hotspur-7

And, of course, most of those doing the maligning have never seen it. I first read the novel when I heard that Robert DeNiro was going to be playing Jesus. I wanted five years for this movie to come out and almost didn't get the chance to see it then as I live in the Bible Belt of the US. This movie is a masterpiece of filmmaking and more than any other book, film, television show or sermon made me think about Jesus Christ and the suffering attributed him by the Bible. (Yes, it made me feel his suffering more than the Bible). Scorsese's direction is, as always, amazing. Especially so considering the limited budget. Just think what he could have done given the amount of money wasted on Titanic. Willem Dafoe has never been anywhere near as good as he is in this. It's hard to imagine another actor playing Jesus ever again. One of the reviews mentioned that Harvey Keitel is laughably bad. On the contrary, I consider it a crime that he was not anointed with Oscar. His Judas is amazing piece of work. Sure, he speaks in a New York accent. But Scorsese is working in a strange kind of vernacular here. All the Apostles speak in the working man's accent that may not be technically accurate, but has the feel of accuracy. On the other hand all those in charge have British accents which our film shorthand allows us to accept as being "above" the other characters. (Just check how many English accents were nominated for Oscars this year). Speaking of English accents, David Bowie's Pontius Pilate's entire speech drips with the message that he is washing his hands of this whole mess without ever actually saying. It's his finest screen moment. As for the Last Temptation itself: Yes, of course it's risky and heretical and controversial but it shows that if he didn't really exist, Christ was at least half human. And if he had any humanity in him at all, he would have to have felt temptation. Had he not, had he not struggled as he struggles in this movie, what would be the point of trying to live up his example? He would be just another God, something none of us will ever be so why try. If you a Christian who has avoided this movie because of what you have heard it contains and is about, do yourself a favor and find a store that rents. You will be surprised and you will be moved.

Okay, so why didn't they take advantage of the fact that Satan was on board the ship. Did he cause the iceberg to appear? I mean that's who Billy Zane was playing right? The devil. Because, after all, only Amon Goeth from Schindler's List in recent history is more of a despicable character in a movie. He had absolutely no redeeming qualities which leads me to question why a girl supposedly as smart and emancipated as Rose would have anything at all to do with him. I just completely fail to understand the appeal of this movie. Stock characters, stock situation--2200 people on board the ship and this was the best story Cameron could come up with?? The effects were cheesy and then he throws in tearjerking scenes of people dying that we never got to know as a way of making us feel sad. You want to see a really romantic movie? Rent The English Patient.

I believe the big comedy of this year was Crocodile Dundee. As far as I can remember, that movie had one good laugh in it and you could get that for free from the previews. Ishtar, on the other hand, had me laughing hysterically for the first half hour and then continually snickering throughout. The songs are funnier than anything in SpinalTap and the acting is among the best comedic acting from these two admittedly huge comic talents. Give me Ishtar over Rain Man or Bugsy any day. And don't ever try to sell me a blind camel!