FORGIVENESS IS THE KEY
October Baby, a new movie out in the theaters right now, is a must-see. It deals powerfully and substantively with the issues of abortion, honesty, truth, and forgiveness. The picture is impressive on the big screen, but if you can't make it to your local cinema anytime soon, it will be available on DVD and, no doubt eventually, on Netflix.
Here's the storyline of October Baby: As the movie opens, we see college freshman Hannah Lawson performing the female lead in the college's spring play. When she starts to give her initial lines, however, everything goes awry: she can't remember what to say and soon collapses on stage. We learn that Hannah has been suffering some severe psychological problems and is often depressed. We also learn that that Hannah has in the past suffered from epileptic seizures. She has had several hip surgeries and often uses an inhaler to get her through her frequent attacks of asthma. What caused her physical and psychological problems? Hannah is a survivor of a failed abortion. At the age of 24 weeks, her birth mother attempted to abort her, but Hannah defied the odds and survived. The trouble is, Hannah is adopted and doesn't know it. When she finds out, she is devastated by the news and is extremely angry to discover that her parents have been reading her private journal. Her adoptive mother softens her reserve and tells her daughter that she was born in Mobile, Alabama, whereupon Hannah resolves to embark on a quest to find her birth mother. But how will she get to Mobile? And will she have the courage to oppose her father, Dr. Jacob Lawson? Lawson is angry at Hannah for not buckling under to him but is also convicted of his and his wife's lack of honesty and forthrightness in dealing with their daughter.
Conveniently, it is spring break time, and Hannah decides to tag along with her long-term friend Jason, his girlfriend Alanna, and other buddies of theirs, all of whom are going to New Orleans to kick up their heels a bit. Alanna is quite cruel to Hannah on the trip, so Hannah leaves the group and goes off on her own to Mobile. Jason, who shows himself to be a friend par excellence, also leaves the group, rents a car, and finds Hannah walking disconsolately along the highway. They go to Mobile, where Hannah begins to devote herself in earnest to her quest to find her birth mother, an endeavor akin to finding the proverbial needle in a haystack.
Hannah and Jason experience a number of challenging situations which I won't detail here, lest I spoil your viewing pleasure. Suffice it to say that Hannah locates the nurse who signed her birth certificate and, through her, learns the identity of her birth mother. In one of the movie's best scenes, we find that this nurse quit her job in an abortion clinic after Hannah's birth, having heard again and again that the fetuses being aborted "are just tissue that couldn't survive" and finally recognizing the lie within this statement. Hannah goes to law office of her birth mother and makes her identity known, but her birth mother rejects her. Extremely depressed, Hannah goes into a nearby cathedral to pray and ponder. It is late in the day, and a kind and gentle Catholic priest appears and tells her that he needs to close up the church. Hannah can't resist expressing her emotions and feelings, which begin to tumble out after her disclaimer to the priest that, "I need to tell you that I'm a Baptist." Hearing the story, the kindly priest doesn't pass judgment but tells her that forgiveness is the key to her equation. Invoking Colossians 3:13, he notes that the Apostle Paul exhorted the Colossians to "forgive each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you." Difficult though it may be, Hannah must forgive her birth mother. I'll leave it to you to find out what Hannah does in response to the priest's exhortation.
October Baby was directed by Alabama filmmaker brothers Jon and Andrew Erwin. The film is the first feature of this type that the brothers have worked on, much of their previous work having been done for ESPN. Plugged In Online has noted that the Erwins were encouraged to do the film by brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick, members of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia, and the producers / directors of such films as Facing the Giants, Flywheel, Fireproof, and Courageous.
The picture is well acted, mostly by relatively unknown actors: Rachel Hendrix as Hannah; Jason Burkey as Jason; Shari Rigby as Hannah's birth mother. The one famous actor is John Schneider, who plays Hannah's adoptive father, Dr. Jacob Lawson. Interestingly, Schneider, who is best known for performing the role of Bo Duke in the 1980s TV show The Dukes of Hazzard, became a born-again Christian a number of years ago when he stayed for a time with Johnny and June Carter Cash. It was mainly through talks with Johnny that Schneider came to faith.
So here's the bottom line: You owe it to yourself to see this picture. If you do, don't miss the riveting interview with Shari Rigby at the end of the film when the credits are rolling. Rigby accepted the role of the birth mother largely because she herself had gone through an experience much like the one recounted here.
Film Rating: PG-13
My Rating: 3 ¼ stars.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Dreamer -- December 2005
A DECENT HORSE TALE
Moe: Hey Joe. I’m in the market for a movie that would appeal to the family. What can you recommend?
Joe: Well, what about Dreamer? It’s about a race horse that breaks her leg. Everyone wants to put the horse down, but her trainer buys the horse for his 10-year-old daughter. No one thinks the horse will race again, but the daughter has other ideas.
Moe: Sounds kind of predictable, like something I’ve seen before.
Joe: In a way it is; it’s a little like Seabiscuit, and you can pretty much figure out what’s going to happen. It works, though, and it’s really touching. I was tearing up at the end.
Moe: I’ll bet my daughter would like it.
Joe: Yeah, she probably would. Just about everyone in the family would. It’s heartwarming; the good guys do honorable things. The only negative happens when the daughter, who becomes the owner of the horse, says she’s mailed a race entrance fee in when she hasn’t. But overall, it’s worth it.
Moe: Not that I’m particularly into ratings, but what would you give it?
Joe: I’d say about 2 ¾ stars.
Moe: Sounds good. I’ll take the family
Film Rating: PG
My Rating: 2 ¾ stars.
Moe: Hey Joe. I’m in the market for a movie that would appeal to the family. What can you recommend?
Joe: Well, what about Dreamer? It’s about a race horse that breaks her leg. Everyone wants to put the horse down, but her trainer buys the horse for his 10-year-old daughter. No one thinks the horse will race again, but the daughter has other ideas.
Moe: Sounds kind of predictable, like something I’ve seen before.
Joe: In a way it is; it’s a little like Seabiscuit, and you can pretty much figure out what’s going to happen. It works, though, and it’s really touching. I was tearing up at the end.
Moe: I’ll bet my daughter would like it.
Joe: Yeah, she probably would. Just about everyone in the family would. It’s heartwarming; the good guys do honorable things. The only negative happens when the daughter, who becomes the owner of the horse, says she’s mailed a race entrance fee in when she hasn’t. But overall, it’s worth it.
Moe: Not that I’m particularly into ratings, but what would you give it?
Joe: I’d say about 2 ¾ stars.
Moe: Sounds good. I’ll take the family
Film Rating: PG
My Rating: 2 ¾ stars.
Valkyrie -- March 2009
HISTORICALLY INTERESTING
Valkyrie is the (essentially) true story of the July 20, 1944 attempted assassination of Adolf Hitler by a group of German army officers. As the movie opens, German Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg is nearly killed in North Africa. He survives a bomb attack but loses an arm and an eye. Flash forward a few weeks to the war fronts in Russia and Germany. Von Stauffenberg, now convinced that der Führer is an evil man who must be killed, becomes aware of a shadowy group of German dissenters and links up with them, after which the group members work together to devise a foolproof plot to kill Hitler and take over the country by putting into effect a national emergency plan called Operation Valkyrie. The bulk of the picture deals with the planning and carrying out of the plot. Of course we all know that the plan didn’t succeed, but the film has a great deal of positive and exciting tension nonetheless.
Valkyrie stars Tom Cruise as Von Stauffenberg. Cruise, normally my least favorite actor, does a creditable job of acting this time, not flashing his pretty boy smile even once. Interestingly, the filming of Valkyrie was quite controversial in Germany; Cruise is not well liked there because of his adherence to scientology, which many Germans consider a totalitarian philosophy. However, the picture has relatively little violence for a war movie, no sexual exploits, and almost no objectionable language. It raises significant questions, foremost among which is this one: Since God ordains national leaders, can it be right to pursue assassination?
Film Rating: PG-13
My Rating: 3 stars
Valkyrie is the (essentially) true story of the July 20, 1944 attempted assassination of Adolf Hitler by a group of German army officers. As the movie opens, German Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg is nearly killed in North Africa. He survives a bomb attack but loses an arm and an eye. Flash forward a few weeks to the war fronts in Russia and Germany. Von Stauffenberg, now convinced that der Führer is an evil man who must be killed, becomes aware of a shadowy group of German dissenters and links up with them, after which the group members work together to devise a foolproof plot to kill Hitler and take over the country by putting into effect a national emergency plan called Operation Valkyrie. The bulk of the picture deals with the planning and carrying out of the plot. Of course we all know that the plan didn’t succeed, but the film has a great deal of positive and exciting tension nonetheless.
Valkyrie stars Tom Cruise as Von Stauffenberg. Cruise, normally my least favorite actor, does a creditable job of acting this time, not flashing his pretty boy smile even once. Interestingly, the filming of Valkyrie was quite controversial in Germany; Cruise is not well liked there because of his adherence to scientology, which many Germans consider a totalitarian philosophy. However, the picture has relatively little violence for a war movie, no sexual exploits, and almost no objectionable language. It raises significant questions, foremost among which is this one: Since God ordains national leaders, can it be right to pursue assassination?
Film Rating: PG-13
My Rating: 3 stars
2003 Retrospective: Movies Seen in 2003
Dullest / most feeble picture | The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen |
Most violent | Gangs of New York; Mystic River |
Quirkiest (but still worth a look) | Holes |
Most attractive scenery | The Open Range; Under the Tuscan Sun |
Best movie with music | Chicago |
Best presentation of the gospel | Luther |
Most exciting | Catch Me If You Can |
Most original | A Mighty Wind |
Also worth a look | Bruce Almighty; Cold Mountain; Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl; Radio; Seabiscuit; Runaway Jury |
Runner-up best picture | Second-hand Lions |
Best pictures | Luther; The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King |
Friday, March 30, 2012
Flightplan -- November 2005
A WORTHY THRILLER
A current thriller that is worth your time and money is Flightplan. Jodie Foster stars as Kyle Pratt, an engineer who has been working in Germany and has just been widowed. Kyle is taking her daughter back to the U.S., with her husband’s body in a casket in the hold. Shortly after they board the plane, the exhausted Kyle and her daughter fall asleep. When Kyle wakes up, her daughter is gone. Kyle initiates a search that becomes more and more frantic when the daughter cannot be located anywhere on the aircraft. The flight crew, in fact, assert to Kyle that there is no record of her daughter ever having been on the flight, and a therapist passenger is called to console Kyle in her grief. So here is the big mystery: Did the daughter get on the plane? Does she even exist? Was she kidnapped by the group of Arabs who are on board? If not, is Kyle experiencing grief-induced delusions?
Plusses:
Minuses:
Bottom line: Worth your time and money.
Film Rating: PG-13
My Rating: 2 ¾ stars.
A current thriller that is worth your time and money is Flightplan. Jodie Foster stars as Kyle Pratt, an engineer who has been working in Germany and has just been widowed. Kyle is taking her daughter back to the U.S., with her husband’s body in a casket in the hold. Shortly after they board the plane, the exhausted Kyle and her daughter fall asleep. When Kyle wakes up, her daughter is gone. Kyle initiates a search that becomes more and more frantic when the daughter cannot be located anywhere on the aircraft. The flight crew, in fact, assert to Kyle that there is no record of her daughter ever having been on the flight, and a therapist passenger is called to console Kyle in her grief. So here is the big mystery: Did the daughter get on the plane? Does she even exist? Was she kidnapped by the group of Arabs who are on board? If not, is Kyle experiencing grief-induced delusions?
Plusses:
- A riveting screenplay, unique in that almost the entire action of the movie takes place on the plane and not through flashbacks.
- Acting: Compelling performances by Jodie Foster and Peter Sarsgaard as an air marshal.
- Theme: It’s hard to beat the intensity of a parent’s love.
Minuses:
- Language: There are a few instances of taking the Lord’s name in vain.
- Logic of the story: Some have criticized the script as being full of holes. I’ll leave that for you to decide.
Bottom line: Worth your time and money.
Film Rating: PG-13
My Rating: 2 ¾ stars.
2007 Retrospective -- Movies Seen in 2007
2007 RETROSPECTIVE
ONE MAN'S OPINION: MOVIES SEEN IN 2007
ONE MAN'S OPINION: MOVIES SEEN IN 2007
Most gratuitously violent | The Last King of Scotland |
Most unnecessary remake of a classic | All the King's Men |
Most overrated | Pan's Labyrinth |
Most exciting | Tie between Breach and Babel (caution: Rated R) |
Best script | Babel (caution: Rated R) |
Best movies with music | Tie between Enchanted and Hairspray |
Best reflection of the gospel | Flywheel |
Best acting performances | John Travolta in Hairspray; Renée Zellweger in Miss Potter |
Best conversion from book to film | Charlotte's Web |
Also worthwhile | Bella; Evan Almighty; Lars and the Real Girl; Nancy Drew; The Last Sin Eater |
Most significant pictures | Babel and Amazing Grace |
Thursday, March 29, 2012
2008 Retrospective: Movies Seen in 2008
2008 RETROSPECTIVE
ONE MAN'S OPINION: MOVIES SEEN IN 2008
Most overblown | Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull |
Most overrated | Atonement |
Hardest to follow (and most violent) | Quantum of Solace |
Most amusing | Beverly Hills Chihuahua |
Best mystery / caper film | Flawless |
Best dialogue | Australia |
Most inspirational | The Kite Runner |
Best reflection of the gospel | Fireproof |
Best characterizations | Nullah, the half-aborigine boy in Australia; the land of Australia in Australia |
Best movie with music | High School Musical III |
Best epic pictures | The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian; Australia |
Best acting performances | Brandon Walters as Nullah, the half-aborigine boy in Australia; Kirk Cameron in Fireproof; Demi Moore in Flawless |
Most thought-provoking | Expelled, No Intelligence Allowed |
Also worthwhile | The Great Debaters; Saving Sarah Cain; W. |
Most significant movies | Fireproof; The Kite Runner; Expelled, No Intelligence Allowed |
Pride and Prejudice -- January 2006
A GOOD REMAKE OF AN OLD CHESTNUT
Pride and Prejudice, based on Jane Austen’s nineteenth-century comedy-of-manners novel, recounts aristocrat Mr. Darcy’s courtship of Miss Elizabeth Bennett, whose parents are trying valiantly to marry her off. Darcy and Elizabeth are fascinating people who have their own unique ways of dealing with their lives and circumstances. Both are admirable characters who speak their minds and hold true to their principles. When Darcy and Elizabeth first meet, there is an attraction between them, but they can also hardly stand each other. Elizabeth shows herself to be an independent soul and not a malleable girl who can be manipulated by others. Darcy has a memorable line in which he says, “I have not the gift of easy conversation." -- i.e, he’s not good at small talk. That’s all right, though; as the film demonstrates, we all have different gifts and don’t have to be all things to all people.
Recommendation: See the movie, and then read the book. Both are inspiring commentaries on our need to do the right thing while being just ourselves. Keira Knightly and Matthew Macfadyen give strong performances as Elizabeth and Darcy in this new 2005 remake.
Film Rating: PG
My Rating: 3 ¼ stars
Pride and Prejudice, based on Jane Austen’s nineteenth-century comedy-of-manners novel, recounts aristocrat Mr. Darcy’s courtship of Miss Elizabeth Bennett, whose parents are trying valiantly to marry her off. Darcy and Elizabeth are fascinating people who have their own unique ways of dealing with their lives and circumstances. Both are admirable characters who speak their minds and hold true to their principles. When Darcy and Elizabeth first meet, there is an attraction between them, but they can also hardly stand each other. Elizabeth shows herself to be an independent soul and not a malleable girl who can be manipulated by others. Darcy has a memorable line in which he says, “I have not the gift of easy conversation." -- i.e, he’s not good at small talk. That’s all right, though; as the film demonstrates, we all have different gifts and don’t have to be all things to all people.
Recommendation: See the movie, and then read the book. Both are inspiring commentaries on our need to do the right thing while being just ourselves. Keira Knightly and Matthew Macfadyen give strong performances as Elizabeth and Darcy in this new 2005 remake.
Film Rating: PG
My Rating: 3 ¼ stars
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow -- December 2004
GORGEOUS TO LOOK AT
There’s a heroism movie out right now that, while leaving something to be desired in substance, is at least gorgeous to look at. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is a hard-to-figure out sci-fi fantasy set in the late thirties — sort of a combination of Indiana Jones and Star Wars. Sky Captain stars Jude Law as Joe Sullivan, the Sky Captain; and Gwyneth Paltrow as Polly Perkins, a Lois-Lane-type of newspaper reporter. The plot, insofar as I was able to discern one, is about a mad scientist named Dr. Totenkopf (“Deadhead”) who is looking for some secret vials which are somehow connected to the fact that famous world scientists are dying right and left. Newspaper reporter Perkins is determined to find out what’s happening, and in her travels she soon runs into her old flame Joe Sullivan.
Plusses: This is a beautiful movie. The sets are all computer-generated but look real enough. The color, such as it is, is muted, so the result is in effect a color movie in black and white -- so watching Sky Captain is a little like going to an art museum. Another plus is its heroism values. Star Jude Law, who strongly wanted to play the Sky Captain role, said, “I just thought it was about time someone took us back to a science-fiction genre that’s without cynicism, that’s more innocent and optimistic.” Sullivan and his sidekick Dex think of others before themselves and are willing to make sacrifices. A third plus is some interesting commentary about how we have become poor stewards of God’s world.
Minuses: Is this movie really about anything other than heroism? The Indiana Jones movies were about the pursuit of the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail, but Sky Captain doesn't seem powered by anything very significant. Also, Joe and Polly are not exactly what could be considered good role models in their relationship. The movie has some potentially worthy themes that aren’t well enough developed.
Overall: This is one of the most beautiful movies in a long time, so it’s worth seeing on that score.
Film Rating: (PG)
My Rating: 2 ½ stars
There’s a heroism movie out right now that, while leaving something to be desired in substance, is at least gorgeous to look at. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is a hard-to-figure out sci-fi fantasy set in the late thirties — sort of a combination of Indiana Jones and Star Wars. Sky Captain stars Jude Law as Joe Sullivan, the Sky Captain; and Gwyneth Paltrow as Polly Perkins, a Lois-Lane-type of newspaper reporter. The plot, insofar as I was able to discern one, is about a mad scientist named Dr. Totenkopf (“Deadhead”) who is looking for some secret vials which are somehow connected to the fact that famous world scientists are dying right and left. Newspaper reporter Perkins is determined to find out what’s happening, and in her travels she soon runs into her old flame Joe Sullivan.
Plusses: This is a beautiful movie. The sets are all computer-generated but look real enough. The color, such as it is, is muted, so the result is in effect a color movie in black and white -- so watching Sky Captain is a little like going to an art museum. Another plus is its heroism values. Star Jude Law, who strongly wanted to play the Sky Captain role, said, “I just thought it was about time someone took us back to a science-fiction genre that’s without cynicism, that’s more innocent and optimistic.” Sullivan and his sidekick Dex think of others before themselves and are willing to make sacrifices. A third plus is some interesting commentary about how we have become poor stewards of God’s world.
Minuses: Is this movie really about anything other than heroism? The Indiana Jones movies were about the pursuit of the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail, but Sky Captain doesn't seem powered by anything very significant. Also, Joe and Polly are not exactly what could be considered good role models in their relationship. The movie has some potentially worthy themes that aren’t well enough developed.
Overall: This is one of the most beautiful movies in a long time, so it’s worth seeing on that score.
Film Rating: (PG)
My Rating: 2 ½ stars
Bruce Almighty -- September 2003
GOD ON SCREEN
Patty: Hi, Mattie. Patty. I want to go to a good movie. Have you seen anything worthwhile this summer?
Mattie: Yeah, I’ve seen a few things, and there is one movie I can recommend — Bruce Almighty. At least it’s worth seeing and thinking about.
Mattie: Are you serious? I saw the previews of it and thought it looked sacrilegious.
Patty: I did too. But I felt different after I saw it. It’s really thought-provoking, especially for people of faith.
Mattie: How so?
Patty: Well, Jim Carrey plays Bruce, a TV reporter who never gets any good stories and is passed over when an anchor vacancy comes up. He’s really mad and does some speculating about how he’d change things if he were God. Pretty soon he gets a mysterious call on his cell phone telling him to come to an abandoned warehouse. He does, and whom does he meet? God. He’s there doing some janitorial work all by himself, which is a brilliant touch that shows His servant nature.
Mattie: What happens?
Patty: God grants Bruce the power to take over for Him for a certain period. He does this to show Bruce how complex prayer really is and how we should think carefully about what we pray for. There’s a hilarious scene where Bruce receives everyone’s prayers in the form of e-mail — and he has 3 1/2 million prayers to answer.
Mattie: It does sound kind of interesting. But I’m leery of seeing Jim Carrey in anything. He overdoes his acting — if you can call it that.
Patty: I agree; I don’t usually care for him in his comic roles. But when he actually takes the trouble to act, he’s a lot better — as in The Majestic. There were a couple of things about Bruce Almighty that troubled me, though.
Mattie: What were they?
Mattie: Well, for one thing, God, who’s played by Morgan Freeman, comes off far too much as Bruce’s buddy. God is supposed to be holy, isn’t He? The other thing is that Bruce and his girlfriend have been living together for a few years or so, and the movie seems to sanction that. She’s been praying for him to surrender himself to the Lord; he finally does this, and the implication is that their relationship will now have the right foundation. But that seems to say that everything we do is OK as long as we get God’s approval, no matter whether it’s after the fact or not. Bruce surrenders and loses his selfishness, but there’s nothing about owning up to his sins. That’s just my take on it, though. I’d like to hear some other reactions.
Patty: Hmm. Well, it does sound pretty interesting. All right, you’ve convinced me. I’ll go. Do you want to see it again?
Film Rating: PG-13
My Rating: 3 stars
Patty: Hi, Mattie. Patty. I want to go to a good movie. Have you seen anything worthwhile this summer?
Mattie: Yeah, I’ve seen a few things, and there is one movie I can recommend — Bruce Almighty. At least it’s worth seeing and thinking about.
Mattie: Are you serious? I saw the previews of it and thought it looked sacrilegious.
Patty: I did too. But I felt different after I saw it. It’s really thought-provoking, especially for people of faith.
Mattie: How so?
Patty: Well, Jim Carrey plays Bruce, a TV reporter who never gets any good stories and is passed over when an anchor vacancy comes up. He’s really mad and does some speculating about how he’d change things if he were God. Pretty soon he gets a mysterious call on his cell phone telling him to come to an abandoned warehouse. He does, and whom does he meet? God. He’s there doing some janitorial work all by himself, which is a brilliant touch that shows His servant nature.
Mattie: What happens?
Patty: God grants Bruce the power to take over for Him for a certain period. He does this to show Bruce how complex prayer really is and how we should think carefully about what we pray for. There’s a hilarious scene where Bruce receives everyone’s prayers in the form of e-mail — and he has 3 1/2 million prayers to answer.
Mattie: It does sound kind of interesting. But I’m leery of seeing Jim Carrey in anything. He overdoes his acting — if you can call it that.
Patty: I agree; I don’t usually care for him in his comic roles. But when he actually takes the trouble to act, he’s a lot better — as in The Majestic. There were a couple of things about Bruce Almighty that troubled me, though.
Mattie: What were they?
Mattie: Well, for one thing, God, who’s played by Morgan Freeman, comes off far too much as Bruce’s buddy. God is supposed to be holy, isn’t He? The other thing is that Bruce and his girlfriend have been living together for a few years or so, and the movie seems to sanction that. She’s been praying for him to surrender himself to the Lord; he finally does this, and the implication is that their relationship will now have the right foundation. But that seems to say that everything we do is OK as long as we get God’s approval, no matter whether it’s after the fact or not. Bruce surrenders and loses his selfishness, but there’s nothing about owning up to his sins. That’s just my take on it, though. I’d like to hear some other reactions.
Patty: Hmm. Well, it does sound pretty interesting. All right, you’ve convinced me. I’ll go. Do you want to see it again?
Film Rating: PG-13
My Rating: 3 stars
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