Noah

I really liked the way the movie depicted Noah receiving revelation from God. His dreams are clear enough for him to understand, but they aren’t as clear to us (though we know what they mean due to our familiarity with the story). He doesn’t get it all at once and it isn’t all clear to him all at once. He has to think on it and work it out in his mind and with those God has blessed him to better understand what it is he needs to do.

Contrary to many world standards and beliefs, the film comes out and equates happiness with being married and having children. The whole film circles around the importance of the family unit and the distress that comes with it breaking up, or not perpetuating.

[***Spoiler Alert...If you haven't seen it and plan to, don't read on (it's on Netflix streaming right now).***]

Two hours into the movie I was rather puzzled at how Noah’s raging lunacy was really tied into anything meaningful. It wasn’t until the conversation between Ila and Noah that everything fell perfectly into place. The movie had been quite the emotional roller coaster. Ham is torn from the possibility of having a family. Shem and Ila live under the cloud of the potential death of their child/children. Ham is on the verge of committing patricide. Ila gives birth to twins, which would satisfy the possibility of all of Noah’s sons having wives. Ila’s new born daughters are almost killed in her arms while crying, but she gets Noah to pause long enough for her to calm them so that they don’t die crying. Noah raises his dagger and almost follows through but can’t, kisses them and walks away.

Why put us through such a ride? How does this have anything to do with the traditional Bible story everyone is so familiar with? Throughout the film the theme of justice beat like drum, relentless and loud. It isn’t until the very end, when despair is about to win out, that the sweet melody of mercy softens the beat and lets us see how much the Creator loves us. The Creator gives us what we need to become like he is, the choices we have to make are difficult for a reason, but if faithful we will be guided to do that which is right. Before I go much further, let me present to you the conversation that tied everything together so beautifully, and without which the film would be so much more difficult to understand and probably wouldn’t have gained my approval.

Ila: “I have to know, why did you spare them?”
Noah: “When I looked down at those two little girls, all I had in my heart was love.”
Ila: “Then why are you alone, Noah? You’re separated from your family.”
Noah: “Because I failed Him [the Creator] and I failed all of you.”
Ila: “Did you? He chose you for a reason, Noah. He showed you the wickedness of man and knew you would not look away. But then you saw goodness too. The choice was put in your hands because he put it there. He asked you to decide if we were worth saving. And you chose mercy, you chose love. He has given us a second chance. Be a father, be a grandfather. Help us to do better this time, help us start again.”

Now the Bible says nothing of this choice that Noah was given, but is it that far fetched? Noah saw himself as human/weak/sinful as any of those who were left behind. He confesses that neither the Creator nor he sees himself as “good” but merely “someone who will complete the task.” Noah didn’t understand why the Creator had chosen his family to survive and the entire human race be destroyed. As good and humble of a man that he was, he was truly sorry for the fate of the world. I appreciated the depiction of the sorrow and guilt Noah felt for leaving so many of God’s children to such a death.

Noah was beginning to be at peace with the fate of his family (no perpetuation of the human race) knowing that their (and his) eventual death was not that far distant from that of all the people that were left behind to drown. God chose to save all the animals and Noah’s family, but as far as Noah knew, Ila was barren and so God really hadn’t intended for them to survive much beyond the flood. This weight on his soul was not lightened when he learned of Ila’s pregnancy, but weighed it down even more, due to the conclusion he had already arrived at and was trying to come to grips with. He is so distraught that he accuses his wife and grandfather of “undermining the Creator,” given their role in healing Ila’s barrenness.

After he thought he had failed in God’s eyes, he was lost in confusion and despair for his choice to let his granddaughters live. And then the dialog above occurs and light re-enters Noah’s soul. He chooses again, more resolutely and with peaceful assurance, to love and be with his family.

Noah was blinded so much by the weight of God’s justice that he didn’t recognize the full choice that he was given. He was so down about assisting in the death of the human race that he failed to see God’s merciful, outstretched hand to him and his family.

To be sure some things were exaggerated and changed to make a good story. But I found the story no less inspiring than what’s written in the scriptures*.

*The LDS religion has an additional book of scripture that adds some more information into the story of Noah that might make this a little more far-fetched (e.g., the Giants fought against Noah). However, as I’ve already mentioned several times, this is a good movie and goodness is there if you want to find it.

The Hunger Games (2012) - M6.0/E7

I had been wanting to read the book, and had even checked out the audio book from the library, but it ended up being badly scratched about 20 minutes into the book, and I never got a chance to give it another go; and now, having seen it, I probably won't be reading it. I dislike it when good movies are made about good books. Reading one or watching the other will always make it less desirable to watch or read it after having done the other.

I really enjoyed the movie. It was suspenseful, had decent character development, and the choices the characters made and the situations the characters were placed in were realistic (serious injuries actually hurt and debilitated the victims instead of being played off as "merely flesh wounds").

One particularly interesting and thought provoking part of the movie was a short dialog on how hope was the reason that the orchestrators of the Hunger Games needed to produce a winner. Basically, a very small amount of hope was necessary to keep the people in the various districts in submission; no hope or abounding hope would give cause for rebellion. The irony in this thought is that hope can only be diminished or controlled if the people submit to fear. So, weak people would be affected by imposed fear, but the strong ones (the ones that need watching) will let their hope drown out their fears.

We also see Katniss and a few other competitors as compassionate human beings, while other competitors were more selfish and animal-like in their quest for survival. Even though the selfish group banded together and hunted the others, in the end it was the more compassionate competitors that won. While not always the case in real life, where compassion doesn't always win, it does show that compassion brings happiness, while selfishness brings sadness and destruction.

There is quite a bit of violence, some language, and little to no sex/nudity. Being how violence is one of the main themes of the movie, they do an excellent job of filming violent scenes without overwhelming the audience with blood and gore (which would have resulted in a more severe MPAA rating). There are some instances where the filming could cause some strain on eyes (particularly when there should be no extraneous camera motion).

Chronicle (2012) - M6.8/E7

This is a story about three high school teens who gain telekinetic powers. As they attempt to strengthen and control them, they soon realize that having special powers doesn’t really change who you are, it doesn’t make you popular or likeable; and in some instances can amplify your true feelings.

This was a cool movie. Even though it was purely filmed by a hand camera, it was not headache nor nausea inducing. While it did get a little annoying that they had to keep reminding us why everything was being videotaped, it made the story more real (even though it’s based on some fantastical events). The filming wasn’t the only thing that made it feel real, the acting and interactions of the main characters was really believable. That being said, I didn’t feel as fulfilled or entertained as I did after watching something like Mission Impossible 4, where you have a well polished, produced movie with outstanding special effects, that was meant to take you away from reality into a fictional realm.

I think I enjoyed the first hour or so of the movie the best. We see the boys just recognizing and experimenting with their powers. Each new surprise is a surprise to us, and makes it feel like we’re there sharing their experience with them. The pranks they pull are pretty funny, too.

Andrew’s character was the most intricate one in the film. We understand his pains, not necessarily because his pains are common, but because we’ve come in contact or can remember someone just like him from high school. One scene that really made sense, but at the same time was really frustrating was when Andrew gets after Steve for being his friend only because they now have something in common. Why else would you be a friend with anyone? Andrew is very self-deprecating and wants people to like him for who he his, not because they have something in common with him or because of some freak accident.

His dad (step-dad?) is constantly berating him and telling him what a loser he is, and it’s almost as if Andrew accepts that as his reality and any attempt at others to genuinely care for him is seen as merely fake.

We all have a desire to be loved, and not loved out of pity, but because others value who we are intrinsically in spite of/because of our many faults and weaknesses.

Due to the filming style, this show may not be for everyone, but we really enjoyed it. There is quite a bit of language, some violence, and talk about sex, but no nudity or explicit sexual scenes (contrary to what the trailer shows).

Real Steel (2011) - M3.8/E6

No real surprises here. The entire plot of the movie can be easily derived from the trailer. Even still, the fight scenes were pretty cool and the father/son bonding was nice (though a little contrived and unoriginal). At first I really liked the kid actor, but as the show went on it seemed that there was a little too much overacting.

Fathers should shoulder responsibility for kids they help bring into this world. This show didn’t make that strong of a point, since it pretty much showed that 11 years of absence from his son’s life was made up by a summer of attending some fights. How many loser-father’s are really brought back into contact with children they sired and then abandoned? I guess that makes this more of a fairy-tale than inspirational.

Again, it’s worth the $1.25 at Redbox, if you’ve got nothing else to watch. There is some violence, though mostly robot vs. robot; language and sex are minimal. Other than the main character getting beat-up for never repaying his debts, this show is probably alright for most audiences (even under 13).

Crazy Stupid Love (2011) - M7.4/E9

Don’t be fooled by the trailer. If you enjoyed Date Night or Dan in Real Life, you’ll probably like CSL. The trailer made it seem like there would be a lot of sex and raunchy humor, and while there was plenty of implied sex and some coarse humor, it was totally in support of good relationships and striving to make marriages last and not giving up on your spouse (or the one you love). The only reason I pursued watching this was because of Orson Scott Card’s glowing review of the movie.

Cal and Emily’s relationship has reached a potential breaking point. Jacob helps Cal realize that one of the main reasons he “lost” Emily was because he lost his manhood. He had forgotten what was required to be a husband, a father, and ultimately a man. While this fact was very true at its roots, Jacob twisted it and suggested that the solution was to become a tomcat, like himself. Basically, that manhood is nothing more than knowing how to treat women as objects for your own gratification. Jacob’s character may seem very offensive to some, but it’s so obviously satirical, that you can’t take it at face value.

Cal follows Jacob’s advice and does end up reinvigorating his manhood, but knows that anything more than focusing on trying to win his wife’s affections again is unimportant. Amazingly Jacob ends up coming to the same conclusion, though through no searching on his own...it kind of just comes at him like a big, wet kiss. Jacob’s transformation, possibly because it’s so radical, is one of the most inspiring moments of the film. As he’s able to trust someone else with details about his own life, we see the wild tomcat tamed and domesticated.

The pining of the 13-year old for his 17-year old baby sitter was a well created, typical middle school crush (though a mere kiss at the end would have sufficed, those pictures should have been destroyed). I enjoyed how most of the truth and goodness in the movie came from the 13-year old and his faith that his parents would end up back together (and mostly that his father would do anything to get his soul-mate back.)

As mentioned before, there is a lot of coarse dialog and language and some scenes that weren’t necessary. That aside, this is easily one of the best films I’ve seen in the last year.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) - M5.8/E7

I wasn’t sure who to really believe about how good this movie was going to be. It’s hard not to have any expectations when waiting so long to see a popular movie. I was getting bored about 60% into the movie and was really hoping something interesting was going to happen. Thank heavens it did (and the urban camouflage was pretty awesome).

Right around the time of the chess game between Moriarty and Holmes everything starts to unravel, a little too late for my liking. I remember the previous movie had more hints and clues as to what was going on throughout the film, the clues left in A Game of Shadows weren’t useful at all and didn’t help you try to deduce what was going on. It was less of an intellectual joy, but still entertaining. I believe it will still be worth a second watch.

No real moral dilemmas stood out in this film. Moriarty is proud, ruthless, and greedy; his end goal of power and wealth justify mass murders in his eyes. Yet because of his pride/ego, he underestimates Holmes, and gets “done in.”

The rating is primarily for violence. There’s little language and a potentially uncomfortable, partial nude scene that was more comical than offensive.

The Next Three Days (2010) - M4.3/E6

I was told this would be a movie with an interesting moral dilemma, and though we are shown that the main character contemplates this dilemma, the dilemma shouldn't have existed in the first place.  This was a pretty intense thriller, more suspenseful than action packed, and worth a watch on Netflix if you subscribe to their streaming service.

A happily married couple's family is torn apart when random, coincidental events make it appear that the wife brutally murdered her boss. The husband, knowing she is innocent, resolves to do whatever it takes to get her out of prison.  He first exhausts all legal means and realizes that there is nothing that can be done to free her.  He then resorts to breaking her out of prison and undertakes some serious preparations to do so.  This is where the supposed dilemma exists.

John Brennan (faithful husband) forces himself to be willing to do whatever it takes to get his wife out of prison, and ends up falsifying medical records and killing people and committing arson (though those involved were drug dealers).  Initially he is extremely hesitant to commit these illegal acts, but forces himself into the mindset to follow through with his plan.  During the process, his relationship with his son and wife (even though in prison) is  stretched pretty thin and he almost loses his wife during the break out.

Is it really a measure of a husband's love for his wife to go to any end in order to rectify something wrongly attributed to her?  If my wife were innocently put in jail, I, too, would exhaust my legal resources; and if the law could do nothing to help her, what happened next would be in God's hands.  Being a firm believer in Divine intervention, I believe God would be able to help both me (my family) and my wife through such a trial of faith, and if He felt it necessary, could even change the hearts and minds of those falsely accusing her so that she would eventually be let out (though this would not be very likely).  Our relationship could continue to grow, and one day we would be reunited.

This may sound trite given that I've never been (nor will likely ever be) put in this situation; but I honestly believe that adherence to God's law and faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ is the most anyone can do to receive the maximum assistance in the most dire of situations in which we may find ourselves.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011) - M5.4/E8

I have to say my initial desire to see this on opening night at an IMAX theater 45 min. away was for the prologue of the Dark Knight Rises, and it was well worth it.  I'm even more excited to see it this summer, and I was pretty stinking excited to see it in the first place.

Mission Impossible 4 on an IMAX theater was pretty amazing, and a lot more intense than it would be in a regular theater (which I loved, but my wife did not).  The opening sequence with breaking Ethan Hunt out of a Serbian prison was mind blowing and had enough neck cracking and bone breaking to set anyone on edge.  The follow-up credit sequence and theme song by Giacchino was excellent.

I liked the fewer corny lines in this one compared to MI3 (Dunn provided a good balance of comedy); and there were a lot fewer cliche Mission Impossible scenarios going on here too.  The missions up to this point seemed to be pretty much the same.  It's introduced as an unthinkable mission (breaking into the CIA, or some other top secret place), and everyone is flabbergasted at the thought, and then Ethan says something like, "It gets much worse..." and then he goes on and explains the unbelievable security that they'll have to breach, and then they do it.  This one had similar elements, but the unexpected circumstances under which they were required to operate made the film more engaging and interesting.

[***Spoiler Alert - Read on if you've already seen the movie, or don't plan on seeing it***]

I was a little bothered at first when it was insinuated that things didn't work out between Ethan and his wife.  The entire third movie was based on their love for each other and willingness to die for each other's safety.  I was very relieved when we find out what really happened with his wife (the second revelation, not the fact that she died, though even that would be better than just leaving her).

The team work that resulted from a haphazardly assembled team was very well portrayed.  Everything didn't just work, they had to work out differences, learn how to work together and trust one another in order to accomplish their mission.  Ethan did a good job as the team lead by not forcing people to cooperate or penalizing them for not working well; he just did the best he could and expected them to follow suit.

Definitely worth seeing in the theater, try IMAX if you have the option.  No sex/nudity, language was better than a lot of PG-13 shows, violence was the main contributor to the rating.

Taken (2009) - M5.0/E8

This movie was awesome. Everything I expected it to be and more (which expectations I try to keep to a minimum). I had to keep telling myself to breathe and relax and enjoy the movie. This is one of the best action movies I’ve seen in a while.

The beginning of the movie does a great job at getting us to feel sympathy for and understand the love that Bryan Mills has for his daughter, Kim. This sympathy largely stems from the super-annoying ex-wife who has her head in the clouds and apparently cares little for their daughter and has the utmost disdain for her ex-husband, in particular with regards to his over-protectiveness. While Bryan’s over-protectiveness is attributed to his previous career as a CIA black ops agent, I would hope any competent, loving father (and mother) would be equally protective and concerned. (I liked seeing Uncle Rico in this as a buddy of Bryan’s.)

The Beaver (2011) - M4.6/E4

This seemed like it would be a movie with a positive message to it. The previews made it seem like there was a husband/father who had fallen out of step with his family who went to drastic/silly means to bridge the barrier that was created. I like feel-good movies that promote the importance of family. This was not a feel good movie and was not a strong proponent of positive family life.

Walter is a depressed individual who is basically asleep for 2+ years, becoming a horrible burden on his family and company that he runs. He hits rock bottom and through several attempts on his own life a part of his inner being (that really wants to change) makes itself manifest through a hand puppet Walter places on his hand in a drunken stupor. Remarkably this puppet (a beaver) allows him to break the psychological barrier between his depressed self and the part of him that really wants to change. As Walter seems to improve, we see him struggle most with his family. A puppet can be something that can be lived with/accepted more easily in the workplace where emotional intimacy isn’t needed, but at home, children need a father and a wife needs a husband. Walter shouldn't have expected to be able to hide behind his hand puppet for as long as he did.

This struggle in the family made perfect sense to me. Walter was broken and was in the process of fixing himself. While his family situation wasn’t the greatest, they needed to support him in his quest to repair himself and get out of the rut he’d been stuck in for such a long time. While most of the family members tried to exhibit patience, we see that Walter’s improvement becomes more about himself than about being the father and husband he should be (evident when the Beaver seems to be in control).

I loved the underlying story between Porter and Norah. This was perhaps the one redeeming part of the story that didn’t leave us depressed. Porter helps the seemingly perfect Norah (cheerleader, valedictorian, etc.) come to the realization that we shouldn’t hide from the truth. As part of the graduation speech Porter inspired Norah to write, she says,

“I'm not okay, not at all, the truth is, I'm missing something. The thing I loved the most, the face I wish were in the front row right now, the brother I'll never get back. So what do I do with that? What do any of us do? Besides lie. This is what I believe, right now, in this auditorium, there is someone who is with you, someone who is willing to pick you up, dust you off, kiss you, forgive you, put up with you, wait for you, carry you, love you. So while everything may not be okay, one thing I know is true, you do not have to be alone.”

In the last few minutes we do see Walter get his family back. His estranged son accepts him, and life is happy, but this is only in the last few minutes of the movie. The underlying symbol of a roller coaster suggests that life is full of ups and downs, and while we may not know how long the downs will last, better times are bound to occur. We had to wade through close to 85 minutes of oppressive turmoil to get to this semi-inspirational message, and it wasn’t worth the wait.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) - M6.6/E7

My wife very rarely cares what movies we end up watching, I’m generally the one that picks them out. She surprised me by bringing this one home from the library. I was semi-intrigued about it when I saw it released, but never had any strong urge to see it. While not an amazing movie, the almost 3 hour feature was enjoyable. It really is nothing more than a story about the life of a man. He doesn’t affect the history of the world in any remarkable way, but the fact that he lives his life backwards from an old man until he dies as a baby is a pretty cool experience to be a part of.

Not living a normal life, it’s hard to pin any moral message on anything literal presented in the movie. There is adultery and prostitution, co-habitation, and family desertion - and while not condoned in real life, they add an interesting element to the story.  The reason these elements don't necessarily create a negative moral message is that the story isn't saying this is how happy people live their lives.  Benjamin was never really happy; he was so confused with his situation in life (as were those around him) that he never really fit in anywhere.  His happiest moment was when he met up in the middle with Daisy and was able to experience a  portion of a normal life.

While initially despised by his father as a monster, his father doesn’t completely give up on him and eventually we see their relationship grow stronger (appropriately backwards) and father and son are brought close together. As an old man, though really a child, he works with a bunch of sailors and acquires their habits and vices. As a companion (not married, but living together) he was faithful and loves Daisy. Though when he found out he was to be a father, he couldn’t bear the thought of becoming a child physically as his daughter grew older and needed a real father. Benjamin moved on and was able to do things in his old age that were impossible to do in his arthritic youth. What was really moving was to see him as a boy in his old age, senile and in need of assistance, only to be found by his childhood friend and lover who cared for him until he passed on.

While not a must-see, if you come across this movie and aren't looking for something fast-paced, this is worth watching at least once.

Hanna (2011) - M3.1/E6

This is nothing like a Jason Bourne movie, though that is what it seems like from the trailers. It's actually an interpretation of Grimm's fairy tales (the twisted original stories of the sweet Disney stories we're told as kids). There is no real resolution, and mysteries presented are revealed rather abruptly. Even with these short comings, it was so intriguing we hardly knew that two hours flew by.

There’s little to offer on a moral level. The violence was rather gruesome and didn’t contribute to any positive message in the film. This is just a story about how an ex-CIA operative shelters his daughter and trains her to be an assassin so that she can kill the one person they’re hiding from. It’s a little deeper than that and artistically appealing, so we think it might be worth at least one initial watch if you’re looking for an action flick and don’t mind a few bloody scenes. The featured user review on IMDB is worth reading after you’ve seen the film.

Dinner for Schmucks (2010)

Entertainment Rating: 3 of 5

I found myself laughing a lot more than I thought I would. If this were to have had Will Farrell or Jim Carey in it, I probably wouldn’t have laughed near as much. While there was a fair amount of needless crude humor, there was enough good humor to create an overall positive effect on our enjoyment of the movie. I don’t think I’d recommend it to anyone, just because I’d probably be embarrassed to sit through it with some people.

The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

Entertainment Rating: 5 of 5

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a while. It was every bit as good as Minority Report and quite a bit better than Blade Runner (all three based on stories by science fiction writer Phillip K. Dick). I was told this was more of a romance than a thriller/action movie, and so I was expecting a slower paced film that possibly wasn’t great. I was pleasantly surprised that it was much more than a romance, but a look at the value of our ability to choose our own destinies and exercise our free will.

Moral Rating: 4 of 5

[Spoiler Alert]

In contrast to Mao’s Last Dancer, the two main characters here actually decide to sacrifice their career goals because they really love the other person more than their careers. This love is what allows them to become more free and ultimately use their free will to the fullest.

Ironman 2 (2010)

Entertainment Rating: 3 of 5

I came into the film knowing it was poorly received by the critics, and ended up enjoying it. Nothing deep here. I agree that the first Iron Man was much better. It’s worth the watch on Netflix if you haven’t seen it and care anything for the story.

Moral Rating: 2 of 5

Tony Stark realizes that he’s about to die and start’s realizing what matters most in his life. This is nice due to the fact that his escapades with women are pretty much non-existent (not really a priority on one’s death bed). He actually shows genuine interest in Pepper at the end, and it seems that there is something of value inside Tony Stark. Besides the not-so-great overall story, the realistic weakness affecting Stark makes the story a little more endearing.

Matchstick Men (2003)

Entertainment Rating: 3 of 5

This was a fun con movie. A little slow for the first 80% of the film, but the speed picks up at the end. A great role for Nicholas Cage.

Moral Rating: 3 of 5

The content was a little iffy with one strip club scene (no nudity, but plenty of skin) and some language. The club scene added nothing to the movie, other than showing you the type of sleazy men these con-men often dealt with. The whole movie is based on people who think it’s OK to scam people out of their money. However, in the end we see Frank respond very well to being conned in his own game. Not only did he not get upset (or seek revenge), but he realized that his job as a con-man wasn’t making him happy. A family is what he needed to help him be at peace in his life and overcome some of his idiosyncrasies.

True Grit (2010)

Entertainment Rating: 3 of 5

This movie was very faithful to the book, but I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I remember having enjoyed John Wayne’s True Grit (it’s been a while since I’ve seen it). Some movies can do a great job at being faithful to the book (e.g., To Kill a Mocking Bird), others aren’t so great at it. Though close to the book, I still enjoyed the book better. The language in the book was very awkward and they carried that awkwardness into this film - a time in our history when contractions hadn’t been taught yet (not sure if people ever really talked like that, or if it was meant to illustrate some sort of obfuscated point.) All in all, the film was entertaining.

Moral Rating: 3 of 5

Rooster Cogburn’s grit was a good quality some of the time, and resulted in over-confidence and stubborness in other situations - that ultimately ended in a lot of people’s deaths (albeit they were bad people and deserved it, according to the marshall). There were some scenes of graphic violence (not uncommon in a Cohen Bro’s film) and mild swearing, but with western’s rare now-a-days, this is a decent one to see.

Unknown (2010)

Entertainment Rating: 3 of 5

At 40 minutes into the movie, I was thinking, “this is a really slow movie” - in other words, I was getting bored pretty quick. The concept wasn’t original, it was kind of like a Bourne Identity with an old man (who still had some good fight in him, but didn’t show off much). They tried a big twist at the end, but it didn’t seem to go anywhere. Instead of some plot that we could identify with, they have everything the movie is working for end up being for corn, cool corn, but corn nonetheless.

Moral Rating: 2 of 5

Like the Bourne series, there’s no real moral battle here, not much good to be gleaned from it either.

Battle: Los Angeles (2011)

Entertainment Rating: 2 of 5

Not great. Nothing more than a video game, but your thumbs don’t get sore because all the shooting is done for you. There isn’t more than shooting a bunch of robot/aliens. Not worth your time, unless what I described is your cup of tea. The filming might make you noxious as it’s basically someone running around with a camcorder, similar to Cloverfield in more than one way (but we actually enjoyed Cloverfield).

Moral Rating: 3 of 5

There’s a bit of an effort at telling an inspirational story about an officer that gains the love and respect of those he’s fighting with. He starts off as not a popular person, many thinking that because he was the only survivor of a previous unit that he didn’t care for the safety of those he was with and worried about preserving his own life. Through many trying circumstances during the invasion at hand, he proves he’s worth his salt.

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Entertainment Rating: 4 of 5

This and X-Men have been two of the best movies I’ve seen this year. I was a little concerned with how much I’d enjoy Captain America since I had a hard time getting into one of the graphic novels I picked up from the library (Winter Soldier) - I was, however, pleasantly surprised. The story was perfectly told with exception to some missing background on the Red Skull. How did he actually get a red skull face? We get bits of his history and position within the Third Reich, but not enough to really get pulled into his character. X-Men did a great job with getting us acquainted with the villain/s and I think that greatly increased the enjoyment of that film.

The music sequences were also great. It was nice to hear a little big band music come through the big screen.

[***Spoiler alert***]
I almost whooped when Steve Rogers doesn’t tell Peggy that he loves her right before he goes down. The film did a great job of depicting their relationship.

Moral Rating: 4 of 5

Through Steve Rogers, we are shown the value of and need for good character. Though that may not be what most people look for in a hero (e.g., Col. Chester Phillips - played by Tommy Lee Jones), it is a strong moral foundation that truly gives us power beyond what we think we are capable. Not that it is a power in and of itself, but it allows for God’s power to play a stronger positive role in our lives and the lives of those we touch.

Be sure to stick around until after the end of the credits for an extra scene from the movie and the first trailer for The Avengers, coming out next year!