Post-Birthday, Post-Apocalypse....

If I learned anything from the Hughes Brothers' The Book of Eli, I learned that three things will survive the apocalypse. First and foremost, the violence, hatred and ignorance brought about by religion will survive us all well into the sun-scorched deserts of post-apocalyptic America. Wait, that's already three things. Let me start again, the five things that will survive the apocalypse are those three aforementioned principles of religious thought and advertising. Appearances by Dr. Dre's headphones, iPod, J. Crew (skinny jeans fit better when you're on a steady diet of cat meat), the Coffee Beanery, GMC, and Puma remind us of the sins of materialism and as Eli tells Solara, "Then, people threw away what people today kill each other for." But there is hope. For in the future with the voice of God ringing in our ears and advertising clouding our vision, there will be a prophet to lead us. No, it's not Denzel Washington or Mila Kunis who will murder anyone who might stand in the path of God's doing. And it's not Gary Oldman who rightly believes that the Bible is "a weapon." No, we humble sinners have found a voice, a gravely voice, the voice of Tom Waits.

THE BOOK OF ELI: Ohhh Sweet - The best video clips are right here

To be serious for a moment, I'm a fan of the Hughes Brothers and I thought Dead Presidents and From Hell were impressive films. If nothing else, the Hughes Brothers tried to defy the notion that directors should work within a genre or specific style. When the trailers of The Book of Eli hit Apple's website, I felt justified in maintaining this stance and I don't think I'm wrong, yet. Because as much as this film is about the hope and resolve given to Eli in his quest to protect the Bible, there is no question as to the moral hypocrisy that comes with it. Eli is violent and unforgiving arbiter of God's will and he kills upwards of forty people on his quest. At times he's called on to protect the defenseless but this isn't always the case. Early in the film Eli watches the murder and rape of two travelers muttering to himself, "Stick to the path, stick to the path," only to deviate from this "path" and save Mila Kunis from a similar fate. Why Eli chooses to save one over the other is perhaps only explained by the fact that Kunis's character is a believer and the others did not yet know the Word. Ultimately, this film is an Old Testament parable about the might and power of God, and it doesn't leave out the hatred and intolerance that comes with it. I guess you could say it renewed my 'faith' or complete lack thereof.