The Shack

The movie is amazing. I cant say enough about it. If you grew up in fundamental or reformed Christianity, you will probably struggle with this movie. But do yourself a favor and watch it anyway. And watch interviews that Wayne Jacobsen gives on this movie, where he explains there thinking behind it. Its not meant to the be Bible, they never meant for it to be. As an example, the reason they chose God to be played by a black female actress is because the main author (that initially wrote this book for his children) was dismissed by his church for adultery. And I dont mean asking him to step down from being a pastor (because of course that is a natural thing to expect), but asking him and his family to leave their local church altogether. The only one from their church (as I remember it) that came to extend love, and the love of God, was an African American woman from their church. She understood that more than ever, their family needed connection, support and love. Its little things like this that helped me better understood the meaning behind the movie. I struggled with it in the beginning (the book), but was better able to understand the message meant in it later when it came out as a movie.

Makes you consider things that you may have trouble wrapping your mind around.

Man oh man I use to laugh at my wife when ever she would start shading tears and I never ever shade a tear for any movie in my whole life and Im 60 years old but this one here got me crying like a baby you hear me, I just love this movie so I called my wife and told her e have to watch this movie with the kids.

At first I thought this was going to be one of those ultra-Christian B Movies...knowing nothing about the book or the cast. But, to my delight, it certainly is not either a B movie, nor dogmatic. Yes, it contains many references to mainstream Christian theology, but it also has just as many elements that suggest a very diverse spiritual approach to understanding God. What a great story, and told with such a high purpose that it transcends the story altogether. The cast is wonderful. Sam Worthington (Pandora), Olivia Spencer (The Help, Hidden Figures), and narrator/best friend,Tim McGraw who delivers a surprisingly good performance. Papa is the storys nickname for God and is charmingly portrayed by both Spencer and later, changing disguises, more seriously by the great Graham Green. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill also co-wrote and performed one of the best movie songs Ive heard in years. The film watcher may miss some of the dialogue which delivers the straight-to-the-point theology that drive the movies messages--I turned on the English subtitles and it helped a lot. Ive yet to read the book, but it will soon grace my kindle app. Because...this story is chock full of incredibly accurate true things about the way life and love actually work to our good. Even through the blackest tragedies; maybe even because of the hardships we all encounter. There are a couple of slightly cheesy moments, that I ever so slightly cringed at during my first viewing (I watched it four times in two days), but in the end I came to love those scenes. I gave it an extra star for its very accessible treatment of the importance of trust and forgiveness in real healing. The kind that heals the world.

What a beautiful creation of Papa’s heart for His children ❤️ Love the scene in the cave - so much untangled so simply

Movies do not make me cry,, but i was wiping tears during this one. Loved it

What an overwhelmingly beautiful piece or art. It made me weep in several segments. I wish the gods represented in the film were real and then I would like them and be on board with them every time. I was raised in a Baptist Church and went religiously (ha ha) up until I was in my 50s. I have also been in the world and was a rougher than a cob Air Force Officer for 22 and a half years and then a civilian contractor to the air force another 18 and a half. I am a whiskey drinker and cigar smoker. For 20 years, at night, I was a college, then University History Professor and one evening I stopped in lecture and wondered if I believed what I was telling my students or did I believe what I heard on Sunday mornings. I had always thought that it was all reconcilable and it may be meaning that 4.5 Billion years ago god or the gods said let there be light and then later said let their be evolution. If he or she or they or it is really god then they do their own thing. This movie is largely from the Christian perspective and I have always thought that it really was the greatest story ever told. I have wrestled with religion for the last 15 years and am convinced that if you are happy with what you believe then just leave it alone. Study will only generate questions that cannot be answered. The newest crazy thing are the Young Earthers who want people to believe that the world is less than 10,000 years old. Which makes sense because humans have been only been writing a record for about 10,000 years and having and having and been saving a record and evidence of cultures. I am not an atheist but I dont think anyone knows and maybe we are not supposed to know. It would be very cool to have a or many supernatural entities that care about us and look after us to some extent. In a graduate level history class Charles Shows told us a Confucius saying that works for me: He who says he knows, knows not, because if he really knew then he would understand how much that we really dont know. Good show but if you are all about Christianity and want it to be like it is in Sunday School since you were a child you may be pissed off but if you have a college education it is probably well worth your time. May the Force be with you. Chuck

Wonderful movie and music.

I liked the shack. I dont read many novels so when I do try am read the best. With this one, I figured I was taking a few steps down and in terms of literary art I was, but not in thought. So I would suggest a comfortable place and prepare to process a few new thoughts in a reality where you can talk to your creator. What would you want to ask? How does the author think that the creator would answer? But ya got to be willing to go there to get anything from the book. Otherwise, its just another story and what fun would that be.

I enjoyed the whole story and the way it weaved the story was magical!