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Reviews
The Jazz Singer (1980)
Still one of my all-time faviourites...
Is this the greatest movie ever released? No, far from it. Is the the worst movie ever released? No, far from it.
The Jazz Singer is one of my all time favourites. That's likely due to the fact I've been a lifelong Neil Diamond fan, and I love his music.
The music aside, I love the movie. Sure, the acting isn't exactly the greatest, but it doesn't need to be. The acting is perfectly fine. The highlight of this film isn't brilliant acting, nor is it spectacular effects. The highlights for me, are certainly the music, but also the way often strained relationships are handled in the film. The love between Jess and Molly is beautiful, strong and intimate, while at the same portrayed beautifully and decently. There is nothing offensive or crude throughout the film; it's not completely devoid of language, but what's there is extremely mild and easily overlooked.
I think this move has had much more derision thrown at it than it deserves. It's not one of Hollywood's awe-inspiring blockbusters, but it is a great film, with a great story-line, heart-warming moments, a laugh here and there, and ... oh yes, great music.
Grace and Gravity (2018)
A challenge to the "foolproof" evangelism method advocates, and a great film!
This film is mature in light of many other Christian drama films, most of which are weak attempts at evangelism disguised with a thin veneer of a storyline to dress it up.
I found this film confronting and surprisingly mature. I'm tired of the cookie-cutter evangelism rhetoric that is so prevalent in Christian society. At first you encounter John, who seems to have completed some training course in how to share his faith. He meets Chris, a depressed ex-pastor who has lost his faith in God. John pulls out the old "one-two punch" evangelism model, presenting a flimsy message about how God will give Chris peace and hope etc.
Then he discovers more about Chris, who he is, and what he has been through. He comes to realise that textbook answers just don't cut it in the face of real life. What follows from there is ... well you'll have to check it out for yourself.
This movie challenges some of the "easy answers" and cliches many Christians try to throw at life's real problems, such as mental health, relationships, family, etc. It shows vividly that Christians don't have all the answers - and even though we know the One who does, that doesn't become a simple solution to life's problems.
A hard-hitting film about life, love, family, faith, death, and God. A razzle-dazzle big-budget Hollywood blockbuster this ain't. But it does confront some of the mindsets of today's Christian thought and reason. Check it out. I'm glad I did.
Live from Lincoln Center: An Evening with Danny Kaye and the New York Philharmonic (1981)
Hilarious and entertaining!
I grew up listening to Danny Kaye, and always enjoyed him and his humour. Granted, this won't be everyone's cup of tea, but it is definitely funny. Undoubtedly Danny Kaye at his best. I remember this came on TV oh so many years ago (I was only a young boy), and we recorded it. I remember watching it SO many times, and ALWAYS found it good for a laugh. If you don't like classical music, you may find it a bit ho-hum. But if you want a fun way to introduce the kids into the joys of classical music, you can't miss this. Unfortunately some of Kaye's dialogue is badly recorded (just by one microphone in front of the podium), but given it WAS 1981, the concept of wireless lapel microphones was not in common use. That is about the only negative thing I can say about this. If you want to spend two hours listening to some of the greatest classical pieces of all time while laughing your head off, this is the way to do it!