Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Charlie Hunnam, Clare-Hope Ashitey and Michael Caine. Sci-fi action drama. Directed by Alfonso Cuarón.
FILM SYNOPSIS: Children of Men envisages a world one generation from now that has fallen into anarchy on the heels of an infertility defect in the population. The world’s youngest citizen has just died at 18, and humankind is facing the likelihood of its own extinction. Set against a backdrop of London torn apart by violence and warring nationalistic sects, Children of Men follows disillusioned bureaucrat Theo (Clive Owen) as he becomes an unlikely champion of Earth’s survival. When the planet’s last remaining hope—a lone pregnant woman named Kee (newcomer Clare-Hope Ashitey)—is threatened, this reluctant activist is forced to face his own demons and protect her from certain peril.
PREVIEW REVIEW: A tale that suggests nationalism will soon bring down civilization, Children of Men serves up a bleak picture of the future, one where refugees (illegal aliens) are rounded up for extermination, the basic amenities have become luxuries, the world is filthy, terrorism rules, the language has stayed as crude as the year 2006, and mankind is nearing the end. To top that off, nearly every lead dies, brutally. Oh, it’s a lot of laughs.
The film neglects to address the real reason for mankind’s downfall – it’s rejection of God.
Distributor: Universal
Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Carla Gugino, Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney. Comedy/adventure. Directed by Shawn Levy.
FILM SYNOPSIS: Good-hearted dreamer Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) accepts what appears to be a menial job as a graveyard-shift night watchman at a museum of natural history. But during Larry’s watch, something extraordinary happens: the museum’s exhibits magically come to life. A fearsome T-Rex insists on a game of fetch (with one of his own skeleton bones); Mayans, Roman gladiators, and cowboys emerge from their dioramas to wage epic battles; and a wax figure of Teddy Roosevelt gives Larry important advice while harboring a crush for an Indian princess. As things spiral out of control, Larry must find a way to manage the magic and stop a nefarious plot to steal that magic.
PREVIEW REVIEW: I kept thinking, this is a very strange movie. Not only do these people and creatures come to life at night, but they are wax figures. How do wax figures come to life? You see, while I try to keep my pragmatism in check when reviewing movies, that pragmatism only goes so far. Here’s Teddy Roosevelt giving our put-upon hero life lessons, when suddenly he announces he was made in a wax works factory. So, it’s silly business. Then – and I won’t give it away – but I don’t get the thinking of the thieves. Their reasoning seemed too manufactured, too forced, much like a great deal of the film’s humor.
Okay, there’s the Grinch side of me. It’s not a film I’d watch again, but I was listening to fellow film watchers as they exited and their reactions were positive. It was lighthearted, exciting, fresh and clean. It was a film parents could view with kids. And although it has lots of chase scenes, the filmmakers are careful to handle the material with a PG rating in mind. And I’ll give you this: Mr. Stiller proves he can hold a comedy together without being crude or excessive. And Robin Williams makes a bully Teddy Roosevelt. He seems to even revere the 26th President. You think he knows that Roosevelt was a Republican?
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Matthew McConaughey, Matthew Fox, David Strathairn, Ian McShane, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, January Jones, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Huntley Ritter, Kate Mara. Sports drama. Directed by McG. Written by Jamie Linden
FILM SYNOPSIS: In 1970, while traveling back to Huntington, West Virginia, 75 members of Marshall University’s football team and coaching staff were killed in a plane crash. A community steeped in football tradition, Marshall football was more than just a sport, it was a way of life. As those left behind struggled to cope with the devastating loss of their loved ones, the grieving families found hope and strength in the leadership of Jack Lengyel, a young coach who was determined to rebuild Marshall's football program and in the process helped to heal a community.
PREVIEW REVIEW: Well, I said it after the last twelve football movies and I’ll say it again: the films in this genre are as alike as Indian head nickels. Of course, to sell the concept to a studio head, the pitch man has to come up with some sort of hook. In case of football movies, these hooks range from a girl fighting for and eventually being accepted onto a chauvinistic team, to the new coach having to rebuild his foundering team. Actually, those are pretty much the only two hooks for football movies. And since the last film about a girl joining a male team starred a teenaged Helen Hunt clear back when cheerleaders still wore knee socks, moviegoers have pretty much had just one type of football movie scenario – that of the new coach rebuilding his foundering team.
Here we have a story based on a true and tragic incident. But make no mistake, this film isn’t really about the dead team members. We don’t learn much about that team. Heck, we don’t even learn why the plane crashed. This film is more about the perseverance of a sport by those who think football is something God himself prefers to Sunday worship.
Despite the sameness of these movies, they can be enjoyable. First, however, it helps to like football. And from what I’ve noticed about most football enthusiasts, just about any film where people wear helmets is their first choice for a Friday date movie. If the football action is interestingly filmed and the team roster consists of wise-cracking but sympathetic players, then pigskin zealots will go – no matter how often they’ve seen the hook.
Matthew McConaughey channels Robert Duvall in his effort to create a tough but sensitive head coach who must rebuild the team while motivating the rest of the town to rebuild the football program. There are some attempts at motivating messages about starting over and dealing with the guilt and anger that follows tragedy, but most every emotion that’s tackled here has been handled with more filmmaking skill in past entries.
There’s plenty of football field carnage and of course there’s the final slow-motion pass that will make or break the game. Nothing new. Nothing really challenging. Nothing really entertaining. And even the loss from the crash could have been treated with more poignancy. For me, it was just something I had to sit through. Kind of like when I have to watch Monday night football with a family football fanatic (of which I have many, may God bless and keep each and every one of them).
My video alternatives: Brian’s Song, Rudy, Invincible, Remember the Titans, and Facing the Giants (soon to be released on DVD).
Distributor: Warner Bros.
George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Tobey Maguire. Written by Paul Attanasio. Directed by Steven Sodergergh.
FILM SYNOPSIS: Berlin, 1945. U.S. war correspondent Jake Geismer has just arrived to cover the upcoming Potsdam Peace Conference, where Allied leaders will meet to determine the fate of a vanquished Germany and a newly liberated Europe. It doesn’t take him long to become ensnared in political intrigue. And while there he meets his former love, although somehow, now, not quite the person he once knew. She has been irrevocably changed by the war, the hardship of life in this ruined city and the burden of her own secrets. To survive, she has turned to prostitution – and other things.
PREVIEW REVIEW: When a film contains a great deal of exposition, all that talk has to be delicately handled. Bogart in The Big Sleep does it affectively, Clooney in The Good German, does not. Indeed, Mr. Clooney is the least effective element in the production. Say what you will about his politics (because he sure does) Clooney is a real movie star. He even upstages Brad Pitt in Oceans 11 with panache and style. But here, he seems awkward with dramatic moments. Could it be that he is actually a limited actor? Or did he just feel uncomfortable with the strained dialogue and clumsy direction?
Another problem I had with the production has to do with the inclusion of the obscene language. Nowadays, moviegoers are used to hearing the f-word in their movie choices. But writer Paul Attanasio and director Steven Sodergergh go to great lengths to offer up a ‘50s-ish film noir, complete with static old Warner Bros.’ B & W photography, an atmospheric score reminiscent of Bernard Hermann, and even a THE END at the end. So to incorporate 28 uses of the f-word jolts you out of the mood meant for what I assume was supposed to be a salute to the filmmaking process of an earlier more judicious period. Were people that graphic with the f-word in mixed company during that period? Of course, some were, but not in the movies.
It’s not a bad film, it’s just not very good. The end scenes are an homage to Casablanca. Not a good choice, because we can’t help but compare the two films. Comparing a great film with an adequate film just makes the adequate film look inadequate. What’s more, here we are shocked at how badly people are supposed to have behaved during war, whereas Casablanca showed the triumph of the will. Which character trait would you rather view?
Video Alternatives: Judgment at Nuremberg. A U.S. judge presides over wartime criminal trials. Outstanding all-star cast includes Spencer Tracy, Maximillian Schell, Burt Lancaster, Judy Garland (surprisingly moving performance) and Montgomery Cliff. Well crafted by Stanley Kramer.
Or, Casablanca. A great love affair set during the beginning of WWII. Honor and faithfulness prevail. Memorable dialogue and without the assistance of the f-word.
Or, You could watch a film about the Berlin air lift where America and its allies faced off the Russians to land in Russian-blocked Berlin at the end of the war. The people who had just been our enemies were being starved by the vicious people in control of the Red army. America and England’s air force risked their own lives to aid those suffering. Oh, I forgot, that story hasn’t been brought to film for the past fifty years. Strange how that incident never seems to be retold. I guess it paints American in a good light. We wouldn’t want that now.
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Ken Watanabe, Kazunari, Tsuyoshi Ihara, Ryo Kase. Directed by Clint Eastwood. Produced by Mr. Eastwood and Steven Spielberg.
FILM SYNOPSIS: Filmed on location, this wartime action/bio accounts the events of the WWII Iwo Jima battle from the perspective of several Japanese soldiers.
PREVIEW REVIEW: Produced in tandem with Eastwood’s marvelous Flags of Our Fathers, this stark look at the lengthy and deadly battle is both moving and revealing. The end result: we learn that the Japanese didn’t want to be there, either. After they get to know a captured enemy, these soldiers discover that Americans are not barbarians and that they have much in common with their enemy. A mother’s letter found on a dead American reflects what was said by a Japanese mother: “Do the right thing, because it’s right.”
In keeping with the general pacifistic mood in Hollywood, the film does a fine job with putting a human face on the enemy. This is good. This is the type of movie we should be showing to the terrorists of the world. It might cause them to unstrap suicide bombs and lay down their beheading swords. No? And there lies the fault of anti-war films. They are always shown to the wrong people.
The nation of Japan must be forgiven and shown respect. But Pearl Harbor, which led to four years of American involvement in that war and this particularly gruesome encounter, must never be forgotten. In reality, the Japanese were a fearsome and extremely brutal enemy. Many believe they were far more sadistic than even the Nazis. That’s not depicted here. Of course, Japan is our buddy now, so it would be politically incorrect to recreate the savagery they brought to war. It might seem positive to downplay and forget such atrocities. After all, it was nearly 70 years ago. But remembering the events of WWII will keep us on guard and remind us that an entire nation can be blinded by evil even when their cause seems noble.
For a more honest portrayal of the events of WWII, view the video alternative: The Great Raid. Director John Dahl recreates the gritty reality-based story of one of the most spectacular rescue missions ever to take place in American history: “the great raid on Cabanatuan,” the daring exploit that would liberate more than 500 U.S. prisoners of war in the Philippines in 1945. A gripping depiction of human resilience, the film vividly brings to life the personal courage and audacious heroism that allowed a small but stoic band of World War II soldiers to attempt the impossible in the hope of freeing their captured brothers.
Many may question the need to bring up the incident when we are now allies to some extent with Japan and Germany. It would be a mistake to assume that this film is anti anybody. World War II was a defining moment in world history as it made clear that evil exists and that it can blind an entire nation. Yes, the Japanese did horrific things to the Chinese, to the Filipinos and to the Americans. Unspeakable things. Damnable things. But blind villainy has fallen upon many nations, including, the Roman Empire, Spain and Germany. Evil can befall any nation and must be guarded against or it will overcome any country that displaces God’s commandments.
Unlike Letters From Iwo Jima, which has one agenda, to put a friendly face on wartime enemies, The Great Raid is great history, and certainly it should be shared with younger generations in order that the sacrifice not be forgotten. However, the film is not just a history lesson. The filmmaker never forgets his main objective: to entertain. Completely enthralling, the characters are well defined, the pacing is engaging and the technical achievements are as good as you’ll find in any bigger-budgeted blockbuster.
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Peter O’Toole, Leslie Phillips, Jodie Whittaker, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Griffiths. Written by Hanif Kureishi. Directed by Roger Michell.
FILM SYNOPSIS: Venus tells the story of Maurice and Ian, a pair of veteran actors (Peter O’Toole and Leslie Phillips respectively), whose comfortable daily routine is disrupted by the arrival of Ian’s grand-niece, Jessie (newcomer Jodie Whittaker). Maurice takes the teenager under his wing, but is surprised to discover how very little he actually knows now that his own life is drawing to a close.
PREVIEW REVIEW: Venus is an interesting, if often worldly look at an elderly man infatuated with a headstrong young woman. We’re given a solid performance by Mr. O’Toole, but I couldn’t help think that this portrait was of a man consumed with self and possessing a humanistic outlook on life. Ultimately, it was unsatisfying. What’s more, those seeking spiritual fulfillment will more than likely be frustrated with the carnal behavior of all the characters. Though one assumes the filmmaker meant for there to be a few high-minded themes, (searching for the meaning of life and respecting oneself), but any message perceived is overshadowed by the crude behavior of this foul-mouthed bunch.
Distributor: Miramax
Dakota Fanning and the voices of Julia Roberts, Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Oprah Winfrey, Cedric the Entertainer, André Benjamin, Thomas Haden Church, Robert Redford, Reba McEntire, Kathy Bates. Based on the Book by E. B. White. Written by Susannah Grant and Karey Kirkpatrick. Directed by Gary Winick.
FILM SYNOPSIS: A classic story of loyalty, trust, and sacrifice comes to life in this live-action adaptation. Fern (Dakota Fanning) is one of only two living beings who sees that Wilbur is a special animal as she raises him, the runt of the litter, into a terrific and radiant pig. As Wilbur moves into a new barn, he begins a second profound friendship with the most unlikely of creatures – a spider named Charlotte – and their bond inspires the animals around them to come together as a family. When the word gets out that Wilbur’s days are numbered, it seems that only a miracle will save his life. A determined Charlotte – who sees miracles in the ordinary – spins words into her web in an effort to convince the farmer that Wilbur is “some pig” and worth saving. Note: Charlotte’s Web, written by E. B. White with illustrations by Garth Williams, is the best-selling children’s paperback of all time.
PREVIEW REVIEW: What an incredible story, completely involving, yet loaded with life lessons for children and reminders for adults. Not only have Walden Media and Paramount Pictures done justice to the book, they have given families a flawless, perfect film. I was completely charmed and that’s saying something because I am not a fan of films with talking animals. Perhaps my real objection to talking-animal movies rest in the fact that they usually have nothing worthwhile to say. Here, they do. What’s more, I defy you to find a poorly done sequence.
If you take your kid to another movie instead of this one – I don’t even want to hear about it. Well, I’m kidding a bit, but Hollywood so seldom presents us with a perfect movie. This is one of them. A classic – not just one of the best family films of 2006, but of ever.
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
FILM SYNOPSIS: Twenty-five years after first bringing Broadway audiences to their feet, the Tony Award-winning musical sensation Dreamgirls comes to the big screen starring Academy Award® winner Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles, Danny Glover, newcomer Jennifer Hudson, Tony Award winner Anika Noni Rose and Eddie Murphy.
Set in the turbulent early 1960s to mid-‘70s, Dreamgirls follows the rise of a trio of women—Effie (Jennifer Hudson), Deena (Beyoncé Knowles) and Lorrell (Anika Noni Rose)—who have formed a promising girl group called The Dreamettes. At a talent competition, they are discovered by an ambitious manager named Curtis Taylor, Jr. (Jamie Foxx), who offers them the opportunity of a lifetime: to become the backup singers for headliner James “Thunder” Early (Eddie Murphy). Curtis gradually takes control of the girls’ look and sound, eventually giving them their own shot in the spotlight as The Dreams. That spotlight, however, begins to narrow in on Deena, finally pushing the less attractive Effie out altogether. Though the Dreams become a crossover phenomenon, they soon realize that the cost of fame and fortune may be higher than they ever imagined.
From Paramount and DreamWorks, directed by Bill Condon from a screenplay he adapted from the stage musical’s original book by Tom Eyen.
PREVIEW REVIEW: Throughout this film, I felt disconnected, uncaring. That one nameless dynamic found in Funny Girl or even Chicago was missing in Dreamgirls. Both of those earlier films/plays concerned stage hopefuls, but also musical scores that could not be forgotten. While there are several nice moments in Dreamgirls, the ever present emotional tug of the plot never seems to effectively reach the viewer – at least not this viewer. I’m afraid the unsatisfying conclusion is a result of the direction, writing and performances.
There is a standout performance by Eddie Murphy. At first, because his character is so gregarious, Mr. Murphy doing those comic sleight-of-hands he has mastered over the years, it may be difficult to think of him in a dramatic sense. Like Woody Allen, Eddie causes audiences to laugh the moment we see him. We are anticipating something funny and sure enough, he delivers. But Eddie delivers so much more than gewgaws. There’s a depth to his performance that accentuates the tragedy his character undergoes. In my opinion, it’s an award-worthy performance.
The rest of the cast sadly left me cold. Beyoncé is a beautiful woman, and perhaps a great singer, but because her character is supposed to have a thin voice compared to Effie’s, she never really belts out a number that emotionally grips you. But perhaps the biggest let down is the casting of Jennifer Hudson as Effie. A third season American Idol contestant, Ms. Hudson is unable to deliver a fleshed-out characterization.
Sadly, this generation believes in quantity over quality, which may explain the exuberant reaction to the exceedingly long, repetitive “showstopper” And I Am Telling You. While Ms. Hudson has the chops, she is not yet seasoned enough dramatically to carry such an important role. What’s more, being able to vocalize with the earsplitting volume of Tarzan doesn’t make you a great singer. Now, I am in the minority on this point, as this generation seems to be enthralled by singers who highlight each number with a yodel-like vibrato in place of texture and phrasing. Very few singers today are able to color a note. They just blast it. Of course if I were able to convince under-thirties to listen to Streisand sing A Piece of Sky from Yentl or Ella Fitzgerald sing anything, the performances would probably go unappreciated. Styles and sensibilities change. To each his own. But dramatically, I stand by my assertion. Ms. Hudson doesn’t have the dramatic skills to make Effie the focal character in a film that desperately needs a heart.
Distributor: Paramount and DreamWorks
Edward Speleers, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Guillory, Robert Carlyle, Djimon Hounsou, Garrett Hedlund, and John Malkovich. Kids/teens sci-fi action drama. Screenplay by: Lawrence Konner & Mark Rosenthal and Jesse Wigutow, based upon the novel by Christopher Paolini. Directed by Stefen Fangmeier.
FILM SYNOPSIS: Based on the best-selling novel, this is an epic fantasy-adventure about a young farm boy named Eragon whose destiny is revealed with the help of a dragon. Eragon, now a Dragon Rider, is swept into a world of magic and power, as he attempts to save an Empire.
PREVIEW REVIEW: I only like generous helpings of special effects if they enhance the story. And that they do here. It’s simply a remarkable film to look at. But it is also one that entrances with its story and characters. With the same elements found in the original Star Wars, the filmmakers give us true Hollywood magic, a good vs. evil parable, with flying dragons, evil sorcerers and maidens fare.
Also reminiscent of Dragonheart, another period tale of Knights, dragons and the never ending struggle for justice (with Sean Connery doing the voice of a dragon in that one), Eragon contains messages of bravery, sacrifice, and the need for doing what is right. And though there is a demonic sorcerer, this good vs. evil parable is more Narnia than Hogwarts, and is not an attempt to interest youth in the dark arts. Completely enjoyable, perhaps even the best action fantasy of the year.
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Cast: Will Smith, Thandie Newton, Jaden Smith. Drama. Written by Steve Conrad. Directed by Gabriele Muccino.
FILM SYNOPSIS: Chris Gardner (Will Smith) is a single father of a five-year-old son (Jaden Smith), suddenly finding himself evicted from his apartment and unable to land a well-paying job. Forced to live in shelters, enduring many hardships, Chris refuses to let this dampen his spirits as he pursues his dream of security for himself and his son.
PREVIEW REVIEW: This is a good movie. And if it weren’t for a shoe, it would be a great movie. The story and Will Smith’s performance are revealing, some might say downright profound. For it reveals that even when faced with insurmountable odds, a man can climb out of life’s traps and even rearrange his destiny. The movie, like last year’s Hustle and Flow, made me more sensitive to those faced with despair. But about that shoe...
Will Smith’s character faces more pitfalls than The Perils of Pauline. Indeed, the only ordeal he doesn’t go through is being tied to railroad tracks. It starts off with a major business mistake – he invests in products to sell that nobody wants – then he comes home to a wife who has had enough and has decided to move out, leaving husband and child behind. He then keeps losing his products by making stupid decisions. Then there’s his problem with the IRS. Oh, and his car is impounded and he’s arrested for possessing too many parking tickets. Then he’s evicted, not once, but twice. And on it goes. Most of these trying experiences are necessary to portray a man overcoming moments of crisis. And through these problems we see the main character’s steadfast love for his son and his determination to fight life’s fiascos. But, my goodness, everything happens to this guy but leprosy. When he’s running after a thief, he’s hit by a car. He’s uninjured, but can’t find the shoe that was dislodged by the encounter. With all this tribulation, I found myself far tenser than a film should be allowed to make me.
The Pursuit of Happyness is gut wrenching, for sure, but it will touch you as it reminds just how undeterminable life is and what opportunities are still available to those who don’t give up. There’s also a muted spiritual message that seems to signal a change in this man’s life. At one point, the boy and his frustrated dad are forced to stay at a homeless shelter sponsored by a church. The lead is not seen praying, but at a worship service we do see him worship. Soon after this spiritual moment, life begins to change for our hero.
I think it’s a well-made film, an important film, a good film. But it would have been a great film without the missing shoe.
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Dalia Hernandez. Written by Fared Safinia and Mel Gibson. Directed by Mel Gibson.
FILM SYNOPSIS. Life is about to change drastically for a peaceful Mayan village. Another tribe descends upon them, collecting them for labor and sacrifices. The story revolves around one young warrior as he attempts to escape his brutal fate and rescue his wife and child.
PREVIEW REVIEW: While the body of Mel Gibson’s work includes varying degrees of violence, several of these well-reviewed productions include spiritual themes; The Passion of the Christ, Signs, We Were Soldiers, Braveheart. But Apocalypto may be the most overrated film of the year and certainly the most violent production of any year.
It’s interesting that between The Pursuit of Happyness and now Apocalypto we have two lead characters going through every mental or physical ordeal you can imagine. While both films have something to say about the human condition, they bombard the viewer with excessive frustration and hard luck, to the point of comedy. In Pursuit of Happyness (that’s how they spell it) I’d had enough when the Will Smith character, late for work, is running for all he’s worth until hit by a cab. The jolt knocks off his shoe. He gets up, limping down the street unable to find his shoe. Perhaps it happened in real life, but by this time in the film, we have suffered about all we can with this guy. The lost shoe was a bit over the top. In Apocalypto, the lead also does a great deal of running. And he also goes through the trials of Job or Rambo. But again, the filmmaker overdoes it a bit when our hero is resting in a tree, attempting to avoid his pursuers, when suddenly he sees a cute little black panther cub. We don’t need to hear the roar from off screen to know momma is around. But we hear it anyway. He looks over his shoulder and there the cat is, about four feet away. Next scene, this guy’s running through the jungle, with the panther in close pursuit. Why she didn’t eat him in the tree, how he got away, how it is that he can outrun one of the fastest creatures on earth, well, don’t ask, because there is no answer given in the film. My point: it becomes ludicrous.
Christians were able to accept the brutality imaged in The Passion of the Christ because it drove home the physical and mental anguish Jesus endured on behalf of mankind. That film visualizes the physical torment he underwent to be sure, but while showing the physical horrors Christ endured, it becomes clear that it’s not really about what we did to Him, but about what He did for us. The slightness of Apocalypto’s script is unbalanced by the incessant depictions of gore. (It’s interesting that many reviewers who criticized Gibson’s Passion of the Christ for its violence are now finding profoundness in this film, despite its brutality.)
Mr. Gibson is a filmmaker to be reckoned with, one who usually infuses his action adventures with something nearing profundity. But whatever themes may be found in Apocalypto, (man’s encroachment upon nature, or war – what is it good for) seem lost amid the extremely violent and oppressive imagery. I expected more from a film entitled Apocalypto. The film suggests a new beginning can only come after destruction, but the scenario plays like a bloodlust version of Tarzan and the Slave Girl.
Distributor: Buena Vista
Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou, Jennifer Connelly. Adventure/Drama. Written by Charles Leavitt. Directed by Edward Zwick.
FILM SYNOPSIS: Leonardo DiCaprio plays Danny Archer a fortune hunter in Sierra Leone during that country’s tumultuous civil war of the 1990s. When Solomon Vandy, an innocent black man is captured during a murderous attack on his village, he is taken from his family and forced to work in a diamond field. While there he is able to hide an extremely valuable diamond. Mercenary Archer learns of the jewel and helps Vandy escape in order to retrieve the stone. With the help of a beautiful journalist, the two attempt to evade capture, regain the hidden jewel, and rescue Vandy’s family.
PREVIEW REVIEW: A fast-paced adventure, Blood Diamond is a rare jewel in itself. Packed with lots of action, beautiful scenery and moving performances, it also contains a redemptive message, and its story salutes honor and family while reminding viewers of the civil war that once nearly destroyed Sierra Leone, Africa. It also poignantly examines the true cost of rare things when corruption and smuggling are apart of their exploitation.
Alas, there’s the R-content. The violence is abundant and graphic, with many examples of bloodlust. Then there’s Mr. DiCaprio’s use of objectionable language. Certainly not as profane as in his last film, The Departed, but there’s enough to help the film garner an R rating. Like every other actor of his generation, DiCaprio only knows how to vocalize frustration and anger by using the f-word, while emphasizing most other moods with a throwaway of Christ’s name.
No matter how often this excessive use of violence and objectionable language is rebuked by both secular and religious reviewers, the physical and verbal carnage in movies continues. Thank goodness there’s no evidence that such portraits are having a desensitizing effect on today’s generation…Uh, huh.
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black, Eli Wallach, Edward Burns, Rufus Sewell. Romantic comedy. Written & directed by Nancy Meyers.
FILM SYNOPSIS: Two women on opposite sides of the globe find themselves with the same troubles – hearts broken by men. Desperate for a change of scenery, the two women meet on the Internet and swap houses for the Christmas holiday. The change does them good. Not only do they love the new locations, but even though they are trying to escape romantic involvements, they manage to find the perfect men the first day of their arrivals.
PREVIEW REVIEW: The Holiday consists of an interesting concept, witty dialogue, romantic situations and the best use of movie star cameos I can remember in a film. Two small problems, however. First, it’s too long. Unfortunately, the script overstays its welcome and offers a fanciful ending that offers no satisfactory solution to the problem of a couple with ties to other parts of the world. Admittedly, this observation is that of a writer and may be considered picayune by those caught up in the pretty locations and the adventures of the lovely female leads.
The second observation may be more of a problem for those who follow the Bible’s teaching concerning sexual abstinence before marriage. I think even those who see that teaching as more of a custom from biblical times than a direct command from God will still be uncomfortable with seeing the Cameron Diaz character bed a man in the first hour she meets him. Of course, in the movie they later fall in love. But in real life, such behavior generally leads to problems. It’s a fantasy, I know, but there is an air of sexual permissiveness throughout the film.
That said, there are no graphic sexual situations and the film itself is a romantic fantasy. It’s not suggesting that we follow their example. Indeed, there are some nice statements made about relationships and putting others first. And though there are two or three off-color words, including one use of the f-word (which always tarnishes the mood of a romantic comedy), there are no misuses of God’s name -- well, except for the colloquialism “oh my god,” which is uttered occasionally. Sadly, though this film takes place at Christmastime, there isn’t any mention of spiritual matters whatsoever.
In other words, this is secular fluff about finding the perfect mate in the perfect setting (the final shot looking like a Hallmark card). It’s escapist fare, but don’t expect to find much spiritual enlightenment.
Distributor: Columbia/Universal
The Nativity Story opens on a panoramic view of a clear night sky, with an orchestral version of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” on the soundtrack—precisely what you would expect from a film about the birth of our Lord and Savior. But seconds later, the tone has changed. King Herod’s troops swarm into Bethlehem to begin slaughtering male infants, a plan hatched by the paranoid ruler to ensure the Jewish Messiah won’t live to overthrow him. Graphic bloodshed is kept off-camera, but the point is clear: This won’t be a Hallmark-style depiction of the Christmas story.
Flashing back one year, the film shows a teenaged Mary (Keisha Castle-Hughes) sharing a small home in Nazareth with her parents, grandfather, uncle and two young cousins. It’s an impoverished life, and Roman tax collectors make matters worse by pulling girls into slavery when their families’ crops fall below expectations. To spare Mary this fate, her father blesses her betrothal to Joseph (Oscar Isaac), a young carpenter she hardly knows. Mary runs to a secluded olive grove to sort out her feelings, and it’s there that the angel Gabriel appears to tell her she will conceive and bear the son of God, while yet a virgin. As in Scripture, her acceptance of this news is both full and immediate. A visit to older cousin Elizabeth (Shohreh Aghdashloo), herself chosen to bear John the Baptist, confirms Mary’s faith. But harsh challenges remain. The movie fleshes out the Gospel accounts in plausible ways, as Mary is shunned by the village once her pregnancy is known, and Joseph shifts from feelings of betrayal to selfless love and sacrifice.
Traits are revealed in Mary and Joseph that, the script suggests, will be passed on to Jesus. For instance, on a stop during the census journey to Bethlehem, Mary washes Joseph’s feet, an act of loving respect for his own devotion. Later, Joseph is angered by the sight of merchants at the Temple in Jerusalem. Yet they both understandably wonder if they’ll be able, as parents, to teach God’s son anything.
Other scenes hint at future pain—the couple passes a row of cruficied men, a street prophet is beaten and dragged away by Roman soldiers. And while crossing a river, Mary falls in and is nearly bitten by a water snake, which may symbolize Satan trying to prevent the birth. But all moments of peril—and shots of Mary and Elizabeth in labor—are treated discreetly, making The Nativity Story suitable for children beyond preschool age.
Like The Passion of the Christ, the film was shot mostly in rural, southern Italy because the original sites are now too modernized. But the substitution works well, giving most of the story a gritty, “you are there” feeling. Director Catherine Hardwicke makes a few wrong choices. The Magi are treated as semi-comic characters, with a persnickety Gaspar fussing throughout their 600-mile trek to greet the newborn King; and the angel’s appearance before the shepherds recalls biblical epics of Hollywood’s golden age—maybe a bit too much for contemporary tastes. But performances by the international cast are uniformly sincere. Mr. Isaac, a Guatemalan-born actor in his starring debut, is especially moving as Joseph. Ms. Aghdashloo and Ciarán Hinds make strong impressions as the supportive Elizabeth and insidious King Herod. And if 16-year-old Keisha Castle-Hughes seems more reserved here than in her Oscar-nominated Whale Rider turn, it may only be to express the mature-beyond-her years quality Mary likely possessed.
The Nativity Story is truly an antidote to the secularized holiday entertainments that flood the market this time of year, and it deserves to be seen and applauded.
Discussion Questions:
Do the movie’s scenes match your own vision of the story?What aspects might have been explored, which were not?When have you made your greatest “leap of faith” as a Christian? How did the experience change you?
Bill Fentum is an associate editor of the United Methodist Reporter, and a radio-TV-film graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. This review was published in the December 1 issue of the Reporter, and is posted on Preview with permission from UMR Communications, 1221 Profit Drive, Dallas, Texas 75247. 1-800-947-0207.
Distributor: New Line Cinema