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Reviews
Interstellar (2014)
Good film, but kind of falls short
Overall, it is a "pretty good" film, but it falls short in so many categories. The visuals are worth the ride, and the best part is the presentation of the new planets. If only they would have spent more time on the water planet (that was the best part of the movie), but then if they did, every hour was worth 7 years on earth, so the story had to go elsewhere. The other graphics were good too. But there are some senseless plot turns that will frustrate you and it will lose points immediately from its' current 8.7 rating. For example, was Matt Damon's space crazy Dr. Mann even necessary? The answer when you think about it is no. It had no point in the overall story except to add more drama and intensity to an audience who already had plenty to begin with.
Interview with the Antichrist (2020)
A haunting movie -- one that lingers in the mind (and the heart) for a long time afterwards.
Interview with the Antichrist is maybe one of the most thoughtful and thoroughly captivating Christian film to ever be made.
Very well made film. The acting is superb, especially the guy who plays the antichrist. I saw the live reaction at a recent screening and the comments about the film were pretty amazing.
It is done with an articulate point of view about the final days of mankind. I didn't even know it was the same director of another faith-based film I liked, but this is a definite must- see. You must see this film. There's a reason it has a high rating. 405 people can't be wrong...
Signs (2002)
Lousy
I don't think this film deserved the poor reviews that some gave it. I've only seen 3 of Night Shylaman's films (6th Sense, Unbreakable) and this one is the most sophisticated in my mind in terms of the director manipulating the viewers into seeing and believing what he wants you to believe.
This is not Gibson's worst film by any means. If anything he gets to try to portray an understated, confused, and emotionally scarred character and I think he soft-sells it very well. Joaquin Phoenix also has a similar character to play and he too soft-sells it well. That was probably not an accident as their calm, sullen personalities contrast with the unbearable situation they find themselves in.
Braveheart (1995)
Braveheart for all!
On my list of the greatest movies of all time, BraveHeart ranks as number 3. It is by far one of the most epic stories ever told. Mel Gibson deserved all the credit he received and more. His portrayal of William Wallace, one of Scotlands most mightiest warriors, was spot on. The only part that lacked was the romantic affair of Princess Isabella and Wallace. It historically never happened. This movie also has other historical errors but WHO CARES! The Battle of Stirling has to be the second most graphic piece of footage ever shot next to Omaha Beach in Saving Private Ryan. I love the part where the English Commander gives the order to charge and Wallace sees this and raises his broadsword into the air and starts yelling. He charges the field with the Scots and I'll let you see the movie to see what happens next.
Wallace's emotional speech at the battle of Stirling still is inspirational and I think that the REAL William Wallace would be proud of the way Mel Gibson portrayed him.
My hat goes off to Mel Gibson. I hope he makes a few more movies like this one.
Out of ten............10/10!
Suing the Devil (2011)
Pastor Pringle does an excellent job here on the witness stand
The film's philosophical/metaphysical weight rests, to some large extent on its deeply ingrained spirituality. Of course, this aspect has been there from the beginning with the script, but here it is much more up-front. The film charts the paths of each witness (the two pastors were excellent). In the hero's opening line of dialogue he recounts how 'he was world-weary.' In the film, the characters show how much the difference between these two paths influences the personalities of the characters and the lives that they lead.
Because of this, it has a profound religious sense but without trace of piety or sentimentality. And if, like me, religion is not your thing, don't worry, the film's wonders do not require belief to reveal themselves.
Suing the Devil is not a lecture, it's not a sermon: it's an honest battle between the forces of God and the forces of the devil, meshed with inventions and dreams. It's a masterpiece. I don't feel like making technical remarks here, with this lone exception: everybody will talk about the magnificence of the images of God set forth brilliantly by the Pastor Pringle, the ones about the story of the world. I was struck, instead, by the way the lawyers were depicted in this movie: the camera is always at the same level of their eyes and after a while you really feel a kid yourself, a friend of them, a member of the pack, going along with them, one of them, again.
Bravo, to the Director, Producers and Cast.
Elf (2003)
Elf is fun
This film is directed by Jon Favreau who has made his mark as a director of low budget films like "Made" and also as a character actor but this is his first effort at directing a mainstream Hollywood movie. He does a commendable job and as I watched this film I kept having the feeling that he purposely made the most commercial film that he could. Favreau as an actor has mostly appeared in small roles. As a director his small films are lucky to play at art house theaters and I seriously doubt he's getting rich hosting "Dinner For 5" on the Independent Film Channel. It looks as though he wanted to make a crowd pleasing film that will ultimately be playing on some cable channel for the rest of our lives. I'm not knocking this decision at all, it's a smart move and he's become a major Hollywood player with the success of this film. Even the script was carefully written to insure that WHEN this plays on television there will be nothing to edit out. The closest thing to a bad word is uttered by Caan when he says "Hell" once towards the end of the film. This is a fun film that does have undeniable charm and its heart is definitely in the right place. It's sentimental and corny but thats part of the appeal. The script doesn't try to hard and the energy and flow of the film keeps at a constant pace, it doesn't try to go over the top which is refreshing. Ferrell is a natural performer and his dopey wide eyed expressions never grow old. This film must be doing something right because tough guy James Caan is believable as a caring husband and father. Very old fashioned story that never raises itself above lightweight status is nonetheless funny and charming. Like I said earlier, this film will be playing on television every year for the rest of our lives!