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Reviews
The God Who Wasn't There (2005)
Interesting and Funny Movie
After reading some of the comments on here, some may be surprised that I am a lifelong Christian and I found this movie quite hilarious. It's well-done and from a point-of-view that many people hold. It's relatable, even personally at times, and keeps the viewer entertained.
On the other hand, there are a lot of things that are either misconstrued or completely wrong within the movie. Flemming completely misconstrues some of Jesus teachings when he includes the scripture Luke 19:27, "But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them-bring them here and kill them in front of me." Flemming was insisting that this was the philosophy of Christ because the words are written in red in certain editions of the Bible, but what he forgets to include is that these words are part of a parable, a story Jesus is telling in order to teach a lesson and these words are spoken by a fictitious character.
Flemming also spends a good amount of time talking about how the story of Christ is unreliable because nothing was WRITTEN about it until approximately seventy years after the life of Christ. The thing here is, in period in which Jesus lived did not see many people who could write. Most people were not literate. Histories were passed down orally rather than through the written word. Also, seventy years, in the grand scheme of things, is not very long. If we are going by what Flemming claims in the film, none of us can speak about either World War or Pearl Harbor or the Civil War and be believed because that was around or over seventy years ago, so the information we might give is unreliable because that is too long a time for the information to be accurate. The accounts of the veterans who are still alive cannot be believed, if we are basing the validity of information on Flemming's claims. Another thing is that there are no known accounts during that time refuting anything written in the Bible, from a purely historical aspect. As far as we know, no one during that time denounced the events as hogwash and inaccurate. Simply something to consider.
Home of the Brave (2006)
Not Amazing but Definitely Thought-Provoking
I would not call this an amazing movie, but a thought-provoking one. I fully expected it to be completely liberal and anti-war, but was pleasantly surprised. And although not every person who is a soldier returning from war has vast psychological problems, I think this is a good look at what can result from combat. Having been born and raised in a huge military community, and having extended family in the military (one member of which has been on three tours of duty in Iraq), this movie hits a soft spot with me. And I think it emphasizes that as the general American public we have no clue what is going on in the Middle East and what our military men and women are going through.
This is not a movie to enjoy. It IS a movie to ponder. And, contrary to what other's may think, I find the Machiavelli quote quite appropriate. Look in the history books. We may decide when and where to start a war by firing the first shot, but we most certainly cannot dictate what happens after that. That's why it is called war.
OK, people, let's use our brains. People keep bringing up that it's unrealistic that the people would all come from the same town, but has anyone heard of a reserve unit?? For heaven's sakes, all the people have full time jobs that they were holding before they left in the same town. It only makes sense they are reserve and not full-time military. They would not be a doctor with a practice, a teacher who was absent for eight months and an employee in a gun shop if they were actually enlisted in the Army.
Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Beautiful...
Simply put, this film is breathtaking. While watching it, you feel as if you have flown away into a fantasy land. All of it is absolutely gorgeous-the people, the costumes, the setting, the dialogue. Jane Austen couldn't have done it better herself, in my opinion. There could not be a more pure and beautiful love story anywhere. Watching this, the story wraps its arms around you and carries you away into a place, time, and story that could not be more perfect.
For anyone who enjoyed either the novel, the A&E mini-series, or both, this movie is pure bliss. The casting could not be more suited to Austen's characters and the setting is simply divine.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
Incredible!!
If you have taken the time to read the books by the great C.S. Lewis, the movie is like watching your imagination being put on a gigantic movie screen. It was wonderfully and masterfully done. This is a movie that I could simply watch over and over again and not tire of it. The acting is great and the director's attention to detail is impeccable. The costumes and make-up is amazing and the special effects are simply beautiful.
Another great aspect of the movie is it's cleanliness. Other than violence, there is absolutely nothing in this movie to keep you from taking your family to see this movie. This movie is a rare jewel, and the first rendition of Lewis' masterpiece that wouldn't make him roll over in his grave in disgust.
Dying to Dance (2001)
reality check
This movie clearly portrays the world of classical ballet. After being trained in classical ballet for 13 years I can affirm the reality of this problem. The perfect female dancer in the world of ballet is the one who is extremely thin and muscular with high arches, grace, and poise. The world of ballet is filled with anorexia and bulimia and laxatives. This movie clearly portrays this phenomenon and its gruesome results.
When one of the characters dies as a result of an eating disorder you see the women in the movie quietly trying to make the men see their point of view. The former prima ballerina tries to encourage the stop of letting dancers with eating disorders dance in the school and company. When she meets resistance, she quietly reminds them that had her superiors stopped her and taken care her when she was in the company she would still be able to dance.
Excellent movie with a powerful message.
Pred dozhdot (1994)
Powerful Movie
This movie is incredibly powerful. For anyone who has studied Eastern European history this movie brings the Muslim-Christian relations and tensions into reality. WARNING: If you like movies to neatly tie up all loose ends by the the end, this movie is not for you! Just as the quote says, "Time never dies: The circle is not round," the movie leaves you with a lot of confusion and questions about the plot, but the message is no less incredible. If you like history then this movie is for you. I watched it for the first time in 10th grade in my AP European History class and it made an incredible impact on the way I thought about religious relations in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
Awesome movie that I highly recommend!