Saved!
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Movie Reviews of Saved!
Movie Review: Saved!
Summary: 5 Stars
Set in a not-extremely-conservative Christian fundamentalist high school (witness the amusingly-hip "Pastor Skip"!) this movie is an excellent satire of modern Christian fundamentalism, especially the glaring hypocrisy, and the self-serving and phony hyper-righteousness of some of it's adherents. The plot unfolding from a crisis of faith that one young woman at the school experiences after her Christian boyfriend admits to her (underwater, no less!) that he's Gay, this movie is very well-produced, filmed, scripted and acted, featuring actors such as (forgive the vague identification of some here!): Susan Sarandon's daughter; MacCaulay Culkin; the young woman who played Donnie Darko's girlfriend; Mandy Moore; one of the Arquette sisters; George Wendt; Adam Arkin; and a guy who looks like a friend of my sister Kathy's from high school.
Funny, realistic, poignant, meaningful, politically charged, sexy and romantic all together, it does not demean Christianity in general (though I'm sure that some people would find it quite blasphemous) but simply points out that life is too complicated to be easily dealt with by an overly simplistic and blindered world view as is -- to be fair -- practiced by not only Christian fundamentalists, but also by Islamic, and Jewish fundamentalists as well. As one of the characters asks: "If God wanted us to all be the same, then why did he make us all so different?!" I highly recommend it!! (Hey, I even got teary-eyed at the end... what more could you ask for?)
Movie Review: One of the Best Teen Comedies Ever!
Summary: 5 Stars
Saved is a treat, a surprise, and a treasure. I can't remember how many times I've laughed out loud in a movie theater after seeing this film.
In an era of oppressive "politial correctness" comes a movie that spits in the face of all conservative conventions. The film goes for broke and isn't ashamed or self-conscious of being a biting social satire.
This movie is really portraying a larger truth by satirizing a pedogogy and crippling fundamentalism that chooses to give any human being who isn't a WASP no chance of hope in our society.
I'll be happy to show this to any pedophile Catholic Priest who abuses his power to the advances of innocent victims, usually young boys. It shows the hypocrisy that has made fundamental Catholic religion what it is today. There is a part of me that truly believes that a majority of people use religion the wrong way. That way is to hurt, embarrass, shame, and use their powers to belittle people who don't necessary agree with their view points. The film shows the suffocation this mentality can bring upon the main characters of the film.
The film has a happy tone and that is orchestrated through it's director, Brian Dannelly, who said in a recent interview that he was surprised at the controversy that the film has raised. You can imgine seeing Brian Danelly with a nicely planted smirk on his face while directing this film scene to scene.
See this film and you just might be "Saved".
Movie Review: Sad Reality
Summary: 5 Stars
As a future pastor not of the fundamentalist persuasion, this movie was great. I watched it with one of my friends who is an ex-pentecostal and grew up attending a Christian high school, and she said that this is actually an understatement of how rediculous things got - which drover her sister to atheism and herself to becoming a confessional Lutheran.
It demonstartes several realities about the legalsim of the charismatics and findamentalists: how by duplicating everything in American culture there no longer is a visisble or experiential difference between what it means to be or not be a Christian, the hypocrisy of their legalistic morality, and the fact that the central theme of Christianity - Christ's sacrifice for sins - is nowhere to be found in their understanding of Christian life.
Unfortunatley, rather than the characters recognizing that they can't be some perfect little angel but rather taht they are sinners in need of forgiveness, the entire Christian faith is thrown down the tubes. The saddest thing is that charismatic-based fundamentalists, with their hypocritically strict legalistic moral code, have become what people think of when they think of Christanity, and not any form which rests its hope solely upon the Crucified Christ. To say the least, whoever wrote this movie has been through the system, at least according to those who have seen it that I've spoken to, all who are disaffected members of this sub-culture in North America.
Movie Review: A leap of faith
Summary: 5 Stars
"Saved" is recieving some harsh criticism, saying that it's awful to satirize Christianity. And I agree with the fact that sometimes there's a thin line where far is TOO far, but I feel that "Saved" is an excellent, smart parody that really has nothing to do with Christianity.
Yes, the plot takes place within the Born-Again Christian community, and I am able to laugh about the isms that the "Jesus Freak" people have, simply because I have been raised in a Catholic/Private school environment for more than twelve years of my life. I know what it's like, and I think that it's funny how it's portrayed.
But set that aside, we're not here to talk about Christianity, or "Saved" being anti-Christian.
In all honesty, the film truly speaks about tolerance, and not religion. Who are the protagonists of the film? The outcasts: the paraplegic, the pregnant teen, the Jewish girl. What is the film criticizing? How people treat those who are "different." And the easiest target is the ultra-conservative, hypocritical Christian population. It just fits wonderfully. Besides, what does Jesus teach anyway? Love your neighbor as yourself?
Also, the performances given by all of the actors are top-notch. It was definitely a smart choice on everyone's part to be involved with this film.
Overall, I give "Saved" five stars, because it deserves it, and because it's an excellent SATIRE with real meaning behind it.
Movie Review: Amen!
Summary: 5 Stars
Mary (Jena Malone) is a sincere, Christian girl who discovers that her boyfriend, Dean (Chad Faust) is gay, and in her efforts to de-gay him, she becomes pregnant while he is sent away to a special institution.
Further complicating things are Hillary Faye (Mandy Moore), a snobby, stereotypical hypocrite who is the leader of the Christian Jewels, an exclusive "glee club for Jesus", Pastor Skip (Martin Donovan), and his son, Patrick (Patrick Fugit), who is enamored with Mary.
Filled with symbolism, such as Mary's red dress at prom, and a bus advertisement reading "imagine", this movie takes all that is wrong with the born again set and throws it at us full force, unapologetically, and in a uniquely hilarious manner.
Mandy Moore, pop princess, suprised me with her catty performance, as I had never actually seen her act before this. She was great! Eva Amurri, the one Jew in their school that plays the "bad girl", steals the show, however, and McCauly Culkin, as Hillary Faye's wheel chair bound brother, Roland, is outstanding enough to make me forget the taint of "Home Alone".
Not since "Dogma" has there been a movie that so openly portrays the very real hypocrisy and intolerance of the Christian Right. In the end, and without giving it all away, we learn the true value of morality and the Christian spirit, and it is not wrapped up in living a life of false perfection.