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Find a church in San Antonio at free online Christian magazine saWorship.com, your online resource of Christian articles by James Dobson, San Antonio pastors. Offering Christian insight into marriage, kids, youth, singlehood, seniors, business, work. Find a church in San Antonio at free online Christian magazine saWorship.com, your online resource of Christian articles by James Dobson, San Antonio pastors. Offering Christian insight into marriage, kids, youth, singlehood, seniors, business, work. Find a church in San Antonio at free online Christian magazine saWorship.com, your online resource of Christian articles by James Dobson, San Antonio pastors. Offering Christian insight into marriage, kids, youth, singlehood, seniors, business, work.
 
 
 
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Film Reviews From A Christian Perspective

by Phil Boatwright

The Village. Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, Bryce Dallas Howard. Touchstone. W&D-M. Night Shyamalan. Producers: M. Night Shyamalan, Scott Rudin, and Sam Mercer 7/30/04 In M. Night Shyamalan's "The Village," the Academy Award-nominated filmmaker who helmed "The Sixth Sense" and "Signs" concocts a tale of an isolated 1700s village surrounded by threatening creatures known as Those We Don't Speak Of. The evil and foreboding force is so unnerving that none dare venture beyond the borders of the village and into the woods. When gentle Lucius Hunt (Phoenix) plans to step beyond the boundaries of the town in order to get needed medicine for his fellow villagers, evidence would lead us to believe that the nocturnal beings have begun terrorizing the community. Writer/director Shyamalan, renown for combining sophisticated entertainment with thought-provoking material ("Praying With Anger," "Sixth Sense," "Wide Awake," "Unbreakable"), outdid himself with a remarkable sci-fi thriller ("Signs") that harkened back to H.G. Wells's "War of the Worlds." It astounded on several levels. Besides being an arm-grabbing suspenseful thriller, "Signs" was an equally touching family drama. He also added subtext about a man losing, then regaining his faith. What's more, the film also had an intriguing take concerning coincidence in our daily lives. Do things happen by chance or do they serve to develop our nature? And to top it off, Christians could look at the film and spot parallels to biblical teaching. Perhaps others saw those ideas as merely spiritual, something with which any religious order could connect. But for many Christians, it was a satisfying film-going experience because it did not ridicule Christian beliefs, but rather paid homage to them (whether intended by the filmmaker or not). In Shaymalan's newest effort we also get some stimulating metaphors, and the gifted filmmaker once again evidences a keen sense for psychological thrills. However, with the suspension of disbelieve one must enter the theater with, aided by whopping plot holes and the filmmaker's lack of subtlety, many will be disappointed with the end results. Here Shyamalan's efforts seem forced and gimmicky. What exactly is missing? Besides being able to quickly figure out the secret of the town's leadership, which deflates the terror element, the film lacks real energy. Certainly the actors each have defining moments, but at times they seem abandoned by the director, giving hammy, sometimes heavy-handed performances. This is especially true for Mr. Hurt, who has given terrific portrayals ("Children of a Lesser God," "Broadcast News" "Body Heat") but has also evidenced a need for directorial control in others ("Gorky Park," "Jane Eyre"). Bryce Dallas Howard, daughter of Ron Howard, is effective, mostly, but lacks the screen experience needed to relate the emotional depth a more experienced actress would have brought to the role. Then there are the ghouls living outside town. I can't say much about them as I do not wish to give away a plot point, but when I first got an extended view of the creature, I snickered. It reminded me of the big bad wolf disguised to fool his intended lunch.Wearing a Red Riding- Hood, it looked more like a cross between a hunched-backed scarecrow and Alf. The technical aspects are all top rate; the photography, use of lighting, and the overall look of the community live up to Shaymalan's usual detail. Alas, the film is more like an overreaching "Outer Limits" episode. The director's themes get over-shadowed by his desire to go where Hitchcock went. Not that this is a bad movie. Far from it. A mixture of "Wuthering Heights" and "Blaire Witch Project" and a smidgen of "The Conqueror Worm," there are some mysteries blended with a few funny moments and several jump-out-of-your-chair sequences, but while Shyamalan may be looked on as the successor to Hitchcock's crown, for me his greatest talent has been in the ability to stir tender emotion. Disappointingly, for all the love talked about in "The Village," it's as passionless as the town is colorless. PG-13 (no objectionable language, no sexual exploitation and the little violence shown is used to further the story, not desensitize the viewer. That said, there are some scary moments, a man is stabbed -- the scene surprising and a bit graphic, and some skinned animal carcasses are seen from time to time. The subject matter is not suited for children). Vid. Alt. Although "The Village" is an okay movie, here are two of my favorites by Mr. Shyamalan: "Wide Awake," in which a young boy enters 5th grade at a Catholic school for boys while dealing with the deathof his beloved grandfather. One of the most sensitive and entertaining movies I have seen in quite some time, it shows the lad searching for God so he can ask if his grandpa is okay. The film deals perceptibly with questions concerning death and our Creator. However, it is not a sermon. The writing is true to boyhood thoughts, mischief, and dialogue. It may be a little intense for very young ones who do not understand death, but questions such as the one our hero asks a troubled priest, "Do you ever feel like giving up?" will relate to older kids and adults alike. There's no crudity associated with this film as with most kids' movies. The boy, terrifically played by young Joseph Cross, learns forgiveness,compassion and faith. And Grandpa, played by a superb character actor, Robert Loggia, stays true to the philosophy, "Hold on to your faith. Faith will get you through," even when he learns he is dying. For a more spooky experience, try "Signs." Farmer Mel Gibson discovers crop circles on his land. Soon the world is crawling with hostile aliens. Besides beingan arm-grabbing suspenseful thriller, "Signs" is an equally touching family drama. We get to know this broken family as they cope with the traumatic loss of a wife and mother. There is an intimacy in both script and presentation that causes us to care for these people. "Signs" is about finding our way — orfinding our way back.


Phil Boatwright Columnist

Phil Boatwright is the editor and film reviewer for The Movie Reporter, a monthly film guide from a Christian perspective. Since the age of 12, he has acted in numerous television programs, including "The Golden Girls," "Dynasty," "General Hospital," "Days of Our Lives," and "Generations" as well as many independent and industrial films and commercials. For nearly two decades Phil has been writing movie reviews on a regular basis for numerous Christian publications across the country. He is the author of the book, How to Choose a Good Video Every Time. His web site is www.moviereporter.com
moviereporter@sbcglobal.net

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