CeaseFireStrategies Blog

Light of the World- The One Percent

2012-02-16T16:58:00.000-05:00

Ispent most of Monday sick, so that left lots of time to peruseNetflix for some afternoon rest/infotainment. I love documentaries-they're my favorite genre! So, I loaded up my instant queue with somefinancial themed films and watched 4+ hours of insight into theAmerican economy.

Light of the World- What are You Watching?

2012-02-09T17:31:00.003-05:00

I know it's been over a month since I last posted. I know I also said I was going to be more active this year. Funny how sometimes the best intentions can turn into indifference or laziness overnight, right?!

Light of the World- Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

2012-01-03T13:31:00.000-05:00

It's a new year, and I've decided tostart fresh. New attitude, new motivations, new professionalpursuits. I'm going to be writing more regularly, and hopefullyyou'll be reading more regularly as well!

My wife and I recently watchedSherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows,and I came away impressed

Voting for the Best Candidate!

2011-11-14T20:47:00.001-05:00

Your vote counts. Each weekend, millions of Americans go to the box office and vote for the movies they think are worthy of being model examples for the kinds of movies they would like to see in future 'elections'. Eric Bumpus talks with CFS contributor Mikel Wisler about how your dollar matters and what you can do to ensure better movies are made.

Light of the World- “Morality”

2011-11-07T17:41:00.000-05:00

Warning: This post contains images andreferences which may be offensive to some. If you are easily offendedby images and words of a sexual nature, please refrain from readingfurther!

Light of the World- Truth in Advertising

2011-10-17T16:08:00.000-04:00

Title: Light of the World Truth inAdvertising

I was seriously contemplating takingthe week off from blogging. I was having a hard time figuring outwhat to write about. I haven't watched any really interesting movieslately, and other than Terra Nova,my television viewing pretty much revolves around sports. I had otherthings I'd rather do, but then I saw a pair of commercials last nightthat I thought would be a great starting point.

Light of the World Terra Nova

2011-10-10T13:23:00.000-04:00

It'sthat time of year again! Time for networks to unveil their fall TVlineups and introduce us to new shows and bring back our oldfavorites. Time for our friends at Fox to start a new series thatwill be preempted for three weeks by baseball never to return becausethey failed to gain a 10 share in the [archaic and ridiculous]Nielsen ratings.

Traditionally,I have boycotted Fox's new offerings because of this failingstrategy.

Light of the World- The Joneses

2011-10-03T12:38:00.000-04:00

WARNING-SPOILER ALERTS- THIS POST CONTAINS INFORMATION ABOUT THE PLOT OF THEJONESESTHAT REVEALS INFORMATION ABOUT SCENES VITAL TO THE STORY. IF YOUHAVEN'T SEEN THE FILM YET, BE WARNED THAT FURTHER READING WILL GIVEAWAY DETAILS ABOUT THE STORY AND MAY HINDER YOUR ABILITY TO FULLYENJOY THE FILM.

Church Attacked by Suicide Bomber

2011-09-27T12:13:00.004-04:00

Assist News reported this story yesterday, September 26th, 2011.
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2011/s11090168.htm

Let's pray that the fighting does not escalate and pray for the families who have lost loved ones in this attack.

Eric

Light of the World – Bar Rescue

2011-09-26T16:18:00.002-04:00

I recently switched my schedule at work, which allows for consecutive days off for the first time in over three years! That's a positive in more ways than just allowing for the extra rest because I also have more time and energy to devote to writing. It also allows me to get my routine established for the week, and I'm pretty big on routine! My routine goes a little something like this: take the dog out, exercise, pray morning prayer and read the daily Mass readings, eat breakfast while watching SportsCenter/channel surfing, do chores and write/study/prepare lessons for Catechism.

Light of the World - The Debt

2011-09-19T09:45:00.008-04:00

WARNING- SPOILER ALERTS- THIS POST CONTAINS INFORMATION ABOUT THE PLOT OF THE DEBT THAT REVEALS INFORMATION ABOUT SCENES VITAL TO THE STORY. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FILM YET, BE WARNED THAT FURTHER READING WILL GIVE AWAY DETAILS ABOUT THE STORY AND MAY HINDER YOUR ABILITY TO FULLY ENJOY THE FILM.

Light of the World - The Day That Fahrenheit 9/11 Changed the World

2011-09-12T19:23:00.006-04:00

Ten years ago, we woke up to a different world. A world where peace and security were threatened by the actions of 19 men acting on behalf of a terrorist organization. When we woke up we wondered if and when the events we witnessed the day before could and would happen again. Ten years have come and gone since 9/11/01, and most Americans spent yesterday reflecting and reminiscing. I am no exception, and these are my reflections.
Read more »

Entering the Third Act

2011-09-11T23:36:00.005-04:00

Mikel Wisler, a contributor for CFS and a friend of mine, delivered a sermon today at his church in Quincy, MA. The sermon is titled, Entering the Third Act: When all Hope Seems Lost.

http://www.theriversouth.org/sermons/entering-the-third-act-when-all-hope-seems-lost

Movies at Church? - The River Film Forum

2011-04-03T20:41:00.011-04:00

Movies at Church??!

Eric Bumpus talks with CFS Contributor Mikel Wisler about his work in Boston, as the coordinator of the River Film Forum.

DVD Rundown - Week of 03-22-11

2011-03-25T12:23:00.002-04:00

Every Tuesday, film critic Kevin Carr gives his top five DVD and Blu-ray picks of the week, plus a stinker to avoid. A member of the Online Film Critics Society, Kevin Carr is a featured film critic for WTTE Fox 28 in Columbus, Ohio, and his reviews are heard on the radio throughout the country. You can read more of Kevin’s reviews at FilmSchoolRejects.com and 7mpictures.com, or listen to his podcasts at FatGuysattheMovies.com.

DVD Rundown - Week of 03-01-11

2011-03-01T13:32:00.002-05:00

When Christians Attack

2011-02-03T15:35:00.014-05:00

Every now and then, a really important ideas comes about and provides us with a brand new way of looking at things. In the last year I have been exposed to one such idea. In January 2010, my wife and I started attending the Greater Boston Vineyard church in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Since then, we’ve become involved in helping plant another Vineyard church on the south shore of Boston. But my point here is that through the Greater Boston Vineyard, we were introduced to Pastor Dave Schmelzer. Appreciating his take on things as expressed through his sermons, my wife and I opted to pick up a little book he wrote by the title, Not the Religious Type: Confessions of a Turncoat Atheist (Illinois: Saltriver, 2008), in order to learn a little more about where he’s coming from. Both through his preaching, and through the chapter in his book titled, “How M. Scott Peck Saved My Life,” I was exposed to what may be referred to as “Stage 4 Theology.” And this idea has rather intriguing and far reaching affects, I suspect. So, I would like to take a moment to explore this a little more here as it related to the stated objective of CeaseFireStrategies to encourage positive Christian interaction with media and culture. Please note that all page references are to the above mentioned book by Schmelzer.

DVD Rundown - Week of 01-25-11

2011-01-28T13:51:00.008-05:00

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Harry Potter - Part IV

2010-01-12T05:17:00.007-05:00

So far, in my discussion of the book, The Message Behind the Movie by Douglas Beaumont, I have covered the interpretation methods and structural elements of film, as covered by Chapter 1 - 3.

Chapters 4 - 6 equally cover a lot of ground. Instead of offering point - counterpoint, I wish to offer a quick reflection. I won't be breaking down the content of these three chapters, as I feel the reader will have plenty to think through and I don't wish to discuss too much or there would be no incentive for those reading these blog posts to purchase the book. So, as I said, I'll offer my quick reflection.

An (Epic) Tale of Two Epochs - Part III

2009-11-08T19:21:00.012-05:00

Adventures in Storytelling

In the beginning, Aristotle discovered the beginning, the middle, and the end.

In the 'Middle Ages' that we find ourselves in, writers are discovering the end, the beginning, the middle, the end, and the ending after that.

In 'the end', we'll learn that 'the end' is only the beginning for a new 'ending'. Confused?

Cultural Diplomacy - Hollywood on Fire

2009-10-31T09:46:00.003-04:00

Hollywood on Fire is a new documentary that shatters the misconception that Hollywood is void of Christians. This film also explores the faith of those Christians who work in the heart of the industry as writers, actors, producers, etc. Kyle Saylors joins us to discuss the spiritual climate of Hollywood and what Christians outside the industry can do to support fellow believers who make their living in Entertainment.

Have You 'Read' Any Good Films Lately? - Part II

2009-06-16T15:37:00.010-04:00

Many Christians, mostly Protestants, gravitate towards the written word... in part, because they have grasped the medium of books and language, since these forms of communication have been around for a few centuries. The Bible is referred to as 'God's Word', and John 1:1 states, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Cinematic Hermeneutics - Part I

2009-05-10T03:52:00.008-04:00

Can one objectively determine 'the worldview' of a film? Two people watching the same film may 'objectively' come to differing conclusions. Who is right? Who is wrong? Or can one glean their own message from the film regardless of the filmmaker's intentions? Much like the study of Scripture, without an inductive method of study, we bring our own lenses to the interpretation of the text/celluloid before us and there are as many methods of film analysis as their are for textual analysis.

Alas, Poor TV, We Hardly Know Ye!

2009-05-09T19:31:00.011-04:00

Why are 'good TV shows' becoming more numerous and frequent while the 'really great movies' are becoming harder to find? Awhile back, I played with a Facebook application that lets you pick your top five favorite movies of all time, top five TV shows of all time, etc., and I had a more difficult time thinking of movies that have made an impression on me than I did for TV.

Movie Moments - Purple State of Mind

2009-04-29T16:03:00.003-04:00

For Purple Mountain Majesties
by Eric Bumpus

John Marks and Craig Detweiler have collaborated in producing a great film, which acts as a salve for the cultural boils that have been popping up all over America's shapely and wonderful body.