43 reviews
The chataqua tent revival meeting has a long standing history in religion in the US. Despite the addition of modern production techniques, the fundamentals remain mostly the same.
This is a gentle, good natured movie that shows all the ugliness behind the scenes and yet still leaves us sympathetic to the characters and their issues.
Probably the best movie i have ever seen for understanding the phenomenon of the revival tent meeting.
This is a gentle, good natured movie that shows all the ugliness behind the scenes and yet still leaves us sympathetic to the characters and their issues.
Probably the best movie i have ever seen for understanding the phenomenon of the revival tent meeting.
I really couldn't give this movie more then a 5.
The writing is stilted, the characters two-dimensional (if that) and the lead actress's primary qualities are...well... her primary qualities. She looks fantastic standing still with her mouth shut. Unfortunately her acting is awful and her stage fighting looks like a 10 year old playing "batman."
The makeup is amateurish, but the animation is okay and the CG frankly is surprisingly good, mostly demonstrating just how cheap and easy basic CG has become.
Over all it plays like a film written by high-school students, acted by first year college students and a porn star, with sfx done by mildly talented upper class college students. Despite all that, or maybe because of it, it has a genuine charm and appeal on the pure camp level. Sort of like the 60s Batman TV show.
If you enjoy camp, then go for it. But otherwise give it a wide miss.
The writing is stilted, the characters two-dimensional (if that) and the lead actress's primary qualities are...well... her primary qualities. She looks fantastic standing still with her mouth shut. Unfortunately her acting is awful and her stage fighting looks like a 10 year old playing "batman."
The makeup is amateurish, but the animation is okay and the CG frankly is surprisingly good, mostly demonstrating just how cheap and easy basic CG has become.
Over all it plays like a film written by high-school students, acted by first year college students and a porn star, with sfx done by mildly talented upper class college students. Despite all that, or maybe because of it, it has a genuine charm and appeal on the pure camp level. Sort of like the 60s Batman TV show.
If you enjoy camp, then go for it. But otherwise give it a wide miss.
This is really a mess of a movie. It has a few interesting ideas, and some interesting but not always consistent imagery, but in the end fails to deliver on any of the questions it sets up. Like the "shows within the show" the movie seems most of the time to just do things for shock value and no other narrative purpose.
If David Lynch had a totally incoherent dream (for David Lynch), this might be it. Lynch at least teases us with a feeling of connectedness and gives us some kind of ending. This movie fails to do either.
The cinematographer should get credit for his sometimes striking visuals, but that's about all there is to this film.
If David Lynch had a totally incoherent dream (for David Lynch), this might be it. Lynch at least teases us with a feeling of connectedness and gives us some kind of ending. This movie fails to do either.
The cinematographer should get credit for his sometimes striking visuals, but that's about all there is to this film.
A wise man once stated "Never make movies about Hollywood, because no body but industry insiders give a crap."
Its not always true, but it is more then it isn't.
Birdman is such a movie. A love song to actors and the acting profession that encapsulates all of how screwed up most of it is. All the main characters are damaged and desperate for validation.
I don't know why IMDb calls this a comedy. Its a drama, and maybe even a bittersweet tragedy. But it IS brilliantly and lovingly made and acted. Sadly, it is still all but incomprehensible to the mass audience.
Its not always true, but it is more then it isn't.
Birdman is such a movie. A love song to actors and the acting profession that encapsulates all of how screwed up most of it is. All the main characters are damaged and desperate for validation.
I don't know why IMDb calls this a comedy. Its a drama, and maybe even a bittersweet tragedy. But it IS brilliantly and lovingly made and acted. Sadly, it is still all but incomprehensible to the mass audience.
A sequel to "who morns for Adonis?" with the original actor who played Apollo, Micahel Forest, back as a "prematurely aged" Apollo.
The set, sfx and visual style are all very well done and very much in keeping with the original. The cinematographer has a real good grasp of the original style.
The guy playing Kirk who is also listed as director and co-producer is trying a bit too... hard... to... be William Shatner, and the guy playing Spock is a bit wooden.
The actor playing McCoy is okay but I get no feeling of DeForest Kelley at all. Particularly missing is the southern charm McCoy had.
Scotty is the best of the bunch, but he actually is James Doohan's son, and has done Scotty in the past for an animated trek.
The young lady playing Uhura isn't too bad either... she at least has a "feel" like Nichelle Nichols, especially in a singing sequence in the rec room.
The best actor of course is Michael Forest as Apollo who carries the episode on his shoulder, but he's an old stage and screen hand and arguably the only seasoned professional of the bunch.
The writing was also surprisingly good, very much in keeping with the old series. The moral of the story was a bit heavy handed, but Star trek often could be.
All in all, it was fun for an original Trekker to watch the "kids" doing "our thing."
The set, sfx and visual style are all very well done and very much in keeping with the original. The cinematographer has a real good grasp of the original style.
The guy playing Kirk who is also listed as director and co-producer is trying a bit too... hard... to... be William Shatner, and the guy playing Spock is a bit wooden.
The actor playing McCoy is okay but I get no feeling of DeForest Kelley at all. Particularly missing is the southern charm McCoy had.
Scotty is the best of the bunch, but he actually is James Doohan's son, and has done Scotty in the past for an animated trek.
The young lady playing Uhura isn't too bad either... she at least has a "feel" like Nichelle Nichols, especially in a singing sequence in the rec room.
The best actor of course is Michael Forest as Apollo who carries the episode on his shoulder, but he's an old stage and screen hand and arguably the only seasoned professional of the bunch.
The writing was also surprisingly good, very much in keeping with the old series. The moral of the story was a bit heavy handed, but Star trek often could be.
All in all, it was fun for an original Trekker to watch the "kids" doing "our thing."
We've come a long way from the unbelievable, magician-insulting crap that was the Prestige.
Where the Prestige got just about everything about magic and magicians wrong, this gets it right., There are one or two minor flights of fancy (I don't think the bubble levitation is workable, but I could be wrong.) but by and large it is very true to both the art and the ethic of the magician,
Magicians since the time of Houdini at least have been very aware that our dark cousin is the con man, and we hate them and seek to expose them wherever we can. In this day and age, the con men wear suits and run corporations and banks, and in spirit there is no netter group of people to challenge them then magicians.
In addition to getting the small stuff right, this movie gets it right in the large. Just when I was shaking my head and saying "this can't be done, the safeties aren't there and it depends too much on people doing the right things at the right time", the movie pulls out the ONLY solution that solves all those problems.
Like all great magic tricks, there is only one good solution, but the magician distracts from it to the point that we don't even realize its there.
Sadly, I think this movie suffered from the problem many really good movies about magic do... they are so faithful to the hidden art that no one but practitioners believe its real. Ironically, the more absurd a movie about magicians is, generally the easier it is for the audience to swallow. The more accurate, the less the common man believes it.
Which is probably why The Prestige did so well and this so poorly.
Where the Prestige got just about everything about magic and magicians wrong, this gets it right., There are one or two minor flights of fancy (I don't think the bubble levitation is workable, but I could be wrong.) but by and large it is very true to both the art and the ethic of the magician,
Magicians since the time of Houdini at least have been very aware that our dark cousin is the con man, and we hate them and seek to expose them wherever we can. In this day and age, the con men wear suits and run corporations and banks, and in spirit there is no netter group of people to challenge them then magicians.
In addition to getting the small stuff right, this movie gets it right in the large. Just when I was shaking my head and saying "this can't be done, the safeties aren't there and it depends too much on people doing the right things at the right time", the movie pulls out the ONLY solution that solves all those problems.
Like all great magic tricks, there is only one good solution, but the magician distracts from it to the point that we don't even realize its there.
Sadly, I think this movie suffered from the problem many really good movies about magic do... they are so faithful to the hidden art that no one but practitioners believe its real. Ironically, the more absurd a movie about magicians is, generally the easier it is for the audience to swallow. The more accurate, the less the common man believes it.
Which is probably why The Prestige did so well and this so poorly.
Many Hollywood types have a deep embarrassing secret-- they love magic.
Harry Anderson, Steve Martin, Woody Allan and so many more are members of the magic fraternity. (Here's a quick list of just some you might not know http://www.magictricks.com/celebrity-magicians.html)
Its not surprising, therefor, that periodically we get a movie that is really written and intended for the magic community. This movie is definitely one of them. Faithful in its depiction of magic and magicians, both the good and the bad, it is a delightful, funny and touching story about how we can lose our purpose in life and, if we are lucky enough, find it again.
A particular treat is Jim Carey doing a wonderful satire of Chris Angel, a man who is controversial in magic circles, to say the least. The casting of Carey borders on brilliant as he is one of the few comedians I can think of who can out over-the-top Angel.
This movie may not play to your tastes if you're not interested in the world of magicians. But if you are, it is an absolute delight.
Harry Anderson, Steve Martin, Woody Allan and so many more are members of the magic fraternity. (Here's a quick list of just some you might not know http://www.magictricks.com/celebrity-magicians.html)
Its not surprising, therefor, that periodically we get a movie that is really written and intended for the magic community. This movie is definitely one of them. Faithful in its depiction of magic and magicians, both the good and the bad, it is a delightful, funny and touching story about how we can lose our purpose in life and, if we are lucky enough, find it again.
A particular treat is Jim Carey doing a wonderful satire of Chris Angel, a man who is controversial in magic circles, to say the least. The casting of Carey borders on brilliant as he is one of the few comedians I can think of who can out over-the-top Angel.
This movie may not play to your tastes if you're not interested in the world of magicians. But if you are, it is an absolute delight.
A solid movie of the kind Hollywood can't make. A small but excellent cast tell a small but engrossing story of a normal man who wants to be something else.
Rapport really steals/carries this, and his performance is flawless. The supporting cast are also all solid with Alexandra Holden doing a particularly stand-out job as the brilliantly understated love interest.
If there is an off note anywhere in the film, it is the ending which slightly strains credulity but, more to the point, is not really clear in what it is trying to say.
A film well worth watching, and talking about afterward.
Rapport really steals/carries this, and his performance is flawless. The supporting cast are also all solid with Alexandra Holden doing a particularly stand-out job as the brilliantly understated love interest.
If there is an off note anywhere in the film, it is the ending which slightly strains credulity but, more to the point, is not really clear in what it is trying to say.
A film well worth watching, and talking about afterward.
This is not a highly accessible film, but few great films are and this may certainly qualify as one.
It redeemed the Wachowskis in my eyes. The Matrix itself was a fun, well made, if in the end a lot more shallow then its pretensions, sci fi comic book actioner. The middle movie was philosophically interesting but suffered from middle-movie syndrome. The last wasn't even up to comic book standards and ruined the whole series with a denouement I could hear every Sunday in church if I wished to.
I predict Matrix fans will hate Cloud Atlas. Complex and sophisticated in its story telling, and deeply philosophical, this also makes it hard to describe. You really have to not just see this movie, but truly experience it, and even then it leaves a great many open questions.
I am not surprised that those who didn't get the movie also by and large call the future- dialect "unintelligible." In both cases, its a sign of ears that are deaf to anything new or that asks the audience for some effort.
It redeemed the Wachowskis in my eyes. The Matrix itself was a fun, well made, if in the end a lot more shallow then its pretensions, sci fi comic book actioner. The middle movie was philosophically interesting but suffered from middle-movie syndrome. The last wasn't even up to comic book standards and ruined the whole series with a denouement I could hear every Sunday in church if I wished to.
I predict Matrix fans will hate Cloud Atlas. Complex and sophisticated in its story telling, and deeply philosophical, this also makes it hard to describe. You really have to not just see this movie, but truly experience it, and even then it leaves a great many open questions.
I am not surprised that those who didn't get the movie also by and large call the future- dialect "unintelligible." In both cases, its a sign of ears that are deaf to anything new or that asks the audience for some effort.
Part historical drama, part love story, and a LARGE part tongue in cheek social satire, this movie was a sheer delight from beginning to end.
To all that, add the fact that the magic presented is by and large correct and true to the art (unlike the totally incorrect mess that was The Prestige) and this is a movie for a magician to love.
But even without a background in magic, the clever twistyness of the plot, the humor of the dialog and the amazing acrobatics will carry almost anyone with some child in their heart through to the end with a smile on their face.
Truly a gem of a kind Hollywood hasn't made for a long time.
To all that, add the fact that the magic presented is by and large correct and true to the art (unlike the totally incorrect mess that was The Prestige) and this is a movie for a magician to love.
But even without a background in magic, the clever twistyness of the plot, the humor of the dialog and the amazing acrobatics will carry almost anyone with some child in their heart through to the end with a smile on their face.
Truly a gem of a kind Hollywood hasn't made for a long time.
This is what would have happened
Total and utter crap.
The so called "writers" of this piece of garbage took a brilliant British satire on 20th century society and turned into a hack, plot less, third rate, gore filled Die Hard.
Even the dystopic mega city, as presented, is boring.
If you like low budget shoot em ups with little plot and less dialog, then you just might enjoy this.
If you are a Judge Dredd fan, just put it down and walk away.
The Stallone Judge Dredd was closer in substance to the comics then this garbage, and thats saying a lot.
Total and utter crap.
The so called "writers" of this piece of garbage took a brilliant British satire on 20th century society and turned into a hack, plot less, third rate, gore filled Die Hard.
Even the dystopic mega city, as presented, is boring.
If you like low budget shoot em ups with little plot and less dialog, then you just might enjoy this.
If you are a Judge Dredd fan, just put it down and walk away.
The Stallone Judge Dredd was closer in substance to the comics then this garbage, and thats saying a lot.
Pacific Rim is a live action mashup of giant robot anime and classic rubber-suit kaiju movies (eg Godzilla).
Being a Del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy) movie, it has a strong, bold and lavish sense of visual style. It is clear that Del Toro both knows and loves both of the movie traditions he is drawing on but also suffuses the movie with a Hollywood sensibility, all without an obvious clash or discord.
The plot is not deep, in fact as anime it would be on the markedly shallow side. There is none of the philosophical musings or mythological literacy that underlies good anime. It is, in the end, about as deep as a Godzilla film. The characters are shallowly drawn with obvious motivations. The plot is pretty minimal with most of the movie being spent on action sequences.
In the end, my review is much like my review of Avatar. Its a B action movie. But what a B action movie!
I saw it in IMAX 3D and, if you can, its definitely worth the extra few bucks. The movie is visually stunning, exciting in its action sequences, and in the end just a whole lot of fun for anyone else who loves the source genres.
Which certainly includes me.
Being a Del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy) movie, it has a strong, bold and lavish sense of visual style. It is clear that Del Toro both knows and loves both of the movie traditions he is drawing on but also suffuses the movie with a Hollywood sensibility, all without an obvious clash or discord.
The plot is not deep, in fact as anime it would be on the markedly shallow side. There is none of the philosophical musings or mythological literacy that underlies good anime. It is, in the end, about as deep as a Godzilla film. The characters are shallowly drawn with obvious motivations. The plot is pretty minimal with most of the movie being spent on action sequences.
In the end, my review is much like my review of Avatar. Its a B action movie. But what a B action movie!
I saw it in IMAX 3D and, if you can, its definitely worth the extra few bucks. The movie is visually stunning, exciting in its action sequences, and in the end just a whole lot of fun for anyone else who loves the source genres.
Which certainly includes me.
This is not your dad's catwoman. And I say that because I am probably as old as your dad.
Its the myth recast. As the nemesis and eventual love interest of Batman, catwoman was a bit player, a minor part in the story. In this version, she is the star. And the story itself becomes an allegory for women's liberation.
The effect are very impressive, if a bit over the top at times, I am SURE that some of the action scenes were CG but I couldn't tell where it was Berry and where it was computer generated.
Of the three recent screen catwomen, I think this is by far the most interesting,
Its the myth recast. As the nemesis and eventual love interest of Batman, catwoman was a bit player, a minor part in the story. In this version, she is the star. And the story itself becomes an allegory for women's liberation.
The effect are very impressive, if a bit over the top at times, I am SURE that some of the action scenes were CG but I couldn't tell where it was Berry and where it was computer generated.
Of the three recent screen catwomen, I think this is by far the most interesting,
This is a deeply philosophical movie. Science fiction of the old school and far from the most accessible movie ever made. It is most like the ending sequence of 2001 made into a full length movie, and that confused people too.
But it is at times visually stunning, deep in its musings, and ultimately very satisfying for those who have the patience and intellectual curiosity to really dig into it.
It definitely violates the rule of 3, in some cases even the one time it says something it is a gentle whisper in your ear. But those whispers are fascinating.
But it is at times visually stunning, deep in its musings, and ultimately very satisfying for those who have the patience and intellectual curiosity to really dig into it.
It definitely violates the rule of 3, in some cases even the one time it says something it is a gentle whisper in your ear. But those whispers are fascinating.
I come back to this movie every decade or so of my life, and I always walk away in love with it again.
While in content it might diverge a bit from standard canon, in its soul i have always felt it was the BEST and truest to the essence telling of the Christ story ever made.
Jesus after all, WAS a peace-loving, communal-living, drug-sharing hippie. (What drugs you ask? I remind you that the drug of choice in the time and place was alcohol, and refer you to a certain marriage scene in Cana.) Just like the hippies of the 60s, he violated the social and moral conventions of his day in order to say that there was a better way to live.
JC Superstar is a far more impressive literary work. But Godspell to me says it all without the confusion and pretension that has crept in in the past 2000 years.
While in content it might diverge a bit from standard canon, in its soul i have always felt it was the BEST and truest to the essence telling of the Christ story ever made.
Jesus after all, WAS a peace-loving, communal-living, drug-sharing hippie. (What drugs you ask? I remind you that the drug of choice in the time and place was alcohol, and refer you to a certain marriage scene in Cana.) Just like the hippies of the 60s, he violated the social and moral conventions of his day in order to say that there was a better way to live.
JC Superstar is a far more impressive literary work. But Godspell to me says it all without the confusion and pretension that has crept in in the past 2000 years.
With about a half dozen actors/actresses and all shot inside and outside a little cottage, this is an interesting and thoughtful movie.
If "science fiction" to you means spaceship dogfights and laser-swords (which is more properly "science fantasy") then you won't get this film. This is a film about ideas, one main one, and the impact that discovering something that breaks all your deepest held beliefs has on people. We the audience, just like the characters in the film, are caught in the grip of a tale that seems too challenging to be true.. and too wonderful to *not* be real.
The writing and acting is top notch and makes this movie, which could have easily been a stage play, gripping throughout. It has a small twist to its ending... just enough to surprise and delight the viewer and put a nice "cap" on this very thoughtful musing.
I should add that this film was well researched, including many current historical theories and melding them together into one compelling narrative.
If you get bored in movies without fast cuts and things blowing up, again, this movie isn't for you. But if you like to play with ideas and are a student of human behavior, don't miss a chance to see it.
Afterword: In an ironic twist to a movie about what happens when people's cherished or well held belies are challenged, reading many of the negative reviews here will show you exactly what the movie is exploring in real life.
If "science fiction" to you means spaceship dogfights and laser-swords (which is more properly "science fantasy") then you won't get this film. This is a film about ideas, one main one, and the impact that discovering something that breaks all your deepest held beliefs has on people. We the audience, just like the characters in the film, are caught in the grip of a tale that seems too challenging to be true.. and too wonderful to *not* be real.
The writing and acting is top notch and makes this movie, which could have easily been a stage play, gripping throughout. It has a small twist to its ending... just enough to surprise and delight the viewer and put a nice "cap" on this very thoughtful musing.
I should add that this film was well researched, including many current historical theories and melding them together into one compelling narrative.
If you get bored in movies without fast cuts and things blowing up, again, this movie isn't for you. But if you like to play with ideas and are a student of human behavior, don't miss a chance to see it.
Afterword: In an ironic twist to a movie about what happens when people's cherished or well held belies are challenged, reading many of the negative reviews here will show you exactly what the movie is exploring in real life.
"There can be only one..."
Decent Highlander movie that is. When i saw this used for four bucks at my local second hand DVD shop I thought "what the hell. The TV show was reasonably silly fun. Maybe a movie based on the TV characters wont be as wretched as the other attempts at Highlander sequels." Well, the writing on the TV show was War and Peace compared to this claptrap.
The dialog wander the gamut between stupid and painful. At least the Kurgan had a reason for mouthing some modern slang-- he had actually lived through all time. But this "newly awakened ancient guardian" just sounds forced when he makes pop culture references. And the self- referential nonsense of singing a snatch of quoting one of the Queen songs from the original Highlander does nothing but remind everyone in the audience that this script was just too dumb for even its own writer to take it seriously.
The original Highlander still stands as a brilliant, best of breed B movie. This crud wouldn't even make the grade as a made for TV special.
Oh and the sudden shift at the end of the movie from location shooting to a set that would have made Chuck Jones proud didn't help any, either.
But the worst thing of all is, its a tease that never delivers. "The Source" and its connection to human history and the Immortals is never explained.
All in all, you'ld have more fun in the bath for 90 min then watching this movie.
Decent Highlander movie that is. When i saw this used for four bucks at my local second hand DVD shop I thought "what the hell. The TV show was reasonably silly fun. Maybe a movie based on the TV characters wont be as wretched as the other attempts at Highlander sequels." Well, the writing on the TV show was War and Peace compared to this claptrap.
The dialog wander the gamut between stupid and painful. At least the Kurgan had a reason for mouthing some modern slang-- he had actually lived through all time. But this "newly awakened ancient guardian" just sounds forced when he makes pop culture references. And the self- referential nonsense of singing a snatch of quoting one of the Queen songs from the original Highlander does nothing but remind everyone in the audience that this script was just too dumb for even its own writer to take it seriously.
The original Highlander still stands as a brilliant, best of breed B movie. This crud wouldn't even make the grade as a made for TV special.
Oh and the sudden shift at the end of the movie from location shooting to a set that would have made Chuck Jones proud didn't help any, either.
But the worst thing of all is, its a tease that never delivers. "The Source" and its connection to human history and the Immortals is never explained.
All in all, you'ld have more fun in the bath for 90 min then watching this movie.