A very dark movie. Parents should really take the PG-13 seriously. At the showing I went to there were far too many young children.

It is all out war now between those who support Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort. Harry along with his friends Hermione and most of the time Ron are on the run for their very lives.

It is one confrontation after another and even the close friendship of the three begins to wear very thin as family and their circle of friends are all challenged and some are even killed in the process.

The writers are very successful in this episode creating and sustaining tension and desperation throughout with only fleeting moments of rest. Actually the film is way too long and emotionally exhausting.

Very few redeeming moments and themes in this movie and the evil side seems to be dominating. However, Harry and friends meet every test and are still standing at the end.

As the name indicates it is really only Part 1 and one truly hopes that it will be worth it all after Part 2 is viewed. We leave our heroes in the throes of desperation and seek resolution in part 2 this coming Summer.

The movie presents a time in the near future when nearly all American are living their lives out through substitute robots who carry on their everyday activities for them while each person stays safely at home in their bedroom connected to the robot in a virtual world. What the robot feels, sees, tastes, and does is sent on and experienced by the operator. If the ‘surrogate’ suffers some kind of injury however, the real person is not affected—well that is the way it was supposed to be.

Bruce Willis plays detective John Greer who is investigating several murders by surrogate. The robot was injured and the damage was somehow passed on to the real operator who was killed back at home. The detective discovers that the inventor of the surrogate program is somehow involved in the production of this fatal computer virus that effects both surrogate and operator.

It is an action film that demonstrates the superman qualities of having a police force that are essentially robots. However, the movie also reveals the disconnect with reality that people begin to suffer from when they live their lives in a virtual world where only robot surrogates talk, touch, and make love while their operators are essentially disengaged from real relationships.

Detective Greer doesn’t like what it has done to the relationship between him and his wife Maggie and would like to get together with her for real once more. A solution is presented and Greer has an opportunity to reverse the whole thing.

The movie does raise deep questions about how life in the future will cope with technology getting in the way of real relationship as increasingly more and more of our lives are carried on in an antiseptic virtual world.

Set Apart brings ministries to the movies!

Review by Dana Chaffin:

     In this action-packed movie, ministries are the backdrop to an encouraging story.  This Christian film highlights actual ministries that were created by brothers Randy and John Gunn together with their wives.  The plot of the movie and the ministries featured make it entertaining and purposeful.  It gets the attention and hearts of both adults and teens and will make for an enjoyable movie night for the whole family.

About the movie

     The title of the movie Set Apart reminds us that as children of God we are set apart for a special purpose.  “Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself” Psalm 4:3a (NIV).  This film mixes comedy and Wild West action to get across a powerful message.  The story is about 4 teens from a tough city where drugs, prostitution, and violence are part of their normal life.  These kids are in a fight for their lives trying to make the right decisions, but the gangs are making that very hard.  A preacher, played by John Schneider (The Dukes of Hazzard), noticing that these kids are at high risk, asks his brother, Randy Gunn, to take them to his ranch, to see a different way of life.  While at the ranch these teens learn about hard work, responsibility, true friendship, and above all that God loves them.  Today teens are faced with tough choices all around them.  They are desperately looking for love and acceptance.  Who are we going to let influence our teens – God or gangs?

About the ministries

     Randy and Heidi Gunn are involved in GunnPoint Music & Ministries.  They perform and compete at Cowboy Mounted Shooting competitions. The Gunn’s are the official pastors of The Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association (CMSA).  At these events they conduct “Cowboy Church”.  These services include encouraging music and a positive message to the cowboys, cowgirls and their families.  The GunnPoint Band has touched the lives of numerous cowboys and their families.  They have performed in concert with some big names like Diamond Rio, Josh Turner, Natalie Grant and more.   
    Randy is known as “The Pistol Packin’ Preacher” and with National and World Cowboy Mounted Shooting titles, that fits. He shares the Gospel to cowboys in lingo they understand – horses. As a songwriter and recording artist He has produced several top 20 hits on the Contemporary Christian Music list.

    Heidi is known as “Straight Arrow” as she too competes in the Mounted Shooting competitions.  Heidi’s God-given gifts of singing, modeling, acting, writing, and more help her to share her love of God and people. 

     Another inspiring ministry, The Power Company Kids Club, is featured in the film.  Reverend John W. Gunn, brother to Randy Gunn, and his wife Michele founded the ministry in 1993.  This is a faith-based nonprofit ministry dedicated to bringing hope to inner city kids and their families.  The at-risk kids are transported to the center weekly for singing, games, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  John and Michele live in the community where they minister.  They visit the families in their homes, mentor the children, and lead street ministries.  Their main purpose is the emotional, physical, spiritual, and social well-being of the Power Company Kids.

Set Apart is a reality for a lot of teens in America – facing gangs, prostitution, and violence at every turn.   But Thank God we have ministries like GunnPoint and The Power Company Kids Club reaching out to them and their families.  On September 22, 2009, pick up the DVD anywhere Christian movies are sold.  Until then, you can visit www.setapartmovie.com to learn more about the movie and the ministries.  Again I ask who are we letting influence teens around us – God or gangs?  Get involved with teens in your area or help the ministries that are already reaching out.

Dana Chaffin is a Christian freelance writer who has published many articles on faithwriters.com. Passionate about Christian film, her desire is to get the word out about Christian movies to as many people as possible.

This is definitely not a movie for children, the violence is far too graphic. The movie starts out like a TV documentary exploring a refugee village where nearly 2 million aliens live—aliens as in from another planet. Unlike other Sci Fi scenarios, these aliens seem to be leaderless and powerless to take care of themselves even though their technology had to be advanced in order to reach Earth, they are now herded together in horrible apartheid conditions in Johannesburg, South Africa and treated like animals instead of the intelligent beings that they obviously must be.

The commentator and main character starts out making fun of the aliens calling them ‘Prawns’ (they do sort of look like crustaceans with two legs) while he shows the audience the despicable living conditions they live in while callously informing them that they’re all going to be evicted from Johannesburg and moved to a new more rural location.

In the midst of the documentary, the commentator- Wikus Van De Merwe is sprayed by a black substance from an alien device and it triggers a metamorphosis. Soon Wikus is half human and half alien and becomes the first human who can actually use alien weapons and devices since all of the alien technology is bio based.

The story then turns into an action film as Wikus is on the run and being pursued by MNU forces of a multi-national conglomerate involved with trying to find ways to use alien weapons and technology.

Wikus links up with the alien leader who needs the black substance device back in order to power his space ship for a trip back to his home planet. He promises Wikus that he will reverse the metamorphosis and return him back into being fully human once more. Wikus ends up demonstrating alien weapons to his former friends as he holds off the entire MNU force while his alien friend make good on his escape from the ‘planet of the humans’.

I wish I could say that it was an enjoyable ride but it was thought provoking and definitely a different Sci Fi pic than your usual Star Wars or Trek film from the ‘future’ –this comes at you from the here and now and humanity is shown in the worst light possible until all the chips are down and played. Then one very unlikely human hero emerges and makes a difference.

The second installment of ‘Transformers’ from my perspective wasn’t near as good as the first. ‘Revenge’ really had no story line except the bad ‘Decepticons’ come back with a vengeance and once again try to put down the good ‘transformers’ and destroy humanity in the process.

The first movie at least had a clever story line but this installment had  nothing to offer but action from start to finish. If you hadn’t seen the first one you would never know what was really going on– the second installment is so heavily dependent on the first.

One interesting sequence had Sam going off to college and somehow a very hot human looking ‘female’ Decepticon was constantly trying to seduce him. Wow, never did get how that was possible but at least it was the only thing that came close to a storyline in the whole movie—the rest was non-stop action from there.

I took my 11 year old grandson to see it and he loved it and so it seems did the rest of the kids his age in the theater. So the film will probably do well—the critics will pan it while the kids continue to file in and make it a ‘blockbuster’.

At one point with the action moving so fast that I couldn’t tell the good robots from the bad I asked my grandson who was who– He said: “Gee grandpa, don’t you even know –the Decepticons are the black colored ones?” So there you have it if you get confused like me in the midst of the battle scenes just remember that the bad guys wear black.

WARNING: This is not a family-friendly film. The ‘R’ rating doesn’t begin to explain what you will really see in this film. It is far more graphic with more nudity than the‘R’ would indicate.

That said, the quality of the film and the writing was superior. However, I can’t really say that I enjoyed the film-far more violent and than I really like. Also, not an enjoyable escapist experience-far too much to think about and consider.

The story presents you with a sort of parallel universe where super heroes helped to win WWII and the Vietnam war. Nixon is starting his 3rd term, the heroes have forcibly been retired by the government, and the world is on the brink of annihilation still in the middle of the Cold War.

The movie opens with the murder of one of the ‘heroes’- The Comedian- who is hurled out of his high-rise apartment to his death. Through the investigation we are introduced to the rest of the heroes one by one in person and through the effective use of flashbacks. All of these folks were interesting and all had major flaws– The Comedian for sure. The Nite Owl was probably the most sympathetic—the rest I really didn’t care for much.

The most interesting character of all was Dr. Manhattan who through a freak accident had gained ‘god-like’ powers. Increasingly it was becoming more difficult for Manhattan to identify with the rest of humanity as his limitless abilities increased. The major issue dealt with here—what really does separate god from humanity.

Then there was the arrogant Ozymandias who reminded one of a Greek Olympian who was also supposed to be the smartest person in the world. In the end it was Ozymandias who wanted to play god and bring an end to the ‘Cold War’—willing to sacrifice thousands in the process.

This is one of those movies where it takes 3 or more viewings before you really get everything that is offered up, though I am not sure I really want to see it again. Perhaps when the DVD comes out I’ll take it on once more.

The trailer for the film seems to sell the picture as a ‘Dirty Harry’ character living out his retirement years with a Charles Bronson ‘Death Wish’ neighborhood scenario. The film is far more complicated and presents the main character with a number of different ethical, and religious decisions.

The picture opens with Walt Kowalski (Eastwood) at a funeral for his wife. One can tell right away that Walt is somewhat estranged from his family. At the reception afterwards, his family all seem to want something from him and so does the Priest– Kowalski blows them all away.

Next we see Walt relating to his new Asian neighbors who are trying to introduce themselves–he growls some racist slurs and screams at them–”get off my lawn.” At that point you really don’t see any redeeming side to this man called Walt Kowalski.

However, the writers have set you up to think the worst about ‘Dirty’ Walt–as a down right miserable excuse of a human being. But there is far more to Walt than meets the eye or his well developed rough exterior.

As the story develops, we find out that Walt is a Korean War Vet who came back with plenty of baggage that has never been resolved. His wife was the only really good thing in his life and all he has left is his ’72 Gran Torino that he actually helped to put together while working on the Ford assembly line, his dog Daisy, and his home in an aging neighborhood in the midst of change–all bad from his perspective. Oh yes, then there is his health which is not so good since he is coughing up blood every once in a while.

This is not your usual Clint Eastman action film, though he does make good use of a vintage rifle and a handgun in protecting himself and his neighbors.

He finally does become friends with the teenage girl-Sue next door who sees through his gruff exterior and involves him in a traditional Hmong party. Walt finds out that he does like Asian food after all. When he protects the girl from some African-American gang members, he becomes a hero to his neighbors.

Walt catches the neighbor teenage boy called “Toad” (real name -Thao)—trying to steal his Gran Torino. The boy was pressured into it by the local Hmong gang who was forcing him to join against his will. Walt nearly shoots the kid, who becomes persona non grata until his family offers to have him work off his offence and dishonor. In the process, Walt teaches Toad some skills in maintenance and construction and eventually helps him get a job.

The gang comes back to claim Toad and Walt sends them packing. Then the Hmong gang rapes and beats up Toad’s sister Sue and Toad wants immediate revenge asking Walt to help him get it. Walt tells him to settle down and think it through then locks him away in the basement and leaves to take care of things his own way. But first Walt makes a visit to the young priest that he has been trying to ignore and finally does give his long overdue confessional.

Issues of life and death and what is really important are the themes which run through this untypical Eastman ‘action’ film. In the end Walt does do things his way own way, but is far more caring and sacrificial than ‘Dirty Harry’ could have ever been.          *Top

This is not only the major blockbuster of the year, but is probably going to become the largest $ grossing film of all time–Titanic here comes The Dark Knight!

There is some remarkable acting in this sequel to Batman Begins. Christian Bale holds his own, Gary Oldman does a remarkable job as Lt. Gordon, Aaron Eckhart adds interesting dimension to the part of Harvey Dent as hero and villain. The small parts played by Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman are icing on the cake.

However, the real show stopper in this film is the Joker played by Heath Ledger. One can’t imagine a more chilling presentation of a truly diabolical character than the one created for us by Ledger. A performance that will go down in the history of film as one of the greatest and most remarkable villains of all time.

The Heath Ledger character forces Batman to choose between the normal life he was seeking and his continuing roll as savior of Gotham City. In the midst of the battle, he forces Batman to make choices that end up being unpopular with regular folks.

However, the most diabolical choice that he puts before the Dark Knight is to force him to choose between what is best for the city or the life of the one he loves. Batman is forced to make the ultimate choice here–a no win situation–and in the final analysis it is all for nothing.

Batman in this film goes from being everyone’s action hero, to becoming a lawless uncontrollable benefactor who acts on unpopular choices that no one else is willing to do for the good of all.  In the process he sacrifices part of himself for the salvation of Gotham.

It is an interesting film on a number of different levels, one that delivers at the theater, and powerfully impacts the observer long after the popcorn has been eaten and the credits have rolled.          *Top

The movie starts with a lengthy historical introduction to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Then it switches to a scene in a community park with a baseball game in progress, folks picnicing and children playing. It could be a picture from any small town in middle America, but this community is in Saudi Arabia. As the camera scans the area, you finally see that there is a wall surrounding it with Army guards stationed at the gate.

Soon the placid scene erupts as terrorists storm the gate and begin spraying the park with machine gun fire. Before it is all over, a huge bomb explodes and more that 100 men, women, and children are slaughtered including a FBI agent.

The FBI is notified and put together a team to help the Saudis get the bad guys. At first the Saudis do not want help and the American diplomats oppose sending a team. Finally after some diplomatic arm twisting, a FBI investigating team lands in Saudi Arabia and are promptly locked in the community gym and allowed to only look at the site but not really touch or investigate.

Finally after meeting with a Saudi Prince, the American team is allowed to proceed and do end up getting the ‘bad’ guys. That is the story in a nutshell.

There is some fine acting done in this movie by Jamie Foxx who plays the part of the FBI team leader, Chris Cooper who is the bomb expert, and Ashraf Barhom who plays the Saudi Colonel who is supposed to ‘babysit’ the Americans.

Cultural contrasts are a major part of the story. The Muslim religion and culture is on display by Saudis but the Americans do not show any religious connections at all. Jennifer Garner plays the part of a woman FBI agent who is part of the team and seems to be constantly out of place and has no clue about the Saudi culture and their idea of proper decorum.

The last 20 minutes is non-stop action and worth the price of admission. The ‘bad’ guys do go down at the end and the team returns to America as heroes.

This is one of only a few Hollywood movies lately about the War on Terror which isn’t filled with some kind of political, anti-war, or anti-military message. The writers do spoil it all at the end with a equivocating statement to placate all their film industry friends.

With his dying breath, the terrorist leader says: "We are going to kill them all"; then they flash back to a statement from the FBI team leader saying the same thing: "We are going to kill them all".

However, the actual actions by these two leaders demonstrates a considerable difference in what they actually meant by the statement. The terrorist bomber did try to ‘kill all of them’ in the Western community– men, women, and children. While the FBI team only ended up pursuing and killing the terrorists and in the process took considerable care not to harm the women and children who were part of the terrorist families.

This was a good movie and I highly recommend it. There was a balance here between action, violence, and thoughtful cultural engagement. *Top