Millions.

First of all, it must be said: props to Nate! Millions was a fine movie, and we all enjoyed it.

Tonight we gathered for our first Faith-and-Film of 2006. Attending this premiere were Gad, Gaius, Becky, Adam and Lauren, Dave and Lauren, Rob and Charlie, and me. As usual, I ordered way too much pizza. But it was all good (thanks, Pizza House). After a minor disagreement over subtitles versus no subtitles, we settled in for the movie (yes, Millions is in English. But it's not in good ol' Midwestern American English, and some of us took awhile to comprehend it [the no-subtitles faction won]).

The movie is about a young boy in England who finds a pile of money and wants to give it away to help poor people, while his older brother dreams of spending the money on jetskis and iPods. Mix in a grieving father, a house full of Mormons, a talking trashcan, and a series of dead saints, and you've got yourself a mighty good flick. We had a great discussion about the complex issues surrounding money, especially for people of faith. Does money have a place in the spiritual realm? How does God work through how we use our money? How can we have a commitment to simplicity and to generosity and still live in the so-called real world?

And is it possible to fly to Ethiopia in a cardboard box or not? [hint: the Director's Commentary does not shed light on this conundrum]

Intrigued? Come to the next Faith-and-Film. Time, place, and film TBD, of course.