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Reviews
The Devil and Father Amorth (2017)
Compelling but questionable
I've read several books on exorcisms and found this movie in line with what I've read. If the footage is authentic, it's amazing, but since I wasn't there when they filmed it, I can't say. I thought the ending provided an unexpected and dramatic twist, but I also thought the footage of asking the opinions of neurosurgeons, who were probably hand-picked for their atheism, was predictable.
The Signal (2014)
Horrible story. Over-promises and goes nowhere
Lawrence Fishburne tries to recapture the glory of his stoic, man-in-control characters of the Matrix and Event Horizon, but it's a futile attempt in a laughable plot. The story suggests the full universe of options about why weird things happen, and that would be fine if it tied all the clues together into a tight ending. But, nope. The acting was okay, although Fishburne was limited to mediocrity by the script with his zero-emotions schtick throughout.
Prodigy (2017)
Pretty Good Plot, Decent Delivery
There's nothing outstanding about this movie, but it's a solid plot with a gripping delivery. Some acting was jilted and/or support characters were shallow, but the main job between the prodigal girl and the psychiatrist was good.
Pandorum (2009)
Action and mystery
This movie had survival action against 2 threats, mutants and a dying reactor. It explored psychological issues, and it also included the mystery of finding out where the ship was, where it was going, how long it had been traveling, who were the mutants, where is everyone, how long was I asleep, etc. Awesome story, great action scenes, good acting. Nice!
Enemy (2013)
Good execution of a bad idea
I prefer tight plots where a story is told, antagonist battles protagonist, and conflict is resolved. But even after setting that aside and trying to enjoy the interpretation of symbols, metaphors, and subtlety, I was disappointed. It's a sequence of questions with partial answers that beget confusion, go nowhere, answer nothing, and resolve nothing. The acting, pace, and mood were good for what it attempted to be, though.
A Quiet Place (2018)
Failed Premise
I gave it stars for good execution, but the premise was inexcusable. Humanity has been overrun by blind creatures who exist in small numbers and have no special powers beyond great hearing, speed over land, and sharp extremities. I rented this based upon the high ratings, which baffle me, but I couldn't bend my willing suspension of disbelief far enough.
Pet (2016)
Clever with good acting and plot twists
I was impressed with the plot, which I thought was clever and believable. I also thought the acting was good. I'm no expert critic, but I cared about the characters, which means the actors did their jobs.
The Open House (2018)
Not a Story
I watched since Netflix produced it, which I thought was a mark of quality. That's the last time I'll make that mistake. I gave it 3 stars because the acting was okay, but the so-called plot isn't worth mentioning other than the absence of one.
Bokeh (2017)
No Plot.
Good cinematography with great shots of a beautiful country... pretty good acting for a challenging script, but no plot. We have 2 people left alone in the world and then... what? What are they trying to accomplish? How will we know they've succeeded or failed? Why do we care about their motivations? We would know all of these answers early in a properly constructed story, but in this film, never.
Love Different (2016)
Funny, Inspirational, Entertaining
I thought Love Different was above average for a low-budget Christian film. Anthony Hackett showed an acting range beyond his intensity in Crisis Call, and I'm going to check out his other films. He also gets my thumbs up for directing.
The premise that a white girl lands in black workplace and needs culture training is believable and opens doors for the main characters to explore faith and the human condition through race and family. The people and situations they encounter are varied and fun, and they help drive the plot. Many scenes are stereotypical, but that's anticipated in a race-exploring film, and there's enough depth in the characters' lives with her undisciplined son and his stagnant marriage to balance out the thinner elements.
There are some scenes where actors seek humor by pushing a situation beyond their skills, but that's excusable in a low-budget exercise. I found the ending satisfying, and I recommend seeing the whole movie to judge for yourself. I'd call it about a 6.5 film overall versus 8-9 big-budget blockbusters, then I add the extra points for the crucial reminder to think in terms of higher powers.
The Messenger's Box (2015)
Good intentions. Questionable results
There's little positive to say about this movie. It seems like someone tried to convert a short story or a hastily conceived concept into a full feature film. I can't even give it points for promoting Christian doctrine since it's only tie to the faith is an attempt to attach magic qualities to fictional relics of Christian symbolism. Even graded on a curve against other low budget films, this one is worth avoiding.
Meant to Be (2012)
Great approach to unwanted pregnancies
This movie is an entertaining and clever story that uses multiple perspectives to explore unwanted pregnancies. The plot is tight with each scene moving the movie forward and each character having an impact on another, and the acting was great for a low-budget film. For a movie with Christian themes, the messages are inherent to the story without overpowering it.