(Please forgive me for yet another post about the movie Half Nelson...)

The tough thing about Half Nelson is this: you want to like this teacher. He is hip, cool, engaging. The kids like him. This is the typical part of these inspirational education movies; the cool teacher comes to save the day and turn these kids around and everyone's happy. This teacher, like all the others we've seen over the years, is a winsome guy.

But then there's the part about his crack addiction, which sets up a dilemma. You like the guy, but here he is, living a totally irresponsible, hypocritical, and unhealthy life. Should you really be liking him? And it's such a persuasive dilemma that, initially, it caused me to dislike the film.

I thought the movie was misleading. Could a drug addict really be a likeable, successful teacher? Could a likeable, successful teacher really be a drug addict? Part of me wanted to write off the script as far-fetched or contrived.

And of course, if you were a student--or even just an observer--in this teacher's classroom, you'd like him a lot. And of course, if all you knew was that he was both a crack addict and an educator, you'd vent to all your friends about how despicable he was, and you'd angrily ask, "How could he possibly be a good teacher?!?"

Well, in the summer of 2005, before receiving my current teaching job, I had an interview with a principal at another local middle school. To this day, I can't explain it, but I liked him and the assistant principal quite a bit, and felt as if there were almost some sort of connection with them. The principal was laid-back and personable, and I felt a vibe from both of them that made me think I'd be a good fit at their school.

Needless to say, the job fell through. And while I could tell from the interview that something wasn't quite right about the principal, and later heard rumors and opinions that affirmed this, I still have always looked upon the administrators at this school in a positive light. Quite simply: I liked them.

But this morning, the first coworker I saw told me the news. I looked it up on the internet. This likeable principal at a neighboring middle school was arrested last night for selling crystal meth out of his office.

The people that knew him as a teacher and administrator say he was a good man. The people who stumble upon the news article call him a disgrace, a "nutjob," and even worse. And the rest of the people--his students, especially--are caught in the middle: was he a good man or a piece of trash?

And now I realize how well this tug-of-war is portrayed in Half Nelson. Nothing was far-fetched or contrived. There are so many parallels between these stories that I couldn't get it off my mind all day. Even the soundtrack perfectly communicates this inescapable tension between hope and despair, a tension the entire film is based upon.

And how are we Christians supposed to respond in situations such as these? Was he a good man or a nutjob? If he's a good man, we're ignoring sin. If he's a nutjob, we're lacking grace. It's a tough balancing job, but perhaps the answer lies in this: How did Christ respond to the woman caught in adultery? Her friends said she was a nice lady, the angry men said she was a whore. What did Christ say? Was she a likeable woman or a trashy slut?

Half Nelson wouldn't let you escape without seeing the humanity of the subject. You couldn't walk out of the theater saying, "He was a great man--such a great teacher!" Nor could you walk out of the theater saying, "What a pathetic junky!" Here in Bethlehem, the people calling this principal a great man can't understand the people calling him names. The people calling names can't understand the people calling him a great man. Both are searching for and at the moment blind to the middle ground, the ability to see the human being--much like you or me--actually living this life.

The sad irony is this: the position for which I was interviewing involved, among other things, teaching a drug resistance program.

It's fun to search for your friends on YouTube.

If you listen closely, you can hear that heavy breathe of a snore of his.

I miss you, Yoder.

Here's the annual post for Neville's sake...

I am using the 2006 list found here, so if any of these movies are not actually from 2006, talk to them.

2006 movies I either wanted to see or felt obligated to see, but have now made their way to my Netflix queue: A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, A Prairie Home Companion, A Scanner Darkly, An Inconvenient Truth, Apocalypto, Babel, Blood Diamond, Borat, Cars, Charlotte’s Web, Children of Men, Fast Food Nation, Flags of Our Fathers, Lady in the Water, L’Enfant, Letters from Iwo Jima, Marie Antoinette, On a Clear Day, Over the Hedge, Running with Scissors, Sketches of Frank Gehry, Sophie Scholl-The Final Days, Stranger than Fiction, Strangers with Candy, The Departed, The Fountain, The Illusionist, The Last King of Scotland, The Queen, V for Vendetta, Volver, Why We Fight, World Trade Center

2006 movies I actually saw:Akeelah and the Bee, For Your Consideration, Friends with Money, Half Nelson, Iraq in Fragments, Jesus Camp, Little Children, Little Miss Sunshine, Mission Impossible III, Nacho Libre, Pan’s Labyrinth, Quinceanera, Sherrybaby, Thank You for Smoking, The Break-Up, The Devil Wears Prada, The Devil and Daniel Johnston, The Heart of the Game, The Prestige, The Pursuit of Happyness, The Science of Sleep, Tsotsi, United 93, Wordplay, X-Men: The Last Stand

2006 movies I'm still wondering why exactly I saw: The Break-Up, X-Men: The Last Stand

2006 movies where the indie-hype should have been ignored: Akeelah and the Bee, Friends with Money, Quinceanera, Sherrybaby, Tsotsi

2006 movies I really enjoyed that don't quite deserve a spot on the list: For Your Consideration, Thank You for Smoking, Nacho Libre (I'm not ashamed), The Prestige

Best Documentaries of 2006:

5. Wordplay...an enjoyable watch and put together well, but it didn't have the characters needed to carry such a film.

4. Jesus Camp...a respectable documentary that isn't as unfair as some Christians would like to believe.

3. The Devil and Daniel Johnston...a heartbreaking look at an intriguing artist.

2. The Heart of the Game...I have my complaints about this one, but in the end it's an incredibly lucky documentary filled with great characters, a great story, and great themes.

1. Iraq in Fragments...an intimate look at matters overseas, a look no one else is taking, looking in a way no one else is looking, and looking absolutely beautifully, at that.

And now...Top Five movies of 2006:

5. The Science of Sleep...Most people tore this apart because of an unengaging plot, and I can completely understand that. I'm not an artist, but I empathize with artists enough to know a little bit how it feels to be one. When it comes down to it, I've never seen a movie that not only presents a beautiful, innovative work of art while also capturing exactly what it feels like to be trapped in an artist's world and temperment. From what I gather, the movie is largely autobiographical, and I think Gondry is really trying to show us what it feels like to be in his world. My friend Dan put it well when he matched this movie up with the artistic manic-depressive state seen in The Devil and Daniel Johnston. So many movies out there are talking about isolation and loneliness, but few are are talking about it in the context of being an artist seeing the world through child-like imagination, wonder, beauty...things far too underappreciated by the majority of our world. Maybe this movie works best when paired with other movies...I've seen it paired also with Marie Antoinette or Amelie, both of which also shed an intriguing light on the ideas.

4. Little Children...Not a movie recommended for, well, most anyone, really. But this movie was well written, well filmed, well acted, well told. Everything was put together so perfectly, telling an absolutely heart-breaking story of immaturity, depravity, empathy, isolation, pride, self-esteem, and on we could go. What makes it all the more heart-breaking is that it is a true story, the true story of every neighborhood in America, whether we choose to believe it or not. And while I typically don't go for hopeful endings, at least not when they are offering an unrealistic, false hope, I thought this ray of a hopeful ending was well-done because it wasn't overdone; it was realistic and set your heart at ease just enough to not leave you absolutely completely utterly depressed when the credits begin to roll. (Again, this one's pretty graphic and not necessarily recommended.)

3. Half Nelson...I don't have anything to say about this movie that everyone hasn't already said. It's genuine rather than trite or cliche. It communicates so deeply our need for others. It illustrates the grueling battle for change. And, as I've said, it simply tells a simple story, and when directors let their movie do just that, that is when layer upon layer upon layer of depth and meaning surfaces. That's true art.

2. Pan's Labyrinth...I didn't want to see this movie. I went because Dan wanted me to, and because every review I read said, "I hate fantasy, but I loved this..." So I went. And it was unlike any other movie I've seen. The imagery and storytelling were excellent. That's really all I can say. I don't typically like fantasy, but I loved this.

1. Little Miss Sunshine...I've recently read people talking about the magic of watching movies with your girlfriend or wife, basking in the glow of the movie screen with the one you love. I can't say I've experienced that feeling too often (mostly because one of the two of us is usually miserable, with either a chick flick or a documentary...), but I experienced it with Little Miss Sunshine. I can remember very clearly sitting next to Erica and enjoying this movie together, hearing her laugh loudly with me through the entire thing. And walking out of the lobby of the theater, seeing the large poster of the family running after their yellow bus, I knew it was a special movie, hands down the best movie of 2006.

Since I'm an anti-jock, I'm rarely the Monday-Morning Quarterback. On the other hand, being the artsy fart that I am, I'll be glad to take the role of Monday-Morning Film Critic.

This doesn't quite fit in in the lunchroom, though. When there was mention of the Oscars at the table of guys, one asked another, "You watch the Oscars?" The other scoffed, "Hell, no!" Others agreed in disgust, making the general consensus quite clear, complaining that everything else on TV was a rerun because of those damn Oscars. I, on the other hand, was disappointed that I wasn't able to watch them due to lack of adequate reception with the rabbit ears, but I declined to express my interest at the table and kept my mouth shut.

So, instead of offering my opinions in the lunchroom to a bunch of people who could care less and who would be able to respond only with puzzled looks, I turn to you, dear Cyberspace. I confide in you, always there to lend a listening ear...

So here we go...

Alan Arkin as Best Supporting Actor...I love Little Miss Sunshine as much as (or probably more than) the next guy, and Alan Arkin was great. But honestly! How much screen time did he actually have?! And how demanding was that role?! I'm not necessarily upset that he got it, but is it really fair to, say, Jackie Earle Haley?

Was the makeup work in Pan's Labyrinth really better than Click? Just kidding. But I DO want to watch Click just to see what in the world earned it a nomination. Actually, no, I can pass on that.

Inconvenient Truth winning Best Documentary...I know, I know, it's an important movie and one of the most successful documentaries ever and blah blah blah. But there's just something not quite right about a former Vice President making a PowerPoint presentation and getting an award for it. I mean, really...did the Academy even SEE Iraq in Fragments?!?

The Lives of Others winning Best Foreign Language Film...I have no idea what the Lives of Others is like, and I'm sure it's a charming little movie, but if Pan's Labyrinth isn't going to win Best Picture, it should at least win Best Foreign Language Film.

Forest Whitaker winning Best Actor...I'm sure he's good, but I was rooting for the underdog: the crack-addict inner-city teacher.

Little Miss Sunshine winning Best Original Screenplay...Out of the nominees, sure. But here's what should have happened: Scorsese finally got his Oscar for directing, no need to give him Best Picture, too. So we give Best Picture to Little Miss Sunshine instead, then give Best Original Screenplay to Half Nelson, which wasn't nominated, but darn well should have been, and deserved to win on top of it. Little Miss Sunshine is nice, but a wee bit contrived. Half Nelson isn't, I don't think, and the layers and layers of depth and meaning that surface in turn are indeed award-worthy.

And there's my unasked-for two cents.

And I saw The Prestige over the weekend, which was fantastic, and I'm still enjoying--absoluting loving--Errol Morris's First Person.

All is right with the world when you're sledding with two great kids on a vast, private playground with the late afternoon sun setting in the background.




Until, of course, one of the kids takes an invetiable face plant into the ice, causing him to scream irrational things in his hysteria like, "I want to go home! I never wanted to go sledding in the first place! Snow is stupid! I wish all of it would melt right now!"

(Note the puffy red bleeding right cheek. A heartless picture, I know, but it was SO pathetically cute at the time!)

Some albums require an intentional listen. Broken Social Scene's self-titled album hasn't interested me as background music. With its incredibly thick, layered, complex instrumentation, it has just seemed like too much to handle and sort through. But upon some closer listens recently, it has become an amazing and very enjoyable album.

I got the Explosions in the Sky album over the weekend. I'm hoping to find time to give it a full, intentional listen sometime today. I'm excited.

I just returned from watching IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS in Allentown, which was nominated by the Academy for Best Documentary this year. I never thought a movie could have photography as stunning as NOBODY KNOWS, but IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS just might have done it. And it's a documentary, no less! It was absolutely beautiful. As for the subject matter, the state of Iraq is complex and confusing even if you know what's going on. If you're not as informed, like, say, me, for example, it's even more complex, confusing, and completely frustrating. But it was a beautifully done intimate portrait from three points of view, an enlightening snapshot, a rare opportunity. And in my opinion, it finally calls us to stop pointing fingers and shifting blame and simply pause and mourn all that has happened. As one Iraqi man said, history should not hold us back and drag us down any longer; we must learn our lessons and press forward.

In other news, the side streets in Bethlehem remain in absolutely treacherous condition, which is nothing new and nothing that will be fixed; we must simply wait for the sun to show up and do its job. In related news, something happened to my car in the middle of all this snow, and now when I reach 45 miles per hour, the car shakes violently. And I'm not talking about the shaking I mentioned to my student at 70 mph, no, that's more of a rattle in comparison, a mere shiver. No, these are convulsions of pretty frightening proportions. Gonna have to get that checked out sooner than later. Maybe I'll call Car Talk.

I have a student in one of my "lower achieving" classes who is quite possibly the sharpest, most intelligent student I have. The problem is, he goes in these phases where he doesn't want to do ANYTHING, doesn't care, and is more than willing to take an F. This was the case first quarter, when his final grade was somewhere around a 40%, and he just shrugged his shoulders in response.

Somewhere along the way halfway through the second quarter, he decided to start working. He pulled his F up and finished with a C+. So far in the 3rd quarter he has--quite literally--a 100%. He has been working extremely hard, and I try to stroke his ego as much as possible, and so far it's sticking.

I recently asked him how he does in his reading and language arts classes. He said OK, that they're pretty easy. I told him I wanted to see him take college prep classes next year in high school, because he could definitely handle it and he could go to college if he wanted to.

He said, "Yeah, I've thought about college, but it's 4 years! I can't handle another 4 years in school!" He told me he wanted to go to vo-tech and work on cars. I told him he would be good at that, too.

At that moment I saw an incredible amount of maturity in him, and an incredible amount of potential in him, knowing that if he could keep his attitude in line (and stay out of trouble with the law), he really could be excellent at whatever he pursued.

A couple of days later he entered the room and he and his friend asked me if they could work on my car when they're at vo-tech. This other boy is the son of a mechanic and is constantly daydreaming of engines and horsepower and fixing up old cars. "You want to pimp my ride, huh?" "Yup," they agreed in unison.

I told them they would need a couple of years of experience before I trusted them with my car, and I asked them if they were really just out to sabotage me. They told me they wanted to fix it up; it needs some work. I agreed and asked the motorhead what he work on first. "The engine," he told me confidently. I said, "The engine's fine. It's going to run forever." "Well, the interior and exterior isn't my job. The engine's my area."

So I asked the good student what he would work on first. In a mature eloquence that left me stunned, he said, "Well, you mentioned there was some rust on the side, didn't you?" "Yes," I answered, surprised. "Well, I would take care of that first. Then maybe a paint job. Yeah, it needs a paint job."

I was impressed. He sounded like a true business man. I told the motorhead that my car does shake a little bit when I get up to 70 mph. He laughed and laughed and laughed at me, and told me he would take care of that.

I told them to get in touch with me in a couple of years, and I'd take them up on it.

And I think I really would, too.

Today is our second snow day in a row. After a mild winter with absolutely no snow, it's been a nice feeling. Unfortunately, we got mostly sleet, which means no snowballs or snowmen and poor sledding and less beauty. But at least I get two days off. And tomorrow's an in-service and Monday is President's Day, which means, basically, it's a 6-day weekend. Yes. Yes, indeed.

Yesterday was Valentine's Day. During the early-dismissal chaos in school on Tuesday, I suggested to one of my classes that they make a Valentine's card for my wife. They made fun of me for the suggestion, but ultimately decided it was a great idea. So yesterday, I gave Erica a folded piece of white printer paper. On the front, in red marker, was written "Happy Valentines Day" with a heart drawn below it. The inside read, "Dear Mrs. Shorb, Since Mr. Shorb is so cheap, we decided to make you this lousy card just for you. Happy Valentines Day!" It was signed by everyone in the class, their real name written first, neatly, and then below each in large letters "AKA {insert ghetto nickname here}!"

When I told Mark this, he asked, "How do they know you're cheap?" Good question, Mark. I've concluded that it's an assumption they've made on several premises: 1) The car I drive 2) Many of my math questions dealing with money ask "Which is cheaper?" and 3) I'm white, and we white people--generally and comparatively (or really just stereotypically) speaking--manage our money, which, in some ways of thinking, makes us cheap.

Liz and Chalupa will be glad to hear that I decided to break out the bread machine again in order to make my snow day a little more productive. A while back, I gave up on the bread machine after 3 out of 4 loaves were failures (a pathetic 25% success rate), and I put it back in the cabinet where it remained for well over a year. Well last night, we had a wonderful perfect loaf of French bread with our dinner, and I think it may have restored my confidence. Maybe I'll make another loaf today, not because we need more bread, but just because I can.

I watched 21 GRAMS last night in preparation to see BABEL when it comes out in a few weeks. 21 GRAMS was a little too disjointed for its own good, but other than that, I liked it quite a bit. One thing's for sure, Iñárritu is definitely giving us plenty of things to think about.

Also last night, I had my first experience with the famous Wii. While I proved myself to be quite the heavyweight boxer, this morning I woke up with some pretty sore arms.

I apologize that this site is becoming a place for movie reviews more than anything, but it's worth mentioning that PAN'S LABYRINTH is more than worthy of the attention its been getting. Sixty percent period war drama and forty percent wild, imaginative fantasy, I can safely say it was unlike any other movie I've ever seen.

THIS is absolutely incredible.

Elsewhere, JESUS CAMP is not nearly as harrowing as its trailer made it out to be, and yet, there is plenty to be concerned about. While the directors probably unfairly over-apply the attitudes of this Pentecostal sect to evangelicalism at large, some of these troubling ideas are definitely present to some degree throughout Christianity, and in the end I didn't find it to be too much of a stretch. I respect these co-directors very much, both for their work here and their work on BOYS OF BARAKA, but they could have done a little bit more homework in their rush to put this together. All in all, they presented things fairly, I think, at least to the best of their ability. For Christians, it's a question of what to avoid and what, on the other hand, is simply a case of the world not understanding us as God's people. The questions it raises about our political involvement are important ones, and, perhaps most importantly, it raises vital questions about raising, evangelizing, and ministering to children. These are questions I have always had, and the attitudes toward children's ministry here only validated and elevated my hesitance on the topic.

While I wanted to agree with the radio show host, it seemed like he was just as misguided (in an opposite direction) as the rest of the characters.

And Ted Haggard? What a shame, really. And in light of recent events, the directors really lucked out in capturing him how and when they did.

Whatever your conclusions, there's no doubt that Rachael is a sweetie, especially in her passionate and animated description of "those types of churches out there that are called 'Dead Churches.'"

Forget most of these kids, though. The little boy with the mop of blonde hair, who admits to a sanctuary full of people how difficult it is for him to believe, and that most times he doesn't believe what the Bible says...I want to see where he is in 10 or 20 years. There was something special about this one...maybe I'm partial because I saw a little bit of myself in him.