The Fifth Element with Paul McDonald and Andrew Winch
This week on the Men at the Movies podcast, we deep dive into The Fifth Element starring Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, and Gary Oldman. Like Zorg, we frequently try to make deals with the Shadow, trying to maximize what we can get out of life. It’s when our plans backfire that we realize our need for a savior, and that’s when Jesus shows up. But it’s not to judge, criticize, or condemn us—rather it’s an invitation to love, adventure, and purpose. Grab your multipass, and let’s discover God’s truth in this movie.
About Andrew Winch
Aside from being a sports physical therapist, an amateur homebrewer, and a culinary mad scientist, Andrew Winch is the editor-in-chief of Havok, an online and anthology publication that provides free daily flash fiction across a variety of genres. And as a freelance editor of short and novel-length fiction, he's worked with multiple best-selling and award-winning authors as well as beginners who wouldn't know their story arc from a plot hole in the ground. So, head over to GoHavok.com and see what all the excitement is about!
How is the Diva similar to John the Baptist?
Quotes
Any piece of art that take risks will have shortcomings or perceived shortcomings.
If we don’t realize the existence of evil, we don’t realize the need for a Messiah.
Anything you take to the extreme that you depend on become your idols.
If there is shadow, there has to be light.
We live in a fallen world that is basically dead without the intervention of Christ.
What Jesus wants from us is just to say we love him.
There’s no need for a redeemer if there’s nothing to redeem.
God doesn’t need our help, but we need to be invited to a bigger purpose and a larger story.
Themes
Zorg/Shadow as evil: Zorg displays greed and power, even in the face of ultimate evil. Shadow is mythology until it appears. Shadow promises whatever Zorg wants because Shadow will destroy everything.
Diverging view of Leelu as messiah
How she is: time is not important, life is important; core motivation is love; she knows love, but needs Corbin to admit he loves her; invites Corbin into a story to save the universe
How she is not: created by created beings, mortal, flawed; distant, only shows up when evil appears
Resources
“The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.” - Genesis 6:5 (NLT)
Questions
Where do you turn when you feel stressed?
What things in your life have you taken to the extreme?
What do you depend on to make life work?
More info
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Edited and mixed by Grayson Foster (https://graysonfoster.com/)
Logo and episode templates by Ian Johnston (https://ianhjohnston.com/)
Audio quotes performed by Britt Mooney, Paul McDonald, and Tim Willard, taken from Epic (written by John Eldredge) and Song of Albion (written by Stephen Lawhead).
Southerly Change performed by Zane Dickinson, used under license from Shutterstock
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