This summer everyone has been buzzing about three big movies: Sound of Freedom, Oppenheimer, and Barbie. The interest and talk around these is a statement in its own right about how we view life and its meaning.
Sound of Freedom caught everyone off guard because all of a sudden we realized just how horrid the world can be and how we turn a blind eye to innocent lives being destroyed through the sex trafficking of children. This film went deep into our souls and whole audiences struggled to hold back tears. Actor Jim Caviezel challenged us at the end: “What are we collectively going to do about protecting LIFE?”
Oppenheimer is about how the United States created the atomic bomb, and Robert Oppenheimer, who by all standards is an amoral person. He lived only for himself and used people for his own purposes. But all of a sudden, he had qualms about what he had done. For him to run roughshod over one person is one thing, but the magnitude of what he facilitated by creating these bombs was a major conflict for him. It’s a surprise for someone who apparently had never formed his conscience. The most hopeful aspect here is that anyone can awaken out of their deadened conscience.
And, we have Barbie! Barbie’s beautiful pink world comes crashing down because all of a sudden she discovers her soul. “Do you ever think about death?” she blurts out. “Weird Barbie” offers her a chance to “fix the distortion in their world” by choosing a pair of high heels (symbolic of everything Barbie), or a pair of Birkenstocks (real harsh world). Barbie wants to run away from such a decision, but she can’t – she only has the illusion of choice, the one “Weird Barbie” wants her to make. Is this not reminiscent of what “pro-choice” propaganda is? This is a massive critique at today’s pro-choice ideology from a feminist Barbie at that!
It is the last scenes of the movie though that are really powerful. Barbie is once again given a choice, this time a real choice. Her creator tells her she can go back to what she was, or she can face real LIFE–with tears and all the emotions. Barbie chooses LIFE, because as she says, “I want to be more than the thing people imagine. I want to have what I do have…meaning!”
Yes, meaning! When we choose LIFE we speak volumes on the meaning and dignity of all. Barbie wanted a true LIFE. Oppenheimer realized the truth of his offence against LIFE. Sound of Freedom presented us with truth of value of LIFE and how far we must go to protect it.
All of a sudden the world is talking about the meaning of LIFE. It’s in an unconventional way but one must meet the seeker where they are at. This is an opportunity for us. Do not shy away from engaging in conversation at how all of a sudden the three most popular Hollywood Blockbuster movies today are clandestinely speaking LIFE.
Could this just be the beginning of a tear in the “time-space continuum of our flighty and anti-life world?” Let’s find out, so speak LIFE to all and at all times! Keep up the pressure!
Pat Wiedemer is executive director of LifeCanada.
