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Movie Reviews Ebert & Roper, with Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times Tomato Picker at RottenTomatoes.com Move Review Query Engine and Metacritic searches specifically for movie reviews. Nitpickers.com shows you bloopers, in-jokes and secret messages in movies Movies For Busy People provides a brief synopsis of the story, plot, scenes, endings, and "what everyone will be talking about." Hollywood.com and moviefone.com don't show movies at AMC Theatres. The nicest thing about the Internet Movie Database is that after you select a film by title, you can read reviews from several sources! You also get detailed screen credits for the latest US movies. Click on a person's name and get other credits associated with that person. Click on the credit and get an explanation of that job title from their glossary of filmaking occupations, movie terms, and awards (including the Oscars. This year's awards. Roger Ebert's Top 20 Movie Sites Reviews from a country girl's perspective E! Online shows pictures to go with their news and live chats with stars, so it could be slow loading up. But you will find extras like greeting cards and computer wallpaper. This Java showcase would sure appreciates big hard disks. Film-ink Future Releases in theatres

From a Family/Christian perpective: Ted Behr's Movieguide (subscription) provides a "Moral Acceptability" rating and counts of obscenities, profanities, and blasphemy. Specific objectionable acts of sex and violence are described. Movie Glimpse.com - Connecting spiritual insights and gospel themes to the movies that touch your heart. Decent Films.com is Steven Greydanus' “site of film appreciation, information and criticism informed by Christian faith.” HollywoodJesus.com movies.crosswalk.com publishes reviews from the Dove Foundation. Dr. Dave Walsh's Mediafamily.org rates movies, TV shows, and games for each age range He provides scores specific for the amount and portrayal of Violence, Fear, Illegal/Harmful, Language, Nudity, and Sexual Content. Spotlight on the Movies. About.com Christianity Guide Charles Anderson Movie Technologies DLP (Digital Light Processing) Cinema from Texas Instruments bounces light off billions of tiny computer-controlled mirrors for the brightest, most colorful screens. IMAX movies project Large Format (LF) "15/70" film (70mm film with 15 perforations per frame) instead of the traditional 35mm film (which have 4 perforations per frame). Imax can now digitally re-master 35mm film to LF. Dolby THX sound DVD Easter Eggs tell you what's hidden in DVD's such as the Matrix. Maxivision 48 shows better 3D and without glasses.

Theatres DLP Theatres movies.channel.aol.com was 777film aka Movielink Fandango Moviefone According to the National Association of Theatre Owners, in 2002 there were an estimated 100,000 screens worldwide, (35,153 in the U.S.). Google's List of Theatre Chains Harkins Dinner and a Movie with Paul Gilmarin, Annabelle Gurwitch, and guests on TBS "Sweding" involves amateur filmmakers creating homespun homages to movies.

CinemaPop offer classic movies, cartoons, and  TV shows played through that tiny screen using Microsoft's Windows Media Player. TBN Films include China Cry, Carman's The Champion and The Omega Code series as well as vintage lectures by Kathryn Kuhlman and Hal Lindsey. Maxcast streams news, sports, and movies from Nova, Salon, iFilm . Atom Films and Stream Search (used to) offer a wide range of free audio and video streams. Intertainer (tried to sell) a week of on-line access to current-run movies for $3.99. until AOL Time Warner got hold of them. Video-on-demand (VOD) services Pulsent compresses tighter than MPEG-4 because it adds an object layer on top of an underlying block grid structure, making objects the basic building blocks for the image itself. Machinima (mah-SHEEN-eh-ma) are multi-media movies with voice-over dialogue and music added to scenes captured from real-time 3D engines such as first-person shooter video game engines "Quake", "Half Life", and "Unreal Tournament." ( CNN 8.24.2002 article cites Drew Campbell of Fountainhead Entertainment (maker of the movie “Sidrial”) in Mesquite, Texas, home of game-maker id Software Inc.) Examples: Strange Company's Matrix 4x1 series, Nanoflix (makers of 3D GameStudio authoring system).

Edifying Movie Themes Redemption In 1999, millions of the Jesus video was mailed to every household. See it so you can tell your friends and family that you've seen it when you give them a copy. Many churches are handing them out as an easy evangelistic tool because it is simply the lowest cost way to get people to hear the message. If you can't afford the $10 each, call me and I'll give you a free copy. I don't think it's as good as the laughing Jesus video, but you have to admit that a lot of videos you rent are boring, too. In The Jackal, Bruce Willis puts on 14 very convincing disguises, all of them cunning, cold-blooded, calculating killers. But Richard Gere steals the show with his heroism. The willingness to give one's life to save another is what's really breath-taking part of this movie. I don't know why Robert Duvall won the 1983 Best Actor oscar for Tender Mercies, a story about how a woman brought him to faith from alcoholism. The movie seemed rather slow to me. I also didn't get Duvall's The Apostle, about a Pentecostal minister who builds a church while escaping from the murder of his ex-wife's lover (a fellow pastor). Waterproof, stars Burt Reynolds as a Jewish man in a Christian film (Cloud Ten Pictures). Kindness In the “Classics” section. Watch all the Shirley Temple movies. She acts more adult than most of the adults. But I would pass on Doris Day. How about the Bible epics —Burt Lancaster as Moses , Charlton Heston as Ben Hur, and a “caste of thousands” in The Greatest Story Ever Told. I think Jackie Chan martial arts comedy movies are much more fun than James Bond but even more clever. Jackie has better kung fu and he's not a slut like 007. At the Spitfire Grill kindness and imagination triumphs. A Wall Street Journal article pointed out that a Catholic charity funded this movie as a profit-making venture — and succeeded. Compassion Touched by an Angel two-part Christmas story. If I were a casting director who needs someone to play the part of Jesus, I'd pick Randy Travis because his silence and soulful glances seems to carry more meaning than any other actor today. They also have a two-part Liberty Moon tear-jerker story about a Chinese dissident who escapes to the US and, with help from the angels, returns to China to find her jailed husband and daughter. With an introduction by Richard Gere! Persistance In Wild River, Merill Streep plays a wife struggling with her marriage. Her mother tells her "you let yourself an out." Many have avoided Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut because of the group sex scenes. But the man doesn't end up having sex. In Keeping the Faith Edward Norton stars as a Catholic priest who announces that he doesn't struggle with his celebacy, then struggles with his love/lust for a childhood friend who returns as a woman. Prayer In Armageddon, the President says the Aaronic Benediction.  Since when is the President of the United States supposed to be the spiritual leader for our nation? In Alien Ressurection, Wynona Ryder, as a robot, shows more humanity and courage than the humans. Also remarkable is that a (souless) robot would go to a chapel to connect with the main computer. The story is unappetizing because it's a rehash of the same old thing. I think they even used the same sets! Believe it or not, Stephen King's The Stand about survivors of biochemical picking up the pieces has believers singing “Amazing Grace”. Imagination Begnini's Life is Beautiful, 1998 oscar winner Courtship - Purity April, 1998 - Lost In Space - Danger, Will Robinson, Bad Movie Ahead!  I watched it with my tween daughter so she could see a woman spurning a man's sexual advances. Pamela's Prayer is about a young girl who delights in a first kiss at her wedding. Restraint In the Mask of Zorro, Anthony Hopkins stars as James Bond on horseback. He waits. He lets himself be captured for his daugher's sake. In The Gladiator, Russell Crowe plays Maximus, the Roman general who conquered Germania. When he is thrown in with other slaves from conquered lands, a fellow gladiator asks Maximus whether he has fought Germania. Maximus replies "I've fought many battles" rather than bragging about his triumph and risk animosity.

From Religion Today.com for Feb. 16, 1999: In the decade 1988-1997, Hollywood made 17 times more "R" rated films than "G" rated, even though the average "G"-rated film brought in eight times more revenue, a new report by the nonprofit Dove Foundation found. Copies of "Profitability Study of MPAA-Rated Movies" was sent to administrators of 200 mutual funds and pension funds, The Christian Science Monitor said. The study "proves that the real edge in Hollywood goes to competently crafted family entertainment," film critic Michael Medved said. Two short films that use kids to teach a lot about life in a few minutes: Puppies for Sale features Jack Lemmon and music by Elmer Berstein. Making Love is the best love story I have ever seen. Even though it's a USC student film, it has excellent cinematic production values to show the tenderness of real love. Writer/Director Ryan Schwartz doesn't waste a single frame of this 15 minute film to put a lump in my throat. $12 Reel Spirituality: Theology and Film in Dialogue (Engaging Culture) by Robert K. Johnston examines how to become a film critic and respond theologically to movies of, for example, Peter Weir. $12 Eyes Wide Open: Looking for God in Popular Culture by William D. Romanowski examines whether Christians really want clean films and music.

Bad Themes Jesus Had Sex (and Had Children) Christians are up in arms about the "Da Vince Code" movie in May, 2006 (and "The Last Temptation of Christ" before that) as "blasphemous" because those movies claim that Jesus had children. At issue is not murderous albino Catholics. It's about Jesus' divinity. If Jesus had children, then he won't be in a position to redeem mankind. That's because it's crazy to want children. No. That's not it. Just kidding. To have children, Jesus had sex before marriage, which is a sin. Where does it say that premarital sex is a sin? Earth is better than heaven. These include John Travolta's Michael, What Dreams May Come with Robin Williams, City of Angels, etc.  These movies undermine Christianity because it undermines recognition of the main benefit of our faith in Jesus — eternal peace in heaven. In Star Trek Insurrection, why would Picard and crew need to protect a Fountain of Youth when they could have a Fountain of Life in Christ? A Beneign Force Ruling The Universe Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace is the 1st of 3 prequels to the first three Star Wars films, when Ben Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) is in his 20s, and Anakin "Darth Vador" Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) is around 9. What "The Force" means to tennis great Michael Chang Nov. 99 - Joan of Arc -- Luc Besson directs this biopic from his own script. Milla Jovovich stars as the virgin warrior in this historical epic. John Malkovich, Faye Dunaway, Dustin Hoffman, also star. Bible-quoting crazies I think Tarrantino started it in Pulp Fiction with a hit man (Samual Jackson) who quotes biblical-sounding apocalyptic to those he is about to kill.  “The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you.” This is an "adaptation" of the REAL Ezekiel 25:16-17 passage: “And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them.” —Ezekiel 25:16-17 (King James Version) But God said "vengeance is mine". In Black Dog (with Patrick Swazy), Meat Loaf asks “do you read the Bible?”, yet he maniacally kills for revenge as he quotes passages. Vengeful characters Starship Troopers has a sinister message wrapped around a slick veneer of awesome special effects and pretty faces. Actions are based on revenge. Torture is condoned for enemies. And it's OK for Doogie Huzer to turn into a Nazi because he's on "our" side? But Neo-Nazi skin heads should find this movie appealing for its morality. Wrong Meaning of Words from the Bible The Apocalypse with Bruce Willis protecting his daughter from his protege. What's the derivation of the word Apocalypse anyway? The word “quick” in Quick and the Dead.(with Sharon Stone) is based on the Apostle's Creed Deceit Do you think that My Best Friend's Wedding makes deceit acceptable?

Mastermedia asks why not write a letter to the producer, director, or star? Be specific to the details: "Clean up the trash" is not as impressionable a response as a letter which states: When you saw it Where it appeared What you admirable or liked about it (start off on a friendly note) What you considered offensive. Offer specific reasons for your opinion.

Just a Little Bit From Rob Harms Many parents are hard pressed to explain to their youth why some music, movies, books, and magazines are not acceptable material for them to bring into the home or to listen to or see. One parent came up with an original idea that is hard to refute. The father listened to all the reasons his children gave for wanting to see a particular PG-13 movie. It had their favorite actors. Everyone else was seeing it. Even church members said it was great. It was only rated PG-13 because of the suggestion of sex--they never really showed it. The language was pretty good--the Lord's name was only used in vain three times in the whole movie. The teens did admit there was a scene where a building and a bunch of people were blown up, but the violence was just the normal stuff. It wasn't too bad. And, even if there were a few minor things, the special effects were fabulous and the plot was action packed. However, even with all the justifications the teens made for the '13' rating, the father still wouldn't give in. He didn't even give his children a satisfactory explanation for saying, "No." He just said, "No!" A little later on that evening the father asked his teens if they would like some brownies he had baked. He explained that he'd taken the family's favorite recipe and added a little something new. The children asked what it was. The father calmly replied that he had added dog poop. However, he quickly assured them, it was only a little bit. All other ingredients were gourmet quality and he had taken great care to bake the brownies at the precise temperature for the exact time. He was sure the brownies would be superb. Even with their father's promise that the brownies were of almost perfect quality, the teens would not take any. The father acted surprised. After all, it was only one small part that was causing them to be so stubborn. He was certain they would hardly notice it. Still the teens held firm and would not try the brownies. The father then told his children how the movie they wanted to see was just like the brownies. Satan tries to enter our minds and our homes by deceiving us into believing that just a little bit of evil won't matter. But, the truth is even a little bit of poop makes the difference between a great treat and something disgusting and totally unacceptable. The father went on to explain that even though the movie industry would have us believe that most of today's movies are acceptable fare for adults and youth, they are not. Now, when this father's children want to see something that is of questionable material, the father merely asks them if they would like some of his special dog poop brownies.

Recommendations This list of films is from the book "What Stories Does My Son Need? A Guid to Books and Movies That Build Character In Boys" by Michael Gurian. It describes the lessons from each film and provides discussion starters -- questions geared to a specific age group.

PreSchool Babe Bambi Beauty and the Beast Free Willy The Iron Giant Lassie Come Home The Lion King Miracle on 34th Street Mulan Peter Pan Pinocchio The Prince of Egypt Swiss Family Robinson The Sword in the Stone

Elementary School Captains Courageous Cool Runnings E.T.: The Extra-Terrestial It's a Wonderful Life Old Yeller Pride of the Yankees The Princess Bride Shane Treasure Island Where the Red Fern Grows Willow

Upper Grades 4-6: the Bear Beethoven Lives Upstairs The Black Stallion Brians's Song Empire of the Sun Forrest Gump The Gods Must Be Crazy Iron Will Karate Kid My Bodyguard Never Cry Wolf Rudy Scrooged Simon Birch The Sound of Music Ten Commandiments Three Wives To Kill a Mockingbird Wargames

Middle School Apollo 13 Ben-Hur The Bridge on the River Kwai Chariots of Fire The Color Purple Dances with Wolves Dead Poets Society Edward Sissorhands The Elephant Man Field of Dreams Gandhi Glory Grapes of Wrath High Noon Hoosiers Lucas Mask Men Don't Leave Mr. Holland's Opus Places in the Heart Rocky Searching for Bobby Fischer Silverado Stand by Me Vision Quest White Squall

High School The Accidental Tourist The Accused Blood In, Blood Out Boyz N the Hood Braveheart A Bronx Tale Casablanca Contact The Deer Hunter The Edge Gallipoli Good WIll Hunting Hamlet In and Out Inside Moves Judgment at Nurenberg Kramer vs. Kramer Life Is Beautiful The Matrix A Man for All Seasons Mississippi Burning October Sky Paths of Glory The Prince of Tides Saving Private Ryan Scent of a Woman Schindler's List The Shawshank Redemption A Simple Plan Unforgiven

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