Ed's Review Dot Com

Visible Pictures(II), All Entertainment,

Masey McLain, Ben Davies, Sadie Robertson, Korie Robertson, Bella Robertson, Jaci Velasquez, Jennifer O’Neill

Rachel Joy Scott (Masey McLain) was the first person shot by the Colombine High School shooters, they asked her if she was still a Christian, and when she confirmed her belief, she was viciously shot and killed. Rachel was not a perfect person. Being a High School girl, she had problems and issues, like everyone else, but was a very outstanding young person trying to help others and do the right things. She wrote a journal, and her Mother decided to publish the last few months and weeks of her life to show what a difference her daughter made. This is a biographical story in her own words of how she lived to make the world a better place and to reach out to those who needed her friendship.

This is a Christian movie, certainly. But it’s also very touching and down to earth. Unlike a made up story, this is the real story of Rachel and the struggles she faced. This is not a documentary of the Columbine shooting, although there is actual news footage including President Clinton that is real footage. This is the story of a girl, and her struggles and flaws and her attempts to do good things. In that respect, Masey did a great job of portraying the girl. There are several reasons why people might not like this film, but I think they can be summed up in a few words. One is that it is a Christian movie, and therefore does preach a lot. That turns off a lot of people. Secondly, they are not trying to put down or take away from each of the individuals that lost their life in this terrible tragedy, nor does it do much to explain the psychosis that these boys had that made them do what they did. This is not about the shooting, but is the memory of one person, and a few people that her life touched. So don’t expect a long documentary on the tragedy, as that isn’t here. But if you are able to take the story at face value, it certainly is a great story, and one that ought to be told. It seems each of us ought to have a movie made about our lives and how we made a difference, but sadly only a choice few have that opportunity. If Rachel had been run over by a bus, we never would have known her story and was a decent person she was, and that is sad. But due to circumstances she couldn’t control, she is able to make an impact on each of us. Well done, and a good, very sentimental and righteous story.

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Heyday Films, LBO Productions (II), DreamWorks

Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Rachel Weisz, Bryan Brown, Jack Thompson

Tom Scherbourne (Michael Fassbender) takes on the job temporarily as a lighthouse keeper way out in the ocean off the coast of Western Australia, but with his wife, Isabel (Alicia Vikander) they have a happy life away from the world for months at a time. But when Isabel finds she cannot have a child, she is filled with sadness. One day a rowboat appears floating in the water off the island where the lighthouse stands, and it’s filled with the cry of a little baby girl, Isabel’s dreams are fulfilled when they keep and raise the little girl, that is until the real mother Hannah Rennfeldt (Rachel Weisz) shows up and wants her little girl back.

This is a very touching and beautiful, but sad drama of a lonely man, and his adventurous wife, and a huge battle of who the child belongs to. It’s well acted by all the primary characters, and is a real lady film of romance and tragedy, and not a lot else. The men will probably fidget through the whole movie, as this is a very slowly, though beautifully told story. Not much action, just the story, but it is very beautiful. I found myself envying the guy for being able to live alone in such a beautiful place with no cars, no traffic jams, and no other people. Still, this is mostly a chick flick, so I warn the guys, but rent it for your wife or girlfriend on a good night when there’s a game on the other TV, and be sure to comfort her when she comes back at the end with tears in her eyes. It is a touching ending.

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Blumhouse Productions, QC Entertainment,

Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones, Stephen Root, LilRel Howery, Betty Gabriel, Marcus Henderson, Lakeith Lee Stanfield

Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) is nervous about meeting his fiance’s family. Rose Armitage (Allison Williams) is a white girl from a very wealthy family and she hasn’t quite told the parents, Missay Armitage (Catherine Keener) and Dean Armitage (Bradley Whitford) that her fiance is African-American. But Rose insists that her parents are not racist in any way, and that he has nothing to worry about. But Chris’ best friend Walter (Marcus Henderson) a TSA agent at the airport isn’t so sure. Things feel a bit strange up there as the black people who live in the town are acting very strange, and many more are missing, but when Chris gets the warning GET OUT! all hell breaks loose.

This is a good old fashioned horror film that has real terror and a real good story. It’s hard to figure out the truth, and you’re likely going to go through the film thinking it’s easy to figure out only to be blown away at the end. Sure, there’s a few jump scares, and the sound effects and score add a lot to the film which makes this a great one to see on the biggest screen you can with the best sound system you can find. But above and beyond that, this film is really creepy with a lot of suspense thrown in. The ending is especially good. Yes, this is one horror film that is less on the gore, and much ratcheted up on the scary story side. This is one of the better horror films I’ve seen in a long time, and the African-American slant is quite interesting, although not at all essential to the story, and it could have been anybody, really. But the reasoning for why they’re African-American is really twisted. In summary, this is a darn good horror film with lots of new faces. In fact, this was Allison Williams’ first feature film, and she nailed it. Jordan Peele wrote the story and this is his debut as a director, and the story arose out of a discussion in 2008 over whether Hillary as a woman or Barack as an African-America had more right to be president. It grew into this story, and it does cover a lot of moral and ethical ground, but never stops the constant terror and suspense. I recommend this one to horror fans everywhere!

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog