The Dark Knight

I just returned from seeing Batman: The Dark Knight. As a long time comic book fan, and as one who got caught up in the original The Dark Knight hoopla some years ago, I attended the movie with mixed emotions, and various concerns.

The most recent episode of the Batman series directed and written in part by Christopher and Jonathan Nolan, and brings back an all-star cast featuring Michael Cain, Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman, and Gary Oldman among others has as an additional highlight Heath Ledger co starring as The Joker. The truth is, there has been so much hype and discussion regarding the death of the late Heath Ledger, and his terrific performance, that there may be a tendency to have expectations that are not realistic for either Ledger, and/or the film to live up to. I will make brief comment on Ledger but there is so much more to this movie, and while Ledger is certainly a huge story in regards to The Dark Knight, this movie is a film that will live on its own merit, despite the tragedy surrounding the film.

For fans of the comic series, especially those like me of the Dark Knight series, this will be a film most will absolutely adore and love. There are so many layers in The Dark Knight that one may have to see the movie several times to catch everything that is addressed and shown. While Bale and Ledger are certainly the two stars of the film, there is an ensemble cast of terrific actors to move the story along with the terrific screenplay and direction. This film is as close to perfect as anything that has been released so far this summer, from lighting to sound, and from plot to lighting. It is all there, and for a film buff like me much appreciated.

It is here that I must address some of the thoughts related to Heath Ledger in regards to this movie. I have been a fan of Ledger for some time and it is sad that this will be for many their first experience as to the quality of this young actor. I say unfortunately because unfortunately the homophobia of many and their reluctance to see him in his Oscar nominated role in Brokeback Mountain. I’ll have to be honest; I didn’t think there was any way Ledger could out do his role in that particular film. While I initially had some issues with that film, I had a tremendous amount of respect for Ledger and it is one of the only reviews I have ever done where I went back to make an additional comment on how I was wrong about that movie, and in particular Ledger’s role. While I had those concerns, I must say, while I was extremely skeptical of all of the hoopla surrounding Ledger’s role as The Joker, I was tremendously surprised at how good it actually was. While I stated that I thought Ledger would likely get a posthumous nomination for this movie, I will now say, it is hard to imagine anyone deserving it more than he. He is simply that good, and the truth is, all of the hoopla, all of the press is justified in saying the things they are saying about Ledger in his role as The Joker.

Now that the Ledger commentary is out of the way, the thing I am afraid many may look over is the terrific story we have regarding the conflict within each of us. We see the struggle of virtually every character with the battle within surrounding the decision to do either good or evil. We all have that struggle and in no character is the struggle more detailed and explored than with the character of Bruce Wayne. Others around observe the battle within Batman and Wayne, but he has to face serious difficulties before he realizes the struggles within, and the difficult decisions he has to make. While The Joker is pure evil, it is his evil that forces Batman to come to serious decisions and great sacrifices.

Throughout the film we see various characters dealing with the battle within their souls. There are several scenes where I won’t give much away, other than to say, I really appreciated the effort of the film makers to show that sometimes, those we least expect, are capable of doing good. We have stereotypes that put people, even God in a box at times, yet we see the ability of all people to do good, as well as the ability of all people to also do evil. The Dark Knight makes no excuses about it, there is the definite presentation of a constant battle between good and evil, and often times that takes place within our very souls.

The Dark Knight is a terrific film, the subject matter it deals with is worthy of thought, but while the film is close to perfect, it isn’t perfect, it is a little long and for me anyway, the last 30 minutes was rushed. We see the development of another villain in Two Face, but the development of that character just wasn’t clean enough and neither was the closure of the relationship between Gotham and The Joker. That said, this is still a superb film. It is dark, (not so much for the little kiddies) violent and hard hitting. It is also worth seeing again, and again. There are surprises along the way, and I am one who will say, all of the hoopla is right on the money.

On a scale of 1 - 10 minus the two villains of The Joker and Two-Face, I’ll give a well deserved 8.

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army

In 2004 I did a review of the first Hellboy movie starring Ron Pearlman and written in part and directed by Guillermo del Toro. The truth is I didn’t really like that movie, was somewhat disappointed and a whole lot confused. I was a little reluctant to see Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, (HB2), that is, until I had seen the trailers and heard that the creature team from the wonderful movie Pan’s Labyrinth was involved and I knew that Guillermo del Toro had done such a wonderful job with Pan’s Labyrinth.

A recent watching of the original Hellboy movie with Pearlman, yes the very one I was more than a little critical of in 2004 had me enjoying the original movie more the second time than I did the first. While this isn’t the norm for me, neither is it rare for me, it does on occasion happen as I assume it does for most of us.
The start of HB2 resembled the first movie; there is the background that is provided complete with the origin of Hellboy’s love for Baby Ruth candy bars and more. There is also some additional background provided regarding Hellboy’s teen years. This helps set up the plot of the movie and is welcomed storyline. There is also the associations and questions that remain, for example, is Hellboy from Hell, is he an angel, is he a demon, what exactly is he? I think I have learned to appreciate, at least in my own viewing habits the pondering of those types of questions, you know? Questions where there isn’t always answers and questions that causes the viewer to engage in the story and to try and figure some things out.

One of the things I appreciated about HB2 is the development of character, and the inward struggles and confusion we see Hellboy going through. He has struggles on everything from acceptance, to missing his adoptive father, and from love to his acceptance by the human race. I have always appreciated and respected Ron Pearlman, and while he will become noted for this character, I would have loved to have seen more of his expressions. He does a great job though using his voice tones and overcoming the limitations of the make-up involved in his character. Unfortunately though, even with the wonderful creature effects, we lose much of Pearlman’s wonderful expressions. He is a great actor, and only an actor like Pearlman could pull off a character like Hellboy.

This time around, the story line and plot do a much better job at developing character. Not just Hellboy, but all of the characters. We see additional development and struggle from Liz Sherman, the love interest of Hellboy played by Selma Blair. One of my favorite character developments this time around though is the development of Abe Sapien, an intelligent; man fish like character that kind of resembles the Creature from the Black Lagoon. In all of the characters we see the inward struggle of coming to an understanding of who they are, what they are here for, and their own lack of humanness, and appreciation from the human species. There is the use of drama, comedy, and great emotion often filled with humor. Each character, and each actor playing their parts does a wonderful job here.

HB2 is laced with spiritual questions. Apart from trying to figure out if Hellboy is an angel, or demon is the idea that he carries a cross. We see Liz constantly wearing a cross. There are other things though. There is one scene where the temptation of Christ is played off of. There is Hellboy a top of a business sign, high in the city, being tempted and confronted with serving and saving self and forgetting about serving or saving the human species. In the background is a lighted cross, and a movie marquee that says, “Get Saved.” Again, for me at least, the questions continue. We see battles and discussions taking place in the shadows of statues that resemble angels and much more. While the blatant discussion of God isn’t in the movie per say, it is certainly strongly evident in the images of the movie.

There are other significant spiritual overtones, the concept of the need to care for the planet is sure to be one of those that get some of the conservatives upset. I never could figure out the harm of that, but that message is there, but an even greater message, and a message that hit home far more this time than last time for me, is the willingness of Hellboy to sacrifice himself, to give up his own comforts, and own desire in order to sacrifice himself to care for a population of people who don’t even like him, who mock him, spit on him, make fun of him. Yet Hellboy in this regard takes on a Messiah and Savior concept that one can’t help but make some comparisons to Jesus.

I left this movie with even more questions in one regard than I did the first Hellboy. I left with a much different attitude though, for me, HB2 resurrects the story of Hellboy. It took a number of years to do this follow up. I am glad, it seems as if everyone involved has put a quality story, with good special effects, and solid entertainment mixed in with spiritual questions for all of us to consider. While not perfect, and maybe not even the best movie this summer, Hellboy was a worthwhile movie, and in some ways, it may be the most thought provoking movie of the summer. I can’t promise the same for you, but I can say this is a movie that if you go in searching and looking, you will find and appreciate some of the answers provided, and the search for truth of those other questions will be well worth the journey.

While Hellboy received a mediocre review from me, this one is at least twice as good so I am doubling that original rating of a 4 that I gave Hellboy and am saying that Hellboy 2: The Golden Army is deserving of at the very least a 8.5

Now here are a couple of trailers for your enjoyment. Double click on the video below, if it don't show, just click on the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUAJmmDRWo0



Ron Pearlman Interview

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnFx5eZVVic



Click Here to Go to The Virtual Pew Daily Verse and Read The Bible in a Year Passages

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You can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ and on the front page down on the left side you sill see our store. Your purchase provides needed funds to The Virtual Pew. If you do not see something to purchase you can click on the search engine, (do not put anything in the search box at this time). You will be taken to Amazon where you can search for anything you desire. Hopefully you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew. Now I get asked this quite often, Can we repost your blogs or articles? The short answer to that is, what an honor that you would ask, and by all means, spread the word.

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Kit Kittredge: An American Girl An Interview with Brieanne Jansen

On first appearance one wouldn’t think a burley, pony tailed, older man would have an interest in a movie dealing with young girls coming of age. One surely wouldn’t think that man would have any interest in speaking to a child actor who is debuting in that movie. No, one wouldn’t think that unless one was a parent of a young girl growing up with the American Girl Doll Series. Then if one had grown up as a father of a daughter whom had grown up with the series, no matter if a burly, pony tailed man or not one would realize the hope, dreams, aspirations, and help this series could provide a young girl. That was the case for me as I recently had the opportunity to speak with Brieanne Jansen one of the stars in the new movie Kit Kittredge: An American Girl.
Holl
As I was driving down I-70 towards Colorado from Kansas I had a phone conversation with Brieanne regarding her landing of the role in Kit Kittredge: An American Girl. I was amazed and impressed with this young girls story, a story that not only had her experiencing the excitement of being in a movie for the first time, but it had her taking a step of faith in life. You see, Brieanne had experienced an abduction hostage situation in her life when she was four years old. One may say that the Brieanne taking on acting was an extension of the healing process from that horrendous experience.

I asked Brieanne about her openness regarding dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a child. She was very open in her reply, “It was really my friends who were there to help me out. You wouldn’t think that kids could help each other out, but between my friends and parents, the hugs and love from them were very important. Their part in my healing process was critical.”



When confronted with the willingness to put her life on display before others I thought she must have had some experience in regards to being in front of people, after all, acting and being on the big screen for the first time had to be daunting. “I had done a few things at church.” Brieanne replied, “but never really anything big and not that much.” “How did it feel seeing yourself on the big screen for the first time?” I asked. Brieanne was just like a young lady when answering the question; “It was kind of interesting seeing myself up there on the big screen. It was nothing like I expected. I realized after seeing myself that I had gained weight and grown since we had filmed the movie. It was just different seeing myself that much smaller.”

While Brieanna may have had a “interesting” experience seeing herself on the big screen, it is likely we as viewers will see something special about this movie. While set in the early 1900’s during the depression era, we see themes that resemble to the news stories we see today. We see issues related to difficult employment opportunities for parents, the threat of one loosing their home to foreclosure, and the need in some instances of children having to grow up all too soon and take on responsibility to help keep the family together. We also see the importance of family, and while the “traditional” family may not resemble the family situation we see in the movie that much anymore, it doesn’t mean it shouldn’t. One can’t help but notice the importance of the family roles that includes both parents, and even extended family and friends.

Brieanne spoke to me about her thoughts regarding this movie, and what she hoped people would get out of it. “Kit Kitteridge is a story about young girls coming of age. I really hope there are more movies like this in the future, especially movies that will show young girls coming of age, and the importance of being themselves.”

In many regards this young actress who has had to come of age from her own personal experiences, understands the importance of being a little girl. I realized this when she told me about the things she enjoys doing in her spare time. “Oh I enjoy doing and going to the theater, being and seeing plays at church, spending time with friends, singing and I really like to spend time with my dog and cat.” It was that last thing, a simple concept of spending time with pets that I was assured that Brieanne had begun to balance life out as a little girl. There were the important things, but there was also the importance of those special moments of playing with a pet.

It was here I was reminded of my own daughter in a way. A deep thinking young lady when she was a child, but nonetheless, still a child. It was a concept that got this one old burly, pony tailed man realizing that this movie may be worth seeing after all. It may be worth seeing because it challenged young ladies to be just that, young ladies. I always wanted my own daughter to experience life to the fullest, despite my own issues of having PTSD while growing up and knowing that my own daughter had to live through much of the rehabilitative process in my own life. Brieanne was convincing me that there are others out there doing this, even at a much younger age.

I was also impressed with Brieanne’s work for charitable organizations. It seems as if this young lady has a faith that is real and important to her. It is not only evidenced by her willingness to speak openly about her relationship with Jesus Christ, but her willingness to raise money for various causes, or as is currently the case, raising food for the homeless. It seems as if my own pre judgment about the dedication and seriousness of faith related to an 11 or 12 year old little girl was quickly squelched when seeing or hearing the things she is saying and doing.

“I really want to do more movies in the future, but I would love to do movies like some of those done by Michael Landon Jr. in the Janet Oke Series. I want to find an agent that understands that there are roles for Christians out there. Roles that Christians can do and those are the types of movies I want to be in.

I don’t know what the future holds for Brieanne. I do know that she has a great start and is in a valuable movie for young girls. That said movies like Kit Kittredge: An American Girl isn’t just an important movie for her, it is an important movie for all children, parents, and even burley, and pony tailed dads. It is a reminder to all of us of the potential of children. It is a reminder of the importance of growing up and the maturity that develops in children. In a world where women were put down, prejudiced against, and not given much hope, it is also a movie that shows the potential for young girls to become beautiful young women. Not in a physical attraction way though, but in a way that shows the beauty of Gods creation and the intelligence given women. I suspect that on that note, even old, burly, and pony tailed fathers can have a place in their heart that is touched by a movie speaking to young women.

I kind of knew that before speaking to Brieanne though, I had forgotten about my own daughter, Marathana’s love and appreciation An American Girl series. It was she that reminded me initially of the importance of these books and these stories. As a family we were never able to afford her the dolls while she was growing up, but she did get the books, and the words of those books permeated into her life. Now she is a 26 soon to be 27 year old young woman who was touched by the series of books and stories. She was encouraged not just by her parents, but by the books to come of age, to become a fine young woman. It is one of the things the books did for my own daughter, it is one of the things the movie will do, and Brieanne, a wonderful young lady is contributing in that way as well.

I have to admit, I still buy my daughter a doll every Christmas. I think that is likely more for me than it is for my daughter. She realizes that though, and accepts and allows me this joy of being reminded that I have a beautiful daughter who has turned into a beautiful young woman. Even though she is married now, living away from the home, I still know she is my little girl. After speaking to Brieanne, after realizing the importance of this series in the growth of my own daughter I think I may have an idea of the doll I will buy for Marathana this year. Hamm…., I wonder which one that may just be?

To see the videos listed below just double click on the video, if the video don't appear, just click on the provided link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeJNNG-wSbk



The following has Brieanne sharing her story. It is well worth watching to better understand this little girl.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJCjK8bsoQ0

Girl

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Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

I have to admit, I am old enough to have enjoyed the Indiana Jones movies from the very early days. I saw them in the theaters during their initial first run and believe the character Indiana Jones created by Spielberg and Lucas is among the most memorable characters in the history of cinema. Truth is, I loved the first three movies, and while there was minimal let down at times in some of those first three films, it was minimal. Indiana Jones still lived, and the character as a hero was still believable, mainly because the scripts and story line were believable to some extent, even though they dealt with everything from the lost chalice of Christ to the Ark of the Covenant.

I was excited about the release of the new movie, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Harrison Ford was back with George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Harrison Ford was criticized by some for being too old to revive his role. I felt he could carry it off and I wasn’t disappointed in his ability to do just that. New CGI technology and Ford gave the illusion of being able carry off what we see on screen. While some found fault in Harrison Ford’s character that wasn’t what disappointed me.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, for lack of further explanation has a lot to be desired in the area of believability. While the earlier movies are based in large on a type of fantasy adventure, the action that takes place in those movies is believable. In The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull there is so much death defying action that is not believable and for me, that took away from the mystique and likeability of the character Indiana Jones. I personally ended up leaving the theater rather disappointed. While the special effects were top notch, there was still something lacking in the characters and story that seemed to resemble a 1950’s ‘B’ Jungle movie. From numerous escapes, to the incorporation of aliens, there simply was not the cohesiveness in this story that exists in the early efforts.

The story of the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is similar to other movies. Indiana Jones, attempts to get a historical artifact before the bad guys, or in this case gal, because said artifact has the potential to destroy the world if it gets into the wrong hands. This journey is a little different because Jones has to come to a realization about family, and make sacrifices along the way that shows that family is something Indiana Jones cares deeply about. Along that journey are exciting motorcycle chases, nuclear explosions and much more.

There are aspects of Indiana Jones I appreciate with some of the above said and more. Jones’ willingness to follow after the things he loves and in the process, take chances for things and people he believes in. Indiana Jones realizes he is not nearly as big and as important as the work he does and the people around him. While he sees value in himself, he ultimately sees a greater value in the history, and the past, which can help people understand more about the future. His love for history leads him to adventure that only a few could imagine.

I also valued that Kingdom of the Crystal Skull portrays Indiana Jones love for family and the potential for the future, not just for his future, but the future of those around him. During the final sequences of the film Spielberg and Lucas even find ways to poke fun at that with the audience. Jones is willing to make a commitment in the end, a commitment long overdue. He realizes others are worthy of the sacrifices. In the process of making sacrifices, Indiana Jones also realizes he can become a better man as a result of showing love for others.

I will admit this was a fun movie, but not a great movie; in fact, it fell far short of the standards established in the earlier Indiana Jones movies. While it is more entertaining than the third installment of Pirates of the Caribbean movies, many new fans did not see the Indiana Jones many of us have come to love and appreciate. Hopefully Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will inspire those fans to see the earlier movies. As for me, I could have done without much of the story line and Tarzan styled scenes. It could have been so much better than what we got. While this movie has a higher standard than other movies, it should because of the series it is a part of and the people who have been a part of its history and making.

While I enjoyed this movie, this chapter of Indiana Jones has to be compared to the earlier chapters. If doing that, it simply doesn’t compare and is not nearly as good. It is still good enough to watch, good enough to see in the theater, but I would recommend making sure you pay a matinee price as opposed to a full price for an admission ticket. Otherwise if a fan of the series you will likely be disappointed.


On a scale of 1 – 10, for the 4 of us who went to see us, minus the full price admission of $10 each, I give a disappointing score of 6.

To see a film clip from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull double click on the video below. If the video don't appear, just click on the link provided:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ60n9DiAEM


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Click to visit and join the new group The Virtual Pew, at MySpace. Become a part of a different kind of Christian group, check out the page for more information,all welcome, including those who are not followers of Jesus.

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Now for those that do not know, make sure you check out the numerous articles and blogs by checking out the archives. If visiting The Virtual Pew or MySpace they are archived on the left hand side of the page. Scroll down to where you see newer or older listed under archives and then click there. There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives. You can also contact me for a free e-book pre edit version of The Keystone Kid at mike@thevirtualpew.com

You can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ and on the front page down on the left side you sill see our store. Your purchase provides needed funds to The Virtual Pew. If you do not see something to purchase you can click on the search engine, (do not put anything in the search box at this time). You will be taken to Amazon where you can search for anything you desire. Hopefully you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

Now I get asked this quite often, Can we repost your blogs or articles? The short answer to that is, what an honor that you would ask, and by all means, spread the word.

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Martian Child Review Bobby Coleman Interview

Recently, New Line Cinema released the DVD Martian Child, starring John Cusack, Bobby Coleman, Amanda Peet, and Joan Cusack. The theatrical release unfortunately occurred on the same weekend as another wonderful movie, American Gangsters, which drove down the audience for Martian Child.

I have to say, I was impressed by the initial trailers for this film. The montage of scenes from the movie was set against the backdrop of “Mr. Blue Sky,” recorded by one of my favorite all time bands, Electric Light Orchestra. That alone impressed me enough to want to see the movie, and though I don’t know why, I never did see it in theaters. In fact, I did several things backwards with this movie. I even interviewed child-star and co-actor Bobby Coleman prior to seeing the movie. In many ways, that was a good thing. It gave me insight into Bobby and helped drive home the abilities of this young man (who was only 7-years-old at the time of filming).

One thing about a movie that depends on the ability and talent of a child is that if all things (including, script, chemistry between actors, the ability of the director to work with the child, and a multitude of other things) don’t work together, then the whole movie just won’t work. This is especially true of a movie that is theme- and drama-driven as opposed to comedy-driven. While Martian Child has its moments of comedy, make no mistake about it: there are serious themes addressed, full-force and head-on.

The chemistry and work between John Cusack and Bobby Coleman is, in short, wonderful and real. It is in part due to the way the movie was filmed—in the order of the story. Cusack and Coleman agreed that they wouldn’t spend much time together during the initial part of the filming, so their relationship developed naturally as they continued filming. For a movie that deals with subject matter as serious as single-parent adoption, this was crucial. As the two actors were confused by such things as age, personality and so forth, they began to develop the relationship, learning to love each other on and off the screen by the completion of the film. In this film, life imitates the art. The relationship and ability to love not only occurs in real life, but it happens in part because it occurs on screen.

To be blunt, I greatly admire the abilities of John Cusack, one of my favorite versatile actors in Hollywood today. That said, the pairing of Cusack and Coleman may be one of the best pairings in all of 2007. That says something not just about the ability of Cusack, it says myriads about the ability of young actor, Bobby Coleman. While children are often backdrops in a movie and there for nothing more than comedic moments, Coleman is a legitimate, bona fide actor who fills the screen with his ability.

Martian Child starts off with David (John Cusack) dealing with the death of his wife from two years earlier. In the present, he contemplates the adoption of a small boy. This is not just any boy, but a child known as a “special needs child.” It is while visiting a child agency that David meets Dennis (Bobby Coleman). Dennis spends most of his time in a box, is considered weird; and the kicker is, he thinks he is from Mars. Since David is a science-fiction writer who writes about fantasy and space, the agency’s childcare worker, Sophie (Sophie Okonedo), thinks a boy who believes he is from Mars may be a good match for David. Dennis appeals to David, who had his own similar issues growing up.

Martian Child is about the development of love between a father and a son through the process of adoption. The question of whether Dennis is really from Mars or not is only background that adds to the story. It keeps the viewer’s interest and we are always left to think that he may very well be from Mars. While this is important to the storyline, it is not nearly as important as showing the struggles and the ways a family must adapt during the process of adoption.

As an adoptive parent, I truly appreciate the subject matter of Martian Child. I appreciate it because, no matter how old the child is when you adopt, every adoptive parent struggles to find ways to let children believe and know they really are a part of the family. David experiences these struggles, as well as the battles with relatives who also need to adjust. While the difficulties of adoption are shown, so are the benefits and successes. The importance of loving another person, unconditionally, to the point of becoming family is illustrated throughout the film. We are shown (as successfully as anything portrayed on screen in recent years) the relevance and importance of a father loving his son, dealing with the issues of single parenting, schooling, and ultimately having that child receive love. While the family may be unconventional, it is still a family. The love is real, and the results are life-changing.

These aren’t just social issues, they are spiritual issues that every human being must face, as we are all a part of a family. For people who talk about being family with those whom they have something in common with (i.e., faith), the film has even more important things to say regarding unconditional love and allowing people to be who they were created to be. Bobby Coleman, in his portrayal of young Dennis, shows this in such wonderful ways. There is one particular scene where David realizes the ability of Dennis to give back in what I call the “Dance Scene,” a scene that will become evident when you see the movie. It is often in shared experiences, no matter how weird and how different, that we learn the most about each other and things like love. I have seen this movie three times, and each time, it becomes more emotional. I see the brilliance of the direction provided by Menno Meyjes in scenes like this, where we are shown an obvious exchange and attempt by the characters to give in to each other, to make a sacrifice, to take a step of faith, to be open, and above all, to love.

I have to admit, while there were some drawbacks in the editing of this movie, I still loved it. I loved it for the music, the story, the acting, the ensemble cast, and more importantly, the way it spoke to me as a viewer. It is a shame this movie didn’t do better at the box office. It will be an even greater shame if it doesn’t do better as a DVD purchase. That’s right, a DVD purchase. As mentioned before, I am careful about movies I buy, and I wish I had seen this one in the theater. I will watch it over and over again.

But this DVD also has something else I appreciate in a DVD, great special features. The special features range from a film commentary to documentaries dealing with the work of Bobby Coleman and the real Martian Child (as written about by original award-winning story author, David Gerrold). Gerrold is known for writing numerous science fiction and fantasy stories, and Martian Child is the story based largely on the adoption of his own son. There is another wonderful background and backdrop piece to the DVD. There is even an Easter Egg or two for the viewer to search for. I have seldom seen principals say the kinds of things they said about this movie in the DVD Special Features. They talk about how they hope the movie will inspire parents to be better parents, and how they hope it educates people about the adoption process. It even includes David Gerrold explaining his hope that qualified families will be inspired to consider and become a part of the adoption process. It is a wonderful experience knowing that one can love a movie that has a higher ambition than just entertainment and movie ticket sales.

While there are those that question the honest intentions of certain filmmakers, Martian Child goes so far as to show, without question, that filmmakers, actors, writers, and others involved in the process oftentimes do have good intentions to do good things. While those intentions may not provide a path to eternal bliss, they do help make a better world. In that aspect, I am a better person because I took the time to watch this movie that deals with a worthy topic. I have this funny feeling, a feeling that must be from the eternal realms of Heaven, that you will not only have a good time watching this movie, but you will also be a better person if you apply the themes addressed.
For all of the above and the number of planets in our solar system, on a scale of 1 – 10, I give an enthusiastic 9.

Click Here to Hear My Interview with Bobby Coleman, Co Star of Martian Child


To see the trailer for Martian Child just click on the video below, if the video don't appear, just click on the link provided:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo--9mYFpVM


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Cloverfield

I was looking forward to the weekend, breakfast, some shopping, and a trip to see one of the most anticipated and hyped movies of the year, Cloverfield. Much of the hype was centered around the controversy of presenting images that many felt was taking advantage of the images of September 11, 2001. I don’t know if the controversy is true or not? I will say there are many images that resemble those we saw on this day. What I do know is I am fan of the television series Lost and Lost and Cloverfield producer, JJ Abrams. That said, as a result of seeing the movies preliminary trailers, I was excited.

The best way I know how to describe Cloverfield is to say it is like a bad ass Godzilla, with a twist that resembles The Blair Witch Project. The movie starts with what seems to be an official government comment that states the film was found at Central Park in New York City. Shortly after the commentary, we see what appears to be a home made film, that shows a group of friends celebrating one of their friends, Rob, who has taken a job as a Vice President of a company in Japan. Intermingled with the video we see the video being used is taped over of another video. We see a love story played out amongst the film congratulating Rob for the new job. While the action is jerky and resembling of someone actually shooting this as a home video, the viewer is drawn into the story as it develops. We don’t know what all is going on but director Matt Reeves does a great job of using this technique to tell a story, and developing characters. While not all of the principles are developed in the way I would have liked, the primary characters and story is. Not only do we get drawn into the lives of the characters, once all hell breaks loose and we see that New York City is under attack by some beast, it is as if we are there, along for the danger. Part of the reason this works is that Cloverfield don’t use well known actors in this role. As a result, we as viewers can better relate. It is as if we are watching real people, not actors.

At first, as New York comes under attack, we don’t know what is going on. There are loud explosions and earth shaking moments. The primary person shooting the video, Hud, continues shooting through everything, from the party to celebrate Rob’s new job, to the attack by the creature. There is a lot of shaky hand held footage and some not used to this type of filming, just like in The Blair Witch Project, may end up with motion sickness. While one may have issues with this, I felt it added to the enjoyment and realism of the movie. The viewer becomes a part of the movie, from moments including running with the characters, to the surprises along the way. There will be enough surprises to have you jumping out of your seat, and squeezing the hand of the person you are at the movie with if on a date. The story flows, the surprises keep your attention, and there are enough scary moments that if you have a heart condition, you might best stay home. The direction, script and everything else works about as well as it could for this roller coaster thrill ride with enough scares and moments the viewer will have to remind themselves to breathe.

As the movie developed, I thought about a passage from the Bible, John 15:13 states, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

We see this love in a various ways. While Rob realizes that he may have let the one love of his life slip away, he insists on going into the face of danger to have a chance at retrieving that love. Along the journey, several friends go along; not knowing what is ahead of them. They know they want to be with a friend, one they love. We may think these friends are crazy but one should not loose sight that these individuals genuinely love each other, and want to help each other. The horrors and dangers they face in order to be there for each other is what the movie is about. Sure there are scares and sickening things along the way but the constant theme is to press on out of finding and reestablishing love. While there are costs there is ultimately hope.

While the basics of Cloverfield seem to work, there are a lot of holes in the story. Holes surrounding what one would think are key components. What is the creature? Where does the creature come from? Why is the Creature there? And I could go on and on. I came to the conclusion that while the creature is a key part of the movie; it is really more of a sub plot than a primary plot. It actually reminded me of the movie, The Village by M. Night Shyamalan. One could take that comparison too far, but it is easy to get so focused on what we think the story is about that we likely don’t see the real story.

I was reminded of the tactics used by JJ Abrams in the television show Lost. There are many parts of the movie easy to miss if we glance away or don’t pay attention to the full picture or sounds on screen. I know part of the ending of the movie after the credits have rolled, and most people have left the theater certainly give to this tactic used by Abrams and others. I won’t give anything away, but there is a great deal of discussion about the ending of the movie. There are other scenes and aspects that fall into this. It is why I will see the movie again and I suspect others will do the same.

I would have liked to have seen another 15 – 30 minutes of Cloverfield, it was short in length. For all practical purposes the movie worked, and the hype while falling just short, still was close to being on track. I can’t guarantee a sequel or prequel, but I won’t be surprised. Without giving a spoiler, I will say if you stay until after the end of the credits, you will know why this is possible.

Cloverfield is certainly a worth while movie; it is one worth seeing if you like this kind of film. For that reason, on a scale of 1 – 10, I am taking away a 3 for the characters who appear to live and give it a satisfying 7.

To see the trailer for the movie just click on the video below, if the video don't work, click on the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvNkGm8mxiM


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You can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ and on the front page down on the left side you sill see our store. Your purchase provides needed funds to The Virtual Pew. If you do not see something to purchase you can click on the search engine, (do not put anything in the search box at this time). You will be taken to Amazon where you can search for anything you desire. Hopefully you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

Now I get asked this quite often, Can we repost your blogs or articles? The short answer to that is, what an honor that you would ask, and by all means, spread the word.

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Joshua (2007)

I have to admit, I didn’t know what to expect from this movie. I had heard about how it was a cross between Rosemary’s Baby and The Omen. I don’t know if that got my hopes up or what, but frankly, outside of the quality number of special features on this DVD, I was extremely disappointed in this movie. This highly anticipated thriller directed by George Ratliff received broad ranges of reviews when released. Some presented Joshua as a thinking person’s thriller and others as a waste of time.

Joshua follows the changes in the Carin family after the birth of a daughter. This young family has a son, Joshua who is a talented protégé pianist. What transpires is enough twists and turns to keep you thinking through out the movie. As strange things happen to the family and Abby, Joshua’s mother played brilliantly by Vera Farmiga begins to develop signs of postnatal depression, we the viewer are either totally confused by the poor script development, or amazed at the hodge podge of story we see on screen. One of the things I thought of is the concept some have in a fine art museum. When some view contemporary art, some see value, some are totally confused. Enter into the story an uncle we can’t figure out, and in-laws who are strong fundamental Christians and the story goes in so many directions it becomes difficult to stay focused.

One of the interesting story lines, not nearly developed enough is the interaction between the Carin family and their in-laws. Abby is Jewish and is married to Brad, played very well by Sam Rockwell. As Abby begins to show signs of either a previous mental illness, or postnatal depression we see the involvement of Brad’s parents. Especially involved is the grandmother, Hazel, played brilliantly by Celia Weston. Hazel has issues that the children have not been baptized and is emphatic about finding ways to have Joshua become a Born Again Christian. Joshua, while seemingly responsive has other intentions. If anything is certain about this movie, Joshua is one confused little boy, confused so much so we have a hard time determining if he is a role model in an Occult sort of way, or if he is just a confused and possibly abused child. None of those questions are ever answered, and it is a script that depends on the viewer to write most of the story line with their own imagination.

There are so many weaknesses to the plot and story development it would be hard to say anything positive. If positive attributes are there, they are in the casting and acting. Sam Rockwell, Vera Farmiga, Celia Weston and young newcomer Jacob Kogan as Joshua are wonderful. The cinematography, sound, and music are also wonderful, but the story is just horrific. I was hoping to get some additional insight from the special features on the DVD, but despite a good number of special features, there is no new insight provided outside of the directors’ commentary. Even here, while I normally enjoy this feature, it was like torture having to see and hear this feature.

There are so many concepts I would have loved to see developed further. There is the apparent desire for the director to present some form of supernatural spiritual thriller. Unfortunately it never developed. From a deeply fundamentalist Christians desire to see her grandchildren converted to Christianity, even a scene in church where an apparent salvation takes place, to the difficulties between Jewish and Christian blended marriages. We see all kinds of issues addressed that could have provided some measure of thought provoking commentary, unfortunately, these themes are used as background and never seems to get on track and find a point in the plot development. While the religious themes could have provided some thought provoking questions, I was disappointed in the lack of development.

Joshua is a strange sort of movie and DVD. There are great special features, great acting, quality sound, great cinematography, but an incredibly boring, and confusing movie. I had a hard time watching and enjoying this movie. It is not a movie I can recommend, even if just renting it. That is sad because of the wasted talent displayed on screen. I sincerely hope to see more of the principals in the future, especially Vera Farmiga but I can promise you, I won’t watch this again. I guess I’m just not smart enough to see all of the things everyone else did that thought Joshua was a brilliant masterpiece. Then again, maybe my schizophrenic tendencies hadn’t set in yet.

On a scale of 1 – 10, for the terrible time I had watching it and the confusing plot lines, I give a disappointing 4, one for each of the principal actors who did their part.




To see the video trailer for Joshua, just click on the video below, if trouble, click on the following link:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpeTkVEJqDE



Click Here to Go to The Virtual Pew Daily Verse and Read The Bible in a Year Passages

Click here for booking information to have Pastor Mike come speak or perform, from speaking to music or magic, something for all groups.

Click to visit with Pastor Mike regarding any of your needs. He will respond to each request personally, and if need be refer you to one of our other pastors.

Click to visit and join the new group The Virtual Pew, at MySpace. Become a part of a different kind of Christian group, check out the page for more information,all welcome, including those who are not followers of Jesus.

Click to visit the Virtual Pew Website and become a part of that ministry. Click to subscribe to my blog

Click to visit and join our sister group at MySpace Hollywood Jesus.

Now for those that do not know, make sure you check out the numerous articles and blogs by checking out the archives. If visiting The Virtual Pew or MySpace they are archived on the left hand side of the page. Scroll down to where you see newer or older listed under archives and then click there. There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives. You can also contact me for a free e-book pre edit version of The Keystone Kid at mike@thevirtualpew.com

You can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ and on the front page down on the left side you sill see our store. Your purchase provides needed funds to The Virtual Pew. If you do not see something to purchase you can click on the search engine, (do not put anything in the search box at this time). You will be taken to Amazon where you can search for anything you desire. Hopefully you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

Now I get asked this quite often, Can we repost your blogs or articles? The short answer to that is, what an honor that you would ask, and by all means, spread the word.

Here is our contact information

The Virtual Pew
P.O. Box 17731
Wichita, KS 67217

Click on the following links to learn more about The Virtual Pew

Donations to The Virtual Pew
The Virtual Pew
The Virtual Pew Blog
Personal Furches Web Site
Mike Furches MySpace Page
Mike Furches MySpace Blog
Hollywood Jesus
Reviews With Mike
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The Virtual Pew Live Radio Web Page
To Subscribe to The Virtual Pew Live Feed

Phone Number to Call During The Virtual Pew Live Show, (Please never call prior to the start of the show) - (646) 716-8587

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