Review: Of Gods and Men

Why Not Productions/Armada Films/France 3 Cinema/Canal +

This is a time when I'm really thankful for the way Europeans, specifically the French, make movies. Unlike Americans who have the attention span of an ADD five-year old, the French tend to take their time in movies. They don't care if Americans call it 'slow' or whatnot, it's all about the pacing, telling the whole story, and getting it right. That's something director Xavier Beauvois understands very well, and it was especially important for the making of 'Of Gods and Men.'

In Algeria, in the mid 1990's, fundamentalist terrorist groups began attacking at different locations around the country, specifically targeting foreigners. A few such instances occur near the monastery of Tibhirine where a group of Trappist monks live alongside a Muslim community. They give the villagers medical aid and grow all of their own supplies and sell honey they make in the market. Other than helping the villagers, the brothers spend their time studying, praying, singing, and eating together. Beauvois' handling of the material and the cinematography of Caroline Champetier perfectly capture the simplicity, commitment, and quietness of the monks life. Lead by brother Christian (Lambert Wilson), the monks must decide whether to stay with the villagers the monastery has cared for for decades or flee from the growing danger of the terrorists.

Review: The Adjustment Bureau

Universal Pictures

Something that is immediately strange about this movie is that it isn't a remake or sequel to anything. Sure, it's "based" on a Philip K. Dick story like every other science fiction movie ever made, but it's still something new coming out of Hollywood. So why was Hollywood willing to put money into a project that is generally unfamiliar to most people? Sure, Matt Damon is a draw for a lot of people and Emily Blunt is a good-looking, talented actress, but is that enough the world of today where most movies are rehashed material?

It seems to me that the premise of the story that a secret organization known as the "Bureau" is controlling life on earth is nothing new to anyone. Whether it's God, angels, lizard people, the illuminati aliens, whatever, many people believe in some force like fate that directs and governs life. Therefore, it's a safe bet that the audience will connect with this movie on some level. But is the massive appeal a good sign for someone who is looking for an intriguing, intelligent time at the movies?

In most cases, movies with universal, obvious messages are terrible or at best mediocre. And even if a movie is generally intelligent in the layout of the plot the revealing of the message at the end is usually something stupid like the ending to many indie movies that usually goes something like "we just have to learn to love in this crazy world." With a question of fate or free-will which 'The Adjustment Bureau' blatantly poses in the trailers and the film itself is the execution of the story or conclusion more important?

Review: Jane Eyre

Focus Features

It's hard to believe I haven't seen a movie in theaters since 'The King's Speech.' And now, with spring break, it was inevitable that I'd see a movie or two. We'll see if I get to the other two I saw ('The Adjustment Bureau', 'Of Gods and Men'), but for now I'll start with this timeless, Bronte classic that has been adapted to screen countless times over the span of some 100 years; basically ever since making movies became a thing.

So how does it hold up against all the others? It's hard for me to say for sure since I've only seen one version that BBC did a while back that is quite good and is like 3 hours long or something which makes it a lot easier to cover a lot of material. That's probably something this movie accomplished better than any other movie adaptation could have. Jane Eyre (Mia Wasikowska) had a sad, troubling childhood and many things happened to her while leading up to her job as governess to the little French girl at Thornfield Hall, and the film did a great job of capturing it all in just a few scenes. The most important thing being capturing Jane's resilient nature and strong will. Mia Wasikowska definitely picked this role well if she was looking to work on her capabilities as a leading actress, and I think she will most likely be an Oscar contender at some point in the future if this performance tells us anything.