I am very curious about this new movie The Rite. Both secular critic media and the Catholic bloggers are abuzz about it. Stills and trailers flaunt an enigmatic Sir Anthony Hopkins in Roman collar and flowing cassock, promising dark and high drama.
And here is an absolute must-read about The Rite, and other films of its kind (and if you are Catholic, you would laugh out loud at the author's honest description of our "nutty" Mother Church). Strangely these are about the only Hollywood movies involving the Roman Church without a sneering contempt. I wonder if that has to do with the verity of the happenings on which most of these movies claim to be based.
Skeptics are easily outraged and offended by so many claims by the Catholic Church. Yet ironically, it's on "outlandish" claims such as demonic possession that the skeptics are mostly likely remain silent. They ask for "proof," but where "proof" is available, they ignore it, without a word. Hollywood, whatever its motives (box office staking on audience's curiosity, appetite for horror stories, or genuine intellectual tolerance...), takes up the slack now and then. Perhaps film makers by instinct suspect that a two-thousand year old Church may know more about the human race's "coming-of-age-story" than what it has been given credit for, perhaps there's more to the tales of darkness than superstition.
With that said, I'm not going to see The Rite.
The truth is that I'm a wimp. I am absolutely scare to death of movies about Exorcism. I have seen The Exorcism of Emily Rose, and it took me about six months or longer to leave its impact behind. I'd wake up at precisely 2:58A.M., night after night. Eventually I had to turn off the clock radio. St. Therese, after confronting demons in her dreams, advises there's nothing to be feared of the Devil, who couldn't stand even a child's staring. I've also heard some good and plain-spoken priests describe the Devil as nothing more than a bully and should be taken with contempt.
Well, no matter, I'm not going to see another exorcism movie. I don't want to wake up at 2:58A.M. night after night, frozen in fear, again.
Maybe I should just ask for St. Therese's intercession?
Poor thing! I'm a wimp, too, and I avoid movies like that...religiously! Saw The Exorcist when I was just a baby of 13 - much too young - and it took me years to stop being afraid.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile - pray to your angel the second you wake up in the night, and he will take care of you! I promise!! And St. Therese will help, too. :)
I'm going to see it. I'll be sure to tell you all about it.
ReplyDeleteProof that it's always good to keep a couple of cradle Catholics around, they dish out little good tidbits to help you along the scary road called life. Yes, my angel, why haven't I thought of that? Such obvious way out. Same is true whenever I whine & moan about a little pain or discomfort, I have to be told to "Offer it up!" by my cradle-Catholic husband. I just never would remember it on my own. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteNT: yeah go see the movie for me. Just remember it's not the same as Harry Potter.
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