The Seventh Seal

     I decided to watch Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal after Buechner mentioned it in the Gospel as Fairy Tail, and now it's probably one of my favorite films ever. The film is about a disillusioned knight, Antonius Block and his even more cynical squire, J having just returned from the Crusades only to be met by Death himself. Antonius challenges Death to a game of chess in order to stave off his inevitable demise.
     This movie tackles the tough question, "If God exists, why does he never reveal himself to us?" When Death first comes to Antonius, he asks if he is ready to come with him, Antonius replies "my body is, not myself." He later explains this, saying that all he wants is a guarantee that heaven will be there waiting for him, when he dies, he simply wants to know for sure that God is out there, because in his words "no man can live faced with death, knowing everything's nothingness."

     I have to say, I love the cold rationale with which this movie views nearly everything. Antonius's views on the witch and J's views on love and marriage are compellingly cynical and challenges you to question your beliefs. It was strikingly profound for me when Antonius wished to speak to the Devil and ask him about God because, "he must know, he if anyone." The only respite this movie gives you comes in the form of the traveling actors. Jof, Mia, and Mikael are the characters we are left with at the end to provide closure on the film, because nothing says hope like a happy family and a baby walking off towards the sun. The ending was especially interesting to me. When Death finally comes to take them all away, the scene is neither one of horror or of hope, it is simply there. Death comes, and the people go with him, and when Jof sees their procession through the rain, he describes it with a sense of bitter sweetness. This incredibly neutral ending to such a dark tale is well placed, as it leaves the viewer pondering for himself the positive or negativeness of it. On the scale of Challenging or Delighting, this movie unquestionably falls on the side of challenging, but you will be a better person for having seen it. I would recommend this movie to anyone.