Cinema: WALL·E (2008) (SFC) 'WALL·E' is a new release and does not feature on any list quoted on Soul Food Cinema. The year is 2700 and the Earth is polluted, baron and exhausted. Wall-E is the last of a group of clean-up robots, sent to restore the Earth by lifting and compressing the endless quantities of rubbish left behind by a human race that has withdrawn to the safety of space. Wall-E spends every day doing what he was made for on the lonely, silent Earth. His only companion is his trusty pet cockroach, Spot. But soon, he will discover what he was meant for as he chases his dream across the galaxy. Comments and voting are now open to all for this film.
Cinema: The Visitor (2007) (SFC) 'The Visitor' is a new release and does not feature on any list quoted on this site. Sixty-two-year old Walter Vale (Jenkins) is sleepwalking through his life. Having lost his passion for teaching and writing, he fills the void by unsuccessfully trying to learn to play classical piano. When his college sends him to manhattan to attend a conference, Walter is surprised to find a young couple has taken up residence in his apartment. Victims of a real estate scam, Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) and Zainab (Danai Gurira) have nowhere else to go. In the first of a series of tests of the heart, Walter reluctantly allows the couple to stay with him, a decision which completely changes his life... Forever. Comments and voting are now open to all for this film.
DVD: The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965) (SFC) 'The Agony and the Ecstasy' features on the NCR Top 100 Pro-Catholic Movies list and now also on the SFC Top 100 films list. Starring Charlton Heston as the irascible genius, The Agony and the Ecstasy traces Michelangelo's life from the age of 13 to his death at 88 but deals mainly with the five years during which he painted the chapel. Pope Julius II (Rex Harrison) has commissioned the work in the hope that it will serve as an immortal symbol of his enlightened papacy. Yet both his money and remaining years are finite, and his constant haranguing of the artist to finish his painstaking work is the source of an ongoing war of words between them. When not struggling with the pope, Michelangelo battles with his physical limitations and recalcitrant materials in the quest for perfection. Comments and voting are now open to all for this film.
DVD: August Rush (2007) (SFC) 'August Rush' now feautres in the Soul Food Cinema Top 100 films list. August Rush tells the story of a charismatic young Irish guitarist (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and a sheltered young cellist (Keri Russell) who have a chance encounter one magical night above New York's Washington Square, but are soon torn apart, leaving in their wake an infant, August Rush, orphaned by circumstance. Now performing on the streets of New York and cared for by a mysterious stranger (Robin Williams), August (Freddie Highmore) uses his remarkable musical talent to seek the parents from whom he was separated at birth. Comments and voting are now open to all for this film.
Cinema: Kung Fu Pander (2008) (SFC) 'Kung Fu Pander' is a new release and does not feature on any list quoted on Soul Food Cinema. Po's an apprentice noodle maker who daydreams of fighting alongside the stars of the Kung Fu world. Through a twist of fate, Po is unexpectedly picked to do just that and save the valley from the viciou Tai Lung in the process. Even though Po is just a beginner, he isn't about to give up, and he sets about to prove the naysayers wrong... In the process, he finds that his greatest weaknesses may just be his greatest strengths. Comments and voting are now open to all for this film.
Cinema: Son of Rambow (2007) (SFC) 'Son of Rambow' is a new release and does not feature on any list quoted on Soul Food Cinema. 'Son of Rambow'; a comedy about friendship, faith and the bizarre business of growing up! Will, who isn't allowed to watch TV or go to the movies, expresses himself through his drawings and illustrations until he finds himself caught up in the extraordinary world of Lee Carter, the school terror and crafter of bizarre home movies. Carter exposes Will to a pirated copy of the first Rambo film; First Blood, which blows his mind wide open. Against his family's orders, his imaginative little brain begins to flower in the world of filmmaking. Will and Lee become popular at school through their films, but when a French exchange student, Didier Revol, arrives on the scene, their unique friendship and precious film are pushed to the breaking point. Comments and voting are now open to all for this film.
DVD: The Miracle Maker (2000) (SFC) 'The Miracle Maker' features on the A&F Top 100 Spiritually-significant films list (2004) and on the NCR's Top 100 Pro-Catholic Films list. It's a story that has been told for the last 2000 Years. But never like this... Brought to you in state-of-the-art 3D animation, The Miracle Maker offers rich detail and brilliant realism to this powerful adventure. The voices of an all-star cast bring an inspiring perspective to the greatest story ever told - the life of Jesus Christ. A family is seeking help for their daughter, when they cross paths with an extraordinary carpenter named Jesus who is walking the countryside sharing the wonders of God. The father is loyal to the king but torn by his need for this Miracle Maker's help. Against this crisis of faith, the true meaning of Christ comes to life for all who come to hear his words and experience his love. Comments and voting are now open to all for this film.
DVD: Flags of Our Fathers & Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) (SFC) 'Flags of Our Fathers & Letters from Iwo Jima' feature on the USCCB's Top 10 list of 2006. February 1945. Even as victory in Europe was finally within reach, the war in the Pacific raged on. One of the most crucial and bloodiest battles of the war was the struggle for the island of Iwo Jima, which culminated with what would become one of the most iconic images in history: five Marines and a Navy corpsman raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi. The inspiring photo capturing that moment became a symbol of victory to a nation that had grown weary of war and made instant heroes of the six American soldiers at the base of the flag, some of whom would die soon after, never knowing that they had been immortalized. Comments and voting are now open to all for this film.
Essay: La Vita è Bella (1997) (SFC) 'La Vita è Bella' features on the USCCB's Top 10 list of 1997 and the SFC Top 100 Films list. Mark Banks explores several aspects of this Oscar-winning film from actor and director Roberto Benigni and takes a unique slant on the film by relating it throughout to the best-selling book Man's Search for Meaning by Holocaust survivor Victor E Frankl. Mark comments upon the use of humour in the film and the way the script seamlessly switches between this humour and moments of deeply moving human tragedy. Mark also picks up upon Frankl's comments that, although it may be tempting to do so, to assert that camp life could be divided up into the polarised works of angels and demons would be a false thing to do. Mark concludes by highlighting the meaning that both Frankl and Benigni see in the role that both suffering and persecution have to play in our lives. Comments and voting are now open to all for this film.
DVD: Spider-Man 2 (2004) (SFC) 'Spider-Man 2' features on Christianity Today's Top 10 list of 2004. Two years have passed, and the mild-mannered Peter Parker faces new challenges as he struggles with 'the gift and the curse', desperately trying to balance his dual identities as the web-slinging superhero Spider-Man and his life as a college student. Tormented by his secrets and facing a deadly new threat in multi-tentacled Doctor Octopus (Molina), Peter finds that his relationships with all those he holds dear are in danger of unraveling. Most of all, his life-long yearning for M.J. (Kirsten Dunst) becomes even stronger as he fights the impulse to reveal his secret life and declare his love. Comments and voting are now open to all for this film.
Cinema: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) (SFC) '... Prince Caspian' is a new release and does not feature on any list quoted on this site. The characters of C.S. Lewis’s timeless fantasy comes to life once again in this newest instalment of the ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ series, in which the Pevensie siblings are magically transported back from England to the world of Narnia, where a thrilling, perilous new adventure and an even greater test of their faith and courage awaits them. The three siblings, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, are pulled back into the land of Narnia, where a thousand years has passed since they left. The children are once again enlisted to join the colorful creatures of Narnia in combating an evil villain who prevents the rightful Prince from ruling the land. Comments and voting are now open to all for this film.
DVD: Waitress (2007) (SFC) 'Waitress' does not feature on any list quoted on this site. Waitress is director Adrienne Shelly's sweet, sassy comedy about the power of friendship, motherhood and second chances, starring the radiant Keri Russell. Jenna (Russell) is a waitress working at a pie shop in the Deep South who is unhappily married to an abusive husband (Jeremy Sisto)... and pregnant with his baby. This unexpected turn of events leads her to the town's charming new doctor (Nathan Fillion), who she falls into a relationship with in a last attempt at happiness. Comments and voting are now open to all for this film.
DVD: Bella (2006) (SFC) 'Bella' features on Christianity Today's Top 10 list of 2007, the USCCB's Top 10 list of 2007 and now the Top 100 Films list on SFC. An international soccer star is on his way to sign a multi-million dollar contract when a series of events unfold that bring his career to an abrupt end. A beautiful waitress, struggling to make it in new York city, discovers something about herself that she's unprepared for. In one irreversible moment their lives are turned upside down, until a simple gesture of kindness brings them both together, turning an ordinary day into an unforgettable experience. Bella is a heartwarming tale of friendship, family and our capacity for love in the face of the unexpected. Comments and voting are now open to all for this film.
DVD: The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima (1952) (SFC) 'The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima' features on the NCR's Top 100 Pro-Catholic movies list and now goes straight into my own Top 100 list. Being over 50 years old, with not even 300 votes on the IMDB, and only appearing on one list so far on this site, I was hesitant in watching this film, and although open-minded, was not really expecting much. My low expectations belied my verdict after watching the film. The acting, especially that of the young children, was more than commendable, the script - interspersed by good humour throughout - kept a good pace, and the events the film depict remain as important now as they did almost a century ago. Comments and voting are now open to all for this film.
DVD: A Walk to Remember (2002) (SFC) 'A Walk to Remember' does not feature on any list quoted on this site. Shane West and Mandy Moore are brought together for this 'opposites attract' tale that takes a more agreeable look at relationships than the vast majority of teen dramas that have come to our screens in the past decade. With Mandy Moore playing the role of Jamie Sullivan, a preacher's daughter, a healthy dose of faith teaching is thrown in on the side, which panders mostly to the 'I believe in God because I have a good feeling about Him' school of thought. Nevertheless, this is still recommended viewing for teens and a welcome alternative to the majority of teen romances on offer. Comments and voting are now open to all for this film.
DVD: Walk the Line (2005) (SFC) 'Walk the Line' does not feature on any list quoted on this site. Deserved Oscar nominations and wins were handed out to Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon respectively in this bio-pic of the life of Johnny Cash. The title of the film is attributed to Mr Cash's early life being one in which it was said he learnt how to walk the razor-thin line between destruction and redemption. And from a Christian perspective the title appears apt; though the film focuses on Mr Cash's continued attempts to win over the young Miss June Carter at the expense of settling down with his own wife, the film also highlights the tragedies and struggles he endured in his early life that make his promiscuity somewhat more understandable, if still not excusable. Comments and voting are now open to all for this film.
Genre Essay: Cosmic Christ or Campbell's Soup? (Zenit & SFC) The following article was authored in New York and originally published by Zenit News Agency on 21st May 1999 – the weekend of the opening of ‘Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace’. It has been republished on Soul Food Cinema in May 2008 due to its editorial quality and enduring relevance with respect to the whole Star Wars series of films and their possible role in the promotion of 'new-age' attitudes. The article explores the work of the late American mythologist and philosopher of religion, Joseph Campbell, and his influence upon George Lucas, who affectionately referred to him as "my Yoda", explaining that he was indebted to Campbell for many of the main ideas present in the cosmology of the original trilogy. Campbell, in turn, said he was "proud that something I did helped [George] define his own truth".
DVD: Into the Wild (2007) (SFC) 'Into the Wild' features on Christianity Today's Top 10 list of Redeeming Films for 2007. 'Into the Wild' makes for interesting watching; set in the great American outdoors its hard for the film not to be easy on the eye, and the story of Christopher McCandless's travels across this land and the people he encounters on the way ensure the pace of the film belies its almost two-and-a-half hours in length. However, despite encountering several characters along the way that impart some very true words of wisdom to the young traveller, the film finishes on a note that comes too close to giving cult status to a man who died so tragically young in what were ultimately needless circumstances. Comments and voting are now open to all for this film.
Cinema: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) (SFC) '... Kingdom of the Crystal Skull' is a new release and does not feature on any list quoted on this site. Jones returns for a fourth outing in what has now become a money-making exercise at the expense of leaving yet another admirable trilogy of entertaining films at just that - a trilogy. The result offers little new for today's cinema audience. And although the ultimate message of the film may well be taken as 'Turn away from... the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge' (1 Tim 6:20), it is a shame that it had to be conveyed by yet again resurrecting Russians in the role of the enemy. Comments and voting are now open to all for this film.
Cinema: Horton Hears a Who! (2008) (SFC) 'Horton Hears a Who!' is a new release and does not feature on any list quoted on this site. This adaption of Dr. Seuss' 1954 children's book Horton Hears A Who features Jim Carrey and Steve Carrel in this timeless classic tale! One day, Horton the elephant hears a cry from help coming from a speck of dust. Even though he can't see anyone on the speck, he decides to help it. As it turns out, the speck of dust is home to the Whos, who live in their city of Whoville. Horton agrees to help protect the Whos and their home, but this gives him nothing but torment from his neighbors, who refuse to believe that anything could survive on the speck. Still, Horton stands by the motto that, "After all, a person is a person, no matter how small". Comments and voting are now open to all for this film.
