Movie Review: "Avatar," "The Book of Eli," & " "Shutter Island"

I have been slacking on blogging all together but I haven't done a movie review in a long, long, long time. So, I'm going to do short reviews on the last 3 movies I have seen in the theater.

The first is Avatar. I hate that I can't love this movie. It was beautifully done, it had a complete story line, the special effects were outstanding, & the balance of action scenes with dramatic interludes was perfect. If I were a liberal, non-Christian who bought into the whole global warming hysteria & thought our military were nothing but a bunch of goons, I would have thought this movie was the best movie ever made. I must admit it is a very well made movie. I hated that I couldn't love it.

Most politically conservative movie reviews have commented about how it put the military in a bad light. It makes them look like a bunch of heartless, blood-thirsty, mercenaries. I confess that I didn't even recognize that at first. My biggest problem was the push of paganism.

You may think I'm going a little over board at this point, but people buy into this crap. It wasn't even somewhat hidden. There is a growing number of people today following Universalism (there are many ways to God & we are all part of "one mind"). Oprah being pretty much their Pope. This religion, I would not be surprised, may possibly be the "One World religion" that is to come. Movies like this just energize that belief system.

I do not recommend this film.

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The second film, is The Book of Eli. I loved this film. The only reason I would not recommend this movie is due to the violence. This film is filled with extreme violence.

The movie is set in post-Apocalyptic America. Almost all books, especially religious texts, have been destroyed because the people believed they were what caused the wars before. The protagonist is a man that was alive before the destruction of society & has the last Bible. He was instructed by God to take the Bible west. The antagonist is a book collector who is searching for a Bible so he can use the scriptures to "rule the world."

Besides the extreme violence, my only hang up with this film was at the end, when the Bible is placed on a shelf along with the Koran & other religious "holy" books as if it is equal to them. Other than that, if you can take violence, I recommend you see this film. It made me want to go home & read my Bible even more.

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Shutter Island I saw last night with my friend Brandie. I was scared to see this movie at first but Kim & Jonathan saw it & said it wasn't as bad as I was thinking it would be.

I had mixed feelings about it. I loved the mystery. It was quite reminiscent of classic mystery films & I love that as well. Although I am not a fan of Leonardo DiCaprio, he is a phenomenal actor & his role in this movie is no exception. However, it is a pretty disturbing movie.

In case you do not know, the movie is about a US Marshall that has been called to an asylum for the criminally insane to investigate the disappearance of one of the inmates. This woman who seems to have disappeared into thin air, is in this facility because she drowned her 3 children. I won't tell you anymore so I won't ruin the movie.

There are several scenes with dead children & several Nazi prison camps with dead Jews (including children) which are quite disturbing. There is also a short shot of full frontal male nudity. The language is terrible. I really don't believe there is any reason to use the "F" word & it rears it's ugly head through out the movie along with taking the Lord's name in vain. Because of these reasons, I would encourage movie goers to use extreme caution. I certainly would not suggest this movie for my mother.

Movie Review: My Life In Ruins

My Life In Ruins starring Nia Vardalos (from My Big Fat Greek Wedding) as Georgia, a college professor of Classical Greek studies who has lost her job at the university & has had to take the job as a tour guide to the most annoying of tourists. Feeling this job is beneath her & having a deep love for Greek history, she tends to bore most of her tour companions which tend to leave her less than stellar evaluations. Uptight & disillusioned Georgia has lost her "kefi," that joie de vivre, that spirit that Greeks seem to have. Will this group of stereo-typical tourists help her find her light or will she finally say "chairo" to Greece forever?

This is a cute film. My dad will love it. My complaints however are the acting is so-so & the ad-lib bits were just weird & seemed to distract rather than fade into the background. Having said that, there was one part in the film that had us (mostly women) laughing so hard. We would finally get ourselves under control, then someone across the theater would giggle & that would have us busting at the seems again. By the time we had all composed ourselves we had missed an entire scene. I had never felt such camaraderie in a theater before. LOL It made the ticket worth the $9.50 after all. Good times.

While this was a cute film, I would save your money on the movie ticket & wait for it to come out on video. This movie was, in my mind, in league with made-for-TV movies akin to what you might see on Lifetime or maybe the Hallmark Channel (however, it may be a bit too risque for Hallmark). It is cute & my dad will love it but I wouldn't put it up there with My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I would probably give it a B or B-...cute, but not one I'll purchase or probably ever watch again unless I'm really bored or at my parents.

Movie Review: Land of the Lost

Land of the Lost starring Will Farrell, Anna Friel, Danny McBride, & Jorma Taccone is based on the popular 1970's classic TV show. Having never really seen the TV show myself, I can't really tell you how closely it resembled the show but I did over hear another viewer as I was leaving the theater that said it was just like the TV show.

This is a quite entertaining movie & had me laughing several times. However, be warned, this is classic Will Farrell humor so you may want to rethink bringing the kids even though I know that is the crowd he attracks. Having said that, this is far from the terrible crassness exhibited in Step Brothers.

I would suggest this being a rental over seeing in the theater but ther were a couple of occasions that actually made me jump in my seat, something you rarely get when watching on a smaller screen...now, if you have one of those exteemely cool wall size TVs....well, then...invite me over...I'll make popcorn. :)

Just remeber, like I said Will Farrell tends to attract those typically annoying 13 & 14 year old boys, so if you are avoiding that crowd, you may want to skip this one. It is quite funny but I'll probably not ever care to see it again &, in case you do miss it, don't worry, your social status will not be destroyed...unless of course you are a 13 - 14 yr old boy...in that case, you probably aren't reading this. :)

I give this film a B- or maybe a C+ but only as a one time viewing.

Movie Review: Star Trek XI

Star Trek XI was a great sci-fi action film. I can, however, certainly see how many die-hard Trekkies have not cared much for this version of their beloved franchise.

The casting for this film was phenomenal. The only thing that kind of annoyed me (but I got over it quickly) was the casting of Spock. Now I believe that Zachary Quinto was & is the most logical choice for Spock. However, they casted him as being the same age as Captain Kirk. Granted, I have not seen many of the original series but I was always under the impression that Spock was much older than Kirk. Vulcans age much slower than humans. I just thought this was a bit off from the original story.

I think the biggest complaint that Trekkies will not like is the diverged from the original story. Basically, the way this film ends makes the following episodes & movies story lines obsolete.

I have now downloaded the original Star Trek series on my Netflix/X-box. I am actually, at this very moment, watching the first episode. It makes me even more amazed at the amazing job they did at the casting in this most recent film. Not only are the similarities in appearances astonishing but even their basic manerisms are perfect.

Of course, the ship is a bit more modernized in the new film but still quite recognizable. While I was watching the new movie, I wondered why all the women crewmen were wearing dresses & why they were so short. I mean isn't this supposed to be the future? Are women still expected to dress that way in the future? Then it dawned on me, the original series. Being made in the 1960's, mini-skirts were the hight of fashion & women still didn't wear pants much then. I guess this was their way of staying true to the original. However, now, watching this original series, I would like to point out that the newer women's uniforms are not near as short as the 1960's version. :)

I would totally recommend this film. I would give it a solid "A," if not an "A+."

Movie Review: Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans is the third installment in the Underworld trilogy. After Kate Beckinsale decided she did not want to make anymore werewolf vs. vampire movies, it was decided that the Underworld movies would continue with prequel.

Rise of the Lycans revisits the story of the beginning of the war between the lycans & the vampires. It is a forbidden love story that leads to the uprising of a group of beings that cast off their chains of slavery & fight for their freedom.

I really enjoyed this film & feel it redeemed the second installment, Evolution, which I felt was a huge waste of money & time. The fight scenes in this movie are quite graphic & there is a sex scene that if you are sensitive scenes you may want to skip this film, but other than that, I thought it was quite enjoyable. I will give it an A-. I would have given it an A but the fight scenes were a bit difficult to see what was happening due to the darkness & the quickness of the filming & the sex sceen & graphic nature of the fight scene were a bit unnecessary if you ask me.

If you liked Underworld, then, I believe, you will love this one too. :)

Movie Review: Inkheart

Inkheart is based on a children's novel, originally entitled Tintenherz & the first book in the Inkworld trilogy, that I have now added to my must read list. This movie was fabulous. Not only is it completely safe for the entire family, but it leaves you earnestly hoping that the fairytale dimensions we read about are really true. I instantly wanted to run home & write a wonderfully imaginative novel about fairies, water nymphs, witches, dragons, fair madiens, & handsom heroes.

Although this movie is made mainly for children, adults will love it too. And, what woman doesn't enjoy watching Paul Bettany twirl fire without a shirt on. Hehe.

This movie will win no awards but I give it an A+ & insist that you go see it right away. :)

Movie Review: The Librian: Quest for the Spear

I cannot believe this movie actually made it to "the big screen." It is so much more like a made-for-TV movie for the Sci-Fi Channel. The acting was painfully awkward & so silly it's audience had to be children. I can't believe so many well known actors would stoop so low to do such crap. The one liners could have been the cheesiest ever.

Apparently this is a film about magic & not even close to being like Indiana Jones like it tried to convince people in the previews. I just love being duped. Every scene keeps getting cheesier & stupider.

Why am I sitting here torturing myself? Am I really going to watch the two sequels, too? Did they actually make two more of these jokes? How did they get funding & sponsorship? What I can't believe even more is that my co-worker loves this movie. Is she kidding me? Has she never seen a quality film? Really?

The one redeeming quality was Bob Newhart. He is such a good actor & so funny.

Oh, jeez, can this get any worse?

I get that it was trying to poke fun at movies like Indian Jones & Romancing the Stone, but, really, this was your best shot? Please, please, please, don't waste your time. Find something more fun, like cleaning your toilets or having your teeth cleaned or anything like that. Ugh.

Movie Review: Goodnight, Mister Tom

Goodnight, Mister Tom is a wonderful film about a crabby old man who is forced to care for a WWII evacuee child who has grown up living in an abusive home.

William is a little boy who has been emotionally, psychologically, & physically abused by a bi-polar mother with extreme religious misunderstandings & obsessions. He has either never been allowed to attend school or it was so random that he has never learned to read or write. Tom is an old & bitter man who has tried to avoid getting involved with the village or doing anything that reminds him of his late wife & child. Now Tom is forced to foster this little boy. At first, Tom is very upset by this & doesn't really know how to handle the situations that accompany this disturbed little boy. As Tom begins to figure out how this child has been raised, his heart begins to soften.

Just as Tom & William have fallen in love with each other, William's mother asks for him to be sent back to her. I don't want to say much more & ruin the movie.

One think I really like about this movie is that the writers do not assume that the audience are a bunch of morons. It doesn't have to tell you exactly what is going on. They presume that you may actually be able to read between the lines. It really annoys me that it seems that the film industry of today assumes that we can't figure out the subtleties on our own. The older films, I would say anything produced before the 90's & possibly the 80's gave the audience at least a little credit for at least a little bit of logic.

This movie is one that I think everyone should watch. Although no physical abuse or violence is really seen, the subject matter might be difficult for younger children to understand also there is the subject of war & all that. Go out & rent this movie today!

Movie Review: George and the Dragon (aka, Dragon Sword)

George and the Dragon was originally first released in Russia in 2004. No, it is not recorded in Russian & does not have subtitles. I was actually surprised that is was released in Russia. I thought for sure that it would have been a British film. When released in America it was released under the name of Dragon Sword.

This was a very corny film but it didn't try to mask that. They actually tried to play up the fact that this was a silly film. It could almost be placed in the same category as The Princess Bride.

This film stars the very handsome James Purefoy as George & the adorable Piper Perabo as Princess Luna. Patrick Swayze plays character who you aren't sure is good or bad & Michael Clarke Duncan plays as George's best friend, Tarik. Val Kilmer also has a very small cameo role as the villain El Cabillo.

I saw this show on the Sci-Fi channel & thought it was pretty good as far as Sci-Fi channel movies go. It's worth a watch if you happen to be bored one afternoon.

Movie Review: The Andromeda Strain (2008)

The Andromeda Strain (2008) is a made for TV miniseries based on the fantastic novel by Michael Crichton. This book was first put to film in 1971 (I have yet to see that version). This version, stars Benjamin Brat, Eric McCormack, Christa Miller, Daniel Dae Kim, Viola Davis, Rick Schroder, & Andre Braugher. As far as "made for TV" films go, I thought this one was quite good. There was some quite silly parts of it but all in all, I enjoyed it. It also somewhat modernized it to be relevant to today's social & political issues.

You must be warned, however, that this movie has some quite violent parts. It actually shows people committing suicide in a various of disturbing ways, is shows people murdering others, & it shows the dead bodies. I would not suggest people who are sensitive to violent images or children to watch this movie.

Even if you don't watch either film you should read the book. Michael Crichton is one of the best authors of out time, in my opinion, & this is one of his greatest works.

Sorry, this is a bit short but I'm a bit out of practice as of late so, there it is. :)

Movie Review: Iron Man

I really enjoyed this movie. Like most superhero movies, there was a bit of ridiculousness. I don't mind the whole "ridiculousness" of the superhero but it is some of the situations that have nothing to do with the "superheroness." But, that's okay. The other complaint I have with this movie was the writing at least for the scene between Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) and Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) where she is helping him repair his heart thing. Another thing that bugged me was Jeff Bridges. I've never cared much for him. He kind of irks me a bit. And what was with that ridiculous beard?

I do like Robert Downey, Jr. & I'm glad to see he has gotten his life back on track (or at least appears to have) & is back to making movies.

The closing scene was by far the best part of this movie. One of the best endings I've seen in a while. Also, I'm sure that this soundtrack would, undoubtedly, be awesome.

So, I guess I'm all ready for the next ones. Yes, there are to be more. In fact, they are in pre-production now for Iron Man 2 & with the way The Incredible Hulk ended, there is to be an expectation of Iron Man showing up in the next Hulk film.

I would definitely recommend this movie. It is not going to be one that goes down in history as being a "great," but it is a nice escape from reality for a couple of hours & a necessisty if you are keeping up with the superhero movies. It is rated PG-13 & that is mainly because of violence (bombs, shooting, explosions, etc...no extreme graphicness) & Tony is a bit of a "lady's man."

I give this film a "B." It is worth a watch if for no other reason than to be prepared to answer movie trivia questions in some future version of Scene It. :)

Movie Review: Body of Lies

Body of Lies was great but had a lot of bad in it too. So, here's my perspective.

What was great:

• Russel Crowe & Leonardo DiCaprio are great actors. I'm not necessarily fans of them as people, but as actors, I think they are quite wonderful, not my favorites, but definitely good at what they do.
• The story line was really good.
• I loved the perspective showing Ed Hoffman (Crowe) as a normal family man. Makes you wonder how many "normal" people you know that lead double lives. Hehe
• They didn't explain every little nuance. I love that. It means that you have to be somewhat intelligent to watch the movie in order to pick up these little tidbits of information. It keeps you interested in the film & thinking. I don't always want to watch this type of movie but every once in a while it is a relief.

What I didn't like:

• A white man sent by the CIA to gather ground intelligence in the Middle East? Really? You mean to tell me there are no good Middle Eastern-looking actors out there that they could have cast in the role of Roger Ferris (DiCaprio)?
• The sound effects were distractingly terrible. Random common computer sounds were inserted in a odd sort of way. I know the method to this madness was to show how the unlikely character in the scene directed an entire mission from his typical "home computer," but it was very odd & irksome. And, of coarse, there was the ever annoying squealing of tires on sand. This is a huge pet peeve of mine in movies. Whenever a car is driving on sand, on dirt roads, or in a field, the sound guys always have the tires squealing. Aaahhhhh. Since when do car tires squeal when there is no pavement?
• The violence was quite graphic. If you have any aversion to graphic violence, pick a different film or wait until it becomes the "Sunday Night Movie" on NBC, ABC, CBS, or whatever channel (even though violence on TV is getting a bit out of hand, in my opinion). Graphic violence, like sex, in movies is completely unnecessary. You can imply these things without showing everything.

There was a bit of bad language but it wasn't as bad as some "R" rated movies are these days. The "F" word was said a couple of times, which I always feel is a lack of creativity on the writers part, but it was not that distracting. This movie definitely earned its "R" rating (so no kids) but, if you can get beyond the violence, I would definitely recommend you watch it.

I give this movie a B+.

Movie Review: Traitor

Kim & I went to see Traitor last night at Studio Movie Grill. I talked about our experience there in the previous post so I won't go into all that here, just the review.

The movie is about Samir Horn (Don Cheadle), a devout Muslim, embedded in an Islamic terrorist group. A former US Army explosives expert, he was sent by the American government, possibly the CIA but I don't remember the movie ever being really clear about that, as a mole to inflitrate a particular terrorist organization. He has come up on the FBI (I don't really know why they were investigating international affairs) radar as being linked with several bombings. So, is he still on our side? That is the question of most of the movie.

Kim only thought this movie was okay but I really liked it. It portrays the many faces of terrorist groups. One is the reason most of the main terrorists, at least mainly the leaders, has very little to do with religion & more to do with "settleing the score" or just another version of the mafia/gang life. Another aspect is that even though they are terrorists & do terrible things, many of them do have a good side. I know what you are thinking, "How can you say that?! They are terrorists! There is nothing good about them!" Just watch the film. They also make a point of showing how completely entrenched many of these terrorists are. They could be anyone, look like anyone. You can trust no one. So, if you have issues with paranoia, you may want to skip this film.

This movie is rated PG-13 mainly due to the subject matter & violence (nothing extremely graphic like Burn After Reading, just a few gun shots & bombings). I don't remember any cursing & there was no sex. I definitely wouldn't take kids to this but high school & up would be fine.

I really liked this movie & would recommend it to just about anyone. I give somewhere between an "A-" & a "B+." It is a really good movie but I doubt I'll watch it again just because it isn't a truly "entertaining" film.

Movie Review: Burn After Reading

Ok, I saw Burn After Reading last night. I had such high hopes for this movie even after watching some of the reviews of it on TV that weren't so great. I thought, "Usually when they review movies, I have the opposite opinion that these guys have.

The movie was okay, I guess. It was different, that's for sure, which can be refreshing at times. I was happy that I had a free movie pass though. :)

There are some really hilarious parts (mainly due to Brad) but the whole story, in my opinion, could have been way better. I thought the acting, especially Brad & George's acting, was really good but the story just kind of fell flat.

This is definitely one you can skip. If you absolutely have to see it, I would suggest waiting until it hit video. I didn't "hate" the film but I certainly don't care to see it again. I'd give it a "D," maybe a "C-."


******** Warning: Spoiler alert, kind of, what I say below is really not a spoiler but I do talk about something that is in the film. **********



Just as a warning, the "F" word was dropped about a billion times (lack of creativity & a thesaurus, in my opinion), there is quite a lot of bed hopping but nothing is every really seen (just implied &, once, heard), there is a scene with a sex machine but it is only seen & not actually uses, & there is some very graphic violence (you actually see a gunshot to the head & an incident with a hatchet). If you are sensitive to language or violence, especially very explicit gunshots to the head, I would strongly recommend choosing another movie.


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Here is Christianity Today: Movies' review of the film.

The following are their discussion questions:

1. What motivates each of these characters to act the way they do? Do any of them have honorable motives? Can we learn anything from characters who behave poorly, who don't have honorable motives?

2. Do any of the characters seem to learn anything? Do any of them change?

3. What attitude toward humanity does the movie seem to take? Is it a fair viewpoint?

Movie Review: Peter and Paul

This weekend I watched Peter and Paul this weekend. Actually, I had TiVo'd it a long time ago from one of those religious channels, TBN or something like that. Last weekend I started watching it but the recording ended before the movie did, so I had to rent it from Netflix. I finally got to finish the film today.

This was a great film. I don't know how much of it is actually factual but I figure it is probably as close as they have or may ever make.

This was a great film. I highly recommend it. I give it an "A."

Movie review of 27 Dresses & my thoughts on chick flicks with marriage themes

First, I want to say that I don't tend to go for "chick flicks," or at least not of this type. I think these so called "romantic" movies give people, or at least most women, the wrong idea of love, romance, marriage, & everything else most girls obsess about from the age of five.

One of the first falacies I see a lot of in these films, including this one, is that you can tell whether "he" is your "soul mate" just by kissing him. Just like that dumb but addicting song "In His Kiss." I mean, give me a break. If that worked women would just be running around kissing every guy in site. Kissing booths would be on every corner.

This leads to another more common lie that is told in just about every movie, book, song, TV show, etc..., "love is a feeling, it is passion." Lie, lie, lie. Love is a commitment. No where in the "Love Chapter" (I Corinthians 13) does it ever mention passion, heart stopping, lack of being able to concentrate or any of the other symptoms the media industry tries to convince you are love. That is lust, attraction, infatuation, but not love. Love comes with time. I do not believe it is just something that happens all of a sudden. Ok, so, I guess I'm not a romantic. I don't believe in "love at first sight."

I also hate the way women are portrayed as depressed or lonely or in some way that getting a man is all she needs to fix all here problems. I'm not wanting to minimize any single woman's struggle with singleness. I know that there are times that this stage can be very difficult. There are times where we feel like the 5th wheel, like we are missing out on some aspect of a joke, we aren't part of the "in crowd." And there are those times when each of us wants that companionship that comes from having a husband or wife. However, I feel that many of these movies make finding your "soul mate" will "complete" you as a person, when, in my opinion, it should be more like two complete people who complement one another.

Another thing that bugs me about these movies/books/songs/etc...is how everything leads up to the wedding then ends. As if, "that's it, life is now 'easy street,' the fairy tale has now begun." In reality, that is what most little girls believe. And that is fine, but you grow up. Believing in fairy tales, princes, dragons, witches, & maiden' in distress are fine for children but once you pass puberty, I would say, it is time to face reality. I'm not trying to harsh but once you are of child bearing age you better have a certain grasp of reality or your future may be filled with a lot of heart ache.

The real story is that no one has what is written in those books or shown in movies. In a real marriage there is twice the garbage, dirty dishes, bills to pay, dirty laundry, then there is this other person in the house who never does their share (no matter if you are the guy or girl everyone always feels they are doing more than their fair share), always want to watch their show, make annoying noises, listen to the worst music, etc... There are days where you have a lust & passion for one another & days where you are annoyed to death by their presence & can't stand to be around them. This is real life. Love/romance/marriage are not the fairy tales that the entertainment industry try to delude you into believing. I know what you are thinking. I'm very close to ending up as a bitter old maid with 10 cats. I do believe in true love & marriage that can last but I believe that they are built on true commitment.

I'm really beginning to sound like a cynic & that is not my intention. Maybe I am a little bit of one but I have been where a lot of my single friends are now. Several of them are "dying" to find their husband. They are missing out on life waiting for this dream life to show up. Don't wait around for life to begin, you're living it now. If you aren't happy now, you won't be any happier married. Then there will just be two unhappy people.

I believe watching, reading, listening to these kinds of stories begins to influence your psyche. I use to read a lot of Christian romance books. While I don't believe there is anything wrong with these stories & find them quite good, wholesome, & entertaining, my idea of what my life should be like was just like these stories. I was just waiting around for some good Christian man to come "sweep me off my feet" & then my "real" life could get started. I was depressed & wondered all the time what was wrong with me, why didn't God want the same things for me that everyone else had. It isn't that there is anything wrong with me or that God doesn't want those things for me. Maybe he does, but maybe he wants me to become a more whole person first. Maybe he wants to teach me more about life & how to be a better wife before throwing me into that situation. And, maybe, dare I say it, maybe, he doesn't hold that for me in my future. Maybe I'm not to be married. And, would that really be that bad? This is the 21st century. Women do not need a man to live amazing lives. Not being married is no longer looked at (in most places) as being shameful. And, if it is in your "neck of the woods," prove to them that it isn't. If I never get married, I want to be that cool aunt (no my sister doesn't have kids yet, but if she does one day...) that travels the world, sends the coolest postcards, does amazing things, & has friends all over the globe & from every walk of life.

Do I ever want to get married? I don't know. I would love to say yes but like Camerin Courtney said in her book Table for One: The Savvy Girl's Guide to Singleness, I would rather be single & happy than married & miserable (or at least it went something like that). Am I ready to get married? I don't think I am. I believe the Lord is still working on other areas of my life right now. I could be wrong. I could meet some guy tomorrow but until then I'm not going to let today be a waste. Well, maybe today, I'm still a little sick & it is almost 4 am which means I'm, going to have to leave to take Kim to the airport soon.

So, to the movie review. Did I like it? Well, I had great hopes for 27 Dresses. It looked really funny on the previews & they reminded me a lot of Kim (she has been in a ton of wedings). However, I was a bit dissappointed. I thought most of the lines were really cheesy & all of the things I mentioned above were in the movie. Most young, teenage girls & my Dad (he really goes for this crap) will probably like it but most grown women will write it off as another predictable pseudo-romance, I think.

So, would I recommend this film? I guess it depends on the type of person I was talking to, but to most people, no.

I would give this movie a "D." I found it a bit of a waste of time, really.

"The Mummy: The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor"

"Michael Clayton" Review

Michael Clayton, starring George Clooney as Michael Clayton, is about a man who is an attorney that, instead of entering the courtroom, is now cleaning up the "messes" his clients & the firm that he tends to deal with. In this particular case, a colleague & friend (Tom Wilkinson), bi-polar & off his medications, makes a spectacle out of himself embarrassing the firm but at the same time revealing to the firm's heads that he knows a little more than he should about a certain case they have all been working on.

This movie was interesting but, I don't know, a little too tricky for me. I don't know, even that doesn't seem to explain what it was that I didn't like about this film. George Clooney (an actor who I believe will, in the future, go down as one of the best; like one of the great actors of classic Hollywood) did a great job, as usual, but still could not hook me into this movie.

By the way, if you do watch this movie, you will notice that Clayton's son is obsessed with a book series in which the first book is called "Realm & Conquest." This book does not exist in reality, it is only a movie prop. I know, because I checked. It sounded like a cool book so I wanted to get it but I was foiled once again by Hollywood. Ah, Hollywood, an eternal love-hate relationship.

So, would I recommend this film. If you like John Grisham styled plots, then you will probably like this one. If that is the case then, yes, I would suggest it but if that isn't really your "cup of tea" the I would suggest moving to the next movie on the shelf. I would give this movie a "C." George Clooney would get a much higher grade but he is not what I am reviewing. That will have to wait until another day.


Discussion Questions from Christianity Today:

1. The film's tagline is, "Truth Can Be Adjusted." Do you agree, or disagree? Why? Are there any circumstances under which that might be true?

2. At one point, Clayton's in-car navigation system is unable to show him the correct direction to proceed. Could the malfunctioning computer be a metaphor for anything else in Clayton's life and, if so, what does it mean?

3. While Clayton plays poker, a reckless game of chance, his son is obsessed with the fictitious fantasy book series and game, Realm and Conquest. Why does this story of epic journeys and virtuous heroes so appeal to the imbalanced Arthur Edens when he hears about it?

4. Discuss the ways in which noble intentions can erode over time, eaten away by small compromises that consume our idealism and resolve. What leads to this collapse and what can we do to prevent it?

5. What would you have done in Clayton's shoes?

"I Am Legend" Review

Ok, so I guess I'm a sucker for post-apocalyptic movies. The Postman, The Stand, The Day After Tomorrow, &, now, I Am Legend. I, as opposed to most movie critics, really liked this movie. I thought the portrayal of anyone who is on their own after an apocalypse was done very well. But would I expect anything less from Will Smith (sans The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)?

I enjoyed this film from beginning to end. The "monsters" were obviously CGI but scared the crap out of me. For lack of better judgment on my part, I watched this movie at about 2 am &, after finishing it, was kind of freaked out so I had to pop in another movie before my mind had time to move into imagination mode & really drive me to the panic zone. :)

Just a bit of advice when watching the DVD, don't waste your time watching the "animated comic book" shorts. They are very violent, disgusting, & left me very uneasy. The DVD doesn't come with a lot of special features, which I was disappointed in. I would have expected it to include a "making of" feature but, alas, we are gypped on that extra.

So, would I recommend this film? To the right type of person, most definitely. Being a post-apocalyptic film many people can't handle that type of story, but then throw in some "zombies," the rest of the population immediately turns sour on the whole idea. However, to that small remnant of the population like me, I would definitely suggest it as a way of wasting a couple of hours. I would give this movie an "A-."


Discussion Questions from Christianity Today:

1. In one of the final scenes, Neville shouts, "You are sick and I can save you! Let me save you!" What comparisons do you see in this scene—and the whole movie—between Neville and Christ? Do you think it is intentional? Why or why not?

2. Think about the scientist's analogy of the measles virus to a fast car whose destruction or value depends on who is driving. What does that mean to you? What other things are that way?

3. What do you think the movie is saying about the debate between science and faith?

"Shadowlands" (1985) Review

Shadowlands (1985) is the story of C.S. Lewis' life, or at least his life after he met his wife. This was a made for TV version by PBS staring Joss Ackland as C.S. Lewis & Clair Bloom as Joy Davidman. I was kind of disappointed with this film. I thought it would be about his life but it was just about 4 yrs of his life. From the movie, you get the impression that he met his wife, courted her, married her, & her death all in the matter of a few months or so, when in reality it was about a 4 yr span. Her remission stage in reality lasted about 1 1/2 - 2 years but in this film it seems like only a couple of weeks. The movie also did not go on to tell what happened to her two sons later in life.

As a nice little movie about a short part of his life, I guess this was a pretty good movie but I was expecting to find out more about his life so I was a little let down by the abbreviation. This movie was redone in in 1993 under the same name, starring Anthony Hopkins as C.S. Lewis & Debra Winger as Joy Davidson. I've read that there are some misrepresentations in that film also but any movie, in my opinion, with Anthony Hopkins in it is worth watching.

So, would I recommend this film? Sure, it is worth watching on a slow night when you can't find anything more interesting to watch but I would also suggest doing a little research on the life of this theologian before taking anything you learn from the movie as fact. I would give this movie a "C." It was good but I was expecting more.

In case you are interested, here is an article in Christianity Today entitled Into the Shadows in which the two versions of the movie are compared.


Interesting C.S. Lewis Related Sites:

• Wikipedia: C.S. Lewis
• C.S. Lewis Foundation
• Into the Wardrobe
• C.S. Lewis