Talk to Me

A Conversation Worth Having
Adam Valen Levinson
Freelance Movie Critic
      Wake up, goddammit!
      The voice of Ralph Waldo "Petey" Greene was a wake-up call to all within reach of his airwaves. He spoke for the unheard, telling it like it is, keeping it real. In the early 1960's, Greene talked hope into the forlorn at Langdon Correctional Facility near the nation's captial, finally talking his way out of jail and into a job at D.C.'s prominent WOL radio station. This voice is materialized by Don Cheedle (Ocean's, Hotel Rwanda), whose every muscle flexes with the soul of a man with something to say.
      Colorful clothes and colorful language adorn the film – Cheedle struts in full regalia of the Zeitgeist, his expletives kept in check by the comically straight-edged Martin Sheen. Dressed like disco kings, Petey and his fellow DJs were the rockstars of their city. Cedric the Entertainer's character Nighthawk (whose appearances were sadly infrequent) explains the public's attraction and his (confusingly short-lived) stardom, saying "it's not me, it's the voice". But stronger and more real than Nighthawk before him, Petey Greene's voice was used to inspire unity — a word found on the armbands of Reverend King's mourners.
      Kasi Lemmons' Talk to Me is in this way similar to Emilio Estevez's Bobby, which tells the story of another uniter, Robert Kennedy. Petey Greene and RFK were two voices that filled the anguished silence after Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination. Nick Cannon's character tells us that "Now that Dr. King is gone, nobody left but Bobby." And he might have been right, had not Petey Greene calmed the uncontrollable rioters on the other side of the continent. During the night of burning cars and broken windows, Greene corralled anyone with a radio into "P-town," the home of Petey's ideals, where the unified and the down-to-earth are welcome. At two in the morning, Peety emerges, reconnected, reunified with his former foes. On his way out, a weeping Martin Sheen reminds us of the broken city outside the station's walls, but the four men left standing together, having once fought with each other in all possible combinations, proves that the capital is not beyond repair.
      The yin to Petey's yang is Dewey Hewes, a dedicated, driven man who was raised in the projects by the voice of Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show. Chiwitel Ejiofor is Cheedle's equal on screen, just as Hughes is an essential force pulling and being pulled by Greene. Hughes says to Greene that "you need me to do things you're afraid to do," and adds, "and I need you to say the things I'm afraid to say." Talk to Me speaks to the scared and unconfident; when a man whose brothers have all ended up in jail takes a chance that might easily land him in the same place, we might learn a little something about putting it all on the line.
Lemmons didn't put it all on the soundtrack, though. We hear snippets of Otis Redding and Sam & Dave, but the film never immerses you in the music Greene plays on the radio. On the other hand, the original soundtrack is written and blown by Terence Blanchard and his trumpet. Blanchard, the most bountiful of jazz film-composers, rose to prominence in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and now offers his mellow, grooving sound to the film.
      The film is most definitely a journey —we travel through time as the characters age and mature. We become deeply involved with Petey and Hughes because Cheedle and Ejiofor's consummate portrayals. The film addresses a somber time with a light touch, bringing out the excitement of this city that has found a voice.
      Petey Greene was D.C.'s glue when it had cracked up in turbulent times. In Cheedle's eyes, we can see the power to realize his dream and pain, when he is pushed away from himself. "Talk to me," he would beckon to an on-air caller, connecting with them like no DJ before or since. Just like that, Lemmons — through Cheedle — will make him talk to you.

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Photo: Petey Greene made WOL his home for more than a decade.
Talk to Me
118 Minutes
Release Date: July 13, 2007

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Missed Mark
Adam Valen Levinson
Freelance Movie Critic
      No, no, no, David Yates. Stop what you're doing — go back and look at what Mike Newell and Alfonso Cuarón did, and check out Chris Columbus too.
      Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is composed almost entirely of the hollow, recyclable elements of the first films, devoid of the parts that made them great. Very little Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), almost no McGonagall (Maggie Smith), no Quidditch... why do we even come anymore?
      Maybe it was just too big a book to swallow. Covering 896 pages in 138 minutes is like making a fifth, tired Pride and Prejudice in under an hour. No, thanks.
      Potterheads and newbies alike will be let down by the lack of characters, with old favorites like Dobby the house elf disappointingly absent. In this superabridged version, explanations are sparse if you've forgotten the story, and all else is in short supply if you remember it.
      Potter 5 often has the same sepulchral feel as Cuarón's third installment, but this time the fear and gloom is replaced by ersatz hormonal emotion. We learn that the boy-wonder and the Dark Lord are metaphysically joined by a prophecy that claims neither Harry nor Voldemort can live while the other survives.
      Because they are so mentally intertwined— Harry and Voldy — Potter practices Occlumency (one of the few moments Alan Rickman has to shine) to learn how to protect his mind from the probing, mind-invading magic of his arch-nemesis. Maybe Yates forgot about it, or maybe there just wasn't enough time, but Occlumency doesn't even merit a montage as Order of the Phoenix moves on to other places for Daniel Radcliffe to grimace.
      Even with all this mystical mediocrity, this Potter has some redeeming qualities. One of them comes in an unremittingly pink package. Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) is sent from the corrupt Ministry of Magic to keep Hogwarts in check. Declaring herself High Inquisitor (nearly Grand Inquisitor), Umbridge drugs students with truth serum, creates an Inquistorial Squad made up of venal students to do her dirty work, and inflicts medieval punishments on dissenters — you know, SOP for a Potter villain with no redeeming qualities. But Staunton brings Umbridge to life, popping the pink from the pages onto the screen, coloring her already striking character with a nauseating giggle.
      The Weasley brothers, Fred and George, are unaffected by the film's general ho-humness, remaining as insouciant as ever. Their magical candy and fireworks provide comic relief for the generally grim film. Also, Yates does not shy away from using the duo in witty (maybe by British standards?) double-entendre. When the boys finally use magic at home, Mrs. Weasley gives us this gem: "Just because you're allowed to use magic now doesn't mean you're allowed to whip your wands out for everything!" Just wonderful.
      So, this tome didn't translate into film as well as the others. Maybe it was the translator, but Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix loses the magic that readers find so captivating. For now, wait for number six and don't let any black cats turn their back on you — it could be Maggie Smith finding better things to do.

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Photo: I know, Daniel, I'm bored too.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
138 Minutes
Release Date: July 11, 2007

Live Free or Die Hard

A Quadrilogy Worth Your Time
Adam Valen Levinson
Freelance Movie Critic
      Yippie-kay-ay, John McClane's back.
      It's been twelve years, but Bruce Willis has returned as the hard-lined (slightly wrinkled) cop from New York. This time, he and super-hacker Justin Long (who seems typecast from the Apple commercials) team up to shut down a virtual "fire sale" — a computer attack designed to dismantle every element of the United States government, triggering chaos, panic and big, big explosions.
      Awesome.
      Willis' brawn and gun-toting know-how are everything Long's character, Matt Farrell doesn't have in his arsenal. If you're ever tired by how calm McClane is as the world crumbles around him, just watch Farrell have kittens for a few moments. But who wouldn't? We must put our suspension of disbelief to good use in order to accept that McClane and others haven't died dozens of times by the end credits. Bad guy-accomplice and high-kicking fox Mai Lihn (Maggie Q) is sandwiched between a fast SUV and an unforgiving concrete wall, yet remains just as unkillable as before.
      Luckily, McClane is equally resilient. Wipe the blood off and move on — there are too many bad guys to kill and not enough time to kill them. His unkillability and his steadfast dedication to justice help him begin to fix his relationship with his daughter Lucy (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), who had adopted her mother's maiden name.
      The movie isn't pretentious, and neither are its stars. On the Daily Show for pre-release publicity, Willis presented some of his failed proposals for the film's title: Just Start Blasting Anything That Moves and Just Can't Kill Him, Just Can't Blow Him Up. He also said he has "low expectations," for his films' reviews. But while his titles fit perfectly, there is something refreshing in an action movie that claims to be nothing else. So for this movie that is set during the Independence Day weekend, grab your holiday patriotism and go watch Willis blow things up without any signifying.
      Yet, if you choose to think about it, something in Die Hard 4 is a tad frustrating. For most of the movie, the villain's motives are entirely unclear. Thomas Gabriel (Timothy Olyphant), a programmer once fired and destroyed by the government, is back for revenge. Okay, but why take D.C. hostage? He finally rationalizes, saying that the country would be better off — he's doing us a favor by showing how vulnerable we are. It might have been a make-you-think moment, but by this point all your thinking neurons have probably been fried by Mr. Gabriel's pyrotechnics.
      But maybe, is a message in Die Hard. Do we rely too much on technology? Have we lost touch with ourselves and the country? Dude, who cares, there's an F-15 on the highway.

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Photo:                                   Matt Farrell: You just killed a helicopter with your car!
                                  John McClane: I was out of bullets.
Live Free or Die Hard
130 Minutes
Release Date: June 27, 2007

It's been a while, but I'm back writing for the summer. Let me know if there are any particular reviews you've been craving or give me your worst about my newest critiques.
Thanks for checking in ~

Cars

Car Crash
Adam Valen Levinson
Freelance Movie Critic
      I tried to like it, I really did. But it just didn’t work.
      From Pixar Animations, the Oscar-decorated company responsible for the Toy Stories, Finding Nemo, A Bug’s Life, Monsters, Inc. and The Incredibles, comes a film that will not stand the test of time.
      Not even 96 minutes.
      After about half an hour, the film begins to run out of gas, abandoning the childish exuberance of the opening scene for a more serious, but still transparently clichéd, story line. The novelty of anthropomorphized cars wears off for the movie-goers too old to care about the backs of Rice Krispies boxes as the dangerously mature plot kicks in. Alas, it gives me great sorrow to report that Cars will miss every audience.
      Lightning McQueen, an arrogant race car voiced by Owen Wilson, is on a quest to become the first rookie ever to win the Piston Cup. Needing to get to California for the big race, Lightning runs into trouble, and wreaks havoc in the time-forgotten town of Radiator Springs. For the film’s rising action, the town court orders him to fix their road before he is set free, a task McQueen considers unsuitable for a race car of his celebrity. But as time wears on, he gets to know the cars from “hillbilly hell,” develops as a person, and does many other things the target audience just won’t care about. The kids who want fast cars just want fast cars and bright colors, not a story about the prise de conscience of a red, computer animated automobile. And their parents won’t be able to breathe through the unceasing waves of platitude.
      Cars’ seven writing credits is a trademark of mediocrity at its worst: a script written by committee is destined for the shredder – or, apparently, theaters nationwide. The predictable story is as common as a left turn in a NASCAR race. And while hackneyed repetition can still be entertaining for a younger audience, automotive love interests cannot.
      Yet, amidst all this scrap metal, there is still the faint glimmer of creativity. Beginning with imposing human facial features on cars, the Pixar team continues to impress. Each frame has a vibrancy, each scene a bounce, that few other companies can match. Little things, like the Ferrari-obsessed, Italian tire shop owners, are still funny. And when the race car learns “cow tipping” means tipping over stupid tractors, even the sound asleep may chuckle.
      Today is a sad day for animation; has it all been done? Have our culture and film industry run out of ideas? In the Year of the Sequel, Cars seemed potentially fresh and buoyant. But no, it was stale and sank. Perhaps, Pixar will rekindle their creative fires. Until then, your kids would be better entertained with the back of the Rice Krispies box.

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Cars
96 (Painful) Minutes
Release Date: June 9, 2006

A Prairie Home Companion

Video Blessed the Radio Star
Adam Valen Levinson
Freelance Movie Critic
      In a semi-fictional depiction of A Prairie Home Companion’s swan song, Garrison Keillor brings his golden voice to the silver screen. This 105-minute delight skillfully translates the radio show’s amalgam of spoken and sung word into cinema, assigning most of the major roles to Hollywood stars. But this is no ordinary Prairie Home Companion. In the movie, the big company is giving the show the axe (never fear, out of the theater the show goes on) unless a mysterious stranger can alter its fate.
      Even as a radio show, A Prairie Home Companion is not afforded the usual informalities (though Keillor does wear red sneakers): each week’s live audience makes the show as much a performance as it is a broadcast. On screen, its Prairie Homeness is squared, or at least doubled, as we are given a front row seat both in front of and behind the curtain. Once there, we see the show as it sees itself: characters are offstage exactly as they are on it. Guy Noir (Kevin Kline), the immortal Film Noir stereotype, speaks to himself with the same overcooked similes he uses during his segments on radio, caricaturing every trait of the fedora-sporting black-and-white leading men of the Double Indemnity era. And GK tells as many stories to his colleagues as he does to the audience, always reminiscing (and altering) how he got into radio.
      A generous portion of the movie is dedicated to the varying species of folk music that characterize this Minnesota Public Radio export. Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin, both actresses worth their weight in Academy Awards, play the Johnson Sisters, who sing surprisingly well together. Dusty (John C. Reilly) and Lefty (Woody Harrelson) entertain as the accused vulgarian guitarists, constantly being scolded for their choice of material (“I’ll show you my moonshine if you show me your Jugs”). And Lindsay Lohan, playing Streep’s daughter, steps out of her knee-deep puddle of teenage angst to join in the heart warmth.
      The show’s sometimes offbeat, sometimes sincere, anachronistically-sponsored, Scandanavian-stereotyping style is presented undiluted in this hilarious movie. With slapstick (watch Kline’s fingers), another dimension is added to the already rich comedy. Director Robert Altman (Nashville) makes use of his medium, serenading both the eyes and the ears. Yes, Prairie Home is “radio like you’ve never seen it before”.
      For lovers of the show, this is a must-see. For those who have never been taken to Lake Wobegon, where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average, it is the perfect foray into parts of imaginary Minnesota you never thought you’d see.

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Photo (from left): Keillor, Streep, Lohan

A Prairie Home Companion
105 Minutes
Release Date: June 9, 2006

Ha Kala Ha-Surit (The Syrian Bride)

A Woman in No Man’s Land
Adam Valen Levinson
Freelance Movie Critic
      Sometimes, an international, cross-cultural wedding in the Middle East isn’t easy.
            A Syrian television star falls in love with the picture of a Druze woman he has never met, and they are set to be married. This is the setting for Eran Riklis’ The Syrian Bride, a skillfully crafted, moving film that addresses life’s many borders, and the many hinderances in crossing them.
      Often, the Druze living in the Golan Heights consider themselves Syrian, and refuse Israeli citizenship. For this reason, the passports seen in the film announce “undefined” where a nationality should be. Officially, these are a people without identity. For Mona, the beautiful Druze bride, the marriage will redefine her as a Syrian: once she crosses the Israeli-Syrian border, she will legally never be able to return. But first, she must cross her own emotional borders.
      Riklis tells a story of people doing what is forbidden and determining for themselves what is right. When social pressures theater to destroy a wounded family, only its members’ internal conscience can heal it. The marriage ceremony, to take place at the the border, is marred by logistical troubles, as well as emotional. The Syrian Bride finds her self in a literal and symbolic limbo, with a life-changing choice at hand.
      And her story is not unique. Even though we are constantly reminded of our setting with intermittent shots of the gorgeous Jerusalem landscape, the quinitilingual dialogue suggests that cultural isolation can happen anywhere. But where there is separation, there is fellowship. After nearly a decade, a father and son who have not spoken are reunited by the departure of a shared loved one
      The two main gems of the film are actresses Hiam Abbass (Paradise Now, Munich), who plays the sorrowfully strong Amal, and Clara Khoury who incarnates Mona with a face that holds both life and suffering. The Syrian Bride shows us characters whose mixed emotions resonate in harmony with the real world. Often, the Cinemascope (2.66:1 aspect ratio) image captures the face of the brilliant Khoury, turned back over shoulder, her gaze diametrically opposed to her feet.
      This smart, allegorical picture depicts many intricately interconnected people, symbolizing the many borders that have been crossed. Simultaneously, cultural regulations illustrate the hurdles that have yet to be overcome. In Syria, Israel, or the United States. the struggle between tradition and emotion is never-ending.

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Ha Kala Ha-Surit (The Syrian Bride)
87 Minutes
Release Date (Israel): December 2, 2004; DVD: June 6, 2006

Banlieu 13

Imported Awesome
Adam Valen Levinson
Freelance Movie Critic
      Say bonjour to two bad-ass Frenchmen who fight like Asians and shoot like Americans. Or so we thought. The national boundaries that used to define action styles have been crossed. In Banlieu 13 (District 13), a politically charged story fuels the heart-pounding action that will make you shout Encore! for more of its spark and (French?) style.
      We find ourselves in 2010 Paris, where the problematic B-13 is walled off from the rest of society (along with other delinquent districts). Schools, businesses and the one police station are closing down, apparently leaving only ruthless mobsters and supernatural street fighters. For the action, the grungy, derelict surroundings are a perfect jumping off point... literally. Our homegrown hero, Leito, jumps catlike from rooftop to rooftop, over cars and out windows like a sort of urban Tarzan. The other hero, a cop who likes to fly solo, is equally impressive. When a “clean bomb” (a small neutron bomb that leaves almost no radiation) falls into the wrong hands, Damien must partner up with Leito to find his way around the neighborhood France forgot.
      Each fight scene is marvelously crafted, from the opening chase to the dramatic finale. With less of the useless gore that sometimes besmirches the cleanliness of a good action film (aside from the “knee guillotine” move, hinting at French Revolution, which is pretty cool), B-13 allows you to focus on the quality of the combat. While this may not be nationalist propaganda, the French portrayed here do not surrender – they fight to the death in sequences that combine the mind-boggling acrobatic violence of Ong-Bak with the magazine-emptying fury of Scarface.
      At the same time, the film takes well-aimed shots at both out-of-touch, classist governments and France protesting methods. At one point, Damien asks Leito if he thinks “torching cars” will solve the country’s problems. Leito shrugs.
      The cop and the civilian, while both struggling to uphold France’s liberté, egalité, fraternité, have different methods – the former carries out carefully researched missions, while the latter improvises. Yet, in both cases, their foes are marked with a short life expectancy.
      This is one action movie you’d better not miss. This French film came all the way across the Atlantic to show us Americans how to make something both entertaining and original. The hip hop soundtrack provides a pulsing heartbeat while the near-future setting gives us simultaneously the sense of relevance and novelty. B-13 gets an A.

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Photo: Leito exhibits his bad assery

Banlieu 13 (District 13)
85 Minutes
Release Date (France): November 10, 2004; (USA): June 2, 2006

X-Men: The Last Stand

Last Stand Stands Up
Adam Valen Levinson
Freelance Movie Critic
      Simple algebra: X3 is one X more than X2, which is in turn X more than X1. In other words, X-Men: The Last Stand is three times X-ier than the original.
      What does this mean? For starters, more mutants. The range of imaginative, comic book powers is enormous, from the incredible note-taking skills of one student to the awesome, all-encompassing power of the Phoenix. At times, it is overwhelming to have hundreds of mutants showing off their powers, but X3 aims to amaze, and it hits its mark.
      In addition, the same comic book-style dialogue present in the first two installments is loud and clear in this one. Apparently, along with the “x-gene” that provokes the fantastical mutations comes a profundity gene that provokes predictable conversation. Imagine any statement of urgency. Now, repeat it and change some pronouns around (“It’s what we want.” “No, it’s what you want.”). You’ve written the screenplay. But if you don’t let it get to you, it’s not only hilarious, it works. The fanciful, imaginative style of the X-Men franchise is one that is deliberately overdone in a way that is bold and exciting, and more importantly – fun.
      With San Francisco as a backdrop, the self-titled homo superiors take on the military in this final (would they really stop after making almost half a billion with two films?) chapter. The “old friends” compete once again, this time for the partnership of the telekinetic psychic, Dr. Jean Gray. If the cliffhanger in X2 didn’t give it away, the previews for Last Stand did: she’s back. When the government develops a “cure” that will rid mutants of their unique abilities, Magneto (Ian McKellen) unites a band of outcasts that will inspire tolerance by exterminating homo sapiens. A Holocaust survivor attempting to clear space for a master race? Perfect!
      The X-Men must come to terms with their mutantness while genocide (in both directions) threatens to destroy the world. Like the prequels, there are love triangles that strain the characters’ bonds, even among the most noble freaks; X3 manages to hold its ground on an emotional and moral as well as visual level. Thanks to the Phoenix, the story line creates a door to an uncharted territory where normal physical laws do not apply.
      My advice: don’t think too hard (“how can Wolverine move his wrists with his claws retracted?”), it takes away from the adolescent exuberance that makes Marvel movies as exciting as the comic books they come from. Sometimes, as with Spiderman and The Hulk, the movies took themselves too seriously, so the audience did too, looking for the traits that typically make “good” movies. But X-Men 3 has evolved – a movie that can be simultaneously deep, intense and downright silly.
      With Wolverine, a spin-off of the films, starring X-Men’s Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), The Last Stand is certainly not the last we will see of these lovably destructive characters.

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X-Men: The Last Stand
104 Minutes
Release Date: May 26, 2006

Over the Hedge

Over the Hedge, Under the Bar
Adam Valen Levinson
Freelance Movie Critic
      In the rapid-fire, caffeine-fueled, ADD style of the modern animated movie, Over the Hedge presents a well put together, but disappointingly lightweight flick about foraging animals trying to survive when suburbia destroys most of their natural habitat.
      While it may not have the zazz and cleverness that made chaperoning adults enjoy Shrek and Finding Nemo, Over the Hedge will surely be child-pleasing. Yes, it follows the multi-million dollar recipe — boy (raccoon) in trouble, boy finds help, boy abuses help, boy regrets abuse, bear chases boy — but its bright colors and silly dialogue will keep the wee ones in stitches. As usual, the adorable animals are under attack by the evil, Botoxed humans who epitomize the bane of Ecologists’ existence. Unfortunately, the movie’s feeble attempt at social commentary consists of a few lines spoken as if their solemn tone would squeeze out a few drops of profundity.
      Even the obligatory Citizen Kane, and A Streetcar Named Desire references seem forced and out of place. However, they did inexplicably get laughs from the children. While the animals leap over the hedge, the jokes remain unable to get over anyone’s head. I didn’t understand what a gasped “Rosebud” would mean to the four year-old behind me, but perhaps it was funny coming from a possum. Or perhaps it was a very, very sophisticated four year-old. If so, I learned a lesson that Tim Johnson and Karey Kirkpatrick (directors) should have learned years ago: never underestimate your audience. Sure, a few “nuts” jokes can be funny, especially coming from a hyperactive fox with the voice of The 40 Year Old Virgin’s Steve Carell, but as they say in Hollywood, “if it’s not funny coming from a squirrel, it’s just not funny”. If that was their best attempt to attract the older portion of the demographic, they might need to take a few more classes at Clever Euphemism School.
      The recent advances in computer animation have enabled a great development in one of the main elements of children’s movies: cuteness. Dreamworks’ animation is top notch, with each hair on the fuzzy little creatures’ heads looking real enough to pet, and fantastical enough to not trigger your allergies.
      If you are childless, and cannot gain pleasure from seeing the enjoyment of children, life is too short to see this movie. If you are not in that category, I strongly suggest you add your ten dollars to the funds for the almost inevitable sequel.

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Photo: the conniving raccoon, RJ (Bruce Willis) and Carell’s fox Hammy acting a rabid squirrel

Over the Hedge
83 Minutes
Release Date: May 19, 2006

Best Films of 2005

Popcorn Picks: The Top Eleven Films of 2005
Adam Valen Levinson
Freelance Movie Critic
        If you take the time to sift through the bottomless landfill that was the 2005 movie season, you will find that there were, in fact, a handful of deserving films. Deserving, of course, means worthy of a spot on this year’s prestigious Top 11, where musicals, documentaries, comedies, dramas and junk can finally coexist.
  1. Crash* is amazing. It documents a day in the lives of a dozen ethnically and spiritually diverse Los Angelans, exploiting the ensemble cast to present each character’s story as equally important. Soul-stirring and provocative, Crash forces us to collide with our stereotypes, to confront them in the hopes that they may change. As Don Cheadle says in the opening narrative, “we crash into each other just so we can feel something”. This film is the collision that can break through to our cores, stare us straight in the soul and say “hey you, wake up.”
  2. Lord of War was both powerful and funny, examining with an eagle eye the corruption of international arms dealing. Writer-director Andrew Niccol shows us the world from both a personal and a detached perspective, forcing us to examine our own reactions to the tragedies on screen. Nicolas Cage, in one of his greatest performances, narrates his twisted rags-to-riches story amidst a plethora of artillery, “merchandise”, and unspeakable violence. A perfect pair with Syriana, Lord of War shows us the deceit that holds our world together, one bullet at a time.
  3. As an astute movie critic mentioned in June, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith was like the George Washington Bridge, providing a link between the New Jersey-like garbage of the two prequels and the New York-esque awesomeness of the original trilogy. Special effects are more than special in the epic saga that has become such a favorite piece of Americana. We will always remember that long time ago in a galaxy far, far away that touched all of our hearts.
  4. Wedding Crashers was this year’s best comedy, starring Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn as womanizing impostors who unfailingly become the centers of attention at dozens of springtime weddings. An unapologetically raunchy romp, the movie uses both the terrifyingly creepy and the brilliantly bizarre to knock you off your seat in a fit of R-rated giggles. Witty and original, Wedding Crashers never ceases to be painfully funny, till the credits do us part.
  5. George Clooney’s Good Night, and Good Luck is a clever presentation of the CBS reporter Edward R. Murrow’s battle against Joe McCarthy during his fearmongering Red Scare in the 1950’s. Mixed with real footage of the senator, the black and white Good Night shows us an America plagued by paranoia and cured by good journalism. Perfectly timed to mirror today’s own political dishonesty, the film and its message do not beat around the bush.
  6. Mel Brooks’ The Producers leaves you without any sides left to split. Anyone who does not think it’s better than the original should refrain from attending movies, for fear of breaking his plastic hip. Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick fill their characters with the perfect amounts of insanity, absurdity and vibrance that made the original so... original. With new songs from the musical, and Will Ferrell as a neo-Nazi playwright, Producers will have you singing along with the Führer ‘til the curtain drops.
  7. In the aftermath of the slaughter of eleven Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics, a son of a hero is chosen to strike back. With a newborn daughter at home, Avner, played by The Hulk’s Eric Bana, risks everything to carry out his country’s vendetta. Controversially portraying the Israeli government as manipulative and self-righteous, Munich still tells a thrilling story of a man’s journey between hunter and hunted – between nobody and somebody. With its unhesitatingly gory style, Munich is a gripping look at murder and revenge, asking us to draw our own line between what is wrong and what seems right.
  8. The fourth installment in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was finally frightening enough to keep unaccompanied 12 year-olds out of the theater. The magical world of Hogwarts is in even more danger with You-Know-Who’s return to the corporeal. Braving even more adolescent squabbles, Harry must survive the prestigious Tri-Wizard tournament in order to make the next three sequels. Goblet of Fire is clearly the cream of the Harry Potter crop.
  9. Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson is back with his larger-than-life King Kong, a three hour long journey that is both exhilarating and heart-warming, and always a little bit funny. At times, the dizzying chases through the uncharted forests of Skull Island seem to be a curious blend of Apocalypse Now and The Land Before Time, but with the cast dropping like flies, and giant flies dropping like rocks, Kong glues you to your seat. In the era of the remake, Jackson has managed to make one that brings a new chest-pounding zazz to the original, making Kong this year’s best film starring a giant primate.
  10. Now on the silver screen, Rent presents the New York stage’s poignantly raw rock-musical in a clearer, more illustrative way than Broadway ever could. Close to 5,256,000 minutes after the show’s debut, the entire original cast is back, replacing only Mimi with the mind-numbingly perfect Rosario Dawson. The film breathes new life into the late Jonathan Larson’s fiery vision, captured in this heartwarming gem in a way that will make you laugh, cry, and perhaps measure your years a little differently.
  11. The Aristocrats documents the funniest, most offensive, and downright wrongest joke in existence, as told by dozens of today’s top comedians. In Philadelphia, Aristocrats managed to merit a No-Admittance-Under-18 policy, a stricter rating than anything the MPAA has to offer. To be released in January, the DVD will allow even pre-schoolers to laugh at comedians like Hank Azaria’s depiction of *** ** **** dog ***** **** ***** **** daughter ****** ***** ear ****** ** ******* *** oatmeal.

* Officially released in September, 2004 at the Toronto Film Festival. However, Canada is insignificant, and the movie was released in the civilized world in 2005.

Written January 7, 2006 for the Friends' Central Focus

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Awesome
Adam Valen Levinson
Freelance Movie Critic
      With more poise and hair than ever before, the three British teenage wizards are back in the fourth installment of the Harry Potter series. As expected, The Goblet of Fireone-ups its prequel with more magic, more violence, and just a touch more romance. Scene after scene, we are bombarded with the terrifying and the spectacular in a movie that accentuates both triumph and tragedy. At a rate of approximately five pages per minute, the film flies by in a flash of epic, breath-taking flair.
      Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire tells the story of Harry’s fourth year in school, where he once again battles bad dreams and daunting challenges on his way to the credits. This year, Hogwarts has been selected as the host for the Tri-Wizard Tournament, where a chosen student from schools in Bulgaria and France join the Hogwarts champion in three tests of courage, ingenuity and magical aptitude. Harry, while officially three years too young to enter, is chosen as Hogwarts’ second representative. After the French entrant surrenders (surprise, surprise), and the Bulgarian is cursed, Harry must compete against his friend and schoolmate for the glorious title, Tri-Wizard Champion. From a breathless aerial chase among the school’s spires to a breath-stopping underwater rescue, The Goblet of Fire leaves us panting. And with a good portion of the cast trying to kill him, Harry is tested more than ever before by the ensuing trials.
      Mona Lisa Smile director Mike Newell allows the series its first PG-13 rating, letting audiences know that the squeaky voices of the earlier films will be abandoned for a good two and a half hours of hearty supernatural chaos. Do not refrain from parting with your eight dollars, however, because of the bloodshed and frightening images that may have kept your children home with the sitter. While the love-struck teen on my right quivered at Harry’s every appearance, and cried at his every torment, the more aged audience members (say, above 17) could enjoy a less superficial, more meaningful film than the first three. The new Harry Potter lets us delve even deeper into labyrinthian intricacy, allowing the cleverly organized world of Hogwarts to create suspense and tension even for those who know the story.
      The Goblet of Fire shows us even more of our heroes’ romantic, emotional sides than the prequels. Friendships are strained and tested under the weight of new emotional challenges. Rowling’s characters deal with honesty and trust like any teenagers would, but in the end, the movie presents a clear lesson about moral fiber. As the ever-perfect protagonist, Harry lets us know where our priorities should lie on the shifting scale of fame and friendship. For this, Harry is rewarded for his outstanding demonstration of “moral fiber”. Mr. Newell’s fibers come in all colors, as he leaves no ethnic stone unturned in casting dates for the Hogwarts ball.
      In short, this is a great movie for those who have never seen a Harry Potter before. The book’s compacted story presents itself clearly and imaginatively, letting a movie-goer enjoy the film without having to do any “reading”. A breakthrough in the cinema of fantasy, The Goblet of Fire is nothing short of magical.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
157 Minutes
Release Date: November 18, 2005

Written November 19, 2005 for the Friends' Central Focus

Religion in Cinema

Blue Collar, White Collar, Clerical Collar
The Appeal of Religious Movies
Adam Valen Levinson
Freelance Movie Critic
     CRUCIFIXION. Jesus. Buddha. Keanu Reeves. It seems these few words have caught your attention, and our multicultural friends in Hollywood know exactly why. What is it that shapes society as we know it? What finds its way into every field of entertainment, sports, science and politics? What institution contains the most recognizable figures in the entire universe? If you said religion, you gain ten karma points. The film industry knows how universally two-hour installments of good feeling are accepted, and how “documentation” of a sect’s favorite deity will be swallowed whole. But religious movies are not solely serious. See, the movie business caters to what its viewers know, and for 90 % of the United States, that knowledge includes beliefs, prayers, and legendary stories.
      The most religiously saturated, and often most controversial religious films are the epics, most recently 2004’s The Passion of the Christ. The Passion deals with Christ’s last day in an unoriginal way, but still manages to reach out to a huge portion of the world. Even in Arabic countries where the prevalent religion is different from that of the Gibson film, meaning is found (even if it is communal anti-semitism). Even though the story is one almost every viewer would know, most are still captivated and touched. Even though similar movies have been made over and over in the past, a stunning $610 million was soaked up at theaters near you. Supposedly, we can see our hero’s suffering, and so be made closer to our faith. These movies let us visualize the stories we may have been told from infancy, and in projecting giant Jesuses onto giant screens, religion begins to take tangible form.
      Another epic, made forty eight years earlier (note: this is Jesus’ age at death plus fifteen) tells the story of Moses and his deliverance of the Jews to freedom. I am speaking of course of Cecil B. Demille’s The Ten Commandments. This is 1.3 % of America’s Passion, showing a tale of self-understanding and justice in a huge and spectacular way. It is with these grand gestures and 220 minutes of Bar Mitzvah-worthy stories that Charleton Heston (Moses) and his staff blazed the path for every epic ever made. These movies insight within us a feeling of excitement and pride. One might expect Heston to descend Sinai carrying a rifle and the second amendment, but after seeing him proudly holding the ten commandments it is easy to feel exhilarated, even if you did do some coveting the night before. These epics are designed to strengthen the viewers’ faith, or at least summarize seven years of Hebrew/Sunday school in four hours.
      However, Moses cannot climb Mount Sinai everyday and Jesus must take a break from the cross, so religion in movies often takes the form of comedy. There is something enticing about treating what some find a serious topic in a lighthearted way, something that lets us explore faith and religion without being grabbed at by conscience-shaking epics. Unquestionably the best religious comedy ever made is Dogma. Being a comedy, Dogma can address subjects that would be seen to be too touchy or controversial in purely serious films. For example, director Kevin Smith answered the untouchable question, what does God look like? with Alanis Morissette. In this movie, serious postulates can be masked with jokes, but Dogma can still leave you wondering if that really is how it all works without offending anyone (with a sense of humor). Another easy to watch God-filled movie is Keeping the Faith, about a best friend rabbi and priest and their relations with a female childhood friend. Keeping the Faith attempts to make a sappy moral statement, that people of all religions can get along, without being sappy. When the priest walks into the bar at the beginning of the film, you might wonder if it’s a joke, but by the end the true meaning is visible. Had the film been serious and ordered its viewers to GET ALONG!, it would have been a flop. The Comedy has the ability to make people see everything in a different light. Almost misleadingly, like South Park or Huck Finn, these movies pull us in with jokes and when we least expect it, we’re hit with something meaningful.
      Satire is another approach that lets an audience laugh at their own surroundings. The movie Saved makes fun of fanatical Catholic society by caricaturing Mandy Moore as a bible-toting, anti-Semitic student who plans to rid sin from her school. As the movie takes its course, we begin to see that the sinner is Moore herself, and her lack of tolerance eventually leads to her own lack of acceptance. Lines like “I crashed my van into Jesus!” make a serious social commentary hilarious. In this way, an unwelcoming, intolerant person could leave the theater laughing, but realize two hours later that they were laughing at themselves.
      Being in America, most of us are only exposed to Judeo-Christian movies, but there are others. Little Buddha, starring Keanu Reeves, shows parallels between the life of a little American boy, and that of Prince Siddhartha himself. Little Buddha is a welcome change of pace from other religious films as it somewhat explains Buddhism as a whole, instead of exclusively telling a story. Unlike the epics, it is not grandiose with majestic movie music, and unlike a comedy, it is not truly funny. But as we watch Reeves become totally, like, enlightened we are educated and shown new ways to live.
      Sometimes religion in the cinema is neither funny nor straightforward. Sometimes it comes in horror form like The Exorcist and sometimes it comes as a musical like Jesus Christ Superstar, but no matter what genre, religious films aim to make a statement that can be understood in all corners of the world.

Written September 16, 2005 for the Friends' Central Focus

Star Wars Episode Three: Revenge of the Sith

Episode III: Return of the Awesome
Adam Valen Levinson
Freelance Movie Critic

      After exactly 28 years to the day, the Star Wars sextet has concluded – finished, or rather middled, by its prize sixth. As the Star Wars fan struggles to explain where in the storyline these 144 minutes fit, George Lucas chuckles with glee, resting in his mansion, presumably counting money. Simply put: this sixth-released installment is actually the third chronologically. The last in the first trilogy, released years after the second trilogy, III: Revenge of the Sith finally fills all the gaps in the epic saga’s story. According to Lucas, this will be the last Star Wars film ever made. Reportedly, Lucas will be building a spaceship with the double trilogy’s gargantuan gross, to spend his remaining years on the planet Naboo. He does deserve it, though, despite popular opinion. Lucasfilm, his self titled company, has created six movies spanning over fourteen hours that have brought excitement and joy to life forms across the galaxy.
      Around 11:30, upon arrival at the theater, I found the parking lot surprisingly full. They were playing the movie in all ten theaters, each one packed with fans of all ages. While most seemed between the ages of twenty and thirty, there were exceptions, like the tiny, Yoda-sized little girl who refused to talk to me. Unfortunately, there were no appearances by Wookies or Darth Vaders. There was, however, one man in a Star Trek uniform, who was immediately pummeled by the audience.
      The film was slow to start as our theater was sill dark even after others began buzzing with the sounds of coming attractions. In time, though, the preview reel began, and with the patience of a jedi master, I waited. Then, after almost losing hope, the unmistakable Star Wars music began, and the audience erupted into the nerdiest cheer imaginable. For the last first time, I watched as the yellow letters drifted towards the invisible horizon. Surely an emotional moment for all in attendance, these thirty seconds forced thousands of people, in a benevolent plea for literacy, to read.
      Unlike the other five episodes, Revenge of the Sith did not waste any time drifting in black space after the introduction. Instead, we are immediately thrown into a fire laser-filled battle. Anakin, played by Hayden Christensen, and Obi Wan, played by Ewan McGreggor, lead the fight of the republic against the evil forces of the Sith. From the start, Anakin, dressed always in black, seems to be more powerful than his master. The opening minutes are heart-racing, moving quickly through the well-written plot. We see what becomes of some old powers from Episode II, and are introduced to new, and even weirder evils.
      Later, we see how relationships in the original trilogy were formed. As Yoda says, “good relations with the Wookies, I have.” Here, he calls on Chewbacca and his planet for help, letting them demonstrate their incredible strength and supreme hairiness. Also, we see Chancellor Palpatine’s rapid transformation into the Emperor Palpatine we all know from Episodes IV-V, as he gains control over the newly christened Darth Vader. Anakin, overwhelmed with prophetic visions, pledges to be Palpatine’s apprentice, if the Chancellor will teach him the ways of the dark side of the force. His fear of losing loved ones is so strong, he becomes will to murder anyone and everyone with whom he bears no connection. As Vader embarks on his “crusade” of sorts, he walks over the cross-patterned tiling of the Congress Building. With newly evil Storm Troopers behind him, he sets out his missions to kill, foreshadowing his future life as a glamorized hit man.
      With Anakin, who seemed so virtuous earlier in the film, as a shriveled old man’s private assassin, the movie takes a turn for the tragic. Because Episodes I and II are, for the most part, lighter and happier, and because the original trilogy begins with only one jedi, this missing piece has to connect all the dots. This is what makes this movie so much better than the preceding two. Lucas is not afraid to show tragedy, but still manages to give the trilogy’s end a positive feeling. Knowing what will become of each character, an element of suspense is lost. However the movie is good enough to make you nervous even with a known outcome. If you have not seen Episodes I and II, I wouldn’t recommend seeing this yet. However, seeing it without seeing the later episodes might make the whole thing a little more enthralling. In fact, it might add a layer of surprise and intrigue even the most diehard Star Wars crazy could never imagine.
      The sextet climaxes with two simultaneous battles, one between two young jedi, and the other between two seasoned veterans. As Vader takes on Obi Wan in a river of molten lava, Yoda battles with Darth Sidious (Chancellor Palpatine) in the room of the Senate, ironically using the very building in which he claims to make peace for war. Meanwhile, Obi Wan and Anakin fight across shaky metal structures suspended over lava in a Lord of the Rings-esque battle. Episode Three has what the first two prequels lacked: the voice of James Earl Jones. Like the cherry atop the computer generated ice cream, Mr. Jones adds the finishing touch.
      It seems, every American has an opinion about Star Wars. Either you reject them, saying you “don’t like that kind of stuff”, or you anticipate them, waiting patiently for the next release. Just like many practicing Christians’ desire to attend The Passion of the Christ, many Americans feel there is almost an unspoken rule that without a decent excuse, attending Star Wars is mandatory, if not only for its value as priceless Americana. Mike Dohrmann [classmate], who I stumbled into waiting for popcorn, told me he had always liked Star Wars because “jedi powers are exhilarating”, then adding “I’ve always identified with Emperor Palpatine”. Everyone has their favorite parts or favorite characters. I even asked the concessions manager what drew her to the theater at midnight. She replied simply, “your total is $4.25”. For those of you who dislike these films, I cannot imagine why you read this far; for those of you who do, there are a few key things you should look and listen for: First, watch R2D2 carefully–he has more up his sleeves than an Ewok in the forests of Endor. Second, listen attentively to Yoda, his speeches just might change your life. Third, wait for the quadrouple-light saber-wielding robot with a cold and heartburn. Fourth, enjoy; this episode is arguably the best of the six, as it combines the symbolism and plot devices of the old trilogy, with the mind-melting special effects of the new. Anyone who misses this movie is truly missing out on one of the greater film experiences in recent memory. Go now, and fulfill your destiny...

Star Wars Episode Three: Revenge of the Sith
140 Minutes
Release Date: May 19, 2005

Written May 21, 2005 for the Friends' Central Focus

Best Films of 2004

The Top Eleven Movies of 2004
Adam Valen Levinson
Freelance Movie Critc

        From Mongolian classics like The Story of the Weeping Camel to documentaries about eating McDonald’s sludge, 2004 was packed with some truly fantastic movies that made us laugh, cry, and cover our children’s eyes. So here they are, the best eleven (and the worst one) films of this calendar year:
  1. Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind. Dragged into this movie by my cinematically outgoing family, I had expected to be bored and confused to the point of delirium. I left believing I had seen, in my humble opinion, the year’s best movie. In a film about having memories erased from your mind intentionally, Jim Carrey and his character Joel Barish are nothing short of memorable. As each memory is erased, we watch as time passes backwards and as Barish’s unconscious realizes he still loves the woman who is so rapidly escaping from his psyche. Eternal Sunshine has the uncanny ability to make each deteriorating memory into a flawless piece of comedy with original romanticism on the side. A brilliant score by Jon Brion adds the final perfecting touches to make every scene Oscar-worthy, and worthy of the title of the Best Film of 2004.
  2. Graphic, crude and sexual humor, violent images and strong language; all involving puppets. That’s right – puppets. This kind of R rating could only fit one movie, and that’s Team America: World Police. A close runner-up for number one, Team America sits at second place atop this year’s best films only because its plot was secondary. OK, that and the fact that if you saw this and were not offended by anything, either directors Trey Parker and Matt Stone had failed, or you have no ethnicity. Or gender. Or religious beliefs. Or dignity. Much like the South Park movie in style, World Police is comically ingenious, boldly going where no movie has gone before. Where else has Kim Jong Il been featured in his own solo song? Where else has Tim Robbins been lit on fire? In what other movie has Michael Moore blown himself up? This might make this movie sound violent and frightening, but it’s really a goodhearted love story between two puppets, whose love was so passionate it caused the movie to be rated NC-17 until it was edited. I implore you to see this year’s most thoroughly enjoyable movie, for if you don’t, the terrorists have won.
  3. Garden State. With only three hours left in 2004, I finished this shrewdly original comedy directed and written by its star Zach Braff. It started as a series of offbeat and hilarious moments, but then became a charming tale of a man rediscovering himself and finding love in his home town. Each minute of the movie will give you at least one moment where you find yourself thinking, “Hey, I know exactly how that feels.” Braff’s character Andrew seems alienated and numb at first, but after four days with Natalie Portman’s perfectly lifelike and unique Sam, he is reborn. This movie should not go unseen (even though it is about New Jersey), because who knows, it just might change your life.
  4. National Treasure. Before you moan with disappointment, judging you’ve gotten this far, about such high praise for a PG movie about hunting treasure, let me explain. This was the kind of movie that leaves you in a state of euphoria, clinging to every little piece, or in this case – every clue. It leaves you thinking what if?, wondering if there really could be copious amounts of hidden treasure from all four corners of the world. National Treasure is so incredibly well put together, so flawlessly creative that the noisy woman behind you never have the chance to impose her “psychic” talent.
  5. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is the only movie I’ve seen this century that left me entirely confused. Not in the sense that the plot was incomprehensible, which is wasn’t, but in that it had helpings of sad, touching, and bizarre funniness sprinkled with a fantastic shark-hunting story simultaneously. From the enormous fabled jaguar shark to the watchman/guitarist singing Portuguese versions of David Bowie songs, each character is innovative and masterfully acted. If you see one movie this year, see Life Aquatic. It completely upends the Hollywood norm and finds a way to make you think in entirely new ways, even though you don’t know why.
  6. Troy kicked off the summer movie season with Brad Pitt as Achilles, fighting his way through the heart of a fiery and stunningly huge modern representation of the Trojan war, one that I believe will be seen in retrospect as one of film’s greatest battles. The casting department faced the ever difficult task of choosing “the face that launched a thousand ships”, and, as I’m sure a certain half of the audience would agree, they did quite well picking Diane Kruger. Girls can watch Orlando Bloom and his dreamy British accent (slightly out of place in ancient Greece) seduce Helen, and guys can finally watch star Pitt and his critically acclaimed leather miniskirt die. Without hesitation, I highly recommend the year’s best epic.
  7. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was definitely the best of the series, leaving the childishness of the first and second locked away like Harry under the steps of the Dursley’s wretched home. Director Alfonso Cuarón of Y Tu Mamá También, might as well have said Petrificus Totalus and bound me to my chair, as I was unable to leave my seat as soon as the catchy and recognizable opening music began. Each wand-waving Gryffendor has been transformed into real characters and I can only hope the rest of the series continues with as much cinematic magic.
  8. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy was the funniest live-action comedy of the year, starring former Saturday Night Live star Will Ferrell. Mostly, these reviews are one reviewer’s modest opinion – this is simply fact. Ferrell plays the male chauvinistic Ron Burgundy whose reign as exclusive anchorman is jeopardized when the gorgeous Veronica Corningstone shows up on set. The enmity/love interest that hatches lays the foundation for an hour-and-a-half that will leave you sobbing with joy. In short, have you ever seen a dog get kicked off a bridge? Do you want to? Anchorman is for you.
  9. Diarios de Motocicleta, known in the US as The Motorcycle Diaries, romanticizes the early life of Cuban revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara. As he journeys first via ancient motorcycle with his friend Alberto, we see not only gorgeous South American landscapes, but deep into the characters of these two travelers. For those already acquainted with Señor Guevara, this film offers interesting tidbits that are most likely unknown, while the fascinating story and various dialects of the Spanish language will lead the unfamiliar from Buenos Aires through the Amazon.
  10. Kill Bill Volume 2 finished this terribly ensanguined series brilliantly, stretching the mind of viewers to the point where they use words like “ensanguined”. For the terribly queasy: beware. Quentin Tarantino stops at nothing to create the bloodiest scenes ever recorded on film. We follow Uma Thurman as she is buried alive, shot, and tranquilized, and as she slaughters by sword, shoots, and pulls out the eyes of anyone who stands in her way. The Kill Bill duo was a fantastic four hours so find a time not close to any meal, a comfy couch, and enjoy.
  11. Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events stars Jim Carrey as Count Olaf in the sixth of these eleven with an extraordinarily long title. The sadistic and greedy Olaf gains, loses, and then continually struggles for the custody of the Baudelaire orphans (seeking their inheritance), each failure being one of the children’s “unfortunate events”. The movie only covers three of the eventual thirteen Lemony Snicket books, so for those who need a neat and tidy ending that leaves no question unanswered, you may be a bit discontent. Nonetheless, you will bite your nails as you laugh at this darkest, most macabre Nickelodeon film.
  ∞. The Passion of the Christ. By far the most controversial film of the millennium, Mel Gibson’s The Passion was a horrific adaptation of the last day of Jesus’ life, as brutally gory as Gibson thought necessary to make the audience cringe with Christ-love. The film was not even as exciting as I had expected, though at times I couldn’t help thinking, almost shouting, “Go Jesus!” However, its biggest flaw according to the unenthusiastic sect of the public was its anti-Semitism. I found no anti-Semitism in this movie, as the angry shouts of “Judaeus” could only be seen as the disgusting remarks of a cursed Roman soldier. Do not not see this movie because you believe it to be anti-Semitic, overly gory, or ahistorical. Do not see it because it is a crude and boring, unoriginal blockbuster with canned movie music and bland acting. Come judgment day, not having seen this will not make you a blasphemer, it will only show you have good judgment.

Written January 11, 2005 for the Friends' Central Focus

Photo

In deep thought - perhaps pondering a movie.