Change Your Image
donald-w-west
Reviews
The Reading Room (2005)
This film has great entertainment value as well as moral value.
James Earl Jones is an exceptional actor and his portrayal in this role is very comforting. I enjoyed this movie very much, for the following reasons: First it shed light on what a "reading room" is or should be about, with its attendant focus on the values of being able to read, study, and clearly articulate one's thoughts. I also liked the gentle pace and ambiance of this well-constructed story and movie production. It reinforced good family values and the qualities which make a man a man and a gentleman. Color and race had little to do with it; his criteria were his genuine love for others and a deep desire to help them prepare for life in every way he could. It is the story of how one man overcame every opposition to his dream and ended up giving a dream to many others who were disadvantaged. This is true godly character and should be a lesson to every one of us. It is a tribute to man's indomitable spirit; don't ever give up on your dream, if it is good and right!
Titanic (1997)
Best documentary
Although this is a fictional account of the event, I feel it is perhaps the best portrayal of life and times of the Titanic era. It is a strong warning against overconfidence in our technical abilities and human pride to solve every problem and prevent disaster. Ignoring iceberg warnings and failure to take precautions, even in matters of the ship's design and number of lifeboats, depict human error as the frequent cause of failure it is. Man's greatness pales in the face of nature and nature's God.
One cannot relate to history without putting a face on it. Kate Winslet's beautiful face (and the others) do the job superbly. Everything about this film is wonderful, including the writing, photography and acting. Instead of dry textbooks, school children should view this, with some precautions against nudity and unnecessarily strong language. I find the story very satisfying, cleverly executed and highly informative. No doubt this will be a perpetual monument to that "unsinkable" ship and all those who died.