Ashes of Eden (2014) User Reviews

Flat and lackluster

[williamchauler75 · 2/10 · 12 July 2014]

There are so many things wrong with this movie it is hard to know where to begin. A poorly written script, bad casting choices, and sub-par acting are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes the crappy things about this movie. But being a still photographer and a DP as well, I will key in on, what was for me, the worst part of Ashes of Eden. To begin with, the scenes are set up like a sitcom. We are often given the stock shot of the building, just to reinforce to the viewer where the scene will take place, which is incredibly cheesy and just plain awful. Granted, they felt that they needed to do this in certain cases, because the main scene was clearly not filmed where it was supposed to take place. Case in point, early on there is a scene in a church. The scene is not filmed in a church. It doesn't even look anything like a church. It looks more like a meeting room at a local hotel. So we get the obligatory opening shot of the exterior of some random church. Opening exterior shots of a church or a school do not add anything to the story and often point out, rather blatantly, that this is a very cheaply done movie. However much the stock shots detract from the movie, they are eclipsed by the horrendous camera work and lighting. The choice of camera shots shows little regard for the development of the story. The camera is often set up in the most bland and uninspired way. The cuts between shots are usually harsh and arbitrary, and they highlight the poor editing choices that comprise a scene. But by far the worst aspect of all of this is the lighting. Everything is lit completely flat. The scenes lack depth or any sort of understanding about the use of darkness and light to enhance the story. This gives the movie a sitcom or commercial look, in which everything in the scene is evenly lit. It would not surprise me to find that the DP has been primarily working in the commercial field. Couple these camera problems to a weak story and actors who are not age appropriate, you have to recipe for a extremely lackluster movie

So bad it is hard to watch

[dlosler · 3/10 · 12 July 2014]

I wanted to like this movie, but I just couldn't. I am all from promoting locally made movies, but this one is so hard to watch I just can't, in good conscience, recommend it. The story is predictable and weak. The acting leaves a lot to be desired. The whole thing seems sort of haphazardly assembled without any real thought. Worst of all it is so obvious that they didn't have much money to shoot it. So everything looks like it was filmed in the nearest spare room they could find. (That gives it the look of a cheap porno movie where they try to make you believe that the action takes place in a real school or a bar) The acting is stiff and completely unbelievable, which is due in part to casting quite a few "twenty somethings" as teenagers.

Rushed and weak

[qwebhsos · 4/10 · 2 August 2014]

As I write this there are 32 "ten" votes for this movie on the IMDb page. Really? Ten? Is this a perfect movie? Of course not. Obviously the friends and family of this locally made film are trying to inject a very strong positive spin on it. I am sure they mean well. However, they are not really helping things at all.They need to be far more objective and truthful, even if it hurts. This movie needs a lot of work. The acting is overall weak, and in some parts, atrocious. The story is thin and predictable. And, more importantly, they certainly didn't haver much money to shoot this, which is readily apparent in just about every scene. It has potential, but you have to look very hard to see that. I came away from this with a feeling that things were rushed and the budget was far below what it should have been.

Very Good

[lisalaurensmith · 28 October 2016]

The tone of the film was consistent, the story was something I followed to the very end. It wasn't all over the place, it was focused. I felt emotion while watching it. You know? It makes the viewer feel something, even if at first they don't understand what. Perhaps its the underlined naivete of your lead character and the mother's love and predicament as an officer of the law. This wasn't shabby or forced in it's conception. I also appreciate your eye for camera shots. It works. I watched it to the very end. Very good scene work with Melissa Anschutz and Bello Pizzimenti. For one person to have written, co-produced, directed and edited this film its a testament to the human spirit of determination. That as well as the film, deserves applause.

Absolutely horrible

[leocramer12 · 2/10 · 12 July 2014]

An urban American Graffiti? First of all American Graffiti was and urban story. They weren't exactly driving around the farm in that movie. Second, and more importantly, American Graffiti was good. This little film is absolutely horrible. The story is warmed over drivel that everyone has seen a thousand times before. Not that it matters because the acting is thoroughly uninspired and cold. Add to that they want you to believe that the lead, a very obvious twenty five to thirty year old man, is young enough to be in high school. Quite a few of the "twenty something" actors are completely unconvincing as teenagers. The whole thing comes across as something shot on a home video camera for about $500.

Bland and bad

[tellydinkler99 · 2/10 · 17 July 2014]

Ashes of Eden is depressingly bad. While the story is trite and predictable, the real problem is that it is so hard to watch. The actors are way too old to be believable in the parts they are playing. They deliver lines that we have all heard a thousand time before in so many "urban crime movies" that they end up being stereotypical stock characters that lack any kind of reality. You feel no empathy for any of them. The scenes are poorly shot and end up looking exceptionally flat and dull. It is clear to just about any viewer that many scenes were not shot anywhere near where they want you to believe they were shot. All in all, this gives the whole movie the feeling and consistency of bland gray oatmeal. There is nothing clever or even interesting about this movie. I cannot think of a more supremely dull and depressing experience than watching this film.

don't waste you money

[jerrybuisel00 · 2/10 · 23 July 2014]

There are so many things wrong with this movie, it is hard to know where to start. First you have a high school teenager played by someone who clearly hasn't been in high school in years. You have a weak script that wants you to believe is an accurate portrayal of the "gritty underside of urban life" but comes across as incredibly lame and way off the mark. Plus there is nothing "urban" or "streetwise" about the small town where they obviously shot this. The redemption that is at the center of the whole story is predictable and, because of the wooden acting, is not convincing. I have seen much better movies that went straight to the internet.I would not waste you money on this.

Painfully bad

[dennymuchlyn · 1/10 · 15 July 2014]

You have to do better than this. This movie is cheaply done. That fact is extremely obvious. However, that is no excuse for how bad it is. Even on a tiny budget you should be able to do several things right. You should have a tight script with natural dialog and a good story. You should then cast appropriate actors for each part. Which means You should then be able to get believable performances out of your actors. You should be able to set up scenes with your camera that are both interesting and help the flow of the story. Then you should be able to assemble all of this into an enjoyable movie. None of this was accomplished in Ashes of Eden. It looks like it was shot in about two weeks, with little thought for casting the right actor, setting up the right camera angles, or even finding the proper locations to film. Painfully bad.

cheaply done and uninteresting

[janiciawright17 · 2/10 · 22 July 2014]

This movie looks so very cheaply done. Because of that, you come away feeling like maybe with a lot more work, and a lot time spent, this could have been good. Everything looks rushed. The whole thing looks like they just took the first and closest available location to shoot, even if it didn't really look like what it was supposed to be, and went with it. The actors all needed a lot more rehearsal, and many of them looked completely wrong for the part. Did they cast the first person who walked through the door? Each scene looked like they didn't spend any time thinking about interesting shots or any sort of mood lighting. So it ends up looking flat and boring.

Not good

[boxmmqks · 2/10 · 1 August 2017]

After having watched this film I decided to see what the reviews here had to say about it. One favorable reviewer claimed that a lot of the bad reviews were a single person who might be trying to discredit the competition with false reviews. Another positive review claimed someone clicked "2 stars" about 100 times. (That would mean they went through the registration/email process 100 times!) If you look at the rating breakdown it says that out of 280 reviews 199 were either a 1 star, 2 star, or 3 star. Do you actually believe that one or two people did all of that? I would more likely believe that the 43 "10 star" ratings were cast and crew, along with family and friends. Once you watch this movie you will understand that this is a far more likely scenario than one or two people trying their best to sabotage the project. Why? It's not a good movie. Not good. Not even close. Whatever saccharine Bible school message the writer was trying to convey is deeply buried beneath cheap production values, weekend acting, and poor direction.

About 2 Hours of Time

[voltvaughn · 1/10 · 6 January 2021]

I mean it's a film. There are people talking on screen.

Ashes of Eden- love ya!

[jkeusch · 9/10 · 23 March 2016]

I was pleasantly more surprised with the quality of this film than the apparent one person Sybil posting over and over in prior reviews. If you're going to sabotage someone's hard work, maybe you should go back to Yelp Mr./Mrs "Cheaply Done". Or, you should increase your vocabulary past having to use the same phraseology in different reviews so you don't leave the idiot signature of restaurant reviewing chef's ex-girlfriend.

The reason you hate Ashes is because it is about everything you have lost...faith...love...hope. But you can still be renewed, my friend.

Personally, and I am obviously biased, I was actually surprised by the production value and acting. Does the film have flaws, sure, but do these flaws leave the thinking person without plenty to contemplate, oh hell no.

I suggest this film to everyone whom I discuss films with. Please don't allow some too much time having jealous narcissist deter you from enjoying not only this movie, but it's message.

Don't be fooled by fake reviews

[jeff-72162 · 7/10 · 27 March 2016]

I noticed a lot of bad reviews on this film. What's more interesting to me is that all of the authors of the one and two star reviews have blank profiles. Also, all of those IMDb profiles were created in July of 2014 and all the poor reviews seem to say the same thing, just written slightly different to give the appearance of a new and independent review. I'm not saying that, without a doubt, this is the work of one person (who claims in one of his reviews to be a still photographer and DP). I am saying it's possible that there is a hater out there who's simply doing his best to discredit his competition by writing false reviews. Don't be fooled by phony profiles and inaccurate information. I've worked on a couple of projects with the folks from Collective Development and they have always exceeded my expectations with the quality of films they produce. I recommend everyone watch Ashes of Eden and 40 Nights (soon to be released) and make your own decision. Much like ourselves in Yuma, AZ, the Ashes of Eden production team are local people who are doing everything they can to produce high quality films on a very small budget. They're doing it for the love of filmmaking and arts, not to get rich. Please take a few moments and watch these movies and give them your own honest review.

Almost a good movie

[shamayahuyahsarahl · 5/10 · 15 February 2024]

From the start to almost to the end, it was decent. Yeah, a few parts were expected to happen if you have the ability of foresight, but don't know how it will play out from there. At the end of the movie though, it seems as if the plot/script was rushed, and it leaves you wondering how some things happened.

Okay, here are the spoilers; so stop reading if you don't want to know.

Alright, so at the end of the movie as Carlos and Red start to fight while Carlos has the gun, you see Angela get shot. Yet, you don't know why she's there, how she got there. Since when the scene was progressing, it was only Red in the house until the mother and Jake show up. Carlos pops up, but you can easily assume he followed Red and Poncho there. So, that's not out of place and follows the story arc. Angela being there is totally random though. Also, why did Red end up get arrested? What was he charged with? They didn't have evidence of him selling drugs, and he didn't kill Vargas or Donny: we know Carlos did that. So you're left wondering why that happened when you'd think he'd be exonerated from those charges being as he was being set up. DNA evidence from the cigarette/joint both Carlos and Donny smoked from before Donny was killed by Carlos left at the crime scene would prove it was him at the house and not Red. (Plot hole.)

Don't be fooled by trolls with fake reviews

[srvliet · 10/10 · 23 March 2016]

There are clearly a few fake reviews on here about this movie. It also looks as though someone has clicked "2 stars" repeatedly about 100 times within a short time frame. Why would someone do that? I feel like you should watch this movie for yourself and make your own decision. Then, write an HONEST review and not some hate-stalking-troll review. Here's my honest review: I adored this movie. I loved the gritty and believable characters, each one well developed and engaging. The storyline was keen and relevant, emotionally pulling me in to the plight of the plot. I have seen other movies by this company and they are equally fantastic and well done. I look forward to any new endeavors, as I know they will be well developed and done with great passion. Keep up the great work!

So so close. An honest opinion

[Schlozinger23 · 7/10 · 1 August 2014]

I had a chance to watch this film in theaters during its short theatrical run in Lansing, MI. I had the opportunity to meet a few individuals involved in the production. First off, I would like to congratulate the cast and crew for executing a well made film. It has the components one looks for in a film, unfortunately the film is about two or three edits away from being a home-run success. The story starts off with an immediate impact, the opening sequence was fantastically, edge of your seat good. The music, the editing and the scene itself grabs you and takes you on a ride. Fantastic opening!! Unfortunately the film quickly falls flat and fails to deliver throughout. I understand the filmmakers were going for a christian/pg-13 feel but why change the tone of the film throughout?! The film went into a silly over dramatic daytime soap opera episode. The score at points were incredibly cheesy. Please keep in mind that the entire film, thankfully, isn't all like this but one to many scenes are. There are some amazing moments throughout the film that take you for a ride unfortunately that ride ends when such scenes come forward. For example: A scene in the kitchen with Dana (Melissa Anschultz) Tony Hanson (Michael Joiner) and Red (Steven Sutherland) is excruciatingly long and painful, the acting (way over the top) is underpar with the rest of the acting in the film and the score is absolutely horrible. The scene could have been saved IF there was a better score in the very least. Its odd though because the score is on point in many other scenes. The film looks fantastic, not sure what camera was used but it definitely has a big budget feel. The cinematography was also beautiful, kudos! The acting, for the most part, was on point for the exception of some over acting scattered here and there. Red (Steve Sutherland) was definitely a right fit, he shows a great pain of the demons that are buried inside him. I felt that his acting SOMETIMES had no range or came off as flat but it played well with the character. Overall, a solid performance. Dana (Melissa Anschultz) who plays an officer and mother to Red brings the tearjerking side of the film. The position of what will go wrong will go wrong that we have all come across in points of our lives, applies here. I do feel however, her acting was a bit over the top, more suited for a stage performance. I felt some scenes were longer then they needed to be, perhaps the director was giving her more screen time then needed? Her character seemed to get better as the film went on and definitely had some heart pulling moments. Tony Hanson (Michael Joiner) played his part well although didn't seem to be a principle/role model type to me. Acting was spot on anytime he was on the screen but his appearance, for some reason pulled me out of those scenes. Perhaps I'm just nit picking now. Donnie (Dj Perry) an old vet turned bad guy looked and acted the part well, my favorite scene was his engagement with another fellow "Bad guy" Carlos (Carlucci Weyant). Unfortunately, he was not in many scenes but the scenes he was involved in definitely shined through. A+. Carlos (Carlucci Weyant) comes in about a quarter of the way through. He is a highlight in this film. I hated this man. Every scene that Carlos comes in (for the exception of an over the type kick fest on a local drug dealer) was worth the price of admission. He shined through in every scene and actually saves the film from going into a terrible unraveling of sappy soap opera, lifetime TV. Fantastic emotional arcs here! Excellent casting. Angela (Mayra Leal) was good as Reds girlfriend, there were some very good moments and some not so good. A specific scene that sticks out (most likely the editors fault) was a number reaction shots of Angela when Red fights a fellow friend upon catching him with Angela. Her expressions are almost comical. I asked myself would anyone really react in that way? and why so many closeups? Finally, my second favorite character (another bad guy) was Poncho (Josh Carrizales) he served as the comic relief in the picture and was a perfect counterpart for Carlos. These two helped if not made the film, they made me thirsty for more. Poncho's acting was superb and kept you engaged and in the moment every time. Superb acting! Again, great casting. The rest of the cast was good and believable. The direction was also very well done. The story as a whole unfolds perfectly although the execution of some scenes are just to weak. The film was SO close to being a great film from start to finish. The editing (in some scenes), some acting and some of the score is unfortunately what will prevent this film from going to a level it could. Shame. Hope this was a test to see how audiences reacted. My two cents? Re edit! and make the film carry the same feel/tone throughout, stay away from the daytime TV death trap. I loved the message in the film and would absolutely love to see some of the actors in this film get the attention they deserve. Should you watch this film? I say yes, it has a number of wonderful elements and a good message behind it.

Must watch

[hartdua · 9/10 · 19 November 2017]

This movie was well written and directed. It depicts how someone with good intentions, can get into a bad situation. It will make you think about the choices you make in life or the choices that others make in their life to try to better themselves. This is a must see movie that older children could learn some valuable life lessons from.

Solid film

[r-artibee · 7/10 · 24 November 2017]

This film was great. It reminded me of myself when I was younger. Someone who gets lost and falls off track. I've learned that you can fall off track but still be a great person. Side influences can sometimes hinder you just like it did with this young gentlemen. Awesome flick.

Wonderful picture through and through

[tayghazi · 9/10 · 19 November 2017]

Indie film making at it's finest. Story development was spot on as well as character arcs. It's a feat just to see a indie film make it through to completion.... and when it does so in such raw and precise fashion, as it does in Ashes of Eden, it's a breath of fresh air. Kudos to the film makers. Looking forward to keeping these film makers on my radar to see what comes next. They certainly are in the industry for a reason and are here to stay.

Very good film

[stfoote-72681 · 8/10 · 16 November 2017]

Exciting to watch. Kept me interested the whole time. Movie was not too long or too short. I thought the acting was very good by the cast. The directing was well done. I think it shows the cast worked very hard to get the film right. Overall I thought this was a great movie and I would recommend others to watch it. Good job Ashes of Eden!!

A true display of work ethic and dedication

[dwlasko-91064 · 8/10 · 15 November 2017]

What moves me about this film is the work ethic and the dedication made by many to support an individual, who not only stepped to the edge, but JUMPED, and put his words and thoughts out there for everyone to see.

Prior to watching the film I discovered that several cast members were moved by the story line and the true meaning behind the writer/director, (Shane Hagedorn's) vision. Shane took his personal feelings and beliefs, forged them into a story, and was led to begin the journey of producing a secular based film, despite the obvious resistance.

I wasn't very familiar with the film industry in Lansing Michigan. From what I understood the city is/was in financial trouble. Obtaining support and financial security had to be almost impossible. It's very inspiring and motivating to see an individuals desires come to fruition.

From what I understand some of the actors in this film have had some pretty successful careers and some pretty recognizable roles. When I heard that these same individuals were giving their time and talent to support Shane and his beliefs, I couldn't help to be humbled. To me this is what the film industry in many levels may be lacking.

This movie shows heart, faith, desire, and imagination. This film should be a platform for ANY and ALL actors, producers, writers and directors. This film should show case the endless possibilities one can achieve with just a little bit of Faith. I can't wait to see more of Shane's visions. (The sound track is NUTS!!!!)

Excellent

[japlume · 10/10 · 16 November 2017]

This movie is so close to an experience a friend of mine is going through with her daughter. While watching the film I couldn't stop thinking of my friend and all the turmoil she is encountering every day. This film has put so much perspective on what people experience in their lives on a daily basis. After watching this movie I must say I am ever so thankful that my kids have not been caught up in the world of crime. The story was well told along with sharing so many eye opening events. Share this movie with your family and friends so that they are aware of issues like this that are happening to so many people. In my first submit I missed one very important fact. At times we have family movie night. All too often a movie becomes dull, boring, slow etc., and I fall asleep. My family often rates a movie by the amount of time I am awake. For this one, it kept my interest, I didn't fall asleep and hoped it would have kept going. It held my interest throughout the entire film. Would have appreciated a continuation.

Amazing Story Line, Raw, and Well Acted

[brianjameshenley · 10/10 · 17 November 2017]

Not only is the cinematography well done from camera angles to overall quality, I love the acting, this is a well-produced story from start to finish. I loved the acting, I really connected with many of the characters. I loved the scene on the bridge and the dialogue there. This movie captured my heart and told a story that we all need to experience. This is a must watch movie!

Fabulous

[hagedornstacy · 9/10 · 19 November 2017]

What can I say? I knew about this film for some time, but I didn't expect to see such an amazing movie. The acting is powerful. The story is touching and moving. A mother going through some of the worst moments of her life and tries to keep it together. Her son, straying from her protection, but never her love, tests the relationship. This film is a must see. A product of hard work and a labor of love.

Excellent Film

[robem-10919 · 10/10 · 18 November 2017]

This film was great, I loved the message, it was well thought out and the story line flowed very well. The locations for the film made it feel more real to true life. I definitely recommend this film to everyone, very well done! The actors chosen represented the characters very well. This movie can be related to on so many levels with the struggles that people have in life and that if one tries that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.