Park51, a name that does not ring a lot of bells in the American psyche. But what if I were to say “9/11 Mosque”? Does that conjure up images of New Yorkers and Americans rallying together to stop the construction of an Islamic center just blocks from the site of the Twin Towers? Polarizing and a view into the window of religious dialogue and tolerance, Building Babel is an appropriate title to a film that shows the monumental task of courting controversy and believing in what you do.
I decided to back into the vault of Documentary films that I have talked about since starting this blog, more so in preparation for yet another year of True False Fest, which I can’t wait to attend again next month. Holy Rollers was actually a documentary I saw at our local KC film festival and surprisingly one of my favorite movies that showed during that fest, next to Take Shelter and Like Crazy. Holy Rollers combines two of my favorite things, moral code bending Christians with loose interpretations of the Bible and how they justify what they are doing and morally bankrupt gambling. Sweet!
An opening image of churning waters of an unknown force cause the volatility of the deep water to become restless and constantly moving. This image will come back several times during the viewing of Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film, The Master. It isn’t revealed until later what causes the rift in the water, two different boats that are cutting through the seas, each one with a different purpose than the other, but both are on a journey that neither are aware of what waits for them. This is case file, a study about two individuals who are on a journey in which their paths will collide. Volatile, uncertain, constantly changing, the perfect ebb and flow for their meeting.
I am somewhat on the fence about this movie. After numerous viewings I can’t really seem to make heads or tails on my stance. On one hand, the concept of spiritual healing movies are a bit too full of themselves. The large overarching narratives that preach to a large audience and satisfies everyone in the end, which is ok for some people but the large picture of preaching loses focus on the central point. On the other hand, these types of movies allow us to get immersed in the personal demons and struggles that make broken characters compelling and intriguing. Watching some be a figure of change for others when even they can’t change themselves for the better. I think today’s movie is one that falls into both categories, trying to tell a wide range story and also trying to keep the focus on one man and his gift to heal others demons, but never able to heal himself.
Park51, a name that does not ring a lot of bells in the American psyche. But what if I were to say “9/11 Mosque”? Does that conjure up images of New Yorkers and Americans rallying together to stop the construction of an Islamic center just blocks from the site of the Twin Towers? Polarizing and a view into the window of religious dialogue and tolerance, Building Babel is an appropriate title to a film that shows the monumental task of courting controversy and believing in what you do.
Religion is a subject that I tend to avoid, more of a live and let live policy. I am agnostic about religion, but I won’t begrudge you for your beliefs. As long as you don’t impose upon me your religious beliefs, everything is copacetic. There is something rather interesting about questioning a person’s religion and their belief structure. Often it is met with a defensive nature, at least in my experience, but often you get to see what makes the person tick or what makes them, well, them. There is a way to approach this subject of challenging and questioning religion that doesn’t really offend, but then I don’t like subtlety and eggshell walking, so why not just mock religion as a whole to get to the truth of it all.
My first Spike Lee film making it’s way to the Movie of the Day posting. While he has a particularly prolific filmography and a string of captivating and socially conscious films to choose from, I decided on today’s post being the one where it had the honor of being the first movie to have been filmed after 9/11 in New York. While that alone should the love that Spike has for the city he grew up in, it’s the backdrop for the film itself about building something out of the rubble of destruction. 25th Hour is one of the more compelling dramas, with a character who is on the verge of destruction but gets one last chance to make things right in life. It’s something that we all do in one way or another, an opportunity to write the wrongs in our lives and ultimately reflect on our life in particular.
One of the most interesting and well crafted documentaries I have seen at the festival and honestly, in a long while. The concept was fantastic, a group of card counting Christians beating the odds at the casino and stealing from the hands of the rich. We have all seen the casino heist movies where this genius teams all have a system and beat the odds, but while they do it because they want the money, the group called The Church do it for God. This movie follows the story and growth of the card counters who all share a common faith and their need to do Gods work. The group has developed a system in order to beat the odds at the casino and liberate the wicked money from the hands of the evil casinos and their sin along with it. The Church group is successful in all rights, starting with only a few people and growing rapidly into this card counting business. They have investors, managers, and players, each having a role in the backing of the card counting to maximize their revenue. The documentary shows their commitment to the group and how their faith binds them in their work and overall goal.
So I am calling up an older movie review as my movie of the day post for today. It isn’t without merit that I am reaching back into the limited vault that I have for film reviews, but mainly because I finally got my copy of The Tree of Life on blu-ray today and was reminded the review that I did for the movie. It was really one of the most humbling movies I have seen in ages. A private looking into the secluded life of the director and personal story that had far reaching meaning to my life and those of the viewers. It’s a movie that demands a lot out of you. It’s a long run time film, the story isn’t in the standard three section or traditional format that a movie story should be in and it is more a series vignettes that play out on the screen. The Tree of Life demands that you open yourself up to a movie that such a personal touch to the way it was and the way the story plays out like memories from a long time ago. Personally, I had a hard time really describing the movie and writing about it, but once I sat down and started the review, I found myself exploring more of the story and what I felt during the viewing of the film. Continuously writing about it was the only way that I could decompress after it’s initial viewing and in some ways, I am happy to have seen it and experience the film.
So today I am posting linking to the review I wrote oh so many months ago and hope that if you haven’t read the review or seen the movie, that you will take the time out of your schedule to rent the movie.
Boy was I disappointed with this movie when it came out. It made itself out to be this epic action adventure with the focus of the story being on the crusades. Instead, I get truncated story about the crusades in order for the medieval action to become the set piece in a beautiful looking movie. Listen, I love action movies. There is nothing better than watching some medieval ass whooping with guys in armor and broadswords being swung like sticks with the intent to kill. If you are going to make a movie with incredible actors and place them in the setting of The Crusades, then there better be a story. If I wanted battles, I would go play Civilization or Rome Total Empire. I can get my fix that way.
So it my initial thought about the movie was that Ridley Scott is finally getting back into some epics. It looks great, I was pumped to see the cast, yes even Orlando Bloom, and it had the backdrop of the crusades to give us some historical perspective. The theatrical release was a mess and it wasn’t until the directors cut of the film that let me give it a second chance. What a vast difference the original intent of the movie had.
