Evan Almighty

Evan is chosen by the Almighty. Transforming from a mediocre family man to a pompous and gallant congressman, Evan wants to change the world.

Evan adopts the hype of many politicians' : change. Is it for better or worse? It is for better from the point of view of capitalists while for worse according to environmentalists.

Man propose and God dispose. Evan's will clashes seriously with the Lord's. Evan wants to be a junior co-sponsor of a bill that proposes higher urbanization at the expense of natural heritage. However, the Deity wants Evan to build an ark to save all animals from an enigmatic flooding.

Will Evan make it? Will the bill go down the drain? Let's watch this hilarious blockbuster to get some clues.

(synopsis written by Anthony Cheung on 30th Sept 2008)



Post-viewing Discussion/ Writing:

Write your post-viewing thoughts on at least 3 themes below:

a. your experience in miracles and paradox

b. your point of view or experience on praying, Christianity, religion

c. tug of war between natural heritage preservation and urbanization (urban development)

d. tradeoff between quality family time and career ambitions

e. importance of appearance in your success

f. hard times when all people cast doubt over you




If many people cast doubt over you, why don't you get encouraged by the following poem:

[IF]

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!


--Rudyard Kipling