text reviews
Review of KNOWING part 3: CHOSEN
May 22nd, 2009
“Many are called, but few are chosen” – Jesus, Matthew 22
“He said only the chosen must go, those who have heard the call.” - Caleb Koestler, KNOWING
(For the introduction to our series on KNOWING, click here)
A buried page of numbers reveals that the world is determined, plotted and planned and calculated and destined to end. John [...]
Review of KNOWING part 2: APOCALYPSE
May 14th, 2009
The dead rise from the grave. The sky turns red as blood. Straggling survivors seek shelter and struggle to survive. Since we’ve been telling stories around campfires to our latest modern cinematic marvels, it seems the end of the world just won’t die. KNOWING Director Alex Proyas says “it touches on something in our psyche [...]
Review of KNOWING part 1: DETERMINISM
May 4th, 2009
“Just step back. Have another look at it! Systems that find meaning in numbers are a dime in dozen. Why? Because people see what they want to see.”
(For the introduction to our series on KNOWING, click here)
Astrophysicist and MIT Professor John Koestler is a man biased by a very personal loss. While not as [...]
KNOWING is half the battle…
April 29th, 2009
Hello. My name is James Harleman, and I’m a Cage-aholic. I thought I’d given up on the Nicolas for good, but last week I fell off the wagon and watched his latest film, KNOWING.
A friend invited me, and I couldn’t resist… and you know what? I’m not sorry.
I used to have it BAD. Seriously, [...]
TAKEN pt. 3: Our Father’s Relentless Pursuit
March 26th, 2009
“Our fathers were our models for God. If our fathers failed, what does that tell you about God?”
– Tyler Durden, Fight Club
(For the introduction to our series on Taken, click here)
More than redeeming the role of daddy and emphasizing a child’s folly, Taken truly transcends these archetypes and fills the viewer with a glimpse of [...]
TAKEN pt. 2: Her Father’s Regulation
March 23rd, 2009
“A wise son (or daughter) heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not listen to him.” – Proverbs
(For the introduction to our series on Taken, click here)
Kim knows what she’s doing; she can take care of herself. Dad worries too much. What could go wrong? The horrifying truth is revealed in Taken when her naiveté, her [...]
TAKEN pt. 1: A Father’s Redemption
March 19th, 2009
“Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and the parents are the pride of their children.” – Proverbs
(For the introduction to our series on Taken, click here)
Pierre Morel’s Taken focuses on a familiar scenario in our generation: absentee Dad. Statistics suggest 40% of kids in the United States go to bed with no Dad [...]
We’ll Always Have Paris… DESTROYED
March 14th, 2009
review by James Harleman
Have we fallen in love with Paris, or have we decided to destroy it? As my wife and I were planning a romantic Valentine’s getaway in January this year the trailer for Taken, Pierre Morel’s film debuted featuring Liam Neeson running amuck through Paris, made us think twice about going. Later this [...]
Sparkly Vampires and Another Cultural Phenomenon!
December 22nd, 2008
review of TWILIGHT
by Caitlyn Stark
starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson
directed by Catherine Hardwicke
Rated PG-13
Hey everybody, I’m back and bringing you another cultural phenomenon. This time, there are no singing and dancing high school students! This time, there are sparkly vampires and a small rainy town on the Washington peninsula!
This latest cultural phenomenon began for the [...]
Bottle Rocket ain’t no trip to Cleveland
November 29th, 2008
review of BOTTLE ROCKET
by Zach Malm
starring Owen Wilson and Luke Wilson
directed by Wes Anderson
Rated R
Bottle Rocket, the first film from Wes Anderson, of Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums fame, is my favorite film of all-time. I’ve seen it close to 100 times, but still have a hard time putting my finger on exactly what it [...]