Cross it off the Bucket List!

Tonight, I cross this off my bucket list:

"See my name on the big screen"

I should clarify that I don't think this was consciously on my Bucket List; but after seeing it there and the excitement that I  felt throughout the production process it marks something significant for me.  Dave and I financially supported the film in it's creation phase and therefore my name (Dave knew this was more my cup of tea) appeared with 3,000 of my fellow Associate Producers.  It's been fun getting a personal call from the director (although Dave did hijack that experience :) ), and having input on some things like the promotional poster as well as hearing the stories from production. The whole story of the film's birth is unique and I am glad I was part of it.

I'll begin a series of posts that share some of my thoughts and responses to the movie over the next few days.

My quick review is this:

If you take seriously the call to love God and love others - or wrestle with what that looks like in an authentic context, you should see this movie.  If you are passionately in love with the American church and hesitant to admit the ways it has misrepresented Christ, you may be offended.  If you are not a Christian and you are intrigued by  non-religious, thought provoking issues about God and life, you should see this movie.

This movie did not leave me feeling good; it's not tidy. There are some things that purposefully (I believe) don't resolve (re: jazz). But my wheels are turning and I am thinking about how I live my life and what I think about God and Christianity and my story, and my heart is soft. I laughed (a lot) and cried and wanted to clap as the credits rolled - but I didn't because I was holding on to the contemplative atmosphere that was in the theater.

I did point and yell "There I am! There's my name!" when it scrolled up. I dont; suppose that helped the mood. Oh well.

Wouldn't you know it; I was the only 'Brystal'. ;)