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The Fallen Idol, a review by Antares

The Fallen Idol





Year: 1948
Film Studio: British Lion Film Corporation, London Films, Twentieth-Century-Fox Film Corp.
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Length: 92 Min.

Director
Carol Reed (1906)

Writing
Graham Greene (1904)...Story "The Basement Room"
Graham Greene (1904)...Screenplay
Lesley Storm (1904)...Additional Dialogue
William Templeton...Additional Dialogue

Producer
Philip Brandon (1898)
Alexander Korda (1893)
Carol Reed (1906)

CinematographerMusic
William Alwyn (1905)...Composer

StarsReviewThe Third ManThe Fallen IdolThe Fallen Idol, pleads with the child to just tell the truth.
       From beginning to end, I found this story crisp, clear and thoroughly entertaining. Ralph Richardson gives a subdued, but powerful performance as the butler whom all the detectives think Shane is to a lot of people. That aside, if you like a good suspenseful story, then The Fallen Idol should find its way onto your wishlist.


Review Criterion
5 Stars - The pinnacle of film perfection and excellence.


(From The Fallen Idol (1948) on August 31st, 2010)

The Heart of Christmas, a review by Danae Cassandra

The Heart of Christmas
Year of Release: 2011
Directed By: Gary Wheeler
Starring: Candace Cameron Bure, Jeanne Neilson, Christopher Shone, Nicholas Shone, Eric Beck
Genre: Drama

Overview:
Based on a true story of hope and compassion, The Heart Of Christmas will touch your heart and bring home the spirit of the holidays. Austin and Julie Locke are devastated when they learn that their young son, Dax, has been diagnosed with cancer. But with courage, determination and faith, they decide to give Dax a one last Christmas, even if it has to be in October. When the community sees the holiday decorations and learns the heartbreaking truth, what happens next is a miraculous outpouring of caring and support. Starring Candace Cameron Bure (Make It or Break It), Jeanne Neilson (Faith Like Potatoes), George Newbern (Father of the Bride), Erin Bethea (Fireproof), Anita Renfroe (Bless This Mess), and Matthew West (Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter). The Heart Of Christmas is the greatest gift of all.

My Thoughts:
This is a good story with a great message, done with competent actors who do their best with what they've been given. You can tell everyone had their heart in making the film, and really had a lot of empathy for Dax's story. It's quite the tearjerker, but it's also a heartwarming story, as all these people come together to support this family.

I just wish it was a better movie. I had some issues with the filmmaking choices. That's not to say that the film is bad ... but the technique could have been better. When I was working on my creative writing, I was always told "show, don't tell." Well, this film does a lot of telling. Most of the film is in flashback, and it has a framing story of a career mom reading the blog Dax's mom writes. I would have rather seen the film told linear, as the story of the family with their son. While I understand what they're going for with it, I really felt it was unnecessary. The message of cherishing each moment, and how the lives of one family can influence others, could come through just fine without the frame.

Still, I enjoyed the film and would recommend it if it sounds like one you'd enjoy. Be prepared for some tears, and some Christianity. I won't say it's a faith film, but it's close. It wasn't preachy, so it didn't offend this non-Christian. Your milage may vary.

I did like the film's message, so I had to go listen to "Another Day" from Rent after watching this film. There is no future / There is no past / I live this moment as my last / There's only us / There's only this / Forget regret / Or life is yours to miss / No other road / No other way / No day but today

Bechdel Test: Pass
Mako Mori Test: Fail

Overall: 3/5

(From Christmas 2016 on December 21st, 2016)

Tom's TV Pilots marathon, a review by Tom

Samurai 7: The Complete Series (2005/Japan) IMDb | Wikipedia FUNimation Entertainment (United States) Length: 600 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround, English: Dolby Digital 5.1, Japanese: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround, Japanese: Dolby Digital 5.1 Subtitles: English

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Plot:
Set in a futuristic world that has just witnissed the end of a massive war, scores of villages are terrorized by Nobuseri bandits. But the Nobuseri are no normal bandits. They were once Samurai, who during the war integrated their living cells with machines to become dangerous weapons now appearing more machine than man. Absolute power corrupts, and their reign of terror is increasing its hold on the countryside. But one group of villagers has had enough, deciding to hire samurai to protect their village. Kirara is a young priestess who travels to the city seeking out protection. One by one, she encounters brave samurai that the war has left behind. These man of skill and valor are each unique and not without their quirks. But can they come together as one to defend the helpless village?


Samurai Sebun
1.01 The Master
Writer: Akira Kurasawa (Original Material By), Atsuhiro Tomioka (Screenwriter)
Director: Toshifumi Takizawa
Cast

(From Tom's TV Pilots marathon on July 1st, 2012)