Dir. Steven Spielberg
Cast: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance, Simon Pegg
Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

“In 2045 there’s nowhere left to go, nowhere, except The Oasis …”

In the year 2045, the real world has become such a harsh place that most of humanity choose to spend their time in a virtual reality called ‘Ontologically Anthropocentric Sensory Immersive Simulation’ or OASIS.
Socially awkward teenage Wade Watts (Tye ‘Cyclops from X-Men’ Sheridan) only truly feels alive is when he jacks in to the OASIS – where he is known as his avatar ‘Parzival’.
When eccentric tech whizz James Halliday (Mark Rylance), who created the OASIS dies, he leaves a legacy challenge – all his immense fortune and total control of the OASIS will pass to the winner of a three-part video game contest designed to find a truly worthy heir. Cue a battle royale between the gamers of the world and the sinister IOI corporation for control.
Based on the geek-tastic novel by Ernest Cline, Ready Player One see Steven Spielberg set a high score for video game / film crossover movies. It’s a total joy watching such a wealth of references collide in one film. From the moment Parzival jumps into the Back To The Future DeLorean in order to race against Lara Croft driving the A-Team van, Batman in his classic series Batmobile and the enigmatically cool Art3mis (Olivia ‘Bates Motel’ Cooke) riding Kaneda’s motorbike from Akria, anyone with even a passing love of films will break into a smile …
There are just too many to list, with blink and you’ll miss them visual ‘Easter Eggs’ in virtually every scene. I loved the extended The Shining sequence from the book too (which might scare / go over the head of younger viewers) as Parzival and his ‘High Five’ crew must battle through the horrors of The Overlook Hotel to win one of the contest levels.
I don’t think there have ever been so many 80s pop culture references packed in to a movie – from the soundtrack that uses classics like Van Halen’s ‘Jump’ and New Order’s ‘Blue Monday’, through to quoting dialogue from John Hughes films and more … this is a film that demands repeat watching in order to appreciate everything going on.
The nerd-em-up story moves at breakneck speed and the climactic showdown is the stuff of legend, liable to discussed for years to come. The scene stealing star of the film is a superb cameo by the Iron Giant which should make people want to revisit the excellent Brad Bird film from 1999.
With unmatched use of CGI to create something truly incredible, Ready Player One will scorch your endorphin sensors as pop-culture eats itself in a most delicious way. Essential viewing.

Thinking Material: Who are you online?

Ready Player One has a deeper level too – it riffs as a cool satire on our increasingly virtual lives. It’s a human need to find an escape from things when life gets tough. Whether it’s movies, television, books and now more than ever – online, we have a growing number of options in how get away from reality for a while.
Online we get to choose how we present ourselves, our Facebook feeds can be an unreal ‘greatest hits’ of our lives (which can both inspire but also demotivate others who compare and see their existences a just ‘not as fun;). Or even worse when used by believers to present a hypocritical ‘holier than thou’ persona who seems to be living a perfect Christian walk with God – when in reality it can be a very different story. At the even more extreme level there are numerous horror stories of dodgy people masquerading as innocents to win the trust of young and/ or vulnerable people – but pretending to be being somebody we’re not doesn’t have to necessarily be a negative.
As in The Matrix, the aspirational online avatars used in The Oasis are representations of our inner self ‘fantasising’ as to who we’d like to be. Of course it’s vital to remember the line between reality and fiction – that your alter ego isn’t a solution to real world issues but it is possible to inspire and be a positive influence online. In real life, however, it’s important to channel any online persona you have in a way to complement and even support the person you are in the real world. Because as Parzival says: “as terrifying and painful as reality can be, it’s also the only place where you can find true happiness. Because reality is real …”

Rating:

*****
5 out of 5 stars
Related Viewing: Scott Pilgrim vs The World, Rick & Morty, Stranger Things

Dir. Garth Davis
Cast: Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tahar Rahim, Ariane Labed, Ryan Corr, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina
Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

“The world will only change as we change. I will not be silent. I will be heard.”

The enduring image of Mary Magdalene has had a tough reputation both in the Church and popular culture – thanks in no small part to Pope Gregory the Great who in the 6th Century proclaimed that she was a prostitute and a sinner. This is despite none of the four gospels saying as much. The name Magdalene is thought to come from the Aramaic word “Magdala” which means “tower” or “elevated” and now, thanks to this new screen adaptation of Christ’s life through her eyes she may finally get some wider redemption.
The writing team of Helen Edmundson and Philippa Goslett along with director Garth ‘Lion’ Davis present Mary Magdalene as an intelligent, resourceful woman, misunderstood because she refused to conform to the strict male orders in matters like who she was to be married off to. When she decides to leave her family, and follow Jesus, a huge societal ‘no-no’ at the time, some claim that she is possessed by demons. But in a key personal scene with Jesus (which she gets several of), she questions whether there is something truly amiss within her, telling him that if there is, it “must have always been in me”, he simply looks at her and assures that “there are no demons here.”

Rooney ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’ Mara brings Mary to life with an intensity and respect that shows her as an intimate witness to many of the biblically recorded events. Jesus (Joaquin ‘You Were Never Really Here’ Phoenix) is presented as thoughtful, just-charismatic-enough and fully human in a restrained performance, a million miles away from the Jesus Christ Superstar persona.
The plot of this Apostle-em-up certainly ticks off many of the well-worn Biblical narrative beats including Christ’s interaction with Lazarus, the money lenders in the temple, and his teaching the crowds. Phoenix depicts Jesus as having moments of very human exhaustion after his miracles which shows how his disciples had practical roles in supporting him.
Speaking of disciples there are strong turns from Chiwetel Ejiofor as Peter who often bumps heads with Mary, and Tahar Rahim brings a fascinating motivation to his Judas who is painted in a less damning – more misguided light.
Some may baulk at the film’s somewhat sombre tone, find the leisurely pace too slow or the plot overly introspective, but this Mary’s tale makes for a thought-provoking experience which is worth soaking up on the big screen.

Thinking Material: Female Empowerment is Biblical

Mary Magdalene is a film that empowers its female lead character, and at the screening I attended some of the theologians from King’s College were there to explain the authenticity. I got the chance to ask New Testament expert Michelle Fletcher for her thoughts and she explained:

“We know women were disciples, on the road, in crowds, following Jesus. But seldom do we see this. As a New Testament scholar, I spend my time re-inscribing these women and their experiences back into the biblical text. Finally, here is a film that does the same. And refreshingly, this Mary Magdalene is not a post-feminist product for us to consume, but rather a window into another world. She allows us to experience what it would have been like to be a female follower of Jesus in a way that previous bro-fest productions have not. Stunning cinematography and subtle scripting go a long way to facilitate this. Indeed, it is such a visceral production, during which I could almost feel the water on my skin and the damp mist on the ground. And on top of this, it presents a figure who somehow manages to hold in tension the complications of feminist dialogues. That’s a rare thing in cinema, and for a Bible film? Well, it’s definitely something to see, and to celebrate.”

This is certainly Mary’s film and it is her piercing gaze that will stay with you long after the credits roll. I fully enjoyed seeing Mary restored to a position of authority as a key apostle of Jesus and an important element of the early church in her own standing.

Rating:

***
3 out of 5 stars
Related Films: The Passion of the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, Risen

Free Resources

Damaris Media have produced a discussion guide in partnership with Mothers’ Union. Individuals and groups can download the FREE Companion Booklet which explores the issues addressed within the film from a Biblical perspective.

Dir. Francis Lawrence
Cast: Charlotte Rampling, Ciarán Hinds, Douglas Hodge, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Irons, Joel de la Fuente, Joel Edgerton
Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

“Every human being is a puzzle of need. You must become the missing piece and they will tell you anything.”

Sex is a weapon in this brutal espionage-em-up which sees Jennifer Lawrence star as Dominika Egorova, a prima ballerina, who becomes coerced into a dangerous high-level intelligence operation.
Forced into an abrupt career change, Dominika becomes a ‘Sparrow’ a secret branch of the Russian intelligence network where the recruits were trained in a depersonalized type of manipulative sexual training to seduce targets and extract information.
What follows is a kind of slow burn cat-and-mouse game of intrigue as she stalks her prey – CIA agent Nate Nash (Joel Edgerton) – with a view to winning his trust and finding the name of the high level Russian mole he is in contact with.
As the two collide, things get muddled as Dominika employs her ‘special skills’ on Nate and in the charged atmosphere of trade-craft, deception, and forbidden passion the only question is who is playing who?

Director Francis Lawrence (no relation), reunites with Jennifer Lawrence after working together on several Hunger Games films and the reward is one of Jo-L’s bravest performances to date. Red Sparrow isn’t really an action film even though it covers similar ground to last year’s Atomic Blonde or the classic La Femme Nikita but it does feature some crunching violence and much sexualised nudity.
Charlotte Rampling and Jeremy Irons are on hand to offer some classy support on the Russian side and Douglas Hodge gives good sleaze as Dominika’s Budapest Bureau chief. Speaking of sleaze, Red Sparrow is not a feminist friendly film – whilst based on an actual and disturbing use of women to wield their bodies as tool for the Motherland, it does feel exploitative at times.
The plot is engaging in a nasty way but the film reaches for wannabe ‘epic’ status with an unnecessarily bloated running time of well over two hours. Red Sparrow pushes the limits for a 15 rating with very strong violence and torture as well as the sexual content. It certainly makes for uncomfortable watching at points and isn’t a feel good popcorn flick by any means.
So this Sparrow isn’t for everyone and won’t be remembered as a classic but it does effectively capture the paranoid feel of not being able to trust anyone and atmosphere of just how depressed life in Russia was.

Thinking Material: Be careful who you fall for

Back in the day Pat Benatar sang “Stop using sex as a weapon – You know you’re already my obsession …” Red Sparrow shines a light on the very unseemly practices that the Russians used in the Cold War espionage battle – basically forcing their Sparrow agents to prostitute themselves in order to gain emotional currency with targets and extract their secrets.
We live in a still incredibly sexualised society, it’s hard to believe how popular purely trashy film like 50 Shades of Grey are etc. But are films like Red Sparrow any less demeaning? The fact that sex appeal is used to sell products, influence people and is seen as a key measure of people is a message that is tragically still prevalent, creating an enormous amount of expectation and pressure that has an impact on well-being, on self-confidence, on relationships – so many facets of life.
It can be tough to not respond to the pressure points of sexual manipulation, but not impossible. This is why initiatives like the #MeToo movement are so timely and will hopefully engender a seed change across society but it will take time and its essential that men get behind them.
Films like Red Sparrow which deal in exploitative sexualisation (even as part of highlighting a dark chapter of history) can feed dangerous obsessive appetites, but perhaps there is a key learning point from this movie: Be careful who you give your heart to. There are those of both genders who will use sex as a weapon – and the heartbreak and fallout can be devastating.

Rating:

***
3 out of 5 stars
Related Films: La Femme Nikita, Atomic Blonde, Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy

Dir. Guillermo del Toro
Cast: Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Strickland, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, Michael Stuhlbargas, Octavia Spencer and Nick Searcy.
Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

“If I told you about her, what would I say? That they lived happily ever after?”

It’s tough enough falling for someone, at any point in your life. Before you know it, a special spark can arc between you and someone completely unexpected or from so left field that it doesn’t even feel real until you’re in the moment and head-over-heels? But it’s probably a lot harder if you developed feelings for, erm, a fish person?
Meet Elisa Esposito (Sally ‘Mary Brown in Paddington’ Hawkins), a mute janitor working at a top-secret government research institution. Her life is one of simple pleasures such as watching TV with her older neighbour Giles, boiling eggs or taking baths.
Her days are monotonous but Elisa keeps her spirits up, helped by her one friend at work Zelda Fuller (Octavia ‘The Shack’ Spencer). Everything changes when a strange cross between man and fish creature from South-America is captured and brought to the laboratory to be studied. This Amphibian Man (Doug ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ Jones) seems to be sad so Elisa begins to secretly feed eggs, play him music and the two begin an unlikely friendship …

Of course, the path of interspecies love never does run straight (this isn’t a Beauty & The Beast scenario) but there is certainly a ‘boo-hiss’ baddie. Sadistic security guard Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon) takes pleasure in torturing the creature who bites off two fingers of his fingers in return … Thus making Strickland vow to destroy it.
So the scene is set for a dark otherworldly romance, a tale short through with strangeness and joy, heartbreak, violence and danger. The performances are excellent, the writing, directing and visuals all work together to make a really unique cinematic experience.
Director Guillermo del Toro is great at creating weird and wonderful stories and The Shape of Water certainly deserves all the awards buzz it is getting.
It seems that kindred relationships can come in all shapes, sizes, creeds, genders and even include fish people … The Shape of Water will make you want to fall in love whatever the barriers, costs or danger – and for that reason it’s a great film of choice for Valentine’s Day and beyond.

Thinking Material: Help I’m in love with a fish …

Falling for someone (anyone) can be an unnerving and difficult experience – most of us fortunately won’t have a blood thirsty sadist chasing you and trying to kill the one you love like happens in the film. But it is always a balancing act of making yourself vulnerable and not wanting to get hurt – especially if the one you’ve lost your heart to doesn’t necessarily return the feelings or moves on to someone else.
The Shape of Water is a great film to watch and discuss because of it raises the issues of love being more than skin deep, of loving someone who society says you really shouldn’t and of asking what is worth risking to find your soul mate.
Those with friends who are believers can find it hard to be open about their feelings for fear of being judged. Let’s not be those people who make it tough for others, I think God would want us to try to be understanding of whatever situation those we know find themselves in. Speaking wisdom and guidance is one thing but in affairs of the heart it is easy to become overly preachy, when guys in particular may just want to share how they are feeling without getting a lecture on what they are going through.
There’s definitely something fishy about this romantic dark fantasy – and it’s not just that it doesn’t hold back on any level so there is some nudity, violence and peril to go along with the warm and fuzzy stuff. In that way it’s a lot like life then really!?

Rating:

*****
5 out of 5 stars
Related Films: The Creature From The Black Lagoon, Beauty & The Beast, Pan’s Labyrinth

Dir. Martin McDonagh
Cast: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, John Hawkes, Peter Dinklage, Abbie Cornish, Caleb Landry Jones, Kathryn Newton, Lucas Hedges
Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

“You know, if you hadn’t stopped coming to church, you’d have a little more understanding of people’s feelings …”

Not much can prepare you for this brutally dark comic drama from Academy Award nominee Martin ‘In Bruges’ McDonagh. The harrowing story is set some months after the horrific rape and murder of a young woman called Angela Hayes (Kathryn Newton). The police have made no progress in finding a suspect so Angela’s mother Mildred (Academy Award winner – and surely potentially in line for another for her stunning performance here – Frances McDormand) commissions three billboard signs leading into her town with a controversial message calling out William Willoughby (Woody Harrelson), the town’s revered chief of police.
What follows is a battle of wills between Mildred and Ebbing’s law enforcement, with the townsfolk’s emotions running high. As anger, bigotry and violence come to the surface, the lives of everyone are impacted.
Joining Mildred on her heart-felt quest for justice is a wildly unpredictable ride, one moment you’ll be rocked by the gut churning raw grief and recriminations, the next marvelling at some wonderful laugh-out-loud dialogue. It’s a killer combo of superb acting and incredible cinematography that elevates Three Billboards to a classic status.
McDormand gives a master class in how loss and grief can embitter the human soul, this is an insight into the long uneasy road towards finding any sort of peace. The mix of dark and comedic tones is a tricky balancing act but director McDonagh nails it.
The entire cast are excellent but the stand-out supporting role is Sam Rockwell as Dixon, a flawed, racist cop whose volatile, childish behaviour is a danger to everyone around him. Rockwell takes his unlikable character on a tremendous arc of development, which will challenge you about how everyone should have a chance at redemption. Woody Harrelson, Peter Dinklage, John Hawk and Caleb Landry Jones are also great though.
All the characters are flawed and the painful subject matter doesn’t make it easy watching, but it is rare that a film like this comes along and all the positive / awards buzz around Three Billboards is fully justified.

Thinking Material

This is a film with a strong moral heart but church-going believers don’t come across in a very good light. There is a blistering scene where the local Minister tries to talk Mildred into taking the signs down and her response is something everyone who has ever been part of a church should listen to. Raising the question of culpability by ‘membership’ and just how much we actually care or hold each other accountable – which gives huge pause for thought.
Those who have seen Seven Psychopaths or In Bruges will know that there is very little that is ‘out of bounds’ where McDonagh’s cinematic output but watching these characters wrestle with the anger and consequences of their deep anguish is as emotionally draining as it is thought provoking.
Ultimately though the central message is that even deeply wounded people can find a reason to live, a purpose and to not only transcend themselves, but walk a path to redemption.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a masterpiece – a film that will scorch your soul and challenge you but also leave you thinking through how you approach those around you and just maybe make you a better person as a result.

Rating:

*****
5 out of 5 stars
Related Films: In Bruges, Nocturnal Animals

Dir. Rian Johnson
Cast: Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, Carrie Fisher, Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Daniels, Laura Dern, Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Andy Serkis
Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

“We are the spark, that will light the fire that’ll burn the First Order down …”

The cinematic galaxy far, far away is calling you once again. Young wannabe Jedi Rey (Daisy Ridley) is trying to convince the legendary Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) to come out of self-imposed retirement. It’s a desperate time for what’s left of the Resistance led by General Leia (Carrie Fisher) who are being ruthlessly exterminated by the evil First Order under the command of Supreme Leader Snoke aided by the twisted Kylo Ren (Adam Driver).
Can one old Jedi make the difference? Does Luke even care anymore? Can Rey resist the compulsive lure of the Dark Side of the Force? And will there be any redemption for Kylo after committing awful crimes? So many questions …
The Last Jedi picks up the story shortly after where The Force Awakens finished and sees Rey and Kylo take centre stage – they are somehow psychically linked and they tussle to try and get the other to join their side, plus we get to see them both kicking ass with lightsabers, although it’s certainly not a rerun of the last film’s duel.
Also instrumental in the plot is the long serving fan favourite Millennium Falcon along with Chewbacca who makes some new cute Porg friends, hotshot – and hot-headed – X-wing pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) still isn’t good at taking orders and one time Stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega) still burns with vengeance against his former employers. Rolling droid BB8 is also back and manages to steal many scenes proving to be a real crowd pleaser and both Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill bring excellent gravitas to their roles.
Speaking of the baddies, the First Order, has bumbling ‘how does he even have a job?’ General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) and the shiny suited enforcer Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie) plus some new additions.
The good news is that The Last Jedi is jammed packed both with incredible cinematic spectacle and personal drama. This is a new sort of Star Wars that mixes some very funny comic lines with many powerful dark desperate situations.
Director Rian Johnson who made the excellent alternative gangster thriller Brick and the time jumping Looper feels right at home building the mythos around the Force and the Jedi, crafting a take on the Star Wars universe which is unlike any that has gone before.
This a bold and brilliant addition to the intergalactic franchise which should be witnessed on the biggest screen you can find. There is life in the Force yet …

Thinking Material

The Last Jedi deals heavily in the themes of why people are motivated to either heroic acts of sacrifice and bravery, or negative impulses such as betrayal, greed and personal power. There is also a fascinating exchange about an arms dealer who the heroes condemn until a scroll through the virtual catalogue shows that this person was providing X-wings to the resistance as well as Tie Fighters to the First Order.
There are some great ‘what would you do’ situations what will make you ponder how you’re living your life. One character explains their actions by saying: “We’re going to win not by fighting what we hate, but by saving what we love.”
The fascinating mythos around The Force is interesting too for those who have beliefs. Luke who has become disillusioned with the Jedi is on the brink of destroying their hallowed tomes and letting all trace of their ‘religion’ fade away whilst Kylo Ren tells Rey to “Let the past die. Kill it, if you have to. That’s the only way to become what you are meant to be” in an attempt to show her that her destiny is being held back by her attachment to the past and those she cares for.
We live in a world where virtually every decision we make will have repercussions for positive or negative – walking a karma neutral line isn’t often an option. Alas we don’t have the chance to ‘use the Force’ either – but maybe given the lure of the Dark Side that might not actually be a bad thing …

CVM Rating:

****1/2
4.5 out of 5 stars
Related Films: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Dir: Danny Boyle
Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

“You’re a tourist in your own youth …”

Choose life.  Choose Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and hope that someone, somewhere cares. Choose looking up old flames, wishing you’d done it all differently and choose watching history repeat itself … Choose being challenged and engaged by an incredible sequel to one of the coolest films of all time.
Here we are then, after 20 years Director Danny ‘Steve Jobs’ Boyle brings Irvine Welsh’s druggie scallywags back to the big screen in this powerful sequel based loosely on the novel Porno. Much has changed – Mark ‘Rent-boy’ Renton (Ewan McGregor) has escaped the drugs ironically living in Amsterdam – but nagging regrets about ripping off his friends sees him return to the only place he can ever really call home.
Waiting for him are his old ‘pals’ – lifetime loser Spud (Ewen Bremner), Simon / ‘Sick Boy’ (Jonny Lee Miller), and furious psycho Begbie (Robert Carlyle). Also there is Diane (Kelly Macdonald) Renton’s ‘one that got away’ and a host of sorrow, loss, joy, vengeance, hatred, friendship, love, longing, fear, regret, heroin, self-destruction, oh, and mortal danger …
New to the troubled goings on is Veronika (the excellent Anjela Nedyalkova), she’s Simon’s girlfriend / partner in a criminal activity but she immediately catches Renton’s eye which could put strain on their already fraught relationship. Cue violence, sex, swearing (so much swearing) and all sorts of negative behaviour that is liable to offend so approach with caution.
While T2 can’t hope to match the iconic freshness of the original, it certainly brings a fascinating take on a full on cinematic mid-life nostalgia. Perhaps it’s because I’m the same age as Renton but his seeking for meaning and redemption is one that I can see resonating with many who pause to take stock of their lives. Just what have you achieved? Who really loves you and who do you really care about? What is there left for you going forward?
Boyle does a great job of delivering both a reality check for sentimental fans of the original and a cool account of the further chaos that follows these characters around like restless malevolent shadows. The cinematography is excellent, there’s a pumping new soundtrack which includes the awesome ‘Silk’ by Wolf Alice and some great vibrant jumbled visuals that keep this very much in the vein of the first film.

Thinking Material

Life – what’s it all about eh? T2 really hits home with the self-analysis of its leading male characters which is refreshing as this isn’t something tackled enough by mainstream movies. When Spud decides to end it all – his farewell note to his long suffering wife is one of the most tragic things you’ll ever witness (it’s also on the excellent soundtrack set to sounds of Underworld – which is really worth a listen even if you’re not planning to see the film).
The nostalgic memories of childhood, teenage antics, student days and working life can be viewed through overly fond ‘rosy glasses’ and the disappointment of reality can be a crushing blow. Who doesn’t have a dream, a girl, a project, a friend or aspiration that never worked out and now seems beyond reach. The truth is you can’t always rekindle the energy, joy or excitement of youth but rather the key is surely to find satisfaction in where you are and who you are now. Having a faith is not a glib ‘cover all’ which will protect you from disappointment or regret but it can be a positive way of accepting life as it is and looking forward with renewed hope. It’s also a lot better than trying to find a coping mechanism in drugs which is one of the pitfalls highlighted by Trainspotting.
We’re all addicts of some sort, so be addicted – just be addicted to something better. Choose the ones you love. Choose your future. Choose life. Choose T2 Trainspotting.

Rating:
*****

4 out of 5 stars
Related Films: Trainspotting, Human Traffic, The Acid House

Dir: Mel Gibson
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Teresa Palmer, Vince Vaughn, Sam Worthington, Hugo Weaving, Rachel Griffiths.
Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

“What you did on that ridge is nothing short of a miracle …”

War is absolute hell but occasionally there are still angels to found – even on the battlefield and this ‘based on true events’ film shines the spotlight on one unlikely such hero who stood by his Christian faith and made an incredible difference as a result.
Hacksaw Ridge is the astonishing story of Desmond T. Doss (Andrew ‘Amazing Spider Man’ Garfield) – a Seventh Day Adventist who became the first Conscientious Objector in American history to be awarded the Military Medal of Honour. He achieved this feat on the front line of the battle of Okinawa – which was a desperate attempt by the US to take the tactically important ridge despite the Japanese being dug in to defend it – whilst refusing to carry a weapon or attack the enemy. Doss served as a field medic and his willingness to stay behind and try to save those injured when his battalion was overrun saw him single-handedly save the lives of over 75 of his comrades.
Director Mel Gibson begins the film with Doss’s early life in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains where his embittered war veteran father Tom Doss (Hugo ‘The Matrix’ Weaving) is quick to anger and often whips him and his brother with his belt. We get to know young Doss and journey with him as he awkwardly woos hottie nurse Dorothy (Teresa ‘Triple 9’ Palmer), and finds a better use for his belt in saving an injured man’s leg with by using it as a tourniquet after a car accident.
When the Second World War involves America, Doss signs up for military training but his faith based refusal to wield a weapon brings him into the firing line of Vince Vaughn’s task master sergeant as well as barracks bullyboys including Lucky Ford (Gibson’s son Milo).
Eventually facing a Court-martial for his objections, Doss fights for the right to enter combat only with his medical kit.
The final half of the film is an inferno of visceral war sequences – be prepared for some of the most brutal, harrowing and probably accurately grim scenes every committed to screen. The battle scenes are up there with Saving Private Ryan in their brutality and excellent depiction of just how random, awful and desperate man to man combat is.
Doss’s improbable bravery in the face of sheer horror is very well handled, Garfield is superb in the lead role and the despite Gibson laying on the faith angle hard it never weakens the film, unlike in many films that try to depict faith in a positive way and end up as almost unwatchable sermons-in-disguise. Hacksaw Ridge is an emotionally charged and intensely intimate study of one man’s struggle to make a difference and the huge impact it had. It’s is also an epic and unforgettable film that deserves to be seen.

Thinking Material

Biblical themes abound but arise naturally from the source material here rather than being shoe-horned in. Doss’s willingness to potentially sacrifice himself for his injured comrades is humbling and awe-inspiring in equal measure. Hacksaw Ridge has been described by its makers as an ‘anti-war’ movie but it is more than that, by the end this is relentless assault on the senses that will move you and leave you pondering just how much of a positive difference you’re making for you fellow man. You don’t have to go to war to be a hero, it’s all about how you live your life.

Rating:
*****

5 out of 5 stars
Related Films: Saving Private Ryan, Full Metal Jacket, The Passion of the Christ

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (12a)

Dir. Gareth Edwards
Cast: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Donnie Yen, Ben Mendelsohn, Alan Tudyk, Wen Jiang, Riz Ahmed, Mads Mikkelsen and Forest Whitaker
Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

“I fear nothing. All is as the Force wills it.”

Prepare to jump to light speed once again as we find ourselves caught up in the big screen sci-fi events of a rebellion built on hope… Not ‘A New Hope’ which was the blueprint for the last year’s The Force Awakens but rather a desperate gambit by some plucky rebels who must risk everything if they are to help stop the Empire’s new ‘Death Star’.
Rogue One is both the prequel to Star Wars IV (A New Hope) and a kind of sequel to Star Wars III (Revenge of the Sith). It’s certainly a new kind of Star Wars prequel, namely one that doesn’t suck.
Meet gutsy young Jyn Erso (Brit actress Felicity ‘A Monster Calls’ Jones), whose dad happens to be the architect of the Empire’s planet destroying super weapon. Aided by a rag-tag fugitive crew that includes Force samurai Chirrut Îmwe (Donnie ‘xXx: Return of Xander Cage’ Yen), freelance assassin Baze Malbus (Jiang Wen) and a possibly reformed Imperial pilot Bodhi Rook (Riz ‘Nightcrawler’ Ahmed).
Also on hand for this potentially suicidal mission to steal the plans of the Death Star are Rebel Alliance Captain Cassian Andor (Diego ‘Elysium’ Luna), Clone wars veteran Saw Gerrera (Forest ‘Arrival’ Whitaker) and comedy kick-ass enforcer droid K-2S0 (Alan ‘Big Hero 6’ Tudyk). And if you don’t recognize any of those names from the sequels – you just know that all bets are off as to who will survive, which gives Rogue One a fantastic sense of unpredictability and peril.
The Dark Side sees the glorious return of the iconic Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl-Jones) and suitably nasty Director Orson Krennic (Ben ‘Slow West’ Mendelsohn) doing the Empire’s nefarious bidding.

When the skirmish / heist to steal the plans kicks off it’s all wonderful Star Wars battle-em-up fun and there is pure nostalgic joy in seeing AT-ATs attacking the rebels whilst X-Wings and a variety of other spaceships duke it out in some of the best space combat ever committed to film!
If you’re not on the edge of your seat by the finale you’re probably in a Force coma – Rogue One is a cracking space odyssey that does great fan service to those who love the original Star Wars films whilst simultaneously expanding the universe in new and cool ways.
This is how you make a truly epic prequel Mr Lucas.
 

Thinking Material

What’s strikingly different about Rogue One from the ‘main’ Star Wars films is that it really brings the war dynamic to the fore. Those classic war tales such as A Bridge Too Far come to mind with stark sacrificial themes of just what is required when the few try to stand in the path of a super powerful evil. This is a darker and grittier Star Wars which feels very contemporary in our war ravaged world at the moment.
The journey of the ‘heroes’ here is one that sees them as flawed and brutal individuals who choose to stand for something whatever the cost. These folk are desperate – driven to their actions by the galactic oppression that The Empire is dishing out. In this Rogue One is a rallying cry to all for us to consider where we stand on issues and what we’re prepared to do about it.
The fact that it leads to a film called ‘A New Hope’ feels well judged. Rogue One is the dark night before the daybreak and for many of us out there it is important to realize that there will be bad times, tough times, where faith doesn’t seem like a very good comfort in the face of crushing problems. But there is hope, and clinging to that can be a way to find the resolve to ‘do what’s right’ even when it costs so much in terms of time, energy, emotional pain or physical trauma.
Rogue One is a bold addition to the Star Wars universe – it’s one worth seeing and discussing down the pub afterwards as there is plenty to unpack and relate to.
 
CVM Rating: **** 4 out of 5 stars
Related Films: Star Wars ep IV: A New Hope, actually all the Star Wars films!
Other CVM Star Wars reviews: Star Wars: The Force Awakens (12a)

Director: Kevin Reynolds
Cast: Joseph Fiennes, Tom Felton, Peter Firth, Cliff Curtis, María Botto, Luis Callejo, Antonio Gil
Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

“What frightens you?”
“Being wrong. Wagering eternity on him.”

Welcome to one of the biggest and most speculated about events in history. It’s 33 A.D. – a key date for the biblical narrative as it was when Jesus / Yeshua (played here with huge amounts of charisma by Cliff ‘Fear The Walking Dead’ Curtis) was crucified and buried. Yes, Risen is the latest bible-em-up reworking of the resurrection, overlapping and following on from the events in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of The Christ.
The difference this time is that Director and co-writer Kevin ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’ Reynolds retells the events through the eyes of a non-believing Roman Centurion named Clavius (Joseph ‘Shakespeare In Love’ Fiennes).
As religious fervor threatens to ignite civil unrest across Judea in the wake of the disappearance of Jesus’s body, the Roman Prefect, Pontius Pilate (Peter ‘Spooks’ Firth) orders an inquiry into what exactly happened. The religious leaders and Pharisees claim that the body had been stolen by Christ’s followers, the soldiers tasked with guarding the tomb go into hiding fearing for their lives and the rumours of a resurrection start to spread.
Risen (although possibly the biggest spoiler title for a movie ever) starts off effectively setting the scene with Clavius and his men caught up in a bloody skirmish with Jewish renegades. As the events of the first Easter Weekend unfold, turmoil and uncertainty run rampant through the city and it’s well portrayed – and avoids falling into the ‘Life of Brian’ style farce.
Fiennes is good as the hard bitten Clavius and his journey is compelling as he gets to lead, along with his ambitious aide Lucius (Tom ‘Harry Potter’ Felton), the manhunt for Yeshua’s body.
As a Christian who reviews films, I’m often massively let down by the attempts to bring scripture or overtly ‘pro-faith’ stories to the medium of film. I really don’t want to be ‘preached at’ any more than the next cinema goer. The fact that Risen actually works as a historical thriller for much of its running time before eventually getting a bit carried away with the ‘it must be true’ narrative is to the credit of the filmmakers. It’s kind of like an ancient times alternative to a Dan Brown novel.
But seeing as the ‘did Jesus rise from the dead?’ question is one that continues to be asked 2,000 years later, Risen is a thought provoking option for cinema audiences to mull over this Easter.
Thinking Material
You won’t need to be Columbo to unravel the ‘mystery’ of Risen – the film makers make sure that viewers will be in NO DOUBT that Jesus is very much alive (and not just in the hearts of believers). But it doesn’t matter if you’re a fervent God bothered type or a serious sceptic whose somehow never come across the New Testament story of Christ, this is a film that delivers enough thinking and talking points to warrant a decent conversation.
Why does it matter? Well, if Risen is telling the truth – then it changes absolutely everything!
CVM Rating: *** 3 out of 5 stars
Related Films: The Passion of The Christ, Jesus of Nazareth
Additional resources:

• Damaris Media are providing free resources for those looking to chat about and reflect on issues raised by the film:
• A Leader’s Guide with quizzes, activities and discussion questions, suitable for community groups of all kinds
• A special resource aimed at helping church groups talk more about the spiritual issues raised by Risen
• Video featurettes featuring interviews with cast and crew, as well as clips from the film

These resources will be published at www.risen.damarismedia.com