Change Your Image
nathaniells
Reviews
Sweetgrass (2009)
I do not recommend this documentary.
I grew up not far from Big Timber, Montana and the wilderness area where the film was shot is my favorite place on earth. I also love documentaries. With that said, I was surprised I did not like this film at all. I gave it two stars because of the scenery. I am in the minority opinion with regards to the "pure art" of this film. I found it extremely dry and boring. With the exception of the excellent scenery and good camera work, the rest of the film truly stinks. I really can't say enough bad things about it. I wish I didn't have to continue writing more details about how bad the film was, but IMDb has a ten line minimum.
The Lucky Ones (2008)
A very well done comedy/drama that is relevant to America today.
This is one of the funniest movies about serious topics, and I thought the acting was excellent. Almost every scene in the film has the three main actors in it, and the dynamic between them is fun to watch. The three soldiers coming home on leave find themselves stuck together, and a road trip adventure ensues. The circumstances they get into tell us a lot about the characters, and each scene gives more depth to the individuals and the relationships that develop. I really liked all three main characters even with their flaws.
I laughed more during this movie than I usually do during comedies so I guess that means it has my kind of humor. Unlike the review by "Super and Mik", I didn't think it was slow or the ending at all predictable. I thought the plot was engaging. I rated the movie 9 out of 10 stars, but I'm not sure what could have made it a ten. It's well written with a balance between comedy and drama. It's perfectly cast, and I also liked the directing and attention to detail. I highly recommend this flick. I don't understand why it flopped at the box office.
Bonhoeffer (2003)
It deeply stirred my soul and my mind.
I've watched a number of documentaries lately and am often amazed at the stories of history past, but the story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer moved my heart so deeply that I will struggle to articulate my response to the film. I am struck by the conviction and courage of Dietrich. His insight on the scriptures, his sincere honesty, and his life's example to the Christian community are inspiring.
This film gave me a better understanding of what it must have been like to be a citizen in Germany during the first half of the twentieth century than anything else I've experienced. This explanation of the chain of events that led to brutal violence toward the Jewish people in Europe as well as the moral examination of the Christian response to the socio-political position of Nazi Germany answered so many of the questions I've always asked. "How could such a majority of the Germans be persuaded to support the causes of the Third Reich?" "What motivated Germans to act with such hatred?" and "What were Christians thinking and doing during this time?" The only reason I did not give the film a rating of 10 was because the person I watched the film with fell asleep so I wish it would have captured that person's attention as it did mine. I pray that the story is spread to many others either through this film or perhaps a major Blockbuster style account of these events. The good news that Bonhoeffer believed in so completely and the God he gave his life to offer so much more hope to an audience that cries out for the answer to the question "Why, God?" than a story like "Life is Beautiful" ever could. Movie producers everywhere: "Listen to the story of Bonhoeffer and watch this film".