Ed's Review Dot Com

Participant Media, History Films

Brian Stelter, Bill Keller, Gay Talese, David Remnick, David Carr

Andrew Rossi, in this documentary, goes inside the New York Times offices to examine how one of the worlds most revered daily newspaper. He was able to have unprecedented access to view all the problems and promises for the future inside the Times. Blindsided by many things, they’ve been hurt on every side. Classifieds went to Craig’s List and Ebay, Job hunting was done via Monster.com, not by looking in the help wanted ads. Newspapers were basically a loss leader (sold at less than cost) in order to bring in the advertising revenues that disappeared when large corporations developed their own web sites. Then there’s the speed of CNN and other 24 hour news channels, not to mention Facebook and Twitter. Things have changed rapidly, and newspapers have failed all over the nation, one after another. Then the absolute forbidden question. What would happen if the New York Times failed?

This is an interesting documentary that covers in depth, the changes in how we get our news. Times have changed in the modern world, but yet there are ways to adapt that may save the Times. This is well worth watching if you’re interested in modern media, and where they are coming from and where they are headed. It’s a very serious documentary, but well done. It’s not done in jest and there’s really no comedy. It’s a serious topic and handled in a serious way. But it’s still powerful and very absorbing once you get into it. A must see for anyone interested in the media.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

Ten Ten Films, Cabin 14, Farnam Street II

Jeremy Sisto, Kristin Chenoweth, Brian Baumgartner, Bruce A. Young, Amy Matthews, Tony Papenfuss, Greta Oglesby, Ansa Akyea, Isabell Monk, Patrick Coyle

A priest (Jeremy Sisto) who is beginning to doubt he is making any difference is waiting in the confessional when prostitute Linda (Kristin Chenoweth) shows up to ask for forgiveness in advance for a sin she is about to commit. She is planning to kill herself on her next birthday. When he tries to find her, he finds she has vanished, and he set out to find her and stop her at all costs. As he searches for her, he finds himself drawn into the underworld side of the city. While he’s sesarching strip clubs and brothels, he faces the doubts of his congregation and his superiors including his mentor Fr. Ralph O’Brien (Brian Bumgartner).

This film is a work of art, and a very interesting little film. It’s available via NetFlix Watch Instantly, and can be seen often on Cable from time to time. It’s dark as it’s about despair and desperation, attempted suicide and all sort of sins. But the good side of things is shown as well. There is a back story that the beginning of the films alludes to, and the reason Linda chooses this priest is based on something that happened a long time before. Likewise, this film isn’t wrapped up in a neat little bow, telling us what to think. There are clues as to how it ended, but anyone can interpret those clues in anyway they wish. We’re not really told how it all played out.

The characters are very well developed. Jeremy Sisto is wonderful as a priest in crisis, and Kristin Chenoweth is sometime pretty flaky, but is really good in this role. She pulled it off very well. It’s not as dark as it could have been, and it is a very well put together story. In the end, you are sad, but also hopeful. I found it a fascinating and very interesting movie and I enjoyed it a lot. It was very far under my radar, and I was riveted on the screen throughout. I recommend this film if you’re not offended by a stark look at the underbelly of life in the city. It was pretty good.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

Film4, Film Agency for Wales, Red Hour Films

Craig Roberts, Yasmin Paige, Sally Hawkins, Paddy Considine, Noah Taylor, Gemma Chan

Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts) is convinced that his mother is rekindling an old flame who is a dance instructor and planning to leave him and his father. Oliver decides to do anything he can to save his parent’s marriage. He meets quirky teen pyromaniac Jordana (Yasmin Paige). Basically, we follow Oliver as he tries to torpedo his mother’s relationship while using all the tricks in his book to seduce Jordana.

This movie really didn’t click with me. It’s very quirky and though it’s a teen angst, coming of age, film, it’s deeper than the Hollywood version of teen love. This British version is much slower, and deeper with more dialog and deep thought than you’d expect. But it’s still strange in a weird way. Oliver’s parents (played by Noah Taylor and Sally Hawkins) are well played, with the disintegration of their lives together. There’s just nothing there anymore. Also, Oliver wants to be the perfect boyfriend, but he has not idea how to do that either, and he really hurts and disappoints Jordana time after time.

There are sweet moments, and times when it’s not a bad movie, but the problem is that there is not enough good stuff to keep your interest. I didn’t get it, and was pretty much bored throughout. I never really got into the characters and I felt like I was wasting my time. Every time I would try to get into it, it would turn dumb again. I can’t really recommend this film, and don’t rate it very highly. If you do decide to check it out, be sure you can take the slow goofy way this story unfolds. I was not a fan. I’m not really sure how to categorize this film, so I’ll file it under Drama and Comedy although it’s not really much of either, but I can’t figure any better way to describe it.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

Movie Rentals Releasing Tuesday October 18, 2011

• Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides [For Eds Review, click here]
• Bad Teacher [For Eds Review, click here]
• Monte Carlo
• A Better Life
• Attack the Block
• Red State
• The Names of Love

Fifth Quarter, Park Entertainment, The

Ryan Merriman, Aidan Quinn, Andie MacDowell, Andrea Powell, Jillian Batherson, Anessa Ramsey, Bonnie Johnson, Michael Harding, Patrick Stogner

Jon Abbate (Ryan Merriman) is the oldest son in a nice Christian family, and a very good football player at Wake Forest University. His younger brother, Luke, was suddenly killed in an auto accident at 15, and sent the whole family into a period of grief. Jon wanted to honor his brother, and led the Wake Forest Devil Demons to an awesome best season ever, and started a new tradition of the 5th quarter, named after Luke’s uniform number 5 as a tribute to his brother. Ande MacDowell and Aidan Quinn star as Jon and Luke’s parents. This inspirational film was based on the true story.

The film was shot at Wake Forest, on location, in North Carolina. This is first and foremost a Christian film with really good values and core honor and respect. It is not preachy in the least. This is not a Christianity conversion tool at all. It just tells the story as it is, and the faith of this wonderful family is at the heart of how they survived this terrible ordeal.

This is a very uplifting movie, in the end. It’s sad, of course, but the accident portion of the film was very low tech, not believable at all. This is not the spectacular CGI car crashes in ultra slow motion from Final Destination. This is almost an aside, not graphic at all. This is because it’s the feelings and emotions of the actors that is important, so it’s not trying to shock or horrify you. The decisions they have to make and the problems getting back to a normal life after the tragedy are very well portrayed. The acting is excellent, and it’s very realistic. This has been called a football movie, but it’s not really, as football is the sideline. There are some exciting football moments, but the story is about a family dealing with the sudden unexpected loss of a son and brother. I was very impressed with the way this story was told, and I enjoyed it very much. There are a lot of great characters here, and the emotions are very real. Excellent actors in each of the roles make a great story. I highly recommend this now that it’s available on DVD, and it’s a very worthwhile story. The fact that in the end you get to see the real people make it even better.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog