christian movie review 1984

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Where to Watch

Rent 1984 on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

What to Know

1984 doesn't fully emerge from the shadow of its source material, but still proves a solid, suitably discomfiting adaptation of a classic dystopian tale.

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​Unique and Imaginative – But May Be Too Confusing for Young Children

In the realm of storytelling, few mediums can touch the heart and soul quite like film does. As a lover of cinema and a devout Christian, I care about what types of movies my children watch, and I feel called to share my thoughts with you. In this IF Christian Movie Review, I give parents the information they need before seeing this film with children.

Furthermore, it should be noted that we pay for our movie tickets so you can be sure that you are getting my unbiased thoughts on each film I review. For Christian families, selecting the right movie isn’t just about avoiding the bad—it’s about actively seeking the good, those stories that resonate with our core values. They provide a unique opportunity to explore themes of faith, forgiveness, and redemption in a way that’s accessible and engaging for people of all ages.

IF Christian Movie Review

Studio synopsis of if:.

From writer and director John Krasinksi, IF is about a girl who discovers that she can see everyone’s imaginary friends—and what she does with that superpower—as she embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids.

My Synopsis of IF:

When  John Krasinski  introduces us to a young girl grappling with difficult situations in his latest creation, she discovers an extraordinary world brimming with imaginary friends. This isn’t just a story about overcoming sadness; it’s a profound exploration of coming to terms with what life throws at you.

The tale of 12-year-old girl named Bea and her journey is a heartwarming reminder of how unseen companionship can bring immense comfort and guide us toward healing. As a Christian, recognizing the significance of imagination and faith as tools for navigating life’s challenges offers a fresh perspective. This film, with its unique blend of whimsy and heartfelt emotion, splendidly encapsulates the essence of hope and the power of believing in something greater than ourselves. 

IF Christian Movie Review – What Parents Want to Know

Frequent use of taking God’s name in vain. In fact, at one point my adult son leaned over and just said that I could stop writing each incident down and just say they used God’s name a lot. Uses include lots of “Oh my g-d,” and “oh g-d.” Furthermore, “swear to g-d,” “good g-d,” “oh dear g-d,” and “thank g-d,” are used. It was almost as if they tried to get God’s name in as many times as they could.

Three uses of h-ll, and one use of d-mn.

One person makes a comment about having a “broken butt.” Another person calls someone a fool.

A man is seen breaking into a house.

Additionally, a child is in the hospital with multiple broken bones, and he says he “falls a lot.”

One imaginary friend is invisible and people are seen tripping over him.

Spiritual Content:

A girl is told, “you are the chosen one.”

Extensive use of magical elements transforming a retirement home. Keep in mind that it may be all in one’s imagination that this transformation takes place. Additionally, one IF (Imaginary Friend) is a ghost.

Sexual Content:

In the land of IFs, an art class takes place. The participants are painting an apple that is posing, and she is told to “cover up.”

Other Content: See SPOILER BELOW for the questions of death in the movie. Does Bea’s mom die? and Does Bea’s dad die?

Bea’s mom is shown in the hospital with a scarf on her head. Bea’s dad is later shown in the same hospital.

As a woman whose husband was in the hospital for heart bypass surgery, I found the depictions of the hospital were totally unrealistic. After Bea’s dad’s surgery, he is in bed with no monitors, no tubes, and just a pulse oximeter on his finger.

In one scene, Bea goes with Cal (Ryan Reynolds) to a closed Coney Island amusement park. He opens a door and they go through a secret passage underneath a ride. It felt kind of “icky” in the moment. As the movie continues, it makes more sense, but throughout the movie, not only does Bea run around the streets of New York City alone, but she also goes around with Cal. No one seems to notice or care including her grandmother.

Positive Content:

Throughout the movie, you see Bea coming to terms with growing up and dealing with the challenges of life.

She is told by an IF, “Nothing you love can ever be forgotten.” Bea has forgotten things, but uses the time at her grandmother’s apartment building (while her father is in the hospital) to remember good times with her family.

Bea is on a journey of self-discovery, healing and trying to make sense of life. While her dad is his hospital room bed, and not awake, she tells him a story of her life. He awakens and tells her it is a good story.

Teaching with the Movie IF

Each movie I see, I try to view it through the eyes of my children or grandchildren. What elements will they see, and what will they miss? If your child has ever dealt with being in a hospital, discuss how unrealistic the entire hospital setting was. Do you think a child pushing a used gowns/hospital bedding cart would go unnoticed? Additionally, digging through hospital gowns and bedding is 1) unsanitary, and 2) a health risk.

Did you or your children ever have imaginary friends? Have your child draw their imaginary friend. If they never had one, ask them to use their imagination to create one now. Ask, “What would your IFs special talents be?”

Who could your child invite into their life as a friend? As a Christian, we know there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” That friend is Jesus Christ, and He isn’t imaginary.

Additionally, discuss whether or not the movie was “real” or just a product of Bea’s imagination.

​The opening of the film with the Paramount Logo was uniquely done. Have your child redo a logo for another movie with elements from the film.

Christian Review of IF – My Viewing Recommendations :

Am I the only person that sees Jim from the Office every time I hear John Krasinski’s voice?

While this family film did have a lot of positive elements, I am once again saddened by the repeated misuse of God’s name. I’ve said this before, and I will continue saying it until Hollywood “gets it,” but did you ever notice they never say, “Oh my Al-ah?” Because it would be totally offensive to the Muslim community.

Overall, the musical score was very good, and was a product of Composer Michael Giacchino who was also responsible for Mission Impossible, Jurassic World, Up, and other famous works. Additionally, the concept was original-ish. It was refreshing to see a movie that was not a remake of a remake. (I’m looking at you, Disney!) However, this film is slow moving at times, and my husband actually fell asleep – I’m usually the one doing that.

As far as my recommendation, I would say, “see this movie,” but it pains me to hear God’s name taken in vain sooooo many times.

Evaluating Entertainment: The Role of Christian Review Sites

Have you ever found yourself scrolling endlessly through movie titles, wondering which film aligns not just with your entertainment preferences but also mirrors your values? Many of us face this dilemma, especially when selecting content for family movie nights.

This is where Christian movie review sites become an invaluable resource. This platform is more than just a list of film critiques; it is a guiding light for families seeking entertainment that upholds their Christian values. With an array of movies to choose from, these reviews offer  easier access  to detailed information on content, themes, and moral evaluations, making it a simpler process to find films that resonate with our faith. The significance of such resources cannot be overstated; we aim to provide a beacon of insight, ensuring that our recommended movie selections are entertaining and enriching to our spiritual lives and family values. 

About the Movie IF:

Rating: PG for thematic elements and mild language

Release Date: May 17, 2024

Runtime: 1 hour, 44 mins.

Genre: Animation/Children’s film

Studio: Sunday Night Productions, Maximum Effort

Directed by: John Krasinksi

Written by: John Krasinksi

Produced by: John Krasinksi, Allyson Seeger, Andrew Form, Ryan Reynolds

Edited by: Christopher Rouse, Andy Canny

Music by: Michael Giacchino

Distributed by: Paramount Pictures

The Cast of IF :

Cailey Fleming plays Bea

Ryan Reynolds plays Cal

John Krasinksi plays Bea’s Dad

Fiona Shaw plays Bea’s Grandmother

Alan Kim plays Benjamin

Liza Colon-Zara’s plays Nurse Janet

Bobby Moynihan plays Jeremy

Voice Cast:

Blue voiced by Steve Carell (Purple Monster)

Blossom voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Butterfly dancer?)

Marshmallow Man voiced by John Krasinksi (Flaming Marshmallow)

Gummy Bear voiced by Amy Schumer

Lewis voiced by Louis Gossett Jr. (Teddy Bear)

Unicorn voiced by Emily Blunt

Sonny voiced by Matt Damon (A flower)

Spaceman voiced by George Clooney

Keith voiced by Brad Pitt

Ally voiced by Maya Rudolph (Alligator)

Robot voiced by Jon Stewart

Bubble voiced by Awkwafina

Guardian Dog voiced by Sam Rockwell

Dragon voiced by Vince Vaughn

Octopus’s voiced by Blake Lively

Magician Mouse voiced by Sebastian Maniscalco

Ghost voiced by Matthew Rhys

Slime voiced by Keegan-Michael Key

Ice voiced by Bradley Cooper (Ice Cube)

Cosmo voiced by Christopher Meloni (Private Detective)

Art Teacher voiced by Richard Jenkins

Banana voiced by Bill Hader

Frequently Asked Questions:

Where can i watch if.

If was released into theaters on May 17, 2024. At that time, it could only be watched in theaters. A streaming date has not been announced.

Is there an end-credit scene for If?

​Yes, there is a very quick end-credit scene. 

Will  IF stream on Disney+? 

No. IF will not be streaming on Disney Plus. Because IF is a Paramount film.

Will IF stream on Peacock?

It is unlikely that IF will stream on Peacock. In fact, it is a film distributed by Paramount and will most likely stream on that platform.

How much did it cost to produce IF?

The production budget was $110 million.

What other movies have been made that deal with Imaginary Friends?

One movie, that is similar in some ways, is Wonder Park which tells the story of a young girl who creates an amusement park with her mom. When her mom leaves for cancer treatments, the girl’s park come to life.

Other movies include, Where the Wild Things Are , and Winnie-the-Pooh .

Then we have movies such as The Velveteen Rabbit who gains “real status” because he is loved. And certainly we can’t forget Toy Story where Andy believes his toys are real, and they come to life when no one is looking.

What black-and-white movie is playing on the television?

The film Harvey, starring James Stewart, is playing on the television. In fact, you may know Stewart from the Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful Life. The movie playing is about an invisible giant rabbit named Harvey that Jimmy Stewart’s character talks to.

*****SPOILER ALERT BELOW******

Does bea’s mom die.

Yes, Bea’s mother does die. However, nothing is shown on screen. There is a discussion when Bea’s dad is in the hospital and he says that he is not going to die.

Does Bea’s dad die?

No. Bea’s dad does not die. He “had a broken heart,” has some sort of heart surgery or procedure and recovers.

Who is the tribute to at the end of the movie?

The tribute was to the late Louis Gossett Jr. who voices Lewis the bear. This was one of his final roles before his death in March 2024.

Reviewing movies for parents from a Christian perspective since 2005. Know Before You Go!

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Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, falling in love.

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This movie is the clearest case I've seen in a long time of the war between movie stars and the scripts they are given. The movie is a love story. The stars are Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep -- arguably the two most distinguished American movie actors under fifty. They have a genuine chemistry together on the screen and undeniable charisma. And that's it in this movie, which gives them not one memorable line of dialogue, not one inventive situation, not one moment when we don't groan at the startling array of clichés they have to march through.

"Falling in Love" is nothing if not upfront about its intentions. It wants to be a 1940s romance, and it makes that bountifully clear by making the first encounter between the characters a "Meet Cute." "Meet Cutes" are what Hollywood calls those clichéd scenes where Rosalind Russell and Cary Grant are both leaving Macy's at the same time; they run into each other, drop their packages, and bump heads as they awkwardly bend over to pick them up. Would you believe that is exactly how the "Meet Cute" works in this movie? De Niro and Streep are at a bookstore, not a department store, but as their packages drop, the movie almost could use a subtitle with the cross-reference to other films.

I'm sure there was some sort of story conference about how it would be fun to reprise a classic Meet Cute. I'm sure they had a lot of story conferences on this movie, giving one another pep talks about how the movie's total lack of substance was really a style decision. But it's just a cop-out. How can you put Streep and De Niro in a movie and not give them characters to play or interesting things to say? It's a waste of resources.

The movie's story involves two people who commute to New York on the same train. After their "Meet Cute," they are attracted to each other by instant chemistry. They meet again. There is a little awkward conversational jostling, and before long they're embarked on a chaste year-long affair in which they have lunch, go to Chinatown, visit tall buildings and trendy art galleries, and find mutual support while Streep's father dies. Art galleries and Chinatown are almost obligatory in movies like this. All true love affairs must begin with a mutual return to the infantile, as the lovestruck new partners buy hot dogs from vendors and watch the ice skating in Rockefeller Center and in other ways symbolically reenact the necessity of reliving their entire lives, from childhood on, in the company of this treasured new person.

Fine. Except that in all romances worthy of the name, there sooner or later comes a meeting of the minds: There are those rushed, excited conversations in which the two lovers realize that they are both brilliant, both insightful, both witty, and both sharing a viewpoint so unique that the rest of the world will never quite understand it.

"Falling in Love" has no such passages. The dialogue is unremittingly, perhaps deliberately, banal. The funniest line in the movie ("How much do you weigh?") is inspired by the characters' inability to think of anything to say. We learn nothing of substance about them. They are provided with spouses who are ciphers, with personalities that are shallow and narcissistic, with crises that depend upon a manipulative script.

And as if all of that were not bad enough, the movie also resorts to Idiot Plot techniques to squeeze out an infuriating ending. A final farewell between the lovers is prevented because of faulty communications. A later reunion takes place when there is only one fact that each lover needs to know -- that the other is separated or divorced. Incredibly, neither character makes this revelation, because to supply that single essential fact would spoil "Falling in Love"'s manipulative and shameless ending.

Incredibly, there are passages when this movie works. They are entirely due to the chemistry, the genuine human qualities of Streep and De Niro. They carry the plot and the dimwit dialogue because of the goodwill they've built up with us, and because of their own magnetism, their ability to invest worthless dialogue with a certain personal charm. "Falling in Love" will serve as a definitive example of good performances in a bad movie.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

Falling in Love (1984)

102 minutes

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Firestarter (1984), common sense media reviewers.

Stephen King adaptation has fiery deaths, miscast character.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Examples of perseverance, selflessness, courage, t

Charlie is a caring and compassionate eight-year-o

A Native American character is played by a White a

A character's pyrokinesis power is used to set man

Infrequent language includes "for God's sake," "ba

Characters carry a box that shows the logo of now-

Patients given experimental psychedelic drug by do

Parents need to know that Firestarter is a 1984 movie adaptation of a Stephen King horror novel, with violent scenes involving people being set on fire. The main character is eight-year-old girl Charlie (Drew Barrymore), who has the power of pyrokinesis -- she can control fire with her mind. Her father, Andrew …

Positive Messages

Examples of perseverance, selflessness, courage, teamwork, and empathy. Using your powers, skills, and abilities to help others. However, these same traits are also used to inflict death and destruction.

Positive Role Models

Charlie is a caring and compassionate eight-year-old girl who has the power of pyrokinesis -- the ability to control fire with her mind. She attempts to harness this power but is forced to use it to escape danger, resulting in death and destruction. Andrew is Charlie's dad. He has the power of telekinesis -- the ability to move objects by thought alone -- and when he and his daughter are under threat, he does all he can to protect her. He cares about Charlie and tries to teach her right from wrong. Captain Hollister works for the secret government agency "The Shop" and kidnaps Charlie with the goal of harnessing her power to use as a weapon. Agent John Rainbird befriends Charlie while holding her captive in an attempt to convince her to use her powers. He plans to kill her in the hope he can steal her powers. Two elderly strangers selflessly assist Charlie and Andrew.

Diverse Representations

A Native American character is played by a White actor. Native Americans referred to as "Indians."

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

A character's pyrokinesis power is used to set many people on fire, with real-life stunt actors shown thrashing around in flames. Guns feature in scenes including someone being shot in the head and killed. A kid is shot in the neck with a tranquilizer dart. Characters are killed, including by strangulation. A child has a chloroform rag held to their face, making them unconscious. After being given experimental drugs by a doctor, a character rips out their eyes, with blood running down their cheeks. A parent grabs their child's shoulders and shakes them when scolding them.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Infrequent language includes "for God's sake," "bastards," "s--t," and "goddamn."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Characters carry a box that shows the logo of now-discontinued Wheat & Raisin Chex cereal.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Patients given experimental psychedelic drug by doctors in a controlled environment. Some have violent reactions, others have a "stoned" reaction, and two develop telekinesis.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Firestarter is a 1984 movie adaptation of a Stephen King horror novel, with violent scenes involving people being set on fire. The main character is eight-year-old girl Charlie ( Drew Barrymore ), who has the power of pyrokinesis -- she can control fire with her mind. Her father, Andrew ( David Keith ), tries to help her control her power. But when in danger Charlie uses it, resulting in many people bursting into flames. Stunt actors are shown on fire and the movie features many explosions. There are also guns in the movie, with a man killed by a headshot and a child shot in the neck with a tranquilizer dart. Charlie and her father are pursued by a government agency who kidnap her to try to harness her power. One agent is a Native American character played by a White actor. In one scene, Native American people are referred to as "Indians." Infrequent language includes "s--t" and "goddamn." A 2022 remake stars Ryan Kiera Armstrong and Zac Efron . To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (1)
• Kids say (3)

Based on 1 parent review

Burn people that burn you!

What's the story.

In FIRESTARTER, Andrew ( David Keith ), a man who developed telekinetic powers after experimental drug testing, goes on the run when a secret government agency pursues his family. After eight years of trying to keep her ability to control fire under wraps, Andrew's daughter Charlie ( Drew Barrymore ) might have no choice but to unleash her infernal gift.

Is It Any Good?

At the heart of any Stephen King novel, amid the supernatural setting, is a gentler tale of people trying to make their way through a hard time in their lives. In 1984's Firestarter , a father is trying his hardest to raise and protect his daughter. While that's a tough enough task, these two also happen to have psychic powers and are being pursued by a shadowy government agency. A young Barrymore plays the troubled Charlie, whose character carries her turmoil with her in an accomplished physical performance. Even more physically accomplished are the stunt team, who are set on fire throughout the movie in a daring practice that CGI has since replaced. This lends extra weight to the story -- it's easier to believe a girl has the power to control fire when you're seeing a stream of flailing, flaming people.

The burning and explosions are joined by some fights and gunfire, handled bluntly by director Mark L. Lester, who followed this movie with another father/daughter blow-em-up, Commando . While the direction is dry and non-showy, there's enough room for emotional moments to seep through and elevate the movie. The idea of a person having to live with something that makes them different is a broad metaphor that can be applied to Firestarter , letting it resonate with a varied base of viewers.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about Firestarter' s violence . How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?

Did you find the movie scary ? What's the appeal of scary movies? What can be useful about using powers and situations as metaphors for real-life problems?

The movie is based on a book. How do you think horror books and horror movies differ? What techniques does each one use to be effective? What other movies based on books have you seen?

A Native American character is played by a White actor. Why is this problematic? Why representation matters in kids' media.

Movie Details

• In theaters : May 11, 1984
• On DVD or streaming : September 18, 2007
• Cast : Drew Barrymore , David Keith , Heather Locklear
• Director : Mark L. Lester
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Bisexual actors
• Studio : Universal Pictures
• Genre : Horror
• Topics : Book Characters
• Run time : 114 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• Last updated : May 13, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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• DVD & Streaming

Wonder Woman 1984

• Action/Adventure , Drama , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

• December 25, 2020
• Gal Gadot as Diana Prince; Chris Pine as Steve Trevor; Kristen Wiig as Barbara Minerva; Pedro Pascal as Maxwell Lord; Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta; Robin Wright as Antiope; Lilly Aspell as Young Diana

Home Release Date

• Patty Jenkins

Distributor

• Warner Bros.

Movie Review

Even superheroes have hidden wishes.

For Diana Prince, aka Wonder Woman, that wish isn’t as difficult to guess at as one might think. After all, she’s lived a pretty solitary life after losing her first love, Steve Trevor, so many years ago.

It’s not like she hasn’t had any attention from members of the opposite sex. I mean, hey, she’s as dazzlingly beautiful, astonishingly brilliant and sleekly classy as you might imagine a Themyscirian Amazon to be. But being nearly ageless doesn’t bode well for long-term relationships in a human world.

So, she’s been living a fairly lonely life in Washington, D.C., her apartment littered with pictures and reminders of friends and loved ones now long gone. She works at the Smithsonian, when not out saving lives in her form-fitting red and blue armor.

One day, though, her interest is piqued by a strange stone that’s sent to the museum by the FBI, after being found in a black-market stash of antiquities. Diana meets the museum’s mousy gemologist, Barbara Minerva, and the two strike up a friendship while examining the relic and its strange Latin inscription.

That inscription promises to grant one great wish to whoever holds the stone. For Diana that would be for the return of her only love, Steve Trevor, who sacrificed his life to save others in the waning days of World War II ( in the first film ). For Barbara, it would actually be to become a lot like the incredibly graceful Diana. They both make their inner-voiced wishes while publicly snorting over the silliness of the idea.

But what if the stone can grant wishes?

What if one’s deepest desires could come true?

What if anyone, good or evil, could touch the stone and walk away with anything they longed for? It’s only later, after Diana, Barbara and others have had their wishes granted, that this question comes to mind: At what price do wishes, even superhero wishes, come true?

Positive Elements

Wonder Woman 1984 suggests that greatness isn’t always the glory-filled mountaintop experience you might think it is. Often, being truly great requires a lot of self-sacrifice and effort on someone else’s behalf. And true acts of bravery often require “patience, diligence and the courage to face the truth.”

We’re also told that life isn’t always fair. It can be painful and lonely. And others can appear to have it far easier that you. But in spite of that, life is rich. Even in the face of incredible loss, life can offer so many good things if you merely make the effort, and take the time, to reach for them. “No true hero is born from lies,” a tween Diana is told after taking a shortcut in an Amazonian competition. Indeed, the film strongly emphasizes the importance of truth as a bedrock 

We see Barbara give food to a homeless man and do other nice things for people before her personality changes after gaining her wish.

Elsewhere, in spite of his many flaws, a manipulative man eventually steps away from things he’s gained to show his love to his son. The conclusion ultimately reinforces the notion of how important fathers are, and that a bad dad can do damage to a son that reverberates down through the generations; a good dad, meanwhile, takes responsibility for his mistakes and doesn’t embrace perfection as a standard for himself or his children. 

Spiritual Elements

There is, of course, a nod to Greek gods here, since the fictional Themyscirian history is based on such things. And the wishing stone (or Dream Stone as Barbara calls it) is purported to have been created by an “ancient god of lies,” an entity that used it to destroy numerous civilizations through history, including the Mayans.

People begin to riot in the street at one point, and a man with a Bible in hand calls out warnings to those around him. “Can you see what your sinfulness has done?” he cries. 

[ Spoiler Warning ] We find out that the Dream Stone works much like the old legend of the Monkey’s Paw: when a boon is given, recipients must surrender their most prized possession.

Sexual Content

Diana and Steve (whose essence takes over the body of another man, but whom Diana only sees as Steve) embrace and kiss a number of times. And they are shown waking up together in the same bed. Steve’s shirtless in that scene, while Diana wears a slinky camisole. We also see Barbara working out in a gym in a very revealing and clingy leotard.

During a party at the Smithsonian, Diana and Barbara dress in very form-flattering outfits that draw the surrounding men’s attention. Other tops worn by women are low cut and cleavage revealing.

Barbara heads to her office with a man named Max Lord. She’s intent, it seems, upon a sexual encounter in that private space, and the two do kiss passionately. Max, however, is mostly feigning sexual interest in order to steal something from Barbara.

Several older men ogle a group of young women dressed in tights as they bend over and stretch during a choreographed exercise routine. A TV ad features a small group of bikini-clad women surrounding a guy on an expensive motorboat.

As the plot unfolds, various people in places of prestige and power use the Dream Stone to make wishes. One of these is a stereotyped 1980s televangelist whom we hear has some sort of a sex-tape scandal that he wants to disappear. 

Violent Content

Once Barbara gets her wish to become more like Diana, she also gains Diana’s strength and athleticism. With these abilities, Barbara starts bashing and thumping anyone who displeases her.

One of those beatings involves a drunken man who grabs her in two separate scenes and, darkly, seems intent upon sexually assaulting her. In the first of those encounters, Wonder Woman comes to her rescue. The second, however, finds Barbara brutally unleashing her strength upon the drunken letch, beating and kicking him mercilessly, to the point that it’s not even clear if he’s alive or dead as he lies bloodily in the street. It’s one of the film’s more disturbing scenes. 

Elsewhere, Barbara moves on to running around a large room full of men and throwing them around in careless ways. (Some might have died, except that Diana uses her strength and lasso to save them). Eventually Diana and Barbara go after each other (after Barbara morphs creepily into a half-human/half-cat “apex predator” named Cheetah), and they slam each other into concrete walls and electrocuting electric wires. 

Diana is attacked by gunmen, street thugs, secret service officers and a variety of other people with pistols and automatic weapons. And because of an effect that weakens her, she is bloodied and repeatedly wounded (though those wounds on her chest and shoulders disappear after her powers are restored). In addition, large armored cars try to crush her. Meanwhile, Steve takes his share of swings at opponents, too.

Wonder Woman saves many people in the course of things, and on multiple occasions she steps aside in the heat of a fight to scoop up children and swing them quickly to safety or to deflect falling objects away from them. Some thugs are slammed down on the roof of a cop car.

When a self-serving con man named Maxwell Lord gets his hand on the wishing stone, he has it transfer its powers to him and he then starts granting wishes for his own glory. But the stone also takes a painful toll on his body, causing him to bleed from his eyes, nose and ears.

We witness other wishers suffer in painful physical ways as well. As the human world begins to decline thanks to the Dream Stone’s powers, riots break out in the streets, nuclear war is threatened, and global chaos erupts.

[ Spoiler Warning ] A flashback at the end of the film unpacks Max’s backstory. We see him as a child, impoverished, picked upon and growing up with a raging father who physically and emotional abuses him. For some viewers who’ve experienced or witnessed domestic abuse, this could be a difficult scene. 

Crude or Profane Language

There is a single use of the s-word and single uses of “b–ch” and “h—.” Someone calls out “oh my gosh” and “shoot” a couple times each.  And God’s name is misused once.

Drug and Alcohol Content

In a heated moment, a guy gulps back a glass of booze. Some people have glasses of wine or champagne at a party. And Diana drinks wine with dinner.

Other Negative Elements

Granted wishes, in turn, push some people in greedy, evil directions, especially Maxwell Lord.

As superhero sequels go, especially DC superhero sequels, Wonder Woman 1984 is pretty top-shelf. It carries on Diana of Themyscira’s story with aplomb—casting satirical winks and chuckles at the 1980s and all of that decade’s quirky, parachute-pants-and-fanny-pack glory. It’s filled with thrilling action sequences, aptly adorned with a magical good-versus-evil storyline and peppered with enough romance to keep the romantically minded sighing.

On top of that there are some pretty solid lessons here, too. Wonder Woman reaches for truth in the face of lies. She chooses to give self-sacrificially for others. And she goes from initially feeling lonely after spending fifty years by herself in this crazy human world, to noting that life—even in the face of a great loss—has so much to offer and enjoy.   

Content-wise, Wonder Woman 1984 feels broadly similar to the first film, albeit with a couple of caveats.  A morning-after scene involves Diana waking up in bed with her newly restored Steve Trevor—implying a little more intimacy than younger fans really need to be dwelling on, and more than we saw in the first film. Barbara’s would-be tryst with Max Lord doesn’t ultimately move pass kissing, but she’s clearly got more on her mind. And some of the scenes of violence here, particularly Barbara’s savage beatdown of a would-be sexual assault perpetrator, are wince-inducing as well.

Like the first film, those issues don’t unduly detract from this valorous hero’s second story, which in other ways is about as old-fashioned and uplifting as you might hope for. Ultimately, Wonder Woman remains a positive and inspirational icon who stands for truth, even when doing so comes at great sacrificial cost. 

After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.

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'If' movie review: Ryan Reynolds' imaginary friend fantasy might go over your kids' heads

Even with likable youngsters, a vast array of cartoonish characters, various pratfalls and shenanigans, and Ryan Reynolds in non- Deadpool mode, the family comedy “IF” isn’t really a "kids movie" – at least not in a conventional sense.

There’s a refreshing whiff of whimsy and playful originality to writer/director John Krasinski’s bighearted fantasy (★★½ out of four; rated PG; in theaters Friday), which centers on a young girl who discovers a secret world of imaginary friends (aka IFs). What it can’t find is the common thread of universal appeal. Yeah, children are geared to like any movie with a cheery unicorn, superhero dog, flaming marshmallow with melting eye and assorted furry monsters. But “IF” features heady themes of parental loss and reconnecting with one’s youth, plus boasts a showstopping dance set to Tina Turner , and that all leans fairly adult. Mash those together and the result is akin to a live-action Pixar movie without the nuanced execution.

Twelve-year-old Bea (Cailey Fleming) doesn’t really think of herself as a kid anymore. Her mom died of a terminal illness, and now her dad (Krasinski) is going into the hospital for surgery to fix his “broken heart,” so she’s staying with her grandma (Fiona Shaw) in New York City.

When poking around her new environment, Bea learns she has the ability to see imaginary friends. And she’s not the only one: Bea meets charmingly crusty upstairs neighbor Cal (Reynolds) as well as his IF pals, like spritely Blossom (voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge) and overly sensitive purple furry monster named Blue (Steve Carell). They run a sort of matchmaking agency to connect forgotten IFs whose kids have outgrown them with new children in need of their companionship, and Bea volunteers to help out.

'Welcome to Wrexham': Ryan Reynolds talks triumph, joy and loss of new season

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Bea is introduced to an IF retirement community located under a Coney Island carousel with a bevy of oddball personalities in the very kid-friendly middle section of the movie. “IF” low-key has the most starry supporting cast of any movie this summer because of all the A-listers voicing imaginary friends, an impressive list that includes Emily Blunt and Sam Rockwell as the aforementioned unicorn and superdog, Matt Damon as a helpful sunflower, George Clooney as a spaceman, Amy Schumer as a gummy bear and Bradley Cooper as an ice cube in a glass. (It's no talking raccoon, but it works.)

One of the movie's most poignant roles is a wise bear played by Louis Gossett Jr. in one of his final roles. Rather than just being a cameo, he’s nicely central to a key emotional scene.

While the best family flicks win over kids of all ages, “IF” is a film for grown-ups in PG dressing. The movie is amusing but safe in its humor, the overt earnestness overshadows some great bits of subversive silliness, and the thoughtful larger narrative, which reveals itself by the end to be much more than a story about a girl befriending a bunch of make-believe misfits, will go over some little ones’ heads. Tweens and teens, though, will likely engage with or feel seen by Bea’s character arc, struggling to move into a new phase of life while being tied to her younger years – not to mention worrying about her dad, who tries to make light of his medical situation for Bea.

Reynolds does his part enchanting all ages in this tale of two movies: He’s always got that irascible “fun uncle” vibe for kids, and he strikes a fun chemistry opposite Fleming that belies the serious stuff “IF” digs into frequently. But unless your child is into old movies, they probably won’t get why “Harvey” is playing in the background in a scene. And when “IF” reaches its cathartic finale, some kiddos might be wondering why their parents are sniffling and tearing up – if they're still paying attention and not off playing with their own imaginary friend by then.

‘The Garfield Movie’ Review: Beloved Feline Loses His Sarcastic Growl in Product Placement-Heavy Origin Story

Chris Pratt voices the famed orange tabby in a generic, if pleasantly animated narrative that misunderstands the characteristics that make Jim Davis’ Garfield a singularly attractive character.

By Carlos Aguilar

Carlos Aguilar

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The lasagna-obsessed feline with a near-pathological aversion to Mondays, who first came into popular consciousness in the late ‘70s as a comic strip, is a diluted version of himself in “ The Garfield Movie .” Not only is his suave apathy mostly replaced by an excessive excitedness with only sporadic glimpses of his endearingly negative qualities, but this Garfield jumps off trains, stages a heist, and is subjected to trite physical comedy by way of numerous predictable action sequences. The ordeal mimics a rehashed plot from the dull “The Secret Life of Pets” franchise with Garfield forcefully plugged in.

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Devised to function as an origin story, “The Garfield Movie” introduces Vic (Samuel L. Jackson), the father who, in this interpretation of his story, abandoned Garfield as a kitten. The burly cat, who doesn’t exist in this form in other “Garfield” media, reappears in his life when a cookie-cutter villain, Jinx (Hannah Waddingham) and her equally unoriginal dog henchmen coerce him to steal over 1000 gallons of milk from a dairy farm/theme park.

The demand serves as retribution for the time Jinx spend in the pound after a failed robbery with Vic. The screenwriters (Paul A. Kaplan, Mark Torgove, and David Reynolds) further burden the narrative by spending multiple scenes and even flashbacks (done in an interesting 2D, illustration style) on supporting characters that feel superimposed to elicit emotional resonance. The main culprit is Otto (Ving Rhames), a self-possessed bull banished from the farm and unable to see his beloved cow girlfriend.

In defense of director Mark Dindal, who helmed Disney’s “The Emperor’s New Groove” and “Chicken Little,” and his animation team, the cartoony facial expressions and realistic fur in this Garfield find an aesthetically pleasing middle ground between his hand-drawn version and those done in CGI for the big screen adventures and later for a late 2000s-2010s TV program “The Garfield Show.” The graphic look of “The Garfield Movie” calls to mind how the now defunct studio BlueSky approached their adaptation of the “Peanuts” characters. Caught in the nonstop boisterousness that consumes most of the running time, one could easily forget that the opening sequence, which benefits from limited lines, where an adorable, big-eyed baby Garfield first meets John is an engaging departure point. If only the creators would have stuck with the quotidian tribulations that best befit Garfield rather than opting for high-stakes stunts that betray him. The result is more a generic product in search of fleeting mass appeal than a work invested in Garfield as a unique character.

Reviewed at the TCL Chinese Theatre, May 19, 2024. Running time: 101 MIN.

• Production: Columbia Pictures, Alcon Entertainment, Double Negative, One Cool Group, Paws, Prime Focus, Stars Collective Films Entertainment Group, Wayfarer Studios. Producers: John Cohen, Broderick Johnson, Andrew A. Kosove, Namit Malhotra, Craig Sost, Steven P. Wegner.
• Crew: Director: Mark Dindal. Screenplay: Paul A. Kaplan, Mark Torgove, David Reynolds. Editor: Mark Keefer. Music: John Debney.
• With: Chris Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson, Nicholas Hoult, Hannah Waddingham, Ving Rhames, Cecily Strong, Harvey Guillén, Brett Goldstein, Bowen Yang, Snoop Dogg, Dev Joshi.

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Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

Movie Review – The Garfield Movie (2024)

May 20, 2024 by Robert Kojder

The Garfield Movie , 2024.

Directed by Mark Dindal. Featuring the voice talents of Chris Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson, Harvey Guillén, Nicholas Hoult, Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, Bowen Yang, Ving Rhames, Cecily Strong, Janelle James, Snoop Dogg, Dev Joshi, Lynsey Murrell, Alicia Grace Turrell, and Luke Cinque-White.

After Garfield’s unexpected reunion with his long-lost father, ragged alley cat Vic, he and his canine friend Odie are forced from their perfectly pampered lives to join Vic on a risky heist.

Garfield lives the good life. This is not only made clear by showing us the orange tabby’s (Chris Pratt doing little to differentiate his voice and capture the spirit of the beloved comic strip character) pampered life alongside his canine companion and loyal servant Odie (Harvey Guillén) provided to the pets by their wonderfully devoted owner Jon Arbuckle (voiced by Nicholas Hoult) but also through a song by award-winning musician Jon Batiste that repeats the phrase over and over during the multiple times it is played in The Garfield Movie . 

It’s the first sign that director Mark Dindal (using a screenplay from Paul A. Kaplan, Mark Torgove, and David Reynolds, based on characters created by Jim Davis) has crafted something simplistic meant to distract children rather than stimulate their minds alongside the fun. Adults shouldn’t bother, as once the film begins with Garfield speaking to the audience like classic Nickelodeon cartoons, it’s apparent that this is strictly for kids. That’s not necessarily a fault, but the filmmakers have no ambitions beyond telling a standard story of a son and father reunited, with the former coming to understand that he wasn’t intentionally abandoned and that the latter has always loved him.

The Garfield Movie uses that premise to launch the characters into an outdoor adventure, bringing them to a dairy farm, which occasionally feels like it was chosen as a location to potentially teach children about some cruel realities regarding farm animal life and briefly does at one point even if the sudden short burst of cartoonish but startling animal abuse that feels tonally inconsistent with the rampant silliness. However, the film doesn’t seem interested in saying anything, typically quick to jump back to bickering and unsuccessful attempts at thrills and moving family dynamics.

Kidnapped by a pair of dog henchmen working for a wronged, vengeful British cat, Jinx (voiced by Hannah Waddingham), Garfield and Otis are used as leverage to force the former’s long-lost father and her former partner in crime, Vic (Samuel L. Jackson, who seems to be hiding his usual voice to sound like Chris Pratt, even if it tends to slip up from time to time) out of hiding, with the three embarking on a Mission: Impossible -style heist to steal a quart of milk for every day she was stuck in the pound at the expense of the big cat’s mistake. Along the way, they team up with a mad bull with a flare for the dramatic, Otto (voiced by Ving Rhames), separated from the love of his life, who is continuously tortured for milk while the dairy farm now gives public tours to children.

Except for a perilous sequence that sees Garfield’s favorite thing in the world, food, transformed into part of a dangerous obstacle, there is little imagination or thrust to the break-in. Likewise, the emotional beats are also rushed and generic, with the filmmakers seemingly uncertain if they wanted to strictly tell an origin story from Garfield’s childhood or one with the version of the lasagna-obsessed cat people already know and love. The majority is familiar fare regarding Garfield resisting the truth and affection from his father, all while Otto desperately tries to train and prepare them enough to get on the same page and rescue his precious. Meanwhile, Odie laughs at the shenanigans, whereas Jon increasingly gets funnily frustrated as he is endlessly put on hold in a waiting line while calling a service to help locate his pets. 

There is some occasional visual pop blending 2D and 3D animation while also mimicking the look of a comic strip, although, beyond that, the environments and character models are mostly plain. As expected, the jokes lean into Garfield’s insatiable appetite (at one point, using food delivery drones to aid him on a rescue mission in a slightly clever segment), which is fine, but the aspects of what makes the character the one we know and care about all feel frontloaded and then tossed to the side to focus on a forgettable heist. Why not have a running gag that this disaster of a day is happening on a Monday? Sometimes, Garfield will have an amusing quippy comeback, but these are otherwise bland voiceover performances, save for the villains, who at least get to be loud and chaotic.

The rest of the humor is eye-rolling, shoving in everything from jokes about “Catflix” to cows in the mood for love (a payoff that comes with an overplayed, overdone needle drop.) Even the filmmakers haven’t bothered to put too much thought into what they are throwing up on the screen, as during an action scene that sees Garfield ricocheting off trees and other objects, he ends up on a parade float of himself, yet doesn’t seem to be iconic or famous in this universe. He is an ordinary cat in a film trying too hard to play up cuteness. Sadly, The Garfield Movie is also ordinary in the soulless Hollywood IP way. Garfield might be living the good life, but this is not a good movie.

Flickering Myth Rating  – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★

Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check  here  for new reviews, follow my  Twitter  or  Letterboxd , or email me at [email protected]

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Wonder Woman 1984 — Christian Movie Review

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2020 was a rough year for movies, but it ended with one of the most anticipated films of the year. Daniel shares his thoughts on ‘Wonder Woman 1984’

Read our written review here: https://thecollision.org/2020/12/31/wonder-woman-1984-movie-review/

If you haven’t done so, make sure to subscribe to the channel and jump into the comments section to let us know what you thought of the movie!

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Love the studio set up man looks great

Can you review these please?

The Promised Neverland

Made in Abyss

Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba

I've subscribed to your channel. Awesome review. Like yourself, many people have either mixed feelings or straight up don't like this movie, which is a shame as I was a fan of the first movie.

I love the background set-up for your videos, very professional and slick as I look forward to watching more of your reviews.

It's so joyful for me to hear someone say, "Thank God", genuinely.

God made Adam before Eve, but He made her from his side! 👫 It's beautiful to see women represented in films as powerful and I agree I'd like more heroines without feminism needing discussion.

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A Christmas Carol

Richard McCoy CONTRIBUTOR

Money in the Bible

How can I spend my money more wisely? Answer

POVERTY—What does the Bible say about the poor? Answer

Poor in the Bible

Why does God allow innocent people to suffer? Answer

What about the issue of suffering? Doesn’t this prove that there is no God and that we are on our own? Answer

Does God feel our pain? Answer

ORIGIN OF BAD—How did bad things come about? Answer

Did God make the world the way it is now? What kind of world would you create? Answer

A Christmas Carol (1951)

A Christmas Carol (1984)

Disney’s A Christmas Carol (2009)

G eorge C. Scott’s “A Christmas Carol” is an acceptable, if not compelling, rendition of Dickens’s classic tale. With the backing of Twentieth Century Fox, the film’s look (sets, costumes, makeup, props) were right on the money. However, the acting is this film simply wasn’t convincing for this viewer. The actors seemed to be reading cue cards that said “Be Angry Now” or “Be Sad Now”. There were a few sparks of emotion from Scott that seemed real, but for the most part, each actor/actress appeared to me to be simply walking through their scenes.

I also felt that George C. Scott, while able to come across as a mean, heartless person, seemed to either whisper/growl or shout. He didn’t appear to have any other motivation than to yell a lot. In fact, it seemed that almost every character in this rendition seemed more abrasive and less likable. Even the ghosts seemed more rude and snippety than they had before. I must admit, though, that the casting of Tiny Tim (and the dreadful look they gave him) was a great plus to the film.

Spiritually speaking, the film can present a bit of a quandary for the Christian viewer. Where is God in all of this? There doesn’t appear to be a need for a Savior when Jacob Marley can come back from the dead to warn us of the dangers of an unrepentant life, accompanied by three ghosts. However, if we turn this around and see it as sinful man (Scrooge) needing salvation (the change of heart that comes after the visit of the three ghosts) then suddenly we have a story of repentance that’s already woven into our “cultural subconscious”. The story of Scrooge can also show what happens to someone that gives their heart to the wrong thing (money vs. the love of God’s creation).

If you only get to see one “Christmas Carol” this year, the recent TNT retelling of “A Christmas Carol” starring Patrick Stewart is a much better choice than the George C. Scott film.

Black Widow (Christian Movie Review)

Final Verdict: A compelling action flick, a surprisingly meaningful story, and a refreshing entry into the MCU that unfortunately comes several years too late. 

About The Film

After multiple delays, Phase Four of the sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe kicks off with the long-awaited Black Widow standalone film. While I’ve enjoyed most Marvel films, I’m in the minority of people who have grown increasingly indifferent to the unfolding MCU story. The same established template that maintains consistently high quality can also make each entry feel like the same movie in a new coat of paint. So I was a little caught off guard at how much I enjoyed Black Widow. In fact, this is one of the best and freshest Marvel films in years.   

The film’s opening hardly feels like a Marvel film at all. The further into the (once again, overly long) runtime the more it does begin to feel like a standard Marvel movie, but along the way it offers enough interesting ideas and set pieces to set itself apart and stand out in the crowded superhero genre.

The action is more Jason Bourne-inspired than the physics-defying, “floaty” action typical of many recent comic book films. In fact, the fight scenes are perhaps the most brutal and “weighty” of any MCU film. The film also has the expected Marvel-brand of humor. There are some genuinely hilarious moments, particularly with David Harbour’s amusing Red Guardian character. Fellow MCU newcomer, Florence Pugh, is also a standout. She is fantastic in her role, and responsible for many of the most emotional and funny moments. She is a great addition to the MCU.   

Not to be overshadowed by her excellent co-stars, Scarlett Johansson is capable as ever in the role of Black Widow. No fault of her own, but I’ve never found her character all that interesting, particularly when she has been surrounded by far more captivating heroes and characters. Finally given her moment in the spotlight, however, she gives a much more nuanced and absorbing performance than I expected. She is a flawed hero, and Johansson really sells the inner turmoil.

Perhaps the most refreshing aspect of Black Widow is that the fate of the world does not hang in the balance. There are no “beams in the sky” or impending nuclear explosions. Instead, the stakes are deeply personal. The MCU gets well-deserved criticism for its typically lousy villains, and many viewers will likely feel the same with Black Widow . I disagree. The story’s primary conflict is between Black Widow and her past, not between her and some new villainous threat. Without giving any spoilers, the villains are perfectly, even poetically, suited for this task. No, they’re not very memorable, but they serve the story while never stealing attention away from Black Widow.  

In the end, it becomes painfully clear that this movie should have been released several years ago had Marvel/Disney had any faith in a female-led superhero film. The film would have added a lot to Black Widow’s significant role in Avengers: Endgame. Instead, because of its awkward placement in the MCU timeline, it ends up feeling more like an irrelevant afterthought. That’s a shame, because it’s one of the best stand-alone Marvel films since Captain America: Winter Soldier.           

For Consideration

Profanity: A handful of mild profanities (mostly “s—”), and several uses of the Lord’s name in vain (“omg,” etc.).     

Sexuality: Black Widow is shown from behind taking off her shirt, but in a non-sexual manner. Later, a character explains being given a forced hysterectomy in graphic terms, although it is played as a darkly humorous moment.  

Violence: Standard MCU/superhero violence. Characters bleed after fighting and several characters are shown with disfigured faces.

Engage the Film

#metoo and female abuse  .

There have been some growing pains with the first wave of female-led superhero films. Captain Marvel was a disaster, while DC’s Birds of Prey and Wonder Woman 1984 were both misfires. Too often, these films felt like a feminist soapbox rather than a compelling story. Thus, it is to the immense credit of relatively unknown director Cate Shortland that Black Widow manages to successfully delve into serious themes without ever feeling heavy handed.

The #MeToo movement is at the heart of Black Widow . Rather than shout a “Boys are pigs. Girl power!” message, the film takes a more mature approach by examining the emotional impact of abuse on the various black widow characters. Similarly, the film condemns the cowardly character of abusive men without resorting to a sweeping denunciation of all men. The film “shows” rather than “tells,” providing a vivid snapshot of the devastating impact of abuse and the healing process to overcome it. Ironically, because Black Widow is not a super powered character, her journey to overcome the abuse of her past becomes a far more empowering story than a supercharged hero like Captain Marvel taking out entire star fleets with ease.

Overcoming Our Past  

 “Your pain only makes us stronger,” says Rachel Weisz’s character; a mantra repeated throughout the film.There is undoubtably a certain degree of self-help and self-empowerment in the message. Yet, the general theme of facing and overcoming the hurt or regret in our past is one that can resonate with Christian viewers. Our past is an important part of our story, but it does not define us.

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‘Savanna and the Mountain’ Review: Brechtian Documentary Shines Light on the Ugly Nuances of Environmentalism

Christian zilko.

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Covas do Barroso sits on top of massive lithium deposits, and a British company called Savannah Resources has begun the legal proceedings to use eminent domain to build Europe’s largest open-cast lithium mine where the town currently stands. It’s a tale as old as time: Businessmen and politicians flood the region with promises of job creation and economic growth, while the villagers are skeptical that they’ll be the ones who actually see any of the benefits. Most of them lack formal education and only know how to live off the land in the ways that their ancestors taught them. To them, taking away their traditions is as good as killing them. So they gradually begin to talk and demonstrate as their concern evolves into opposition before eventually becoming full-on resistance. Related Stories ‘Black Dog’ Review: The 2008 Olympics Cast Shadows Over a Lost Soul and His Lost Dog in Guan Hu’s Desert Noir ‘My Sunshine’ Review: Hiroshi Okuyama’s Lilting, Lovely Coming-of-Ager Skates at the Edge of Darkness

“Savanna and the Mountain” exists somewhere on the spectrum between Bertolt Brecht and Abbas Kiarostami , capturing the villagers’ town meetings and protests in a manner that looks realistic but is actually a recreation of previous events (though the actual fight over the lithium mine remains ongoing). The distressed vignettes are intercut with protest songs that could have been ripped from “The Threepenny Opera” and grainy nature footage that showcases the region as a natural cowboy oasis that has remained untouched by modernity.

The quest to keep our planet beautiful and inhabitable is a noble one, and the people who feel the most urgency about slowing down global warming are likely to be equally passionate about the preservation of existing ecosystems. But while it might be comforting to frame the issues as one overarching battle between evil corporations whose greed is destroying the planet and the environmentalists who could save the world if only someone would listen to them, “Savanna and the Mountain” is a perfect example of the limitations of that kind of black-and-white thinking.

The film specifies that the proposed lithium mine in Covas do Barroso was necessitated by the European Union’s crackdown on CO2 emitting vehicles. All cars sold in the EU after 2035 need to be electric or powered by other alternative fuels, which has in turn created a massive spike in demand for lithium batteries. The reduction in automotive emissions in major European cities will be an objectively good thing for the planet, even if it means that humans have to devote more natural resources to mining lithium. Despite the film’s desire to valorize the townpeople’s resistance to the mine, the global ecosystem would actually be worse off if they succeeded.

All of which is to say that a serious and realistic effort to fight climate change will be fundamentally incompatible with a pantheistic worldview that seeks to shield nature from any kind of manmade, corporate-led development. Sometimes you have to build that evil-looking mine to stop the polar icecaps from melting. The process of safeguarding our planet for future generations may end up feeling like a massive chess game in which humanity will have to be strategic about sacrificing a few pawns to protect our kings and queens. But even those among us who are optimistic about our species’ prospects of rising to the occasion ought to heed films like “Savanna and the Mountain” as a reminder that old habits die hard — and that promises of being part of the larger solution are not a sufficient consolation prize to those left behind.

“Savanna and the Mountain” premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. It is currently seeking U.S. distribution.

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'Madame Web' Review: Dakota Johnson Gets Trapped in Her Own 'Morbius'

Sony's 'Madame Web' is an utterly tedious slog of a movie drained of fun visuals and, most pressingly, any sense of tangible humanity.

The Big Picture

• Madame Web 's uninspired cinematography and drab visuals waste the potential of the early 2000s setting.
• Awkward writing and directing result in characters that lack depth and authenticity.
• Madame Web fails to deliver the laughs and thrills expected from a superhero movie.

Credit where credit is due, Madame Web kicks off its runtime by giving the people what they want: a mom researching spiders in the Amazon right before she dies . The first scene of this comic book movie centers on the mother of Cassandra "Cassie" Webb scoping out arachnids in the Amazon with the seemingly trustworthy Ezekiel Sims ( Tahar Rahim ) by her side. However, as these two characters begin to talk, something is immediately obviously wrong. Words are rigidly spit out of the mouths of the actors on-screen rather than delivered with verve. This pair of souls are speaking as if they've never engaged in a conversation before! Director S.J. Clarkson fails to instill any excitement or tangible humanity in their rapport. The stilted line deliveries here are enough to make one wonder if the projectionist has accidentally played a Neil Breen movie by mistake.

Alas, no such luck. This scene merely functions as a warning to the viewer about what the next two hours of Madame Web entail. A slew of performers look as lost Webb’s mom as they navigate a script (penned by Clarkson alongside Matt Sazama , Burk Sharpless , and Claire Parker ) that never feels fully comfortable in its skin. Whether it’s trying to be funny, exciting, or intense, Madame Web always comes off as awkward and in dire need of a human touch. Save for offering up an instantly memeable moment where Dakota Johnson says “You did it!” in an inappropriately condescending tone, Madame Web has little to give moviegoers.

Cassandra Webb is a New York City paramedic who starts to show signs of clairvoyance. Forced to confront revelations about her past, she must protect three young women from a mysterious adversary who wants them dead.

What Is Going on in 'Madame Web?'

The critical flaw that deflates Madame Web is its lack of consistent tension . An urgency to protect these teenagers drives Webb to help a trio of people she initially believes are just strangers. Sims is a powerful man and they need protecting! However, on two different occasions, after this problem is established, Webb nonchalantly leaves the trio behind on their own so she can discover fragments of her backstory. One of those trips even involves our hero traveling outside of the country for a week! It’s hard to buy Sims as a threat if Webb feels comfortable leaving his targets unprotected in the forest for hours at a time.

Worse than a creaky narrative devoid of suspense, though, is how much Madame Web’s writing strains to emulate teenage girls cracking wise with each other or any other kind of positive human emotion . This is a screenplay that speaks in backstory and surface-level comic book references (like Sims always being barefoot). It doesn’t understand how people actually interact with one another.

A scene of Webb attending a BBQ with her pals, for instance, depicts “lively banter” containing all the naturalism of Peter Lorre trying to freestyle rap. This is supposed to be a gathering between friends, but none of the heroes and villains in Madame Web seem cozy with one another . Other lighter moments (like the three teenage leads dancing on a diner table for the approval of some boys) meant to flesh out characters are executed with discouragingly little spirit or believable humanity. Those diner shenanigans, for instance, come off as a rote recreation of teenage rebellion rather than something with real energy or passion (it doesn’t help that the personalities of these three individuals are tediously interchangeable even when they're bending the rules). In terms of ordinary interactions between human beings, only Johnson's genuinely amusing dry wit as she nonchalantly references her mom dying during childbirth at an otherwise chipper baby shower feels human.

Save for that one humorous sequence leaning on Johnson's best assets as an actor, Madame Web's attempts to flesh out its characters suffer from the same silted lines and awkwardly inhuman performances that plagued its prologue . Stan Lee once proclaimed that the creative impetus for Spider-Man in the first place was to put a teenager just like the reader into the world of superhero mayhem. Madame Web runs counter to that ethos with its batch of characters who never come off as authentic. They’re unrecognizably human individuals getting into antics that have no concrete emotional grounding. Good luck getting invested in anything on-screen.

How Does 'Madame Web' Look Visually?

Clarkson’s de facto visual style for Madame Web occasionally leans heavily on crooked camera angles and intentionally jagged editing by Leigh Folsom Boyd to communicate how Webb is now a woman permanently out of time. Her present and future are always colliding, so the images on-screen also overlap in what space in time they occupy. The most visually evocative scene of Madame Web depicts Webb and Sims talking about the trio of teenagers without ever moving their lips while occupying a sort of astral plane. This heightened conversation makes good use of that disorienting fusion of differing periods and personas.

Unfortunately, it’s the only real burst of creativity Madame Web offers. Otherwise, Webb’s superpowers are reflected through editing and camera angles reminiscent of so many other movies where people are aware of what the future entails ( namely time-loop films like Palm Springs or Groundhog Day ). Meanwhile, Clarkson, Boyd, and cinematographer Mauro Fiore disappointingly fail to lean into visual impulses that evoke the movie’s 2003 setting. Imagine if more of Madame Web’s filmmaking was reminiscent of early 2000s media like the “you wouldn’t steal a car” PSA . Perhaps then this superhero feature would finally have a sense of visual identity to it!

Reinforcing the blah visual aesthetic in Madame Web is the complete lack of colorful superhero costumes save for very brief glimpses into the future in just two scenes of the entire movie. Just eight months after Sony’s own Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse plastered movie theater screens worldwide with vibrant visions of superhero attire, Madame Web now has its leading ladies evading evil in completely ordinary outfits. This is a “grounded” superhero movie, with even the “evil” Spider-Man outfit donned by Ezekiel Sims drained of nearly all its color. Even darker weighty features like Certified Copy and The Northman have more variety in their color palette than this superhero movie blockbuster! Trying to lend “realism” to such an innately heightened character like Madame Web was always going to be a fool’s errand. Going this boring route merely solidifies Madame Web’s total lack of visual imagination .

'Madame Web' Will Leave Your Brain Instantly

The actors inhabiting Madame Web have done great work elsewhere , whether it’s Rahim in A Prophet , O'Connor in Selah and the Spades , or Johnson in The Lost Daughter . At their best, these performers have earned a positive reputation as artists for taking bold swings that stick in your mind long after the movies they inhabit finish playing. What a tragedy, then, that these actors have become trapped in Madame Web . The only thing that’s remotely memorable about this project is its most incompetent bits of filmmaking, like the distractingly awkward ADR work and editing surrounding Rahim’s performance leaving him rarely visibly speaking on-screen (think Val Kilmer in The Snowman ).

Beyond even those staggeringly amateurish filmmaking flourishes, Madame Web has none of the laughs or thrills that general audiences come to superhero movies for. Much like Morbius from two years ago, it’s a pale imitation of comic book motion pictures from the past. In this case, Web cribs pools of magic water, unresolved parental trauma, teenage superhero antics, and other elements from the last two decades of Marvel adaptations. Going that route merely makes Madame Web feel like a half-hearted rerun, though, rather than automatically rendering it as good as The Avengers or Across the Spider-Verse . Not even immediately delivering that sweet “moms researching spiders in the Amazon before they die” action right away can salvage Madame Web .

Madame Web wastes a talented cast on a superhero movie shockingly devoid of tangible humanity.

• Dakota Johnson has one scene of wry humor at a baby shower.
• Uninspired cinematography fails to take advantage of the early 2000's setting.
• Awkward writing and directing leave the characters feeling like shells of themselves.
• Drab visuals don't capture the vibrancy of the heightened source material.

Madame Web is now available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.

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• Cast & crew

The Firing Squad

Based on the true story of three Christian prisoners who face execution their joy in Christ stuns the entire prison camp. Based on the true story of three Christian prisoners who face execution their joy in Christ stuns the entire prison camp. Based on the true story of three Christian prisoners who face execution their joy in Christ stuns the entire prison camp.

• Timothy A. Chey
• James Barrington
• Kevin Sorbo
• Cuba Gooding Jr.
• 16 Critic reviews

• Pastor Lynbrook

• Samuel Wilson

• Captain Tanu

• Miriam Rosenbaum

• Adam Markman
• Eddie Salmagian
• Joney Halmashian

• Karen Armstrong
• Winston Senayan

• John Thornton

• Judge Samudra

• President Hartono

• Goran Rajiahdiah

• Prosecutor Setiawan
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia Production was halted due to Kevin Sorbo wanting to make this an animated children's film involving talking animals. They eventually decided the topic would be too dark for a children's movie.
• August 2, 2024 (United States)
• United States
• Official Site
• The Epoch Times
• Rock Studios
• Epoch Studios
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 33 minutes

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