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Reviews
For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristiada (2012)
A film that should be seen and discussed
This is a movie about heroes who stood up for freedom – in this case, religious freedom. It's not easy to make a heroic film, but this movie comes reasonably close. There are a few awkward camera movements, and some of the younger actors don't always make the most convincing performances. However, the overall effort is quite moving and convincing. Considering these events actually happened and these are historical figures not fictional characters makes the movie that much more compelling. Some reviewers have argued that the movie is "too Catholic." Considering these were Catholics fighting, eventually, fighting violently, for their freedoms, these criticisms reveal more about the reviewers' prejudices and biases than it does about the film. This is an important, thought-provoking film about freedom that should be seen and discussed.
Quatermass and the Pit (1967)
Intelligent SF/Horror Movie
This is a thoughtful science fiction/horror movie from the 1960s that doesn't insult the intelligence of the viewers. Instead of relying on CGI to enthrall a clueless audience, this movie relies on something rather novel – a real story. Filmed on a budget, this Hammer Film's special effects are good enough to advance the story. Some IMDb reviewers have criticized the film for its "corny" special effects or its "ridiculous" story. They simply don't appreciate the movie's effects in their context. Further, I would disagree that the story is ridiculous. The story unfolds as the characters and viewers discover the secret in Hobbs End. If you don't know what the movie is about, you will enjoy this bit of discovery. Instead of so many contemporary films where the viewer is simply told what happens, as if he or she is slack-jawed imbecile, in Five Million Years to Earth the viewer is part of the discovery process. Finally, the sense of horror builds from a vague sense of unease to a real sense of loathing and fear. I've seen this movie at least a half dozen times and continue to enjoy it as much as the first time.
Valhalla Rising (2009)
Ingmar Bergman Wannabe
This movie is staggeringly awful. It sets new levels in crapulence. There is so little plot development that there are chapter titles to tell you what is about to happen or to move the characters from one place to another place. There is a difference between ambiguous character motivations and poor writing. This film falls squarely into the latter category. Only about half of the movie has any dialogue. Most of the time, the characters are standing around looking at each other, looking at the scenery, killing each other, or, in one poetic scene, one male character rapes another male character (in fact, there are no women in this film). The latter event happens as a result of getting baked on some kind of liquid they drink. This results in a 10-minute, psychedelic, rock music interlude. Plot line, such as it is, revolves around some British Christians taking a pagan, Viking ueber-warrior on a Crusade to the Holy Land. As a professor of history, I could pick at the inaccurate timeline here, but that's the least of this movie's problems. The only consistent message in the movie (so consistent, you'll have lumps on your head from the beating) is that Christians are bad. At least the director's message, in this case, is clear. At the end, we find that the British Christians have managed to land in North America where the one-eyed, pagan, super warrior allows some Iroquois to kill him, or he drowns himself in a fjord – it's not really clear. Of course, that pretty much characterizes the entire movie – it's not really clear. A dwarf talking backwards would have made this film perfect.
Mysterious Island (2005)
I miss my Saturday cartoons
I wanted to watch this movie with my thirteen year old daughter because I remember the 1961 movie so fondly. I don't have high hopes for most movies on the SciFi channel, but I thought this might be one of those bonding moments with my child. After twenty minutes, my daughter wonder away so she could work on her homework -- how boring does a movie have to be for a child to pick homework over watching a movie? This movie reminded me of my childhood. The special effects were almost as good as those on "H.R. Pufnstuf," and the action sequences, especially the pirates were almost as good as "Danger Island" on the "Banana Splits." The 1961 version of this movie is a lot of fun; this one is just painfully boring and tedious.
Shortbus (2006)
Plot less porn
If you like gay porn, this is your movie. The opening sequence with a young man fellating himself sets the tone for the rest of the movie. There is a loose and improbable plot device revolving around a sex therapist in a orgasmless relationship whose clients get her to a sex club. There is an attempt to intertwine various stories ala Guy Ritchie. Mitchell, however, is no Ritchie. The story meanders between failing relationships with gay orgies as the background (this is not judgmental -- the sex scenes in the club tend to be orgies, and the participants tend to be the same sex), interspersed with such bon mottes as vaginal orgasms are impossible -- this from a drag queen. Eventually, the movie comes to an end, apparently because everybody making the movie got tired and went home.