FILM SYNOPSIS: According to the press notes, the French were aided by over 130,000 North Africans fending off the Germans during WWII. Directed and co-written by Rachid Bouchareb, the story showcases the bravery of the North African Muslims and reveals the bigotry and mistreatment they received under French leadership. PREVIEW REVIEW: It’s interesting that two war films out right now either focus on understanding the enemy (Letters from Iwo Jima) or making sure Westerners get to know Muslim warriors. Indeed, in Days of Glory there are several scenes depicting the followers of Islam as decent and devout, whereas the Christians are hypocrites. It doesn’t, however, go into much depth as to the core beliefs of either religion. It’s a blatant attempt to put a happy face on Islam. This is a well-made film, but like Clint Eastwood’s Letters From Iwo Jima, it has an agenda. Making nice with folks you don’t know seems a noble cause and certainly we Christians are to be peacemakers, but Matthew 10:16 also warns, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” That verse should always be applied when being subjected to a filmmaker’s viewpoint. We learn from history that blind villainy befell many nations for a season, including, the Roman Empire, Spain, Germany and Japan. Evil can overtake any nation and must be guarded against. The same holds true for any religion.
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FILM SYNOPSIS: Cinderella’s wicked stepmother takes control of the Fairy Tale world, creating havoc for all who dwell there, including the Seven Dwarfs, Little Red Riding Hood, and of course, Cindi. A wizard goes on vacation, leaving his two comic underlings in charge and telling them to maintain a balance of good and evil. But one of his minions is bored with all the happy endings until he learns what can happen when evil takes charge. PREVIEW REVIEW: Those newly taken with light and sound coming from enormous flat screens will be the ones most enthralled, while older viewers may find the story subversive and the animation lackluster. That said, I didn’t find it as dismal as a great many reviews have proclaimed. Because it’s January, when we critics are used to the studios bringing out all the films that wouldn’t qualify for Oscar attention (many call this the dumping ground month), sometimes we are a bit too critical of new releases. What lessons are incorporated seem confusing and lost in the comic (semi-comic) antics. But it has an interesting twist. Cinderella thinks she’s supposed to get the prince, not realizing that the commoner next door is the real hero. First-time director Paul Bolgar and writer Rob Moreland (1998’s Ground Control, which examined the high-pressure world of air traffic controllers) don’t do anything outstanding, but they do try to entertain. And with character actors Wallace Shawn and Andy Dick as the inept servants of the wizard, well, there are bound to be at least a few funny moments. Kids at the matinee where I saw this one seemed to enjoy it, getting the biggest kick out of the self-centered (also inept) prince. I was entertained and generally it takes more than light and sound coming from enormous flat screens to do that.
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FILM SYNOPSIS: When Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett) joins St. George's as the new art teacher, Barbara Covett (Judi Dench) senses a kindred spirit. But Barbara is not the only one drawn to her. Sheba begins an illicit affair with a 15-year-old student and Barbara becomes the keeper of her secret. Notes on a Scandal is a story of loneliness, loyalty, envy and love. PREVIEW REVIEW: Come awards time, Hollywood seems bent on dismissing the feel-good movie, let alone the feel-good ending. Certainly, some of these bleak storylines are credible as they carry an impassioned message within their sleazy or morose plotlines. The belief of the filmmakers, I suspect, is that viewers may avoid the same pitfalls if allowed to view the moral ambiguity of screen characters. These past few months, most films to be taken seriously by the Oscar folks have contained a bleak, dark look at the future or the bleak, dark side of our fellow man. And one of the few exceptions – The Nativity Story – well, nobody went to see it. After being subjected to such dispiriting subject matter in award-contender after award-contender, one begins to suspect that “serious” filmmakers prefer the darker side of mankind’s nature. Okay, it makes for good drama, but some of these picture makers avoid the light much like Dracula shuns the sign of the cross. A mix of today’s headlines blended with a female take on Fatal Attraction, Notes on a Scandal’s phlegmatic script has to do with one female teacher hot for her student while another female teacher is hot for her. Though well-structured and meticulously acted by the eloquent Dame Judi Dench, Notes on a Scandal is also bleak and dark. Though it is somewhat enticing mainly for its acting quality, the film’s content is sordid. Of course, what’s sordid to one movie-goer, is catnip to another. Video Alternative: Vertigo. Complex Hitchcock romantic thriller about ex-cop hired to follow a woman whom he soon falls in love with. The director’s powerful imagery and James Stewart’s remarkable performance focus on obsession and hidden fears.
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FILM SYNOPSIS: Based on the classic novel by W. Somerset Maugham, The Painted Veil is a tale of revenge that becomes a love story. Set in the 1920s, it tells of a young English couple: Walter, a middle-class doctor, and Kitty, an upper-class woman, who get married for the wrong reasons and relocate to Shanghai, where she falls in love with someone else. When he uncovers her infidelity the husband accepts a job in a remote village ravaged by a deadly epidemic and forces her to go along. It is an act of vengeance, as she is subjected to danger, discomfort and the threat of cholera. Slowly, her shallow nature and his dark heart are both transformed as they attempt to help others. Their discovery of the other’s qualities leads to a loving regard. PREVIEW REVIEW: This was one of the best film-going experiences I’ve had this past year. Perhaps that is due to its containing the greatest special effect ever conceived – the written word. Novelist Somerset Maugham was a storyteller of the highest magnitude and movie writer Ron Nyswaner (Swing Shift, Philadelphia, Mrs. Soffel) understands, appreciates and honors that fact. His screenplay (updated just a touch in order to appeal to politically correct sensibilities) almost subliminally composes an effective balance of world-weary cynicism with romantic hope. Director John Curran (We Don’t Live Here Anymore, Praises) skillfully brings out the human inner emotions that magically develop between a married couple. It’s a love story. There just aren’t that many around, these days. The one major disappointing for me has to do with the portrayal of the leads as un-churched and un-accepting of Christian theology. Even the head nun at the hospital (sensitively played by the great Avenger herself, Diana Rigg) reflects on her disintegrating relationship to God. It is always a letdown when a character study depicts people developing in every area but a spiritual one. The ignoring of the spiritual nature of mankind always seems shallow, especially when a storyline has a theme that acknowledges the sanctity of life. But I was able to put my disappointment aside and focus on the marital relationship that developed between the lead couple. Upon discovery of his wife’s adultery, the man, full of rage, tries to become indifferent. The rage eats away at his soul, but it is indifference that threatens the relationship. Fortunately for the protagonists, they begin to realize the significance of their life mate and learn to cherish one another. Oh, if that were so for everyone who says “I do.” Here’s a good DVD to go along with The Painted Veil: Inn of the Sixth Happiness. Ingrid Bergman stars in this true story of a missionary who leads a group of children on a perilous journey in pre-WW2 China. It contains the most moving conversion I’ve seen in the movies, as we witness change in a man’s life due to this courageous woman’s example. It reminds viewers that our openness to Christ’s will does affect others.
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Columbus Short, Meagan Good, Darrin Henson, Courtney B. Vance. Drama/performing arts. Written by Robert Adetuyi. Directed by Sylvain White.
FILM SYNOPSIS: When DJ (Columbus Short), a troubled youth from Los Angeles, moves to Atlanta to attend Truth University, he discovers “stepping,” the age-old style of dance traditionally done in African-American fraternities, where teams demonstrate complex moves and create rhythmic sounds by using their bodies. DJ’s raw talent and hip-hop inspired moves quickly place him at the center of a fierce rivalry between two fraternities, the winner of which will be determined in front of a sold-out arena at the annual stepping championships. But before he can help his teammates, he must battle his own demons and learn the true meaning of brotherhood. PREVIEW REVIEW: Before the movie began, the screening audience was subjected to several real-life “Stepping” exhibitions. I say subjected, because while we all enjoyed the first group, the following four groups revealed the fact that there’s really not that much to this rather frivolous performing art. I appreciated the precision, but kept thinking, this has to take a lot of time to get right – time that could be spent doing something of a higher calling. I suppose the same could be said for cheerleading, except cheering was designed to back a team and stir the team’s supporters. “Stepping,” with its accompanying hoops and hollers, seems more like a fad, a self-expression that can’t sustain audience support. (I admit, I could be wrong. I thought hip hop would last for only a season.) By the time the film began, I had already seen all the stepping I cared to. That said, this variation on the hand bone has morphed from centuries-old African culture. Indeed, the screening audience was made up mostly of young African-Americans who seemed to appreciate the inventiveness of performance art more so than I. They enjoyed the movie and I enjoyed them. They were enthusiastic about the film. Being with people who enjoy a film always helps with a writer’s perspective. However, besides its too many slap-and-holler routines, the film’s cookie-cutter format offers nothing new: bad boy faces obstacles before finding himself and getting the good girl. There’s the prerequisite antagonist who happens to be dating the girl our hero longs for. Her dad also objects to his dating her and, being the college dean, he holds the young man’s future in his hands. And there are a couple of misunderstandings and challenges before the couple get to walk off into the sunset. Make that step off into the sunset. Okay, so there’s nothing fresh about the film other than a new form of dance/athletics. There are, however, several positive messages dealing with how to treat a woman, having self-respect, working to uplift the team, not just yourself, and the importance of getting an education. What’s more, while these young people are athletic, they are also pretty good actors. They draw you into the story and give more depth than the overly familiar scenario deserves. My only real reservation concerning this film is that it seems to take place in an alternate world, one populated only by African Americans. True, it takes place at a black university, but the only scene featuring whites is in a snooty restaurant, with whites as peripheral extras. Perhaps that’s payback for all the times Blacks have suffered the same lack of notice on TV and in movies. But is that where we’re still at? Here, there’s a complete ignoring of Caucasian society. Pictures on dorm rooms feature only blacks, the campus history museum features only blacks, and the big Stepping national playoff only features blacks and only black spectators. No other race fares better. This is a film about black culture and it seems to have no room for any other perspective. It’s sadly ironic, when you consider how African-Americans have struggled to make America aware of their significance, yet these filmmakers ignore the contributions or even the presence of others. Some day, we will realize that God made us all and that each race complements the others. Distributor: