Arthur

I always know great writing when I find myself repeating favorite lines decades after the film is released. That is the case with Arthur. I cannot stress the brilliance of this ensemble, especially with an actor like Sir John Gielgud, who I am convinced can play just about any genre out there. It is a pity that writer/director Steve Gordon died just one year after the release of Arthur in 1982. What wonderful films have we lost in his untimely passing?

The Great Race

I am convinced that my favorite Blake Edwards film, and one of my favorite comedies is The Great Race. Three hours worth of enjoyment and it goes by so quickly. Jack Lemmon has never been in a funnier film, especially playing two opposing personalities as Professor Fate and Prince Hapnik. When I was a ten year old kid, I loved this film. Later, when it appeared on television, I recorded the audio with my reel-to-reel tape recorder. I would then shut my eyes and relive the movie in my mind's cinema. I am now pleased to relive the timeless magic with my own kids.

Dr. Strangelove

I have a love/hate relationship for Stanley Kubrick movies. However, this site is dedicated to movies I enjoy, and one that always hits my "classic" list is Dr. Strangelove. Black comedy is incredibly hard to pull off. All I need do is think of Peter Sellers as either Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, President Merkin Muffley, or for that matter, Dr. Strangelove himself and I chuckle. Even a serious dramatic actor such as George C. Scott gave me good reason to laugh. Many a scene from this movie has been spoofed by shows such as The Simpsons and even Spielberg's 1941.

Galaxy Quest

I love a good spoof, and no movie did a better spoof of the series Star Trek then Galaxy Quest. And really, nothing was left out. I can almost hear Leonard Nimoy laughing over so many parts of this movie. For those who have the DVD, try watching it with the language set to Thermian. There is so much good fun in this movie. Check out the trivia at IMDB. Double your enjoyment of this film by watching the documentary Trekkies first!

Chariots of Fire

I do not think I have ever seen a secular made film that has ever properly characterized a true, born again Christian. In may ways, they are stereotyped this way or that, and often in a derogatory fashion. Not so in Chariots of Fire. Not only is the film accurate to the real life personality and focus of Eric Liddell, but also a glimpse into what drove Harold Abrahams. I have yet to see a movie where, in spite of an air of unspoken antiSemitism, a Christian walks up to a Jew, shakes his hand, and imparts a blessing of good luck. This while others only think of the other runner as the enemy to defeat. Very rare indeed.

The Emperor's New Groove

Don't ask me why I like to watch this movie over and over again. I will not be able to tell you. Maybe it's because it involves a full family unit with a father who shelters and protects them from bad news. Or perhaps it is a story of an incredibly self-absorbed egomaniac who learns the value of helping others. Or is it the folly of ambition and overthrowing power? Not being a David Spade fan, I marveled at how well he portrayed Emperor Kuzco. I also marveled at how Eartha Kitt made Yzma a character that just kept me laughing. The pacing of the story was wonderful. There was never a dull moment and the editing had a few surprises that kept the movie tongue-in-cheek. All this created a truly interesting balance of story and character development.

The Incredibles

Eventually, I am going to put every Pixar animated movie in this review blog. But for now, I want to single out The Incredibles as being one of my favorites. I have come to despise movies that kill off family members or present the household with one parent. Even Pixar suffers from this with both Finding Nemo and the Toy Story series. As much as I love both those movies, I'm getting tired of this story cliché.
The Incredibles takes the opposite tact. The strength of the characters is not in their super-human skills. Their strength is in their family bond. Each has a strength, and together they were... well, incredible! A most touching moment is when the Father, Bob, tells his wife that he (Mr. Incredible) is not strong enough. Not strong enough to do the task? No, not strong enough to bear the thought of losing his family. What a commentary! I love to allow my kids to watch this movie, any time they want. In what other movie will you hear a child proclaim how much he loves his family like Dash did at the end?
My only regret in this film is that they cut out an important scene at a backyard barbecue. It is here that someone made a snide remark regarding being a housewife. There was a brilliant rant by the mother, Helen, which leads to a hilarious accident by Bob. I am hoping an extended edition will some day be made that will include this scene.

Shrek 1, 2, & 3

Quite a few people really liked Shrek. And for good reason. It had a great story and characters to relate to or laugh with. However, not many people seem to get the real underlying joke of Shrek. One of the main producers of Shrek is Jeffrey Katzenberg. It was Katzenberg that brought an ailing Disney animation department out of creative bankruptcy. Having a string of hits to back him up, he sought a partnership with then president Michael Eisner. Eisner ended up firing him. Katzenberg sued the Disney company and won. But that was not enough for Katzenberg. Note the character Lord Farquaad in the screenshot? Did you notice he was a short, petty little man in charge of a castle plagued by a forest full of unwanted, fairy tale creatures? Now watch Shrek again, only noting that the entire movie is a slam on Eisner. It makes it ten times funnier. As far as Shrek 2, they did a masterful job of carrying on the story, characters and humor. Shrek 3? Not so much.

Lady Jane & Elizabeth

The struggle between the powers of the Vatican and Protestant movement during the Reformation seeking freedom from the doctrine of mariology and transubstantiation always makes for high drama. No movies portray this struggle better than Lady Jane and Elizabeth. Many do not know that the penalty for translating the Holy Scriptures into English or German was being burned at the stake. This is made painfully clear at the beginning of Elizabeth. One should read Foxes Book of Martyrs before watching either, or both movies.

Stranger Than Fiction

This film was a masterpiece in my eyes. Hands down my number one pick of 2006. And this is not the first time a Marc Forster film has graced number one on my list. His previous effort, “Finding Neverland” was a big hit in my heart as well. With that being said, it’s pretty obvious this guy is my new favorite director. He makes films that could possibly be a disaster or boring, to an uplifting, inspirational story that leaves you with a peaceful demeanor. So why is it my number one movie of last year? Each character is written to perfection in this film and it gels together so well. Will Ferrell plays a loving character in this drama and he shines. Emma Thompson is an English novelist who is very strange and smokes a lot of cigarettes trying to figure out how to kill off her character who just happens to be real. Dustin Hoffman plays the quirky professor in the film that helps Harold Crick (Ferrell) figure out who the novelist is. Lastly, the film has a great quote that ties up the whole movie, “A man who goes to die willingly, isn’t that the kind of guy worth saving?”

Joseph

It is very difficult to recreate a Bible event, especially one of this magnitude. Yet Roger Young had done it with Joseph. My only regret is that it was made for TV and not widescreen. Ben Kingsley, once again, displays his brilliance as a method actor. The writing kept right in pace with the Biblical narrative. The mourning of Jacob, played to perfection by Martin Landau, and the revealing of Joseph to his brothers, still to this day, brings a lump to my throat.

Signs

The Steven Spielberg version of War of the Worlds had great special effects but bad character development and irritating, disrespectful kids. Signs, on the other hand, went the opposite direction. Very little special effects, but fantastic character development. You cared about the people so that when they were under threat, you wanted to jump into the movie and protect them. The overall theme of the movie is that there is a reason for everything--even disabilities and tragedy. This is a very difficult concept to portray and I have to hand it to writer/director M. Night Shyamalan for giving us something different than the average "scary UFO" action flick. This movie had true substance and ventured into topics and subjects that the typical Hollywood movie lacks.

Night At The Museum

Just a great family movie that I can watch over and over and over again. And to be honest, I think I have already watched this movie about 10 or 15 times since I have got it on DVD which was about 2 months ago. I particularly love seeing Mickey Rooney, Bill Cobbs and Dick Van Dyke on the screen together and popping jokes. Ricky Gervais, who plays Dr. McPhee is extremely funny in this and is someone I am now going to watch more closely. Prior to this film he got his credentials with the UK version of "The Office" and the show "Extras." Steve Coogan (Octavious) and Owen Wilson (Jedidiah) give this film a lot more laughs as well. But more than anything, this movie is just fun to watch and I found myself smiling throughout the whole film.

Napoleon Dynamite

Sometimes it's very hard for me to figure out why some movies make me laugh, and others do not. It may have to do with just liking the characters or seeing how radically different characters interact with each other. Such is the case with Napoleon Dynamite. I never wanted to watch this film, but others convinced me. The movie started out with some quirky titles, then a few scenes of rural life. In just a few scenes, I was hooked. Every character was enjoyable to watch. Now, when I watch it over again, I always hear myself thinking--I love this part. Hollywood, in all its glory, will never make a movie like this. Its story telling is beyond their comprehension.

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of my top ten movies (we're talking Ten Commandments and Ben Hur here). This is the classic old, serial-style movie of yesteryear brought to us in perfection by Lucas and Spielberg. The pacing, editing, cinematography, story, and character development should be a model for other action films of its genre. The sequel, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, fell flat. The third in the series, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, redeemed the series with a great story and the wonderful addition of Sean Connery as Jones Sr. Crystal Skull? Flat again, never to recover. No, nothing can top the roller coaster thrill ride like that of the one that started it all.

The Hiding Place

The true story of the Ten-Boom family hiding Jews during the Nazi occupation of Holland. An incredibly well filmed movie with a perfect recreation of Corrie Ten Boom's home and Watch Shop. Much care was taken in recreating the events. The most notable scene was the tranfer of the masses into box cars. In the steam of the locomotives, the shadows of the Nazi officials tower like the evil giants they were. Dark, menacing, and fleeting.

Frisco Kid

This is a wonderful, as well as hilarious portrayal of a rabbi in an old west adventure. I would like to compliment the movie in its portrayal of Christians and how they earnestly try to help Avram, though not thoroughly understanding him. The Amish community gave what little they had to Avram Belinski, and "wish it could be more". The monks at the Spanish monastery gave him medical attention, shelter and food. I always think of Genesis 12:3 when I see this movie. Kudos to writers Michael Elias and Frank Shaw for an excellent screenplay.

Band of Brothers

Band of Brothers really gave me an appreciation for our great military. I would recommend reading the book by Stephen Ambrose as well as Biggest Brother to get Major Winter's point of view. I read Parachute Infantry by Kenyon Webster, but it was way to cynical for me. The books really add to the background of the film and greatly added to the enjoyment. My only beef is that the producers did not have enough faith to make it 12 episodes as Tom Hanks originally wanted to film. What is greatly missed is the battle at Noville.
For the Christian brethren reading this review, note that one of the portrayed soldier's Wayne "Skinny" Sisk, had extreme difficulty after the war. Several years after VE day, he wrote Major Winters that his little niece told him that "Jesus could help him" and through her innocent witness, he accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. Later, he became a minister, and went to report in to his Commander in July 15, 1999.
One of my favorite things to do while watching this mini-series is to parallel the movie with the spiritual warfare we endure day after day. My early "cocky" years of being a new soldier in Christ. The struggle to train for war in the early years, the struggle with fear, the victories, the defeats, the tribulations, and even when things are going well there will be issues. If you are a believer, try it next time you pop the DVDs in your player!

Jesus of Nazareth

Jesus of Nazareth is a brilliant portrayal of the gospel narrative. There is a very good separation of Roman, Zealot, upper and lower-class Jews to show the politics and difficulty in those days. The cinematography is stunning, and the acting by Olivier, Powell, Bancroft and Mason are excellent. Several scenes never cease to give me chills. The rebuke at the temple, the mourning of Mary at the cross, and the preaching of John the Baptist. Several scenes almost always choke me up. The mourning in the street asking, "How long, oh Lord?", Mary Magdalene casting down her coins, and the telling of the story of the Prodigal Son to reconcile Peter and Matthew from enemies, to brothers. Now, if you want accuracy, read the Bible. If you want a good idea of how the people were dressed (or armored), what the courtyard of the temple and surroundings looked like, and a general feel for the background politics going on, then watch Jesus of Nazareth as well.

God's and Generals

Did you know that the portrayals in Apollo 13 were criticized because they were drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes? Hello! That is what they did in the early 70s! The same applies with Gods and Generals. Many of the reviews here criticize the spirituality rendered by many of the characters--especially Stonewall Jackson. Hey, that's what they were like! They wore their faith on their sleeve. I love this movie, however, I remove one star for overplaying the soundtrack, repeating film clips of canon fire, and portraying the South in a more favorable light than the North. But aside from all that, a compelling film with rich characters. Also, as always, Duvall portrays Lee FAR better than Sheen in Gettysburg.

Sergeant York

I am so glad Sergeant York has finally been released on DVD in a very beautiful restoration. This gem of a movie will never be remade by Hollywood because it shows the true story of what a true Christian is like. Do they have a squeaky clean past? No. Can their life change drastically with an encounter with God? Yes. Do they struggle with war and killing? Yes. Do they do the right thing? That is their goal. A brilliant portrayal by Gary Cooper. If I had the backing, I would remake it without changing a single word in the script! Below is the actual Alvin York when he married his beloved Gracie Williams.

Saints and Soldiers

When watching this excellent movie, I was reminded of a comment by the real "Shifty" Powers of Easy Company. That if it were not for the war, he and those German soldiers might have been good friends. This same sentiment was brought out, but not overplayed. I must also add that the character development and story were top notch. Over 100 war re-enactors volunteered to participate in the filming. And note that actor Charles Durning is one of the survivors of the Malmedy Massacre that took place on Dec. 17, 1944.

One Night with the King

Great casting. I especially appreciate the early "setting the stage" for Haman regarding Saul's refusal to kill all the Amalekites. The rising attraction of the king toward Esther was believable, and truly, that is hard to accomplish. The sets were very well done, however, there were far to many sweeping shots--it was dizzying and distracting. The entry into the kings hall with the repeated opening of the door was way too overplayed. But all in all, it was a fine retelling of this important story.

Facing the Giants

Facing the Giants requires a Christian perspective to get the full impact. Those that are not Christian will be turned off by some poor acting by those that volunteered their time for the project. Many are actual people from the town where it was filmed.
For me, story is everything in a movie. There are no chase scenes, flashy special effects, violence or the usual Hollywood fodder. Rather, we have a great encounter with how faith and trust can transform the individual's life and direction. Some portions of the film may seem a bit difficult to believe, such as the majority student body transformation. However, having lived in the Jesus People era of the 1970s, I have personal experience in actually seeing this happen. This is the first time in any movie where such an event (documented in Time, Life, and Look) was actually portrayed.