Reviews With Mike Furches: May 2011

Friday, May 27, 2011

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Over the years, writing for Hollywood Jesus has brought many personal pleasures. Among those was my review of the first: Pirates of the Caribbean movie. To find out that my quote about Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow was used on Johnny Depp’s web site was quite an honor. The joy and pleasure I had with Depp in that role not only reminded me of my appreciation for the pirate tale as a youth, his portrayal has continued to please me up to and including the new adventure, On Stranger Tides.

In On Stranger Tides, directed by Rob Marshall, Depp is back as Jack Sparrow but there is also the beautiful and sensuous Penelope Cruz as Angelica, the brilliant actor Geoffrey Rush as Barbossa, and we have Ian McShane as the infamous Blackbeard. Each character plays critical roles in this tale where we see the search for The Fountain of Youth. There are the typical things to expect; from sword fights to the mythical creatures of the deep seas, such as mermaids.

As per the norm, Pirates of the Caribbean, On Stranger Tides is filled with action and special effects. As to how a movie is made and presented on screen we see a tremendous work here. I saw this particular feature in 3-D and was pleasantly surprised at how even this aspect of the film transferred. Far too often 3-D is overused with little value. That wasn’t the case in this movie. There is a terrific score and everything about the film seems on the surface as if it would end up being a brilliant movie. While this is a very entertaining movie, with lots of action, even better than the last journey of Captain Jack Sparrow there still was some things lacking. There was far too much needed information essential to the story missing. Some speculation indicates this may be the first in a second trilogy, if that is so, it leaves out hope that much of the story line left out will be included in future tales.

I liked the characters and despite there being some holes in the plot, the acting, costuming and sets are entertaining enough to take the viewer back to the adventures of the seas. We see the search for eternal life take place; from Captain Barbossa and his crew including Jack Sparrow, Spanish Commissioned Force, and the pirate Blackbeard and his crew. There is a multiple conflict and battle among the three forces. There is just not enough information about any of the groups to give clarity to the plot.

Along the race to the Fountain of Youth, there are spiritual battles each party is faced with. One thing addressed is the role of faith and the treatment of others in the attempt to gain eternal life. We see a Christian understand and see the humanness of a captive mermaid. While some see and use her as a tool to obtain knowledge to their own self interest, this individual sees a beautiful creature and realizes that to give up his humanity for the sake of eternity would be to lose the very things such as compassion and love that make him human. Ultimately, he and others come to the understanding that without love, nothing else is of value. As a result, this recognition of love, leads to the salvation of some from the ultimate death they likely face. This journey to discover love is not just something experienced by the mermaid Syrena and Christian Philip, it is ultimately searched out and touched on in the relationship between Jack Sparrow and Angelica. Unfortunately, there is too much selfishness in the lives of these two characters to come to a point where love is realized. We are faced with our own recognition to see and value those around us. While this theme has been played out many times in film, it is obvious it is still a theme that resonates with the movie going audience. Do we take grasp of and love unconditionally those around us when we have the opportunity, or do we go off seeking our own selfish desires. We realize and see an example of how ultimate love will ultimately lead and provide eternal and joyous life.

On the surface, it may appear as if I didn’t enjoy this movie. I enjoyed it more than the last Pirates movie and had a lot of fun with the action sequences and special effects. It is easy to watch and I consider it a fun pop corn flick or date movie. I just wanted, and frankly, expected, more in the plot line. Depp is as brilliant as ever as is the rest of the cast. I just want more in the next episodes if they do occur.

There is a side note to make mention of in closing, a number of years ago I coined a word for a closing scene that contributed to the movie that ran after the credits. While not truly an epilogue, this concept actually includes a short scene that adds to upcoming story line. That term was hepiloguej. After some research this was allowable and I simply added an h to the front and a j after (for Hollywood Jesus) to the word epilogue. That all said to say this, if you are a fan of the series and want to see the movie in its entirety, make sure to stay until the end of the credits to see the closing hepiloguej of On Stranger Tides.

Now on a scale of 1 – 10, for the four movies so far, take that away 3 from 10, plus one incredible Johnny Depp and you will see, while not a perfect movie, it is still a very fun and entertaining 7.

To see the trailer below, simply click on the video, if the video doesn't appear or appears in a non complete form, click the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR_9A-cUEJc

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Monday, May 23, 2011

The Roommate

Just down the road a bit, to the Southeast, about 30 miles from Wichita Kansas is a great little town named Winfield. It has a small college named Southwestern College. I know the college pretty well as my daughter graduated from there. A few months ago there was the release of the movie The Roommate which caused a bit of controversy in these parts. It seems as if the makers of the movie decided to use the front of one of the historic Buildings from the college on its movie poster. That wouldn’t have been such a big deal except the college never gave approval for the usage of the building and those associated with the school made it clear, they didn’t support this movie, or the usage of their schools image in the promotion of the movie. While the school was somewhat misguided in their description of the movie as a slasher film, there are certainly images from the movie that would be easy to see how a small Christian college would disapprove of the use of their school, especially when permission was never granted. One would hope for integrity but initial impressions can be wrong. Just as people sometimes go down the wrong path, so do movies.

My initial thoughts had me thinking that everyone critical of this movie had gotten it wrong. There is a decent cast; the movie is framed well, good lighting, quality editing, a decent cast and a promising concept. The story had a freshman, Sara, played by Minka Kelly entering her freshman year of college. She soon meets her roommate, Rebecca, played by Leighton Meester. It doesn’t take long for Sara to realize the controlling and possessive nature of Rebecca. Her friends start disappearing, and strange coincidences start to happen all around her. The Roommate provides a great deal of tease, not just in the sexual nature of the film, (there is no nudity but a lot of tease) but also in the story. There is some credit here that can be given to the director, Christian Christiansen, what seems a promising a fun tease turns out to be a massive letdown as the plot, and storyline falls short of what I expected.

As the story develops we see the literal craziness come out of Rebecca. We later find out that Rebecca has a mental illness and has not been taking her medications. If any credit is to be given, it could be said that Leighton Meester does an okay job at portraying this ruthless psychopath. Unfortunately Rebecca as we see portrayed is one that doesn’t present a fair representation of one with mental illness. In that regard, not only does the tease become a huge letdown, so does the movie as it seems to disrespect a segment of the population and the struggles they go through.

The acting in this movie, including each of the primary leads, is sub par at best. This is sad since it isn’t a bad cast. Unfortunately in their portrayals we see a reflection on colleges that is less than flattering. With the exception of the character played by Cam Gigandt, we see very few characters with positive attributes. Gigandt, who plays the boyfriend of Sara seems like a nice guy, if he only had something on his mind other than getting his girlfriend into bed with him. Unfortunately, the characters are one dimensional in virtually every part.

The Roommate reflects current trends in the development of relationships. The ‘me first’ attitude seems to be the prevailing train of thought. The character who seeks friendship is portrayed as the villain, and in virtually every way she is portrayed, she is the villain. The other friends are presented as those indulging in the over consumption of alcohol even though they are under age. They are also involved in random sex along with one night stands. The relationships being developed are done in a way that may please someone for awhile but does very little at providing a promising future. I couldn’t help but think of the concept presented in The New Testament by Jesus, ‘What does it profit one to gain the whole world and lose their soul?’ If there is anything positive presented here, we see the danger of following ones own selfish desires, and the dangers of one putting themselves into dangerous situations.

I liked the potential of this film, I hated the end results. There is virtually no gore, little scare, and I personally don’t like sexual or any other kind of tease, especially when that tease doesn’t deliver. Not only does The Roommate not deliver, it presents an image that continues to perpetuate the stereotypes and untruths regarding persons with mental illness. Movies have for years presented an image of the mentally ill as violent individuals, when in reality there is little violence perpetuated by persons with mental illness. To make and or use this stereotype about virtually any other population group would create uproar among those groups, yet, society and some movies, continue to use the mentally ill as a stepping stone to present hypocritical, and harmful images to a population who is already discriminated against enough. Unfortunately, many in the teenage audience will support this film and its message not being able to distinguish between the potential for fun, and the reality of the harm the images present.

I was also letdown with the tease of promising special features on the product box which stated: ‘Dangerously Sexy Special Features.’ What a joke! There are a few deleted and alternate scenes, totaling less than 5 minutes. Outside of the Directors commentary, which offers nothing of value, the special features are virtually non existent despite, the tease.

We live in a society where real friendships are rare. People desire relationship; it is one of the things that Christianity has the potential of using as a selling point. Unfortunately many push religion, and not the relationship, not realizing that all around them there are people starving for relationship. The Roommate touched on the importance and desire of relationship, but in such a horrid way that I can’t recommend sitting down to watch this movie if someone gave it to you and paid you for the time to watch it. Unfortunately, this movie doesn’t live up to any of the billing, it isn’t scary or thrilling, has no sex appeal (not that I was looking for that but it is a concept promoted in the products packaging) and outside of having me realize the need for movies, and people to reach the teenage audience with something of sustenance, I just didn’t see anything of value here. I wish I could recommend The Roommate, but unfortunately I can’t. I suspect there will be those who enjoy this movie; I just am not one of them.

To see the video posted below click on the video. If the video isn’t at full scale or doesn’t show up, click on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mUDIohiK2I

The Vanishing on 7th Street

I had heard of the movie, The Vanishing on 7th Street and the advance trailers had me wanting to see it. One of my favorite actors, John Leguizamo is in the film and while I haven’t always liked the movies he is in, I have enjoyed his talents as an actor. I was excited to review this movie especially with its haunting themes. In the movie there is a vanishing, much like a rapture that takes place in Detroit. In the shadows is an evil that takes not just the souls but the bodies of those it surrounds. The Vanishing follows the plights of several individuals who end up at a local bar trying to escape the horrors of the streets. In some ways there is a tribute here to the concepts originally presented in The Night of the Living Dead. Light keeps the shadows away, but unfortunately most of the power sources that keep the lights burning are gone and the days are getting shorter. The bar where the group gathers has a self powered generator, but the fuel is running out and those stuck in the bar have to find a way to keep on the light, otherwise, they will disappear to the creatures in the shadows.

The Vanishing plays like a smaller, well done, independent film. While there is some quality cinematography, good acting, and a nice story line, it is still lacking. Unfortunately most people are accustomed to big time CGI and scary monsters. While the film costs some 10 million dollars to make it just doesn’t come across as a picture of that caliber. While on a large scale this would still be considered by many as a small budget film, it had a large enough budget to have the picture look like a higher quality than it is. That isn’t to say that the direction provide by Brad Anderson is bad, but it isn’t great either. While there is a haunting and entertaining score, despite the poor acting by a quality cast, it falls short in the production. The overtly dark overtones and lackluster creatures were a let down.

In the story, there is a mass power outage. People start disappearing, leaving behind their clothing, cars, and aircraft, whatever with the bodies disappearing. What appears in the movie resembles what one would think would occur by the rapture which was supposed to happen on May 21. Unfortunately, as the story develops we have no idea what has caused the events and it appears as if the direction and story line care less about details like this. The story is simple, something crappy happens, people disappear, and the creatures in the shadows take people from their bodies. There are people hiding out in a bar and they have to find ways to create light. As the batteries in the flashlights start to go dead, they decide to get a truck and somehow use the truck to keep the generator in the bar going. In this seemingly Myst type of film by Steven King, we get lost. The characters seem to forget that alcohol burns, thus enabling them to start fires. An important premise, especially when considering they are in a bar. The viewer sees the characters as so stupid that we don’t mind it when they start droping off one by one. If that description sounds muddied you will get lost in the rest of the story line.

One of the problems with The Vanishing on 7th Street is the lack of direction with the characters. The lead role is never clear. Hayden Christensen plays Luke, the hero yet there is also Leguizamo playing the part of Paul. There is so little character development it is hard to develop a liking of any of the characters, even in the young man James played by Jacob Latimore. While the concept is intriguing and seemingly promising, we don’t have the character development to make it work. This is a part of the problem with the movie.

The concept of staying in the light and out of the darkness is something that is quite intriguing and had me having promise in the movie. It is a concept that is spoken about often in the Bible. The importance of staying in the light, yet at the same time walking close enough to the darkness to reach those in the dark. We see this portrayed throughout the movie, especially so in the climatic ending where we see it played out in a church. Here we see a thought provoking portrayal of the importance of staying close to the safety around us provided by light, while at the same time, caring enough for those around us to sacrificially help them escape the death of the darkness. There are things in the dark that takes life, more often than not; those things are dangerous to our survival. The concept of walking in light, being aware of the dangers around us is a theme worth telling. One of the things portrayed that was appreciated is the ability of children to be open to the spiritual realms around us. Often times their concepts of evil and good have not been diluted and in their innocence we can find the answers to salvation.

The Vanishing on 7th Street isn’t a horrible movie but it isn’t great either. I wanted more, expected more but unfortunately got less. I appreciated the spiritual symbolism from the usage of churches, the conflict with God, and the potential salvation provided through the church. I just wish I cared more for the characters and the plot and script were better developed. While there are good themes worthy of viewing, I found the DVD, although loaded with special features was more suited for a rental than a purchase. There is a nice look to the film, although it was a letdown. One of my favorite parts of the DVD features which were unusual was the trailers for upcoming films, including, Hobo With a Shotgun. If getting this in the bargain rental, you will be okay, otherwise, you may be disappointed, not just for the cost, but the time it takes to watch this movie.

To see the video posted below click on the video. If the video isn’t at full scale or doesn’t show up, click on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0JiuX5ByHk

The Rite

In 1973 the movie The Exorcist turned heads, both on screen and literally. It was with some expectation that I was excited about the release of 2011’s The Rite starring Anthony Hopkins as Father Lucas Trevant and Colin O’Donoghue as Michael Kovak. Kovak has just graduated from Seminary to become a priest and as quickly as he receives his credentials, he realizes he has questions of faith which will prevent him from accepting the collar. A professor recognizes his talents and believes he would be a suitable student to go to an Exorcism school in Rome. While there, his crisis of faith remains and he is soon sent to spend time with Father Lucas Trevant, played by Anthony Hopkins. Hopkins it seems is a sort of exorcist in residence and it is here that Kovak is forced to look at the reality of good and evil in a new way. It is as Father Trevant points out in one scene to Kovak, “Be careful Michael, choosing not to believe in the devil doesn't protect you from him.” As the two spend time together, despite Kovak’s skepticism, his faith begins to grow in God as he realizes the reality of evil.

The Rite is made in a thought provoking way with more emphasis on story and the crisis of faith Kovak is going through than it does on the paranormal as many may have become accustomed to in exorcism movies. The film directed by, Mikael Håfström, does a good job of keeping the concept believable, while at the same time, entertaining and thought provoking. As is the norm with these types of films, the haunting musical score plays into the story line as does the dark scenes used throughout the film. While there are certain components that transfer over well into the Blu-ray format, there was a lacking of character development. I was originally supposed to have an interview with the author of the book which the stories are based on, Matt Baglio, but for some reason that interview fell through as I anxiously awaited the opportunity to ask questions regarding the real story and the story on screen. A credit to the plot is it does perk interest in the paranormal and the process of exorcism which has existed primarily within the Catholic and Christian belief system for some years. While many are skeptical of the concept, the evidence seems to indicate an abundance of proof as to these episodes.

The story starts out with a young Kovak working in his family’s mortuary. His father, Istvan Kovak, played by Rutger Hauer, has dealt with the loss of his wife and raised his son on his own. It is the family’s history that one either enters the priesthood or remains in the family business. Kovak has had enough of preparing dead bodies while growing up and decides to give the priesthood a chance. We see the family background played back primarily in flashback sequences. Unfortunately they are muddied and make it difficult to follow the story. There are moments where the viewers have their questions answered, but all too often, there are not enough answers and the questions we see asked seem forced in their answers.

In The Rite we see a crisis of faith not just in the character of Kovak, but also the life of Father Trevant. Father Trevant is based on a real life character that has performed over 2,000 exorcisms. His challenges, if true, would give reason for any student of this Rite, (if it is to be called a skill, calling or Rite) to be skeptical of following ‘the call.’

The Rite is filled with religious symbolism specific to Christianity. There are many interesting questions presented regarding the existence of evil, specific to Satan and his demons, and Christianity, specific to Jesus Christ. There are certain concepts of exorcism that is unique and consistent enough to cause one to wonder about the reality of evil. As portrayed in The Rite, the demonic and evil forces that inhabit the souls of people can cause them to do harm to themselves and/or others, and there is a hatred that exists between the demonic forces and the forces of God. There is no doubt in these portrayals, including The Rite, that ultimately the force of God has more power, and exhibits the abilities to overcome the forces of evil. That isn’t to say it doesn’t come at a cost though. The Rite does a good job of showing there is potential danger to the person being possessed and to the persons performing the exorcisms. It is the unknown aspects of exorcism and possession that provide the scary moments in the movie. The thought that the danger of possession could happen to the individual watching the film has certainly entered more than one mind while watching films like this. It should be recognized that ultimately the power of God prevails over the power of Satan. It is through the power of God that one has the ability to overcome.

Despite the flaws in The Rite, I found myself enjoying the story, especially the last 30 minutes of the film. While it took some time to get to the horror of the film, it does ultimately arrive. We don’t see the horrific scenes we may have come to expect, but we believe in the possibility of what we see on screen. In this regard The Rite stands a notch above many exorcism films. There are definite challenges to the concepts of possession the movie ponders and I like that. I do wish the movie would have had better character development and taken the time to explore especially the role of Kovak’s family.

The DVD also has some respectable special features and the Blu-ray transfer is quite nice both visual and its sound. The edition I have has a digital version, the Blu-ray and standard DVD. There are ample features that will have fans of this type of movie desiring to own it. I personally found the video worth more of a rental than a purchase. This one will get mixed reviews in that area. The questions one could ask, debate, and discuss would certainly be worth discussion, for example, does demon possession exist? What are the rights to perform exorcism? Can individuals outside of the Catholic faith perform appropriate exorcisms? How doe the Devil and his demons present themselves? How does the world of exorcism and mental illnesses coexist? How are they similar? How are they different? These questions and many more are worthy discussions, and The Rite certainly asks and addresses each of these to some extent. Does that make the film worth owning? I don’t know, I will say the questions it raises certainly makes it worth watching.

To see the video posted below click on the video. If the video isn’t at full scale or doesn’t show up, click on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhHnP-9iekg

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Dead Man Walking, 1995, 2011 on Blu-ray

In 1998 I personally sat across the table of the man who had just murdered my aunt who had helped raise me. He had killed another person, and shot and intended to kill my cousin. I was supposed to be at the residence when this tragedy took place but wasn’t due to my daughter having a knee injury from soccer. As I sat across this man, I came face to face with my own challenge, to follow Jesus example of love or to follow my desire to at the moment hate this man. I found it in me to share with him that I loved him and that I could call him brother if he accepted Christ. It was a hard thing to do but over the years I have told people, it wasn’t nearly as hard as the ability to continue to love him after he said after my offer, exactly these words that still burn in my mind, ‘That Bitch deserved everything she got.” Loving with an unexplainable love after that was among the hardest things I have ever done, but I can now speak with conviction, it is possible to love the unlovable in even the most difficult of situations.

Dead Man Walking is the critically acclaimed film by Tim Robbins from 1995 where Susan Sarandon won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Sister Helen Prejean, a nun who developed a relationship with convicted murderer and death role inmate Matthew Poncelet, played by Sean Penn who was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. This riveting tale, based primarily on meetings and conversations between Poncelet and Prejean challenges the viewer to think outside the box of their own beliefs regarding capital punishment and the role faith can play in the debate. The brilliant direction by Robbins, also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director, has a very nice mix of thought provoking dialog and perspectives on the issue of the death penalty and the role of faith, specifically Christianity. The story follows the true story of the relationship and friendship that developed between these two seemingly different characters. The movie now released on Blu-ray DVD will hopefully pull in new viewers like me for the first time. While the movie is some 15 + years old now, the story and debate are still relevant.

Robbins pulls no punches in his screenplay based off of the real Prejean’s book. He holds no punches in letting us know that Poncelet’s character was someone who was in many ways evil and in fact committed heinous crimes. Robbins also does a wonderful job in directing Sarandon in her struggles with not only the concept of the death penalty, but in her friendship and obligations as a Christian in loving and trying to reach Poncelet. She is presented as a real person of faith, with a genuine love, not just for the victims, but the perpetrator. As the relationship between the two characters develop, we the viewer come to ask questions as to the appropriateness of the death penalty, and for Christians, how far does one go to love another.

It is in the concept of loving even the unlovable that people of faith, especially Christians will find not only debate, but likely struggle. Just as Prejean is questioned in one scene about her willingness to support and care for a murderer, she is challenged by an inmate, ‘How can you support this murderer? Don’t you know what he did? Don’t you know that bible of yours talks about an eye for an eye?’ To which Prejean questions the man about the call to love even your enemies and the acts of Jesus. She also brings into question the other things where the Old Testament in particular calls into reasoning the right to execute for things which many would never consider the death penalty. The jailer then responds, ‘Well I’m certainly not going to get into a debate about what the Bible says with a nun.’ In some ways, that is the heart of the problem, not so much what it is that Prejean quoted, but the reality that it is evident, that even if one supports the position of the death penalty from a Biblical perspective, it becomes very difficult to defend in the way it is carried out, especially so when taking the words of Jesus to task with his commands of loving our enemy. Of course many Christians may support and recognize the rights of the state to carry out justice, while also recognizing their own responsibility to separate themselves and their requirements as a follower of Jesus from the responsibility of the state. This debate related to faith is at the crux of the plot and dialog. While a tough and controversial subject, it is one of the most spiritual, thought provoking movies I have seen in some time. Unfortunately, because of the dogmas of many, they likely won’t watch the movie, or allow themselves to engage in serious discussion related to the themes of the movie.

This movie is certainly worth a revisit, especially after recent headlines in America. The praise of such actions has caused many to question the responsibilities of the Christian. Dead Man Walking seems to take the perspective that the real power of love, is not in the ability to love the loveable, but the willingness to get to know and love the unlovable. In that love change takes place and redemption can occur. The Bible is filled with characters that were murderers, rapist, and other less than desirable personality traits that found God, and were ultimately used by God. There are also passages where Jesus complicates things by saying things like, if we hate or are angry at another, then we are guilty of murder. I love themes that cause me to struggle, and while I have struggled in the past on this issue, I personally know of the ability to love even those we seemingly have reason to hate. I also believe that growth takes place through struggle, and Dead Man Walking will help one struggle with their beliefs on this issue.

The only think I didn’t like about this DVD was the lack of special features. There is a director’s commentary but no other features. While the sound and image transfer is nice, I don’t know if it is worth the extra cost of the Blu-ray. I would recommend finding another regular DVD with more features. Robbins in his commentary does bring out some nice bits of information but it needs more.

This is a very good movie, well worth owning despite the flaws. The questions, and thought process, especially for Christians, is certainly worth struggling through. Dead Man Walking is an example of how good movies can be, and the meaningful discussions that can take place, if given the chance.

To see the video posted below click on the video. If the video isn’t at full scale or doesn’t show up, click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg-GMqPHIPQ

Monday, May 16, 2011

Blue Valentine, A Love Story on Blu-ray

Blue Valentine is one of those movies I have wanted to see for sometime. I have heard a great deal of good things about the movie, from the acting to the direction, and from the editing to the story. I had heard there were reasons this story had received the Oscar Buzz it did in 2010. With the release of the DVD on Blu-ray, I had a good reason to finally catch up and see if the performances by Ryan Gosling and the Oscar nomination for Best Actress for Michelle Williams.

One of the unique and wonderful attributes of Blue Valentine is the uniqueness of the story being told. This brilliantly directed story by Derek Cianfrance does something unique these days. It tells a real story of romance and relationship in a way most people can unfortunately relate to. I say unfortunately because it holds back no punches in the reality of relationship for many people. Unique in its style is its wonderful cinematography and top-notch script that goes back and forth from love found to love lost. The editing is also a wonderful attribute as it is extremely difficult to edit a film coming from two points in time to a place of cohesiveness. While the editing, along with the direction is brilliant, so are the performances by Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams.

Dean, played by Ryan Gosling is a high school drop-out that is a hard working underachiever. He has a great heart though and on a particular job where he has just moved in an elderly man into a nursing home, he meets a young lady, Cindy, played by Michelle Williams who is visiting her grandmother. For Ryan, it is love at first site and he pursues Cindy with the hope of love. Cindy on the other hand has come from difficult relationships. Under the direction of Cianfrance we go back and forth in time to see the characters at different stages in their life. Through the experience Cianfrance does a terrific job at drawing the viewer into this touching, honest and real relationship, not with just the good, but the bad and difficult.

I suspect people who watch Blue Valentine will have different reactions; the perspectives of the viewer will likely depend on the sex of the viewer. One of the brilliant aspects of the film, driven largely by the story, and acting, is the ability of the film to hit home with the viewer. It isn’t as if we are watching a movie but are watching the real lives of people we know. This isn’t to say we always enjoy those people, there are moments of reality that makes viewing the film difficult, not because it is poorly done, but because it is done so well. I found myself hurting for Ryan, while getting angry at Cindy, and at other times, feeling sorry for Ryan, wondering why he is so cruel and then thinking that Cindy is the glue that holds the family together. Of course I eventually discover there are no right or wrong answers to the observations, in fact, at times, I found myself discovering that I was wrong about the characters.

While not obvious on first appearance, the more I think about Blue Valentine, and it is one of those movies that will stick with you, I was deeply moved at how spiritual the film is. While there are no blatant prayer scenes, church scenes, or even overt spiritual discussions, in fact there are none of those in the final film, (although there is in the deleted scenes,) there are issues of love, relationship, and servitude that come into play. In Ryan we see a man who is so deeply in love that he has given up his dreams and aspirations to find out that to love his wife, and be there for his daughter are really the dreams that matter. His wife doesn’t understand though, she wants him to live for himself and much like her past, she has trouble with relationship, trouble that she has seen lived out in her own home while growing up. We see the importance of not just love in marriage, but the importance of maintaining that love through the development of relationship. The relationships we are a part of should be nurtured and developed not just at the start of that relationship, but throughout the relationship. I was reminded of my own relationship with God and the importance of not just experiencing the love relationship in the early days of faith, but the importance of maintaining that relationship, to grow together, to maintain the love that was there in the beginning. That comes with understanding and spending time with each other. In Blue Valentine, while we see the beauty of that love, we also see the heartache of what can and often does happen when relationship is not maintained.

There are times I didn’t much care for Blue Valentine because it was too real, not because it was a bad movie, but a very good movie with great performances. This movie is a Catch-22 of sorts, so good that it is disturbing. For a fan of the art of film, this is a must see, for those who want happy endings or a movie where everything is tied up and entertainment abounds, this could be a let down. As for me, I found the movie one of the best from 2010, and a must view, not just a must view, but a movie deserving of ownership. The DVD has some wonderful special features including a making of documentary and a number of deleted scenes and commentary from the Director and Editor of the film. For film buffs there is some tremendous information available in the commentary. I for one found the film sexy, intelligent, and worthy of another watch. I saw the film without my wife and am contemplating watching it with her, not just for her opinion, but to share a wonderful moment with a very enlightening movie.

To see the video posted below click on the video. If the video isn’t at full scale or doesn’t show up, click on the following link:

The following is an interview at Sundance with the Cast and Director of Blue Valentine:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdbVdFocSX0

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WARTORN, 1861-2010

A precursor prior to this review, I suffer and have been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, AKA as PTS. This disorder comes about from various sources, primarily in women, through sexual assault and abuse, and in men largely from war related stress. Over the last few years other sources have come to the forefront which contribute to this diagnosis, it could be men or women who have been sexually abused, seen or experienced traumatic events in their life, even rescue workers like police and firemen. WARTORN, 1861-2010 focuses specifically on the Post Traumatic Stress that has come about in war situations, for individuals in the military, from the Civil War up through and including The War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. While this is the primary focus, the impact of this disorder is largely consistent among all groups and thus the education provided through this film, could be life changing and life saving. On the surface, after 3 viewings of this 1 hour documentary my opinions have been challenged and the thought provoking images while extremely disturbing. I also realize that the images and stories can provide understanding for this unfortunate disorder.

My initial reaction to the film was one many have; ‘How can anyone support the concepts of war after seeing this documentary?’ It is troubling and on the surface, having the potential to be very damaging to the cause of military recruitment. The 1-hour documentary produced for HBO by James Gandolfini (Tony Soprano from The Soprano’s) tells the stories of various soldiers and the impact of war and trauma from the perspective of the soldiers themselves. In fact, one aspect quite surprising about this documentary is the endorsement and support of the USA Military Forces. They are even using the film, and the cause to better educate soldiers, politicians, and families of the need to treat and understand this disorder. I can’t help but give a hearty stand up ovation to the military for their willingness to seriously address this issue as can be seen in the attached video with this review.

WARTORN is a haunting documentary of war and its horrors. It leads to the understanding that few actually understand the horror of war better than the military soldier who has experienced it first hand. It is easy for those who have never been on a battlefield to think they have an understanding of war. Surprising to some, the most outspoken and reluctant to go to war are often those who have been there. The horrors that exist in the aftermath of battle are powerfully presented. The images are as horrific and brutal as anything presented on film, because the images of the broken and brutal bodies are those of real men and women. In the power of the presentation, from the reality of the telling, we also feel as much of the pain as we can and our hearts break for the families.

In a world and in a faith where war is often discouraged and the participation from a faith perspective for many is also discouraged, I couldn’t help but wonder, in a Church where we used to have various perspectives on war, do we, including the military and families of the military now take the reality of war and its horrors too lightly. There was once a faith perspective among people of faith called the, Just War Theory. It was the perspective many people of faith took. There was also a common perspective, held by many within various faith groups as to whether or not people of faith, especially Christians should participate in war at all. In this belief system, there were many who recognized the role of the government in fighting its battles, at times, being the hand which God used to execute vengeance and justice.

Regardless of the belief system many take regarding war, it is incredible to see the U.S. military among the leaders in the study of the impact of war, even recognizing the need to seriously address Post Traumatic Stress that lasts for many, a lifetime. When young men and women are put into circumstances where their lives are impacted to the point of having life long nightmares, episodes of violent explosions, and a high risk of suicide, I have to wonder, where the church has been, no matter what their perspective in addressing these issues? WARTORN is a film that should be seen and discussed, even with its brutal images. It needs to be seen and discussed from a faith perspective because we have more people suffering from this disease and disorder than ever before. If we don’t address it, the long-term horrors and impact of war will be long lived after the battles are over. Unfortunately, suicide rates are as high as ever and as many as 30% of soldiers returning from the battle field now suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

I can’t say I love WARTORN; it is heartbreaking, challenging, and sad. I will say, I hope, and pray for the possibilities of this documentary. The film, along with the special feature of The Pentagon’s Post-Premiere Panel Discussion is educational and a must view by virtually every soldier, potential soldier, their families, or any other population group, especially, the church and people of faith. Taken straight from the battlefield and from the lives of families left behind, this documentary will leave an impact on all who view it. What they do with that impact, how they react will be the continuation of how the story ends. I will hold to my first thought, I would hope that every soldier and every family member would see this film prior to enlisting in the military. I would also hope that as suggested by a general in the Pentagon Discussion on the special features, that a mandatory education also takes place helping each and every soldier returning home also take place with each and every soldier and their families prior to their return from the battlefield.

It is rare that a documentary can tell such a moving tale in such a short period of time. WARTORN accomplishes the rare and has the potential to change lives for the better for many men and women who deserve our very best, including their treatment and assistance for the damage from war we often don’t see, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

To see the trailer posted below click on the video. If the video isn’t at full scale or doesn’t show up, click on the following link:

The following is a 30 minute discussion from the Pentagon Discussion regarding this film:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO9rwjSMXeU

Friday, May 27, 2011

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Monday, May 23, 2011

The Roommate

The Vanishing on 7th Street

The Rite

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Dead Man Walking, 1995, 2011 on Blu-ray

Monday, May 16, 2011

Blue Valentine, A Love Story on Blu-ray

WARTORN, 1861-2010

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