Tag: documentary

Review: The Rise and Fall of Five Iron Frenzy

Five Iron Frenzy was a Christian ska/punk band in the 90s/00s who broke up in 2003. Now, they’ve finally released a DVD of the members’ time in the band. The DVD includes footage of shows, music videos, shorts, miscellaneous things, and a full length documentary on the band.

Five Iron Frenzy was a Christian ska/punk band in the 90s/00s who broke up in 2003. Now, they’ve finally released a DVD of the members’ time in the band. The DVD includes footage of shows, music videos, shorts, miscellaneous things, and a full length documentary on the band.

I just got done watching the documentary over the weekend and it is well worth the watch for any fan. It is also a fascinating look, if not captivating, into the lives of a Christian band for those who weren’t fans.

Roper, et al., do a good and pleasantly extensive job of reviewing what remains of the known history of the band during each year of their career. Many of your questions will be answered while watching and I know FIF fans have many.

Every fan should get this DVD set. It’s a great, satisfying look at one of our favourite bands.

I know why you want to hate me.

The great document Where in the World is Osama bin Laden? is playing behind me and I just watched the scene in which Morgan Spurloch walks through an orthodox Jewish quarter in Jerusalem.

He is assailed quite angrily by young and old very old school Jewish looking men. He is pushed, shoved and yelled at. One man threatens to break the camera.

The great documentary Where in the World is Osama bin Laden? is playing behind me and I just watched the scene in which Morgan Spurloch walks through an orthodox Jewish quarter in Jerusalem.

He is assailed quite angrily by young and old very old school Jewish looking men. He is pushed, shoved and yelled at. One man threatens to break the camera.

I’ve seen parts of the doc a few times and that scene, in particular, always strikes me.  I know my history. I know my scriptures. I know the unending struggles of the nation of Israel.

To me, it always surprised me that some still react in the way they do – and believe they are acting in the right way.

But I do see why they would act like that…

Back in the day, Limp Bizkit was a popular band. I don’t care for them much but one song in particular hits the right chord. The songs speaks to hate and why we hate. The way that it presents the thought brings to your mind something you knew all along but only just below the surface of understanding.

Here’s the song.

Listen for the lyric, “Now I know why you wanna hate me \ ‘Cause hate is all the world has even seen lately.”

While you’re there, bask in the head banging serenity that is the chorus.

The world sees so much hate. It’s a miracle any of us show any other emotion at all.

Planet Earth

The renowned Planet Earth mega-documentary has been playing on CBC Newsworld HD and, in all its high def glory, it really is something to behold.

The renowned Planet Earth mega-documentary has been playing on CBC Newsworld HD and, in all its high def glory, it really is something to behold. The only thing better would be watching it on imax.

Planet Earth is an amazing journey covering an immense amount of nature. Everything is filmed in exquisite detail. Audio from the scene is added when you wouldn’t have expected it. Under water or from great distances. The time lapse, panoramas and satelite-style cinematography is breathtakingly beautiful.

What is most incredible, though, and what makes it a must watch, is the sheer variety, complexity, creativity and surprise we find in every area of nature.

When God spoke to Job, and tried to tell him he really didn’t have the foggiest clue what was going on and really wasn’t very wise at all, we thought as the years went by we had some inkling of what he meant. Watching Planet Earth will set you back again. And, don’t you doubt it, we don’t even know the half of it yet.

Planet Earth is probably the killer app for Blu-Ray. It’s about the only reason I would consider buying it. Planet Earth is that beautiful and that engrossing.