For anyone that knows me, one thing that’s clear is my madly obsessive love for movies. By the time a new film is released, especially one that I am excited about, I have already scoured the internet for every last bit and scrap of information on the production, cast, crew, and script. So while most people will look forward to a new movie once they’ve seen the trailer or poster, I have already been seething with anticipation for the past year and a half when I first heard word that so and so director was rumored to be preparing their next film with so and so actor with a premise of this or that.
So it was no small announcement when I first read about Edgar Wright adapting Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novel series “Scott Pilgrim”. I had just finished reading the fifth book in the series and was never shy about my love for “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz” as well as the earlier but still brilliant TV series “Spaced”. I was all over this movie, compulsively checking Slashfilm and Aintitcool for the latest tidbit on casting and watching the production team bring this comic book to life. At the start of every year, I mentally log my list of my most anticipated film releases. And right next to “Inception”, “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” was at the very top. August 13th finally rolled around the corner and Friday could not come sooner enough. Pastor Billy was equally a fan of both the graphic novel and Edgar Wright and we were geeking out in unison for the upcoming release. We had it all planned out. We’d buy the cheaper tickets at Costco and watch the Friday afternoon 1pm showing so we wouldn’t have to deal with long lines and noisy teenagers and instead watch the movie peacefully in a theatre full of quiet senior citizens. But alas, our plans were thwarted and the scheduling didn’t work out. Rain check for Monday since the weekends are booked with ministry.
We had an awesome Sunday service both in 180 Manhattan and 180 Staten Island and we were resting up afterward and all the staff guys wanted to see the movie too and got excited for the movie the following night, a great way to unwind after a long work weekend. Monday rolled around, my hype only building due to it being cut short on opening day, and alas, plans were cancelled once again because finances are being stretched to cover retreat costs as well as 180 Media’s trip to Korea (which I will expound in great detail about in a later blog) and so it would not be wise to spend church funds on such an important week in preparation for our annual Baptism Retreat. Made sense. Totally wise.
But of course, I was disappointed. I had only been looking forward to this movie for nearly 2 years. Monday night went on in familiar fashion. Staff guys roaming about, working, playing, giving rides, relaxing, doing what we do for God’s Kingdom. I myself did some reading (“The Great Divorce”), put on some movies I had already seen as white noise (“Ratcatcher”) and played some video games (“We Love Katamari”). A usual, movie theatre-less Monday. Pastor Sam came around at one point as he does sometimes and worked and hung around. Later Pastor Lydia came with Nathan and they hung around. Dr. Andrew Turtle Lee had already slept over so he was hanging around. Eric dropped by and he hung around. Then Pastor Billy made dinner (his first attempt at Yook Hye Jang!) and we all had a nice family dinner. Up to this point, still a pretty regular Monday. But it wasn’t until afterward when we got dessert (Baskin Robbins Oreo Ice Cream Sponge Cake) and started having one of those intimate group discussions that the day started diverging into something really special.
We began talking about our hopes for the future, when we’d all be getting married, our love for each other, John’s in-house stand up comedy, Ro’s nonsensical awkwardness, and other much fruitier topics that I’ll spare this blog from. Pastor Lydia and Pastor Sam even shared about how much change they’ve seen in each other through the years which was heart-warming to hear because as my mentors and spiritual parents, I always see them as Absolutes, people who always were at a certain place in life rather than growing children of God that also once had to go through a process to get there. And it wasn’t so much what was said than what was evenly shared among our 180 staff family. A moment of closeness that every relationship needs. New information even after all these years of knowing someone. The ability of best friends to still surprise you. God the Father’s perfect way of stringing everyone together through the love He gives to love both Him and each other. A time of bonding that should never be traded for a transient 2 hour movie that will most likely not be remembered in Heaven when we will be too busy eating golden fruit and listening to singing waterfalls. But I know for certain that I will definitely recall the conversation, the laughter, and everything shared not because there’s nothing else to do but because they’re worth remembering.
The whole point is, if I had seen the movie, then I would’ve missed out on one of the closest moments I’ve had with the staff and one of the best nights we’ve had together. By not watching the movie, God gave me something much better, much sweeter, and much more meaningful. I could live without watching “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World”. But I can’t live without these shared moments.
