Netflix SN #2 - "Bernie"

Ever since watching him in "School of Rock" back in 2003, I've enjoyed Jack Black on the big screen. In most of the stuff he's done, at least. Best known for his high energy and quirkiness, Black can surprise by throwing in an effective dramatic scene from time to time.  And in 2011's "Bernie", he brought all of that to the table. Labelled as a dark comedy, "Bernie" provided Black the opportunity to showcase all of his talents. Insomuch that he was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical, which is actually how I originally came across this movie.

 Black plays the likeable, friendly Bernie Tiede, the local mortician of a small Texas town who is literally adored by everyone who lives there.  On the side, Bernie sings Gospel at his church and organizes the town's theatrical events. Both of these give Black gets the opportunity to display his impressive singing skills on screen.  He even dances in one particular musical number.  

During his duties as a mortician, Black befriends a recent, wealthy widow (played by Shirley MacLaine) and begins spending a lot of time with her. His motivations are questioned by some, and are not really revealed until later in the movie.  But to say what happens as a result is bizarre, to say the least! 
 

“Bernie” is filmed partially in documentary style, as throughout the movie, many of the townsfolk provide an off screen interviewer their feelings on Bernie, and give their opinions on events that are happening or have recently happened in the movie. I actually love the “mocu-mentary” style of filmmaking, particularly those created by Christopher Guest (“Best in Show”, “Waiting for Guffman”).  “Bernie” in many ways reminded me of a Guest film.

Oh, did I mentioned “Bernie” is based on a true story?  Incredible as it may seem (especially after watching the movie) it is.  During the closing credits, photos of the real Bernie (and other characters in the movie) are displayed showing some of the actual scenes that the movie replicated.  I actually recommend watching the entire closing credits, as the very last scene I thought was actually pretty moving. You’ll have to watch it to see what it is!

Anyhow, I’d definitely recommend “Bernie” if you’re a dark comedy-type of person. Or just like a good, well made, well told story.  And particularly one that is mostly true!

If you end up watching it, be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Netflix SN #1 - "The Encounter"

Over the past few years, my wife and I have been Netflix instant viewer subscribers and during that time have seen a fair amount of good movies and shows that many people may not know about. As a result, I thought I'd do a new blog called "Netflix Streaming Nuggets", or "Netflix SN" for short where I briefly introduce some of them from time to time.

Nugget #1 is a movie I'm sure very few of you, if any, have heard of.  Partly because it's a Christian movie, and partly because it never made it to theaters (unlike other recent Christian movies like "Fireproof", "Courageous", and others).  It is called "The Encounter".

"The Encounter" was filmed in 2010, but I hadn't heard of it until I stumbled across it on Netflix last year.  I was actually looking for something to watch one night on Netflix, and came across a movie with the following description:  "When five strangers come together at an eatery, they meet the owner, who seems to know everything about them and is reminiscent of Jesus Christ."  Sounded a bit hoaky at first, but I had to check it out.  I was glad I did.

The movie was primarily based in an eatery (a diner), and the owner of the diner was not only reminiscent of Jesus Christ, he WAS Jesus Christ. Not in the flesh, but spiritually to five specifically chosen people.  Each of the five are in different stages in their belief in God, Jesus, and Christianity in general. Some are lukewarm believers, some seekers, and one was a non-believer. After all are systematically brought together, "Jesus" begins working on them, one-by-one.  Most are obviously skeptical that they are facing the actual Jesus of Nazareth, but most begin to believe it after facts and life experiences only known to them are slowly revealed.

The movie does a nice job portraying, one would hope, what it would be like to actually have a conversation with Jesus, based on what the Bible says about Him....gentle, loving, caring, and reassuring that He is always listening to us. This is not only because of the writing, which was obviously done by people with a high level of biblical knowledge and understanding, but also by the acting of Bruce Marchiano. The movie also provides an interesting depiction on how Jesus (or any Christian, for that matter) might confront people of different belief levels. The approach depends on the level of their belief. As i just mentioned, the script is biblically sound, and shows what the results (both good and bad) of our ultimate decision on what to believe could be.

I want to be careful and not give much away, so that's all I'll say about the plot.  I would highly recommend "The Encounter" to you no matter where your belief level lies.  If you're a believer, you'll find it comforting and reassuring.  And if you're someone who's always had doubts or reservations, this movie could help clarify whatever questions or reservations you might have.

After watching it, I was curious about the company who made the film, "Pure Flix Entertainment".  After doing a little research, I discovered that they have actually been making movies for some time, having released 34 movies since the late 1990's. Most, but not all, are Christian comedies or dramas. Since watching "The Encounter" I checked out a few of their other Christian films that were on Netflix, and some are definitely better than others. "Peter and the Last Supper" was probably the best of the lot. "The Encounter: Paradise Lost", a sequel to "The Encounter" was actually released in 2012 and is on Netflix as well. It has a very similar message to it's prequel, but done amidst a DEA agent vs drug dealer storyline. Not sure why that particular plot, but it appears the creators wanted to do an action version of "The Encounter".  In this case, I'd definitely recommend sticking with the original! At least initially.

If you end up watching it, be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Tonto....and the Lone Ranger

According to Rotten Tomatoes, a popular online movie rating site, only 26% of the critics liked the new Johnny Depp "Lone Ranger" film, while 68% of the viewers liked it.  Why the discrepancy?  My guess (and something I think happens a lot) is that the viewers judged the movie on the last exciting, satisfying 20 minute ending, while the critics based their reviews on the entire movie.  And in this case, I kind of have to side with the critics.

Sure, as soon as the rousing William Tell Overture (i.e. Lone Ranger theme) began blaring on screen for the final time about 2 hours into the movie, seemly signalling us that the climax of the movie was about to begin,  the action thereafter was very entertaining.  Usually is when the bad guys throughout the movie finally get their just due.  However, I can't ignore the prior two hours.  And unfortunately, by the time the William Tell Overture started, my interested in the movie had pretty much already ended.

First off, the role reversal of Tonto being the outspoken brawn and brains of the duo while the Lone Ranger was basically an inept bozo was a bit odd and something I didn't really care for. It was almost like an Abbott (Tonto) and Costello (Lone Ranger) act. I guess I can understand the urge to try something like that as it potentially could provide a different angle on a popular story. But imagine watching the origin of Batman and Robin with Robin being the ring leader and calling the shots. It just isn't right! I suspect this decision to do this was done to please the $20 million a picture Depp, who, not coincidentally, played Tonto.  And although he was actually pretty entertaining as Tonto, he did at times remind me of his Jack Sparrow "Pirates of the Caribbean" character dressed up as a Comanche.  Also noteworthy was how his dialog as Tonto was inconsistent as he continuously went back and forth from using adjectives to being adjective free.

The part of the movie I had the most problem with, however, was what to label it.  Sometimes it was a comedy, other times a drama. There was no smooth melding of the two, which is actually difficult to do and very few can do well. When done right, they can be memorable (the Coen brothers "Fargo" is a good example), but when done wrong....a confusing mess resulting in an emotional roller coaster ride.  And that's how I felt watching "The Lone Ranger".  There were certainly some funny moments throughout, but many were frequently followed by a shockingly brutal scene. Scenes I wouldn't want my young kids to see (if I had any). Sure, some of them were off screen (it would have been an "R"-rated movie if they weren't), but they were still pretty intense and violent. A lady sitting in front of us at the movie summed it up best after watching this drama-to-comedy-to-drama see saw:  "I'm exhausted".  Although there wasn't a lot of blood in the movie, there was probably too much for a what (I think) was supposed to be a family movie.

There were also too many scenes in the movie that had nothing to do with the actual story. One example that immediately comes to mind has an unconscious Lone Ranger being dragged on the ground by a horse - horse stops to poop - horse continues walking and drags Lone Ranger over its droppings. Another has to do with a scorpion-eating horse. Maybe funny to a 12 year old, but they were prime candidates for the cutting room floor, as the 2 1/2 hour movie was at least a half hour too long to begin with. Going for an easy laugh, I guess.

The acting was fine but nothing special. As I said, Depp was entertaining as Tonto.  Armie Hammer of "The Social Network" fame (where he was terrific in a dual role as the Winklevoss twins) was ok as John Reid/the Lone Ranger.  He certainly looked the Lone Ranger part when wearing the mask. And he played the bumbling John Reid pretty well.  But his wimpy Lone Ranger act eventually grew old. It was only in the last few minutes of the movie did the Lone Ranger persona we all know finally surface. But when the fighting was over, he slipped back into his wimpy Lou Costello self again.  Ugh.  The always reliable Tom Wilkinson and William Fichtner were pretty good as the bad guys. Fichtner was the instigator or victim to many of the brutal scenes mentioned earlier. As such, his role probably could have been toned down a little.

In conclusion, as much as I wanted to like "The Lone Ranger", I came away pretty disappointed. I'm suspecting a lot of people may be starting to be as well, as after it's strong opening weekend on July 3rd, "The Lone Ranger" has plummeted down the box office money list the past two weekends.

Using my rating system (1= skip it, 2= rent it, 3= worth a matinee, 4= worth full price), I’d give it a “2”. If you really like horses and beautiful scenery, then maybe a "2.5".