The scene takes place after the police storm the house of Nicholas Cage’s gangster buddies. Shots are fired and it’s all going off. In an effort to protect his sons innocence, Nicholas Cage places a pair of headphones on his head and turns the volume up on a Disney song.

What follows is a slow motion, gun play fest. The house gets smashed to pieces, with bodies flying everywhere. All to the soundtrack of Wish Upon a Star!

This is the point in the film where it was clear I was watching a John Woo movie.

The way he approaches these violent scenes is one of the reasons he is placed along side the world’s greatest directors.

This is a man that truly deserves a great gift.

So what exactly do we know about John Woo?

• He is a Christian. He was working towards becoming a minister until he was guided towards the arts.
• He is very much anti-war
• He loves art, music and dance
• He grew up in poverty in one of china’s slums

So here’s my suggestions.

A donation to Christian Action

Christian Action work in one of China’s most impoverished slums. They offer vital support to people who are trying to survive in these harsh conditions.

John Woo knows exactly how hard these places are, having grown up in one himself. He’s sure to be touched by a gift from someone who wants to help a family like his own.

Charity donations can be an excellent gift, but you need to be sure the person you are buying for would have a vested interest in the group you are helping. Instead of picking randomly, be sure to do your research.

Because we know John Woo grew up in a Chinese slum, i’m sure this would be a welcome gift.

Guernica print

Guernica is Picasso’s depiction of the horrors of conflict.

It shows the bombing of the town of Guernica in Spain by the German and Italian forces during the Spanish Civil war.

A tapestry copy hangs in the UN building in New York. A large blue curtain was used to cover it on the day Colin Powell argued the case for America to go to war in Iraq.

John Woo’s passion for art, combined with his distaste of war, make this a very compelling gift.

Dr Strangelove

John Woo’s early career was spent directing comedy films.

This comedy satire, depicting the build up to all out nuclear war, is quite simple the funniest war film ever made.

Dr Strangelove stars comedy great, Peter Sellers and is directed by one of the worlds best, Stanley Kubrick.

John Woo’s stated that he is always trying to improve his craft by learning from other directors.

Dove Print

Who does John Woo cast most often in his movies? Nicholas Cage? Chow Yun Fat?

The answer is, of course, Doves.

Doves hold a lot of significance for Christians. It was a Dove that Noah sent out after the flood. In the New Testament the dove is used to symbolise the Holy Spirit.

There is whole selection of prints of Doves by master artists. But i think the Matese print is particluarly peaceful, and really captures what doves mean to a lot of people.

So what would you buy?