• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Film
  • DVD
  • Editorial
  • About ScreenFish

ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • News
  • OtherFish
  • Podcast
  • Give

Mel Gibson

Last Looks: A Surprising Jewel

January 31, 2022 by Jacob Sahms Leave a Comment

In the quirky, mysterious Last Looks, Charlie Dunnam plays Charlie Waldo, a former LAPD detective whose desire for the truth drove him out of the city and into the isolation of the woods. When his former flame, private investigator Lorena Nascimento (Morena Baccarin), shows up asking for help with a case involving the murdered wife of a famous actress, Waldo is dragged back into the world he left behind.

The film is laugh out-loud funny at times, thanks to the script by Howard Michael Gould based on his own novel, and several notable performances. Mel Gibson plays the actor Alastair Pinch, who stands condemned in the public eye for the death of his wife. He’s an incredibly unlikable human being, and that seems to give his loving/hating public something to hang around his neck like a noose.

Hunnam plays Waldo simply at times, and slowly builds to cleverly, as the time of isolation wears off and he begins to practice the prowess that made him a strong detective. He goes from scraggily bearded and living with a chicken, minding his own business, to navigating the nasty underbelly of Hollywood, intent on selling movie tickets and building empires around money and power.

Ironically, Hunnam’s Waldo gets dragged into the fray because the Hollywood pushers, namely Rupert Friend’s Wilson Sikorsky, tell everyone Waldo has agreed to investigate. He’s beaten by thugs, accused of being involved by ex-police compatriots like Clancy Brown’s Big Jim Cuppy, slandered and abused. So his investigation is more about making people leave him alone – until trouble befalls Nascimento. Then he’s in it for love.

Director Tim Kirby has formed a well-paced, entertaining, genuinely interesting movie with a few twists and turns cleverly revealed, some of which you won’t see coming. It’s a surprising jewel in a strange film year, and it makes for a solid outing with mystery, romance, and comedy together.

Last Looks is available on January 31st, 2022.

Filed Under: Film, Reviews Tagged With: Charlie Hunnam, Last Looks, Mel Gibson

Boss Level: Groundhog Death

March 5, 2021 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

Trapped in a never-ending time loop that always ends with his inevitable (and usually brutal) death, former special agent Roy Pulver (Frank Grillo) is beyond frustrated. Constantly hunted by contract killers, he has no idea why he seems to have a target on his back—or why he must keep reliving the experience. When he discovers that a secret government organization led by Colonel Ventor (Mel Gibson) seems to have the answers about his fate, he both must outrun the ruthless assassins who relentlessly pursue him and attempt to save his ex-wife (Naomi Watts) before the clock runs out… again…

Directed by Joe Carnahan, Boss Level is a ridiculous and free-wheeling cacophony of bullets, blood and bad guys that fires on all cylinders from start to finish. 

It’s also ridiculously fun.

Pumped up on 70s rock music, the film feels like the delicious result of throwing Groundhog Day, John Wick and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World into a blender and hitting the ‘puree’ button. Though the action is intense and graphic, this ‘ode-to-video games’ runs at full speed with a sardonic wink and never takes itself too seriously. Known for such actioners as Smokin’ Aces and The A-Team, Carnahan has made a career out of his ability to balance comedy and violence and that skill is on full display here. With every repetition, Carnahan understands that variations are needed to keep the audience interested and he make subtle tweaks in each encounter to show Roy’s growth and his increasing ability to defeat the endless parade of adversaries in his way. 

As the film’s central core, this is also a film that rests solely on the muscular shoulders of veteran actor Frank Grillo, who truly shines in the role of the loveable anti-hero. Though likely best well-known for his role as Crossbones in the Marvel films, Grillo has mostly languished away in B-movies and secondary characters for some time. While Boss Level may not necessarily be a high-profile film, it certainly provides him the opportunity to establish himself as a legitimate action star and he makes the most of his chance. Attacking the set-pieces with intensity, he exudes a mix of frustrated brokenness and rogue-ish charm here that shows the talent he truly possesses as a leading man. (If anything, the only disappointment in the cast is Gibson who, through no fault of his own, is given very little to do other than sit behind a desk and be ‘bad’.)

Revenge films can be somewhat ridiculous in nature—let’s not forget that John Wick is really about a man seeking vengeance for the death of his puppy—and Carnahan knows it. As a result, he leans into the playfulness of the gaming concept with a glee that we haven’t seen in his work for some time. Without an established IP or any particularly expectations of his audience, Carnahan manages to avoid the traps that so often hinder other ‘gaming’ films and simply lets the viewer enjoy the ride. With green pixelated graphic cards, increasing ‘leveling up’ for our hero and wild character physicality, Boss Level fully understands the digital world that it seeks to emulate and it does so with enthusiasm. Violent, irreverent and repetitive, each victory feels like an accomplishment, even if it usually results in Ray’s death with a more difficult adversary. (In fact, the film feels so much like a video game that one almost expects to hear a voice-over to demand that he ‘finish him’ as each boss is defeated.) 

Even so, underneath the gunshots and swordplay, it’s worth noting that Boss Level does have a soul. While his endless ‘respawns’ help him learn how to defeat his foes, his character begins to recognize that revenge feels incomplete. Having lost the woman he loved and their son due to his past mistakes some time ago, there’s a sadness that plagues Ray. Even though his bloody vengeance provides an outlet for his rage, it is unable to fill the void in his soul. As a result, without giving any spoilers, there comes a point where Ray recognizes that the best use of his repetitive life is to level up as a person, as opposed to his warrior skills. This shift in perspective also allows him the freedom to recognize that the nature of true victory in this world of never-ending bloodshed lies in the relationships that we have as opposed to the bosses we defeat.

With a refreshing sense of silliness and fun, Boss Level is an entertaining night for any action fan. Carnahan and Grillo have created a world that carries an old-school gaming mentality yet never loses its humanity. Underneath the violence and insanity, there’s a beating heart to the film that keeps it from losing its way. 

So, put my quarter on the bottom of the screen. I’m ready to play again.

Boss Level streams on Hulu on Friday, March 5th, 2021.

Filed Under: Film, Hulu, Reviews, VOD Tagged With: Boss Level, Frank Grillo, hulu, Joe Carnahan, Mel Gibson, video games

Fatman: Santa Shoots from the Hip

November 25, 2020 by Jason Thai Leave a Comment

Written and directed by Eshon and Ian Nelms, Fatman begins when Santa (Mel Gibson) decides to give a spoiled 12-year-old a piece of coal for Christmas. Feeling slighted by the Fatman, the boy decides to hire a deadly hitman to kill Kris Kringle and have his revenge.

The film takes an interesting look into the realistic problems that Santa Claus would face by giving billions of children gifts for free, making him the biggest economic stimulus in the world. In a world driven on greed, profits, and capitalism, Santa Claus is getting frustrated by the state of the world. But more than this, Santa regrets not selling his image for royalties. With the Christmas season generating over $3 billion each year in the U.S alone, Santa can’t even afford to pay for his own electricity. Realizing that ‘altruism isn’t in their bottom-line’, Santa decides to ‘sell out’ and begins taking on a government military weapons contract for the money.

In doing so, however, Santa becomes the very thing he hated. Being the greatest social service on the planet has given him nothing in return, except unbearable poverty for him and his elves. In this way, Fatman becomes a metaphor for how commercialized Christmas has become in our culture. Once a celebration of giving and family, the holiday has become a barbaric season where businesses push their products on consumers. Everything about the Christmas season is monetized. 

Making the choice to depict Fatman as a hardcore action movie was hilarious and unexpected, especially due its extreme contrast of not only the Christmas season but the standard image of a jolly Santa as well. Personally, I thought it was a good choice as the action makes great use of the Christmas environments such as the elves’ workshop. (Besides, there’s not many movies where you see toy-making elves and Santa in a bloody shoot out.) The ridiculousness of the violence is pushed to the extreme when Santa “toughens up”, by dressing in a red pimp suit and turning his classic “see you when you’re sleeping” line into a threat. In moments like these, there’s some great dark humour throughout the film.

Overall, I enjoyed the world-building of Fatman. By portraying a more realistic image of Santa Claus and the real-world implications of acquiring the resources necessary to operate his magic toy shop in a capitalism world, this is an absolute blast for those who have been yearning for a ways to have their Christmas mixed with hardcore violence.

Fatman is available in select theatres and on demand now.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Reviews, VOD Tagged With: Fatman, Mel Gibson, Santa Claus, Walter Goggins

Take Two: Thoughts to Consider

March 20, 2018 by J. Alan Sharrer Leave a Comment

Some random thoughts and perspectives to consider . . .

I have been amazed at the amount of generational disconnect ensuing from Disney’s latest attempt at A Wrinkle in Time. It seems that kids and teenagers have enjoyed the film thoroughly, giving it an 89% rating on CinemaScore.  However, adults have been far less kind, granting Wrinkle a 61% rating.  I remember walking out of the screening a few weeks ago and commented to another member of the audience that it was probably going to have a split reaction.  I just didn’t realize how prescient my thoughts were. The difference in scores can be attributed to numerous factors, but I present three for you to consider:

  • Adults have a difficult time putting themselves in the shoes of a child when viewing a film expressly meant for kids. DuVernay mentioned that Wrinkle was meant for 8-12 year-olds, so that means that group will enjoy it the most. I noted in my review that adults have to put a new set of glasses on to enjoy it the same way.  Sadly, it seems many folks haven’t tried that option–yet.
  • Adults were expecting an adult film.  That simply wasn’t going to be the case, especially if you read the source material.  The disappointment is reflected in the critical reviews.  I thought that might be the case, actually hypothesizing that the final Rotten Tomatoes score would be 40%.  For the first time in my life, I was correct (it probably won’t happen again).
  • There has also been a rather large undercurrent of angst online toward screenwriter Jennifer Lee, who explained that she specifically took out Christian elements from the book in her script. I am perplexed as to why this is even an issue.  So what if Mindy Kaling doesn’t quote 1 Corinthians 1:25-28 when Meg visits Camazotz?  It would’ve been nice, but it’s not completely necessary. Regardless of what Ms. Lee tried, she was unable to get rid of L’Engle’s underlying themes.  This is where we have the opportunity to dialogue with others about light, darkness, love, hope, and the Christian faith.  Just because something’s not immediately obvious doesn’t mean it’s nonexistent.  It just makes us think more.

There’s been a lot of discussion regarding the surprising third-place box office finish of I Can Only Imagine. It scored a very respectable 62% on Rotten Tomatoes and earned $17 million in its first weekend. For many in the faith community, this isn’t surprising at all. But there may be a reason for the success that you may have not considered.

Back when Mel Gibson put The Passion of the Christ out for people to reflect upon, he employed a unique (for that
time) method of marketing.  He got pastors and members of the Christian community to see the film in advance, then encouraged them to bring their congregations to the cinema. As a result, theaters were packed and good word of mouth helped propel Passion to the largest ever box office tally for a faith-based film–$370 million. Today, many faith-based films use this method of promotion, which can perhaps be described as front-loading the box office.  In this case, pack out the theaters on Thursday and Friday via church groups and Christian radio stations, then hope people continue to flock to the theater in the following days.  Normally, this method fizzles unless the product on the screen is good (as it should be, honestly).  But it also produces a measure of caution when considering any revenue numbers from faith-based films in their opening week.  We’ll get to put this to the test in a week when God’s Not Dead 3 premieres (EDIT: the opening weekend was a very paltry $2.6 million).

I’m sure you had an opportunity to check out the latest trailer for Avengers: Infinity War. It’s big, it’s bold, it’s crammed with every last character from the Marvel universe (minus Hawkeye).  So many characters only means one thing: someone’s going to die. But who?  I have absolutely no clue, but my guess is Iron Man will be among the final casualties.  What do you think?  Post a comment and let me know!

Two other films piquing my interest are Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindlewald and Ernest Cline’s magnum opus Ready Player One. We’ll have to wait until November for the former; the latter will make its way to theaters next week.  It’s going to be a feast for those of us who love the 1980s and will hopefully remind us of the lines between real life and virtual reality.  But for a few hours, I’m going into the Oasis.  A review will be coming—bank on it.

Finally, I recently had the privilege to serve as a judge for the Christian Youth Film Festival. The event, currently in its 24th year, is intended to celebrate the talents of high school and college students in the world of filmmaking. A feature-length film composed, designed, and written by high schoolers was premiered in addition to the festival entries.  After talking with a number of the entrants, I discovered there are some impressively talented students out there in the areas of cinematography, scriptwriting, acting, and graphic design.  A panel discussion was held with the judges where we talked about how to make and create impactful movies with lasting messages, how to tell timeless truths without beating them into the ground, and how serving and giving of oneself is the best way to make an Christ-like impression in Hollywood. 

If you’re interested in submitting for next year’s festival, visit their website at christianyouthfilmfestival.org.  (Thank you to Joe Brown [middle of picture above] for making the experience an incredible one)

To give you an idea of the students’ work, here’s the Best Picture winner for high school (in addition to three other awards).  You may want to grab a tissue or two.

Filed Under: Current Events Tagged With: A Boy's War, Avengers: Infinity War, Christian Youth Film Festival, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindlewald, God's Not Dead 3, I Can Only Imagine, Jennifer Lee, Joe Brown, Mel Gibson, Passion of the Christ, Ready Player One, Wrinkle in Time

Steve McQueen Director Wants to Tell Game-Changing Stories

September 24, 2017 by Jacob Sahms Leave a Comment

In the upcoming documentary, Steve McQueen: American Icon, director Jon Erwin shares the story of the legendary actor with audiences in a Fathom Event on September 28. From his hardscrabble upbringing to his stardom in Hollywood, the story of McQueen is recounted by his family, friends, and colleagues. But even more surprising, the film shares the details of McQueen’s late-in-life conversion to Christianity.

Erwin shared how Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship approached him with a story about how McQueen had discovered faith through the ministry of a stunt pilot named Sammy Mason. Thanks to his parents’ appreciation for the old Hollywood films of Frank Capra and John Wayne, Erwin had already been exposed to The Great Escape, over and over again. With a nostalgic look at the golden age of cinema, Erwin’s crew aimed to tell the first “complete, cradle-to-grave look” of the movie star who had once eclipsed them all.

“There are things you just can’t write,” Erwin explained. “That Billy Graham gave McQueen his preaching Bible before he died, that McQueen once avoided being murdered by Charles Manson at a party because he went home with a different girl instead. This man who climbed up from nothing by his sheer force of will wasn’t perfect but he found redemption.”

This story is the latest in a line of films like October Baby and Woodlawn (and the upcoming I Can Only Imagine) that blur lines between Christian industry features and broadly accepted mainstream fare. It’s no accident, said Erwin, but a desire to use known talent to appeal to audiences and to provide an incubation and training to up-and-coming directors.

“My brother Andrew and I have always wanted to pass on what we know and help other people avoid the things we went through,” he shared. “We’ve always wanted to emulate what Lorne Michaels has done with Saturday Night Live, to empower the next generation, to take people under our wing.”

Pursuing the craft of moviemaking, Erwin says he’s grateful to people like Mel Gibson and the Kendrick Brothers, for what they’ve shared and taught. He’s clear that it takes years to learn the craft, more so than creating art in a fixed moment. And he says that like everything in life, it’s about applying one’s gifts to what God has in mind.

“Our gifts and our talents – we just have to serve God in the way we’re supposed to,” he mused. Then, chuckling, he added, “It’s not about conformity. In the Christian market, it’s like the Hunger Games with death and alliances!”

The Erwin brothers attempt to adhere to core values, to putting forth the best quality film they can and using the best options available to them.  In that effort, Erwin realizes that he’s on the outskirts of two worlds, looking in. He shared that Sean Astin told him that he was on the edge, a frontiersman of a new thing in entertainment and faith, which Erwin took as a compliment. Then Astin reminded him that frontiersmen often died!

“We have come to a place of conviction about knowing where we fit, whether it’s Woodlawn or Steve McQueen, telling stories that are authentic,” he said. “We want to learn the message of the gospel, not use it as a crutch for making movies. Seriously, the price of the ticket for the consumer doesn’t vary with who is making the movie, whether it’s us or going to see Transformers! We want to try and entertain on the same level, and also recapture the imagination of a generation through the gospel.”

In that regard, the brothers are trying to do a new thing in an old way, having been challenged by both Gibson and the Kendricks to find their story and stick to it. Longing to be storytellers, these brothers are attempting to “plow an unplowed field,” while also empowering other storytellers.

With Steve McQueen: American Icon, they’re telling a story we’ve only ever seen bits and pieces of before, framing it in a new way and revealing a surprise ending. The Erwin Brothers are beginning to hit their stride, and the movie industry is recognizing that a new thing is on the move.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Interviews Tagged With: American Icon, Christianese, I Can Only Imagine, Mel Gibson, Mom's Night Out, October Baby, Steve McQueen, Woodlawn

Hacksaw Ridge – Faith Under Fire

February 21, 2017 by Jacob Sahms 1 Comment

hr3Hacksaw Ridge is the extraordinary story of an ordinary man named Desmond Doss. Not gifted with exceptional physical powers, or benefitting from a stellar education, Doss enlisted in the Army during World War II as a conscientious objector, challenging the way that his fellow soldiers saw patriotism, bravery, and honor. Directed by Mel Gibson, Doss’ real-life story finally gets the attention it deserves, nearly seventy-five years after Doss set foot on Okinawa. Nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, as well as Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor at the Golden Globes, Hacksaw Ridge has a heartfelt story to match its spectacular visuals.

One of the quietly spectacular things about the film is the way that just a few moments spent on Doss’ childhood, and sprinkling in a few flashbacks from his youth, set the stage for us to understand how Doss (Andrew Garfield) formulates his ideas about faith and violence. Gibson and cinematographer Simon Duggan show us a foreshadowing of the Maeda Escarpment (aka Hacksaw Ridge) with a regular hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia that winds to the top of a mountain. The balance – between the peace of the Blue Ridge and the violence of Hacksaw – shouldn’t be lost on us in retrospect. But that’s not the only balance the story shows us.

hr1While we see that Doss’ avoidance of violence hinges on battles he had previously with his brother and father, Tom (Hugo Weaving), we are subtly exposed to the depth of the Doss family pain. Tom served in World War I and carries survivor’s guilt; he longs to protect his family from the violence of the current war but he’s too angry with himself for living when all of his comrades die. For the eighteen-year-old Doss, there is no way to understand his father’s deep pain until he sees the violence of war for himself. The struggle of the father to protect the son is evident early on, but it becomes clearly apparent when Doss finally enters basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

At Fort Jackson, Doss finds himself completely alone. His commanding officers, Sergeant Howell (Vince Vaughn) and Captain Glover (Sam Worthington), want to run him out of the ranks of the Army upon finding out about Doss’ Seventh-day Adventist convictions. Doss’ unwillingness to carry a gun (or work on Saturday) rubs the officers and Doss’ counterparts (namely, Luke Bracey’s Smitty); the Army works to literally beat Doss into submission.

hr2I knew that this segment of the film would trouble me, but I couldn’t be prepared for how upsetting it was. While the greater problem in World War II is the Nazi/Axis threat, Doss’ greatest enemy through eighteen months (compressed in the film) is actually his own company. Gibson’s film sets us up to consider Doss’ faith but here I found one of the major selling points of the film: there’s a clear recognition that we often incur more violence on each other than we do on our real enemy. [As I write this, my Facebook feed is bloodied by those on both sides of our U.S. election, those who won and those who lost. Rather than working to find a way together forward in unity, too many are still focused on the differences they see in each other.]

Yet, in the case of Doss, he remains resolute about what he believes without ever condemning someone else. He never considers himself better than or superior to any of the men who doubt his beliefs or conviction in decision-making. He is the lamb sent to slaughter who refuses to raise its head but which refuses to turn aside from its resolute belief. This is truth and grace, belief and gritty reality mixing together into the existence of actual life.

In the case of Hacksaw Ridge, the crucible is one steep cliff and one terrible battlefield. While the court martial that allows Doss to serve is undeniable, his comrades still consider him less than a soldier. With the first assault on Okinawa, Doss proves himself by rescuing several wounded officers. By staying when the rest of his company retreats, pulling out soldier after soldier pinned down behind the enemy line, Doss proves himself remarkable.

hr4As I watched Gibson’s trademark bloody portrayal of the film, I was shocked by the way that Doss’ spirit stood out in direct contrast to those around him, in the same way that his red cross stood out against the drab greens, tans, and grays of the film. There’s no question that Gibson’s experience shooting the wartime scenes fit in well with the powerful script, but Doss’ story stands out thanks to Garfield’s quiet portrayal. We know that his love for Dorothy Schutte (Teresa Palmer) burns bright, but it’s his faith that sends him in after soldier after soldier.

Sitting in the movie theater, hearing Doss pray, “Give me one more, Lord,” over and over again, while plunging into the smoke and fire of the mortared battlefield, I found myself thinking of Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego, thrown into the fire of the furnace in Daniel 3. These three men could have turned back on their beliefs and been spared, just like Doss could have bowed out during his court martial or retreated just like every other soldier did. But Doss stayed because he believed that was what God called him to – and he felt compelled to respond.

One last scene stood out to me – one which I had anticipated since seeing the trailer. Here, the company must return to the top of Hacksaw Ridge, and Glover tells Doss that the men won’t go up without him. Doss prays – while the men wait. They don’t necessarily believe what he believes or believe that his prayer works but because he believes and they believe in him, his prayer matters to them.

How powerful is that?

James 5:16 says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Doss’ life of prayer and humble service proved to be remarkably transformative for others, in ways that we can hardly believe – but which the furnace of Hacksaw Ridge’s fury proved.

Doss has a litany of men tell him in the aftermath of the first onslaught that they underestimated him, that they didn’t know him the way that they thought they did. And yet, through bombing, shooting, stabbing, and explosions, Doss saves the men who once were his enemies – while they were still his enemy. He never treated them that way, but they saw him that way – and he didn’t let that matter.

While so much turmoil exists in our world today, I am reminded that there is still a cross that shines through the dust and fire. I am reminded that there is still a place where the prayers of a person avail much – in the heart of God. Here is a man, Doss, who believed that he was called to lay down his life for his friends – and even his enemies – because he was pursuing the cross of Christ. Here is a man who proved that there was a way through, that we don’t have to like everyone or agree with everyone, to see that the common goal and the greater good rise above our differences.

Doss stands as an example of the unity of our humanity – the things we have in common – and as an example of one man’s faith in the midst of an unbelieving world.

Hacksaw Ridge is a film for such a time as this.

Special features on the Blu-ray/DVD/Digital HD include deleted scenes, the theatrical trailer, and a Veterans Day greeting from Mel Gibson; “The Soul of War” documentary shows how the film was made, including a look at the story from the perspective of the actors, director Gibson, and those intimate with Doss’ story. 

Filed Under: Current Events, DVD, Editorial, Featured, Film, Oscar Spotlight, Reviews Tagged With: anthology, Desmond Doss, Mel Gibson, Sam Worthington, Vince Vaughn, We Were Soldiers

The Best Films of 2016 (Updated)

December 15, 2016 by Jacob Sahms 1 Comment

deadpool
This year, there are no blockbusters, no Marvel superheroes, on my list of my favorite films. This year, the films that caught my eye – and held onto my imagination, days later – weren’t the ones with the biggest budgets, or even always the most-known cast and crew. This year, the films were films that captured my heart thanks to the power of their story, the visual presentation of their message, and the size of heart that that they conveyed.

Film criticism is a lot like politics in the media – everyone has an opinion, but they think they’re objective. [Seriously, Trolls holds a better Rotten Tomatoes score than Allied, Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them, and Collateral Beauty? C’mon, people. Trolls are just little plastic guys from a 1980s fad – or are we rating Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick?]

So, with apologies to Benedict Cumberbatch, and that unkillable antihero Deadpool, here are my top ten for 2016, trimmed down from the 135 films I saw. We won’t all agree, but we have to start somewhere.

hf

Hidden Figures is the best film I didn’t see coming. Thanks to solid performances and an incredibly bold story about faith, race, power, dreams, and engineering, it left me in tears – laughing and crying at the same time. When several women dream about breaking the glass ceiling of race and gender, they literally put a man on the moon. Octavia Spencer, Tariji B. Henson, and Janelle Monae provide a film that inspires and entertains.

 

unknowns

At Arlington National Cemetery, Tomb Guards or Sentinels keep watch over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier twenty-four hours a day, 365 days of the year, regardless of weather. In Ethan Morse’s film, The Unknowns, we were treated to an inside look at how the men of The Old Guard, a select unit from the U.S. Army, serve. With simple interviews, ‘live’ shots of the work these men do in front of the public and behind closed doors, the film carries with it a reminder that our flag still waves thanks to the bravery of some whose names will never be known. Months later, I am still reminded of its beauty, both in pure patriotism but also in faith – faith that one day, war will end and all people will be free.

 

rogue-one-jyn-ersa-geared-up

Bumping The Accountant from the list, Rogue One, a Star Wars Story proved to be the best film I’ve seen from the Rebel Alliance in thirty years. While the field has been increased – we finally have a non-Skywalker family drama – the power of the Force remained strong. With ample banter about faith, a wildly diverse cast, and a story that squeaks in at Film #3.5, we had a prequel to A New Hope with plenty of time to spare.

 

kubo

Startling in its animation, thanks to the beauty of Laika’s stop-motion  capture, Kubo & the Two Strings spins a fantasy adventure around a one-eyed boy and his epic adventure to thwart his grandfather’s evil plan. Accompanied by a giant beetle (Matthew McConaughey) and a snow monkey (Charlize Theron), the young boy goes questing. With fewer laughs and more intensity than you might expect from a ‘kid’s cartoon,’ Kubo asks us to consider how we forgive, and what it means to care for our ancestors as they age. In a wonderful way, the fantastical road trip morphs into deeper explorations about life, death, and where we go from here.

 

birthofanation

While it was impossible to watch The Birth of a Nation without considering the allegations against the story’s creators, Nate Parker and Jean McGianni Celestin, it was equally impossible to watch the film blind to the racial unrest in the United States almost two hundred years after the Nat Turner rebellion. Powerful in its simplicity, poignant in its relational dynamics, and spiritual in its evaluation of the use of religion to control, direct, and comfort, Parker’s film is haunting in its violence, and its awareness of the latent power of racism. While Turner was himself a preacher, the film’s use of Scripture from both sides stirred and troubled my soul.

 

insanity

This year, two documentaries captured my attention, with The Insanity of God shining a light on the family of missionary Nik Ripken as he struggled with his faith after great tragedy. While this is Ripken’s story, it is also the story of others who bled and died for the gospel, told unflinchingly. I’ll never forget Ripken’s own admission, after interviewing others persecuted for their faith: “Now, I’m in deeper danger, because the Bible is coming alive. Satan had tricked me into believing that the Bible was an old book, with things that God used to do. And here I was experiencing the Bible in the present tense, with the things God did coming alive.” A movie that will surely ask you to consider what you believe, and what you would do to pursue your faith.

 

midnightspecial

What would you do to protect your child? What sacrifices would you make if you saw how beautiful, special, or powerful they were that no one else understood? Those are the questions that Midnight Special poses, thanks to writer/director Jeff Nichols’ emotionally wrestling with his own son’s mortality. In a stripped-down sci-fi exploration that would make Philip K. Dick or Steven Spielberg proud, the director of Loving gives us another chance to unpack our own humanity.

 

hellorhighwater

On the surface, Hell or High Water is a Jesse James/Butch Cassidy & Sundance kind of Western lark, set in the present. But thanks to Taylor Sheridan’s script, we explore the aging process of Jeff Bridges’ senior Texas Ranger and the us-against-the-system dynamics of two brothers, Toby and Tanner (Chris Pine and Ben Foster). [Ironically, I don’t always enjoy Foster’s movies, but he always impresses with his performance.] While there’s a bit of clever banter and action/adventure, the film’s heart is driving at the financial crisis of America and the futility for some when trying to improve themselves. Who is the villain here in this spiritual parable about love and grace? The bank and its overarching line of credit.

 

zootopia

It was a good year to be animated, and Zootopia was the crown jewel. I declared it a candidate for Best Film of the Year when I walked out of the debut, and it didn’t miss by much. Disney’s film about a ‘utopia’ where animals are divided into different boroughs, showed kids and adults alike what it meant to fight and get along. While the struggle was real, it also blended in some lessons about what it means to follow your dream – and be who you’re supposed to be even when others say you shouldn’t. In our bipartisan day and age, Zootopia asked us to consider whether we could love each other for what we brought to the table, rather than manipulating each other for what we could get out of it.

 

hacksawridge

My most anticipated film of the year – Hacksaw Ridge – did everything I hoped it would. Challenging patriotism, courage, and pacifism, the film asked us to consider the stances we take, and that others make, and how we respond to them. While faith was front and center, it still felt subtle – and somehow, more powerful. Andrew Garfield’s portrayal of Desmond Doss tied the legend of the Medal of Honor winner to a story that felt real and grounded. Mel Gibson’s direction plus Terry Benedict’s research? This is one I hope to hear talked about next spring.

What did I miss? What do you need to see now? What criteria would you use instead? Post below and share your thoughts.

[Editor’s note: I still haven’t seen Collateral Beauty, Loving, Rogue One, or Sing as I write this. Edits pending?]

Filed Under: Current Events, DVD, Editorial, Featured, Film Tagged With: accountant, Birth of a Nation, Deadpool, Desmond Doss, Dr. Strange, Hacksaw Ridge, hell or high water, insanity of god, Jeff Bridges, kubo and the two strings, Marvel, Mel Gibson, Midnight Special, Moana, Rogue One, storks, the unknowns, Walt Disney, zootopia

1on1 with Terry Benedict (producer, HACKSAW RIDGE)

November 20, 2016 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

hacksaw ridge

HACKSAW RIDGE tells the story of Desmond Doss, a conscientious objector in WWII who earned the Congressional Medal of Honour by  rescuing 75 men as a medic. This week, Steve has the privilege to speak with the film’s producer Terry Benedict about Doss’ life and the relationship between faith and war.

http://screenfish.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Terry-Benedict-Producer-HACKSAW-RIDGE.mp3

A very special thanks to Terry Benedict for joining us for the conversation this week!

hacksaw1

Filed Under: Film, Podcast Tagged With: Andrew Garfield, Conscientious Objector, Desmond Doss, documentary, Hacksaw Ridge, Lionsgate, Mel Gibson, Remembrance Day, Terry Benedict, Vince Vaughn, war

Primary Sidebar

THE SF NEWS

Get a special look, just for you.

sf podcast

Hot Off the Press

  • Stanleyville: Exposing our Killer Instinct
  • SF Radio 8.25: Mental Health and the Multiverse in EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
  • Chip ‘N Dale: Rescue Rangers – Dusting Off these Two Gumshoes
  • GIVEAWAY! Advance Screening of TOP GUN: MAVERICK!
  • Men: Trapped in Man’s World
Find tickets and showtimes on Fandango.

where faith and film are intertwined

film and television carry stories which remind us of the stories God has woven since the beginning of time. come with us on a journey to see where faith and film are intertwined.

Footer

ScreenFish Articles

Stanleyville: Exposing our Killer Instinct

SF Radio 8.25: Mental Health and the Multiverse in EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

  • About ScreenFish
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 · ScreenFish.net · Built by Aaron Lee

Posting....
 

Loading Comments...