I'm not sure I know what expectations I have for romantic movies, but I did enjoy this one. My enjoyment was colored a bit in realizing I'd previously read an analytical film article over this movie (sigh), so there was a slight bit of "knowing what's going to happen." Nevertheless, I settled back and quite enjoyed this movie.
The leading lady was the same actress as played "Nikki" in the Bourne movies. So, it was good to see her in a different role. I was also delighted that the college setting didn't include any crass scenes. I was also glad that the movie didn't end at the first "then the boy got the girl" moment and lead through at least one "and then what?"
The forefronted music and end credits music was what I call "Back porch" music--which fit the Wisconsin girl roots very well, but didn't seem particularly memorable.
Overall, this movie did a decent job at telling the romance story. Cheers!
Sunday, September 20, 2015
"Patterns of Evidence: Exodus" (2014)
I was skeptical at first--not knowing what angle this documentary was going to take--but overall, was very pleased with it. Because of the lateness of the hour during which I was watching this, I had to fast forward through parts. For that, I apologize that I don't have an every minute view of this piece. That being said, I was satisfied with the parts I saw, which was the larger part of this documentary.
This 2 hour documentary asks the question "Does archaeological evidence exist for the Exodus of the Bible?" The content is framed with that of a filmmaker seeking answers, but that's all that it serves--as a frame to hold the content together. I seeks to set up a dialogue between the various views of things; therefore, it doesn't seek to set forward a "Here's the conclusion" ending to the quest. Nevertheless, the evidence presented favors in such a way that, a least for a Christian, this film can be seen as a "let's just hear about the cool stuff you've found" and take the rest with a grain of salt. Again, because I am a biased audience and because of the lateness of the hour, I can't imagine how the skeptics would see this film, nor can I guess since that is part of what I missed in my fast forward bits. The movie kept an ongoing graphic running to help the viewer keep track of where things stood in the course of the investigation--and it was a graphic I very much appreciated and liked.
The documentary didn't tackle "Where's Mt. Sinai?" or the crossing of the red sea. But did cover as far back as Joseph's initial travels to Egypt all the way to the conquering of Canaan (notably the fall of Jericho). What it did cover, it covered thoroughly enough--and recapped the evidence in support of its main points every so often--that I didn't feel anything was "missing."
I found this documentary interesting and recommend it for others' consideration. Please note, this is a 2 hour film.
This 2 hour documentary asks the question "Does archaeological evidence exist for the Exodus of the Bible?" The content is framed with that of a filmmaker seeking answers, but that's all that it serves--as a frame to hold the content together. I seeks to set up a dialogue between the various views of things; therefore, it doesn't seek to set forward a "Here's the conclusion" ending to the quest. Nevertheless, the evidence presented favors in such a way that, a least for a Christian, this film can be seen as a "let's just hear about the cool stuff you've found" and take the rest with a grain of salt. Again, because I am a biased audience and because of the lateness of the hour, I can't imagine how the skeptics would see this film, nor can I guess since that is part of what I missed in my fast forward bits. The movie kept an ongoing graphic running to help the viewer keep track of where things stood in the course of the investigation--and it was a graphic I very much appreciated and liked.
The documentary didn't tackle "Where's Mt. Sinai?" or the crossing of the red sea. But did cover as far back as Joseph's initial travels to Egypt all the way to the conquering of Canaan (notably the fall of Jericho). What it did cover, it covered thoroughly enough--and recapped the evidence in support of its main points every so often--that I didn't feel anything was "missing."
I found this documentary interesting and recommend it for others' consideration. Please note, this is a 2 hour film.
Monday, August 31, 2015
"Up" (2009)
If the arts are what is a part of what it means to be human, this movie captures this--WITH A PASSION. When I went to hit "play", I was in a pretty happy mood. This movie managed to bring me to heart-felt tears 11 minutes into the movie. What film manages to do such a thorough job in such a short amount of time? And then, once that point was reached, knew what to do with story then.
(after watching the rest of the movie:)
Very nice film with a sweet ending--a comedy that needs a tissue box at the beginning and the end, and they were sweet tears at that. And the music award is well deserved!
I thoroughly recommend this movie!
(after watching the rest of the movie:)
Very nice film with a sweet ending--a comedy that needs a tissue box at the beginning and the end, and they were sweet tears at that. And the music award is well deserved!
I thoroughly recommend this movie!
Monday, August 3, 2015
"If I Had Wings" (2013)
For a "simple" story, it has a quite a number of little themes that work together for one solo story line with two faces. Even the resolution in the ending has a nice "big smile" quality to it.
The various themes or facets touch on who you make friends with, relationships across classes, across disabilities, delinquency, reputations, bullies, and reacting to bullies (and not just from the main characters--the reactions are "true" in that there is a variety--not just polar).
And the story didn't seem forced in anyway.
I enjoyed this movie and felt it a good watch. And while not as complex as others, it is complex enough, and it carries it out well.
The various themes or facets touch on who you make friends with, relationships across classes, across disabilities, delinquency, reputations, bullies, and reacting to bullies (and not just from the main characters--the reactions are "true" in that there is a variety--not just polar).
And the story didn't seem forced in anyway.
I enjoyed this movie and felt it a good watch. And while not as complex as others, it is complex enough, and it carries it out well.
Monday, July 20, 2015
"Crooked Arrows" (2012)
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie.
While it is a sports movie with all the classic loosing team turns around and makes it to the play offs pieces, it is really just a secondary story mechanic for the real story that this movie is. The main story line very wonderfully puts the sport in the background subservient to the main one--except that main line then takes that sport and shifts the prism that you look through at it bringing it back into the center of the picture being taken. No longer is the sport one of competition, but it becomes part of the cultural identity quest that the main character and the lacrosse team are a part of--a reconnecting that a number of the characters go through.
And it was a wonderful combination. It had the familiar--as I said, all of the elements familiar to a sports movie--so those expectations were met. This allowed the possibility of just enjoying the unfamiliar, that is the cultural themes surrounding the refashioning of character and the camaraderie of the team that comprised facets of the main line. And those two facets are not even the complete main story line picture.
When a movie ends, and I find that I've totally enjoyed myself and yet want more--because that depth was there--that definitely makes the movie tops for me.
I can't speak for the portrayal of the Native American culture in the movie, but since the credits, beginning and end, state the movie was made in consultation with the Onondaga Nation (if not others), I can only hope that the camaraderie shown in the ending of the movie and in the end credits was the same camaraderie in existence behind the scenes in the making of the movie. And if it wasn't, there is something to strive for with future films. And if there was, all the more satisfaction for me. And based on the end credits, I choose to believe that it was more than likely the latter.
This is one movie I would enjoy watching again.
While it is a sports movie with all the classic loosing team turns around and makes it to the play offs pieces, it is really just a secondary story mechanic for the real story that this movie is. The main story line very wonderfully puts the sport in the background subservient to the main one--except that main line then takes that sport and shifts the prism that you look through at it bringing it back into the center of the picture being taken. No longer is the sport one of competition, but it becomes part of the cultural identity quest that the main character and the lacrosse team are a part of--a reconnecting that a number of the characters go through.
And it was a wonderful combination. It had the familiar--as I said, all of the elements familiar to a sports movie--so those expectations were met. This allowed the possibility of just enjoying the unfamiliar, that is the cultural themes surrounding the refashioning of character and the camaraderie of the team that comprised facets of the main line. And those two facets are not even the complete main story line picture.
When a movie ends, and I find that I've totally enjoyed myself and yet want more--because that depth was there--that definitely makes the movie tops for me.
I can't speak for the portrayal of the Native American culture in the movie, but since the credits, beginning and end, state the movie was made in consultation with the Onondaga Nation (if not others), I can only hope that the camaraderie shown in the ending of the movie and in the end credits was the same camaraderie in existence behind the scenes in the making of the movie. And if it wasn't, there is something to strive for with future films. And if there was, all the more satisfaction for me. And based on the end credits, I choose to believe that it was more than likely the latter.
This is one movie I would enjoy watching again.
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
"The General" (1926)
A Buster Keaton movie. Confederates are the protagonist and Union the antagonists in this story line, but otherwise, movie isn't political. It's an adventure action comedy, with a romantic twist threaded through it. Mildly slapstick/physical humor, of course, since it is a silent movie. Absolutely delightful movie. Grins and smiles throughout this movie where I found me sitting on the edge of my seat without the stress of a supercharged suspense movie.
Trying to decide of Buster Keaton was a short man. This movie made it look so. The movie definitely highlighted the strength and agility needed by train engineers--or abilities had and used by Buster Keaton--or both. "A Crash Course on How to Run a Steam Engine in 1861" certainly crossed my mind, but the character Johnnie Gray didn't need the crash course; he already knew. Still, the various adventures along the way opened up to me details I hadn't pieced all the way together--things that were matter-of-fact, day to day things then. Interesting.
Trying to decide of Buster Keaton was a short man. This movie made it look so. The movie definitely highlighted the strength and agility needed by train engineers--or abilities had and used by Buster Keaton--or both. "A Crash Course on How to Run a Steam Engine in 1861" certainly crossed my mind, but the character Johnnie Gray didn't need the crash course; he already knew. Still, the various adventures along the way opened up to me details I hadn't pieced all the way together--things that were matter-of-fact, day to day things then. Interesting.
"Fantomas V: The False Magistrate" (1914)
Once again, great story-telling in that I had no idea how and where the story was going to go even up to the end. The one exception was that Fantomas would somehow escape (so that there could be more stories to come) and that otherwise everything else would be found out and resolved.
And once again I'm affirmed in my thinking that movies need more bassoon music.
And Fantomas's lover/girlfriend/romantic interest? She sure has a time of it, poor girl.
This Fantomas movie had more lost filmage then others I've seen, so there were screens of narrative writing to help cover gaps in the story. As far as fantastic stunts, the scene in the bell tower is worth considering. Not a lot of Juve and Fandor this time. Compared to other Fantomas stories, this one seemed to have a lot more letter writing and just sitting and talking--which is a challenge for silent movies.
Once again, well done, people.
And once again I'm affirmed in my thinking that movies need more bassoon music.
And Fantomas's lover/girlfriend/romantic interest? She sure has a time of it, poor girl.
This Fantomas movie had more lost filmage then others I've seen, so there were screens of narrative writing to help cover gaps in the story. As far as fantastic stunts, the scene in the bell tower is worth considering. Not a lot of Juve and Fandor this time. Compared to other Fantomas stories, this one seemed to have a lot more letter writing and just sitting and talking--which is a challenge for silent movies.
Once again, well done, people.
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