Pizza and movie night...

So, last night was "Meet the Robinsons" for pizza and movie night at our place.  

It just hit me that as a TV and Film Producer/Director it would make sense for me to blog on the film we watch every friday night seeing if I can nail down why it worked (or didn't work) for us in the hopes that I might learn something about story, truth, hope and inspiration along the way.

My hope is to make this a regular Saturday post--something you can watch for that hopefully makes a positive impact (in however small a way) on your life and (future) family.

So, "Meet the Robinsons".

A Disney film, one of our favorites, last night was the fourth time we've watched it all the way through as a family.  The story is about a young orphan boy who happens to be a mad genius inventor.  When he finally invents something that 'works'--a memory brain scanner--he finds himself caught up in a conspiracy rooted in the past, present and future as an evil dimwit (the 'bowler hat guy') attempts to steal the invention, pass it off as his own and destroy Louis's (the main character) life attaining World domination in the process.

The heart of 'Meet the Robinsons' is about family, about the need to belong and to be loved. And that's why the film works.  Near the end of the film--as everything is being resolved--I find myself weeping every time, so powerful is the impact of a lost boy finding love at long last.

The film apparently cost (they didn't disclose the budget but 40-80 million is likely) to make and generated $169,332,978 at the Worldwide box office.  Multiply that by the typical 1.23 to get your DVD and TV sales into the mix and you're looking at a $208,279,563 piece of business. So a success by most typical Hollywood standards.

What I got from the film last night was a reminder of how important it is to weave universally applicable themes into your work as a filmmaker, or preacher, or in whatever instances in your life force you to have to be able to tell 'story' to people (friends, family co-workers) in the hopes of motivating them to action.

Universal truth.

Some would quibble at the notion of something that's true in all times and all places for all people--it makes their bum go tight fearing that an "x + y= God" equation is lurking beneath the surface (if there is such a thing as 'Truth' there must be a baseline, reason, or source for it...) but I think you'd be hard pressed to find a child who didn't want to be loved by a parent.

That's why 'Meet the Robinsons' resonates with me and my family.  We feel Louis's need to be loved, we want to see him find love, we feel fear when it looks like it might not happen and great relief when it finally does.

'Meet the Robinsons' reminds me that on the inside I'm very much like that little boy, looking to be loved and to contribute that 'thing' I've been made to do to the benefit of my family, my community and the World at large.

Next time it's 'movie time' at your house I'd recommend the film heartily.

And remember you preachers--inject universal truth and longing into your sermons this Sunday and you'll be doing a better job.

As for the rest of us, look for that truth in your life, you'll find it in the darndest of places sometimes, but keep your eyes, ears and heart peeled and you just might find that comfort you're looking for.

T