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Reviews
The Sure Hand of God (2004)
Christian Bashing 101
This movie is a study in Christian Bashing. We have a "worldy widow" whose "christian neighbor" judges while forgetting her own sins including gossip, pride, and slander among many others.
Then there is the "brainless man of god", who also forgets about such Scripture as, "judge not least you be judged." While pastors can become isolated in their understanding of the world, Hollywood has to distort this to the point of bigotry, narrow-mindedness, and stupidity.
As for the pastor's wife...again an ounce of truth mixed in a ton of manure. A pastor's wife may be "pushed backed",on the one hand and "judged" by the congregation on the other...but what about the pastor and his wife who sincerely do their best to minister to a hurting lost world.
In the New Testament we see Jesus, the Pharisee Simon, and the women who anoints Jesus feet. Simon, representing religion instead of faith, is judgmental and negligent in his duties. Jesus reminds us that often those who need the most forgiveness are those who think they need it the least.
Back to the movie. Molly really tries to do the best for her daughter, while living with the "stigma" of being the local "Women at the Well" (again in Scripture). Could she have been a better mother...what parent does not wish they could have a handful of "do-overs" with their child? As for the daughter, Lilly, she loves her mother even if she does not agree with her. Molly puts her neighbor to shame when it comes to being humane.
The Aviator (2004)
Potential Lost
The Aviator is a movie that had the potential to be good...and ended up being okay; barely. DiCaprio did a decent job, but did not capitalize on the historical character he portrayed, Howard Hughes. Blanchett was totally unbelievable as Kate Hepburn. Instead of the portrayal she gave, she should have considered the strong women she played in The Missing...forget the phony accent(peripheral) and deal with Hepburn's strength (principal). Beckinsale was great as Ava Gardner.
The movie's tempo was like the daily ebb and flow of the tide. Even when this tempo was "disturbed" (fatal crash), the movie rushed to return to its daily ebb and flow. These were real dynamic people, who came across as detached and deranged (DiCapriob as Hughes), a boring, selfish,brat (Blanchett as Hepburn), are the eye of the storm (Beckinsale as Gardner).
Very disappointing considering the talent in and behind this film.