cousinoleg Reviews

Nesovershennoletnie (1977)

The problem of hooliganism as further decay of soviet society

[7/10 · 26 January 2019]

Nesovershennoletnie (cyrillic letters are not allowed anymore for some reason) or Adolescents. I came upon this movie accidentally while reading about past movies on a Russian cinema site.

Turns out it was a most viewed movie in USSR of 1977, around the times my father came from his native village into the city to study, so I wanted to see what it was like, though strangely I never heard about it nor ever watched it before, perhaps because it was replaced by later and more realistic Patsany (Guys/Boys) or Menea zovut Arlekino (My name is Harlequin).

It speaks about the problem of the adolescent delinquency, its possible sources and solutions.

Starting with a return of two friends to their native town: Jenya from the army service, Kostya from jail after a drunken fight.

Jenya is suffering after finding out his girlfriend has married another person, while Kostya having trouble fitting into society.

There is given a reflection of youth hangouts - a dancing place, with hooligans fighting, drunks hanging near and carried away by volunteers (so called drujinniki).

Jenya while receiving his documents in police department meets an adolescent gang, led by charismatic Gogol' (due to likeness to the writer Nikolay Gogol'), who failed to finish school due to bad behavior, which turned out were picking on his nephew by stealing his post stamp collection.

Curiously later turned out that the actor playing Gogol' later was converted to Christian faith and became a priest.

It explains why in the talk with the police mayor he did refer to cynicism and lack of ideals as his motivation, as well as having his life ruined because of not being admitted to university, because in soviet atheist state there lacked religion and fear of God, who commanded to not kill or steal, but society and police are not all-powerful and cannot fix everything.

Later we get another glimpse of these delinquent youth members, playing cards and being ordered to leave by old men, who hypocritically start playing domino instead, so they start roaming the streets and misbehaving, while being stopped by Jenya, warning them against picking on his nephew.

This leads to reaction from Gogol' who attacks him and Kostya with his gang at the disco; it is also revealed that Gogol' is in fact wearing a wig to fool the drunkards he attacked and robbed.

Another problem was that generally the parents of the delinquents, just as of those picked on by them, were missing, except one case, where the father was an alcoholic starting drunken conflicts in the family, while the mother had to work late, so his son attacked others out of envy and anger at his own bad family life.

The problem is in the soviet system, which intended to turn the state into an ant colony, with children to be raised by the state, while parents worked much.

But obviously God did not make us mindless ants, but needing loving and healthy family, as well as better support which can only be given by God, since alcohol and society fail to solve all problems.

A proposed solution was typical of the soviet style, to re-educate the former delinquents or abused in a boxing section, so they can train, whether to let out their anger or defend themselves. However this has a potential problem, since many criminals can also train in boxing, martial arts, as many did, or just plain use a knife or guns to attack others.

So the ending despite trying to be optimistic does not seem credible, despite Gogol' being caught for his wrongdoing.

Tuchi nad Borskom (1961)

A more insightful movie from the soviet late 50s-early 60 anti-religious campaign

[7/10 · 21 December 2015]

By God's grace by faith in his Son Jesus Christ, I'll analyze the following case of anti-religious movie from the campaign started by Nikita Hrusciov in USSR against "sectarian" groups.

A young teacher Kira is recalling a pupil she cares about, Olea, whose father is a workaholic, who is not paying attention to her problems - leading to loneliness, despair, after hooligan actions of her classmate Gena, with the teacher and class doing nothing, except for one boy Mitya disapproving. Later Olea befriends Kira, seeing her as a mother figure, since her own died.

It shows an example of anti-religious lecture focusing on science wonders versus the caricature of backward and greedy priests, plus replicating wonders of icons dripping tears and candles lighting by themselves by hidden tubes and chemistry tricks.

When Gena and Mitya dispute regarding God's existence, Mitya points to the magnificent management of the universe as proof of God. When alone, Mitya and Olea share a kiss, noticed by the principal, who the next day shames her before the whole class calling to protect her dignity.

Lacking support from Kira, the girl leans on Mitya, who brings her to his aunt, as healing sorrows in people's souls by singing psalms.

Another person is advised by a group of sectarian women to seek his long missing son, according to a prophecy in a specific town, which turns out true.

Later Mitya reveals that he and his aunt believe in God, probably being pentecostal Christians, according to their Bible reading:

"When the day of Pentecost came..All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."

Spying Gena makes another prank, again being slapped by Olea, others tell him to leave and denounce them, but the group tells Olea to ask his forgiveness, for unchristian behavior.

The sect head complains to Kira about the hooliganism, leading to a school comrade court, ending with Olea kissing Gena's hand for keeping silent.

Still she is scolded by her father, for straying away from the komsomol (communist youth), still caring more about his work calls, so feeling unloved Olea hands him her party membership and runs away, leading to his heart attack.

She keeps visiting him in hospital, but leaves school, joining the sect, dismissing her teacher's fears, on seeing her and others praying for her father.

Again we see humans having an inner need for love and guidance from perfect Father, not just home, food, social activity and human ethics, without actual love, care and protection.

As son of God Jesus Christ showed:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

It seems as writer's attempt to teach how to deal right, Kira leaves the house of the sectarian, organizes an anti-sect gathering and newspaper publication to alert the people.

The sect is shown to be corrupt and unbiblical, actually led by Mitya's aunt, who asks others to keep the holy lie hidden, with Mitya rejecting this, going to the anti-religious meeting to defend his Christian faith.

However Olea was treated by ecstatic prayer sessions, leading to her emotional breakdown and speaking in "tongues", while looking crazed and babbling incoherent nonsense.

It illustrates why apostle Paul was against women ruling the churches, telling them to be silent in the church, because of the over-emotional and irrational women yelling and pretending to be given a prophecy leading to evil, commanding Olea's crucifixion for pride.

At the anti-religious meeting Mitya comes out as Christian, a surprise for his school colleagues, complaining they paid little attention to know him better.

Later the teacher reveals that the sect found the missing son, by stealing response letters from the orphanage. On Gena's warning all rush to save Olea from danger, with the false prophet aunt fleeing, while the teacher is showed reconciled with Olea.

CONCLUSION: In comparison to the deadly and violent persecutions of Christian faith in the first decades after start of Bolshevik rule, this movie shows a milder phase of anti-religious opposition.

The writers show more honesty by acknowledging the faults of komsomol, school and family in lacking love and support, when redirecting most human effort in common work, since the spiritual side of Christian love that is "Love God with all your heart, soul and mind and Love your neighbor like yourself" was not known in the communist state ideology, focusing on outward devotion for the benefit and praise of the state and party.

They acknowledge some bullying, lack of real friendship and closeness among komsomol, school ethics errors by communist phariseism driving people away to seek emotional support among Christian believers, while militant atheist methods of mockery and hooliganism are shown as harmful, just uniting Christians better in face of persecution.

It warns people against destructive sects, which I as a Christian agree with, as Lord Jesus Christ taught:

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.."

Actual Christian group would do good actions as Jesus did - healing, care, mercy, loving not force, "holy lies" and violence which are evil and sin against God, thankfully the movie sect was fictional.

It warns all to be more caring, helping the needy, warning that children need a full family for care and guidance, as I should note as, God set by mother and father, since otherwise they might turn to replacement figures, who can be predators and abusers. But we humans are weak, needing God who is perfect and good, to overcome our imperfection and failures.

The Terminator (1984)

Under a sci-fi action movie lies a prophetic Christian-inspired message

[8/10 · 5 July 2015]

As a Christian I'll try by God's help to uncover the spiritual meaning and influences of this movie, including the causes of its popularity and enduring factor.

I watched it more than 20 years ago, even before really believing in God and His Son and my Lord Jesus Christ.

At first sight Terminator seems to be a typical late 70s-early 80s action/horror movie, which were mostly based during the night, like early John Carpenter's movies Halloween, Attack on Precinct 13 and Escape from New York, which adds to the fear factor, as having a seemingly unstoppable and almost silent villain, who seems to represent pure evil, barely stopped by a final girl.

The cause might be rooted in the global politic and economical crisis which was occurring then, lack of resources, large unemployment, rise of crime, as well as fear of nuclear war.

The difference is that Terminator offers a solution to these fears, a savior figure who could deliver the humanity even from the case of the worst – a nuclear holocaust.

The main source of inspiration for Terminator is actually Christian faith and the Bible, which already predicted a future Judgement day, great tribulation, as well the Savior in Son of God Jesus Christ.

I think it is by God's help that this movie was made, even in Hollywood industry, a money-making business; but nobody likes pure materialism, hence it is the spiritual subtext acts as a parable, assuring its popularity, despite increasing apostasy from Christian faith and worldliness.

As God and Lord Jesus Christ said: "Therefore speak I to them in parables: because seeing they see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand." (Matthew 13:13)

Sarah Connor a young woman, a to be mother of the future savior, John Connor. The names seem inspired from Sarah wife of Abraham, who miraculously by God's help bore Isaac in her old age, as Bible says "Through your descendant all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me" and name of Jesus Christ with initials JC, led to Sarah and John Connor (JC).

It is shown that in the future an artificial intelligence called Skynet attempted to destroy all humanity by starting a nuclear war and extermination of humans in death camps.

However humans led by John Connor managed to defeat it, so to prevent its destruction it built a time machine and sent a killer cyborg into the past, called the terminator, to kill the mother of the unborn John Connor, Sarah.

Terminator acts like king Herod, who ordered killing of all children from Bethlehem to kill also the king of Israel and Messiah Jesus Christ, attempting to kill all women called Sarah Connor.

The terminator seems to be influenced by earlier movie robot types such as evil clone of Maria from 1920s Metropolis, also with deep Christian influences.

Having no shame, no guilt, no fear, no mercy, acting like a beast, not a human, he seems to be inspired by image of the beast from the book of Revelation "And he (beast of earth) had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.." (Revelation 13:5-6)

In this lies conviction of those who are human in appearance only, but are like beasts in their action, lacking love, care, goodness which come only from God, who makes us human.

To protect Sarah Connor, her son John sends one of his soldiers Kyle Reese, as was mentioned in one internet article, acting as both angel Gabriel and Holy Spirit of God, telling Sarah about her future son and conceiving him in her.

In this is the paradox enacted, the son acts like his own father, by sending his real father to save him and conceive him from his mother. It is close to the Christian faith notion of trinity, where God is altogether Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as humans made in his image are composed of mind, body and spirit, yet are one being.

After a long round of chases, Sarah and Kyle manage to damage and burn the flesh of the cyborg, as was prophesied: "And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that worked miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone." (Revelation 19:20)

By the last remaining bomb, the terminator is badly damaged, crawling without feet, Kyle is killed and Sarah badly injured, unable to walk too. Finally she manages to crush it under a press, reminding me the Genesis prophecy from God about serpent aka Satan's fight against humans and being destroyed by a hit to the head:

"And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because you have done this, you are cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon your belly shall you go, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life: And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel." (Genesis 3:14-15)

Thus i thank God and Lord Jesus Christ for giving me wisdom to uncover it as an apocalyptic tale of struggle between Satan and Jesus Christ who will win and will lead his people to the promised land, God's Kingdom of Heaven.

Dobrota (1978)

Late 70s soviet school as mirror of failing soviet society

[7/10 · 4 March 2015]

I'll review this movie from Christian point of view, by God and Lord Jesus Christ's help. It deals with soviet school in the late 70s. We can use the school as a reflection of soviet life.

Evident is the militarized character in youth pioneer organization and massive communist propaganda by Lenin images and Communist party slogans.

The following problems are present:

• Broken families, whether by divorce or by working away, the families of most main characters are like this.

• It leads to another, bullying by children of such families.

• Forced collectivism and cult of World War 2 victory

For example, a pupil Yura Schiukin, with law and school skipping problems, was brought back to school by the principal, trying to re-educate him by activist work, using his leadership skills for influence on others.

Judging by my past, i guess Schiukin was trying to get attention, but lacking proper guidance and love from parents, working in another city, he resorted to hooliganism and bullying others. Pioneer activism did not help either, because people do not just want to fit in to play a role, but also to be loved and taken care of. It was seen that Schiukin was living poorly, with an old and almost deaf grandmother.

That's why God's command is necessary "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." (Matthew 19) and "Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." (1 Tim 5)

Due to anti-religious policy in USSR, an alternative cult of WW2 victory was used, promoted even now by Russian officials, instead of Christian faith, as official religious-like ideology based on emotion and national pride, not facts. By it war veterans are proclaimed like heroes and saints, while Nazis are made into the symbol of absolute evil. Even today people add slogans "Thanks to my granddad for victory" to their cars, as form of soviet pride plus ancestor-like worship.

In the movie it lead to abuses too - during school organized gathering of used paper, a boy accidentally brought a stack of letters from his veteran grandfather among others. The principal instead of personal conviction makes it into a huge case of blasphemy and sacrilege, by a global school meeting shaming the boy by peer pressure trying to exclude him as a sort of traitor/heretic, but being stopped by the new teacher Maria.

God taught "You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol.." (Exodus 20)

Rejecting God and Lord Jesus Christ, atheist communists put themselves in God's place and wanted the glory for themselves and in fact returned to a pagan-like cult of ancestors. Obviously this cult of WW2 is very mythologized and contains lies. The early Bolsheviks tried to start a global revolution, expecting to raise all proletarians around the world against "evil" capitalists by multiple incursions in Europe, but were beaten back due to lack of man-power amidst civil war. While claiming to be against evil Tzarist empire, they rebuilt in USSR and became even more oppressive than Tzar, enslaving the people by collectivism, deporting or executing those against it.

I believe God used another villain Hitler, whose Germany was a mirror image of USSR, in their clash punishing godless people by their own actions. As it's written "What you sow is what you reap" and "Treat others the way you want to be treated." WW2 veterans were not saints, it was God who punished both Germany and USSR by WW2. In 1943 Stalin warmed up to Christian church, probably to impress the Allies, gathering its remains, after years of persecution.

By the movie we see the first signs of doubt in communist politics. It hopes to reuse Christian example of love and goodness to fix the occurred failures, through the example of the new teacher, Maria, without mentioning God directly.

The case of collectivism abuse, is shown by the example of an individualist boy called Sergei Zavialov, bullied by activist Schiukin and his gang. He read his own poem likening the country to an old horse dragged on and on forward. He was noted as coming from a divorced family too with a fearful mother having to support 2 children. His attitude did not sit well with official ideologists who liked to portray USSR as a roaring force with great results, ex: tractor drivers going forward like courageous cavalry, by the poem read by Schiukin, similar to official daily propaganda, force fed into the minds of people, just like business advertisements today on TV.

Zavialov was attacked and partially shaved by Schiukin, for trying to fix his grades instead of helping others gather scrap metal, which was a bad result of the decision of the principal to let pupils self-govern each other for one day. It resembles earth, without God's guidance, we make our own lives a hell, through practice of evils, sin and lies when rejecting Lord Jesus Christ's command "Love your neighbor like yourself" and depending on foolish political ideology, bringing bad fruits.

We're left with some hope of change, when the teacher Maria is given time to think over not leaving school; Schiukin moved by his teacher's good treatment, promises to remain in school instead of leaving.

Let us not repeat such mistakes by pride and self-dependence expecting ourselves, politicians and pleasant lying ideology to save us, but to turn back to God and Lord Jesus Christ by repentance of sins and faith to practice good, live in love, truth, peace, righteousness for salvation of our souls.

Vanishing on 7th Street (2010)

Devouring spiritual darkness

[8/10 · 22 January 2014]

By God's help, I'll analyze the film from a Christian point of view. It seems it describes the gradual spiritual darkening of the world, where most people hold no faith in God, and thus no guidance on what is right and wrong.

According to the New Testament Bible, God and His Son Jesus Christ, are the only source of truth, love and salvation. "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (Gospel of John 8:12)

Easily to understand, the darkness describes evil and sin, "And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil." (John 3:19) I remember there were many dark movies around early 80s, probably then and now are periods of worry, fears, depression, hopelessness.

Under Satan's instigation, men have replaced God by false lights which are sinful pleasures, pleasant lies, powerless idols, false prophets and teachers, but all of these lead to death and separation from the true light, God. "In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome." (John 1:4-5)

For example, the few surviving people with light sources end up in an only lit bar, a place of social interaction for many, where they dull their unhappiness with life and conscience with alcohol and selfish relations. It's a false temporary fix, like a drug, whose only end is addiction and death. The spiritual religious meaning of this movie is recalled by the characters, with existential questions such as: why are we here, is there God, etc.

A dying cinema technician is trying to find solace in music, endangering the others around him, so in a vision he walks into a dead-end, which was a deadly trap.

A mother who lost her child and cannot see another hope in life without him, is fooled by the darkness and swallowed.

A child trying to find his missing mother, is only saved at the feet of the statue of Jesus Christ, in the church. It's not a building or candles which save, but symbolically faith in Lord Jesus Christ. The only shown surviving people are two children. Why, you wonder? Jesus Himself taught: "Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (Matthew 19:14)

So i urge you to not be worried, afraid or depressed by nonsense, but take your time to learn about God and Lord Jesus Christ in the New Testament Bible, on how to find the guidance by truth, love, peace and salvation.

Publikatsiya (1988)

School during the dying days of USSR

[7/10 · 5 November 2013]

This is one of many perestroika period movies, that are somehow still interesting to watch and analyze even now. They are often identified by the gray colors, usually being somewhat depressing and socially conscious, where the old soviet communist ways are crashing down under the new capitalistic and individualistic ways. The movie starts with a group of angst-filled working class youths trying to force their own justice by violence, but end getting caught by police. One of them, Sergei Maximov aka Max, who didn't personally attack, narrowly escapes jail.

An older teacher is taken by an ambulance with a heart attack, after reading a newspaper article criticizing her old inflexible ways. A very young female teacher comes to replace her. Another symbol of old soviets ideals dying off.

The new teacher discovers a separation by wealth in the class, which was unusual for 1988, and was generally suppressed during earlier soviet times, when past school movies usually had more united classes. She sides with the pupils she seems to understand the most - that is komsomol (communist youth) activists and working class youths, who uncover that the old teacher didn't put higher marks to students of richer more-privileged parents. They attempt to portray the angst-y looking Sergei "Max", mentioned before, as being basically "our good guy". It's not surprising seeing how most soviet literature portrayed people from the lower classes, as being better and some sort of "communist nobility and saints" by heritage, which was probably a reversal and reaction against the Russian empire undeserved nobility privileges.

In comparison there are the groups of richer kids, with money and parents coming from high political positions (nomenklatura). They are shown as occasionally more intellectual, but more often life wasters on parties (the break dance scene is weird though), sensual immoral pleasures, and basically being rich spoiled brats. It is revealed, that one of them, Rudnev, used his journalist friend to write the article, as revenge against the old teacher for low marks, which endangered his admission into the university.

This leads to the conflict and exposure of Rudnev as a nasty cowardly intelligent in an attempt to find justice, similar to comrade courts in old soviet movies. But in this case, it fails; by 1988, the system has changed, and the old-style soviet ideals have lost, the justice-seekers are generally ignored and shut down, so Max leaves the school in protest.

CONCLUSION: It seems this movie was the final counter-offensive propaganda by old-line soviet idealists, trying to reach to their target audience - komsomol and poor disaffected working class youth, to fight against moral decay and the transgressors against the cult-like religion of soviet ideals. It is somewhat similar to 1987's Меня зовут Арлекино (My name is Harlequin), or even 1973 Кортик (The Dirk).

Of course, it's sinful and unchristian to use lies to force honest teachers out like Rudnev did, but the lack of the scenes with the exact behavior and school abilities of both the old teacher and Rudnev, made it seem more like one-sided propaganda.

In general, while i didn't take sympathy in the "bad intelligent" Rudnev, nor did Max and his company appeal to me, on learning of the hypocrisies and violence of soviet communist doctrine, also Max's gang ties seemed shady. Over the time, some kids like these have morphed into violent skinheads, neo-Nazis and football gang members, who aren't much different from early Bolsheviks.

This is an infinite cycle of exploitation and revenge, which can only be broken by Lord Jesus Christ's example and teachings of "Love God with all your being and Love your neighbours and even enemies". God gave us the freedom of choice in life, and communism and class exploitation are just two opposing examples of going against God's commands. Love, justice, truth and peace are the things that Jesus Christ brought from His Father God already two thousand years ago - so communists cannot claim they were more moral, they just borrowed some Christian ideals, but sinned in ways such as murder, hate, pride, hypocrisy, rejection of Christ, the same thing with capitalists - greed, exploitation, immorality, etc.

It's interesting, how ungodly human efforts fail, basically USSR was founded on violence and rejection of God by angry lower classes guided by godless arrogant international socialists and utopians, who overthrew the Russian empire with nobility, some capitalists, along with the Christian church, for being exploiters. They proclaimed that by violence and atheism, they will build a better system and will live in a communist utopia of brotherhood and material comfort...that is, as they claimed, right after they hang the remaining evil capitalists of the world and will force everyone to accept "this new brotherhood". But how can you create something good by doing evil first? As Lord Jesus Christ taught "Whoever has ears, let them hear".

This film deals with the obvious results of USSR, as it's written in the Bible:

"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." (Galatians 6:7)

The soviet communists had themselves become the hypocrites and exploiters they despised and fought against, and spawned the seeds of their own destruction. I accept neither their side, nor the one of capitalists/individualists - both enslave people whether for a utopia founded by hatred and violence, or to their basic desires and consumerism. God promised to establish His own Kingdom of truth and justice over the whole earth (Daniel 7:27), i believe that God is perfect and can do so, but humans due to being imperfect, can never fulfill their promises, no matter how pleasant sounding (Proverbs 14:12).

I thank God for guiding me away from both these extremes, onto the narrow way of His Son Lord Jesus Christ for the freedom from past pride, hypocrisy and slavery of immoral sin, onto the salvation of my soul by God's grace in His Kingdom of Heaven.

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Ignore the gore and violence, the meaning is easier to understand by the words of Lord Jesus Christ

[5/10 · 18 September 2013]

In the past i liked movies like this one, where a group of characters try to escape some threat, but slowly die one by one, with only a few more righteous/better characters remain alive by the end.

But i didn't understand the rules of reward and punishment, because of being brought up in an unbelieving family, and my sense of truth and goodness was subjective.

This zombie movie was repeated so much on TV, with some interesting Christian allusions, so i decided to analyze it according to Christian faith.

Thankfully to God, later in life i was lead to believe in His Son Jesus Christ, to become a Christian. It's the words of Jesus Christ, that shed light on what actions are good and true, and what are evil and false.

Jesus Chris concentrated the whole Bible (law and prophets) in two greatest commandments: love God with your whole being, and love our neighbors, by treating them the way you want to be treated.

Zombies, are a metaphor, easy to to uncover by Jesus' words, for the spiritually dead (Luke 9:60)(John 8:24) by sin.

The movie's Christian influence is observed by its showing of a Christian TV program condemning the country for immorality, abortions and other sins.

A couple of survivors lock themselves in a mall for food and protection, away from zombies. They are treated with hostility and are quarantined by former guards, led by CJ.

God will do a similar thing on the Judgement Day, the saints and true Christians will enter Heaven, but the rest, wicked unrepentant sinners will be thrown into the burning lake to keep the Kingdom of Heaven, unpolluted by sin and free from pain and sorrow. Many people hate God for this judgment as being loveless, but what are they going to do in the place of these zombie movie characters; are you going to love zombies, but put the rest of people under danger of infection? or are you going to destroy them and throw them out to keep the rest of people alive and uninfected?

After more wounded survivors come into the mall, the problem becomes more serious, when parents and loved ones are the ones who are infected. Jesus Christ told that if you love your parents and close ones more than Him, then you are not worthy of Him, and that you must hate your close ones and your own life to be His disciple (Matthew 10:37) (Luke 14:26).

These verses anger many "atheists" too. But here's a spiritual illustration of these verses in the movie - a pregnant woman was infected, and also the father of a newcomer girl is bitten too. Are you gonna love them even when they turn into zombies? Or are you going to destroy them once they are undead and dangerous? Otherwise it leads to more deaths, as a criminal character Andre and an old woman, murder each other, after she shoots his now-undead wife.

There was some strange accent by slow motion on this woman's smoking habit; for hints read (1 Corinthians 3:16) - does smoking glorify God or does it harm our bodies?

It's better to follow Jesus Christ into eternal life and salvation, than to keep hanging with the close ones who refuse to believe and repent and follow them into destruction of souls in hellfire.

From then on, by using Jesus' words it's easy to predict who's going to die and/or turn into zombie. By Jesus' and God's words, and the actions of some of the movie's characters, we find the following sins: homosexuality, arrogance, lack of love and care, sexual immorality, cruelty.

God tells that sin leads to death. Indeed these characters did die next. The others that have some faith in God, and who take care of others (christian love), do survive.

It's basically a demonstration of usefulness and good practice of Jesus' words in a zombie movie. So let's thank Jesus Christ and God for His good example, wisdom and teaching.

Later CJ, sacrifices himself by blowing up a gas bomb after being cornered and bit by a zombie crowd. According to the Bible Jesus Christ has died on the cross, as a permanent sacrifice for our sins, to save us from spiritual death by sin. His reverse initials are CJ(Christ Jesus). Was CJ's initials and self-sacrifice to save the rest of the group a nod to Jesus' sacrifice? Might be.

Also there's some attempt at drama, to reveal that a character, who was romantically linked to a caring female character, was bitten. Did he sin in some way? I don't remember. Of course, they need to separate.

CONCLUSION: The violent action and gore can heavily distract from the meaning of the story, and is unsuitable for children and nervous people.

For others, the Christian influences of the story make it somewhat interesting in demonstrating the meaning, necessity and practical usefulness of some of Jesus Christ's teachings, though it should not be treated literally, but spiritually. After all there are no literal zombies in this world, so there's no literal fight - but there's a spiritual one against lies of Satan and unbelievers, by the use of the Word of God, in the Bible.

So throw away your guns and weapons and leave your dreams of being a hero in a zombie apocalypse, but better read the Bible, starting with New Testament for beginners, so that your soul will be saved by Jesus Christ, and you won't share the burning lake punishment with unrepentant wicked sinners.

Blindness (2008)

Spiritually blind instead of walking dead

[7/10 · 7 July 2013]

Lord Jesus Christ taught regarding hypocrite leaders and their followers the following words:

"Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit." (Gospel of Matthew 15:14)

These words, i believe, do describe what this movie is really about. It starts similar to many zombie apocalypse movies, where some unknown virus transforms people into ravenous walking dead, which surely can likened as spiritually dead by Jesus Christ (Luke 9:59-60).

But this time, it's a disease that turns people blind. All the diseased are horded into an abandoned hospital for quarantine, including a woman, who had enough love and courage to actually follow her blind husband, despite not being blind herself.

There's an early hint about the spiritual/religious meaning of this blindness, when the seeing woman mentioned agnosticism as being a similar word to the presumed disease. Another allusion to the same meaning is when the first blind person, talks with his blinded later wife, about the memories of a visit to a temple, and being warmed by a sacrificial bonfire.

There's too many of people to care about for a single seeing person, so the whole place soon gets dirty, with people being apathetic to the point of walking around naked, perhaps a nod to Jesus' words in the book of Revelation:

"I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see." (Revelation 3:18)

Even though all (except one) the people are equally blind, one of them declares himself a king, and puts the free food under his control, first robbing the people from their valuables in exchange for food, and then forcing people to offer their women to be raped for food. It's a departure from usual cases in movies, when men turn violent to defend their women, and this part seemed more lazy and less realistic, padding screen time with sexual violence and naked women to appeal to viewers' baser instincts.

This made me recall, that even if we are all made equal and equally loved by God, but still some people reject His Son, Jesus Christ's words to love others as ourselves, due to pride, and thus cause violence, wickedness and inequality, which result in poorness and hunger on earth.

Eventually, it all leads to violence and destruction of the hospital by fire, similar to prophesied destruction of earth by fire (ex. 2 Peter 3:7-10), leading to the revelation that the whole earth was contaminated by the disease.

The seeing woman then leads a couple of closer blind people to the safety of their former home, while helping them with food and cleaning them with water, which made me recall the Christian water baptism and repentance (cleansing from past sins) and the promise of salvation in God's Kingdom of Heaven. This leads to curing of the first blindness victim, and subsequent hope for the rest of them, and the whole world.

CONCLUSION: Thankfully to God and the wisdom anyone can get from Him and the Bible, i suppose that the seeing woman is the symbol of love, goodness and forgiveness, which can easily be abused and used for selfish gain, but which ensures the salvation and healing of this world, ridden with wickedness and evil. God is love, actually (1 John 4:8), and Son of God, Lord Jesus Christ taught that loving God with all our heart, soul and mind and loving others like ourselves are the two greatest commandments, which sum the whole Bible. God will also judge and punish wicked people on the Day of Judgement. Hopefully this review will lead people towards salvation in Jesus Christ.

NOTE: Due to sexual violence and some unnecessary nudity, i don't recommend showing this movie to minors.

Malchiki (1991)

Marks Russia's return to faith in Jesus Christ

[8/10 · 2 July 2013]

This movie is based on a part of the "Brothers Karamazov" novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. I haven't read the original book and can't tell how much it is alike, but really it is an interesting study of the history of late Russian empire and its relations with God and faith in His Son Jesus Christ.

It deals with a Christian-orthodox monk called Alexei Karamazov, who was sent out of the monastery into the world for help. He stumbles upon a scene of a lone poorer boy Ilyusha, insulted and attacked with rocks by a couple of school-children. Attempting to pacify these children, Alexei gets hit by Ilyusha, who even bits him; when he doesn't get angry, by showing Christian humility and forgiveness and questions the boy - Ilyusha runs away sobbing.

Turns out he's from a poor family with three ill persons, whose father was humiliated by Alexei's older brother; so Ilyusha was acting in revenge. Alexei asks forgiveness for his brother and offers financial help, but even with the hope of curing his family, the father refuses to forgive and in pride refuses the money. It really describes tensions (so-called class struggle) between well-off nobility class and the poorer parts of Russian empire society.

The story takes a turn to introduce Kolya Krasotkin, a very intelligent boy of about 12-13 years, who is a sort of a leader in school, perhaps a symbol of the intellectual part of society, but who is influenced by atheistic socialism and french revolutionary ideas. He seemed to have a strange mentor-like relation with younger Ilyusha, perhaps showing that peasants and workers were influenced by socialist intellectuals. He's somewhat careless and often tries to show off intellectually or physically in very dangerous ways, such as laying under a passing train. Supposedly Kolya is a symbol of stagnating aristocratic and intellectual Russian class, who understood the need for changes, but were unwilling/unable to change themselves and help the poorer people.

After a fight at school, Ilyusha falls ill, and under the instigation of Alexei Karamazov, the school children visit him to reconcile and ask forgiveness. This strikes Ilyusha with guilt for his hate and violent revenge, and past cruel treatment of animals. His illness leads to his death.

The movie concludes with the burial of Ilyusha's body and the boys following Alexei, who reassures them that everybody will be raised from the dead after the second coming of Jesus Christ.

CONCLUSION: This movie is a historical analysis of Russia, its decay as Russian empire, being overcome by militantly atheist Bolshevik rebellion and USSR, through the symbol of the passing train, for example Lenin and Bolsheviks came to Russia by the train. Thus Ilyusha's death is symbolic of the death of the spirit of rebellion and vengeance evident in the Bolshevik revolution and USSR.

It then describes its return to Christian faith in Lord Jesus Christ, and the forgiveness, salvation and eternal life in God's Kingdom of Heaven. I guess, that Alexei Karamazov is really a symbol of Lord Jesus Christ, the good shepherd and teacher, who guides the children - Christians, who are adopted sons of God through Christ - towards love, mercy and goodness.

The Gadfly (1955)

Film trying to replace Lord Jesus Christ with a revenge-driven terrorist revolutionary

[7/10 · 19 May 2013]

This is a memorable soviet movie, in the vein of propagandist adventures of young revolutionaries, which were very widespread in soviet cinema and literature, probably created to influence the youth.

It says the story of a young Italian revolutionary Artur, whose parents have died, who is despised by his relatives, with the only father figure in a catholic priest Montanelli, and a love interest Jemma, who is also a part of student revolutionary group - she is presumably, Artur's reason to enter the student group, as well.

There is a definitive blend of catholic-Christian influences in Artur's revolutionary ideas - calling Jesus Christ the greatest revolutionary. However he's more inclined to deify the priest Montanelli and put the Catholic church on the same level as God; so his faith in God and Lord Jesus Christ is easily shattered, on being jailed due to disclosing his revolutionary activities during a confession of sins to another catholic priest and on learning his real father is really Montanelli.

In this lies the danger of expecting perfection from Christians, lack of Godly love and forgiveness and mistaking human traditions in Christian churches with God's Truth, since only Lord Jesus Christ was sinless, and our faith on Him and His forgiveness of our sins cleans us, not our attempts to win our salvation, though it doesn't mean we have a license for sin.

Also Artur is rejected by his party peers, and also by the girl he loved , who now considers him a traitor. So filled with outrage and hatred, Artur leaves a suicide letter to Montanelli, only to reappear 13 years later, as a face-scarred and limp political pamphlet writer and terrorist/revolutionary, with violent past in Brazilia, with bitter writings against the Austrian Empire rulers of Italy and Catholic Church, whom he considers as an ally of the usurper.

Note, that the film differs from the book, cutting out some fragments that cast sometimes unfavorable light on Artur/Gadfly's character, that describe his hate-love attitude to his real father Montanelli, some past tragic events, and more attempts to connect to Jemma, to fulfill his youth dreams of being revolutionary love partners together with her.

More emphasis is put on Gadfly's martyr-like self-sacrifice for Italy's population, and his armed rebellion against the Austrian army, which now would be described as terrorism and arms smuggling.

Evidently, as a result of Gadfly's actions, he is caught when his father , now cardinal, Montanelli stops the shoot-out by coming between the Austrian soldiers and Artur's armed band. Facing the execution and Montanelli's attempts to save him, Artur still promises more political murders, declares himself as atheist and mocks God, then reveals himself as Montanelli's son and rebukes his father for his past lies.

In the end Artur is executed by a shooting squad, dying only on the third round, presumably to mimic Jesus' execution and resurrection on the third day. Montanelli in his grief and sorrow, proclaims that there's no God; which is not a wonder in Soviet Union, indeed more bravery was needed to claim that God is, in USSR.

CONCLUSION: The film deals with revolutionary attempts to be seen as martyr-like saints and trying to judge God, Jesus Christ and His Church as being fakes, due to accepting tyrants and rejecting violence and war; but really due to competition and God's exposing truth. The revolutionary party and Gadfly do possess some Christian-like passion and promises, but it's evident they can't think of anything higher than Jesus and His teachings, by presenting themselves as his imperfect copies.

It's understandable that the power and wealth in Christian Church has given rise to heresies and corruption, where Christ's teachings was perverted and twisted for control and lies; but it was never in God and Jesus' laws and teaching, but only the result of human fallen nature. One can read the Gospel about real Jesus Christ's war - not by the literal sword, but by the spiritual sword of God's Word and Truth, against pharisees similar to those described in the book.

I was struck, how my sins are reflected in the character of Artur/Gadfly: the desire for revenge, expectancy of perfection from others, but being imperfect, angry and hateful himself, his attempts to manipulate women to feed his ego to be seen as a manly hero and making them feel sorry for him and pulling them into danger - I've all done that unfortunately too, thus sinning against God and Jesus.

So i can't judge Artur, but neither will i agree with his actions, because his understanding of God, Jesus and his own responsibility for actions is very distorted. He doesn't give any good arguments for atheism, mistakes God's Word and human traditions, and completely forgets about forgiveness and correction as Jesus taught (to rebuke those who offend us of their sins). So far, Artur's atheism is seen as a youth-like rebellion against his parents, driven by hate, lack of forgiveness and revenge. Also his violent terrorist acts, are not a part of Jesus' rebuking of pharisees, since Jesus did none. While Jesus was sinless of violence and endured an unfair execution, Artur/Gadfly willingly used violence and endured a just execution.

To see the absolute truth and love, it is necessary is to read the Gospel about Jesus Christ' actions and words, and compare it with the Gadfly book/film - then it will be evident where is the true love and goodness.

Detachment (2011)

A step towards love and goodness

[7/10 · 16 March 2013]

I did see this movie a few days ago on TV, and it really caught my attention as being above the usual escapist entertainment movies. It deals with the detachment and corruption in all spheres of life, but especially the one dealing with school pupils, their parents and teachers.

Instead of lovingly guiding their children throughout life, some of the parents just dump them in a school, expecting them to be perfected by school, teachers, psychologists, since parents are too busy slaving off for a corrupt system which expects them to be ideal workers like the cartoon character Sponge Bob, who had the mind of a child, and worked hard without question for a low wage and a void achievement of "best month worker".

But teachers are as broken as parents; one is not made instantly wise and all-knowing by becoming a teacher, who anyway is expected to bring basic human knowledge to humans, not the love, empathy and relationships which are expected to be taught inside families.

The main character, a substitute teacher, is a product of such a lifestyle, unable to be attached to anyone, who tries to be caring and helpful, but makes often mistakes and though he is drawn to goodness and love, doesn't really know the meaning of life and why love and goodness are necessary. He just urges his pupils to seek answers through knowledge and not to willingly accept all kinds of manipulative propaganda of marketing, where love of money is the top priority, but in the Bible it is called "the root of all evils".

You may wonder why Bible and Christianity, since everywhere you can hear that Christians are often are (or shown to be) "bigoted", hypocritical, hateful and judgmental, especially with with all kinds of scandals related with the Church of Christ (body of believers) and priests. By the grace of God, i believe in His Son Jesus Christ, that Jesus died on the cross to pay for the sins of the world and was raised by God from the dead, so that anybody who believes this will be raised by God as well from death into eternal life through forgiveness of all sins for the sake of His Son Jesus Christ.

So while this movie is helpful into raising questions about lack of love and detachment in this life, it doesn't say how to fix it, nor does it provide the stimulus to do so. It just says to seek answers. That's why i did in the past, finding the teachings of Lord Jesus Christ perfectly suitable for these problems - it contains rules and commands on how to love God and other people, what is good and what is evil/sinful. According to Christ we believe that God gives us strength to do good and love even our enemies, even though it seemed previously stupid, uncomfortable and unrewarding according to most secular teachings - we do this because of God's love, mercy and forgiveness, who opened for us the only door to salvation which is Jesus Christ.

So if you're feeling dissatisfied with this world and seeking a better place - read the Bible, starting with the New Testament, which is easier to understand for starters, pray to God for guidance, forgiveness and repentance of sins, strength to live by Jesus' commandments and example. Also don't let the slander about God, Jesus and Christians keep you away from the truth in the Bible - since Jesus already warned about false prophets, whose deeds are far from their words, so not a self-proclaimed name of "Christian" does make one true, but their deeds according to Lord Jesus Christ.

The Boy Who Could Fly (1986)

Fantasy movie with stronger drama elements

[8/10 · 26 January 2013]

I remember being intrigued by this movie when finding it on IMDb. For me the relative innocence of 80s movies and childhood nostalgia made it a much better, if absolutely unrealistic movie. It could be seen as some sort of modern fairy tale, not be considered seriously, but with some sort of hidden meaning/moral.

I can relate to this movie because of some similar events, fears and dreams from my own life; of course like most movies, this one is exaggerated a bit, and mixes fantasy(people's dreams) with real life.

This is why some 80s movies are so fun to watch, because they are absolutely unrealistic escapism and fantasy to the max, cheesy and overly optimistic as some may consider, but so is belief in God and Lord Jesus Christ, which i do share by God's grace. This may be due to a partial return to conservative and Christian values that the world had in the 80s, as a backlash against confused and crisis-ridden 70s.

The film is about a family struggling with their lives after the tragic death of their father, who chose suicide instead of fighting with cancer. But no matter how hard one's life is, there is surely someone whose life is worse, so their neighbor is an alcoholic man with an autistic nephew, whose parents have died in a plane crash.

While this movie is not Christian, in showing no love to or mention of God, it is similar to Jesus' second greatest commandment "Love your neighbor as yourself". The girl Milly, while doing her best to be the family cook, actually finds time and care to help the autistic boy next door/window Eric. As many 80s movies' characters, Milly doesn't have much flaws, except for underage alcohol drinking; though i expected her to breakdown into "i'm getting no respect/real life" fit, guess i've seen too many 90s-00s "overdriven realistic" movies, where teenagers are too often rebellious and egoistical.

As the Milly's mother and brother get through their work and bully problems, Milly and Eric get romantically close in an innocent way and get to fly holdings hands to the amazement of the whole city. Then Eric flies away. THE END.

CONCLUSION: The whole flying, may be a metaphor for the first love, with Milly and Eric, being high on the wings of love. It may also be an aspiration to what is true, noble, right.. as in New Testament, Philippians 4:8. The fact that Eric then flied away, may mean that Milly and Eric separated and never seen each other again, or that Eric may have fallen off the roof and did die, which sounds sad, but possible. Thus many people could relate to it, adding their own life stories about their first love, life tragedies or mental problems.

The Grudge 3 (2009)

Another annoying hopeless depressing Japanese-like horror

[3/10 · 7 January 2013]

I'm so annoyed by these Japanese(-like) horror movies. I need to let off some steam. Most of the times, when i would stumble upon the reruns of this movie, i'd switch the channel, but now seeing that nothing else was on TV, and it had an American cast, i thought maybe there would be some solution or hope of salvation in the end.

Nope. There is no hope at all in these Grudge movies, all these (especially Japanese) characters become weird, psychotic and depressed, then are killed by these freaky ghosts with gore and stuff. Is this because of the mentality of Asians/Japanese? Maybe the popularity of such movies, is showing the whole world becoming like Japanese as depressed and hopeless. Perhaps it's caused by loss of faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ; in past European/American horror movies (not that they are very useful movies), characters would at least mention religion, for example they would fight off vampires and monsters with crosses, holy water, prayer, etc.

Thanks to God and Jesus Christ for helping me become a Christian; this faith in the atonement (payment for sins) of the Son of God gave me hope and assurance of salvation in God's Kingdom. The only message i could grasp from these movies, is "not to kill", exactly like one of the Ten Commandments "You shall not murder" - because it would create a curse, synonymous to the blood guilt mentioned in Old Testament, Genesis 9:6 or Numbers 35:33, but in these Grudge movies it affects everyone who would even stumble around. And what the point was for those senseless deaths in three movies, to be scared without any hope, until some stupid ritual of curse riddance is found, which isn't even explained and which didn't really work well at all. If that curse was the fact for Japan, they would be long wiped off by all these annoying white and hairy ghosts. And what solutions this movie offered? Some pagan ritual, with blood drinking (which is forbidden by God - see Deuteronomy 12:16/Acts 15:29).

I was longing the characters would visit a Christian church, so that a priest would put all these ghosts/evil spirits to rest already by God's power; but no, they are in deep denial. Whoever makes this and similar movies (Ring) - STOP, ALREADY! Go, read the Bible to get some hope of salvation through Christ and stop polluting this world with these annoying depressing senseless scare flicks.

A Cosmic Christmas (1977 TV Movie)

Slightly weird late 70s Christmas

[8/10 · 26 December 2012]

While switching channels yesterday, i stumbled upon this Christmas cartoon on Kidsco channel. It was kind of weird, somewhat similar to Charles Dickens' Christmas novels, where the cynical people with hardened hearts, are changed for the better during Christmas after repenting of their own evil nature/sinfulness, usually after being shown their decay from innocent children to adults with cold hearts. It convicts myself, since i am as inclined to sin and evil, and have become a lost son/sheep away from God and Christ. The same about this cartoon, showing a young boy Peter and his pet goose, walking in a gloomy city during Christmas holidays, but lacking any good spirit and the adults are materialistic, selfish and worried by petty nonsense.

The boy then sees a shiny star, which is really an alien ship, which everybody doesn't notice, too preoccupied by themselves. After a fight with some homeless children, Peter then meets three aliens, similar to the three wise men/Magi from the New Testament, who came to meet the born King of Kings, Jesus Christ; also the alien ship seemed like the star that marked Jesus' birthplace. These three are on a quest to find out the meaning of Christmas; but what is understandable to a child - birth of Lord Jesus Christ and striving to love others as ourselves through good deeds, has been forgotten by the adults and children alike, except for Peter and his family.

And as Peter's goose was stolen by one of the homeless children for food, the whole family sets on a chase to reclaim it, which almost ends tragically - the thief falls through cracked ice into the cold lake, dragging Peter with himself. But this event has lead to the joining of forces of the adults and aliens to save the drowning children, and then leads to a party where everybody is invited, including the thief, who was forgiven and the other homeless children. After this the aliens leave, having finally understood the meaning of Christmas, which is to be more like Jesus Christ.

CONCLUSION: There is a definite influence of the first Star Wars movie released earlier in the same year, with the whole aliens story angle. There is the whole consumerism, cynicism that are more evident today, but they are shown as bad and unappealing. The good part is that this cartoon does mention the birth of Jesus Christ (even though it probably wasn't on December 25), which is a rarity in Christmas movies/cartoons today. The main ideas are similar to the following Bible verses:

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." (Philippians 4:8)

"..I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3)

The soundtrack is cool, with a few melodic songs with real instruments, as well as various synthesized sound effects for aliens/alien ship, which do sound creepy and can bring some element of nostalgia for those who like older electronic music.

If you are tired of the godless, cynical and shallow media of today and wanna show your children a better Christian-like example, this is a good example, while telling them that the whole aliens stuff is a metaphor for Jesus' birth.

Adazhio (2000)

Lots of similarities with the life, death and resurrection of Lord Jesus Christ

[9/10 · 23 November 2012]

SYNOPSIS: It is a simple cartoon with characters made out of figures of paper with classical Adagio in G minor playing in the background. The plot is simple as well, gray people are barely walking in dark storm. But a figure in white then moves fast to lead them and help them.

As soon as the gray people are lead to relative safety, they then try to smear the figure in white with their own greyness, but to no avail; the greyness comes off from the white person almost immediately.

Then the gray people beat and trample the white figure covering it in gray, but it slowly restored to normal shape and white. Then enraged, the gray people tear it to pieces and leave.

Wondrously, the pieces are restored to a shiny white piece of paper, and back into the white figure, which then tears the gray sky in two and is lifted upwards into the clear blue sky.

At this sight, all the gray people are supposedly turned to worshipers of the white figure, each holding a small image of the white figure. Then they notice a single figure in black, and circle it. THE END.

REVIEW: To me, being a Christian by God's grace, this immediately seemed similar to the life, death and resurrection of my Lord Jesus Christ.

For instance, from the New Testament it is known, that Jesus didn't ever sin, and was calling people to repentance and forgiveness of sins.

The whole darkness thing is similar to spiritual darkness of people who have forgotten of God:

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." (Isaiah 9:2)

Sinful people who didn't want to repent, instead tried to cause Jesus to sin, particularly the pharisees of Israel, to have reasons to accuse him (i.e. John 8:3-12).

The white figure was torn to pieces, while Jesus was crucified. But both are resurrected and brought to life. The whole tearing of the sky in two is similar to the events following Jesus' death on the cross:

"And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split." (Matthew 27:51)

Like the white figure, Jesus was raised into the heaven by GOD as described in Acts 1:1-10. After that, lots of people have believed Jesus was the Son of GOD, and was raised to life by Him - the Christians. Not sure, about the black figure, the first idea that came to my mind about it - is that Satan stands accused before all the people who believe in Jesus Christ.

Thanks to GOD and Lord Jesus Christ for helping me learn and believe in His Son Jesus Christ, for forgiveness of my sins and eternal life, peace and joy beyond this life.

Psy (1989)

Seriously creepy soviet apocalypse

[9/10 · 19 October 2012]

Псы - Hounds, Dogs (russian). This is the first soviet movie with horror elements that i've seen in my childhood. It could be somewhat traumatizing, depressing and scary like many other perestroika period movies, so don't show it to little children, since it instilled in me a deep fear of dogs, only thanks to God it has decreased now.

The intro shows a verse from the Bible, alluding that the events of the movie and USSR fall are the result of God's punishment. A group of various soviet people - an alcoholic teacher, an immoral sports shooter, a hunter, a criminal, guided by a party representative and a driver take an old bus towards a lost village in the desert near a large dried lake (a nod to the catastrophe of Aral sea).

They were instructed to clean up the spread of wolves attacking people. Once there they encounter only two people, a hydrologist and his wife, surviving on a tank of rain water. Later some marauders, attempting to steal the abandoned village property are being attacked by the real cause of deaths - dogs that turned feral and cannibalistic.

The hunters barely fight off the massive assault of the feral dogs, and then clean up a stranded ship with a cargo of ice, now melted to water, which was the dogs' lair. At the same time the surviving marauder steals their bus, but ends up swallowed by quicksand, leaving the hunters stranded in the desert. This causes a mental breakdown in the hunters, so they resort to conflict, murder and suicide. The two remaining hunters wail in anguish like dogs, feeling helpless.

NOTE: It may seem like a horror movie about an isolated village, but it's subtext was about the real collapse and decay which has taken over the whole Soviet Union. The communism and humanism was failing, so the people turned to western ideas and methods, out of desperate attempts to imitate the seemingly peaceful and prosperous West, often resorting to wild capitalism through crimes, so the dogs may actually symbolize a part of soviet people who turned on their own, like cannibals. For instance the marauder wears a t-shirt with an English text, which was a popular fad in the late 80s-early 90s, until people realized that capitalism and democracy will not grant you an instant material heaven.

It is also a critique of the politics of the corrupt soviet state to boost statistics for bonuses and praises for party members and production directors, which promoted blind service, demagogue-propagandist talk, leading to common mistrust and treachery, which often lead to catastrophes and disasters. There is a common saying, about the causes of soviet problems and deficiency, "People forgot of God", by creating some sort of a false religion of faith in "communism", heavily borrowing from Christianity and humanism, with the ultimate goal being a sort of material heaven on earth, but this faith could only exist as long as the people needed to rebuild the states from the ashes of war, both after the fall of the Russian empire and civil war, and then after WWII, after which it slowly returned to capitalism, with Nomenklatura, party members and their associates becoming the new financial elite and future "democratic" rulers.

Also it has a creepy atmosphere and an electronic soundtrack, somehow similar to the one in the American movie Cyborg (1989). For another movie with similar feel, made by the same director and composer, with much of the same cast, see Proryv (1986) - Inrush.

CONCLUSION: Don't depend on various human inventions and politics, they sooner or later fail. It is true faith in God and our Lord Jesus Christ, that leads people away from their sinful nature towards holiness by God's grace. Depend on God and He will deliver you, for instance the remaining hunters could escape the desert by walk, since they could get food and water from the hydrologist or the ship, which could have been boiled to be cleaned.

Stigmata (1999)

Movie about religious mysticism instead of faith in Jesus Christ

[3/10 · 14 September 2012]

Yesterday stumbled upon this movie, and seeing how it's related with faith in Jesus Christ, i decided to give it a try. Bad idea - instead of bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people, it went for the easy route, providing flashy SFX, mixing secular humanism and religious mysticism, offering heretical theology, and possibly ripping you of your money and time for nothing of substance. A woman starts having stigmata, and the priest sent to investigate it somehow deduces it's a gift from God, though no such thing is ever mentioned in the Holy Bible, though it may have been present in later church history as some sort of religious show-off. Maybe this tries to show God as a sadist (a favorite argument of militant atheists), though it seems to me, the woman was possessed by an evil spirit, transferred to her, from a heretical priest.

There are cases in New Testament, where evil spirits torture people, and Jesus expels them from their victims. Instead of exorcism, the priest-scientist, who confesses he hasn't prayed in a long while, gets a badly-acted/questionable romantic liking of the possessed woman, though she gets more and more signs of Hollywood possession - weird voice, creepy eyes, screaming wildly, then writes the supposedly "most true Gospel of Jesus Christ". Who would believe that a creepy demon-possessed human, bent on violence, is telling the true Gospel of Christ?

God is almighty and wouldn't need to wait two thousands years to write the "true" Gospel in a language, almost nobody can read.

The only good idea in this movie is to rely on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, from the New Testament, instead of religious rites and buildings and to beware of new pharisees among the believers.

In the end after a ridiculous murder attempt (by catholics, of course) and a quarrel for the "true gospel" or "saving the church", fire SFX and bleeding statues, the priest-scientist suddenly remembers how to exorcise, though the evil spirit is shown to be the soul of a heretical priest, which is not biblical.

In the end, the hidden "true gospel" is found, but its secret sayings are laughable and were clearly ripped off from existing Gospels and Old Testament scripture:

• "God is in rocks and logs, but somehow not in churches" saying, smells of new age and is useless; maybe it's a confused interpretation of Isaiah 66:1 and Acts 7:48; - "God's kingdom is in you" saying was already in Luke 17:21;

Also a conclusive text speaks about Nag Hammad library discovery with the Gospel of Thomas, which if compared (together with this movie) with the current four Gospels, will prove Nag Hammad's heresy.

NOTE: I've been speaking with some atheists once, trying to tell them about the Gospel. They categorically refused to listen, resorting to the usual "fairy tales" and "contradictions" arguments; but somehow they were all accepting that Nag Hammad religious writings were the "true gospel", but refusing to reveal their methods of deducing the truth. For a true gospel method, read 1 John 2:22. This i hope will tell of the lack of Christian value of this movie and those pseudo-gospels.

Thanks to God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, for giving us the true Gospel as described in the New Testament; and pity for those people that hate Jesus Christ and his followers and desperately try to confuse and destroy them. May God bless and help these militant antichrists to leave their angry futile struggle and return to God and receive his love and forgiveness.

Med osy (1991)

Weird late soviet film meditating about Christianity

[8/10 · 5 September 2012]

I remember seeing this film on Belarus' TV a few years ago and it got stuck in my mind as one of those late soviet movies with weird flows, sounds and imagery. There's not much of a plot, but some man visiting the places of his childhood, and recollecting memories about himself and his twin brother in post-WW2 Belorussia and their experience with soviet life and Christianity. One of the twin brothers dislikes the cruelty and sinfulness of this world, while the other turns a blind eye to it (from movie description). Seeing how the twins were played by the same child, it appears to describe the duality of human nature, one part influenced by God's spirit is drawn to God and good, and the other (the sin in the flesh) drawn to evil, as apostle Paul had described in Epistle to Romans 7:15-25. It's a slow movie, but hard to look away; easy on the dialog, but heavy in strange images of Gospel allusions, soviet life and animation effects. The soundtrack is fitting with moody sound effects and nice melodies in the background. It's not a very deep movie and it's impossible to understand about Lord Jesus Christ and Christianity fully from it; for this - read the New Testament and pray to God for its understanding; but if it did bring even one man to faith in God and Jesus, then i praise God for it and it's worth being done.

Sticks & Stones (1996)

Surprisingly touching 90s movie

[7/10 · 18 June 2012]

I've re-watched this movie a couple of days ago. For me it captures a part of my own childhood in the 90s, and is not always a pleasing and lighthearted teen movie. It shows the lives of 3 friends who swear a lot and who find refuge from their problems in playing baseball, since they are pushed around by more grown up kids, their parents are divorced or just most of the time preoccupied with work and problems to care about the children, but at the same time try to control their children into obeying their plans.

Since by God's grace i became a Christian, i will remind this thing, that Lord Jesus Christ told us to honor (obey according to God) our parents (Ephesians 6:2), not to be angry with our brothers (in any sense), and not to insult other people (Matthew 5:21-24). I remember i was rebellious, i swore a lot too, thinking it made me more "cool" or "tough", thanks to God for changing me into leaving these shameful practices. In fact the swearing and anger gets these 3 kids into more trouble, when insulting a local bully, who then harasses all of them violently.

Driven to despair by bullying and rejection, the friends use a gun to take revenge on the bully, but accidentally wound the most talented baseball player among them. The bully who was abused physically by his own father, explains to police it was an accident.

In the end, as it was explained in an after-word, the bully leaves these kids alone, their parents finally realize their need to look after their children and lay off overwork, while the wounded baseball talent reconciles with his brother and develops a new talent.

This movie is a good way to realize that loving one another counts more than entertainment and the material comfort, since those kids seemed materially well-off, but lacked proper guidance and spiritual peace - due to lack of connection and love from their busy parents, though as a Christian i must add that loving God is our top priority, and then others (Matthew 22:34-40).

Cyborg (1989)

Post-apocalyptic martial arts movie with some Christian symbols

[7/10 · 20 October 2006]

This film may be interesting for those who like dark post-apocalypse, martial arts, 80s electronic soundtrack and some Christian allusions.

I've seen this movie before by God's grace I became a Christian. It was exciting and scary back then, somewhat similar to the depressing soviet movies of the late 80s with a creepy synthesized soundtrack about the rise of crime, breakdown of society, etc.

Right now it doesn't feel quite so good, because it enforces the idea of revenge and hate, though hidden under the pretense to save humanity.

A Christian must understand this, and instead should strive to follow Jesus' teaching to love our enemies, and leave the justice to God, as clarified by saint Paul:

"Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord." (Romans 12:19)

An interesting idea are the present Christian symbols - crosses, crucifixion, references to hell, a wonder of fast healing. It seems the original idea of the film was more about the battle of God's forces vs satanic forces, though later converted mostly to a sci-fi/martial arts B movie.