shiitttykitty

I love animals more than humans; and dolphins are definitely on the top of my favorite list. I never quite consciously understood why I would never go to a zoo, a circus, or the Sea World to swim with dolphins I so loved until I watched this film. And I know now that I NEVER will! Under normal circumstances, I can't even bring myself to watch a video clip of a mistreat animal on Youtube; yet I was compelled to watch this film, knowing just how painful it would be for me. Pain was an understatement - it was instead an emotional death for me. I've never had to witness human brutality and cruelty on such large scale until those Japanese fishermen so nonchalantly and mercilessly killed (and continue to kill) droves of hapless dolphins before my terror-filled eyes, shocked mind, and bleeding heart. Yet it made sense to me in the same time. Humans invented evil and most humans are evil - an spiritual inferiority born out of ignorance. I therefore forgive our atrocities against nature, animals, and each other with an understanding that this too shall be a distant memory after we have evolved beyond this primitive stage of humanity in which we have been for eons. But to get there, we must take actions! let those of us who possess the essence of compassion and valor stand up, get out, and band together to give voice to those who are not heard, whose lives are not valued, and who are not treated as equals!

All that Evangelical propaganda will never have the power to infiltrate an reasonably intelligent mind. They know that - that's why they start with the young and impressionable.

Putting aside the obvious, I was particularly fascinated by the observation that ALL the adults in the film are either fat or ugly or both, particularly the wiry camp counselor whose evil perverted look could have freaked out Jesus himself! Becky Fischer is evidently an unattractive obese woman living a miserable existence of flipping channels in her house alone. It is no surprise that she channels her anger into hate-filled sermons to the lambs of the defenseless.

She claims that she LOVES America and the American lifestyle, yet in the same time she hates this country where evil non-Jesus-believers run amok so much that she wishes to get out of it. She believes that GOD bestowed men with the gift of free will, yet she thinks the others(less non-Christian evangelicals) should be terminated because they're using the freedom to "destroy" the world created by "GOD".

It begs the question, if "GOD" gives his children the freedom to destroy the world, would it be logical to say that GOD has every intention to have this world destroyed? Then declaring war against men of other faiths would be the same as declaring war on GOD. If Gluttony is a sin, shouldn't Becky Fischer be on a diet for a while? Child pedophiles prey on the young and innocent sexually and physically, Becky Fischer and her likes molest them psychologically, mentally, and spiritually.

There's always more than what meets the eye. The fundamental driving force for this well-oiled Christian Evangelic and all religions in the world is everything - greed, power, sex, perversion, stupidity - but spiritual. The finest example would be her "heavenly" co-star Ted Haggard and his secret affairs with drugs and GAY male prostitutes. If there's one thing I believe in "GOD", it has to be its sense of humor and irony. Anyone who can't figure this out may indeed in dire need of a lot of saving.

Why can't "GOD" make his earthly army of righteousness more attractive, happier, or at least honest? Oh wait! Maybe Jesus is coming back after all, only in the form extra fat and ugliness? Just look around, the evidence is all in "God's chosen nation and people"! A word to the kid who thinks there's always something "wrong" with non-Christians, it's called ATTRACTIVENESS and COMMON SENSE.

I've been a long time Zhang Yimo fan. In fact, it's been so long that I no longer remember why I still drag myself to the theater to watch his movies. I keep being disappointed yet I keep going, hoping that some day he would again deliver the magic of cinema like he did many many years ago in his creative prime.

Unfortunately, the guy is in a rut of which he can't seem to be able to get out. Every film he makes is basically of the same style - he strives to engage you with breath-taking photography in order to compensate the simply plot.

What makes an artist great is the ability to transform and become even greater. Not Zhang. His faith in his formula is so insurmountable that he keeps using it to cut all his "cookies" year after year. And to keep the gullible audience coming back time and time again, the budget for his movies is getting bigger and bigger.

This film was in extreme excess of all things - the acting, the richness of brilliant colors, the rampant out-of-control emotions, the ample jiggly breasts, extravagant costumes, the huge army of extras, and yes, the violence! yet it left me empty at the end wondering why I went to see it in the first place. It must have been my brand name loyalty and the masterfully edited commercial on TV.

Zhang Yimo, you really need to get over yourself before you can become truly a great director.