RicksReels

Cloud 10 Pictures "The Genius Club"

2009-05-21T10:34:00.001-07:00

Video Review of Ben Stein's Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

2009-05-19T15:30:00.001-07:00

Video review of Apostles of Comedy

2009-05-18T10:59:00.001-07:00

An American Carol

2009-05-04T15:25:00.000-07:00

Finally a comedy for conservatives making fun of liberals! No wonder it flopped in the box office.
I have been a fan of director/writer David Zucker for a long time. He can easily be described as the founder of the spoof comedy genre, his most famous being “Airplane” and “The Naked Gun.” The spoof genre is often imitated but never duplicated with Zucker’s insight of being stupid but smart at the same time. Unfortunately, the spoof comedy has become dirty, stupid (without the smart) and just not funny with the rise of “Scary Movie” and it’s sequels, “Not Another Teen Movie,” “Superhero Movie” and many others not even worth mentioning. With “An American Carol” David Zucker seem to go back to his roots and reinvent himself with this film. He breaks away from the tradition of spoofing a movie or a genre but he is spoofing a specific group of people…the liberal-left.
“An American Carol” opens with Leslie Nielsen (David Zucker’s muse) telling a story to children about the man who tried to abolish the fourth of July. This man, Michael Malone (an obvious character-spoof of Michael Moore), played by Kevin Farley (that’s right…Chris Farley’s brother) is an anti-American filmmaker who is visited by three spirits on the eve of his “Abolish the 4th” demonstration. He is visited by John F. Kennedy, General George S. Patton (played by Kelsey Grammer) and Trace Adkins (who better to embody the American spirit?). The jokes, in Zucker style, are stupid visually, but smart. The best example I can give is of the “ACLU Zombies” attacking the courts and General Patton and The Judge (played by Dennis Hopper) have to shoot them down with shotguns to protect the Ten Commandments. Then there is the “terrorist training video” which is so wrong yet so funny.
Like most Zucker films this is not family friendly. There is cussing in it, surprisingly not laced with it (only about 10 – 12 s***). There is no nudity but a couple of visual jokes of a man getting slapped for trying to grab a woman’s breasts. Although the film is making fun of liberals it is still not for the easily offended (it makes fun of a lot of other groups too). For a liberal-leftist this may be rated as one of the worst films ever; but since I am the exact opposite I found it one of the best. I may be bias because since I was a kid I have been a Zucker fan, even if most his films are not family-friendly. Please keep in mind, Zucker films are a “check-your-brain-at-the-door” type movie, so don’t expect an enlightening intellectual piece about capital hill.
It looses a star for not being family friendly but I give it four out of five and hope that it may convert some to the “right” side.
****

Facing The Giants

2009-05-01T14:38:00.000-07:00

Pray & Pray 2 Video Review

2009-03-30T13:09:00.000-07:00

www.CrossShadowProductions.com

MAMA MIA

2009-03-24T11:55:00.001-07:00

I finally rented the “hit movie” based on the “smash Broadway musical” inspired by the phenomenal 70’s band ABBA. I guess you could say my expectations were a little high…and they did not get met. I was bored through out the film.
To give you a quick background on myself; I am a succer for musical theatre. I lived in New York City for six years. Saw a musical every chance I got. I enjoy most movie adaptations as well. I own DVD’s of “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” and several others. I like if not love musical theatre. So for me to say I was bored says a lot!
I’ve also been caught saying, often, “I didn’t like it, but I can understand why it was a hit.” I do NOT understand why MM is a hit. First off, I didn’t grow up in the 70’s. Therefore, I am not familiar with ABBA except for the handful of songs that are sung every night at a karaoke bar. Secondly, if you are going to make a movie musical it is important to cast actors who can sing. (Or at least replace their singing voice as they did in the golden era of MGM.) Pierce Brosnan, great actor, can’t sing to save his career. I guess the producers were shooting for handsome and forgot about all the other necessary attributes. Meryl Streep…ditto. And I’m still trying to figure out if they dressed her down or if Meryl Streep is really that “homey” looking.

Thirdly, I didn’t care for the story. It is an abomination towards the sanctity of marriage and family isn’t as important as who you are with at that moment. (This is what the world thinks?!) SPOILER: The happy ending is “I love you so much….so let’s NOT get married!” Huh, did I miss something? Happily ever after no longer ends with a life-long commitment. And to top it off, one of the characters comes “out of the closet” but it comes way out from left field. Why is it that the token gay guy is now a quota in every Hollywood film?

Finally, if you grew up on the music of ABBA and enjoy listening to those at a karaoke bar put their personal touch on “Dancing Queen” then perhaps you will enjoy this film. But don’t expect a fiber of moral resolution. It’s not there.

*

THE EXORCISIM OF EMILY ROSE

2009-03-24T11:53:00.000-07:00

The Exorcism of Emily Rose is not what you think. The trailers, when it was released in theatres, pitched it as an updated version of “The Exorcist.” Yet, at its core TEOER is a courtroom drama. The trailers made it out to look really scary. Don’t get me wrong it is scary but all the scary/disturbing scenes you saw in the trailer were all the scary/disturbing scenes in the movie. In fact what you don’t see in the trailer, which is the majority of the film, is the courtroom.

Father Moore, played by Tom Wilkinson (Batman Begins), is on trial for negligent care of Emily Rose who died shortly after a failed exorcism. Erin Bruner, played by Laura Linney (The Truman Show) is the agnostic attorney hired to defend Father Moore. Ironically, the prosecution picks a Methodist to represent the people in this case. This sets up a very intellectual battle between Science and super-natural. The debate volleys back and forth on if she was possessed or mis-medicated epilepsy.

The tag line for the film, “based on a true story,” makes the film ever more intriguing. The plot circles around Father Moore stating that Emily’s story must be told and in fact, through this movie, it is indeed told. She becomes proof that the spiritual war is indeed real and to be feared. Of course this outcome is up to the jury to decide and ultimately you, the viewer.

This film is rated PG-13 and rightly so. In fact I would be conservative and say 16 or above. There are no monster-jumps-from-around-the-corner moments but there are plenty of disturbing images and it is a psychological thriller, especially for if you believe in the super-natural.

Father Moore often quotes from the bible telling Erin Bruner that they are fighting “not against flesh and blood but against the powers of darkness.” Which makes it a highly recommended film for the non-squeamish Christian. I am rewarding this a 5 out of 5. It’s not family friendly but it is very well made and thought provoking.

*****

MUST LOVE DOGS!!!

2009-03-18T17:34:00.000-07:00

BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA

The enjoyment or potential of enjoyment as you rent this movie can be summed up in three words: MUST LOVE DOGS. I have often said that there is a thin and undefined line between family films and films for kids. This is the gray lining in the cloudy nickelodeon sky. Kids will love this movie and slobber all over it, but parents…be warned, for you to enjoy it you…must love dogs.
The movie opens with the cinematic stereotypical shots of Beverly Hills, summed up on Rodeo Drive. Jaime Lee Curtis is the proud and over protective owner of Chloe, the Beverly Hills Chihuahua voiced by Drew Barrymore. Due to circumstances Viv (Curits) must let her irresponsible spoiled niece Piper (Rachel Ashe Lynn) dog sit Chloe. Piper decides to drive down to Mexico with her friends, and Chloe, for a relaxing weekend. Next Chloe gets dog-napped and the fun and hilarity begins.
It’s a predictable script because it’s a fish-out-of-water story (or dog-out-of kennel) that’s been told a thousand times. Of course it’s been told a thousand times because we the audience keeps going to see it a thousand times and will see it a thousand more. The hook on this film is that instead of a rich spoiled girl (ala Clueless or Legally Blonde) it’s a rich spoiled Chihuahua. So if you are tired of the blond girl movies maybe you will like the blonde dog movie.
I give it 4 out of 5. It’s fun for the whole family. Kids will love it! Parents will like it …determined by if you are a dog person or a cat person.
****

Trailer to www.DANGEROUSCALLING.com

2009-03-18T16:49:00.001-07:00

JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH

2009-02-26T08:51:00.000-08:00

A 3D adventure in 2D! There is obviously something missing when you sit at home on the couch to watch this movie. No matter how big your screen is or how elaborate your sound-system is, without the “special glasses” you just miss out.
JTTCOTE is a fun adaptation of Jules Verne's classic book. Although this film pulls only certain elements from the book and pulls from previous film adaptations, so it’s not a true film-adaptation. The script really falls short for me. The characters are not really well developed. Brendan Fraser’s character has to deal with his missing/dead brother and babysitting his nephew but this is never fleshed out, just merely a ploy.
I notice while watching “family films” that there is a thin line between what’s fun for the whole family and what’s fun for just the kids but they label it “family.” Because of the lack of character development and, at best, it is an action visual spectacle; it is aimed at the children.
I go back to what I started with, a 3D adventure in 2D. When this was in the theatre’s it was a 3D movie. There are several visual shots that remind you that this was supposed to be in 3D. The plot line reminds me of a theme-park 3D movie. The visual effect is the “cake” and the story is simply there to take you from one visual effect to the other. Any sign of characters or plot is just “icing” on the cake. To enjoy this film now, at home, it needed to be the other way around. In fact most films need to have the “cake” being the story, plot and well developed characters and the visual effects is the “icing.”
As a Christian this is a film “safe” for the family. The only thing objective is a couple kiss and a play on words using the element “schist,” (I’m sure you can figure it out.) so you may need to be prepared to explain.
This gets 3 out of 5 stars. It’s mindless entertainment that you can watch along with the kids but without certain elements (including glasses) it just falls short.

DANGEROUS CALLING

2009-02-17T12:47:00.001-08:00

DANGEROUS CALLING

“Dangerous Calling” is a new genre of church-political thriller. Written and directed by brothers Josh & Jeremiah Daws. The story is of a newly hired pastor, Evan Burke, taking the job at First Baptist Willit Springs after the mysterious death of the previous pastor. Evan Burke, along with his wife, Nora, stay with Miss Pat, a widow and major contributor (in finances and opinion) to the church, while the parsonage is renovated. Nora Burke quickly becomes suspicious of Miss Pat’s son, Elijah, that he may not be all that he seems, while Evan is constantly challenged by Miss Pat in church politics regarding the youth pastor Scott.
As a “Christian Independent” this film is made with excellence. As a reviewer I often compare Christian films versus other independents versus “Hollywood.” I can not find anything wrong with this film. It is executed very professionally. Shot with wonderful angles that keep the suspense right where it is needed. The script is daring and near flawless. The Daws brothers, drawing from experience as preacher kids, are attacking “church politics” as church goers. All too often I see films attacking the church but from a bitterly ex-church-goer point of view. This film shows the positive side to the church as well as the truthful traps that churches tend to fall into.
I can not say anything bad with the acting as well. Each of the actors came across very believable and stood out as one of the best “Christian Independent” casts I’ve seen.
There are several tense and graphic moments; a man is strangled by a bag over his head, a girl is drowned by being held under water, an implied stabbing with a fire-poker (blood is seen), and woman thrown in a lake tied to a cinder-block. Obviously, this isn’t appropriate for small children but teenagers and adults would enjoy this film, if the tension and violence (mostly implied) doesn’t bother them.
My only negative with this film is that the only character we see praying is the villain, which has a very skewed view of God’s will. The protagonist is Christian but we never see his relationship with Christ, in practice or in prayer. Perhaps the Daws brothers shied away from showing the pastors spiritual life to avoid the “cheesy” or “preachy” messages that are often heard in Christian messages. Therefore, Christian church-goers (particularly staff) will really enjoy this film, non-believers could watch it and see it as a good script and tense movie but any redeeming message for the unbeliever may be lost. It’s definitely entertaining but that may be all it is, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars but ask for caution with anyone under 13
*****
www.DANGEROUSCALLING.COM

SAVING GOD

2009-02-09T15:00:00.000-08:00

SAVING GOD

Saving God is one of the most recent DVD’s to come from Cloud Ten Pictures. The movie stars Ving Rhames (Mission Impossible, Pulp Fiction) as a convict turned preacher trying to revive his parents church after being in prison for 15 years for murder. He befriends a small-time teenage drug dealer Norris Johns, played by Dwain Murphy, and helps to turn his life around and eventually leads him to Christ. Norris is running away from the grips of his drug boss “Blaze” (played by Dean McDermott (most famous for being Tori Spelling’s huband)) trying to start a new life and thus the drama begins.
From the opening scene with Ving Rhames it is obvious that this is not the typical Cloud Ten Pictures. Usually the production companies, who brought us “Left Behind: The Movie,” quality of films have just missed the mark. The technical side of Cloud Ten (lighting, sound, camera-work) has typically fallen short, somewhere between amateur and Hollywood (which, unfortunately is where most “Christian films” fall). They’re not good enough for theatres, but they’re good enough for churches. “Saving God” dawns a new era for Cloud Ten. I harp on this because I thought I knew what I was going to watch when you put this on, but I got something so much better.
The acting in this film is superb, the technical work is top-notch. The story is good, a little predictable, but I felt it hit more on the “real life” side and less cheesy. It’s not a film for the whole family. There isn’t any questionable material but there is violence, talk of drugs and “drug-dealing” (but you never see any one using the drugs). There is smoking but no drinking and there is violence (fist fights, choking, a dead body, threatening with a knife, threating with a gun.) And there is talk about an out-of-wed-pregnancy (which isn’t looked upon as good or bad).
Clear Entertainment produced the film along with Cloud Ten Pictures. I’m not sure who influenced who but I hope this quality of film will continue to come from Cloud Ten.

*****

www.savinggodmovie.com

I think Cloud Ten really has a winner here, especially in Christian film. I find it to be the greatest Christian film I've ever seen. In terms of a faith-based film, it's at the top without a doubt. A wonderful blend of story telling, excellent acting, and a solid message, makes Saving God something that will undoubtably become a well known film in the faith-based arena.
Kyle Prohaska
CEO, Praise Pictures
http://www.praisepictures.com

2009-02-02T15:50:00.000-08:00

Fireproof is the 3rd film to come out of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, GA. This time they acquired “star power” by casting Kirk Cameron” in the lead role. The film is about a fireman Caleb Holt (Cameron) who is struggling with his marriage and is on the brink of divorce. His father encourages him to take a 40 day journey in what is called “The Love Dare” to save his marriage.
I believe the Kendrick’s have done an excellent job in creating a ministry by using a movie. The film was an incredible success at the box office for an independent. It opened at No. 4 and stayed in the top 10 for three weeks. And launched a marriage strengthen website at www.SharetheLoveDare.com and the corresponding book, “The Love Dare,” which is not a crossover product of merchandising but a genuine way for people to help their marriage. God has truly blessed this church and their movie ministry.

Sherwood Pictures is a wonderful example of getting better with each picture. Flywheel was not well-done (with industry standards) technically, with the writing, or acting. Facing the Giants was a little better and Fireproof is superb. I kept thinking to my self if a professional company (i.e. Universal Studios) made this movie what would they have done differently. And the answer probably is that they would water down the incredible Christian message. But for an independent film, technically, was great. It is extremely hard to believe that this was an all volunteer crew. I do know that just because they were volunteer doesn’t mean that they were not professionals. But the “church volunteers” who have helped the Kendrick’s out in each film has truly upped their game and have learned a lot.

This movie gets 5 out of 5 and is highly recommended. Some of the acting is a little mediocre but everything else is superb enough for it to be forgivable.

*****

www.FireproofTheMovie.com

Leanne (40ish) Milledgeville, GA: LOVED IT! Go see it! appropriate for married, single, single agains, widows, confused people who think they are gay. Can't think of anyone who wouldn't get something out of this movie unless they just don't want to.
The special effects are AWESOME...especially for a "low budget".

…not just a great story, but one of the greatest outreach tools I've ever seen….
…Kirk Cameron has finally broken from the "Growing Pains" mold with his performance and I find it to be his best to date. ...
… regardless of other faults of the film I would recommend it to anyone because its outreach capabilities are through the roof! … Its not perfect, not by far, but its a solid effort.
Kyle Prohaska
CEO, Praise Pictures Inc.
http://www.praisepictures.com

Welcome to Rick's Reels voice for the Christian Independent

2009-01-23T08:46:00.000-08:00

My name is Rick and I am producer/host of a new show; "Show & Tell" on Atlanta's WATC-TV. It's a movie review show focusing on Christian Independent films (although not limited to them). Most Christian film-makers always have a message that they want to convey. Unfortunately, without good quality most of these films will never be seen. I want to separate the good from the bad. As I review the films I will rate them on a family/Christian standard, by reviewing the content. But I also will be rating them based on quality of the film. (If it looks like it was shot on a handy-cam, I'll mention that.)
I tend to say what everyone is thinking, but if you are a Christian film maker interested in having your film reviewed you can email me at ricksreels@yahoo.com for more information.
On this blog I'll post some of my reviews and I would love your feedback. So if, by chance, you have seen the film feel free to post your review as well.
By doing this I want to encourage film makers to continue to make movies with moral and spiritually uplifting values. I will never be negative in saying "you shouldn't make films," many directors/producers have to make crappy films to learn from them and then make better.
I also want these reviews to be entertaining as well as informative; which many times do not mix.
So have fun, God bless and enjoy the show!