Trying Not to Sin

Now that's what I'm talking about.

VCU is back in session and already I'm seeing more cultural options available to me.

Tonight's was their new Cinematheque series at the Grace Street Theater featuring ten weeks of world and independent films.

I admit it, I was a few minutes late arriving, but there were still a dozen people smoking outside the theater (the international symbol for show not started) when I got there, so I figured I was safe.

Inside was a decent crowd with lots of students present, most sitting in the back naturally, so I found a good aisle seat in the front.

As I was about to sit in it, the guy two seats down started picking up his umbrella and bag to move them, asking, "Is it only going to be you?"

Smiling, I said, "Yes, but thanks for pointing that out." He laughed and put his stuff back down.

On tonight's bill was a Russian film, "The Island" by Pavel Lungin, a film that had won the equivalent of six Russian Oscars.

The obvious question would be, do their statuettes hold a tiny bottle of vodka or a tiny potato?

We were told little about the film before it showed other than it wouldn't be Tarkovsky-like and that the cinematography would be stunning.

All I knew of Tarkovsky was that Bergman thought he was the greatest director of the 20th century, which didn't help me a whole lot with that statement.

The story of a man racked by guilt after being forced to shoot his shipmate follows his years working in a remote monastery stoking a coal fire trying to atone for his sin.

He can exorcise demons, see the future and heal the sick, but he can't get past what he'd done as a teenager.

The movie was heavy on Russian orthodoxy, with lots of praying and rituals.

It was even heavier on beautiful imagery from Turner-esque water scenes in blues and grays to good versus evil black and white scenes of ships in the night.

It wasn't until three quarters of the way through the film that a female character appeared (possessed though she was) and wouldn't you just know that she brings about a startling revelation.

And unlike a Hollywood movie where such a revelation would change everything, especially the ending, Russians see things more pragmatically apparently.

The man's dying advice to a fellow monk about summed it up.

"Do the best that you can and try not to sin too much."


Not to brag or anything, but I'd already figured that much out.