Alexander Ludwig, Ian McShane, Gregory Smith. Sci/Fi action adventure. Written by John Hodge. Directed by David L. Cunningham.
FILM SYNOPSIS: This parable concerns a teenage boy who discovers he is the last of a group of immortals who must battle the forces of darkness. Going back and forth in time, our hero discovers clues, some dating back to biblical times that will lead to a climatic confrontation. PREVIEW REVIEW: My first reaction was that this good vs. evil action adventure was a nightmarish muddled mess: too scary and complex for little ones, too simplistic and boring for adults. But on further reflection, the allegorical aspects, along with having a teenager as its main protagonist, may appeal to adolescent males. The folks at Walden Media (The Chronicles of Narnia, Because of Winn Dixie, I Am David) have a track record that attests to the fact that story and a significant message should still be the essential special effects when making a fantasy. I suspect that the producers here are betting on the intended audience having read the book series, much like the Potter people did before they went to see those movies. The extra information the books would no doubt supply may give a deeper meaning to the goings-on in the movie. Without that info, however, many of us find it difficult figuring out the film’s symbolism. The Seeker gains special abilities as he finds each of the six hidden magical mysterious buttons needed to save the world from dark forces. The Rider is a combo of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse bent on destroying the Seeker, then our world. So why doesn’t he destroy the kid before he gets all the powers? Both our hero and the villain have their helpers. While the rest of us fill our lives with the business of living, these devils and angels look diligently for these prizes that will conquer evil and bring peace on earth. The young hero has just turned fourteen, a difficult age, which the film points out –several times. As I recall, though it’s been 100 years, a 14-year-old boy is going through many changes. He discovers that he has some powers, but also discovers that 14-year-old girls have more powers. This may be the real revelation in this boy-bent actioneer. Warner Bros. gave 14-year-old females Nancy Drew a few months ago, a movie that promoted a self-thinking young lady as a positive role model for preteens and up. Walden Media has now given boys of the same age the equivalent male counterpart. The film contains lessons, family is lifted up, as is church-going and self-sacrifice, and it is a clean movie, devoid of crudity and objectionable language. The pacing is stilted and slow in the beginning, but as the action gears up, it becomes more involving. It’s far from the quality of the Narnia film, but the intended audience may find it somewhat satisfying.
Distributor:
George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack. Drama/thriller. Written & directed by Tony Gilroy.
FILM SYNOPSIS: Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is an in-house “fixer” at one of the largest corporate law firms in New York. A former criminal prosecutor, Clayton takes care of Kenner, Bach & Ledeen’s dirtiest work at the behest of the firm’s co-founder Marty Bach (Sydney Pollack). Though burned out and hardly content with his job as a fixer, his divorce, a failed business venture and mounting debt have left Clayton inextricably tied to the firm. At U/North, meanwhile, the career of litigator Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton) rests on the multi-billion dollar settlement of a class action suit that Clayton’s firm is leading to a seemingly successful conclusion. But when Kenner Bach’s brilliant and guilt-ridden attorney Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson) sabotages the U/North case, Clayton faces the biggest challenge of his career and his life. PREVIEW REVIEW: With its insightful, nonlinear script coupled with trenchant dialogue, engaging directing and masterful performing, Michael Clayton is a masterpiece. That is said from an appreciation of the film’s artistic and technical merits. Alas, my appreciation is dampened by the film’s often abusive language. Don’t worry, for once I won’t take up your time with my frustration with the profane use of God’s name, Christ’s name and the ever present F-word, which dominates the palate of nearly every Hollywood artiste. Suffice it to say, the script is peppered with obscenity and profanity. What a shame, because I thoroughly enjoyed the other elements of this film. The lead is drifting, finding no solace in his work or life, then suddenly finds himself head on with a dilemma whereby he can find a sort of redemption. Mr. Clooney has never been better. Though I’m often frustrated with his political bent and the fact that he manages to follow God’s name with a curse in nearly all of his films, he is truly a movie star. A throwback to old Hollywood, George Clooney reminds me of Burt Lancaster in that he has rugged good looks, a strong persona, a moving talent and a regard for social issues. What’s more, I hear he’s a nice guy. And he is in fine form here. But doggone it, it’s hard to get past that constant misuse of God’s name. I know that saying, “Pray for George Clooney” sounds pious to some and corny to others, but to me he represents all of those in Tinseltown who have been blessed with looks, talent and success, yet seem to disregard a need for Christ’s salvation. I don’t want to think of him or Britney Spears or Barbra Streisand or anyone else who has entered our consciousness via the entertainment mediums having to face eternity without our Lord’s redemption. Again, may this not sound sanctimonious, but perhaps when we see their flagrant disregard for spiritual matters, we should be reminded of those in our daily life who also need spiritual discovery. And then offer up a prayer of gratitude that we have been forgiven for our own misdeeds.
Distributor:
Morgan Freeman, Greg Kinnear, Selma Blair, Radha Mitchell, Alexa Davalos. Drama. Written by Allison Burnett, Charles Baxter. Directed by Robert Benton.
FILM SYNOPSIS: From venerable, multiple Academy Award winning director Robert Benton (Kramer Vs. Kramer, Places in the Heart), comes a kaleidoscopic ode to life and love. In a coffee shop in a tight-knit Oregon community, local professor Harry Stevenson (Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman) witnesses love and attraction whipping up mischief among the town’s residents. From the unlucky-in-love, die-hard romantic coffee shop owner, Bradley (Academy Award nominee Greg Kinnear), who has a serial habit of looking for love in all the wrong places, including with his current wife Kathryn (Selma Blair) who leaves him for a lesbian lover; to the edgy real estate agent Diana (Radha Mitchell), who is caught up in an affair with a married man (Billy Burke) with whom she shares an ineffable connection; to the beautiful young newcomer, Chloe (Alexa Davalos), who defies fate in romancing the troubled Oscar (Toby Hemmingway); to Harry himself, whose adoring wife (Jane Alexander) is looking to break through his walls of grief after the wrenching loss of a beloved son, they all intertwine into one story in which no one can escape being bent, broken, befuddled and ultimately redeemed by love’s inescapable spell. PREVIEW REVIEW: With its erudite script, masterful directorial detail, and outstanding cast headed by the superb Morgan Freeman, Feast of Love is a potent, hard-hitting tale of love, betrayal and the resilience of the heart. Alas, the “grownup” themes of lesbianism and adultery are handled with even less shyness than the many actors who depict various sexual activities as if they were making an adult video. Indeed, most everybody is seen without clothes and enacting sex in explicit detail. I was moved by characters dealing with betrayal and the loss of love, as people discover the need for forgiveness, but the abundant sexual activity and the profane language drenched the lessons with a flood of decadent hedonism. Simply put, it is excessive. And once again the new morality is reinforced with depictions of people going to bed with each other on the first date, marriage vows broken with all the guilt of one who constantly runs red lights, and spiritual “insights” often falling outside biblical teaching.
Distributor:
Documentary from ThinkFilm. Opened 9/7/07 with a wider release scheduled.
FILM SYNOPSIS: The incisive documentary features the accounts of the surviving members of the Apollo teams who walked on the moon. PREVIEW REVIEW: I was teenager, working a summer job as a performer at an amusement park, on July 20th, 1969, the day the first man walked on the moon. The management allowed me to make the announcement to the folks at the park’s Opera House that the Apollo team had landed. What a roar of applause. This was really something. I mention this personal experience because it demonstrates how we were all united by NASA’s endeavor. It was one of those defining moments when all of America stood together and was proud of being American. This documentary gives a fresh perspective of those achievements, allowing for the spiritual implications that affected the men on those explorations. At one point, we even hear Charles Duke from the Apollo 9 mission give his testimony. I couldn’t believe my ears; a man was declaring his faith in Jesus Christ and there were no snickers from audience members. Indeed, my fellow moviegoers were moved, realizing that there is something far bigger than man, or even space itself. One of the best film-going experiences of the year, In the Shadow of the Moon engages, uplifts and unites.
Distributor:
The Rock, Kyra Sedgwick. Comedy.
FILM SYNOPSIS: The Game Plan tells the story of rugged superstar quarterback Joe Kingman (the Rock), whose Boston-based team is chasing a championship. A ‘serial bachelor,’ Kingman is living the ultimate fantasy: he’s rich, famous and the life of the party. But this dream is suddenly sacked for a loss when he discovers the 7-year-old daughter (newcomer Madison Pettis) he never knew he had – the product of a last fling before parting years ago with his young wife. Now, during the most important time in his career, he must figure out how to juggle his parties, practices and dates with the newfound ballet classes, bedtime stories and dolls that come with his daughter. PREVIEW REVIEW: Okay, when it comes to acting, Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson is no Van Johnson. Or Don Johnson. Or Arte Johnson. Still, he has a screen presence. And following Vin (
Distributor:
Kevin Kline, Cesar Ramos, Paulina Gaitan, Alicja Bachleda. Crime drama. Written by Jose Rivera. Directed by Marco Kreupaintner.
FILM SYNOPSIS: Adriana (Paulina Gaitan) is a 13-year-old girl from Mexico City whose kidnapping by sex traffickers sets in motion a desperate mission by her 17-year-old brother, Jorge (Cesar Ramos), to save her. Trapped and terrified by an underground network of international thugs who earn millions exploiting their human cargo, Adriana’s only friend and protector throughout her ordeal is Veronica (Alicja Bachleda), a young Polish woman tricked into the trade by the same criminal gang. As Jorge dodges immigration officers to track the girls’ abductors, he meets Ray (Kevin Kline), a Texas cop whose own family loss to sex trafficking leads him to become an ally in the boy’s quest. PREVIEW REVIEW: Recently we have learned that a famous football player who made millions of dollars at his chosen profession, who wanted for nothing, still wanted to make more – at the expense of animals. The monstrous training and the torture of dogs for the purpose of a gambling sport meant nothing to the associates of Michael Vick. Or, evidently, Michael Vick himself. There are people bent on harming other living things to satisfy something deep inside them. Even worse are the men and women who traffic in human beings in order to satisfy a deviance that has corrupted their souls. Is it just the acquisition of money that motivates them? Can you really destroy another person’s life merely to gain wealth? Or is there some other deep-seated objective behind controlling another person’s destiny? Though both Cesar Ramos and Kevin Kline are compelling in their roles, as are Paulina Gaitan and Alicja Bachleda, and while I congratulate the filmmakers for addressing this subject without the inclusion of titillation or exploitation, still the production might have been more effective without the typical Hollywood treatment, with the good guys eventually besting the bad guys. In real life, that’s not happening. The bad guys are still profiting from this illicit activity and the good guys seem to be looking the other way. What would have haunted our dreams would have been the image of 13-year-old Adriana seen led away, never to return. For, except for a few lucky ones, that is the fate of many sucked up by this “industry.” Perhaps that horrifying image would have galvanized us into action. Instead, everyone gets to go home as if the evil had been defeated. Of course, in this film it’s George Bush, his administration and the rest of us gringos who are doing all the looking in the other direction. Once again, America is censured by a filmmaker for not policing the entire world, while other nations go unscathed. The resentment for the United States by other countries is beginning to bug me. It’s always portrayed that those nations have just a bit more soul than we do. Yet, most of the human trafficking – even that which exists in our country – is being organized by foreigners, illegals who go undetected. Are Americans uncaring about human slavery in the world? Some are. Some are too busy trying to care for their own. And some don’t know what to do. But I suspect that the majority of America’s citizens despise the concept of human trafficking. We also detest dog fighting, bull fighting and the clubbing to death of baby seals. But until the governors of foreigners do their job, there’s not much ours can do. There are those who don’t want us to remove Hitler-like dictators who govern the way things are run in plighted countries, but these same folks want us to feed the hungry of the world and police bad doers such as slavers and drug pushers who reside in other nations. Though this desire to end such indignities is well meant, it has become clear that such attempts are merely treating the symptoms, not the actual ailment. We’ve been feeding the world for years, yet it remains hungry. And every so often, the importers of narcotics are seized with record loads. Yet, corruption in other countries assures that industry a luxurious survival. The truth is, until the leaders of other nations see the evil in their indifference and our legal system returns to protecting victims more so than criminals, no amount of American enforcement will be effective. Well, that’s about as controversial as anything I’ve written in a review. I expect to get clobbered for it. But I just can’t believe that our nation alone is guilty for all the adversity around the world. And I find the detractors of the U.S. more concerned with the downfall of America than the building up of other lands. They seem to justify the ignorance of others, as if conscience was regulated by culture or finances. The film has many powerful moments, ones that hit you in the gut. When you see one of these slavers punch a woman in the face, or an escaping girl hit by a car, or a young woman raped, or a 13-year-old girl crying, wanting to go home to her mom, or a young boy held down while a man injects him with heroine in order to control him, you’ll wish you were anywhere but at that theater. That said, if these enactments cause a motivating concern, then perhaps we should see this film. The visuals of these brutalizations drive home the fact that such an institution still exists. It thrives. In the film we see people bidding to buy a young girl on the Internet. From what I understand, this is actually possible, that such transactions actually occur via the information superhighway. My God.
Distributor: