Quickie Series Review: "The Brick Bible"

It's no secret that Legos are insanely popular. They have gone beyond mere building blocks and have inspired a theme park, movies and television shows, and multiple computer and video games, many of which also tie in with other popular franchises, such as Star Wars or DC Comics. In these two books, Brendan Powell Smith illustrates stories from God's Word using those popular blocks. Though his work here is admirable, he left out some very important stories, especially in the old Testament. Job and Esther could have had some dramatic images, but they are completely left out. Even the Sunday school favorite Jonah is missing.

As if that wasn't bad enough, despite kid-friendly appearances, this book isn't for children. Circumcision, rape, insect, and murder are depicted or implied. Most if not all of the Lego computer/video games were rated E10+ at worst, but, if this were a video game, it would get T, not only because of the violence, but also because of the themes. Granted, those go with the Bible stories being told, but young children don't need to hear about Laban's daughters having sexual relations with their own father, or what circumcision even is. It's less graphic than what you're likely to see in the average "R" film, but it still was too mich for me, and many others are likely to feel the same way. The scary visuals in some scenes would also be unsettling to younger readers as well. This series had potential, and I have no doubt that Lego fanatics would love it...but I didn't.

Score: 2.25/5

Book Review: "The Hobbit"

Author: J. R. R. Tolkien
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Published: 1937 (original edition) / 1987 (fiftieth anniversary edition)

Synopsis: Before Harry Potter...before Star Wars...there were the fantasy works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the best-loved of which are the three Lord of the Rings books.  The Hobbit, a prequel to that everlasting trilogy, introduces the character of Bilbo Baggins, who inadvertently gets sent on a quest that changes his life forever.  This special edition contains Mr. Tolkien's artwork, along with a foreword that has reproductions of his original (hand-written!) draft of the infamous novel.
(Okay, so that synopsis didn't tell you too much, but, seriously, if you don't know the plot, either you don't care about fantasy novels, or you just came back from Mars.)

Artistic Merit

Plot: 4.5/5
The late Mr. Tolkien is still heralded as a master of fantasy, and this book proves why.  His story was definitely engrossing and quite fun to read.  That said, since Hollywood is making a trilogy of movies based on this one book, I was expecting a bit thicker of a plot; I think that's Tinseltown's fault, because this book should have been made into a standalone movie! (Do you fantasy fans agree?)

Writing: 5/5
Though not exactly plain, Mr. Tolkien's prose flows very well.  I had a basic understanding of the story before I read it, but actually reading it is much more engrossing than just hearing/seeing a quick summary.  There's a reason this book has stood the test of time.

Special Features: 4/5
The illustrations, foreword, gold cover, and such make this like a deluxe DVD.  Granted, I'm sure that there have been even better versions of this book published--I only found this thanks to my local library--but, for what it is, it's great.

Moral Content

Positive Elements: 4/5
Characters show courage and look out for one another.  The good guys and bad guys are clearly defined.

Sexual Content: 5/5
None.

Violence: 3.5/5
Though fantasy isn't fantasy without some sort of action/violence, I didn't notice anything particularly gruesome or graphic in this book.

Language: 5/5
None that I recall.

Drugs: 4.5/5
Tobacco gets mentioned.

Other: 4/5
Some people may have problems with the usage of magic and wizardry; if you do, though, why are you reading this review?

Conclusion: Me and the works of J. R. R. Tolkien have an interesting history.  In sixth grade, we had a shortened version--that is, a stage play adaptation--of The Hobbit in our literature book, and our teacher allowed us to read it on days when we had nothing better to do.  After that, I tried more than once to read both The Fellowship of the Ring and the original Hobbit, and never got anywhere.  On Christmas Day 2001, I tried watching the first LOTR movie, and found it to be too long and drawn-out.  (Looking back, I think seeing it in the theater was a mistake; I should have watched it in multiple sittings.) For years, I wanted nothing to do with the series...but, more recently, I decided to give it a second chance.  Now that I have done so, I have to say I was missing out; however, I don't think I would have appreciated this book when I was younger like I did while reading it this week.  As I said: Fantasy fans, if you haven't read it...go do so!

Score: 4.75/5

Movie Review: "The Mark"

Rated: Not Rated (awarded Dove "Faith-Based" seal with caution for violence)
Starring: Craig Sheffer, Eric Roberts, and Sonia Couling
Released: October 16, 2012 (DVD)

Synopsis: War veteran Chad Turner (Craig Sheffer) was guarding a top secret project involving a microchip that is inserted into and powered by the human body...when, out of nowhere, he gets the chip injected into himself! Cooper (veteran actor Eric Roberts, In the Blink of an Eye) visits him in the hospital and informs him that they must immediately fly to Berlin for the G20 Summit to introduce the new chip. Though Chad immediately makes friends with airline stewardess Dao (Sonia Couling) and journalist Jodi upon boarding the flight, it seems that there are terrorists aboard who will stop at nothing to get their hands on that new microchip! Chad remembers what his brother, who was a Christian, told him: Every life has a purpose. The soldier knows what it is, and what he must do...but it's easier said than done when not only do you have terrorists after you, but you're thousands of feet in the air!
Produced by Pure Flix, makers of What If...?, The Imposter, and Jerusalem Countdown.

Artistic Merit

Plot: 4/5
"End times" movies usually seem to have weird plots that make me wonder whether or not the end will happen anywhere close to the way they say it will, but this one seems a bit more grounded in reality.  Though the film is a bit slow for the first third, after that, things really pick up! It's as intense as an old-school movie serial, no question! However, the cliffhanger ending will make you want to get the sequel ASAP, which might prove hard unless you already have it.

Production Values: 4.25/5
Other than one set that looked like something from a high school play, and the fact that the SDHs (subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing) have a couple of typos and don't even appear during a crucial part of the movie--though, thankfully, they don't lag anymore! Yay!--the movie is quite well-produced, and is not the kind of schlock-fest that C Me Dance was.  The action sequences and acting were especially impressive.

Moral Content

Positive Elements: 4.5/5
The main moral of this story is that every life has a purpose (Psalm 139:14), which is an important lesson regardless of your beliefs about the "end times".  Also, as you'd expect, faith in God is respected (Psalm 14:1; John 14:6), and at least one character who didn't believe at the start of the film finds salvation by the time the credits roll (James 5:19-20).  A flashback shows someone giving up his own life for that of his sibling (John 15:13).

Sex: 5/5
None.

Nudity: 4.5/5
A unnamed, non-speaking female character appears briefly in a somewhat short skirt with slits on the sides that reveal even more.

Language: 4.5/5
One usage of the British profanity "b-----ks".

Violence: 1.25/5
When the Dove Foundation can't even give it their approval for ages twelve and up, you know you're dealing with a rather violent film.  Though there is absolutely zero gore, several people get killed--including some innocent ones--and blood stains are quite prevalent.  We see quite a few fisticuffs, guns blaze more than once, and someone's dead body is even sent down a chute.  I can't see how the MPAA would not have rated this "PG-13"; the only reason they didn't was because the studio never submitted it for a rating.

Drugs: 4/5
Alcoholic beverages are consumed by the villains, and you can see what appears to be wine bottles in the background in one or two scenes.

Frightening/Intense Scenes: 0.5/5
Along with what I described under "Violence," even the opening title sequence, which describes stock markets plummeting and other worldly perils, are a bit scary.  Later in the film, it is reported that natural disasters are hitting the entire planet, and the movie ends with a scene implying a city is on fire.  Even the fact that the whole movie revolves around a plane being hijacked may be too reminiscent of 9/11 for some folks.  This is definitely not for the VeggieTales crowd.

Conclusion: What a riveting movie.  If you think Christian movies are all dry Biblical epics or boring family dramas, you should definitely check this out; it's better-produced than usual for a Christian film.  However, I would think twice before renting this for a family movie night or an elementary school lock-in; the themes, intensity, violence, and all-around dark tone makes this inappropriate for the younger set.  It may not sound right for a Christian movie to be "for mature audiences only," but even the Bible isn't all kid stuff.  Based on what I've said above, you should know whether this if for you/your kid(s) or not.

Score: 4/5

Movie Review: "Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story"

Rated: Not Rated (US) / PG (Canada)
Starring: Cuba Gooding, Jr., Kimberly Elise, and Jaishon Fisher
Released: February 7, 2009 (TNT premiere) / September 8, 2009 (DVD)

Synopsis: Dr. Ben Carson, neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins University, has just been presented with a daunting medical case: newborn twins conjoined at the head. The infants' parents don't want to lose either of their new babies, and Dr. Carson doesn't want it to come to that either. However, what's even more remarkable is how Dr. Carson came to be one of the world's "top docs". From his rough childhood to his teenage rebellion to attending Yale on a scholarship…all of those experiences made him who he is today. Based on a true story.

Artistic Merit 

Plot: 5/5
I don't usually do biopics, but this one has an excellent narrative. I almost watched the entire movie in one sitting, and I rarely do that with films of any length. If you watch this movie, don't make any plans for the next ninety minutes, because you will likely be glued to the screen.

Production Values: 5/5
This telefilm was distributed by Sony Pictures and backed/sponsored by Johnson and Johnson, and it shows. All of the actors and actresses, especially Cuba Gooding, Jr. as the main character, did extremely well. The sets and everything were great, too; in the scenes from Dr. Carson's childhood, I really felt like I was back during that time, especially when they showed now-vintage television programs on an old-school TV set. Nothing to complain about in this department.

Moral Content 

Positive Elements: 5/5
Most of the movie is quite positive. Dr. Carson shows a faith in God throughout his life, and so do his family members. Literacy is praised, as Dr. Carson and his brother become avid readers as children, and their illiterate mother also willingly learns to read. Dr. Carson's love for books also helps him succeed in school. His mother, despite her issues, is a voice of reason, and encourages both of her sons to believe in themselves. The power of a loving family, and how far doing well in school can get you, is also shown.

Sex: 4.5/5
It is mentioned that Dr. Carson's father had another wife and kids while being married to Dr. Carson's mother.

Nudity: 5/5
None.

Language: 4.25/5
A bit of name-calling and insults among kids at school, including a few "mama jokes". Someone says "go to hell."

Violence: 1.75/5
As Dr. Carson is a surgeon, some of his operations are shown, and in rather lurid detail. Some viewers may not mind, but those who are squeamish might not want to see a bare heart beating or blood coming from a wound. Yes, I realize that this isn't a horror movie that has gore and such just for giggles; still, it was wince-inducing even for me. Also of note: Part of Dr. Carson's troubled childhood involves him getting into fights; once with a lock in his hand, the other with a pocket knife. Though neither are graphically shown, in the former case, it is mentioned that the victim "had to get five stitches."

Drugs: 4.5/5
A young man from the wrong side of the tracks is shown with a cigarette behind his ear.  

Frightening/Intense Scenes: 1.5/5
See the first paragraph under "Violence". Also of note: A traumatic incident or two causes some emotional intensity.

Conclusion: Inspiring and gruesome. Those words don't usually go together, but that's how this biopic of Dr. Carson ended up being. Though I knew of his checkered past, I didn't expect the operations to be shown in such detail, and there was no MPAA advisory to warn me, either. If you can watch someone being operated on in detail without even blinking, then you should be fine with Gifted Hands. However, those who can't take it should stick to other true-story flicks.

Score: 3.75/5

Book Review: "The Judas Gospel"

Author: Bill Myers
Publisher: Howard Books
Publication Date: June 14, 2011

Synopsis: Judas Iscariot, the Benedict Arnold of the Bible, has been given a second chance. This time, he is in modern-day America, marketing the prophetess/celebrity Rachel Delacroix. When audiences worldwide see her healing the sick and injured, she becomes a hit! However, Rachel has a very checkered past, and there are some evil beings who will stop at nothing to see her fail...
From Bill Myers, author of Eli, the Fire of Heaven trilogy, and The God Hater.

Artistic Merit 

Plot: 5/5
Bill Myers knows how not only how to tell a story, but also to come up with one! This book made for quite riveting reading, especially the last half! Of course, to his fans, that should be no surprise...right?

Writing: 5/5
Equally amazing in this department. Easy to read, easy to follow, and it flows well...what's not to like?

Special Features: 4.5/5
At the back of the book is a discussion guide and an interview with Mr. Myers himself. Also, the book references classical artwork, and each painting mentioned has a URL in the footnotes to view it. Though I tried one of the Web addresses, and it worked, with the nature of the Internet, they could end up being defunct, even while the book is still around.

Moral Content 

Positive Elements: 5/5
The whole book is a criticism of the commercialization of Christianity. Money-grubbing evangelists are vilified for being "charlatans" (Hebrews 13:5). Spiritual warfare is shown as being not only real, but a big deal (Ephesians 4:12). Christians are criticized for being more upset over usage of profanity than about starving, dying children.

Sex: 4/5
Homosexuality gets mentioned a few times. A sexual crime is also referenced. 

Violence: 3.5/5
It is mentioned that a child was permanently injured as a result of abuse. Someone attempts suicide, but is later seen unhurt. A helicopter crashes into a building.

Language: 4/5
The d-word and "j-----s" are each used once.

Frightening/Intense Scenes: 2/5
There's little within the book that isn't frightening or intense. The scenes with the demons are appropriately creepy; Rachel has scary visions/dreams about a horrible house fire; and, a terrorist attack that may be too reminiscent of 9/11 for some occurs. Some readers may not be able to take it.  

Conclusion: Bill Myers is among one of my top authors; I like almost everything of his I have ever read. He and fellow personal favorite Ted Dekker aren't afraid to write hard-hitting, intense, edgy novels that illustrate spiritual principles. The Judas Gospel has to be one of the most riveting novels I've read in a while. That said, if Mr. Dekker's The Bride Collector or BoneMan's Daughters were too much for you to take, you should avoid this and stick to reading Karen Kingsbury. I myself like the edgy stuff; you may feel otherwise.

Score: 4.5/5

Movie Review: "The Encounter"

Rated: Not Rated (Dove approved for ages twelve and up)
Starring: Bruce Marchiano, Jaci Velasquez, and Steve "Sting" Borden
Released: May 3, 2011 (DVD/Blu-Ray)

Synopsis: Nick (former wrestler Steve "Sting" Borden) is a football-player-turned-restauranteur who is worth millions.  Catherine (Danah Davis) and Hank (Jamie Nieto) are a married couple on the verge of divorce.  Melissa (CCM singer Jaci Velasquez) is traveling thousands of miles to see her boyfriend, in hopes that he will propose to her.  Kayla (Madison Gibney) is running away from her home and her drug-addicted, alcoholic parents.  One dark and stormy night, they happen upon a restaurant called the Last Chance Diner.  Upon entering, they are greeted by a guy (Bruce Marchiano, The Visual Bible: Matthew, Apostle Peter and the Last Supper) who calls himself Jesus, and who knows them and everything about them.  Is this guy some actor? Is he a charlatan? Or is he the same Jesus that you can read about in the Bible? Before the night is over, those five are going to be in for a big surprise...

Artistic Merit

Plot: 4.5/5
Five people stuck in a diner with no means to escape sounds more like a horror flick than a redeeming Christian film, but this movie's plot works quite well.  It even helped me to learn to trust God more, which is a lesson we all need to learn at times.

Acting: 5/5
Other than Mr. Marchiano, Mr. Borden, and Ms. Velasquez, I don't think any of these stars are very experienced actors and actresses, but they do very well.  Mr. Marchiano gets major kudos for once again masterfully portraying Jesus Christ, which is a hard role to do.

Other Production Values: 5/5
The sets and such were all great; nothing really to complain about here.

Moral Content

Positive Elements: 5/5
Along with affirming belief in Jesus, positive themes in this movie include: staying with and not divorcing your spouse, regardless of marital issues; not resorting to suicide when things get tough; waiting to find the right spouse; accepting Jesus into your heart before it is too late; and not falling for the devil's schemes.

Sex: 4.5/5
Sexual sin is mentioned and vilified.

Nudity: 5/5
None.

Language: 4.5/5
Some slight name-calling.

Violence: 4/5
A character grabs Jesus by the collar, but doesn't hurt Him.  A car accident leads to someone's death (implied).  Someone holds a gun to his/her own head in a flashback, but the gun ends up being empty, and he/she is not hurt.

Drugs: 4.5/5
It is mentioned that Kayla's parents and stepfather were drug/alcohol addicts, but their usage of such substances is vilified.

Frightening/Intense Scenes: 4/5
See "Violence".

Other: 4/5
Young children may have trouble understanding this movie.

Conclusion: For Christian cinema, this movie is better than usual.  The production values are quite high, and the movie was successful enough to warrant a sequel, which I will be reviewing at some point.  Anyone who has enjoyed previous Pure Flix films should definitely check this one out.

Score: 4.5/5

TV DVD Review: "Power Rangers Ninja Storm: Prelude to a Storm"

Rated: TV-Y7 for fantasy violence
Starring: Pua Magasiva, Sally Martin, and Glenn McMillan
Released: June 3, 2003 (VHS/DVD)

Synopsis: Shane, Tori, and Dustin are three athletic teenagers who are also friends...and studying to be ninjas! When their Ninja Academy gets destroyed by the evil Lothor, their Sensei gives them morphers, which helps them become...Power Rangers!  However, those three were not exactly the best students.  Will they be able to overcome their fallacies to save our planet from utter destruction? Their adventures start here!

Artistic Merit

Plots: 4/5
The whole "zero to hero" thing has been done a thousand times before, but the three episodes do it quite well.  The cliffhanger ending of the last episode in the set left me wanting more.  However, there's one problem, which happens to be my biggest issue with the series: Tori, the only female Ranger, is annoying.  At first, I just thought it was whoever was doing her voice in the (supposedly) dubbed action sequences; however, by the last episode, she really began to grate on my nerves, masked or unmasked.  It's funny: Since Disney owned Saban at the time this was made, Tori the Blue Ranger--and, the actress who played her, Sally Martin--are Disney ladies...but I don't really like them.

Special Effects: 3.5/5
They're better quality than in the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, but the effects are still a bit cheesy.  Still, those who would be the most likely to enjoy a show like this either wouldn't notice or wouldn't care.

Acting: 5/5
No problems here; though Tori was annoying, I have to hand it to Sally Martin for playing an evil version of the Blue Ranger quite well.

Moral Content

Positive Elements: 4/5
The usual "look out for one another" dynamic that you see in group-superhero series is present once again here.  The "Sensei" gives good advice, too, much like Alpha 5 and Zordon did in the original show.  Characters learn the cost of disobeying authority, the value of their friends, etc.

Sexual Content: 4.75/5
Tori, the only female Ranger, wants to be seen as a girl instead of "one of the guys," but that is kept innocent.

Nudity: 4.25/5
In two of the episodes and the opening sequence, Tori is seen in a swimsuit top and board shorts.

Language: 5/5
None.

Violence: 3.5/5
Right from the get-go, viewers see all sorts of "fantasy violence".  A building gets obliterated; kids get captured and imprisoned; villains and heroes attack each other with fantastical weapons.  As one would expect, there's no blood or gore.

Drugs: 5/5
None.

Other: 4/5
Some of the monsters could be a bit frightening to young children.

Conclusion: I'm a longtime fan of Disney.  As a little kid, I watched old Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck cartoons; when I was nine, I became addicted to reruns of Growing Pains on the Mouse Network, and my favorite movies were Flubber and George of the Jungle; in high school, I adored pretty much every live-action sitcom on the Disney Channel, and I still like the ones they have on there today.  So, I was naturally curious to see what the House of Mouse could do with Saban's Power Rangers.  They actually did really well; if only Tori hadn't been so annoying, the series could have been better.  Other volumes in the series are going to prove hard to find, but I still plan to check them out at some point; seeing this makes me excited to see what Disney will do with Star Wars.  (Hopefully, Princess Leia and/or Mara Jade won't be Sally, Version 2.0!)

Score: 4/5