Coram Deo ~

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My Review of the Movie FJORD

MOVIE REVIEW

Fjord, rated R
*** ½  

Fjord is an excellent film that is based on a true story about a Romanian evangelical family who moves to Norway and is persecuted for their conservative religious beliefs. The story got international attention, leading to protests around the world, back in 2016. The subtitled film, which won the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, was written, directed and co-produced by Cristian Mungiu.
Gospel Coalition film critic Brett McCracken sets the story for us:
“The conflict arose when evangelical couple Marius and Ruth Bodnariu moved from Romania to Norway to raise their five children. The vast differences between their conservative values (including teaching their kids biblical sexual ethics), and the values of Norway’s progressive secularism came to a head in November 2015. That’s when the Barnevernet (Norway’s version of Child Protective Services) seized the Bodnarius’ children, ranging in age from 3 months to 9 years, and placed them in three different foster homes with limited parental visitation.”

The film follows the main points of the true story, while changing names, characters and a few of the story’s points. In the film, we know them as the Gheorghius family, with parents Mihai, played by Oscar nominee Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice), who is Romanian, and wife Lisbet, played by Oscar nominee Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value), who is Norwegian. Mihai works as an IT Specialist and Lisbet works in health care.
The Gheorghius’ neighbors are the Halbergs. Mats Halberg, played by Markus Scarth Tønseth, is the headmaster of the local school. Mats’ wife Mia, played by Lisa Carlehed, is a lawyer who eventually helps Mihai and Lisbet in their battle to regain custody of their children. The Halberg’s teenage daughter Noora, is played by Henrikke Lund-Olsen. Noora presents a significant challenge for her parents, but finds a good friends in the Gheorghius’ oldest children Elia, played by Vanessa Ceban, and Emmanuel, played by Jonathan Ciprian Breazu.
McCracken writes, and I agree, that the film presents two ways of life to the audience, allowing viewers to decide which seems more likely to lead to flourishing.
The film is rated R for some language, a scene of self-harm, and brief nudity of corpses. It includes some amazing cinematography of the rural fjord setting (cold, snow, avalanches).
The film features a good cast and strong performances by the two lead characters Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve.
This is one of the best films we have seen this year, and one that we would encourage you to see if you get the chance.


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My Review of “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York”

MOVIE REVIEW

The Only Living Pickpocket in New York, rated R
***

The Only Living Pickpocket in New York is a well-acted film, about the life of a pickpocket on the streets of New York City. The film was written and directed by Noah Segan.
New York pickpocket Harry Lehman, is played by Emmy winner John Turturro (Monk, Severance). Harry needs big scores if he hopes to support his disabled wife, Rosie, who can’t communicate, played by Karina Arroyave.
We see Harry walking the streets of New York City and riding the subway, separating people from their possessions. He takes what he has stolen to his pawnbroker friend Ben, played by Emmy winner Steve Buscemi (Park Bench with Steve Buscemi).
One day, Harry runs into Dylan, played by a wealthy New Jersey son of a mobster family, Will Price, who drives a 1969 classic muscle car. Harry breaks into the car, taking a gym back that includes a large amount of cash, a premium watch, and a USB drive that functions as a digital safe, the latter of which Harry doesn’t understand. Continue reading →


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My Review of Wildwood

Wildwood, rated PG-13
** ½

Wildwood is a very creative, but also extremely dark fantasy animated film from LAIKA Studios (Coraline), that has several content concerns for parents, and is definitely not a film for children (though there was one very young child in our row at the theater).
The stop-motion film (which brings physical puppets, clay models, and handmade sets to life one frame at a time) has excellent critic and viewer reviews on RottenTomatoes.com, that led us to check out the film.  It was directed by three-time Oscar nominee Travis Knight (Missing Link, The Boxtrolls, Kubo and the Two Strings). Two-time Oscar nominee Chris Butler (Missing Link, ParaNorman), wrote the screenplay adapted from the 2011 novel by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis.
The film opens with a naked young “boy” leaping to his death. We find out more about his story later in the film. Continue reading →


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My Review of ‘Sense and Sensibility’

Sense and Sensibility, rated PG
***

This new adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel Sense and Sensibility was directed by Georgia Oakley. The screenplay is by Diana Reid, based on the 1811 novel.
vThe film focuses on the Dashwood family, mother Mrs. Dashwood is played by Caitriona Balfe (Outlander), Elinor, played by Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People), Marianne, played by Esmé Creed-Miles (Hanna), and the youngest, Margaret, played by Bodhi Rae Breathnach.
As the film begins, they receive the devastating news of the death of Mr. Dashwood. As a result, the family estate is left entirely to the brother John Dashwood, played by Tom Brooke (Slow Horses), and his wife Fanny, played by Stacy Martin. Mrs. Dashwood and his daughters are left penniless, and have to leave their home. They will move to a much smaller home in the country. The girls only hope is to marry well. Continue reading →


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My Review of the movie “Heart of the Beast”

Heart of the Beast, rated PG-13
***

Heart of the Beast is an intense survival film starring two-time Oscar winner Brad Pitt (Once Upon a Time in….Hollywood, 12 Years a Slave), as retired U.S. Special Forces military veteran James Belmont. The film was directed by David Ayer, and written by Cameron Alexander.
The film follows Belmont, who lives with his retired combat German Shepherd dog, Odin. The two have travelled to the far reaches of the Alaskan wilderness (the film was actually shot in New Zealand’s South Island), in a pontoon plane. The incredible bond between James and Odin is key to this story.
Both James and Odin are suffering from PTSD. Throughout the film James has flashbacks to when his fellow soldiers were lost in war. Odin too has nightmares.
One of the few characters in the film other than James and Odin is Watkins, played by Oscar winner J.K. Simmons (Whiplash), who spends a day and night with Belmont and Odin. He leaves before daylight and we don’t see him again.
Continue reading →


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My Review of the Movie “Coyote vs. ACME”

Coyote vs. ACME, rated PG
***

Coyote vs. ACME is an entertaining film that blends animation and live action, based on the lovable loser Wile E. Coyote. The film is directed by Dave Green, and written by Oscar nominee Samy Burch (May December), James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy), and Jeremy Slater, adapted from a 1990 New Yorker article by Ian Frazier.
We are told that this film is “based on a true story”. After years of misery pursuing the speed demon known as the Road Runner – Wile E. Coyote, a longtime consumer of ACME products, is at home nursing his latest wounds, when he sees an ad for a law firm, and decides to sue the ACME Corporation, which is owned by Foghorn Leghorn.
Wile E. enlists the help of a law firm specializing in personal injury cases (called Avery, Jones & Maltese, a nod to three of the Looney Tunes’ chief architects, Tex Avery, Chuck Jones, and Michael Maltese), headed by Kevin Avery, played by Emmy nominee Will Forte (The Last Man on Earth, 30 Rock), whose specialty is getting small settlements for cartoon characters who have had limbs and such blown off  by faulty products. Kevin’s niece Paige Avery, played by Lana Condor, is his intern who recently graduated from law school.

This won’t be easy for Coyote. ACME is a huge organization, with plenty of money and a corporate attorney named Buddy Crane, played by Emmy nominee John Cena (Heads of State, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?). Kevin doesn’t have any motivation for taking on ACME and his law school classmate Crane. Will Coyote be able to get justice for being the victim of faulty ACME products? Is there more to the story?
The enjoyable film has nostalgic cameos by Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety Bird, Tasmanian Devil, and many more.
The film includes humor, some heartfelt moments, violence and some minor adult language.
Having grown up watching the Coyote’s fruitless pursuit of the Road Runner, we really enjoyed this film, which creatively uses cartoons along with the live action.


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My Review of the Movie ~ Never Stop Chasing

Never Stop Chasing
***

Never Stop Chasing, a documentary, directed by Ken Cole (Tornado Chasers), follows extreme meteorologist Reed Timmer and his crew as they intercept violent tornadoes. Cole is a filmmaker and meteorologist who has worked alongside Timmer for more than two decades. The film has been described as a 20-year reckoning with obsession, loss, and the relentless pull of violent weather.
Reed Timmer is probably today’s best-known storm chaser. His maverick persona and armored storm-chasing vehicle, the Dominator 3, directly inspired the character of Tyler Owens, played by Glen Powell in the 2024 summer film Twisters.
Timmer, who has a Ph.D. in meteorology, has spent two decades chasing storms. He brings an intimate insider’s perspective to a story that is as much about grief and mortality as it is about adrenaline. Continue reading →


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My Review of the Movie Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Spider-Man: Brand New Day, rated PG-13
***

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is an exciting and entertaining action film. Due to the action violence and adult language, it would be best for teens and older.
The film, which follows 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, was directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (The Glass Castle, Just Mercy), and written by Emmy nominee Chris McKenna (Community), and Emmy nominee Erik Sommers (American Dad!). The film had an estimated budget of $225 million, and after two weeks had already grossed $1.7 billion worldwide.
Dr. Strange’s spell erased Peter Parker, played by Tom Holland, (also in the theaters in his role in The Odyssey), from the memory of everyone who loved him, particularly MJ, played by two-time Emmy winner Zendaya (Euphoria), and his best friend Ned Lees, played by Jacob Batalon.
Peter has been living an isolated life ever since, which is what he wanted. He wanted the world to forget he ever existed. After Aunt May’s death, played in flashbacks by Oscar winner Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny),  he didn’t want to endanger the lives of anyone else he cared for. Continue reading →


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My Review of the movie Toy Story 5

Toy Story 5
*** ½

The latest film from Pixar features good storytelling, animation, and humor, in a film that the entire family will enjoy. The film is directed by two-time Oscar winner Andrew Stanton (WALL-E, Finding Nemo), who wrote the film with McKenna Harris .
The film revolves around eight-year-old Bonnie, voiced by Scarlett Spears. Bonnie wants to make friends, such as with the twins across the street, but she is extremely shy and sensitive. She still plays with her toys, unlike many in her age group who are always on their tablets.
To help Bonnie connect with others, her parents buy her a frog-shaped tablet called Lilypad “Lily”, voiced by Greta Lee. Bonnie loves the device and is constantly on it.  Jessie, the cow girl, voiced by two-time Oscar nominee Joan Cusack (In & Out, Working Girl), who is still scarred from when Emily left her, tries to limit Lily’s control. She believes that Bonnie needs to meet friends by playing, not online. Continue reading →


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My Review of the Movie ‘Tuner’

Tuner, rated R
***

This film is about a piano tuner that gets involved in criminal activity because of his gift of hearing. The film is directed by Oscar winner Daniel Roher (Navalny), and written by Roher and Robert Ramsey.
Niki White, played by Leo Woodall, is a young man who possesses the rare talent of perfect pitch. At one time, he was an excellent pianist, but he no longer plays. He is the apprentice to piano tuner and repairman Harry Horowitz, played by two-time Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman (Rain Man, Kramer vs. Kramer).
Harry hasn’t raised his prices for thirty years. We never see Harry do any work. He enjoys Niki and loves him like a son, and eats what his wife Marla, played by two-time Emmy nominee Tovah Feldshuh (Law & Order, Holocaust), tells him he shouldn’t. Continue reading →