Yippee! We actually got to watch a sports movie for once!
Obviously, I've seen my share of sports themed films in my day. I've debated and rearranged my list of the best on a regular basis so I was curious to see what kind of an impact this one made on me.
The movie is Facing The Giants and it's unique in many different ways, but mostly because it's a Christian film that made a splash in the secular world of Hollywood.
In fact, the cast was composed of volunteers from a local church, and it tells the classic underdog story about a high school football team.
In its first weekend, the film opened on 441 screens nationwide in the United States. Despite such a small number of theaters, the film opened in twelfth place with $1,343,537! Only three films in the top ten released that weekend grossed more per theater. For such a small budget - - $100,000 - - the film ultimately was shown in over 1,000 theaters and grossed over $10,000,000 as of January 2007.
Here is the trailer:
HUBBY'S REVIEW
Some critics complained that characters confronting problems from an explicitly Christian worldview belonged in church rather than portrayed in film. Josh Rosenblatt wrote, "its feel-good storyline, shopworn message, and bottomless sermonizing would have played better in Sunday school than on the big screen, which is - - let’s face it - - Babylon’s turf."
Wow. Well, at least he can admit what we've suspected about Hollywood since its inception. Even so, I disagree that films of this kind shouldn't be made. If you don't want to see it, don't go to the theater or rent the video. Plus, to suggest that a movie of this kind is in any way "damaging" to people who go to see it expecting to see "just a football movie" is dishonest.
It has all the elements of other great sports films, and the Christian worldview only adds to it. Don't take my word for it though. See it for yourself then get back to me.
I don't want to ruin it for you so all I'll say is that there are two incredibly powerful scenes in this film that gave me chills. One is in the middle of the picture when the team is practicing, and the other is towards the end just before the critical play in the championship game.
I'm giving it 4.5 Ben & Jerry's ice creams out of 5. I absolutely loved this film for so many reasons, and any time a movie can make you stand up and cheer as well as cry you know it's a good one!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Yes, another John Cusack picture. The last one was extremely disappointing (at least to me) so I was hoping this time around would be much better.
The film is called Grace Is Gone and it's the story of a military family that has to make the ultimate sacrifice.
It is a 2007 drama tarring John Cusack as a father who does not want to tell his two daughters that their mother has died while serving in Iraq. On January 29, 2007, it won the Audience Award for Drama at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.
The music in the film also received two Golden Globe nominations by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for the 65th Golden Globe Awards.
I was happy to reconnect with my buddy Cusack since he gave a stirring performance in this picture. Being a dad, I could relate to his struggles to want to try and protect and preserve their innocence (and happiness) for as long as possible.
Here is the trailer:
HUBBY'S REVIEW
A refreshing departure from the current crop of Iraq war dramas, Grace Is Gone is a heartfelt, finely acted portrayal of grief and healing.
Cusack really steps into the character of the uptight, grief-stricken Stanley and the little girls who play his daughters are amazing. Specifically, it's the story of a man and the special relationship he cements with his daughters as he takes them on a spur-of-the-moment road-trip delaying the inevitable moment when he must break the news to them that their mother has died in the line of duty in Iraq.
I remember my mother-in-law telling us before we watched it how it was very slow, drawn out, and boring at times. She didn't realize it, but that was a very astute observation on her part!
Where this film succeeds is by creating that exact sense and feeling of emotion so that the audience in a sense gets to experience what Stanley is experiencing in his moment-to-moment struggle with the truth.
I'm giving it 3.75 Ben & Jerry's ice creams out of 5. A moving story, and one we need more of these days so that we will always remember the sacrifices made by others for our sake.
Maybe it was dumb luck (or bad luck), but surprisingly this next film on our To View List had a connection to the previous waste of time known as The Ruins.
The one was called The Happening starring everyone's favorite Marky Mark Wahlberg, and I just realized it was the third movie in a row we watched that not only had two words for its title, but that had the word "The" as the first of those two words. Weird.
In any event, this is the next feature film by M Night Shyamalan who brought us some classics as well as some duds.
is a 2008 American apocalyptic horror film about people who inexplicably begin committing mass suicide. First they become disoriented and motionless, before resorting to the most convenient means of killing themselves. Initially believed to be a bioterrorist attack, the epidemic quickly spreads across the northeastern United States.
Elliot Moore (Mark Wahlberg), a high school science teacher in Philadelphia, receives news of the epidemic at school and decides to leave the city by train with his estranged and well-nigh-unfaithful wife, Alma Moore (Zooey Deschanel). They are accompanied by his friend and fellow teacher Julian (John Leguizamo) and his eight-year-old daughter Jess (Ashlyn Sanchez).
Here's the trailer:
HUBBY'S REVIEW
One thing I like about M Night Shyamalan is that he always seems to try and mix the spiritual with the secular in his films. The Happening is no different except (just like the other movies before it) he never quite goes all the way, and fully commits himself to making a bold statement as to what I feel he believes - - that there is a God, and that He is in complete control.
Instead, he gives us more global warming junk to explain the events in this story (read my own personal views on the subject of so-called global warming).
The Happening has received mostly negative reviews from film critics. Rotten Tomatoes reported that only 18%, based on 198 reviews, gave positive appraisals. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film has 34, based on 38 reviews. I'm here to tell you they're spot on in their analysis. Be sure to read the "Critical Reaction" section for more here.
Many critics and audiences who have seen the film wondered if the movie was bad intentionally. Others ponder on the fact that the film was meant to be a throwback to B-movies in the past. Before the film was released, M. Night Shyamalan had this to say to CNN: "No. 1, it's a B movie. This is the best B movie you will ever see, that's it. That's what this is. If there's other things that stick to your ribs as you walk out, that's great, but it's supposed to be, you know, zombies eating flesh."
If that's true, and it was intended to be taken this way, the I say it's a smashing success. Otherwise, it's a serious disappointment. All we really have to go on is the director's own words prior to the release of the film. One wonders if his statements can be trusted or, if he began circulating this after various focus groups reacted negatively as well. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on this one.
I'm giving it 3.75 Ben & Jerry's ice creams out of 5 because it is a classic depiction of the famed "B Movie" from years past.
Next up on our Halloween 2008 horror-fest was The Ruins.
Based on the terrifying bestseller by Scott Smith, The Ruins follows a group of friends who become entangled in a brutal struggle for survival after visiting a remote archaeological dig in the Mexican jungle - - where they discover something deadly living among the ruins.
What could it be? An ancient curse? A beastly monster? A group of ritualistic, cannibalistic tribesmen and women?
Actually, the truth is much more surprising!
Here's the trailer:
HUBBY'S REVIEW
Personally, I think it's far too easy to make a horror film these days especially if this is the type of junk that passes for "horror" on the big screen.
The writers and filmmakers come off as being simply lazy and uninspired to take on a work like this. I know it was based off of another original work, but how some studio thought that this was the story to make a film adaptation of is beyond me!
***SPOILER ALERT***
I'm not going to waste my time or energy writing a lengthy review so here goes. I hated this film.
Maybe it's the age of global warming nonsense that we're living it, but whatever it is I can tell you what this movie isn't - - it's not good!
Plants are the "monster" in this film? Seriously? Are you kidding me? I would've much rather preferred the good old "monster-that-lives-underground-below-the-pyramid" creature, but that's just me.
Sadly, it pains me to give this only .5 Ben & Jerry's ice cream out of 5. I believe that's a new, all-time low for us here at OMD!
Yes, I know, ANOTHER LONG HIATUS from this site. Sorry about that (do I sound like a broken record yet?), but it's not like I'm letting anyone down since I see that this site has failed to receive A SINGLE VISITOR for months! Well, I'm about to change all that starting now!
First, some of the top keywords that will drive traffic to this site that have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS POST except to make it show up in search results, and perhaps generate more views courtesy of today's major news headlines.
Divides Gaza Strip into two parts...
Gaza's underground tunnel in sights of Israeli warplanes...
Cheney: Israel not seek US OK before invasion...
MORE OBAMA DRAMA: RICHARDSON PULLS OUT
UPDATE: Autopsy planned in death of John Travolta's son...
Prince to Release Three Albums in 2009...
There. I'm glad we got that out of the way. Now back to our regularly scheduled program.
It's unusual for Wifey and I to watch horror films. It's not because we're a bunch of wussies (ok, on second thought, maybe we are just a little bit), but because the plots are just so mundane, the acting horrible, and the entertainment value (watching people get tortured after their body parts are cut off and eaten) just isn't something we enjoy signing up for on most quiet evenings.
However, we decided to buck that trend for Halloween 2008 and so we rented 2 horror movies. The first one we watched was called The Signal, which looked great in the previews we saw!
Here's the trailer:
HUBBY'S REVIEW
I've always been drawn to any kind of movie that has to do with the "end-of-the-world" and apocalyptic themes given what I know to be fact.
On the surface, this film presented an interesting concept or at least one I had never seen before. The Signal asks us to consider what it would be like if all telecommunication devices broadcast only a mysterious transmission ("the signal"), turning people insane.
The film is broken up into three "transmissions" (chapters) each of which had different directors during shooting. Each part manifests elements of one of the following genres: visceral horror, black comedy, and mystery-love story.
The fact that it's told in three distinct parts from four completely different directors is not "unique," but something that is not lost on the viewer. In fact, it actually works against the film.
The first "transmission" slowly built to a crescendo and succeeded by drawing us in and keeping us on the edge of our seats. Yet, the second "transmission" completely ruined the film as this particular director that it would be fun to make it a comedy of sorts, and that eliminated any chance that the audience would remain emotionally involved with the characters the rest of the way. At least the third "transmission" sort of returned to the mood and style of the first, but it spent most of the time reestablishing that feeling instead what should have been its turn to build off of it to an exciting conclusion.
Whose idea was it to go with four different filmmakers anyway!?! It was a terrible decision to go that route in the opinion of this humble critic. I will say that one interesting tidbit that I enjoyed learning about this picture is that it was completed for the 2007 Sundance Film Festival on a budget of only $50,000 and shot over the course of 13 days! That's pretty remarkable.
All in all, I'm not surprised that I was disappointed by a horror film, but given this movie's original premise I was mad that it didn't deliver like I expected it to.
I'm giving it only 1 Ben & Jerry's ice cream out of 5.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
I don't believe we've ever reviewed a documentary on this site as one of our movie dates, but there's always a first time for everything.
Unfortunately, Wifey doesn't subscribe to that same philosophy so yours truly was flying solo once again when it came time to watch and review this one.
Let me just start by saying that I have a new personal favorite flick in my Top 10! This one was excellent!
It's called The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters and it's a story about a middle school science teacher named Steve Wiebe as he tries to take the world high score for the arcade game Donkey Kong from reigning champion Billy Mitchell.
I honestly don't remember how I learned about this incredible epic, but I do remember that it was the trailer that really got my attention. Watch it for yourself and let me know if it has the same pull on you.
Here's the trailer:
Within the first 10 minutes of this one I hit the pause button. The reason? I needed to know if I was actually wacthing a real-life documentary or not because the first few minutes had the distinct feeling as if I were watching a mock-u-mentary akin to TV's The Office.
After a quick Google search, I soon realized that I was going to be treating myself to one of the most unique and mesmerizing stories I had ever seen - this was a real story, about real people, real places, and real events!
That's what makes this film so compelling. The video game subculture is definitely unique (no shocker there), but the story of these two men - and average middle-class school teacher and a charismatic, arrogant business owner - competing for the title of the Best Donkey Kong Player in the World was captivating.
The entire thing has a Rocky feel to it because Steve Wiebe is definitely the clear underdog who just wants to make his mark upon this world. Even his own moving backstory is told brilliantly to get the audience to sympathize with him and, ultimately, to root for him.
Yet, the most amazing part of this documentary is watching Billy Mitchell's fall from grace because he doesn't handle it with grace at all. In fact, he's comes across as a real jerk for many reasons.
The King of Kong is funny and compelling with more than a few poignant insights into human behavior. There's more drama in this small documentary than in most serious Oscar contenders. A marriage is on the line, integrity is tested, and friendships falter - all in the name of a video game called Donkey Kong.
Do yourself a favor and rent this one today. I assure you that you won't be disappointed.
I'm giving it 4 Ben & Jerry's ice creams out of 5.
Next up was the newest feature film starring Will Ferrell. This time it was Semi-Pro, a movie that was shot in Los Angeles near Dodger Stadium (in the gym of the Los Angeles City Fire Department Training Center), in Detroit and in Flint, MI.
This movie is Ferrell's homage to the wild, afro-picked splendor of the short-lived American Basketball Association that thrived in the seventies before the rise of the NBA. Though the Flint Tropics are a fictional team, the real ABA was every bit as wacky, unhinged, and, yes, entertaining as Semi-Pro itself.
Without giving too much away just yet, it's is an intermittently funny, half-hearted attempt at sports satire, and one of Will Ferrell's weaker cinematic efforts.
Here's the trailer:
HUBBY'S REVIEW
As a sure sign that Armageddon is upon us (or is it that I'm just getting old at the ripe young age of only 29?) this was another Will Ferrell movie that I didn't care for.
What is going on in this world? I feel out of sorts because this is becoming a trend with me. Personally, I feel like things started going downhill after Old School.
Sure, there are some funny moments and a handful of witty one-liners, but I only laughed out loud 2-3 times through this entire film. I expect more from one of Hollywood's best and brightest comedic actors.
Without ruining it for people, one of those "laugh-out-loud" moments for me was when Ferrell's character got into a fight with the referee. Classic! Hilarious!
Stephen Silver from The Trend said it best when he wrote, "Aside from the 'fro and his sport of choice, Jackie Moon is really no different whatsoever from Ricky Bobby, or whatever Ferrell's character's name was in Blades of Glory."
I'll give this one only 2 Ben & Jerry's ice creams out of 5. Will - please make an Old-School caliber film again.
Joaquin Phoenix, who turned 34 years old just yesterday, stunned E! Online reporter Jason Kennedy with the announcement that he would be retiring from acting.
The two-time Oscar nominee stated this on the red carpet at a Monday benefit for the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps, a charity founded by Paul Newman.
Phoenix said that "Two Lovers," his upcoming romantic drama with Gwyneth Paltrow and Vinessa Shaw, will be his final on-screen role.
Phoenix is apparently giving up acting to pursue music, a passion of his since he learned to play guitar to play the role of Johnny Cash in 2005's "Walk the Line."
According to Billboard, Phoenix is working on an album with Tim Burgess, frontman for the UK group The Charlatans. Burgess said, "Once he learnt guitar he found that he had quite a lot of demons inside himself that he wanted to expel through music."
Loved the guy in both Gladiator and Signs and it's too bad we won't get to see more of an actor whom I felt was just coming into his own with his best work still ahead of him.
I must say that I'm extremely shocked by this news. It's a bold and brave decision especially in Hollywood, but Our Movie Date wishes him all the best in his future endeavors.
RECOMMENDED READING:
Joaquin Phoenix Shocks With Retirement Announcement
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Great! Yet, ANOTHER film based on a novel, and a historical fiction novel at that! I'll admit that this was our sentiment going in to this movie date.
The Other Boleyn Girl is a historical fiction novel written by British author Philippa Gregory, based on the life of 16th-century aristocrat Mary Boleyn. Reviews were mixed; some said it was a brilliantly claustrophobic look at the palace life in Tudor England, while others weren't convinced. Either way, it has enjoyed phenomenal success and popularity since its publication in 2002 and has spawned five sequels not to mention this feature film.
Ultimately, though it features some extravagant and entertaining moments, The Other Boleyn Girl feels more like a soap opera than historical drama.
Here's the trailer:
HUBBY'S REVIEW
During my research, I learned that A ninety-minute television drama based on the novel was broadcast by the BBC in 2003. It had a relatively low production budget and was filmed using modern camera techniques, with much of the script improvised.
In contrast, on the Bonus Disc that comes with this movie (the 2008 feature film adaptation starring Scarlett Johansson as Mary, Natalie Portman as Anne, and Eric Bana as Henry VIII) screenwriter Peter Morgan discusses the dilemma he faced in adapting Philippa Gregory's 600-plus-page novel for the screen. He ultimately decided to use it merely as a broad guideline for his script, which Gregory felt perfectly captured the essence of her book, although many plot elements were eliminated, diminished, or changed. Among the more notable deviations in the film, Mary's marriage to William Stafford, a major part of the book, is mentioned only in a note just before the closing credits, Anne and George decide against committing incest, and there are no overt references to George's homosexuality.
Personally, I came away from it all pleasantly surprised and actually wanting to learn more about this time period and these people who left their mark upon history. In that sense, it's EXACTLY the way Heather Huntington of ReelzChannel.com described it when she wrote, "A run-of-the-mill costume drama that made me think more about running home and Wikipedia-ing the characters than investing in the story before me." That's a little stronger than my feelings about the movie, but you get the point.
I also think it was the perfect cast for this type of story and for these types of characters. It was nice to see Natalie Portman in something other than Star Wars.
Thank the Lord that we no longer live in a time when women are traded and used like cattle; objects for man's lust. Wait, my mistake. Look at how short we've come in 500 years. Sad.
As period pieces and adaptations go, I will give this one a 3 out of 5 Ben & Jerry's ice creams.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Finally, I get to see a movie starring Hayden Christensen that doesn't involve Sith Lords, the Jedi, or the Force.
In all seriousness, I've seen him in other non-Star Wars related roles and he's actually a pretty good actor. Wifey was very eager to see him along with a recognizable cast in the film Awake while I was just sort of ho-hum about the whole thing.
Awake has an interesting premise and it's an unsettling thriller that highlights a deeply troubling medical problem. "Anesthetic awareness" is a rare but dangerously prevalent condition that affects nearly 30,000 individuals a year, in which patients who have been put under anesthesia before surgery remain paralyzed while still being aware of their present situation.
Here's the trailer:
HUBBY'S REVIEW
Finally! A movie that didn't stink or feel like a complete waste of time! Ironically, this was a movie that didn't really get me all fired up from the movie trailers.
Then again, it's outlandish, preposterous, contrived, and an implausible thriller which happens to be fun if you ignore the fact that it's outlandish, preposterous, contrived and implausible.
So, what's the deal then? Why did I like this and come away happy about the movie date? Perhaps is was merely due to the simple fact that it was an ORIGINAL CONCEPT and, yes, there were a volley of plot twists that'll have you slapping your head in disbelief, but I didn't see many of them coming and I didn't think they were too far-fetched.
I also thought the film had a nice pace to it. When we reached the end of the story I looked at Wifey and said, "Wow! That was surprisingly pretty entertaining and good! It wasn't too long either."
Awake feels like an Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode unfolding in slow motion, with each new revelation only coming a reel or two after viewers have guessed it. Crazy, but fun!
I give it 2.75 Ben & Jerry's out of 5.