Life of Kyle

Well…I just got back from seeing District nine, and I must say it’s the best film I’ve seen all year, perhaps more than that.  I found the film very emotionally arresting, much more so than you’d think given the previews and such they’ve been showing on TV.  The biggest surprise of the movie was the lead characters performance, which I felt was one of the strongest on-screen performances I have seen in a while.  Sharlto Copley is an unknown actor, with virtually no credits at all…but nobody in the theater cared.  His performance was really good, and while others were laughing at certain moments of the film (for whatever reason), I felt nothing but compassion for this man and his situation.  The same goes for the aliens.  It’s odd to start feeling sympathy for something you know is absolutely fake.  Everything an alien was mistreated, shot, beat up, etc. I found myself wincing in my seat, angry at their attackers.

The documentary style of the film was a great way to add realism.  It felt like a real event, unfolding slowly but at a pace you put up with because of the nature of the way it’s shot.  You discover things right along with the characters, and even though there is cutting back and forth between different segments, interviews, etc. for some reason you never feel like you leave the main character of Wikus.

Almost every part of the film to me felt serious, real, complex, and powerful.  I chuckled maybe once in the film, even though I realized the more humorous bits when they came along.  I really found myself feeling sad and concerned in what was going on.  The idea of being thrown out of society, treated like an animal, fearing for your life, doing whatever you can to survive, having people that you thought loved you reject you instead, etc.  It was all very relatable and heart wrenching if you really gave it some thought.  I think they left a lot up to you to feel and didn’t throw it in your face which made a big difference.

In terms of gore and language, the film is very R-rated.  There was a lot of F bombs and more exploding bodies and blood than a typical zombie movie.  I was surprised at the violence and gore but it had it’s purpose and filled it.  I would be lying if I said waking up and having alien anatomy forming on me, and being unable to stop it would result in anything but an F-bomb.  The brutal nature of the film really made the story and emotional connection that much stronger.  We’re really one crappy species, humans.  We can be so dang evil and wicked and careless.  This film felt like Amistad for Sci-Fi fans.

The special effects of the film were all over the place from great, to bad.  A lot of the opening shots of the film with aliens in it felt very video game and pasted in there while other shots up close to an alien felt very real.  I think it was the lighting on them more often than not.  This film is a motion trackers nightmare, much like Cloverfield was.  The amount of time to do the tracking in this film must have been insane.

The ending of the film was one of the greatest setups for a sequel I’ve ever seen.  I’m not talking about the story really, because it’s easy to leave people with a cliffhanger, but in this case they really leave you emotionally invested.  They were careful not to leave closure where you can leave not wanting anything else.  I can’t wait for the next one.

I’m extremely impressed with how this film delivered and I hope it gets the recognition it deserves.

4 / 5

Time Changer, is one of the first Christian films I had ever seen. It was way back in 2002, and everyone had been excited to sit in church and watch a film that we could all be sure would be clean and uplifting. The film is a quirky little movie, with some laughs, some goofy physical and visual comedy, and a few profound theological scenes.

That said, the story is a good “idea,” but its presentation could have been a little better. I found myself really wanting to like Russell Carlyle but in the end just couldn’t do it. There was too many lines and portions of the performance that we’re bad to weigh out the good. Granted there isn’t anything wrong with his character but the way in which he was played was over the top. He comes off as a bit of a bafoon, even in his own culture and time in the film. I think what did it was the constant surprise about everything that was said or that he saw. There isn’t anything wrong with that, but sometimes I think surprised was used when he should have been more seriously confused (and not in a comedic way). The message of the story is clear however and that part of the film does come through in the end. Some of the portions of the film meant to be funny were, a few little jokes here and there that relate to our “normal” society. The moments of the film that stick out the most are the ones that are distant from the fast paced, quirky, funny music underlaid scenes. The film is most interesting when the characters sit down and talk (something that is honestly, very rare in a film of this kind). Almost everything in modern culture is shown in the film as “unusual.” Things we are now used to seeing are shown for really what they are in the eyes of God. People “playing church,” the things on TV, teenager rebellion, promiscuous dress, the fact that everyone is in such a hurry now and has lack of patience, etc. All this is well and good but I’m wondering how the film would have been if just a few of these things was centered on, and not trying to hit every target possible.

Still the film is worth the watch and good for whenever your sick and tired of the garbage the world puts out. Even with its shortcomings, it’s a breath of fresh air when I need it.

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The Widows Might, a family film with tremendous heart.

Read our Interview with John Moore here.

When the lights went down at The San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, it was a packed house. It was the last major showing of the festival, and The Widows Might was due to play in the big theater projected in HD. Tech geeks (like myself) were very excited to see a feature shot on the RED camera projected in all its glory with a 1080HD signal pumping through, and man did it deliver. The film looked fantastic on the screen. That isn’t the only place the film delivered, it knocked the audience out of their chair and got them to stand up more than 3 times after the film was over. I have NEVER seen such a response from an audience, the noise was ear busting. The film fit like a glove to the intended audience, it was perfect.

Now lets move on to the film itself. The film is at heart a family film, made for people of any age. Kids will no doubt eat up the film, all the elements in it are tailor made to appeal to children, especially the western sequences. The music in the film is excellent, probably one of my favorite parts of the film. I’m not sure anything of this sort has been done in a“Christian” film before, and if it has, I doubt it has been done to this quality level. The acting is decent and sometimes very good, but the quirkiness of the entire project itself makes a lot of the acting in my opinion fit just right, regardless of whatever mistakes might be there. The story itself is crafted very well and has enough going on to keep you interested, you care about what is going on, and cheer when the good guys win and when the bad guys lose. The comedic moments are definitely the most well crafted parts of the story. Everything worked perfect with the audience, including the homeschool jokes which caused clapping throughout the viewers. Timing is everything in comedy, as are the cuts in the edit to create the beats, all of which was done very well. The look of the film is excellent, although not my cup of tea. None the less the filmlooks great, not even like 35mm but like something else entirely. It’s its own look, and has a very Disney like quality to it. The colors are saturated and pop very easily, and the camera work during the musical sequences is especially well done. James Burgess has done a fine job throughout, I look forward to what he does in the future.

Overall this film was wonderful, and the audience it played to and will be sold to absolutely loved it. John Moore has done something really special here, let this be a lesson to all of you. If you create a good story idea, make sure you can sell it, and make sure you know WHO you are selling it to. All your decisions should revolve around that, this film is only one of many that prove that point. Know your audience, and know them well. This film doesn’t include the gospel, but it wasn’t made for the non-Christian. This film was made to be clean, family viewable entertainment for the Christian household. It fits the bill, and fits it well.

Films about political issues normally aren’t my cup of tea, actually politics isn’t really my cup of tea. When politics involve (or attack) the accuracy and truth of the bible, then it’s a different story. Come What May is the first project by the newly formed Advent Film Group. It was created by 40 homeschool students in association with Patrick Henry College.

The story is about moot court, something I didn’t even know existed until I heard of this film for the first time. Debating, legalities, etc. isn’t something I really take an interest in, although I do enjoy the occasional Law & Order episode. Regardless the idea of the film is compelling enough to keep interest, as are the family problems and struggles intertwined.

The chemistry between characters is genuine, especially Caleb and Rachel. The film at times feels like a long commercial for Patrick Henry College, and feels a bit squished into the plot. Rachel’s convictions of courting and marriage while full of truth and integrity comes off read and forced. However, young women are sure to grasp the message of her beliefs. The relationship between Caleb’s mother and father and their story within the film comes off the strongest in my opinion. Their marital issues are common and will be relatable to parents, especially those unequally yoked in their beliefs and goals. The court sequences are also shot in a way that is interesting enough to keep attention, and the ending of the film is satisfying (I wont ruin it for you). Overall the film is a clean, message driven film that many will enjoy regardless of any flaws it may have. There aren’t many films on abortions, especially a film that takes the pro-life side of the issue so the film is a breath of fresh air. The topics dealt with in the film are very relevant to todays politics, which is why I think it will do well when it is released March 17th.

On a technical level, the film shows the most flaws. Some beautiful imagery is often mixed with poor framing and color. The film was shot with the Canon XHA1 with a Redrock M2 Adapter and this at least helps the film by giving it a shallower depth of field. The color of the film is great at times (especially outside) with rich vibrant images. However, sometimes skin tones have a grey milky tone to them. The sound in the film fluctuates in quality from barely audible to properly balanced, poor signals and strong signals. I feel my biggest gripe with the film is the fact it was shot in 30p instead of 24p. The filmic look is absent and adds to the low-budget homemade feeling to the film, which I don’t think is a good thing. Besides all these problems, the film still does its job. With the majority volunteer crew who were learning a lot along the way, the result is still surprising. I always find it fascinating to see a lot done with a little, regardless of the result. I think it’s a weakness of mine, I’ve seen this film more than 10 times by now.

I compare it to Flywheel, Sherwood Pictures first film. A diligent effort for a first project, with promise for the future. Advent will undoubtably excel on a technical level in the future, everyone always does. They will certainly find no issue getting funding with this film being picked up for wide DVD distribution. I look forward to seeing what kind of projects are in the works from Advent Film Group.

Buy Come What May on DVD

Regardless of what won or what didn’t at the 2009 San Antonio International Christian Film Festival, my favorite was undoubtably The Prodigal Trilogy. I was completely sucked into this short film, unlike any other short film I’ve seen. Only 24 minutes long, but every minute is full of excellent camera work, and a compelling performance by Jason Hildebrand. All aspects of the production are set to bring you into a world of three different people told by the same individual. Every word is presented with clarity and delivered with extreme precision, as are every beat and footstep. Jason Hildebrand has done an amazing job here. The ability to play three distinctly different people and not distract the audience because of the same facial appearance truly shows the skill of this fine actor. This story is a brilliant retelling of the Prodigal Son story, and can bring you to tears. The ending moments with thefather speaking about the return of his son will reach the heart of any Christian, reminding us of the Love that God has for each of us. His passion for us is undeniably strong, and this short is a great example of how to present that with an emotional undertone. I absolutely love this film, and suggest that all of you who can see it and share it with others. This is also a great tool to share with youth groups and college groups for small studies or other lessons. The Jubilee Award at SAICFF 2009 for Best Short Film is well deserved here. I’ll have my eye on Jason Hildebrand in the future, his acting talents astound me.

The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry was a film I had been waiting for all week at the 2009 San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival. I had the pleasure of being on set for a day through a friend of mine Sam Torcasio, a good friend of Writer/Director Rich Christiano. We even were able to act as extras in one of the diner scenes, my first time on celluloid!

The seats were very full in the big theater, lots of families especially with their kids showed up for this screening. I liked Rich’s work in the past but this film is undoubtably his greatest effort. A story of an older man mentoring 3 boys in his community, and therefore impacting many others as a result. It was a great film for younger children, and for older people alike. For those of us in-between the young and old stage, its a great lesson regardless because the lesson of the older man is something we can strive to achieve. The dynamic of mentoring others isn’t locked into the father and son relationship, grandfather to grandchildren, etc. It’s something we should always be doing, even those our own age. But the film was an excellent example of being faithful with the wisdom God has given you by sharing it with other people, and what the result is. I loved the film, I had a smile on the entire time.

The acting was solid and the young boys showed great potential for the future. Gavin McLeod playing Jonathan Sperry in the film did a wonderful job (as usual), and the locations chosen for the 1970s setting fit perfectly. Shooting on 16mm film in this case also benefitted the style, mood, and overall look of the film. The film was also shot by Phillip Hurn who is a regular DP on Rich’s films. His style is very specific and fits the movie like a glove. I’m happy to report the music in the film was excellent, and even won a Jubilee Award at the film festival for Best Original Score. Congratulations to Rich and Jasper Randall on a job well done!

There were many jokes in the film, and the laughs were consistent throughout the film. This movie is something you can buy for your kids without any worry, something that is lacking. I commend Rich Christiano for creating yet another film that refuses to hide the gospel, and for creating films that can touch children and adults alike. A round of applause is much deserved.

Sperry will be released in theaters in 2009. Visit SperryMovie.com for details. You can also visit ChristianMovies.com to find other titles by Rich Christiano.

Facing the Giants might arguably be one of the most well known and most successful independent Christian films of all time. It packs a punch for sure, and made a rift in the Christian filmmaking community, showing what a film of this budget could actually do. It really shines for its budget range, a mere $100,000. Mind you, what you actually see on the DVD isn’t the $100,000 version, but the film after many more hundreds of thousands were poured into it. Even so the film is fantastic, being a great example of doing a lot with a little.

The story of Grant Taylor seems like it might not be relatable, but at its core comes a man with very common struggles. A husband, with problems at home and at work. Sound familiar? If it doesn’t then your a liar because everyone has problems of some kind at home AND in the workplace. Add to that the issue of infertility and you have something powerful, not just the football sequences. The story flows well, the characters are lovable, and the end will have you squirming in your seat with excitement. The acting quality has been criticized by a lot of people but let me make something clear (and this is unfortunate) but the acting in the film is better than in most Christian films. Alex Kendrick playing Grant Taylor (also Director/Writer), gives a strong performance carrying on the quality he holds from Sherwood previous film Flywheel.

Also brought up in many reviews of the film is that its a fairy tale, with everything working out and being squeaky clean in the end. Yes pretty much everything that could go right in the end does in the film, BUT it is because of the point of the film. People find it unrealistic that so much good could happen in real life, but they fail to understand what they are saying. God can do all things, and if you believe that, then why would such a thing be true? It was to show what CAN happen, not what always does. It amazes me how many people miss that. The films message is clear and profound. If there is any Christian film that should be in the mix of your DVD’s at home it is this one. Do yourself a favor and buy it, watch it, and share it with others.

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Flywheel, is the first film from Sherwood Baptist Church. Created in 2003, it is an incredible example of what can be done with very little resources, and lots of prayer. The films production quality is terrible, that I will say because its not a subjective thing. The picture quality is grainy and noisy, and the 35mm adapter used on the front is often used improperly with its spinning glass being visible in lots of shots. Sound is also mediocre and sounds tinny.

All that aside, Flywheel was my #1 Favorite Christian film until this year (2008). What makes a film that looks so bad so good? STORY. Flywheel has a very strong story and is presented with great care. Every moment of the film works, and the ending leaves you with such a great feeling I don’t want to ruin it here. The acting by the lead Alex Kendrick (also the Writer/Director, you might recognize him from Facing the Giants *wink*) is actually pretty good. He is the strongest in the film without a doubt, and as it turns out that is needed to save the movie. The rest of the acting is mediocre at best, but because of careful writing, there is very few things that don’t work no matter how they are spoken or cut together. Something I can do with this film that I can’t with any other is justify all the mistakes. Bad acting is normally non-excusable, and ruins a film. In this case, the story and presentation shine through making you pay attention and get past all the bad you might notice.

The message is strong and relatable, making almost anyone who watches it understand the characters struggles (especially men, or married couples). There is much to be said, but I don’t feel like ruining anything about the film. You’ll have to see for yourself.

The heart of this film is HUGE, and it shows. You will be very surprised by this little gem, I have no doubts. Pop it in, and watch it beginning to end…you’ll find you can watch this film over and over again and it still does its job I love this little movie.

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I waited a while to see this film, because of the reviews I had heard, and because of a lot of crazy stuff going on in life.  I eventually got around to seeing it to make an opinion for myself.  I would call this film “ok,” but not good.  I felt about this film like I did about Wolverine.  There was a lot of cool stuff, potential for something really great, but it never really did a lot.  The action was fun to watch but often I was just waiting for it to be over, calling the shots well before they came to pass.  The FX were great but I do have my quibbles.  I don’t know whether I just have an eye for it or I’m nuts but there is just something unsettling to me about the extended landscapes and such in this film.  I can tell that a lot of shots in here were full roto around the characters, and things seem to wobble a bit.  There is a choppy feeling to some of the stuff.  The higher shutter used at times along with full roto (or greenscreen) and composited backgrounds combined with the handheld motion really felt off to me.  Nothing technically wrong with some of those shots but still I could tell something was wrong.

I felt the film was very offbeat in the beginning 20 minutes.  The film overall until the last 40 minutes or so had a very awkward way of switching from scene to scene, with fade outs and ins in places that aren’t conventional and even when they happened they were very quick and jarring to me.  I think they tried to keep the pace so hard they chopped off the beginning and end of scenes.  I felt shortchanged in a lot of them, and it bugged me for a while until the film picked up some speed.  I think Bale did a good job at John Conner, but there really isn’t much to report.  The role wasn’t very deep in my opinion.  Some great moments and lines that I enjoyed but other than that, pretty stale.  The Conner delivery “I’ll be back,” would’ve worked if the edit was changed but right after he said it he just sorta stood there and then awkwardly walked away.  The music and such was also cut abruptly and I think it totally ruined the moment.

Sam Worthington’s role was definitely juicier than Bales, and I think he did a great job.  His better parts of the film were in the scenes where he had nothing to say.  His face did a lot and said a lot.  I prefer it that way sometimes, and he pulled it off.  The Sarah tapes were cool to listen to, and added a bit more dimension to things when it came time to take a break in the action.  The reveal of Skynet’s plan was a good moment of the film, although I thought earlier when the “signal” was brought up, that it may have been a trick.  Either way I hadn’t really put every piece together until it was explained to me.  There is a continual message in films with machines nowadays since the release of T2.  I’m sure it was in films prior but not like it was presented in T2.  The idea that a machine could feel, and that humanity is unique.  None of these ideas are new, I just wish they found a better story to wrap around it.  Arnolds CG cameo was enjoyable but the worst of the FX.  He was shiny and plastic looking.

I really enjoyed the ending of the film when Marcus mentions a second chance, and getting it.  That was a good move by the writers.  Overall I really feel like this movie was enjoyable but not as strong as the first two films.  It’s on par with Terminator 3 which isn’t a very good entry of the series.  I would give it the edge though and make it #3 in quality instead of last.  There is enough raw emotion and power in the film to give it an edge.  I’m a bit disappointed since as with a lot of movies I see, I notice the opportunity for so much that just didn’t come about.  There was a lot of action that was drawn out and convoluted.  So much could’ve been done to develop the characters better.  So much time spent blowing things up and so little with people actually showing who they are.  The biggest failure of the film in my opinion is Conner’s character who just doesn’t have a very good foundation.  I liked his character but wanted to love his character instead.  There just wasn’t enough in the beginning for me.

A fun popcorn flick with some good moments thrown in.  Not an amazing movie but not a terrible one.

So there I sat, with my cup of Sprite and my gummie bears at the Regal.  I had never seen a Star Trek movie all the way through, and quite frankly I just couldn’t.  They always bored me and were mediocre at best.  I was expecting something good from this one though, from what I saw it looked like a great film, but I wasn’t completely sure.

The movie started and the dazzling spectacle began.  I was shocked at how visually stunning the film was, and besides that how strong the story was.  Not just how lovable and witty the characters were, but also how well developed.  The humor in the film was something I wasn’t expecting, and almost no joke didn’t have me smiling or chuckling to some degree.  Although this film was a reboot of sorts, it felt completely disconnected from the other films and sits as its “own thing,” I think.  Granted I haven’t seen the other films, only pieces but I can tell you this…the film is fantastic.  I had an awesome feeling leaving the theater, the kind of feeling that doesn’t wear off for a while.  It reminded me just why I love movies.  The experience of watching a good movie and everything that goes with it.  What an awesome experience it was watching this film, one of the best I’ve had in a theater honestly.

The flares and visual style to the film was a fresh look.  The abundance of the flaring, optical anomalies, and all the other things associated with it’s style always felt fresh and never really distracted me.  The effects were top notch and it seems they kept a good balance overall in the film of the “used future” and the clean pristine look that is associated with Star Trek most of the time.  The long dialog driven logic and such also associated with Star Trek wasn’t minimal but was done with taste and never felt like too much.  Even if it did, the audience often took it as a joke (which I think a lot of it was…embedded into the long speeches).  All the cast was superb and a perfect choice.  I won’t go into detail on each because honestly they were all flawless.  The acting in the film is strong, and never hit cheesy.  It was always real, grounded, and natural.

I’ll see this film again, without a doubt.  I refuse to really talk about aspects of the story I like because I don’t want to ruin the film.  This is was good enough to keep quiet and let you all enjoy it for yourselves.  I’ll have to see it again to decide but this film might sneak into my top 15…or even my top 10.  Towards the bottom of the list of course, but being in my Top 10 means it has to be very good.

Go see the film…it would be difficult to NOT enjoy it.