene near the end of Bruce kneeling in the street is so beautiful to me.  That scene of complete surrender serves as a great reminder that, no matter what, God is the answer, and He is always ready to help us when we call on Him, no matter what we may have done.  That realization alone is what makes this movie worth watching, even more than once.

My Demons

Yes, as much as I hate to admit it, I am not a perfect person.  I deal with my own personal demons just like every other person on Earth.  To be honest, I'm not exactly sure why I'm writing about this.  Maybe it'll just be good to get some stuff off my chest.  Obviously, there are too many demons to list them all here, so I'll just go with a few of the big ones.

Insecurity

Yes, I am a ridiculously insecure person, and I really mean ridiculous.  I'm always worried about what others think of me, which is common, but I take it to different levels.  I'm always afraid of being left out or not having my company enjoyed.  Those are two of my biggest fears.  Like, even if people in a certain group straight up tell me they like having me around, I still second guess them and have my doubts.  Honestly, I sometimes wonder whether I would want me around if I were somebody else.  I think my problem is that I just want everyone to be my friend, and it's frustrating that I can't be with every group at once.  Really, my biggest fear is to be left out of the loop.

Anger

I have had some serious anger issues in my life.  I may seem calm and collected some of the time, but I can have one heck of a temper at times.  Anyone who was in school with me in grades 6-8 would tell you that I could just lash out at the drop of a hat.  I like to think those issues have become slightly better recently, but I still struggle.  Just ask my family.

Hate

If you have ever seen Star Wars, you probably knew that this one would be coming up next.  Yes, I have harbored hatred toward many people that I am still struggling to let go.  Grudges are funny with me.  I can either let things go instantly, or hold on to it for ridiculous amounts of time.  It really just depends.  I fail to often to love other people in the way I'm called to by God.  It's something I wish I could fix.

Depression

Probably one of my biggest issues I've been dealing with lately is depression.  The littlest things seem to set it off, too.  I often feel rejected by my peers which is the most common cause of this.  Sometimes, I seriously wonder if it would matter to people if I wasn't here.  I'm not 100% positive, but I believe I may have bipolar disorder.  I hate being bipolar.  It's awesome.  (Just a joke to break the heaviness.)  It gets to the point where I have to straight plead with people to tell me whether I matter to them.  Even when they say yes, it doesn't always fix the problem.  

Conclusion:  Why am I telling you all this?  I don't know.  Maybe, I just wanted to finally expose you to the me I always try to hide.  And if anyone with similar experiences reads this and relates to it, it's all worth it.

But I don't want to end on such a sad note.  There is hope.  Between my starting and my publishing this post, I had the chance to attend Confession, as well as Adoration.  I was reminded that even if I do feel rejected by everyone else, God won't.  And He will love me in spite of everything I've done and felt.

Exorcising these demons will not be an easy thing to do, but, hopefully, with God's help, I will eventually be able to break free and be the man I was made to be.

First World Problems

So, about a month ago, song parodist "Weird Al" Yankovic released his latest album, "Mandatory Fun," which it certainly was.

One of the songs on the album, "First World Problems," is a jab at how self-absorbed some people are and how angry we get over minor inconveniences.  It's a very funny song, and the video made it funnier.  But, I have to admit, I can't help but feel just a little sorry for the guy in the song.  I don't mean because of the things he says he's going through (okay, maybe I did once or twice.)  What's sad is how the guy in the song is this stinking rich dude, yet the minor things he has to deal with still set him off.

Now, I get that the song isn't serious and meant to be satire, but I still think it serves as a good sign of our times.  Compared to other countries, we have more crap than we know what to do with, yet we're still unhappy in spite of it.  THAT is our first world problem.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.  Only God can give you the happiness you're really looking for.  I look forward to the day when everyone sees that as a whole world blessing!

How Does "The Shawshank Redemption" Teach Spirituality?

This one is in the same vein as the "Avengers" post I did awhile back.

"The Shawshank Redemption" has recently become a new favorite movie of mine.  It's a gripping movie with a great message of finding hope in a hopeless environment.  And that's only the beginning of the veiled spiritual references.  The adventures of the main character, Andy Dufresne, can be seen as a metaphor for the story of Jesus.

Andy is an innocent man accused of a crime he didn't commit, who gets thrown into the worst prison imaginable, much the way Jesus was a blameless man who went to execution.  However, like Christ, Andy refuses to crack under the strain of the setting he's in.  Also, like Christ, Andy is a man who wouldn't be readily accepted because of his background.  Andy was a banker, and any person in debt wouldn't want to be friends with a banker.  Jesus came from Nazareth, and people at the time believed that nothing good come from Nazareth.  The man who becomes Andy's best friend, a man named Ellis "Red" Redding, once commented, "I could see why some of the men took him for snobby.  He had a quiet way about him.  He had a walk and a talk that just wasn't normal around here."  So, almost immediately, you can see that Andy has chosen to be in the prison, but not of it.

He receives some harsh treatment from both the men who run the prison and the gang of perverts that inhabit the place.  But, as I said, he refuses to crack.  Andy is a smart man who decides to put his skills to work any way he can.

He first does this as he and his fellow prisoners are working to tar a roof.  Andy overhears the cruel captain of the guards complaining about how he just inherited a large sum of money but he will most likely be taxed out of most of it.  Andy risks life and limb to walk over to the man and give him financial advice.  Not only does he end up accepting Andy's help, he also agrees to supply each of Andy's friends with beer to drink to motivate them more on the job.  (Wasn't Jesus' first miracle supplying his friends with drinks?)

Andy's skills do not go unnoticed.  Soon, he's working in the library where his persistence earns the library both funds and books.  He also ends up doing taxes for all the guards from both Shawshank and other prisons, as well.

Unfortunately, what is used for good can also be used for evil.  The corrupt warden uses Andy's skills for some shady purposes.  He has Andy doing money laundering using fake identities for bank accounts.  Jesus' naysayers also tried to use his goodness against him.

One scene I would like to address was a very beautiful scene in which Andy locks himself in the warden's office and starts playing a portion of an opera over the loudspeaker.  Nobody knows what it's about, of course, but the men are captivated by the sheer beauty of the sound.  And just for a moment the other men have hope and a feeling of freedom.

Andy is punished, of course.  After he gets out, he comments that music is a good way to keep hope, to which the cynical Red responds, "Hope is a dangerous thing.  Hope drives a man insane.  It has no place on the inside."

On that note, I would like to mention a character named Brooks Hatlen.  He was an old man who had been in Shawshank most of his life.  He had been there so long that he had become used to the prison.  He depended on it.  When he was finally released, he didn't know what to do with himself because nothing made sense to him.  He eventually hanged himself.  In a way, Brooks serves as sort of a tragic reminder of what happens when we become too deep in sin.  We become comfortable within the bounds of the life we're living, and the thought of leaving it behind can be terrifying.  But, it's necessary.

I would like to focus on the character of Red.  He's "a man who knows how to get things," which is how Andy first comes in contact with him.  The two men form a bond over a course of time.  And Andy works hard to inspire the same spirit of hope in Red that keeps him going.  "Get busy living, or get busy dying," Andy says.  At first, Red worries that this might be a suicide threat from Andy, until the next day when it's discovered that Andy has escaped (in a scene that very clearly brings to mind a picture of a certain empty tomb), and that isn't all he's done.  He's gone to all the banks with the dirty money and removed it all (Andy giveth, Andy taketh away) and exposed the corruption at the prison.  Red misses Andy, but knows that it's the way things should be.

One theme running through the movie that is sometimes used as a joke is how all the men see themselves as innocent victims of circumstance.  Red is the only man willing to admit he's a guilty man, and as a result he's the only one who is "saved", if you will.  Before Andy left, he gave Red instructions on where to find a certain hidden box and he also comments on his dream to go start a business in Zihuatanejo, Mexico.  Red is eventually released on parole, and at first he seems to be walking the same path as Brooks.  The only thing that keeps him from ending it all is his promise to Andy.  He eventually finds the box with a note, telling him that "Hope is a good thing.  Maybe the best of things.  And no good thing ever dies."  Andy says he'll be waiting for Red over on the other side of the border "with the chess board waiting" because he'll need a partner with Red's skills.  This is very much like Christ's promise to be waiting for us on "the other side" with a better home for us.  The ending scene where the two men are finally reunited is thoroughly satisfying.

I should note, however, that while all this is well and good, I wouldn't recommend the movie for general audiences.  It contains much foul language (over a hundred profanities, approximately sixty of which are f-bombs), violence (brutal beatings and some implied homosexual rape), and the beginning of the movie contains a relatively explicit flashback of an affair Andy's wife was having with another man.  (This affair is said by one of the characters to be a sin, which it is, but still...)  Also, some Christians may be offended that the corrupt warden in the movie is portrayed as a religious hypocrite who uses the Bible for his own ill purposes.  But let's not forget that Christ's main opposers on Earth were also the hypocritical religious leaders of the day.   If I had to put an age range on this movie, I would say older teens and up.

I think I'll conclude this little article by giving some hopes similar to Red's words at the end of the movie.

I hope I can make it to Heaven.  I hope to see my friend and Savior and be embraced by Him.  I hope the Other Side is as wonderful as I've always imagined it.  I hope.

Give Phil Back

Hey, A&E, grow a pair!

For those of you who haven't heard yet, Phil Robertson, the patriarch of the Robertson family (Duck Dynasty) has been fired.  Why, you ask?  Because he was in an interview, where he was asked what he considers sin.  He listed a few things that are considered sin according to the Bible.  Among them was homosexuality.

Being Phil, of course he made a few off-color remarks on the subject.  But that wasn't the issue.  The issue was that Phil had the audacity to say homosexuality is a sin.  Of course, a few butthurt people later, and A&E has fired Phil.  (That's just crappy, crappy, crappy.)

I, for one, find this situation outrageous.  Phil didn't even say anything discriminatory in his comments.  He simply told what the Bible considers to be sin, and everything he said is in there.  Look it up. 

So, basically, people are offended by Phil telling the truth.  Now, I agree that it isn't good to maliciously offend other people.  If you get offended by the truth, that's your issue.  The truth is supposed to offend you because that's how you know you don't have it!

The fact is that a select group of people in this country have become the self-appointed thought police.  They have a specific agenda and won't TOLERATE anything else.  Then they have the nerve to turn around and accuse us (the religion whose sole objective is to show love to everyone) of the same thing. 

What if someday, I wanted to just go out and beat people I dislike?  I mean, that's just natural instinct, right?  Why would you deprive me of my right to express myself that way?  You bunch of intolerant hate-mongers, you.

That may be an extreme example, but you know what I mean.

If you're with me on this, and you want Phil to be reinstated go to http://www.istandwithphil.com and sign the petition to bring him back.

While we're on the subject, what's the rest of the family doing?  (I can hear Si now.  "Hey, looky here, back in Nam, I fought people who wanted to take the same rights you want to take.  Hey, you mess with my brother, you mess with me, Jack!") 

If Phil's gone, everyone's gone.  And to tell you the truth, I don't think they care.  A&E will lose all their viewers and Phil can have more time to hunt, undisturbed, having a happy, happy, happy time!

Crap Teachers Do

Hey guys.  I'm back, and for fun, I thought I would do a non-political or religious post.  This is basically just things teachers do in high school that annoy me.

-I hate that they won't let you use your phone in class.  What if we actually need it?  We may need to call or text our parents in school but we can't because if we get caught with our phones out, they'll get taken away.  But, of course, if the teachers need to call or text someone, they'll just do it no matter what.  And then they expect us all to be okay with this.

-Why don't they let us eat food in class?  Some people don't get a chance to eat in the mornings, so they bring a granola bar, or pop tart or something to class.  The teachers then flip crap about how we we'll make this huge mess and it's not the janitor's job to clean up the messes (which it is).  But again, they just turn out to be hypocrites as they pull out their entire lunch and start eating it in class because the teachers are just so much more careful than us, right?  HYPOCRITE!

-I hate that sometimes they assign homework or projects over breaks.  Look, weekends are bad enough.  But on breaks some of us actually like to have fun and spend time with our families.  We actually do have lives believe it or not.  So if this is the kind of crap you're gonna pull, don't get mad when I don't turn in your oh-so-important project right on the dot.

-I hate the double standard regarding the bell.  If you show up late for class, they refuse to hear any excuses.  They just mark you tardy because the bell rang and they say they don't make the rules.  But then at the end of class, if the bell rings and they're still talking they say, "The bell doesn't dismiss you, I do!"  And then of course, you're late for your next class, and the cycle just keeps going.

-It makes me mad when they give tests on Mondays.  Reality check:  Nobody studies on weekends!

-Going back to the project issue, I don't like when they assign group projects outside of school.  Again, we do have lives.  And finding a time when we're all able to work at the same time is next to impossible.

-How about when they won't let you go to the bathroom?  "Is it an emergency?"  they ask.  If by emergency you mean will disaster ensue if I don't go, then maybe, yes. I just want to ask them "Is what you're teaching an emergency?  Will I die if I don't hear this?"  All I'm saying is, if you don't want a puddle on the floor, LET ME GO!

Those are just a few things I hate about teachers.  What do you hate?