Everyone thought Rudy would be the presidential candidate for the Republican Party in 2008. I predicted his demise here, but I didn’t expect him to be a complete FAILURE.

Note to future candidates: Don’t put all your eggs in Florida!

I was just finishing my last post when I received a text message:

“President Hinckley just passed away.”

About an hour and a half ago, 7:00pm MST, President Hinckley died of “causes incident to age” in his home in Salt Lake City. He was ninety-seven.

Gordon Bitner Hinckley (June 23, 1910 – January 27, 2008) was the fifteenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from March 12, 1995 until his death. He was the oldest person to preside over the LDS Church in its history. As president of the LDS Church, he was considered by its members to be a prophet, seer, and revelator. His presidency was noted for the building of new temples and the creation of the Perpetual Education Fund. Hinckley holds the record for dedicating the most LDS Church temples and has dedicated more than half of the current LDS Church temples. (source: Wikipedia.com)

Rating: A

I may be a succor for allegoric film, but so is the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences who chose the film for best picture this year, along with No Country for Old Men. Really good allegories make you scratch your head, and often interpret your own translation. I have this knack for discovering symbols, but no skill in interpreting them. Here are some that I noticed.

At nearly every moment in the film where you should have been cringing with disgust, you found yourself in hysterics. This thematic fusion of opposites is abundant within There Will Be Blood.

Take for example the two lead characters. Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) is the prime industrialist. Paul / Eli Sunday (Paul Dano) is the model charismatic preacher. The film acts as a mirror which reflects these opposites, and by so doing compares them.

Another example is the two contrasting musical choices. First were dark and eerie compositions by Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood (which reminded me of minimalist Philip Glass). Second was one of my top ten classical pieces, Violin Concerto in D Major by Johannes Brahms. Not only were the musical selections well qualified, but perfectly positioned as to amplify this theme of opposites. For example, Brahms’ concerto is amazingly uplifting, yet the two times it is played is after the two darkest moments of the film. The opening scene of the movie opens with Greenwood’s screeching violins during a still shot of the desert. It sets the stage for the dualism to come.

I wouldn’t agree with the theory that this is an anti-religion / anti-industrialism message-movie. I hate movies like that, and just because the two characters are very bad, doesn’t suggest their choice of profession is the reason for their corruption. In fact, many movies of this type stay far away from a clear cut message. They show, they don’t preach.

There are two unforgettable scenes, which could have been successful independent mini-movies - and which also illustrate this thematic dichotomy which is carried throughout. First is the baptism of Plainview. Second is the last scene of the movie. Not only are they hilarious, but insanely disturbing. The shear entertainment value is beyond compare, but intellectually stimulating as well. I won’t spoil too much, but notice how they are inverses of each other. Then ask yourself why.

Who will get the Oscar?

Dang good question. I’ve seen 4 out of the 5 nominees, but I believe the race will be between There Will Be Blood and No Country for Old Men. I’m always biased toward the film I just saw, so I currently lean toward Blood. Interestingly enough, they are both based off novels: There Will Be Blood - Upton Sinclair’s Oil!  And No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men.  Also, they are both apolitical and amoral. That’s a stark contrast between the 78^th Annual where it was between Crash (racism message-movie) and Brokeback Mountain (homosexual message-movie).

You can see a film any time, but they’re the most ripe when “in season” …

The few months before the Academy Awards.

The actual awards show is way too long, even with Jon Stewart as the host. But the honor associated with the award is just the right amount of motivation to make producers and directors achieve their best. It is we the viewers who benefit most from this prestigious war.

The nominees for best picture are:

Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

I have a couple more to see before I make my final decision. Of those I’ve seen, No Country for Old Men is my best guess.

I may be out on a limb here, but don’t you guys think that while there is a possibility of an actual place with a plaque labeled “Hell”, it’s actually a place you resign yourself to? I know I’ve felt “hellfire” through some really stupid mistakes. It may be God’s final decision as to where you will eternally reside, but I believe you will agree with that decision.

Your conscience and God’s judgment have got to be close to the same thing.

(of course there is always the butcher cannibal (clearly wrong) who might have a clear conscience about his actions…but let’s pretend such anomalies are rare).

I know if God or Satan put me in that place called Hell right now, today, I’d still go on being who I am and not feeling the weight of eternal damnation on my shoulders.

I served on a 2 year mission for the LDS church. I taught–literally–thousands of Brazilians. The most profound statement of faith I’ve ever heard came from a very poor and humble Brazilian man. I said to him, “Do you believe in God?”

“Of course I believe in God. He’s given me everything I’ve ever asked from him.”

I’d like to second that conviction. I believe that if you sincerely ask God if he exists, he will make himself known to you. Once that is settled, you can have the incredible comfort of having a personal relationship with the creator of the Universe.

The God I know is — for lack of better words — cool. He’s my dad, and he’s very interested in me, especially in those moments when I’ve checked myself into hell. It’s like that tic-tac commercial:

Can you live without God? Of course, but I wouldn’t recommend it.