Movie review: "Exodus" a mediocre effort
- Details
- Published on 19 December 2014
- Written by Tim Wyman
(5 out of 10 stars)
(150 minutes. Rated PG-13 for violence, including battle sequences and intense images).
Going into “Exodus” I was certain that I was either going to love or hate it. There would be no middle ground. Generally, in a Ridley Scott movie, there never is. Much to my surprised chagrin, it ended up kind of mediocre.
At least, that is what I initially thought when I left the movie theater. But upon further thought and analysis, “Exodus” was paradox of good and bad, epic in its scope, yet ultimately unsatisfying.
“Exodus,” as you may have guessed, is the Biblical Moses story, and if you have ever gone to Sunday school or had your TV turned on at Easter time, you know the story of Moses from either your preacher or from Charlton Heston. For the most part, aside from several mind-searing exceptions, the movie is a blow-by-blow of the popular Biblical chapter.
Let us take a small time-out here: One of the elements that I most admire about the Bible, aside from any religious leanings, is that it is a remarkable piece of literature. It is full of beautiful allegorical language, astounding imagery and symbolism, and generates conflict and suspense on the greatest of scales. And, as evidenced by the multitude of Abrahamic-based religions, sects, and sub-sects, and the sometimes insane wackos that invest into the Bible, specifically the Old Testament, it is wide open for individual interpretation. I mean, everyone can take something unique from their readings, right?
So, following that logic, Ridley Scott is free to write his rendition of what he thinks happened based upon a piece of literature that is approximately 2,500 years old, isn’t he?
Back to the review.
The problem with the movie is that he took literature that is unarguably some of the best humanity has ever produced and gave it some bizarre twists that simply were not necessary and combined it with undeveloped plot points that ultimately produced some epically bad writing.
Maybe he should have stuck to the “Ten Commandments” way of thinking.
For example, at the point in the Bible where Moses was trying to convince Ramses to emancipate the Jews, Moses was given the ability by God to inflict several plagues upon Egypt via miracle. However, in “Exodus” Moses was portrayed almost as a bystander, unable or unwilling to set any or all in motion. More confounding was that Scott and writers Adam Cooper and Bill Collage tried to give logical reasons behind each scourge. The reason the Nile ran red with blood was because giant crocodiles attacked and killed every sailor navigating the river. The reason the Red Sea parted was because an extraordinary weather event occurred at the most coincidental time at the right point of shallows. I went back to the Bible and none of that is anywhere in there.
Look, I get it. Sometimes these 10 plagues seemed impossible to believe when I was a boy. But here is the thing: Since God, in these stories, has power over everything in the universe, Scott does not need to give us a back story as to how events happened. They just happened. He is God. If God says he made something happen, then guess what? We buy it.
The most jaw-dropping of Scott’s interpretations is God himself. I expected a wonderful CGI burning bush and an accompanying booming voice, such as one belonging to James Earl Jones. However, I can see where that can be problematic. For one, who is going to buy Darth Vader as God. too? Also, no matter whose voice Scott put into that part, certainly he is going to open himself up for criticism.
So instead, he cast an 11 year-old British actor, Isaac Andrews, as the Jewish God.
Huh?
Actually, it kind of worked for me after I got over the introductory shot. At first I wondered if the boy was an angel or some type of messenger of God. But no, the cherubic, blue-eyed face was indeed that of God the Almighty. But then I remembered from my Sunday school that God is ubiquitous; He is the trees, the rain, the flowers. Why could He not be an 11 year-old kid?
The issue I have with the writing is that Moses had a seemingly adversarial relationship with God and tended to argue with him more than acquiesce to his will. He was adamant with God that he would not participate with the final plague of having every first born child in Egypt die. I get that, too. But from my perspective, if God asks me to unleash locusts, my only question is when and where. You simply do not argue with a god that can make you drop dead in a blink of an eye — and this is not the New Testament turn-the-other-cheek God. This is the vengeful and often in need of anger management God of the Old Testament.
As for the rest of the movie, it was as disjointed as the writing. Scott has the ability to get great actors to work for him and “Exodus” was no exception. Christian Bale, one of the best actors working today, portrayed Moses. While his performance was rather uninspired, he still carried the movie. According to the Bible, Moses was 83 years old when he confronted the Pharaoh, but instead we got the virile Bale. Really, though, who would go see a $240 million blockbuster starring Abe Vigoda (yes, he is still alive)?
The litany of talented actors seemed to parade across the screen. Ben Kinsley, Joel Edgerton, Sigourney Weaver, John Turturro, Aaron Paul. All were incredibly miscast (and I kept waiting for Paul to end every one of his lines with “bitch”) and in Weaver’s case, I kept waiting for her to have more than the one line she had five minutes into the film.
Edgerton as Ramses was good; however, his character was ghastly underdeveloped. Ramses II is guessed by historians as the pharaoh that suffered Moses. What is not widely known is that history has shown Ramses to have been a great leader of the Egyptian people and having accomplished many good political and cultural deeds. The film’s writing contrastingly portrays him to be a bored and uninspired leader.
On a more positive note, the scale of this movie was indeed as epic as the trailer promised. The CGI was remarkable as the 10 plagues checked off, the Red Sea collapsed upon the Eygptians, and 400,000 Jews began their 30-year sojourn in the desert.
If, for no other reason, the special effects and the battle against the Hittites (yeah, that’s nowhere in Exodus either) are well worth the price of the ticket. And as always, there is no better place to see it in Peoria than the Carmike Cinemas. The picture and sound were simply perfect.
It is too bad that Ridley Scott — he of “Gladiator” and “Black Hawk Down” and “Alien” — missed so badly here. When Scott is good, he is as good as it gets and is an insanely talented filmmaker. When he swings and misses, however (“Robin Hood” and “Kingdom of Heaven”), it is epically bad.
Here, for a change, he fouls it back. In movies though, there is no do-over.
I give this film 5 out of 10 stars.
Streight: Using Facebook to improve the world
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- Published on 18 December 2014
- Written by Steve Streight
Want to improve the world? Be more actively engaged on Facebook ̶ in a positive manner. Little things add up.
Here are 20 tips on how to use Facebook Netiquette to accomplish altruistic goals, plus a few ideas on troll smashing.
(1) Click like and share on posts you find edifying or enlightening. Do NOT just read them and smile and keep scrolling.
(2) Post encouraging comments when people express anxiety, disappointment, confusion, or frustration.
(3) Post good advice, with links to substantiating sources, whenever you see someone asking for advice or apparently needing it.
(4) Refrain from acting superior to others, but don't be shy about sharing your insights, expertise, or personal experience that is relevant and helpful.
(5) When a debate thread winds down, make your final comment "Thanks for the civil and interesting discussion. I hope we all learned something from it."
(6) Be quick to interject humor into a heated discussion, which can relieve tensions. Poking fun at yourself in a light hearted manner can be very useful.
For example: Someone said I was illogical in a comment. I replied with: "Sorry if I misunderstood your post. No need to be insulting, sir or madame." because I was not entirely sure if it was a man or woman. LOL
(7) Always try to find a link to a reputable source to document your point of view, rather than just making rash statements and rants.
(8) The point of an online discussion is NOT to "win" an argument. It's to express opinions and facts to enrich the conversation.
(9) NEVER post anything in drunken rage or sober anger. If a discussion is getting on your nerves, post "Thanks for the discussion." and exit the thread.
(10) Sometimes a troll or argumentative person could benefit from being taken down a notch or two. Doing this is good amusement for lurkers and other participants in a debate thread.
For example: When someone is on a high horse and is critical of you, you can jokingly praise them inordinately. When someone said I was not debating with "intellectual honesty" I replied with: It must be lonely being the only "intellectually honest" person on the planet. You are clearly so superior to everyone else on this thread. We sit at your feet as disciples to learn your deep wisdom.
(11) Your "ministry" or public service could be using your intelligence, compassion, and expertise to enlighten, educate, and alleviate mental suffering on Facebook. Don't think of it as wasting time or trivial.
(12) Send a private Facebook message, rather than a comment, when the case is sensitive, something the whole world doesn't need to see.
(13) Learn how to deal with controversial topics in a non-inflammatory way.
Say "this seems kind of silly to me" rather than "only an idiot would believe this.” Post a controversial topic without being dogmatic about it. Say "What do you think about this?" or "I'm not sure what's really going on here."
(14) Reply to comments on your posts, especially if they are questions. It's incredibly rude to just post stuff and never interact with anybody on Facebook, but many people do this.
(15) Use emoticons (smiley faces, "stickers", etc.) to express your feelings and to ensure people interpret your intention correctly. If you say something rather stern in a comment, soften it with a smiley face.
(16) BLOCK (not just unfriend) trolls, griefers, abusive comment posters, and people who use offensive language that you feel is inappropriate instead of crying "I'm done with Facebook. I don't need this aggravation."
(17) Don't relentlessly post something, like inspirational quotes, images with "Share and Like this" commands, trivial "what I'm doing right now" messages, rants against people or political parties, etc.
(18) If all you do is share the posts of organizations you support, you'll make people think you have no original thoughts of your own. You see this a lot with religious posts, where a person is constantly sharing posts of ministry groups and televangelists, but almost never expresses any personal ideas or thoughts.
(19) Lurker trolls can be called out, for the benefit of other debate participants.
For example: "______, your opinions don't count because you are a lurker troll. All you posted on your Facebook profile is 3 photos. That lack of personal expression is classic lurker troll behavior."
(20) Lurker trolls freak out and leave a debate when you go to their Facebook profile page and quote some stupid thing they said.
You don't have to be mean about it, but when you find something they posted that shows their lack of maturity or other deficiency, most trolls will be extremely uncomfortable and will suddenly stop trolling a thread. Typically they'll call you a “spy” and declare pompously “I'm done with this discussion!” That is the best result you could possibly get with a troll, who never responds to logic or sincerity, since all they want to do is disrupt conversations, cause trouble, and hurt the feelings of others.
New OSF Saint Francis leader chosen
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- Published on 17 December 2014
- Written by Paul Gordon
Michael Cruz, MD, will be the next president of OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, OSF HealthCare and The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis announced Wednesday.
Dr. Cruz, currently vice president of the hospital, will replace Keith Steffen, who will retire in January after serving 18 years as president and CEO of OSF Saint Francis and 34 years with OSF HealthCare. OSF Saint Francis is the parent company’s flagship hospital. Cruz will assume his new role Jan. 26. 2015, working with Steffen on the transition in the meantime.
“I am honored to accept this position and thank the Sisters, Mr. Keith Steffen, and Ministry executives for entrusting me with this key leadership role at OSF Saint Francis,” said Dr. Cruz in accepting the position. “There are many new challenges ahead in health care, but as long as we follow the Sisters’ Mission, we will succeed.”
Cruz started with OSF Saint Francis in 1987 as a resident in the emergency medicine program. He was hired as an emergency medicine attending physician in 1990, was vice chairman of the department for a decade, and continues there in a limited role to stay better connected with caregivers and patients.
In September 2007, Cruz was appointed vice president of Quality & Safety for OSF Saint Francis and began serving as the Associate Chief Medical Officer. He chairs the OSF Saint Francis Quality & Safety Board and the OSF Saint Francis Professional Staff Quality Improvement Committee.
As president of OSF Saint Francis, Cruz will ensure the organization operates with the highest clinical excellence and compassionate care while being fiscally responsible, to fulfill the Mission of the OSF HealthCare Ministry.
Cruz earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois, Champaign – Urbana and medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine – Chicago. He has been involved with research projects at the University of Illinois College of Medicine – Peoria and three times was named outstanding UICOMP teacher.
Additionally, Cruz is on the OSF Saint Francis and Community Institutional Review Boards and is a board member for the Saint Francis Community Clinic and Easter Seals. He and his wife, Donna, and their three children live in Peoria and are members of Holy Family Parish.
OSF HealthCare, an integrated health system owned and operated by The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in Peoria, includes the OSF Healthcare System consisting of 10 acute care facilities and two colleges of nursing. OSF also has a physician organization, employing 692 physicians in various specialties and more than 300 advanced practitioners who are part of the OSF Medical Group.
With 616 beds, OSF Saint Francis Medical Center is the fourth-largest medical center in Illinois. A major teaching affiliate of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, it is the area’s only Level I Trauma Center, the highest level designated in trauma care. It serves as the resource hospital for emergency medical services for north-central Illinois. It is home to Children’s Hospital of Illinois and the Illinois Neurological Institute.
New CEO named for Morton Chamber, EDC
- Details
- Published on 18 December 2014
- Written by The Peorian
An Ohio man will be the next CEO of the Morton Chamber of Commerce and Morton Economic Development Council, the organizations announced Thursday.
Brian M. Anderson, who has been executive director of the Growth Partnership in Ashtabula County, Ohio, will replace Jennifer Daly, who left the Morton positions after six years to take the job of CEO of the Economic Development Council for Central Illinois.
“We are very excited to have Brian as the next executive of both the Chamber and EDC,” said Chamber President Bill Aupperle. “He brings a strong background in business development, economic development and non-profit management to Morton that will help continue the successes we’ve had supporting and growing the local economy.”
Under Anderson’s leadership, the Growth Partnership placed additional emphasis on the retention and expansion of Ashtabula County’s existing employers, workforce development, and forming new partnerships within the County and across the region.
Anderson was selected as part of a national search.
“Both organizations conducted independent searches as part of the process to make sure we got the right person or persons,” EDC President Brad Braker said. “And we both came to the conclusion that Brian was that person with the kinds of skill sets and experience that we were looking for.”
Anderson was introduced to the full boards and staff of both organizations this week and will formally begin his work as Executive Director of the Chamber and CEO of the EDC on Jan. 5.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for me professionally, and I am anxious to get to work,” Anderson said. “There are a lot of assets that we have to work with here: location, infrastructure, a strong business environment, education, good demographics, cooperative government, and two organizations with a great track record of success.”
Anderson also cited the close relationship between the Chamber and EDC as a major positive for the community.
“There are a lot of communities striving to create the kind of relationship that already exists here between the Chamber and EDC,” he said. “The work of the two organizations really do complement each other and helps to support both the growth of existing businesses and the attraction of new businesses.”
During his three and a half years with the Growth Partnership, the organization made significant steps forward and received recognition for its work in helping to support and grow the county’s economy. Highlights included:
- Support/contribution to projects resulting in:Recognition by Site Selection Magazine as a top area for business investment and expansion in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
- 550 jobs created
- 1,250 jobs retained
- $145 million in capital invested
- Recognition by Team NEO with a Plus Award for expansion and retention efforts
- Implementation of a business retention and expansion program
Previously, Anderson held a number of positions with the Council of Development Finance Agencies, a national non-profit focused on best practices related to the use of financing tools for economic development projects. Those roles included managing the organizations research, legislative and professional education programs.
Anderson attended John Carroll University and Cleveland State University and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Masters in Public Administration from Cleveland State's Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs.
Anderson and his wife, Angela, have two sons. The family plans to relocate to central Illinois.
Literarea Review: “Peoria Stories: Tales from the Illinois Heartland” by Ken Zurski
- Details
- Published on 15 December 2014
- Written by Kevin Kizer
Sadly, many Peorians have an inferiority complex about the city they call home. It gets compared (usually negatively) to Chicago or St. Louis or some other arbitrary locale the complaining party finds more enjoyable. And while a smaller city like ours can never boast the same attractions and entertainment as our larger neighbors to the north and southwest (get over it, people), there is at least one area where Peoria stands up pretty well – our city’s history.
In his latest book, “Peoria Stories: Tales from the Illinois Heartland,” Ken Zurski retells nine of Peoria’s most important historical stories – stories which not only impacted local history, but played an important part in the greater history of the U.S.
For many cities our size, rummaging up enough local stories with historic national interest or relevance would be a stretch. But that’s what makes Peoria’s history so much more special. We have no shortage of them – and Zurski’s mined some of the best.
For many years (from 1860-1930, give or take) Peoria was not just a part of America’s Heartland, it was very much America’s Heart, thanks to the Illinois River and endless farmland. The Illinois River made Peoria the true gateway to the west and the city’s whiskey production (spurred on by a glut of corn and barley) created so much revenue that Peoria’s taxes to the federal government were larger than any other district in the United States. In short, Peoria was a boomtown for many decades and relatively immune to financial crises – which made the city a magnet and major destination for those travelling to the “interior” of the United States.
The stories Zurski chose to relate aren’t just about some famous person staying a night at a local hotel. These are stories that impacted the national conversation on everything from slavery and prohibition to automobiles and aviation to entertainment and, of course, comedy. Take the first chapter, in which Zurski relates the story of Abraham Lincoln’s famous anti-slavery speech known as the “Peoria Speech” and his debates in Peoria with Stephen Douglas, which catapulted him into national prominence and, ultimately, the presidency.
The second chapter focuses on Prohibition, when Peoria was again focus of national attention as the temperance movement and the violent Carrie Nation descended on the defiant city. Other chapters focus on Charles Lindbergh and his death-defying flights to Peoria; the stirring speeches of the Great Agnostic, Colonel Robert Ingersoll; President Teddy Roosevelt’s delight at travelling through the city by car; and the Duryea brothers, who started the first successful automobile company.
Some of these subjects might seem familiar to those who already have an interest in Peoria’s past, but what Zurski has done, rather impressively, is to find new bits of information and detail about those otherwise well-known stories. And, by adopting a short story style, each subject is easily digestible for today’s short-attention-span reader – you can dip in and out of this book, or plow straight through it in a couple of hours.
The book also underscores this city’s great history not only by the stories it tells, but in those it passes over. When you consider the impact other Peoria natives have had in more modern times – Richard Pryor on comedy and African-American culture, Betty Friedan on women’s rights and the second wave of feminism, and Philip Jose Farmer on the world of science fiction – this book screams for a volume II. Hopefully, book sales will make that a possibility.
“Peoria Stories: Tales from the Illinois Heartland” by Ken Zurski is a must read for those with an interest in Peoria’s past, as well as those who have an inferiority complex about this great American city. It will undoubtedly instill pride in the former and hopefully begin to change the minds of the latter.
"Peoria Stories: Tales from the Illinois Heartland" by Ken Zurksi can be found at local bookstores and Barnes&Noble.
