Archive for January, 2008
Film in the Era of Daddy Issues
January 27th, 2008
Sixty-one years old, but looking as tough as a truck-stop steak, Sylvester Stallone shouts and shoots a fifty-caliber cannon, converting Christian-oppressing pirates and perverts into pulp, parts, and puddles, before they can mutilate and murder the missionaries and mercenaries trying to bring light to a lifeless land. Standing atop the mountainside of meat, bone and [...]
From Harryhausen to the Handycam: The Beast from 20,000 YouTube Views
January 18th, 2008
A Review of CLOVERFIELD
by Pastor James Harleman
Rated PG-13
Released January 18, 2008
Directed by Matt Reeves
Produced by J.J. Abrams
Rob Hawkins is not having a great evening. His New Yorker friends throw him a surprise going away party as he’s headed for a new job in Japan, but he’s distracted; the girl he recently slept with and is [...]
Batman Vs. Superman…
January 16th, 2008
Transcending pulpy paper and kiddie-comics, these global cultural icons have invaded nearly every entertainment medium since the 30s, from radio programs to billion dollar films. As a younger man, I resonated with Batman and the underlying angst of the character. I never really “got” Superman until I was nearly 30. After I became a Christian, [...]
Why The Soup saved my life and why I want to kill Joel McHale
January 8th, 2008
I gave a New Year’s Eve lecture looking back at 2007, touching on the sheer inability for anyone to be a true cinema and television expert with the number of films and channels at play; this cinemagluttony isn’t really producing more creative content, just creating more work sifting through the detritus (I confess to liking [...]
Bourne Again… and Again… and Again
January 4th, 2008
A review of The Bourne Ultimatum
with reflections on the Bourne Trilogy
by James Harleman
(watch for an AUDIO session on the Bourne to be posted soon as well)
When The Bourne Identity came out, I thoroughly enjoyed its themes. Sure, to some it was nothing more than a brisk, tightly-paced action movie by Doug Liman; however, the redemptive [...]