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The Place Beyond the Pines tells a story in three “acts,” that may or may not be inspired by the Old Testament theme of children suffering “for the iniquity of [their] parents” (Exodus 20:5). Either way, it makes for a compelling if oddly structured drama.
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The new movie 42 focuses on the years when baseball great Jackie Robinson (1919-1972) joined the Brooklyn Dodgers and became the first African American player in the modern era of Major League Baseball. The cast includes newcomer Chadwick Boseman as Robinson and Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey, the Dodgers general manager who signed him onto the team. (Both men were Methodists, a fact mentioned briefly in the film.) After a preview screening in Los Angeles, the two stars and writer-director Brian Helgeland spoke to a group of journalists from across [...]
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42 is named after Robinson’s uniform number—which in 1997 was retired permanently in his honor. And of course, the movie is a tribute in itself, a crowd pleaser that overcomes a few moments of dramatic excess with sincere performances from all concerned.
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She captured America’s heart every week as the divine messenger with the lilting and soothing Irish accent on Touched by an Angel. He is the creative genius behind Survivor, The Apprentice and The Voice. Together, Roma Downey and Mark Burnett are one of Hollywood’s most uniquely equipped married power couples. Beginning March 3, you will be able to catch their latest ambitious venture on the History Channel. The Bible is a five-part docudrama produced by Ms. Downey and Mr. Burnett after a four-month location shoot in Morocco. Steve Beard, editor [...]
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Audience reactions to Zero Dark Thirty, the Academy Award-nominated drama about the 10-year hunt for Osama bin Laden, have ranged across the spectrum. Some viewers find it extremely suspenseful—especially in the last half hour—while others compare its slower moments to watching paint dry.
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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Rated PG-13 for extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening images The first question on many fans’ minds when director Peter Jackson announced he’d be filming The Hobbit as a follow-up to his nine-hour Lord of the Rings adaptation, was: Will this one be produced on a smaller scale? After all, it’s only one book. Did we really need to ask? At 169 minutes, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey covers fewer than a hundred pages of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel, his predecessor to the [...]
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Six embassy staffers manage to evade capture, leave the building and find shelter in the home of the Canadian ambassador. For the next two months, the U.S. State Department scrambles for a way to rescue them in secret, and thus avoid jeopardizing the safety of the 52 hostages.
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This summer Grace Hill Media—an L.A.-based marketing firm that promotes faith-based movies and television shows to Christian audiences—launched a new phase in its efforts. The “As1” campaign (www.as1.org) seeks to build online support for projects like the new American Bible Challenge game show and an upcoming big-screen Noah epic with Russell Crowe. In the process, says Grace Hill president Jonathan Bock, Christians could regain their role as “patrons of the arts,” using their power as ticket buyers to influence pop culture just as wealthy believers sponsored religious art in the [...]
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Bernie Rated PG-13 for some violent images and brief strong language The lines between comedic drama and documentary seem a little blurred in Bernie. At least, that’s true until we adjust to writer-director Richard Linklater’s unusual approach. Local “interviews” (mostly scripted with co-writer Skip Hollandsworth) are used throughout to narrate this tale of money, murder and eccentricity in small-town East Texas. Jack Black plays Bernie Tiede, who in the late 1980s arrives in Carthage (population under 7,000) with a sweet smile and a degree in mortuary science. Hired as an [...]
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You might be Jeff Foxworthy if . . . A. You are the Mark Twain of redneck jokes. B. You were the long-time host of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? C. You helped launch the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. D. You are about to host The American Bible Challenge. How about all of the above? The first thing that ran through Mr. Foxworthy’s head when offered the hosting gig for the new show was, “The Bible as a game show? Am I gonna get called to the principal’s [...]
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