action
The Payne is in the Watching
October 26th, 2008
review of MAX PAYNE by Elliot Strong starring Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis directed by John Moore Rated PG-13 for violence, language, disturbing images First off, let me get one item of business out of the way: I have never played the titular Max Payne video game. While the advertisements made it look cool (albeit highly [...]
Read More...The Knight is Darker, but Viewer will Endure
July 19th, 2008
If anyone still thought you could still say “comic book movie” and that the phrase implied a certain sensibility, style, or genre, The Dark Knight has driven the final nail into that cliche-coffin.
Read More...WANTED parties like it’s 1999… again.
July 3rd, 2008
WANTED review by James Harleman starring James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie, and Morgan Freeman Directed by Timur Bekmambetov Rated R It’s been the eternal question on no one’s lips: what would happen if The Matrix and Fight Club had a baby? At least now, we know it would be Wanted… a high octane, man-up, power to [...]
Read More...HULK smash… puny preconceptions and manipulated memories
June 20th, 2008
by James Harleman, Cinemagogue Editor-in-Chief “The first Hulk movie was a failure!” “The first one bombed at the box office!” “The previous movie didn’t have enough Hulk!” “The Hulk effects looked like crap!” “Ang Lee’s movie was depressing!” And so on… and so on… and so on. As The Incredible Hulk smashed into theaters June [...]
Read More...Marvel’s Second Hulk Transformation is SMASHING…
June 14th, 2008
A Review of The Incredible Hulk by Pastor James Harleman Starring Ed Norton, Liv Tyler, and William Hurt Directed by Louis Letterier I can remember my Dad racing home furiously in our Volkswagen Beetle, hoping to drop us in front of the television before the pilot for the 1970s Incredible Hulk began. We rarely missed [...]
Read More...World Weary Indiana Jones must choose… WISELY
June 1st, 2008
A review of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull by Pastor James Harleman Starring Harrison Ford and Shia LeBeouf Directed by Steven Spielberg Rated PG-13 Preppy teenagers cruise along in a 50s roadster, urging the square-jawed men with serious faces next to them to loosen up and enjoy the ride. The latest [...]
Read More...Iron Man’s midlife crisis makes audiences cheer while fans soil themselves with glee
May 7th, 2008
A review of IRON MAN (PG-13) by James Harleman (for an exploratory audio review of the film taught before a live audience, click HERE). I sat through Black Sabbath’s classic “Iron Man” tune, watching the film’s techno-credits dazzle until the familiar scroll kicked in. The friends who’d accompanied me and sat through the two-hour rocket [...]
Read More...Appropriacalypse Now
March 19th, 2008
A Review of Doomsday (R) by Pastor James Harleman When a movie comes out called Doomsday, it invariably draws ones mind to many other end-of-world films that have graced (or smeared) the silver screen over the last several decades. There are so many creative ways the apocalypse might be ushered in, after all. It could [...]
Read More...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, [...]
Read More...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 [...]
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