video reviews
Let’s bring up a THOR subject
May 25th, 2011
Thor continues the string of connected MARVEL comics films that began with Iron Man. Although different in tone, it soars to similar heights thanks to director Kenneth Branagh and the cast. The film deals with some core issues of sin, (particularly arrogance and jealousy) and emphasizes the need for strong discipline from a loving father that [...]
Read More...Pass the SALT…
August 4th, 2010
SALT is an enjoyable film, and though not on par with recent Bourne and Bond entries, it is a tight – if not plausible – thriller on par with the equally plot-holed but gripping TAKEN, along with some of the flavor of Harrison Ford’s FUGITIVE remake. It’s also commendable for giving us a trailer which [...]
Read More...INCEPTION: Dream a little Dreamscape of Me…
July 23rd, 2010
In 1984, a scary movie debuted called A Nightmare on Elm Street, birthing a scarred maniac who would lead a genre with a killer franchise for years to come. A lesser known thriller starring Dennis Quaid would make a relatively forgettable debut, though Dreamscape marked one of the first few films with a PG-13 rating [...]
Read More...IRON MAN: well-suited for sequel
May 12th, 2010
BIG plans for Tony Stark: this first review of Iron Man 2 is just a taste of what to come at Cinemagogue. As an avid comic book reader since the 70s, it’s been fascinating to watch a former second-stringer like Tony Stark rocket his way to pop culture Iron icon status. We owe thanks to [...]
Read More...ELM STREET won’t put you to sleep, but doesn’t slice deep
May 9th, 2010
I wasn’t allowed to watch “Freddy” or “Jason” movies growing up, and by the time I watched Krueger on television in the 90s he’d become less nightmarish and more of a self-parody. The 2010 remake promised to bring back the darker tone, and the material certainly provides great possibilities to provoke thoughts and conversations about [...]
Read More...No Man is a (SHUTTER) Island
April 30th, 2010
When my friend and Redemption Group Pastor tweeted that this film was “EPIC,” his high-praise proclamation was even more intriguing to me than Martin Scorsese‘s trailer. Though I’m still not a DiCaprio fan, Shutter Island is a stylish, gripping psychological thriller exposing not only how we suppress the truth in our unrighteousness, but also how [...]
Read More...Does this movie KICK-ASS?
April 23rd, 2010
If someone told me it was possible to make a movie that was part Watchmen, part Superbad, and part Tarantino film, I’d have said they were more deranged than Rorschach. However, although the most tonally-eclectic film I have ever seen, Kick-Ass works artistically… and despite the controversial R-rated content, the film (written by Catholic comic [...]
Read More...How to Train your Content
April 21st, 2010
Things have really taken off with Cinemagogue, from increasing emails to a a few interviews culminating in articles to more connections with writers, pastors and filmmakers. The Mars Hill blog began promoting film and theology events where we capture the audio, and I started blogging for The Resurgence using video. The embedded review of How [...]
Read More...