The 2018 documentary film about Fred Rogers, Won’t You Be My Neighbor is one of the finest films in recent years. Even though it was not in the genre of Faith Films, its presentation of Fred Roger’s quiet, humble faith and his faithfully living out his discipleship call to present the love of God to others (the calling of people of all faiths) it was the most effective faith film I have seen. Additionally, given the anxiety, anger, and division of our time, the film’s depiction of Mr. Roger’s genuineness in caring for others and living a life of peace, Won’t You Be My Neighbor remains one of the most important films of our time.
Given this impact of Won’t You Be My Neighbor, I remember as I walked out of the theater being skeptical about the announced, upcoming biopic about Mr. Rogers, even if it was starring Tom Hanks. My thought was how could an actor, even as talented as Tom Hanks present Fred Rogers better than Fred Rogers?
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Walking out of the screening of A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood I thought, Director Marielle Heller, writers Micah Fitzman-Blue and Noah Harpster, and Tom Hanks had threaded a very small needle as “Beautiful Day” was not only a very good film, it was a wonderful companion to Won’t You Be My Neighbor. Although both films have commonality in their depiction of Mr. Rogers and his program Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, when looking at both films together, “Neighbor” offers more of a macro, cultural perspective of Fred through his PBS Program, while “Beautiful Day” offers a micro view of the impact of Fred Rogers’s way of living on an individual. In so doing, it serves as a role model for living a peaceful, faithful, loving life.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is based on the true story of the friendship between Fred Rogers and journalist Tom Junod who met when Junod was assigned to interview Fred Rogers for a series of stories on Heroes for Esquire Magazine. In the film, Matthew Rhys plays Lloyd Vogel, a character based on Junod. With a reputation as a top 
investigative reporter, Vogel is resistant to accept the assignment to interview a man who is known for his sugar-sweet children’s TV program. Later, Vogel discovers that all of the other “Hero” subjects refused to allow him to interview them because of his reputation for attacking the subjects of his stories. Mr. Rogers not only agreed to allow Vogel to do the interview but Rogers sought him out.
The overarching theme for the film is the same as Fred’s iconic program Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, having love for neighbors. Though unspoken, the ordained Presbyterian minister uses the definition of neighbor offered by Jesus. A neighbor is not just those who live next door or even those in the same family or community. A neighbor is any and every person. Rogers also follows the command in both the old and new testaments that one is commanded to love one’s neighbor as one loves themselves.
In order to be able to love a neighbor, one has to take time to see and get to know them. Where the other Heroes of the Esquire spread saw Vogel as an attack journalist who wrote with a laptop as well as a hatchet, Rogers saw Lloyd as someone living an angry, pain-filled life. Taking the time to literally read between the lines, Rogers saw in Lloyd someone who had life-wounds that were still raw. Upon recognizing this anger and injury, Mr. Rogers shared more than just information about himself with Vogel, he shared himself by establishing a relationship with Lloyd. As with any friendship, Fred took a risk in sharing who he was and what he believed. One of the most important depictions of “Beautiful Day” was Fred Rogers had the rare attribute that he was what he believed. And, what Fred believed was that all persons are special children of God who deserve to be loved and cared for, especially when they are wounded and even angry. For Fred, and all persons of faith, a difficult personality or situation does not release one from their duty to care for others and in doing so, share God’s peace.
In addition to a commitment to love one’s neighbors whether they be next door, family, friends, strangers, and even enemies, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood also depicts Fred Rogers’s living a peace-filled and peace-filling life. While many, including Lloyd, assume that the persona of Mister Rogers is a role for Fred Rogers, Lloyd and the audience discover that the man and the character are the same. Fred Rogers truly lives life at peace, even in the midst of a world that is so often in conflict. Put in a theological perspective, Fred lives a life of Shalom, peaceful wholeness even in the midst of tremendous conflict and uncertainty.
In the film, Rogers prays for his neighbors, and their loved ones, by name every day. Though unstated explicitly, the message conveyed is that spiritual disciplines such as prayer, scripture reading, and reflection, as well as serving others draws one closer to God. The closer then one is to God, the more apt one is to realize the certain, faithful presence of God. This certainty of God allows one to live peacefully even in the most uncertain circumstances.
By risking and reaching out to someone he knew was struggling, Fred Rogers helped Lloyd Vogel (Tom Junod) live more peacefully and experience the beauty that is the neighborhood of God. “Beautiful Day” is for fans and those familiar with Fred Rogers as well as those who never once stopped by his neighborhood. As with those who watched PBS staple, all who watch A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood will be better off for it.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is rated PG for minimal mature language and one physical confrontation.
subtlety. Fleck is a down on his luck clown for hire and wannabe comedian who is struggling against poverty, crime, the cruelty of others, as well as his and his mother’s mental illnesses. Arthur is just on the edge of functioning and his mother (Francis Conroy) is just over the edge. For Arthur and his mother, if past and present are prologues, their future is utterly void of light and hope. As the story develops it is evident the majority of the Gotham’s citizens are “have-nots” and also succumbing to the downward pull of the city.
In Joker, Chaplin’s Modern Times is shown as part of a High Society, Gala. The irony is hard to miss as “The Rich” of Gotham City gather in an exquisite theater, their laughter at the “Tramp” skating on the verge of disaster, set against the shouting of protestors whose anger is on the verge of boiling over into rage. Through these two references, Todd Phillips is stating “that’s life” in Gotham, as well as our modern times and place.
Through Arthur, Todd Phillips is lifting up the tendency in our modern time to blame individuals for their mental illness. Such culpability often results in individuals not seeking treatment, living under the stress of acting as if they do not have their illness and then being judged when their illness is manifest. This stress often magnifies the symptoms and maladaptive behavior resulting in a cycle of stress, flair-ups, judgment, and more stress.
likewise failed to protect Arthur as a child or provide effective care and therapy for him as an adult. During one of his social work 
condemnation rather than blessings of concern and care to Arthur and others who are vulnerable and suffering, Wayne and all of Gotham experience the woes of their indifference through the rise of Joker and his disciples. Phillips concludes the film by punctuating this reality of woe with the reprise of “That’s Life.”
As Elton John struggled with his identity through his early adult through middle age years, “Rocketman” wrestles with its genre and purpose. Is the film a celebration of the music of an iconic artist and pop-culture figure, or is it a story that offers greater insight into the man behind the costumes and eyeglasses. In trying to be both, each part, and the film as w whole is diminished.
Those who are looking for experiential insight into the music, and men whose partnership created one of pop music’s preeminent catalogues, will likely be more disappointed in the film. Viewers will leave with only a cursory awareness that Reggie Dwight was considered a musical prodigy, that he came from a dysfunctional home where he was emotionally neglected save for love given to him by his grandmother, and he spent much of his life trying to fill that void. For fans and those familiar with Elton’s biography, this is not news.
After being diagnosed and treated for AIDS, Ryan and his family were shunned by the School district, their church and many residents and businesses in the community. Upon hearing of their struggles Elton reached out to the family and developed a relationship with Ryan and his mother Jeanne. Elton was with Ryan when he died and sung one of his and Taupin’s earliest songs, Skyline Pigeon at Ryan’s 1990 funeral. Elton credits Ryan and Jeanne for helping inspire him to finally achieve and maintain sobriety.
Taron Egerton (Kingsmen: The Secret Service) resembles John in both look and singing without coming across as trying and for an exact imitation.
In spite not reaching its intended orbit, watching Rocketman is an enjoyable experience, especially for those who experienced the music, the times, and the celebrated life of the former Reginald Kenneth Dwight.
To people of the Christian faith, each episode speaks to the nature and differences of the worldly life we were born in to and the Kingdom life to which we are called and into which we are baptized. As is repeated throughout Scripture, those who are considered losers, or that which is considered losing in the judgment of the world, are often winners in God’s criteria and Kingdom. This reality is repeated again and again in the teaching, life, and ministry of Jesus as well as Paul and others.
For each of the subjects, losing was not what they desired or thought to be good. But in each, losing opened them to experiences ultimately more meaningful and satisfying than the temporary enjoyment and notoriety that winning would have brought them. One example of such is the story of French Golfer Jean van de Velde, who after losing a three-shot lead on the final hole of the 1999 Open Championship (British Open) and along with that the honor of having his name inscribed on the famous Claret Jug. Instead, he ended up having his name inscribed on the hearts of many of the young French golfers he later inspired and coached, as well as the lives of children he impacted through his work with UNICEF. Had he won the Open, it is less likely he would have been able to devote attention and time to these causes.
This 16-minute speech is President Dwight Eisenhower’s farewell address to the nation. As supreme allied commander in Europe during World War 2, Dwight Eisenhower bore as heavy a responsibility as anyone in the 20th Century. This, one of his final acts after 50 years of service to the nation is very much worth the time to watch.
Known as the “Military Industrial Complex” speech, President Eisenhower’s farewell address goes far beyond that issue in addressing the challenges the nation would, and we now face. Central to his call is the place of statesmanship and the need for balanced cooperation between the private and public sphears. He also challenged the nation to resist the temptation to use fear as a tool of governing and put the needs of the nation above personal and partisan benefit. Perhaps he was not in touch with the time of Camelot, but this speech shows Eisenhower was very much in touch with the challenges facing our nation through the ages.
