NOTE: This is not intended to be a comprehensive overview of available reviews. This is instead intended as an archive of commentaries and examinations that have caught my attention, challenged my opinions, inspired me to reflect, and helped me appreciate films more deeply. Some of these reviews have upset me, but in doing so they've sharpened my views and challenged me to think more carefully, look more closely.

*Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker

The commercials are telling us that the new James Bond movie stars Daniel Craig as the new Bond.

But according to critics, despite its adolescent star, Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker is basically a Bond movie minus the sleaze. That'll sound like a good thing to moviegoing families. Having Ewan McGregor involved won't hurt it either, even if he's only in the movie for a moment.

But Alex Rider is missing more than just the Bond girls. According to critics, it also lacks originality … and fun.

Todd Hertz (Christianity Today Movies) writes, "Without a teen zest, a youthful joy or themes specific to being a young spy, Stormbreaker isn't a teen spin on James Bond movie. It is a James Bond movie with a younger actor (and no sex). The character's age brings nothing new, fun or fresh to the character or the adventure. … The only changes are that the promiscuity is deleted and a new exposition is added to explain the young age of our hero."

David DiCerto (Catholic News Service) says the film is "a step up from the similarly themed Agent Cody Banks movies, but it's still lightweight stuff with its slim plot padded with chases and explosions."

Mainstream critics are calling it "lame and disappointing."

*Amelie (2001)

The season of short box-office lines is almost over. On Friday, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone opens, and some are predicting it will break Titanic's box-office record. To avoid the round-the-block, round-the-clock lines, you might want to sneak out to your neighborhood arthouse theater, where a couple of new releases are gaining a good deal of applause. One of them even claims it might "change your life."

In fact, Amelie just might follow Life is Beautiful and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to be this year's foreign-film success story. The French film, directed by the visually inventive Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Delicatessen, The City of Lost Children) could garner a Best Actress nomination for Audrey Tautou; her performance in the lead role swings between outrageous and subtle, shy and hyperactive, hushed and hilarious.

"She'll change your life," boasts the movie poster. Amelie tells the story of an introverted, creative, impulsive young girl who discovers the joy of performing anonymous good deeds for lonely, despondent, troubled souls. (If this sounds like the premise to Pay It Forward or other emotionally manipulative tearjerkers, trust me ... this is something entirely different. Amelie has more in common with fantasies, fairy tales, and fables.)

Magic seems to follow Amelie as though it's part of daily life. When Amelie's heart breaks, she literally melts into a splash and a puddle of colors. When she's asleep, the paintings of barnyard animals on her bedroom walls talk to each other. And when she falls suddenly and drastically in love, her palpitating heart shines visibly right through her jacket.

Mike Hertenstein (Cornerstone) raves, "Jeunet grabs viewers by the arm and reels off a wondrous catalog of simple pleasures: the cumulative effect is to reveal the wonder of each individual. Jeunet has an advantage over many people, in both his gift for seeing, and also in noticing this odd detail: the otherness we crave must ultimately, despite the risk, find expression in human relationship."

"Amelie is one of those people who exist only in the movies," says J. Robert Parks (The Phantom Tollbooth). "She's completely innocent and naive, yet resourceful enough to change the lives of everyone around her." But for Parks, Amelie's good deeds grew a bit tiresome. "It's like eating cotton candy. A little bit goes a long way."

Amelie's relentless energy and optimism might be a turn off to some. But she's the latest in a long tradition of fantasy heroes. There's a bit of Alice in Wonderland in her adventuresome spirit, Mary Poppins in her persistent goodness, and Robin Hood in her charitable meddling. There is also something Christlike about the way she focuses a ferocious attention on seeking and finding each individual's specific virtues and specific sadness. Amelie encourages us to get to know our neighbors and try to meet their most secret needs. She shows us how a little act of love can sometimes penetrate the hardest of hearts.

Some religious press critics were troubled by the fleeting glimpses of sexual activity. John Adair (Preview) believes these moments "keep Amelie from being recommendable."

There are other flaws at the heart of this fable. The USCC says the film's "gorgeous visuals ... manage to gloss over any moral considerations." While she knows better than to address complicated problems with Forrest Gump-ish platitudes, Amelie's good intentions compel her to morally questionable endeavors. In her hurry to give hope and happiness to a heartbroken neighbor, she concocts a fanciful lie. Well-intentioned lies might leave others smiling, but they provide false hope and put the believers at risk of humiliation and disillusionment. Amelie also settles for solutions of a sentimental and nostalgic nature; basing one's happiness on mementos from childhood is not the path to a deep and lasting joy. Worst of all, Amelie's meddling nature leads her to set up mild accidents for neighborhood bullies rather than confronting them appropriately.

But still, I am inspired by Amelie's ability to care for the oddballs of society, even if they never discover the identity of their "guardian angel." When Amelie does the right thing, she's a beautiful picture of grace.

Jeunet's film is more satisfying and less indulgent than his previous epic The City of Lost Children, in which the style overwhelmed the substance. My wife and I found Amelie to be a romantic, laugh-out-loud date movie, and we left the theatre imagining just what kind of surprises we might be capable of giving to unsuspecting souls.

Some mainstream critics are sour on the film's persistent sweetness, but most are swooning. Brian Miller (Seattle Weekly) concludes, "If Amelie is about anything, it's about the overlooked, invisible bonds between us distracted, harried urban dwellers."

The Chicago Sun-Times's Roger Ebert explains: "It is so hard to make a nimble, charming comedy. So hard to get the tone right and find actors who embody charm instead of impersonating it. It takes so much confidence to dance on the tightrope of whimsy. Amelie takes those chances, and gets away with them."

*Apocalypto (2006)

Everybody knows that Mel Gibson made a fortune from The Passion of The Christ—much of it coming from Christians. Now everybody is finding out what Gibson has done with some of that money: He's made a movie even more violent than The Passion.

Apocalypto is about the decline of an ancient Mayan culture. Like The Nativity Story, it concerns the protection of a pregnant woman in a time of oppression and violence. And, like the upcoming adventure film Children of Men, it's also a furiously violent chase movie, one that barely stops to let viewers catch their breath. It's so intense, even people who don't like to read subtitles will be caught up in what may become a nominee for the Best Foreign Language Film award at the Oscars. The dialogue is spoken in Mayan dialects. Yes, Gibson continues to demonstrate that he's a stickler for details.

Speaking of details, Apocalypto proves that Gibson is still "passion"-ately interested in the details of dismemberment. While Christian film critics are coming away with differing impressions and interpretations of the film, they're all commenting on the relentless violence.

In his review, Peter T. Chattaway (Christianity Today Movies) gives the film 2.5 stars (out of 4) and says, "Despite the film's two-hour-plus running time, the characters are never particularly developed; Gibson is working with archetypes, not real people, and he could just as easily have named his characters Family Man and Pregnant Wife."

Commenting on the violence, Chattaway calls Gibson "a sadist who rubs our faces in cinematic violence, and he is also a masochist who figures the best way to deal with the violence he sees in the world is to accept it and absorb it somehow. But where The Passion gave his admirers an easy out—between Jesus taking the pain and his enemies inflicting it, we side with the pain-taking, no question—Apocalypto is harder to pin down."

Steven D. Greydanus (Decent Films) comes to a similar conclusion. "Gibson is a consummate filmmaker, and the action is never less than riveting. Yet as the film repeatedly ratchets up the wince factor beyond what seems necessary or appropriate, it's hard not to feel that suffering has been reduced to spectacle. The Passion offered a redemptive context for its brutality that seems lacking here. Gibson is still seeking life amid death, but the balance is off."

Christian Hamaker (Crosswalk) says Gibson "gives his detractors plenty of additional evidence to bolster their claim that he has an unseemly obsession with violence. What's missing this time is a larger context for the graphic images to which Apocalypto viewers are subject. No central theological debate, as in The Passion of the Christ. No ties to European ancestry and national pride, as in Braveheart. No, Apocalypto is a savage, repellent film that raises serious questions about Gibson's interest in the worst kinds of human suffering."

Anthony Sacramone (First Things) defends the movie: "Much attention has been paid to Gibson's allusions to contemporary events as the controlling referent for Apocalypto. … In any event, the film works on its own terms, regardless. So whatever you think of Mel Gibson, his beliefs, or his drunken rant, give Apocalypto a chance. It's not a question of whether Gibson deserves it; if you love cinema, then you deserve it."

David DiCerto (Catholic News Service) says that in spite of the fact that Apocalypto is more violent than The Passion, "[T]he ambitious cinematic work demonstrates Gibson's talent as a filmmaker to tell a story through strong visuals." But he concludes, "If [Gibson] is trying to say something about the self-destructiveness of societies and the role of hope in the cyclical march of civilizations—and that's not at all clear—what comes across on-screen is more sanguinary than sanguine."

Adam R. Holz (Plugged In) looks for what all of this violence means. "In these politically charged days, it's hard not to see an indictment of our own country's self-indulgent, violent and (some would argue) war-loving culture in his villainous Mayans." He concludes: "Yes. We get it. Don't rape the earth. Don't pillage, enslave or destroy its people. But do we really need to absorb such a blood-drenched spectacle in order to fully understand?"

Bringing a woman's perspective to the table, Jenn Wright (Past the Popcorn) says "Apocalypto avoids a common trap that modern treatments of ancient cultures often fall into: portraying them overly reverently, as sober, deep, and rather bland and humorless. Unfortunately, Gibson has wandered too far on the other side, thrusting upon ancient Mayans the locker-room man-boy humor most often associated with low budget sitcoms and '80s frat-boy flicks."

Mainstream critics are conflicted—some are ecstatic about Gibson's virtuosic direction, while others are repulsed by the film's violence. David Ansen (Newsweek) says, "Once again [Gibson] returns to his favorite theme: nearly naked men being tortured. Repeatedly. Imaginatively. At great length. … The harder Apocalypto works to shock and excite you, the less shocked and excited you become, until you may find yourself beset by the urge to giggle."

Kenneth Turan (Los Angeles Times) acknowledges that Gibson's movie is about the moral decline of a culture, but he concludes that the film is "Exhibit A of the rot from within that Gibson is worried about. If our society is in moral peril, the amount of stomach-turning violence that we think is just fine to put on screen is by any sane measure a major aspect of that decline. Mel, no one in your entourage is going to tell you this, but you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. A big part."

But Anthony Lane (The New Yorker) argues, "Contrary to what his detractors say, I don't believe Gibson is roused by violence in itself. What lures him, in his dark remoldings of Catholic iconography, is breakage and restoration—the deeper and more foul the wounds, the more pressing the need to see them healed."

*Alpha Dog (2007)

Rachel Saltz in The New York Times writes that Alpha Dog "has much the same entertainment value you get from watching monkeys fling scat at one another in a zoo or reading the latest issue of Star magazine."

(Wait, does she mean that the monkeys are reading Star magazine? Oh never mind.)

With a review like that, you'd expect that the rest of the critics would fall in line, trying to out-do each other with put-downs for Nick Cassavetes' film, which is earning some hype for the participation of pop star Justin Timberlake. While the film seems to be about the sad plight of young people who are lost and reckless, many find the film disingenuous for the way it glorifies lurid behavior. Whatever they say, the young fans of the man who sings "Sexyback" are likely to line up in droves for Alpha Dog ("Sexy-bark"?)

But one Christian film critic is sticking up for the film.

Greg Wright (Past the Popcorn) says, "There are no heroes, there is no happy ending. It is a movie that will challenge your thinking; I can't imagine anyone sitting passively through it without finding something that strikes a chord within. … [S]omewhere along the way I started caring about the characters, even the ones that seemed unlikable on the surface. It's a reminder that people we think are 'bad' are usually just people that make bad choices, often without thinking through the consequences."

But David DiCerto (Catholic News Service) says Cassavetes "effectively conveys the nihilism and morally vacant lifestyles of his disaffected youths—an indictment of irresponsible parenting as much as the corrosive influence of much of today's pop culture—but the story is emotionally uninvolving and the overall raw tone and incessant sordidness, while perhaps accurately reflecting reality, are excessive."

Christa Banister (Crosswalk) sends a memo to Timberlake: "Next time you consider a cinematic detour from your musician's day job, find a stronger script." She concludes, "[W]hat we're supposed to learn from this senseless tragedy is that unfortunate incidents like these happen everyday—even in affluent neighborhoods. … But unfortunately, the artificial gloss of the characters and unrealistic dialogue … doesn't do much to get the message across."

Adam R. Holz (Plugged In) says, "Those involved with Alpha Dog insist it offers serious social commentary. … Even if we accept the director's comments about what motivated him to tell this bleak story, Alpha Dog still has one overarching—and huge—problem: It glorifies the very things it's ostensibly warning against."

Mainstream critics are split over Alpha Dog.

*Amazing Grace (2007)

Michael Apted's new film about William Wilberforce, Amazing Grace, celebrates the value of valiant political action without misleading us about the hardship and suffering that fall upon those who determine to do the right thing.

Wilberforce (1759-1833) suffered on several fronts as he stood like David to the Goliath of British Parliament, seeking to change their minds and hearts on the issues of slavery. The cross he bore—that is the focus of the film. But while Wilberforce may not have lived long enough to come out from under the shadow of such persecution to bask in the joy of his victories, it is clear that he is strove with one eye fixed upon heaven. His treasure lay there, his heart set upon pleasing God.

Amazing Grace rises above almost all recent films about Christian faith for its willingness to portray the complexities, hardships, and unanswered questions that characterize the road of faith. It is also features a cast that deliver impressive, memorable performances. And it manages to avoid being too "preachy." Wilberforce's story truly reflects the glory of Christ as we see him sacrificing so much for to redeem others.

It's a pleasant surprise in an otherwise uninspiring season at the movies. My full review is at Looking Closer.

Russ Breimeier (Christianity Today Movies) says, "Similar to Chariots of Fire and Shadowlands in tone, Amazing Grace balances faith and filmmaking in a historical drama that depicts an ordinary Christian doing extraordinary things because of his beliefs."

He praises many aspects, especially the script by Steven Knight. "The screenplay … succeeds in capturing the essence of Wilberforce and his accomplishments, never shying away from the man's faith but never making it the central component either—just as Eric Liddell's refusal to run on the Sabbath was vital but not paramount to Chariots of Fire.

Amazing Grace seems more honest because of such balance, and acclaimed director Michael Apted … succeeds in rendering the story with authenticity."

Harry Forbes (Catholic News Service) says, "Amazing Grace should find favor in schools, but this is no dry history lesson. Rather, it's a vital tribute to the man who, as his epitaph states, 'prepared the way for the abolition of slavery in every colony of the empire.'"

Adam R. Holz (Plugged In) says, "Many movies pretend importance. Few, however, make good on their lofty ambitions. In contrast, Amazing Grace isn't landing at the multiplex with a multimillion dollar ad campaign trumpeting its arrival. And yet, the messages it delivers are important. … Amazing Grace reminds us that God's calling on our lives is not neatly divided into sacred and secular categories."

Greg Wright (Past the Popcorn) says, "As a history lesson, Amazing Grace is beyond admirable." He also calls it "a powerful indictment" of slavery, and "an Oscar-bait complex powerhouse." He adds, "As an example of ensemble acting that might be more memorable than anything else we'll see this year, we couldn't ask for more." But he concludes, "[T]he whole doesn't quite add up to the sum of its parts. There's something missing here, something passionate and vibrant that only comes through when Finney is onscreen, or in the stirring moments of the closing credits."

Christian Hamaker (Crosswalk) says, "With so much going for it, the film is easy to recommend, but it's a qualified recommendation. Why? Because although … Apted tells Wilberforce's story competently, his nicely lit scenes are heavy on dialogue and very light on camera movement. Such an approach is not inappropriate for a historical drama, but after so many standard shots of characters talking to each other, the film begins to feel heavy and somewhat inert."

He also finds trouble with the flashback structure, but concludes, "Amazing Grace is an amazing story, a reminder that believers are called to persevere through trials, and that we sometimes reap rewards in this life as well as the next."

Cliff Vaughn (Ethics Daily) says it "delivers everything you want: solid script, outstanding performances, clever wit, tight drama, inspiring story."

Mainstream critics are fairly impressed as well. David Denby (The New Yorker), for example, has a lot to say about Amazing Grace.

Here's a site I haven't linked before: The World Socialist Web Site. Why? Well, it's all part of my attempt to share all kinds of perspectives on Michael Apted's Amazing Grace. Here's what the WSWS says: "The creators of Amazing Grace have performed a service in calling attention to a significant historical period and one of its most worthy representatives. With clean, tight images and deep commitment, the film brings to life a figure who was a friend of US President James Madison and hailed as an inspiration by Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln."

And Mark Steyn is writing about Wilberforce this week... the man, not the movie.

For those who think that the mainstream press will always dismiss films that show faith in a positive light—see what a difference a strong script, artful cinematography, and great performances can make?

*Arthur and the Invisibles (2006)

Director Luc Besson, better known for stylish and violent films like La Femme Nikita, The Professional, and The Fifth Element, is back, this time with a children's fantasy about a boy who has quite an adventure among microscopic creatures who live in his backyard.

"There's plenty of action, adventure and heroism, then, to keep kids in the theater glued to their seats," says Marcus Yoars (Plugged In). "Their parents, on the other hand, may squirm a bit out of sheer boredom from the clichéd dialogue and remarkably flat voice performances from a horde of celebrities. … Those same parents will also fidget when they encounter the abuses of God's name, a not-really-veiled alcohol/weed gag and a spiritual mishmash as diverse as the film's influences."

Mainstream critics wish this project had remained invisible.

*The Astronaut Farmer (2006)

"Follow your dreams." That is one of the most prevalent messages in American filmmaking. But what if your dream is a little crazy? What if it upsets or inconveniences those around you? Should we follow all of our dreams … all of the time?

In The Astronaut Farmer, Billy Bob Thornton plays a rancher with a dream: He wants to be an astronaut. And as he strives to build his very own rocket, hoping it will launch him into orbit, he faces a great deal of criticism and skepticism. And some critics are suggesting that some of that skepticism might be justified.

But most of them are impressed with this flattering portrayal of a loving, churchgoing family.

Camerin Courtney (Christianity Today Movies) says, "Though the movie does muster more plausibility and heart in the final third, ultimately dreams are the only thing this movie has—dreams of being an Inspiring Family Film. Would that that were enough. And for those who like safe, predictable, fluffy family fare, it probably will be. But in light of films such as October Sky, Dear Frankie, and Millions—family-friendly movies that inspire and offer three-dimensional characters, creative yet plausible plot twists, and compelling dialogue—we know there's so much more possible than what's being offered here. In that sense, The Astronaut Farmer doesn't aim or dream nearly high enough."

Steven D. Greydanus (Decent Films) says it "offers old-fashioned, down-home inspirational drama." He say it "seems as earnest and unironic as the day is long, a big old-fashioned inspirational ode to following one's dreams no matter what, to the goodness of family and the badness of bureaucracy." But he concludes that it "doesn't quite rise above its clichés. … [It] feels more often than not almost like a diagram of an inspirational film rather than a full-blooded example of the genre."

Lindy Keffer (Plugged In) says, "Hands down, the sweet portrayal of the Farmer family's relationships with each other are the best thing about this movie. … On top of that, there's the feel-good message about following dreams. But that's both a good thing and a bad thing. In principle, it's a great idea, but the way it plays out makes it less like the icing on the cake and more like a ketchup filling inside a pie. You can swallow it, and it won't kill you, but something's not quite right about it." She concludes by noting, "True greatness isn't about self-actualization, but about laying down your life for those you love."

Lisa Rice (Crosswalk) calls it "a compelling case study on whether or not it's really worth the risk to follow the big dreams, despite daunting odds. More than anything, it's an interesting peek into the dynamics and potential rewards of something we don't often see: a functional, loving, supportive family. Yes, even Billy Bob Thornton has put a muzzle on for this feel-good flick and comes across as a warm, fatherly teacher and encourager."

Jenn Wright (Past the Popcorn) says, "While the Polish brothers' movie does offer a refreshing reality in terms of families and dreamers, there are simply too many implausibilities for me to take the film as seriously as they seemed to have intended it."

Harry Forbes (Catholic News Service) says, "The Astronaut Farmer is a sweet if wildly improbable film … . [T]he film has the gravity of a real-life biographical drama, but earns points for its strong affirmation of family, far more than the tiresome 'follow your dream' jargon which, in this case, seems fairly wacky."

Mainstream critics have mixed reactions to this Farmer.