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Reviews
To Save a Life (2009)
Good intentions, but falls very flat
First, I want to say that the movie I saw was almost nothing like its preview. I walked into the theater expecting a relatively dense, deep portrayal of guilt and doubt. This movie had very, very strong Christian overtones, to the point where my friends and I were laughing out loud - not because it was funny, or even because the scenes were cheesy, but that one thing after another kept adding up, and it was SO unbelievable and over-the-top.
The casting director for this movie needs to find another job. The two main characters were easily in their late 20's. The girlfriend is supposed to be super popular and desirable, but she is hunched-over and wrinkled. No high schooler looks like that. The "troubled kids" actually looked like real teenagers, and the styling in that sense was pretty realistic, but it only served to contrast even more with how old the other cast members were. There was an extra at the kegger that was easily in his early 40's. It was ridiculous.
But all of these things aside, my biggest complaint is that this movie had a real opportunity to explore some deep issues related to life, faith, and guilt. The main character had no soul. He was going through the motions of being hurt, angry, and confused, but I didn't believe it for a second. The only believable scenes were those that involved his parents. I don't completely blame the actor for this. I think it was largely the fault of the screenwriter. My hunch is that the screenwriter, who is a youth pastor, has had personal experience with parent trouble, how troubled teens act, etc. What he does NOT understand is how it actually feels to be a troubled teen (all of their diatribes were along the lines of, "Nobody understands me. I feel so alone." It never went much deeper than that.)
Even more, I am almost certain that this writer doesn't know what it feels like to experience heavy grief as a teenager, or to feel guilty or like he caused someone to do something horrible. He (and the actors) make a valiant attempt to imagine what it would feel/be like, but it falls so painfully short.
People who think this movie is an accurate representation of that kind of pain have most likely never lived it. I suspect the same could be said about the issue with the main character's girlfriend at the end of the movie, but I have never personally experienced that, so I can't say for sure.
In summary: If you are an average Christian churchgoer, particularly one that belongs to a slightly more modern church (say, one that uses electric guitars in the church band), than almost without a doubt I think you will really enjoy this movie. It speaks to your reality and might broaden a few minds. If you are a victim of childhood/adolescent trauma, a serious crisis of faith, or severe depression - all of which I have personal experience with - then I suspect you will find this movie falls disappointingly short.
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
Not groundbreaking, but enjoyable and moving
Movies are not created for the same audiences, motivations, or aims. This film was not intended to win any Oscars or to shatter somebody's world view. If you read the books, you'll understand that there's really no way it could without fundamentally changing their tone or message.
Still, it serves its purpose delightfully. The scenery and cinematography is rich and colorful. The score and soundtrack are beautiful, as they were in the last film, and I found myself remarking on the sound effects because of how pleasantly surprised I was (the wolves' growls in particular); they added immensely to the feel of the movie.
For those that claim that this movie was only unintentionally entertaining, I doubt that they fully comprehend its intent. There were some seriously hilarious moments, both played straight ("You're 100 years older than me. That's gross.") and tongue-in-cheek ("Ow, paper cut!").
The acting was perfect for its purpose: not overly realistic, no, but dramatic enough to tell such an emotional and indulgent story. Would normal people behave like the girl Kristen Stewart portrayed? No, probably not. But *Bella* would (and did in the novels), and she's a perfect complement for both the melodramatic Edward and the brooding, lovestruck Jacob.
Anyway, if you're looking for something that makes a poignant comment on the state of the world, you won't find it here. If you're looking for an indulgent popcorn feature to make you giggle, cry, and pine after cute boys, you will likely be very pleasantly surprised. There's a reason it had the third-highest opening gross of all time: it offers people a pleasant escape from reality that many of us could use these days.
Hounddog (2007)
Very enjoyable and interesting
I do not understand the intense hatred for this movie. It was beautifully filmed, with an interesting and poignant storyline. It reminded me a bit of Black Snake Moan with its setting, but the plot was really fascinating and different. It's not an upbeat movie by any means, but it is interesting and provides a lot to talk about. All of the actors are fantastic, but Dakota Fanning is just over the top incredible.
All in all, it was a really good experience and I'd definitely recommend watching it if you're in an artsy or experiential mood. Not good for a casual movie night!
Children of Men (2006)
Transporting!
I felt like I was living alongside the main characters. I even cried tears of joy for the first time in a very long time! The plot is very solid. The only reason I rated it 9 instead of 10 is because some details that I would have liked to have been explained were (purposefully) left up to the imagination. I strongly suggest that anyone who is even moderately interested in the plot sees this movie: I doubt that you will be disappointed. Julianne Moore's character is present for too brief of a time, but the time she does appear is one of her best, most realistic appearances to date. And even though many parts of the movie are shocking and sad, there is a great deal of humor in it.