well, it's been a while since the last post. Sorry about that gang. I've been on the full-time job hunt, which is a full-time job, in its own rite.

Last evening I saw a documentary, however, that was worth writing about in this medium. the film, called Jesus Camp, just opened this weekend in New York, after running the film festival circuit since late last winter. The subject is on a camp for Evangelic Christian children in devil's Lake, North Dakota. Magnolia Pictures produced the film, which A&E Indi seems to have helped out with, I believe in the distribution. I haven't seen where else the movie is slated to be released--documentaries seldom ending up on too many big screens. But, the Angelic Film Center's screening was full by the time LK and I got into the theatre, with several minutes to spare. The reason why I am curious as to where it will be shown is because I've heard it's raised quite a contraversy already--something that a producer should find great peace with, knowing that there will be a lot of hype behind it.

The movie does a remarkible job of staying bias, not taking a hard lined slant either critical or passive on one of the largest growing religious groups in the world, running neck to neck with Islam. This fundamental Christian population, I believe, saw the opportunity that the documentary could have in witnessing to its beliefs and practices, which is the only way I can imagine the director being able to secure the rights to film the children in so many private settings. Faith and spirituality--which I have worked closely with for the past seven years--is a deeply personal subject for a lot of people. And the documentary shows children at the height of their faith experience, teers streaming down their cheeks, the look of fear and confusion in some of the children's eyes as they're exposed to the unfettered Spirit that rises in the midst of an Evangelic revival.

The looks in the children's eyes, as well as some of the wisdom they abide in their explination of their own faith, is probably one of the greatest hallmarks of the film. The movie isn't simply a testament to the right winged fundamental movement in our country. but it is a facinating portrait into the psychology of children.

Perhaps more worthy of this blog--beyond that of a film critique for a documentary on the future generation of this faith, were the trailers that the angelic showed before the film began. The first two trailers were interesting, in that they, along with this documentary, had strong statements toward what I will call the annointed authoritarian leadership in the western world.

The first documentary trailer focuses on the issue with the Catholic Church covering up incidences surrounding sexual abuse. By the looks of the trailer, it holds no grudge in hiding its point of view, going right for the jugular of the catholic Church. The two minute trailer seemed more like the last two minutes of an engaging 60 Minutes piece.

The second film preview that caught my eye was the more main stream marketed film, Queen, which is slated to come out later this fall. In this film, the Queen of England struggles with the changing of the times, a person who once ruled through divine intervention, now looking as if she rules by civil charity.

The culmination of these three films gives me a sense that modern culture is pushing more and more away from any notion of governance under someone who feels they were called to lead by God, or any god for that matter. It will be interesting to see how this social backlash forms in the coming 2006 election, as both political parties lean toward picking the groups who they can call their friends and enemies for the 2008 election. One thing is for sure. The democratic party could fare well in finding another Carter, someone who is a hard lined democrat who comes from the grass roots and red clay of America.