Recently in film Category

So, a couple of weeks ago I finally got round to watching the film Juno! I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Reviewing it is complex though as it will really depend on what angle you are looking at it from, e.g screenplay, handling of issues involved, accuracy etc etc. I also think it's quite annoying when a reviewer reveiws a film from a standpoint which the director never intended to take. (A bit like attacking a coffee cake recipe on the grounds it couldn't be eaten with Spinach or wasn't on-message with healthy eating)

So, I enjoyed Juno as a piece of entertainment. I liked Ellen Page (Juno) and Michael Cera (Bleeker) enormously and thought this film was a great offering in the 'teen movie' genre. It was actually an interesting story and explored a range of relational dynamics. Like most movies though, the values running through it and its coherence with reality need some reflection.

Anyway, the best thing about the movie has been that it has led to some important/fun/useful/interesting conversations with young people about sexuality and relationships. Conversations that may well not have happened without the fact we arrived at them via discussing films and in partcular Juno.

I re-watched "About a Boy" last night (after Andrew Root used a clip from it in connection with "Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry"), it's a great film! I was then musing about how much potential inpsiration, training and reflection, that was relevent to youth work/ministry, the film contained. Which got me thinking further, what other films would/should you include in a media based course on youth work/ministry practice?

I like the idea of a course that revolves entirely of:

• Watch the film
• Discuss & Analyse
• Reflect & Explore
• Apply insights to/against practice

I think I really like the idea of working with film as it is more likely to encompass reflection with our whole being, for some of us who exist more naturally as Logicians, this could be dynamite.

PS: Go and re-watch (or watch) "About a Boy" (I know it's entertainment that is a glossy and sanatized feel good version of reality BUT there is something really really amazing embedded in the unfolding story)

Went to see Iron Man last night and loved it. Super Hero films, in my opinion, fall into one of two categories, either great or BAD. The bad ones just don't quite cohere, take themselves too seriously, too flippantly or just fail to work. Iron Man is definitely in the 'great' category though, great film and great fun.

Robert Downey Junior plays the role of 'Stark' brilliantly. The characters' journey from the playboy genius CEO of a weapons company to his role as Iron man is handled well and within the slightly different realms of Superhero films, credibly. The film delivers all the required narrative and background creatively without long unnecessary dialogue or contrived explanations. The effects are fantastic, particularly Stark interacting with the 3D CadCam design .... and the flight sequences. Can't say too much more without spoiling the film for you WHEN you go and see it!

IMHO, It's a huge, fun and cool film. Right up there with Batman Begins and Spiderman 2.

I saw some films over the summer and having a spare moment, thought I'd give you the Youthblog cine-summary of what I thought:

SURF's UP: A great Mockumentry style story that follows surfing anti hero and slacker, Cody on a journey from his Antartic home to the world Penguin surfing championships. Surreal at times, touching, fun and a wonderful tribute to surfing. I loved this film! The CGI is awesome but more importantly the documentry style of interview and camera work is genius. Kinda predictable in it's story but at the same time, highly original in it's rendering. Go See!

The Bourne Ultimatum: Jason Bourne find the 'Blackbriar" piece of the jigsaw and goes on to completes the picture, surviving no-end of threats on the way with some very cool and highly intelligent strategic moves as well as his usual physical supremacy. The film was clever, witty at times and a highly paced thriller. It was the MOST exhausting film I have ever watched! The combination of the frenetic pace and rapidly moving hand-held camera work was quite tiring (although extremely engaging). If you liked the first two, you'll love this one!

Mr Bean's Holiday: For once Mr Bean comes up trumps and wins both a camcorder and a trip to the South of France. Not surprisingly though the journey does not got to plan and he battles to master a culture, a language and transport problems armed only with a compass and absurd Bean like initiative. I expected to hate this film but actually loved it. It's upbeat, positive and witty with a really great life affirming ending. The film could have been awful but by having a genuine story wedded to Mr Bean's visual comedy that played with hope as well as the inevitable bad luck was good fun and at times quite touching. Not going to be everyone's cup of tea BUT as a comedic family film, Nice!

There is so much of the internet that is proof positive that some people have WAY too much time on their hands, this video that Marko unearthed is a brilliant example of that but it is Genius! (How may of the films do you reckon you've seen?)

'Following the Spiderman 3 reviews posted by Youth Ministers, Spidey's
film career was effectively over. His income now being more or less
reliant on Street entertaining'

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Darren left a comment agreeing that SM3 that it wasn't as bad as all that AND to say he's written a discussion guide for the film, well worth a look and here it is!

Less usefully BUT quite funny (especially the EMO observation) is this list of what we learn from Spiderman 3!

I went to see Hot Fuzz last night and for the most part thought it was brilliant. I haven't seen Shaun of the Dead so I guess I'm playing catch up on this style of comedy but the graphic 'comic' horror violence took me a bit by surprise and I'm not sure I was entirely comfortable with it, BUT I guess the squirm factor is one of the films deliberate aims.
Simon Pegg and Nick Frost were absolutely outstanding and had an amazing cast of actors backing them up. The story as it unfolds melds reality and implausibility brilliantly, the writing is great. The film is an odd mix of laughter, absurdity and genuinely touching moments, it has a great storyline that evolves (or descends) into an extraordinary ending with the film gathering pace all the way. It's strange but compelling!

Violent: Yes
Bad Language: Yes
But overall a thumbs up for Ealing Comedy meets Horror wrapped up in Theatre of the Absurd.

I wrote a couple of days ago about how much I enjoyed the film, 'Music and Lyrics!' One of the reasons I loved it so much was the adroit observations that made their 00's creation of a perfect 80's stylee song and video absolutely spot on and HILARIOUS. I've just found that their fictional band "Pop" and the, looking back mock up video for "Pop goes my heart!" is on YouTube (and hence posted below). If you weren't a teen in the 80's you won't get this, if you were they here is an official laughter warning!

I got to check out Music and Lyrics on the big screen last night and thought I'd rattle off a review-ette in case it's helpful!

The film is very definitely housed in Rom-Com city close to the border with Chick-Flick, having said that though I should point out that I enjoyed the film and experienced some wonderful 'laugh like a drain' moments. The premise is that Alex Fletcher (Hugh) is a has-been musician. His band 'Pop' (an affectionate mockery of Wham) were massive in the 80's and his former band mate now enjoys a great Solo career while Alex survives by playing the nostalgia circuit, the gigs however are drying up.
He is offered a big break when teen pop sensation Cora Corman (the Britney figure) invites him to write a song and guest sing with her. Two problems though, a tight time scale and the fact that Alex Fletcher writes music not lyrics! However this is his big chance and he has to deliver the goods. Fortunately Sophie Fisher (Drew) enters his life when she subs for his normal Plant person! It turns out she has a way with words and the film meanders nicely from this meeting on a fairly predictable journey through to a romantic happy ending.

It may be a little syrupy in places but it's great fun. The thing that makes it so fabulous is the accurate re-creation of the cheesy 80's pop with original tunes and words that could so easily have been hits in that decade. It also nicely contrasts the cheeky cheesy suggestiveness of the 80's with the scantily clad crotch gyrating led pop of Britney et al. (it's also a fun critique of pop flirting with spirituality)

At one level, this is a good Rom-Com that Hugh and Drew play well, nothing remarkable but it is enjoyable. What really lifts it though is that if you experienced the 80's then this has so much to connect with, smile about and tap your feet to. I loved it ...... February Feel Fine Film Finesse!

I finally got around to taking the offspring to see Cars at the cinema (better late than never) and Wow is it ever a stunning piece of animation. The charcterisation, the imaginative detail and especially the jaw dropping quality of the animation are all extrodinary. I am even prepared to over-look the fact that plot wise it was a re-hash of Doc Hollywood. Although lacking in the originality stakes, the dialogue and humour were well up to Pixar standards, great fun! Bonus points too for coming up with a new gimmic for the post credits malarkey, don't leave the cinema 'til you've seen this :-)

As wow as the film was though it still left me slightly uncomfortable. The celebration of automotive freedom, the promotion of driving for pleasure and the view that traffic could be a towns' redemption felt so at odds with enviromental realities and the societal damage the car does, that it just felt kinda wrong. But, a great piece of film!

Useful Clips: Not that many spring to mind as it was a bit formulaic in it's story but I may end up using the Doc Hudson interaction with Lightning, at the dirt track, for training on Mentoring.

P.S Decided to go a bit cryptic with the picture, general feeling of well-being obtained by working out the connection

Favourite two quotes regarding Davinci code so far ......

I'm told that a Theologian was asked by Radio 4 to comment on the book and his reply was rather dismissive, consisting merely of, "Did you ask a marine Biologist to comment on Finding Nemo?"

Second was from Tom Hanks when asked if he and his wife had qualms about the story. His reply,
"No, absolutely not. My heritage, and that of my wife, suggests that our sins have been taken away, not our brains."

Oh and making me laugh, A reponse to the film in Dr Seus Stylee:

I would not watch it on TV,
I would not watch on DVD.
I would not watch on VHS,
I would not watch on CBS.

I would not watch it in a car,
I would not watch it in a bar.
I would not watch it with my dad,
I would not watch it when I'm sad.

I would not watch it in my bed,
I would not watch with my friend Fred.
I would not watch it on a box,
I would not watch it shown on FOX.

I would not watch it on a table,
I would not watch when it's on cable.
I would not watch it in a chair,
I would not watch it anywhere.

I wish I had not paid eight bucks,
This movie really really sucks.

Ht to Ruth via Maggi

I watched The Island last night on DVD. It's a film about a facility that bio-engineers clones for spare part surgery when their "sponsor" requires them. The Clones are kept in isolation and believe they are the only survivors of a world wide and lethal contamination. But "Lincoln Six Echo" (Ewan McGregor) realises that, not all is as it seems! The film becomes a quasi Sci-fi high action escape chase that on the way calls in at ethics, human values and some truly unsubtle product placement. Ewan McGregor is great and when you see him acting his clone self and his client self subtely differently it brings home his acting ability. The stunts are nuts and lots of stuff gets destroyed, Sean Bean is suitably creepy and Scarlet Johanssen is suitably lovely!
On one level it's a great no-brain high octane sci-fi thriller romp! On another level it's quite a horrific and disturbing film. I seriously do not think this should have a '12' rating in the UK with the casual violence and qualmless executions it contains. (In fact I wonder whether it actually has? IMDB say it's a UK 12A and Amazon reckon it's a '15' but I see that BBFC have rated two different cuts, one at 12 and one at 12A. In the US it carries this tag, "Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action").
In terms of usability for discussions in youth group/ministry setting though it has shed loads of mileage, there's issues of hope, meaning, purpose, ethics, human value, greed and consumerism.

Anyway, using my usual evaluation methods I'll put my highly subjective rating below.

Watchability for a Youth weekend (providing it's for 14's and older)

Useability for teaching and discussion