The Bible Collection: Jesus

Plot Summary

Jesus was and is the most significant figure in history. As God in the flesh, He lived among humanity for three years, establishing His earthly ministry with the least likely people. However, Jesus always knew that His ultimate purpose would be fulfilled in His sacrifice on the cross, paying the sin debt for all humanity. Nonetheless, it wouldn’t end there since He would rise again victorious.

Production Quality (1.5 points)

Like over Lux Vide offerings, Jesus sports a fine production, including good sets, locations, and props. Camera work and video quality are also professional save for some wild action shots. Audio quality is okay, even if the soundtrack is a bit generic. However, generic special effects and poor editing drag this score down to the middle line. At times, cuts and transitions are very abrupt, creating a confusing experience for the viewer. Therefore, this is the best rating that can be awarded in this category.

Plot and Storyline Quality (-1.5 points)

Throughout the movie, Jesus is portrayed as having a strange attitude, as if He’s unsure of what’s happening or even surprised at events. This assumption seems to rise out of an odd theological implication that Jesus only became God after His baptism. It also impacts the temptation sequence as Satan appears to know more about the future than Christ does during this experience. Because there’s too much content to cover in this narrative, expository dialogue poorly bridges the gaps as precious time is wasted on unnecessary extra-biblical asides, such as a pointless romantic suggestion between Jesus and the sister of Lazarus. These tangents are included while more pertinent points are glossed over, and most scenes are generally disjointed as they typically end in abrupt ways. Besides these obvious concerns, the sheer amount of information that’s thrown at the audience in less than two hours is overwhelming. There are simply too many subplots and characters to keep up with, which predictably leads to low quality. Overall, due to the gross alterations of historical record, a negative rating is warranted in this section.

Acting Quality (1.5 points)

In keeping with many other biblical entertainment options, the acting of Jesus tends to be theatrical and dramatic. However, it’s not always bad as emotional and line delivery is inconsistently acceptable. Nonetheless, the casting isn’t always culturally authentic, which is another common misstep in films based on the Scriptures. In the end, despite its faults, this section still keeps the overall rating from being zero.

Conclusion

Why are movies about Jesus usually among the worst? What’s the point of fielding such bizarre portrayals of the Christian faith’s central figure? It’s clear that such failed attempts at capturing the true essence of a historical figure Who changed the course of history are based on faulty information. Screenplays like this one only further turn people off to Christian entertainment, but hopefully, things will continue looking up in the future.

Final Rating: 1.5 out of 10 points

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August 18, 2020August 18, 2020 by Box Office Revolutionary Categories: Biblical, Drama, Historical, Inspirational, International, Movie ReviewsTags: 1.5 points, 1999, Abedelouhahad Mouaddine, Affirm Films, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Beta Film, Bible, Biblical, Christian Kohlund, Claudio Amendola, Con Dios Entertainment, Debra Messing, Drama, El Housseine Dejjiti, Elena Sofia Ricci, Fabio Sartor, Five Mile River Films, Frank Konigsberg, G.W. Bailey, Gabriella Pession, Gary Oldman, Gianmario Pagano, Gilly Gilchrist, Heinrich Krauss, Historical, Ian Duncan, Iddo Goldberg, Inspirational, International, Jacqueline Bisset, Jeremy Sisto, Jeroen Krabbé, John H. Francis, Josh Maguire, Judd Parkin, Karim Doukkali, Lorenzo Minoli, Lube Productions, Luca Barbareschi, Luca Bernabei, Luca Zingaretti, Lux Vide, Manuela Ruggeri, Maria Cristina Heller, Miles C. Hobson, Mohammed Taleb, Omar Lahlou, Paolo Lucidi, Patrick Williams, Peter Gevisser, Quinta Communications, Rai Fiction, Rick Warden, Roberta Cadringher, Roger Hammond, Roger Young, Russell Kagan, Said Bey, Sean Harris, Sebastian Knapp, Sony Pictures Television, Stefania Rocca, Suzette Couture, Thomas Lockyer, Trimark Home Video, Zack Maguire Leave a comment

The Bible Collection: Genesis (Movie Review)

Plot Summary

In the beginning, God created humans in His image, but they sinned against Him. After most of the world went against His purposes, He sent the Flood to judge them. Then, after the Deluge, humanity sought to rebuild, and they passed on the stories of the times before them by sharing the narratives with each other.

Production Quality (2.5 points)

Surprisingly, Genesis boasts a respectable production. This is likely due to good funding even though it does contain a lot of stock footage. Video quality, camera work, and audio quality are all great, however. The soundtrack is very interesting, and the sets, locations, and props are well-used. The only minor concern is the editing, but it’s not enough to keep this section’s score from being quite high. Unfortunately, these good elements seem to go to waste.

Plot and Storyline Quality (.5 point)

It’s hard to understand why Genesis isn’t some type of docu-drama or narrated Bible project as it’s almost entirely based on narration and voiceover. This experience is extremely artistic and even ethereal at times, which necessitates reading a lot into what’s being seen. There are basically no instances of dialogue or conversations, and many of the scenes are quite vague, barely representing what the narrator is talking about. Long sequences sometimes pass without any talking at all, so while it’s fine to be subtle, it’s also possible to be so discrete that there’s no point in viewing it. Such is the case in this “narrative.” Elsewhere, there are some odd inclusions of biblical accounts that hadn’t been yet written. Although it was an interesting idea to frame the first part of the Genesis story in the context of Noah, which is one of the main things keeping this section from being zero, this movie definitely does not cover the whole book. Further, this plot ends in a strangely abrupt way like they just ran out of ideas and cut it off. In the end, this is a unique yet mostly extraneous viewing experience.

Acting Quality (1 point)

Genesis strengthens its case by casting actors and actresses that are mostly culturally authentic. However, they hardly have any chance to exhibit their potential skills due to lack of opportunities to deliver actual lines. The small amount therein is passable albeit somewhat dramatic and theatrical. Overall, this section rounds out a rather mediocre effort.

Conclusion

It’s quite unclear what this “screenplay” was actually going for. If it was part of a larger plan, this is totally lost to the audience. Despite having some interesting possibilities at their fingertips, this film’s creators squandered an opportunity to do something creatively different. Unfortunately, Genesis just falls in line with lots of other un-engaging and ultimately forgettable Bible entertainment.

Final Rating: 4 out of 10 points

August 3, 2020August 5, 2020 by Box Office Revolutionary Categories: Biblical, Drama, Historical, Movie Reviews, PsychologicalTags: 4 points, Affirm Films, Annabi Abdelialil, B. Haddan Mohammed, Beta Film, Bible, Biblical, Con Dios Entertainment, Drama, Ennio Morricone, Ermanno Olmi, Franco Bollati, Giampietro Bonamigo, Haddou Zoubida, Historical, Lube Productions, Luca Bernabei, Lux Vide, Matilde Bernabei, Omero Antonutti, Paolo Piria, Paul Scofield, Psychological, Rai 1, Sabir Aziz, Sony Pictures Television Leave a comment

Paul, Apostle of Christ (Movie Review)

Plot Summary

After Paul had completed many full years of missionary work across the continents of Asia and Europe and after carrying the Gospel of Jesus Christ to thousands of people, both Jews and Gentiles, he appealed to stand trial in Rome before Caesar, but this decision only caused him to suffer further for the cause of Christ at the hands of cruel Romans.  With the church in Rome on the brink of total annihilation, Priscilla and Aquila house many wanted Christians in their home, and Luke is sent to tend to Paul in prison.  As many Christians begin to question the words of Christ, Luke begs Paul for a fresh word to strengthen the church in her dark times, yet Paul is plagued by his thorn in the flesh–namely the lives of all he killed while he was a religious zealot.  With darkness seeming to close in on Christ’s people, the story of Paul’s life carries the same message that saved all followers of the Way: where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more.

 

Production Quality (2.5 points)

Gone are the days when ‘Bible plays’ like The Book of Esther are socially acceptable as Christian films.  We are in a new era of Christian productions, and Paul, Apostle of Christ is another hallmark of this era.  Similar to recent Biblical depictions, such as Risen, this new look at Paul’s life is gritty and authentic and has no fear of being painfully realistic.  This is evident in the excellent and historically authentic sets, locations, and props.  Video quality, camera work, and audio quality are also what a professional production should be.  The soundtrack is very engaging and thought-provoking, and the editing is quite creative and effective in presenting the story.  The only drawback to this production is a collection of very dark scenes that may be realistic but do not make for great viewing.  Nevertheless, this is a top-notch production that we should see over and over again in Christian films.

Plot and Storyline Quality (2.5 points)

While most standard Biblical plot fare is very flat, face-value, and vanilla, Paul, Apostle of Christ rejects this mold and upends the Biblical genre once and for all.  By inserting extremely creative and well-crafted psychological elements into the core of this storyline, Andrew Hyatt and his team have created a point of no return for films based on Biblical events.  Much like their work in Full of Grace, which showed the potential they have always had, their portrayal of Paul’s thorn in the flesh and the trauma he went through in his life is revolutionary in this genre.  This is exactly what needs to be done to show the humanness of Biblical characters through the exquisite use of effective flashbacks and through processes that demonstrate real motive.  Elsewhere, dialogue is rich and meaningful, and the other subplots are intertwined very well as each character is very well-developed.  Care is given to demonstrate great historical accuracy, and while there are some slightly slow scenes and areas that could have been fleshed out with further dialogue and flashbacks, this storyline is a breath of fresh air in a world of very poor Biblical screenwriting.  To top things off, the ending sequence completes the film excellently and is well worth the wait.  In short, this film is a job well done in nearly every area.

Acting Quality (2.5 points)

While there were a few missteps with cast members that are not entirely culturally authentic, they are trained to appear culturally authentic, which is leagues better than having a fully BRITISH cast.  Elsewhere, there is plenty of culturally authentic casting to make this section great, and there is clearly a presence of professional acting coaching.  There are very few errors to point out here, and costuming and makeup are also extremely realistic.  In summary, there are many positive elements to point out in this breakout effort.

Conclusion

This film receives a full x-factor point for its effective use of poignant psychological elements as Paul, Apostle of Christ takes its rightful place among the greatest Christian films of our time.  Andrew Hyatt and his team are clearly going places, and even though their sophomore effort was somewhat muted by the blockbuster release of I Can Only Imagine, Paul is a signal that a new force to be reckoned has finally arrived in Biblical films.  It will be exciting to see what this team puts together next, but for now, we can enjoy this great movie.

 

Final Rating: 8.5 out of 10 points

 

June 10, 2018December 31, 2018 by Box Office Revolutionary Categories: Biblical, Drama, Historical, Inspirational, Movie Reviews, PsychologicalTags: 2018, 8.5 points, Affirm Films, Alessandro Sperduti, Alexandra Vino, André Agius, Andrew Hyatt, Anthony Edridge, Antonia Campbell-Hughes, Bible, Biblical, Christopher Dingli, Daryl Vassallo, David Zelon, Eric Groth, Giving Films, Harrison Powell, Henry Holland, Historical, Husam Chadat, James Faulkner, Jan A.P. Kaczmarek, Jim Caviezel, Joanne Whalley, John Lynch, Kenneth Spiteri, Manuel Cauchi, Mario Opinato, Noah Huntley, Nora Jolie Eckermann, ODB Films, Olivier Martinez, Outside Da Box, Psychological, Rick Jackson, Simon Sansone, Sony Pictures Television, Suspense, Terence Berden, Vladislav Ilich, Yorgos Karamihos 3 Comments

Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (Movie Review)

Plot Summary

Ben Carson grew up disadvantaged and underprivileged, but his mother was determined that he and his brother would not be stuck with the street life.  Thus, she guided them to read as many books as they get could their hands on, even she herself could not read and struggled with mental illness due to what was done to her in the past.  Ben was his share of struggles as well, but he never forgot the God his mother had taught him about, and he was given great opportunities to become one of the best neurosurgeons of all time.

 

Production Quality (2.5 points)

As a well-funded made-for-TV production, Gifted Hands is very professionally done.  Video quality, camera work, and audio quality are all on industry standard, and the soundtrack is historically relevant.  Sets, locations, and props are very authentic and well-constructed, especially the historical and medical elements.  There is very little negative to point out here, except for the fact that editing tends to be choppy due to the large amount of content in this film.  However, this is only a blip on the radar and is not enough to keep this production from being great.

Plot and Storyline Quality (1 point)

The story of Ben Carson is an excellent true story to make a movie out of, but this rendition does not go as far as it could have.  Granted, they had a lot of content to deal with, so the use of flashbacks and modern timeline intertwining together is effective.  However, it’s likely that a longer runtime was needed to handle the full breadth of content better and to give this film the epic feel that it needed.  While there is an excellent use of subtlety throughout instead of using a narration crutch, there still could have been some better sequences of dialogue to build the characters rather than the many montages that were included.  There are also some abrupt cutoffs between Carson’s life segments without smooth enough transitions between then.  Nonetheless, there is plenty of positive to note here as this realistic true story is brought to life to highlight many pertinent issues, as well as an important message of never giving up on God’s plans for you, even when you grow up disadvantaged.  Thus, in the end, this will be an enjoyable film for many audiences.

Acting Quality (3 points)

Gifted Hands is very professionally cast with no obvious errors at all in this cast.  Emotions are handled realistically, and line delivery is almost always on point.  Each cast member is cast appropriately for their character.  This is the way a cast should be assembled and coached.

Conclusion

This story idea had a lot going for it already, so it was only helped by great production and acting quality.  However, a handful of minor lingering issues hold this movie back from being what it could have been.  Movie plots centered around biopic and epic qualities need to live up to their fullest potential.  Even though this film would have flourished in the right hands, it is still adequate and will find its place among most audiences.

 

Final Rating: 6.5 out of 10 points

 

February 1, 2018January 1, 2019 by Box Office Revolutionary Categories: Inspirational, Movie ReviewsTags: 2009, 6.5 points, Affirm Films, Alondra Lozano, Angela Dawe, Ashley L. Richardson, Aunjanue Ellis, Ben Carson, Bruce Stein, Casey Tutton, Cheyenne Pinson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Dan Angel, Danny Goldring, Dave Kilgore, David A. Rosemont, Ele Bardha, Ellington King, Epic, Erin Keating, Geoffrey Beauchamp, Gordon Michaels, Gus Hoffman, Guy Van Swearingen, Harron Atkins, Historical, Inspirational, Ithamar Enriquez, Jackie Ritz, Jaishon Fisher, John Hickman, John Pielmeier, Johnson & Johnson Spotlight Presentations, Kimberly Elise, Laura Gibson, Lennox Paris, Lesley Bevan, Lester Paris, Maestro Harrell, Magna Global Entertainment, Margaret Loesch, Martin Davich, Matthew Elijah Webb, Michael Fitch, Reuben Yabuku, Scott Stangland, Sony Pictures Television, Tajh Bellow, The Hatchery, Thomas Carter, Thomas Carter Company, Yasen Peyankov, Zac Douglass Leave a comment