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Reviews
Ben-Hur (2016)
Awesome movie. Ignore the critics. They got this one wrong.
This movie was awesome, plain and simple. The cinematography was beautiful in every scene. I'm usually against remakes, but I feel like Ben-Hur is old enough for a remake to make sense, especially considering how special effects have evolved. My main concern going into this movie was that they used the special effects to get the Roman ship battle scene and the chariot race scene right, and they both scenes turned out to be awesome, and mere the best scenes in my opinion. I was also concerned that there might be some cheesiness to the movie, but there wasn't. I give it a 9 out of 10 instead of a 10 because the ending after the chariot race where they feel with Judah forgiving his brother, and resolving the trauma that befell his family seemed too rushed. But it was still an excellent film. Even the effects in the ending credits were so good I hung around to watch them.
As for all the critics and reviewers giving this movie such low ratings, the vast majority of them are hating on the movie because they're offended that Jesus and his teachings show up in the movie. This was not a new invention of the screenwriters. Jesus and his teachings are in the original, but people have less tolerance for references of faith in New movies, but in the old classic films they get a pass. Anyone who says this movie is terrible either hasn't actually seen the movie is is just lying due to their own personal hatred of Christianity. They may also just be hung up on the 1959 version because Charelton Heston has such a commanding voice, and makes every movie seem like a classic by virtue of opening his mouth and speaking.
Go see the movie for yourself and decide.
Risen (2016)
Awesome movie. Kind of took me by surprise.
I just came back from seeing Risen, and I have to say, I was actually impressed. This is a very well made movie. They handled the biblical story respectfully, while taking creative license in a way that maintained the spirit and overall message of the gospel. To anyone else considering making another film based on the bible, please take note of this film. This is how it's done. No rock creatures to be found here. Just a wonderful film that tells the story with excellence and dignity. I absolutely loved this movie, and fought tears during the 2nd half. I eventually lost that battle, and I heard other sniffles in the audience as well. So be prepared. (By the way, someone please nominate that Roman guard in tavern for an award.)
Stormy Weather (1943)
Talented Performers but Movie Did Not Age Well
I'm an African American woman who's recently gotten into watching classic old movies. I'm also a big fan of musicals with really great dance sequences, so I thought I'd like this movie. I knew based on other reviews that the movie didn't have much of a plot, so I was prepared for that, but I wasn't prepared for the fact that overall, this just isn't a very good movie. These African American performers were given a script that was stereotypical and embarrassing throughout many scenes. There's a scene with two actors performing in blackface, and there's a scene of female dancers wearing daisy costumes that look like blackface clowns when their back is turned to you. It just made me groan with the realization that these are the types of roles that were available to black actors back then.
I was really looking forward to seeing Bill Robinson show off these awesome dance steps I've been hearing about, but you really don't see him do that much dancing in the movie, even though he's the main star. So that was disappointing. There is a really great dance routine performed by the Nicholas Brothers at the very end, and it's the best scene in the movie.
As for Lena Horne, I had never seen her perform in anything outside of an episode of The Cosby Show, so I was looking forward to seeing her in this. Anytime she's in a scene she's gorgeous, well dressed, and whenever she sings she sounds amazing.
Besides the Nicholas Brothers and Lena Horne's singing, I really didn't enjoy much about this movie. All of the awkwardness and the extremely fake plot just ruined it for me. It's a shame too. There's a lot of talented performers in this movie. They should have had a better script.
Beyond the Mask (2015)
This was actually pretty good.
Beyond the Mask is the story of William Reynolds, an assassin working for the British East India Company, in 1775, who's decided to give up murder for hire, in favor of the life of a gentleman. When he declines the offer to continue in the same line of work in the British colonies of the Americas, his employer attempts to have him murdered and his reputation destroyed along with him. After surviving the attack on his life, William starts a new life by going into hiding, and pretending to be a vicar. While acting as a man of the cloth, he begins to fall in love with Charlotte Holloway, one of the local congregants, but the truth of his real identity threatens to keep them apart, and endanger the new life he's carved out for himself. William spends the course of the movie seeking to redeem his name and earn the trust of the woman he loves, all while foiling a plot to wreak havoc on the colonies.
The first thing that immediately stands out about Beyond the Mask is that the overall look and feel of the film are exactly what you come to expect from any regular Hollywood movie, and it's pretty impressive, considering it wasn't produced by some large studio in Los Angeles with a massive budget. The cinematography and special effects in the majority of the scenes were awesome, the sets and costumes were good, and the music was excellent. The plot moves quickly, with something interesting happening in every scene, to keep the viewer engrossed until the very end. If you were hoping to slip out and run to the bathroom at some point during the movie, forget about it. There is no downtime at all. Despite the fact that the story unfolds quickly, it doesn't hinder the viewer's ability to get to know the characters (which are written very realistically) and see them evolve, through acting that is believable and heartfelt.
As much as I loved Beyond the Mask, I am going to be honest, and tell you that my nitpicky alarm went off a few times while watching the movie. A few times when some of the accents were slightly off. Again during the scene where a man seems to be very clearly breathing after he's been killed. It also went off in a few scenes involving special effects. Through most of the movie the special effects are actually pretty good, giving the movie a nice polished look, but every now and then there would be an explosion or someone crashing through a window in a way that didn't look as realistic as all the other effects. Besides a few instances though, the special effects were handled well.
One of the great things about Beyond the Mask was the way it was able to allow the characters to discuss faith and the search for redemption without ever crossing the line into preachiness. They certainly didn't shun God from the script, and they also didn't overwhelm the scenes with any spiritual content that was too heavy for them to handle. When characters mention faith, it doesn't feel forced at all, it just flows naturally from the story. It's not imposing itself. It belongs there, and is comfortable in its own skin. It's very tricky territory to maneuver, but the filmmakers found a happy medium, and it works.
Overall, Beyond the Mask is a well written, funny, romantic, action flick, that's entertaining for adults but also appropriate for younger viewers.