The Tale of Despereaux - Christian Movie Review

A review of the movie, The Tale of Despereaux from a Christian perspective.

Movie Title: The Tale of Despereaux
Rating: G
Director: Sam Fell
Staring: the voices of Matthew Broderick; Dustin Hoffman; Kevin Kline Tracey Ullman; Emma Watson; Christopher Lloyd; Sigourney Weaver and others.
Category: Children's

Christian Perspective Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Intro: When I saw the previews for this film, I thought I would be in for a treat. Unfortunately, there are some very dark issues that I honestly think should have made this movie a PG not a G rating. We saw Bolt right after and it was rated PG. I thought...huh? It should have been the other way around. Weird. Anyway, on to the review...

Review: The Tale of Despereaux has all the elements of a Medieval adventure. It has the princess, the hero, the underdog, the whole shebang. All in all the film was OK. I mean JUST OK. What really threw me, as I mentioned above, was the rating. My 5 year old was not happy with some of the scenes....and neither was I. There was also a little girl next to us that was crying.

There was one positive thing that stood out for me and it was little Despereaux's loyalty to his "calling" to protect the princess and good did win in the end. However, I think the G rating gives parents the false peace of mind that this film will be OK for their small children. I disagree. Watch it first and you will see what I mean.

A few examples of the dark sides of the film;

* Chef Andre's cooking "helper" gives the feel of witchcraft to me. Very weird.

* In a scene that had the same concept as a Roman Colosseum, the princes was tied up and going to be dinner for the rats. They were all chanting "eat, eat, eat." It was all very scary. Again...not feeling the G rating.

* Rat world is a very dark place. Lots of bones and skulls and not very nice rats.

Conclusion: My 15 year old, who loves suspense type movies, thought this was way too dark for a cartoon. She was covering her little sisters eyes more than I was! LOL!

Seriously, put the little ones to bed early and "preview" the film before you allow them to see it. I really think this movie is not for little children. I know we will never watch it again.

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The Women - Christian Movie Review

A review of the movie, The Women from a Christian perspective.

Movie Title: The Women
Rating: PG-13
Director: Diane English
Staring: Meg Ryan; Annette Bening; Eva Mendez; Debra Messing; Jada Pinkett Smith; Bette Midler; Candice Bergen and Carrie Fisher.
Category: Drama

Christian Perspective Rating: 0 out of 5 stars - Horrible!

Intro: The Women features an all star cast of women actresses. I was surprised that with so many great actresses the movie stunk.

Review: The Women was a horrible film. Considering how many seasoned actresses this film had, I expected better acting. Unfortunately, it did not deliver. There was no real meat or plot in the film either. It just plain stunk for lack of a better word. Seriously, I felt convicted that I even watched the whole movie. It was a terrible terrible film.

Cons: There were so many bad things about this movie that honestly, the whole movie is a "con." However, for the sake of this review, I will do my best to separate the really bad fron the just plain bad.

There were a lot of sexual comments, several lesbian scenes, lesbian sex comments, a warped view of marriage and what sex is really about, an overpowering feminism spin, and immorality was everywhere. Men were not even in the film...which I found rather alarming from a Christian perspective.

God's name is used in vain and there are over a half a dozen "S" words and several other not nice words as well.

Conclusion: This movie has an extremely world view with far too much female power for a conservative Bible believing woman's to stomach!

Other than the use of God's name in vain, there is no real God even in the film. It is a world of sinful women where men are held with no value, are bashed, put down and degraded at every turn.

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New in Town - Christian Movie Review

A review of the movie, New in Town from a Christian perspective.

Movie Title: New in Town
Rating: PG
Director: Jonas Elmer
Staring: Renée Zellweger & Harry Connick Jr.
Category: Romantic Comedy

Christian Perspective Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - AWESOME!

Intro: A big city corporate girl (Zellweger) must move to a small town in Minnesota. It turns into quite an adventure of the heart. She learns about love, friendship, loyalty and what she truly wants out of life.

Review: Lucy (Zellweger) must leave her plush life as a corporate woman so that she can prove herself to her corporate big shots.

She volunteers for the daunting task of modernizing and downsizing a small-town Minnesota food plant.

When she arrives, she discovers a freezing cold and slower way of life, with people who are simple, friendly, and actually care about others. However, she is all business and wants to just get the job done and get back to sunny Miami!

Life has other plans for her though...She finds herself caring for these easy going people and begins to love what they love. She even finds a romantic interest in the handsome, firefighter/union rep, Ted ( Harry Connick Jr.).

The humor in "New in Town" was laugh out loud funny. One moment that stands out in my mind was when Lucy first came to town and was driving with her soon to be secretary, Blanche (Siobhan Fallon). While they are chatting, a humorous dialogue ensues...Blanche (in her quirky Minnesota accent) asks Lucy ,"Have you found Jesus?" "Well, I didn't know He was missing," Lucy answers with a laugh. Pause, while Blanch ponders that response. "Normally we don't joke about Jesus around here," Blanche responds. (there is more to follow that I will leave out.)

I do not like to give too many details away and ruin the film for my readers, however, I will tell you this, the movie has a great story, witty humor, surprisingly positive view of God, and nothing that would make me not recommend it to my friends.

Cons: There were no "major" cons for New in Town, However, there are a few things worth mentioning...

There was some unnecessary potty mouth in the film. I counted about 2 "S" words, 3 "D" words, 4/5 "A" words, 1 hell and 1 "SOB."

As far as sex, a couple kisses, a make out scene where they did not show anything other than some brief kissing, and then when they got "caught," you saw that Ted's belt was undone. So, yes, it eluded to groping. However, we never saw or heard anything.

There was also one scene in the beginning of the film where Lucy takes off her coat and her nipples are hard. However, again, it is not meant to be a dirty scene. It is actually a very funny, laugh out loud moment that EVERY woman on the planet should be able to relate to!

Conclusion: Right down to the sound track, this was one of the best romantic comedies I have seen in quite a while. It was laugh out loud funny, heart warming and relatively clean! I loved this film and highly recommend it! It is a great date night movie, or even a girls night out!

Oh, and ladies, be sure and check out Lucy's shoes! She wears the coolest shoes, donchaknow!

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Lord of the Rings - How Many Versions?

Now is a great time to revisit the trilogy of Lord of the Rings, while we wait for Peter Jackson to complete the Hobbit movies. Most of us saw the movies in the theater and purchased the DVD's and then just had to have the extended directors edition also.

The marketing professionals are good at what they do as they've been successful in getting the public to purchase this trilogy three times. So here comes another occasion to purchase, it's the Blu Ray version, which fans everywhere will want, but this is not the extended version. If you don't care about such things as extra footage go ahead and buy it, but your original DVD trilogy would be just fine if you didn't want to lay out extra money.

However, there is a large group out there who'll take a hard look at this release, but some will skip this one and hang on for the Blu Ray extended version. Of course they're going to release it and that release will more than likely be around the theater release date for the first Hobbit movie. Then those of us who are nerdy enough to want to see the furry feet of Frodo's in high definition will then have to purchase the Blu Ray version because it will look and sound awesome.

There was some extra content in the original releases but nothing like the extended versions. They had so much more content that fans of the books wanted to have on the movie. The fans had a picture in their heads from reading the books and they wanted to see if it translated the same as the directors version.

Peter Jackson is a huge fan of the series and showed that in his detailed and loving adaptations that he brought to the screen. I am sure that the level of detail and expertise will be given to the Hobbit movies, but until then, keep watching the extended directors version that you have and wait for the Blu-ray version next year. If you have to see this version in HD, rent it from the store or borrow it from your less informed friends.

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Reasons For Writing a Script Treatment

There are reasons for writing a treatment or outline based on your brilliant original movie idea. Simply put a movie idea or concept cannot be copyrighted. Idea theft isn't widespread in the movie business, but there is always that remote possibility some intellectual property thief hears your movie idea, loves it, and develops their own script or movie based on your idea. Not many aspiring writers, directors, or producers have deep enough pockets to get into a costly court battle over an idea. Writing a treatment and submitting it to the U.S. Copyright Office protects your movie idea.

It is possible to sell a script treatment, but usually that's reserved for Hollywood insiders or established screenwriters with a proven track record. Not for newcomers on the scene. Hashing out solid a script treatment greatly increases the chances for a tight well written script to be born. This article is mainly for those aspiring screenwriters that have a movie idea they are going to eventually write themselves.

A treatment is a full narrative description of the story. This happens, this happens, and finally this happens. It can include bits of dialogue or not. Length can vary from 1-25 pages or more depending how involved you want to get. I'm usually able to get a real good handle on my script idea within 6 pages of a treatment.

I myself do not write out scenes on index cards to follow as a road map for my scripts. I heard it works for other screenwriters, but I can't share with you a technique I personally do not use. I also do not write detailed biographies on characters to get into their heads. If I created them I better know what motivates them and what makes them say or do the things they do in the script. I use a simple script treatment to flesh out my movie idea into a tight story. Writing a shorter treatment is my personal preference. People develop their own preferences when writing a treatment. You'll be surprised how quickly you'll find yours as you go through the process.

At this point, if you've done a little reading on screenwriting you'll be looking at your treatment to make sure it follows the Three Act Structure as advised in many books. The First Act (the beginning), the Second Act (the middle), and the Third Act (the end). I respect the principal, but do not apply it as a hard and fast rule to my scripts. All good stories will always have a beginning that hooks people, a middle that keeps people interested in how the whole thing will turn out, and the end where you give the viewer the big payoff.

When you write a script trying to force your idea to conform to the Three Act Structure your story can lose zip. It might be your story has four or five acts to get to the end. When I look at my treatment I ask myself one major question; would I watch this movie? Movies, in my opinion, are for entertainment. If you tell a good story that will keep people entertained and watching you'll do fine as a filmmaker. With a treatment done I always feel more confident going in to write a full script. Think of a treatment as your road map of where you want the story you script to lead. When you're done with your treatment you're one step closer to making your movie, not just talking about it. Good luck and good screenwriting!

Slice Of Americana Films
The First Movie is the Toughest
Writer-Director Sid Kali makes movies that are authentic and thought provoking. Sid Kali's straightforward style allows him to deliver his own fresh take on the darker Film Noir genre that often features corrupt and cynical characters. Sid's realistic approach to making movies has been covered in articles that have appeared in MovieMaker and Indie Slate Magazine.

His debut feature films Consignment and In with Thieves have been released domestically and internationally. He has recently completed his first book on filmmaking.

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Movies About Magic and Magicians

There are literally hundreds of movies and television shows about magicians and magic itself. They span decades of theater and cinematography whether its movies, opera, television and even magic shows. While many of these are b list at best there are many that are excellent pieces of magic.

We can start with the famous movie Bewitched. It was made in 2005 after the famously popular television show with the same name. Another television show that is on now on Turner Network Television in syndication is the famous show Charmed. It had an all star cast and is very cute and great to watch. The magical spells and witchcraft in this show are great to watch and full of mystery. You can get all seasons of Charmed on DVD.

One of the most famous and most public of all magicians is Criss Angel. He has single handedly made magic and illusion mainstream among all ages. His television show Mindfreak has catapulted him into super stardom. You can often find him roaming the streets of Las Vegas doing tricks for all the tourists. He lives in the Luxor hotel and now has a nightly magic show in the theater in Luxor. His television show continues to be the highest rated on A&E. You can buy all seasons of Mindfreak as well on DVD.

Another way to find magic movies is by looking up YouTube. YouTube allows you to broadcast yourself through amateur videos people have taken of themselves and downloaded onto YouTubes server for public viewing. Many young magicians and also famous magicians perform magic card tricks and other illusions for YouTube viewing.

There are a host of movies about magic to watch and some are quite popular. Harry Potter series has drawn the most attention because of its excellent writing and popular books. These movies are by far the most popular and many love the sorcery and special effects they bring for children and adults. The Chronicles of Narnia is another set of movies that have been very popular with the children and also feature witchcraft and sorcery.

It doesn't matter whether its movies about magic or television shows that feature magicians and crazy mind stunts. We the public cannot get enough of it and I for one love to watch anything magical and mysterious. It makes a childs mind wander and engages them in all sorts of fairytale thinking. To find your movies about magic be sure to get online and get started today.

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Movie Ideas You Can Script & Shoot

Here and there different friends have pitched me on a movie idea they have. Loosely quoting it usually starts with, "I have this great idea for a movie." The same thing when I receive emails from aspiring screenwriters. Making movies is experience. You learn at every stage and with time you learn more. A trend I've noticed with most movie ideas I get is they're not realistic for true grunt independent filmmakers to make. I have a friend who has a phenomenal idea for a heist movie set in the late 80's.

I was glued to his pitch. After he was done I told him there was nothing I could do with his story. I already knew the movie idea was way too big for any budget I might be able to put together. What he said to me lead to this article. "Then what do I have to do? How come we can't make it a movie?"

The following advice is directed towards aspiring filmmakers that want to go from movie idea to movie treatment to script they can shoot outside of Hollywood. This won't help you if you want to write a blockbuster script to pitch to producers, studios, or agents. It's for people who need to write a script based on the resources they have to get through an entire film shoot. Write down a dozen movie ideas you have, see what is realistic to shoot yourself within your budget and resources.

You've come up with a movie idea you really believe in. Now it's time to flesh it out and see if it can be shot with the resources you have. When fleshing out your movie idea be honest with yourself about what type of story you can bring to life as a movie. When I flesh out a movie idea I start by making notes of creative elements I want to include in the story.

Next I note what locations and vehicles I know I will have access to during filming. These two elements lend a great deal to the overall style and look of a film. Don't underestimate what locations and vehicles can add or detract from a movie. Problems are an absolute guarantee when you make a movie. I'll share what I did to solve problems to finish a movie and get distributed to viewers. There are many moving pieces when making a movie, friction develops, and the entire production can break down quickly if you're not prepared for what to expect. I'm here to share my real life experiences making movies.

The First Movie is the Toughest grew out of the tough lessons I've learned making independent movies with limited money, time and resources. It covers how to deal with making, selling, and promoting your movie using practical information that really works.

Learn more about Sid Kali's book The First Movie is the Toughest

My approach is to share useful film making information with behind the scenes examples and stories you can only experience getting your hands dirty making movies.

Please enjoy the ride and hopefully you'll find my book informative plus a entertaining read about one filmmaker's experiences chasing a dream.

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