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Our 4 Star Rating:
 
1 Star: Destructive values
Films which present a dehumanizing perspective.

2 Star: Shallow
Films that provide basic entertainment, but no message of any substantive meaning.

3 Star: Thought-provoking
Films that engage the viewer in ideology, experiences, beliefs, with which we may or may not agree but they cause us to think and be better informed.

4 Star: Uplifting
Films that inspire the viewer to become emotionally and spiritually renewed or transformed by the messages portrayed.

  NEW RELEASES

Man on Wire

2 Stars – Shallow Reflections

The life of our World Trade Center towers and Philippe Petit are remarkably intertwined. At the age of 17, Petit as a young Parisian street performer saw a picture of the two towers which were going to be built in New York City and explains that he knew then that it was his goal in life to walk a wire between them. He does so on August 7, 1974 When he is successful his life’s purpose seems to collapse around him. This walk of consuming passion is presented on film by James Marsh in the documentary named: “Man on Wire.”  >>More


Star Wars: The Clone Wars

2 Stars – Shallow

Watching Dave Filoni’s cartoon episode of the Star Wars saga is like watching Shakespeare performed by preschoolers: the intention is good but the result is terribly lacking. What made the Star Wars films a pervasive success was the consistent quality of the story-telling. With live actors and what can only be described as “thrilling” special effects, the story of the struggle between good and evil, darkness and light, was told on a galactic scale. What Filoni and the Star Wars creator George Lucas do in this episode, “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” is try to take some of the most effective scenes of the previous films and repeat them. There is little that is new in either special effects or story-line as the characters and special effects are both cartoonish.  >>More


Henry Poole is Here

4 Stars – Uplifting

A world in which miracles are not possible is a world without hope. That truth was expressed by Dante in the 1300’s when he suggested that the inscription to the entrance of hell would proclaim that a person will “abandon all hope” by entering there. That the loss of hope often puts a person into a hell-on-earth is compellingly presented by Mark Pellington (Arlington Road) in his intriguing film “Henry Poole Is Here.”  >>More


American Teen

3 Stars – Thought–Provoking

Most of us realize, as we look back on our teen years, that to even survive high school is a major achievement in life. Thrown together during the transition years when everyone’s developing minds are attempting to catch up with developed bodies, the American high school experience is excruciating for many. From cliques to proms, from acne to locker rooms, from tests to play-off games to college admissions letters, embarrassment and pressure is around virtually every corner. That this is still the reality for teenagers in our nation is revealed in this fascinating documentary by Nanette Burstein simply titled “American Teen.”  >>More


Brideshead Revisited

3 Stars – Thought–Provoking

The memories of the missteps of our young adult years haunt many of us. Not yet able to act with the wisdom which comes from experience, the decisions we made are often the best we knew how to do in the moment, but we revisit them with a sense of guilt seeking God’s grace. This reality is what compelled Arthur Evelyn Waugh to write his best known novel “Brideshead Revisited” which has now been made into a film by director Julian Jarrold (“Becoming Jane”).  >>More


Swing Vote

3 Stars – Challenging

When parents struggle with an addiction, it is their children who suffer by losing their childhood. Often having to fill the role of the parent as they “make life work” for their impaired father or mother, this “parentified child” can appear to have capabilities far beyond their years. Looking for a functioning adult to admire and help them make sense out of life, such a child can attach themselves to a teacher and accept that teacher’s passion as their own. This is what happens to Molly Johnson (Madeline Carroll) in Joshua Michael Stern’s second film as director, “Swing Vote.”  >>More


X-Files: I Want to Believe

3 Stars – Challenging

The cinematic reunion of Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) takes The X-Files in an unexpected direction.  As a television science fiction series, the expectation that this cinematic episode will continue the series? exploration into alien abduction and government cover-up is pleasantly turned in the direction of exploring religious faith and belief issues.  This shift dramatically changes the meaning of the subtitle of the film ("I want to believe") from wanting to believe there are alien abductions to wanting to believe that God does interact with and care for people.  Unlike the latest Indiana Jones film (Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) which takes the usual Indy storyline about religious beliefs and artifacts and shifts it into a tale about alien creatures, the "X-Files: I Want To Believe" film shifts the storyline in the opposite direction from the usual fare of alien interactions and draws our attention to God?s interaction with humanity.  >>More


Mongol

3 Stars – Thought–Provoking

For many Westerners, the history of Genghis Khan is summed up in faint images of a cruel nomadic invader who lived centuries ago and built an empire over a geographic landscape of which they have little knowledge.  As for many leaders of his time, there weren't scribes or photographers documenting his every move.  Instead, most of what we know about Genghis Khan comes from others who made reference to him in their own works.  >>More


The Dark Knight

3 Stars – Challenging

The comic book story version of Batman is not easily found in this latest presentation of the good versus evil story of Gotham City's most famous crime fighter.  A much darker version of earlier stories, "The Dark Knight" is told with little humor and with its central hero having neither a love interest nor a protégé (Robin) at his side.  His loneliness leads him to be a more solemn and reclusive character than we have known before. This latest of the Batman films asks the question: "Can even the best of us be corrupted?"  In "The Dark Knight," we have a glimpse at the answer.  >>More


Hancock

2 Stars – Shallow Entertainment

In the mythical world of super-beings, the human condition is exaggerated in ways that help us better see ourselves.  From the story of Hercules, who used his enhanced strength to “make the world safe for human beings,” to that of Prometheus, a Greek Titan who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humanity (for which he was severely punished), mythical beings struggle with their existence just as we do.  The difference is that they do so on a grand scale.  Though our failures may cause us or our family pain, when mythical beings fail, everyone suffers.  This is seen clearly in the mythical saga of John Hancock (Will Smith) directed by Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights).  >>More


Journey to the Center of the Earth

3 Stars – Wholesome

In 1864, when Jules Verne imagined a cavernous world miles below the earth’s surface, he caught everyone’s imagination.  Though the science is not as supportive as in some of his other novels (Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Around the World in 80 Days), the images of a lost world with dinosaurs and plants which are extinct on the surface has spawned a whole collection of imitations.  But this most recent version, directed by Eric Brevig (Pearl Harbor, Signs) and screenplay written by Michael Weiss, follows closely to the original plot and strikes a creative chord as it joins the old story with new interests.  One of these changes is of the gender of the guide in the story from a man to a woman, which not only fits the change in our view of women in the last one hundred years, but also adds a little romantic tension.  >>More


Kung Fu Panda

3 Stars – Wholesome

The introduction of the Chinese philosophy of Kung Fu is presented to children in Mark Osborne’s and John Stevenson’s animated film “Kung Fu Panda.”  Legend claims that Kung Fu was being taught as early as the Yellow Emperor, around 2,600BC, and is not only the mastering of martial arts, but the mastering of any skill by hard work and determination.  Thus it is possible for even a Panda to discover his own unique abilities and become a great “Dragon Warrior,” just as it is possible for any child viewing the film to be able to work hard and use their own unique skills and interests to find their own greatness and fulfill their destiny.  >>More


Wanted

1 Star – Degrading

The violence presented in Timur Bekmambetov’s film “Wanted” is overwhelming.  Using the latest in special effects and melding it to the oldest of cardinal sins -  murder, greed, lust and deceit - the audience is given a taste of what hell may possibly be like.

The demonic figure in this realm is Sloan (Morgan Freeman).  Using his distinguished presence to garner their trust, Sloan is the leader of a group of assassins whose ancestors have been at this work for one thousand years.  Their cause is based on a belief that they have discovered a secret code whereby Fate reveals to them the names of humans who need to be killed for the good of humanity.  Using a binary...
  >>More


Kit Kittredge: An American Girl

3 Stars – Wholesome

The “American Girl” phenomenon has now reached the big screen.  Started in 1983 by the educator, Pleasant T. Rowland, who wanted to create dolls which depicted the various eras of American history, the company was purchased by Mattel in 1998 and Rowland retired in 2000. Before her retirement Rowland created a series of books which told the adventures of the girls within historic moments of American life.  Expanding their dolls into the “Just Like You “ series and marketing them through the “American Girl Boutiques and Bistros” the company then moved into movies in 2003.  The first three films were not released to theaters, but with this fourth adventure set within the depression of 1939 - “Kit Kittredge: An American Girl,” the company has started a new venture.  Unlike many films that create dolls and figurines to sell after the film is made, “American Girl” reverses the process with customers already owning the dolls and having read the books and now seeing the film.  >>More


WALL-E

2 Stars – Shallow

The creative genius of Disney’s Pixar studio has been taken captive in their latest cartoon “WALL-E.” Taking human consumption and waste to the extreme and imagining a time in which garbage has taken over our planet to the extent that people have to leave, the film presents a humanity that is unrecognizable. Though able to create amazing robotic machines and gargantuan spaceships, humans are presented as ignorant, obese beings who have no more sense than to despoil our planet and let robots clean up our mess while we lounge on a cruise ship in space. But this isn’t a cruise ship on which humans dance, swim and recreate, but rather one on which humans no longer walk or engage one another in relationship but instead live on moving, reclining beds with their appetites satisfied by robotic servants while their minds are titillated by holographic television. If this is an attempt to exaggerate a tendency people have to be lazy and wasteful, it does so with incredible dislike for human beings.  >>More


GET SMART

2 Stars – Shallow/Entertaining

Steve Carrell gets it. With just the right blend of egotism and geekiness, along with little self-awareness, lots of luck, and a pervasive panache, Carrell brings Maxwell Smart to life. For those of us who grew up watching Don Adams in the original Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning TV series created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, Agent 86 was the epitome of Agent Everyman. Too smart for his own abilities and too egotistical to admit it, Max was an agent we all suspected we would be like if we were part of a secret spy agency like Control.  >>More


THE CHILDREN OF HUANG SHI
CHILDREN OF THE SILK ROAD

3 Stars – Powerful

The greatness of a person is not measured by their wealth but by their willingness to give their lives in service to others.  This is notably demonstrated in the life of a young Englishman named George A. Hogg.  His sacrifice was relatively unknown until James MacManus, working as a reporter in Beijing, happened upon the story of Hogg’s life and wrote an article on him.  When his article caught the attention of some Hollywood producers, MacManus was invited to write a screenplay.  Although the final story is only based on the life of Hogg, his sacrifice is powerfully presented in Roger Spottiswoode’s film “The Children of Huang Shi.”  >>More


THE INCREDIBLE HULK

3 Stars – Engaging

During the early 1900’s, Freud’s studies of the primal emotions (fear, anger, happiness, love) opened a window for us to better understand our passions. The observation that these emotions often function at a level below our conscious awareness yet still greatly influence our behaviors captured the imaginations of many creative minds. Two creative artists were Stan Lee and Jack Kirby who imagined what would happen if a person were to be taken over by their anger such that it dominated his or her conscious mind. Would such a person lose touch with the other primal emotions and become a vicious monster, or would he or she be able to feel love and happiness as well? To explore this question, Lee and Kirby first published their Marvel Comic of “The Incredible Hulk” in May of 1962. After a 70’s TV series with the same name, it has been brought to the screen four decades later by director Louis Leterrier and screenwriter Zak Penn.  >>More


RISING SON:  THE LEGEND OF
SKATEBOARDER CHRISTIAN HOSOI

3 Stars – Redemptive

The journey of Christian Hosoi is an all-too familiar one.  Described as the “most naturally gifted skateboarder in the world,” Christian experienced notoriety and wealth at a very young age.  Lacking the maturity of a father who could protect him from the intoxication of and temptations of such fame and opportunity, Christian soon found himself addicted and imprisoned.  It is there that the power of the addiction met the “higher power” of God’s redemption.  “Rising Son” is the documentary of his legendary life directed and produced by Cecsario Monaño.  >>More


THE FALL

1 Star – Disturbing

The fantasy tale written and directed by Tarsem Singh titled “The Fall” is creative, ingenious and disturbing.  It has similarities to Rob Reiner’s “Princess Bride” in that it weaves the real-life relationship of a story-teller and child as they share a fictional adventure, but instead of being a light-hearted tale with identifiable characters, Singh tells a dark tale with troubling implications of the story-teller’s intentions toward his young listener.  “The Fall” also has some similarities with such fictional tall tales as Tim Burton’s “Big Fish” and Tim McCanlies’ “Secondhand Lions,” but the adventure is more a nightmare than a fantasy, with a pervasive depressive mood.  >>More


THE LIST

4 Stars – Insightful

The fear of secret societies which have banded together for evil reasons has both a psychological and spiritual dimension.  The psychological is expressed in conspiracy theories where, for example, a candidate might fear that a “right-wing” or a “left-wing” conspiracy might defeat them.  This fear may have some basis in actual events or it may be a paranoid reaction reaching the level of a mental disorder.  The spiritual dimension is expressed in, for example, a believer’s fear of a coven of witches who have banded together to curse them.  Again, this fear may have some basis in the reality of actual covens or it may be an imagined spiritual attack.  In the final analysis, whether it is actual or imagined, the power of the secrecy and the fear of the conspiracy can have a detrimental effect on any who believe it.  This is explored in Gary Wheeler’s film “The List.”  >>More


IRON MAN

3 Stars – Challenging

In 1961, when General Dwight Eisenhower was giving his farewell address as President, he warned us of the “military-industrial complex.” His fear was that the profit which American companies could make by producing arms for the world’s conflicts would change our nation economically, politically and spiritually. Over 40 years later, this fear is creatively and appropriately presented in a fictional film by Jon Favreau titled “Iron Man.”  >>More


INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL

3 Stars – Thought–Provoking

The latest installment of Steven Spielberg’s and George Lucas’ “Indiana Jones” film series is both nostalgic and divergent. “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” is nostalgic because it is filled with vintage Indy action combining educational intellect with impossible fight scenes. It is nostalgic in its references to Indy’s fear of snakes, the mapping of the airplanes’ route and packed government warehouses where valuable and powerful artifacts are neglected. For those who have seen the previous films, we recognize the hat, shadow and theme music as Indy makes his appearance, and we enjoy seeing cherubim’s wings on the Ark of the Covenant as it is revealed inside a damaged crate. But this fourth film created by the combined genius of Spielberg and Lucas and still casting 65-year-old Harrison Ford as “Indy” is divergent because  >>More


CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN

3 Stars – Wholesome

The second installment of C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia, “Prince Caspian,” is engaging cinema. Though the story is not as allegorical or insightful as the first film, the special effects and cinematic techniques are improving. Adapting and directing these first two films, Andrew Adamson (who also directed Shrek) is on schedule  in 2010 to make the third film, “Voyage of the Dawn Treader.”  >>More


SPEED RACER

3 Stars – Wholesome

Just as they did with the Matrix films, the Wachowski brothers wrote and directed “Speed Racer.” Based on the television cartoon series by Totsuo Yoshido, they take the action and special effects to a whole new level while keeping the basic storyline in place. However, the frenetic pace and complex visual imaging of this film are not like the Matrix films. In a fantasy futuristic world where the colors are as vibrant as the racing machines, the laws of physics are suspended but the laws of morality are strongly in place. A tale of good against evil, with family and loyalty highly praised, “Speed Racer” is a film with a simple message within the cacophony of sights and sounds that combines live actors in a computer-generated world.  >>More


THE VISITOR

3 Stars – Challenging

The obvious agenda in Thomas McCarthy’s film “The Visitor” is critiquing the United States government’s immigration policy and practice.  As both director and writer, McCarthy weaves a depressing tale that grieves over a constellation of sorrows, from the inhumanity with which illegal aliens are treated to the emptiness the death of a spouse can create.   In an attempt to find redemption and hope, little is offered except for the rhythmic beat of the drum and the fleeting moments of human connection.  >>More


YOUNG @ HEART

4 Stars – Inspiring

From the opening note to the final moments of a chorus member’s life, this documentary by Stephen Walker is masterfully presented.  Using the repetitive symbol of vehicles on all types of Massachusetts roads, Walker allows us to travel with the “Young @ Heart” chorus not only through the seven weeks of preparation for their next concert, but through the winding turns of some of the member’s final miles as well.  >>More


The Counterfeiter - Die Fälscher

3 Stars – Disturbing

The moral issues of real life are far more disturbing than those of a fictional tale.  Thus, when a film portrays an actual event in human history, we know that the actors are not being forced to face fabricated circumstances but rather re-enacting events that have actually occurred.  This adds an additional level of identification with the story as we wonder how we would have dealt with such circumstances, especially when the events involve the systemic evil of genocidal racism perpetrated by the Nazi party during World War II.  Winner of the Academy Award for best foreign film, “Die Fälscher” or “The Counterfeiter” is a German film directed by Stefan Ruzowitsky.  >>More


Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

3 Stars – Thought-provoking

Only time will tell whether the type of “docuganda” this film represents is going to be helpful or harmful to the pursuit of truth.  Joining the ranks of films like Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11,”   Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth,” or Ewing and Grady’s “Jesus Camp,” Ben Stein’s “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed” will be appreciated primarily by those who already hold the beliefs espoused by the film.  If you believe that science and religion should have no wall between them and if you find your faith being supported by scientific inquiry as it discovers how God’s creation operates, then you will agree with Stein’s premise.  But even if you agree with that premise, you may be uncomfortable with the lengths he goes to in making his point.  >>More


Leatherheads

3 Stars - Challenging

The manner in which George Clooney directs and stars in “Leatherheads” is endearing as well as entertaining.  Casting himself as Jimmy “Dodge” Connelly, the partial owner of the fledgling professional football team called the Duluth Bulldogs, Dodge is struggling to keep the team and the league alive in 1925.  Defeated, Dodge has the idea of recruiting a college football star and World War I hero, Carter Rutherford (John Krasinski from the sitcom “The Office”).  When he succeeds, his life and the league are changed forever.  >>More


21

3 Stars - Troubling

The temptation to use our abilities for selfish or illegal gain is always before us as human beings. We are most often able to withstand this temptation when we are mentored by honest and honorable people.  But when a person of influence, such as a professor or coach, encourages us to use our intellectual or athletic gifts for selfish or even illegal purposes, then it is difficult to stand against such pressure.  This is the lesson presented by Robert Luketic’s film “21.”  >>More


And Now For The Winners ...

4 Stars - 2007

Recognizing the power that films have to influence and reflect the human condition, on the eve of the Academy Awards we present our own 2007 CINEMA IN FOCUS 4-STAR AWARDS  >>More


Horton Hears a Who!
Opening a child’s imagination to the possibilities of life is the responsibility not only of artists but of all of us as well. True to this goal, Theodor Seuss Geisel wrote intriguing children’s stories under the name of Dr. Seuss. In 1954, he wrote a second book about a lovable Elephant named Horton (voice by Jim Carey), which he titled “Horton Hears a Who!” Bringing this tale to the screen are directors Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino whose collective experience includes animation and art direction on such films as “Finding Nemo” and “Robots.”  >>More

10,000 BC
According to the trailers for Roland Emmerich’s film “10,000 BC,” this is; “a prehistoric epic that follows a young mammoth hunter's journey through uncharted territory to secure the future of his tribe.” More accurately, it is a cheesy Saturday matinee cartoon-like extravaganza with lots of computer-generated animals in less-than-believable fight scenes.  >>More

The Bank Job
The actual event on which Roger Donaldson’s film “The Bank Job” is based is itself debasing. From the sexual immorality of a member of England’s royal family which created the need for the heist, to the police and government corruption which was uncovered, to the subsequently covered-up of the entire event by the government, this event provides a disturbing look at the underside of humanity. Since it is a true story about sex and violence, its nudity and bloodshed is a necessary part of the film, but it easily deserves its “R” rating.  >>More

The Other Boleyn Girl
Few people have caused as many historical debates as has Anne Boleyn (Natalie Portman). Considered by some to be one of the most significant queens in British history, Anne’s motives and the accusations against her of adultery, incest and treason have long been topics of debate. Some believe she was deeply religious and a protestant reformer whose influence on Henry the VIII (Eric Bana) caused him to break with Rome and establish the Church of England. Other historians present her as an ambitious and manipulative woman who used her charm to beguile the King but did not allow him to have her until he annulled his marriage to Queen Katherine of Aragon (Ana Torrent) and made Anne his queen. Since the Pope would not annul the marriage, Anne convinced Henry to break with Rome and make himself head of the Church of England.  >>More

Persepolis
For the people of Iran, the last few decades have been devastating politically, socially and religiously. Understanding this experience through the eyes of a young Iranian girl as she comes of age gives an insider’s view not usually available for those of us so far removed. But Marjane Satrapi invites us into her life through her Oscar-nominated animation film “Persepolis.”  >>More

Jumper
The relativity of time was once a fantasy. But as science has progressed, many once-fictional ideas have proven themselves to be true. That is what makes the premise of Doug Liman’s “Jumper” intriguing. The thought that a human being could, in a moment of extreme stress, control space and “jump” from one location to another is an interesting thought. The difficulty is that this film is less interested in the science and more interested in an artificial struggle between those who have the ability to jump and those who, for “religious” reasons, do not want them to do so. The problem is that this is not a war between good and evil, but rather one of self-righteous brutality against lawless-extravagance expressed in a vicious hatred that is neither understandable nor necessary, and the two group’s murderous indifference toward one another is disquieting.  >>More

Charlie Bartlett
When a child is given responsibility to take care of a parent, their roles become reversed with the parent becoming child-like and the child becoming “parentified.” The advantage of such a shift in roles is that the child acquires abilities and insights far beyond that which their chronological age would imply. The disadvantage is that the child misses out on the care-free days of childhood under parental guidance and protection. That experience is insightfully presented in Jon Poll’s “Charlie Bartlett.”  >>More

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Masterfully presented by director Julian Schnabel and adapted for film by writer Ronald Harwood, this is “the true story of Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby who suffers a stroke and has to live with an almost totally paralyzed body; only his left eye isn't paralyzed.” Experiencing the world from inside Jean-Dominique as he tediously dictates his experience by blinking to a patient stenographer, the camera shows the world through his eye, his thoughts through voice-overs, and his imagination and memories through fantasies and flashbacks. It is a sad and moving experience as Jean-Dominique experiences life as though being lived in a diving bell.  >>More

Definitely Maybe
How do you tell your children that love is forever if they have lived through a divorce? Where do they get the confidence that a commitment of the heart is more than just a fairy tale? Such is the dilemma that faces Will Hayes (Ryan Reynolds) as he tries to explain his life to his 11-year-old daughter Maya (Abigail Breslin). Will has been through three adult relationships which he thought would lead to “happiness ever after.” Having grown up with the usual adolescent longings for a “Prince Charming,” Maya wants to know why fairytale romances don’t always last. “Definitely, Maybe” chronicles their conversation as she peppers him with questions about the choices he made hoping to understand who she is in relationship with the most important man in her own life.
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Atonement
When we destroy another person’s life by our lies it is difficult to atone for our sins. This is due in part because we are incapable of giving back the days and years stolen from them because of our transgression. But it is also difficult because of the universal experience of needing divine assistance in finding forgiveness, not only in receiving it from the person we wronged but also in extending it to ourselves. This is the message of Joe Wright’s Oscar-nominated film “Atonement.”
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There Will Be Blood
What does it take to make you happy? Most people would list either family, financial security, a job that brings fulfillment, or love. “There Will Be Blood,” reminds us that we can pay a steep price if we are trying to achieve a self-centered happiness.
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Saving Sarah Cain
It is easy to find the novelty of the Amish Christians as only an interesting divergence of both American and Christian cultures. Having chosen to reject the modern culture with its gasoline vehicles and electronic devices, we often don’t stop to ask the question of whether they have chosen the better way. As our vehicles pollute the air and our electronics distract our souls, we often collapse into the unwanted consequences of modern life. Would it be better if we took the time to be families and communities in shared life with simple values of honesty and simplicity where love and souls blossom? That is the theme of Michael Landon Jr.’s film “Saving Sarah Cain.”
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27 Dresses
It would seem reasonable to expect that a person who is always trying to please others would be loved and respected. But the truth is that such a person is often used by those around her or him. Not knowing how to say “no” to the many requests of others, such a person loses the connection with their own needs and desires that helps create reciprocal and equal relationships. Such a person could repeatedly become a bridesmaid but never a bride. That is the truth in Anne Fletcher's "27 Dresses".>>More

The Bucket List
It is often said that “money is the root of all evil.” That is not true. It is the “love of money” that causes a person to do evil and especially to lose their ability to love people. Becoming a person who has less and less compassion for others because that would interfere with their financial pursuits, a lover of money can become increasingly isolated and joyless even as their wealth accumulates. But it is not only the wealthy who can lose their joy. A self-sacrificing person can have mounting resentments due to repeatedly setting aside their own goals and dreams and miss out on the joy their sacrificial acts typically create. Taking a life-time to realize, many do not take the opportunity to evaluate their lives and choices until it is too late. But for a lucky few, there is just such an opportunity for change. That is the compelling message of Rob Reiner’s “The Bucket List.”.  >>More

The Great Debaters
There are few films which match the level of art and excellence achieved by the creators of “The Great Debaters.” It is a visual masterpiece as the camera presents dream-like images at times and stark realism at others. The dialogue not only moves the story but also inspires the audience. The acting is exquisite and the directing superb. But what makes this film a true work of art is its moral and spiritual content. Based on a true story of a young professor of an all-black college in Marshall, Texas in 1935, we are able to experience history as first-hand observers in a little-known event that was foundational to the civil rights movement.  >>More

Charlie Wilsons War
There are many things about the warring madness of humanity that are disturbing. But one of the most disquieting is the way that roles quickly shift as our allies become our enemies. For reasons that should be obvious, joining together with a portion of humanity to fight some other group of humans has proven itself ineffective in producing lasting peace. The exponential result of using evil to fight evil is that evil turns on those who use it with increasing strength until the good that was hoped for is even further removed from reach. That is the lesson in Mike Nichol’s film “Charlie Wilson’s War.”  >>More

Juno
For those who love authentic, well-written dialogue with straightforward honesty that is presented by engaging actors with nuanced directing, then Jason Reitman’s “Juno” is a film not to be missed. Written by the brilliant if incorrigible Diablo Cody (whose real name is Brook Busey, the author of Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper in which she chronicles her year in “the sleaziest” of Minneapolis strip clubs), the lead character of the film embodies her wit and frank approach to life within an engagingly eccentric personality.  >>More

The Kite Runner
Based on the best-selling book by Khaled Hosseini, “The Kite Runner” takes us into the world of Afghanistan through the eyes of two young boys whose friendship is tested. Set in the years prior to, during, and following the Russian invasion of Afghanistan 25 years ago, Amir (Zekeria Ebrahimi as a child and Khalid Abdalla as an adult) and Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada) are two friends from different racial backgrounds who enjoy each other’s company and loyalty, as well as a passion for flying kites.   >>More

I Am Legend
The fear of unexpected consequences with genetic engineering has permeated modern life. Recognizing the good intentions of the scientists who are working diligently to create cures for the maladies that plague us, we are nevertheless aware that some cures may unexpectedly destroy us. That is the premise of Francis Lawrence’s film “I Am Legend.”  >>More

The Golden Compass
Having never read “His Dark Materials” trilogy by Philip Pullman which he supposedly wrote for the children of atheists, it is difficult to know whether those books are effective. It is very clear that the film version of the first book “The Golden Compass” is not. It is convoluted and boring.  >>More

This Christmas
Our relationships within our families are complex. We are not only stuck with the family into which we were born, and we are not only formed by our place within that family system, but we are also privileged to have a group of people who accept us and love us as we are. In families where honesty and unconditional love are present there is a healing power at work in our lives. That is the message of writer and director Preston A. Whitmore’s film on a family’s reunion at Christmas entitled “This Christmas.”  >>More

Enchanted
Fairytales seem to be going through a metamorphosis. If Disney is any indication of the change, the romantic fantasies of Walt’s early films, rejected by this generation of story-tellers, has come back around with a significant difference: We would rather have reality than fantasy. The cartoon characters of a make-believe world may promise a happily-ever-after life, but “true-love’s kiss” in the real world, even with the possibility that something could go wrong, is to be preferred. This is the theme of director Kevin Lima’s “Enchanted.”  >>More

August Rush
The bond between parents and children is difficult to describe. Perhaps the best we can do is to create an analogy in which both share not only the same love for music but also the same ability to hear the harmonic sounds of nature itself – what the ancient Greeks called the music of the spheres or musica universalis. And perhaps if parents and child were separated from birth due to a horrendous betrayal, their shared experience could draw them miraculously back together. That is the solution Kirsten Sheridan presents in her magical film “August Rush.”  >>More

Beowulf
The classic poem of “Beowulf” is only a reference point for Robert Zemeckis’ film of the same name. Weaving a different tale with the familiar characters of this 6th century setting and 10th century poem, the film’s plot morphs into a dark and deliberate tale about the curse that comes upon a person, family and nation who makes their bed with evil. We see the deformed monstrous Grendel (Crispen Glover) who is the offspring of a demonic mother (Angelina Jolie) and a man she seduced. We see their hideous offspring wreak havoc upon the man’s life as he attempts to enjoy the spoils of the wealth, power and fame her evil power granted him. We see the hero come from across the sea, Beowulf (Ray Winstone), whose courage helps him to defeat one form of evil only to have his ambition and pride cause him to become seduced by another. We see loyal friends and manipulative advisors, as well as the usual sea monsters and dragons of mythological fame.  >>More

Bella
We all know that when a child is accidentally killed, the grief of the mother is inconsolable. But we often don’t stop to think about what happens to the person responsible for the accident. How do they live with their guilt and remorse? The weight of what they have done - even if it was an accident – is crushing. How do they make up for such a loss? Those are the questions that fuel the award-winning film by Alejandro Gomez Monteverde entitled “Bella.”  >>More

Bee Movie
Jerry Seinfeld’s “Bee Movie” doesn’t really work. It’s not funny enough to be a comedy. It’s not deep enough to be a drama. It’s not coherent enough to be a message film. And it is not interesting enough to draw the audience that once flocked to Seinfeld’s sitcom. It is a cute film that has the appearance of being a Seinfeld joke about “a ‘B’ movie” with a full length punch line that it really is about “bees.” Directed by Steve Hickner and Simon J. Smith, “Bee Movie” would probably get a grade of “C”.  >>More

Michael Clayton
One of the struggles of professional life is keeping our sanity in the face of incredible pressures. This is true not only of our mental and emotional sanity, but in keeping morally sane as well. Though this is true of all the professions, it seems to be especially true of the legal profession. As hired lawyers who are at times called to represent people they may not like, let alone respect, there can become an increasing sense that one has sold his soul for financial gain. This is true of Michael Clayton (George Clooney)