1. SETTING THE FOUNDATION Looking at Film through the Lens of the Christian Worldview

2. Looking at Film Through the Lens of the Christian Worldview Movies are a powerful influence and reflection of our culture. Thesis: Movies provide the overarching, mythical Story which gives meaning and purpose to peoples lives. Monomyth (or the one story) What is the heart of the one story?

3. Looking at Film Through the Lens of the Christian Worldview Stories are finally, centrally, crucially, primarily, mostly about redemption. – Brian Godawa, Hollywood Worldviews

4. Misconceptions about Movies Movies are all evil or harmless. Christians are obligated to watch movies. The most harmful things in movies are sex, violence, and foul language.

5. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE Aesthetics

6. Awards Eight Oscars Seven BAFTA Awards Four Golden Globes A César Award A Goya Award …and many, many others!

7. Bollywood More films every year than Hollywood Heavily influenced by the Hollywoods Golden Age and Hollywood musicals Melodramatic Masala movies Crowd pleasers Currently influenced by Western music videos, MTV

8. Story/Plot Simple story with lots of twists and turns. Dickensian As Roger Ebert put it: traditional. Very fast paced

9. Acting Jamal Salim Latika Prem (Millionaire host) Police Inspector

10. Aesthetics Genre: Drama Focused on in-depth character development Mixes other genres

11. The Sum of its Parts When I saw Slumdog Millionaire…I was witnessing a phenomenon: dramatic proof that a movie is about how it tells itself. – Roger Ebert

12. The Sum of its Parts Screenplay Cinematography Sounds Music Special Effects

13. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE Worldview

14. How do we decide what a film is saying? Acknowledge Our Presuppositions/Hermeneutic New Criticism Reader Response Deconstruction Important Film Criticism Ideas/Theories Auteur Theory Mise-en-scène The Text Chekhov's Gun and The Economy of Characters

15. Elements that Reflect the Christian Worldview What are the elements of this film that reflect Christian truth? When someone asks me a question, I tell them the answer. How are the true parts of the film dependent on a Christian view of reality? Are there images of Christ/salvation/redemption in this film?

16. Elements that Reflect a Fallen Worldview How does the movie reflect moral relativism and/or secular dogmatism? Is the movie historically/factually accurate? Slumdog Millionaire is the worst kind of exploitation. Far beyond paternalism, its racism invites the marginalization of an entire culture, relegating India to this feel-good pastiche delivered in a gaudy, candy-coloured package promising the literal deus ex machina of Faith as the path to hot chicks and cold cash. –Walter Chaw

17. Elements that Reflect a Fallen Worldview In what ways does the film challenge/contradict the Christian worldview? I believe people are basically good, always have. –Danny Boyle In what ways is the movie inconsistent with itself and its own claims?

18. Personal Analysis How do I feel after seeing this movie? What does it make me want to do? In what ways is the personal impact of this film good? In ways is it bad?

19. Practical Application How might this change the way you interact with other people? In what situations might you use lessons learned from Slumdog Millionaire?