Reviews

"The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." – 1 Corinthians 15:26 The fight-or-flight response can be defined as "the biological response of animals to acute stress." However, these innate, mutually exclusive responses are simply inapplicable when applied to death.

While there are both antiquated methods to "fight" death (elixirs, elaborate religious ceremonies, and herbal anti-aging treatments) and new-age approaches in pharmaceuticals and genetics, death is impossible to defeat. Therefore, when it comes to considering the cessation of one's own life, fear and denial trigger the flight response.

Taking into account that humans are the only living beings knowledgeable enough to comprehend that they are simultaneously alive and doomed to die, people express anxiety about death. In addition, people fret over deserting their loved ones and spreading sadness. What's more, apprehension occurs in the anticipation of discovering if life after death indeed exists.

Cross-culturally, men and women ponder how the world will function without them, how their family and friends will cope with their death, and how those close to them will find comfort, security, and happiness through the grief. Think about it: in the event of your death, will the company you work for crumble? Will your spouse find love again? Will your kids' kids have kids? Speaking of adolescents, a long look into the face of an infant can truly reveal the power of life. Given that the human brain has a high level of plasticity during a child's formidable years (birth to three years of age), a baby represents fearlessness, innocence, and as close to a sense of immortality as one can imagine.

This is why Patrick Shen's and Greg Bennick's documentary Flight from Death: The Quest for Immortality begins with the faces of children. In its opening lines, Flight from Death asserts the fragility of human life: "To have emerged from nothing...to having a name, consciousness of self, deep inner feelings, and excruciating inner yearning for life and self-expression...and with all this, yet to die." From there, the film branches out in several directions, all of which center upon Ernest Becker's death anxiety ideology showcased in his Pulitzer Prize-winning book The Denial of Death. Various professors, authors, philosophers, and researchers (like Sheldon Solomon, Sam Keen, Dan Liechtry, Robert Jay Lifton, and Irvin Yalom) voice their scholarly views in support of and relation to Becker's claim that death anxiety motivates violence and aggression. The result is both thought-provoking and revealing.

Some of the very best material arrives in narrator Gabriel Byrne's (through Shen and Bennick's writing) words when he reads, "Human beings find themselves in quite the predicament. We have the mental capacity to ponder the infinite—seemingly capable of anything. Yet, housed in a heart-pumping, breath-gasping, decaying body, we are godly, yet creaturely." Likewise, Professor Sheldon Solomon exudes brilliance (through his Terror Management Theory and Mortality Salience Hypothesis) in nearly every word that leaves his lips.

At its weakest, Flight from Death loses its intimate connection when it goes global in its "Annihilation," "Looking for Evil," and "Violence Inherent" chapters. While these portions clarify the violence involved in the flight response, the segments that focus on a personal view of death anxiety are more profound than the attempts to paint the vast, cross-cultural picture.

In the long run, Flight from Death will cause you to dig deeper into the words of Ernest Becker, marinate in the thoughts of its writers, and seriously consider traveling afar to listen to the intensely engaging Professor Sheldon Solomon. It's full of beautiful images of grave sites, landscapes, and sunrises juxtaposed with brutal images of murder, violence, and outright shameful hatred. It's both eye-opening and daunting.

Just as certain as death itself, one thing's for sure: Flight from Death will never lose its relevance. At times, it's so utterly philosophical, didactic, and life-affirming that one can't help but to submit to its intrigue and run to recommend it to every fellow sentient being. After-all, "meaningful connections with other people make us feel fully alive and vibrant."

Taking its name from a 1970's and '80's "mock-town used for paramilitary training," Silhouette City spans the evolution, commercialization, and politicization of religious extremism. Beginning with the survivalist sect called The Covenant, The Sword & The Arm of the Lord and ending with the advancement of the Christian Right, Silhouette City leaves no stone unturned. The documentary dually functions as an informing essay and an eye-opening plummet into an unsettling realm of fundamentalist ideology and religious intolerance.

With intent to provide a place of refuge during retribution, Jim Ellison led a group of 500-plus religious revolutionaries into Silhouette City and formed The Covenant, The Sword & The Arm of the Lord. Its members gathered food and clothes, stationed themselves in their man-made city, and began to prepare for the impending apocalypse. According to this cult's line-of-thinking, the End of Days was near, because of a growing fear of being robbed and a heightened prevalence of blatant homosexuality, witchcraft, paganism, and communism. In addition, the believers anticipated Judgment Day as a result of increases in murder, suicide, abortion, drug abuse, pornography, infidelity, incest, and the "humanistic junk" taught in schools.

From there, Silhouette City depicts the progression of this biblical mindset in the presence of modern-day radio, television, and politics. With D. James Kennedy's "Reclaiming America for Christ" speech and Rod Parsley's "Man your battle stations. Ready your weapons. Lock and Load!" quote, the secularization of America is established. Further, the belief that this separation is corroding the very values that the United States was built upon is enhanced through the voices of George W. Bush, Mike Huckabee, Ron Luce, Rick Scarborough, and again John McCain's dynamic "spiritual guide" Rod Parsley. After all, "America is defined by its relationship to God." Throughout the film, evangelism is highly touted through both the influence of church-associated speakers and the force of the military. While churches spread the Word and literally rake in millions, soldiers are told to "Bring faith to the foxhole, hope to the home-front, and carry the message of Christ to the ends of the Earth." The ultimate goal of this joint venture is to establish a global Christian empire and broaden an apocalyptic obsession with not being "left behind" when Christ returns.

If this outlook piques your interest, seek out The Rapture, read the Left Behind series (and add to the author of the novels and founder of The Council for National Policy Tim Lahaye's – Left Behind Inc.'s – annual revenue of over $100 million dollars), and repent your days away. In addition, both extremists and non-extremists should seek out Silhouette City—not necessarily for its organization and production value, but more so for its information and ability to inspire debate.

Much like Jesus Camp and others of the like, Silhouette City's scenes are daunting to watch from outside of the box; observing force-fed, narrow-minded individuals who are quick to judge others before judging themselves is unsettling. With Silhouette City's subject-matter in mind, it is evident that if this country needs one thing, it's compromise—the abilities to agree to disagree, act as one cohesive unit, and to assign the people as first priority above special interests.

By no means is Silhouette City anti-American or anti-conservative; it's simply enlightening. Obviously, the target objective is to educate the populace on the active "unseen spiritual war;" yet, some may say that the underhanded aim of the feature is to make viewers conscious of a connection between the Christian Right and certain states, political figures, and conservative mindsets. Nonetheless, the movement and its links in the chain are factual.

With its flood of ideas and facts, Silhouette City could have benefited from the use of a voice-over/narrator; however, in a documentary style feature, typical voice-over use sometimes projects a slanted view. Even so, Silhouette City seems to be missing a line of glue to hold the picture in place. Perhaps additional guiding commentary from Robert J. Lifton's objective viewpoint would have better cemented the perspectives.

On the other hand, its coverage of the Battle Cry recruitment video, "pervasive evangelism," the thin line between pastoral care and evangelism, a young teenager saying "mortyr" instead of martyr, and the organization of Colorado Springs region shines a light on the scriptural and psychological effects of the extremists' thirst for dominion no matter the cost. Silhouette's City's best moments are in the recollections and realization of former Covenant, Sword, & Arm of the Lord member Kerry Noble. The unfitting CGI animations, overuse of "City Upon a Hill," and theatrical aspect ratio unfit for home-viewing are generally overshadowed by positives.

All-in-all, the highest praise goes to Ori Barel for his/her original score. The unvarying notes in the lower register suggest impending doom and aid in intensifying the extremism. The frequent sound of chimes/the tolling of a bell also adds to the apocalyptic aura. Most worthy of note is the orchestrated segment that provides the background during one of the film's most revealing scenes. (This also plays without end on the film's website.) Yes, placing Silhouette City in an "Age of Terror" Colloquium Film Series is appropriate. While the film isn't exactly horror, it is harrowing. The "terror" is enough to sound an alarm. Considering the military is being bred to fight for security and faith...As politicians push for power and "evangelical explosions"...And, when supporters continue to fuel the fire...you know "it's getting bad." What's more, people are told to populate the Earth, spread the Gospel, and be intolerant? Keeping this, and "Apathy or indifference to civil matters is nothing less than sin," in mind, get involved; find Silhouette City; arrive at your own opinion; and, be educated and not forsaken from taking a stance.

A marvel of a movie; a spot-on analysis of one man's aggression and insecurity; an eternal cinematic treasure: Martin's Scorsese's 1980 black-and-white biopic of a middleweight boxing legend is stark, striking, and nothing short of brilliant. Raging Bull is by far the premium product of the Scorsese/De Niro tandem and one of the finest films ever made.

The film chronicles the rise and fall of Jake LaMotta (Robert De Niro), a middleweight boxing legend during the 1940s and '50s, whose bouts with Sugar Ray Robinson (Johnny Barnes) put him at both the top and bottom of his game. Throughout the picture, LaMotta is depicted as a man of accessible rage and disheartening jealousy, and it is his wife Vickie (Cathy Moriarty) and brother Joey (Joe Pesci) who stir these emotions. The boxing ring merely serves as an arena for LaMotta to unleash his anger without remorse.

Scorsese's choice to shoot Raging Bull in black-and-white (except for a few home-movie sequences) perfectly complements the gritty storyline. Scorsese's decision to make his boxers' blood look inky black versus bright red is alone a testament to his sensational style. His direction here is absolutely superb. In fact, the final bout between Sugar Ray and LaMotta, that closes with, "You never got me down Ray. You never got me down." and a shot of the blood soaked rope, is my favorite sequence by any director, in any film, in any genre. It is a crying shame that Scorsese did not win the Oscar for best director in 1980 and even worse that Raging Bull did not win Best Picture.

On the upside, De Niro did take home the gold for best actor. His performance is single-handedly the greatest male acting I have ever encountered. De Niro's work here is near equivalent to a master course in theater. From his chiseled animalistic form in the ring, to his overweight pitiable figure who quotes Marlon Brando from On the Waterfront at the film's close, De Niro is at his best and his performance promises to wow the dreariest of viewers.

In addition, Cathy Moriarty and Joe Pesci dish out phenomenal performances. Cathy, at age 19, pulls off Vickie as both a 15 year-old girl and an aging distressed wife, while Joe Pesci plays Joey with the same demeanor he later applied to his Academy Award winning role in Scorsese's Goodfellas.

Finding faultless direction and flawless all-around acting occurring in concert is truly an unconditional indulgence. Raging Bull represents cinematic excellence; it is a heat-seeking missile of a movie. It is an unavoidable knockout that will eventually cross your path, and when it does, you will not only feel its impact, but you will also come to appreciate how utterly perfect and unmerciful movies can be.

By now, if you are unfamiliar with the name Charlie Kaufman (in other words, if you have spent the last three years in outer space), that is undoubtedly a damn shame. Charlie Kaufman is unquestionably one of the most extraordinary and one of the (if not the) most inventive screenwriters in the game today. His previous projects, including Being John Malkovich and Adaptation, have broken cinematic formulas and expectations alike, and in doing so, both have become modern-day unparalleled masterworks. Fortunately, with his newest effort, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Kaufman does not fall far from the level of innovation he emanated with his first two features. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a strikingly original story that blends both romance and memory loss like no other. It is yet another eccentric and aesthetic tale from one of Hollywood's most gifted writers that all will surely find sharp, fresh, and cognitive.

Not only has Kaufman pieced together a pioneering screenplay on an often-adapted subject matter, but he has also concocted an aptly named title that has the power to place viewers in a state of surrealism and wonderment right from the get-go. The title of the picture is taken from a poem entitled "Eloisa to Abelard" by Alexander Pope. This historic elegy, which Kaufman also used in Being John Malkovich, directly refers to the human brain's power of recollection. Reminiscent of both Memento and 50 First Dates, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind deals with the loss of memory; however, Kaufman's script gives the frequently used topic an appetizing twist.

On a train to Montauk, Joel Barrish (Jim Carrey) happens to meet Clementine Kruczynski (Kate Winslet), a candid yet electric woman, who more-or-less seems like she could complete Joel in every way. The two form a relationship, and establish many happy memories together. Even so, in due time, their connection comes to a halt—Clementine becomes bored with Joel and Joel believes Clementine is too dependent.

Immediately after the breakup, Clementine chooses to have Joel erased from her memory. She travels to Lacuna Inc. – a company that specializes in the futuristic service of memory erasure – to seek the help of Dr. Howard Mierzwiak (Tom Wilkinson).

Once Joel discovers that Clementine erased him from her head entirely, he reports directly to Lacuna for the very same service. However, once the Lacuna employees, Patrick (Elijah Wood), Stan (Mark Ruffalo) and Mary (Kirsten Dunst), start wiping out Clementine from Joel's mind, their service becomes a disservice; Joel becomes contrite and changes his mind about the procedure. Even though Joel is unconscious during the entire attempted erasure, he consciously tries to retain the memories of his love for Clementine within the walls of his own head, and attempts to hang on to at least a fragment of what they once had.

There is no question about it, this Jim Carrey's finest work. He brings a clear spirited depth to the part of Joel—making Joel Jim's most stark yet most respectable character role to date. Even though Eternal Sunshine may not be one of Jim biggest money making endeavors (compared to his comedies), it certainly puts him on the path of being perceived as an actor who is capable of seriousness. At far as earning an Oscar nod for '04, because of the film's early release date and the fierce competition up for the Best Actor nominations, Jim will most likely be gypped.

In addition to Carrey's career performance, the remainder of the ensemble cast fares equally as well. Kate Winslet serves up some of her best non English-accented acting as the orange-haired and sporadically veclempt Clementine. (Sorry for the Yiddish slang.) Her work here is arguably better than anything else she has done—with the possible exception of her other near-astounding 2004 effort in Finding Neverland. Kirsten Dunst and Mark Ruffalo are as faultless as always, and both Tom Wilkinson and Elijah Wood are as top-notch as expected in their respective supporting roles.

With his superb use of light (or more appropriately darkness) and his watertight scene transitions, director Michel Gondry has crafted an utter joy of a film that cleverly starts out near the end and then wraps back upon itself by the conclusion. Overall, the quirky yet visual genius of Gondry combined with the warped yet brilliant mind of Charlie Kaufman has undoubtedly resulted in a beautiful and poignant romance. The manner in which Eternal Sunshine blends its romance and comedy gives the film a strong sense of undeniable individuality and makes for an overtly pleasing picture. Eternal Sunshine has the aptitude to tickle your thinking cap, sooth your sight, and hypnotize your heart. Beyond any shadow of a doubt, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind belongs in the absolute upper echelon of all that is romantic and unique.

There isn't much that hasn't already been said concerning the excellence of The Godfather. Nonetheless, I present the umpteenth dissertation on why not giving The Godfather four out of four stars is about as unjust as sentencing an innocent man to death.

Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 effort is truly an epic for the ages. The acting, directing, cinematography, score, and script are all of the highest possible caliber—making the near three-hour running time more of a blessing than an inconvenience. The Godfather is not only the Don of all Mafia melodrama, but it is also the standard grade of superiority for critics and filmmakers alike.

Based on Mario Puzo's bestseller of the same name, the story begins in 1945 at the wedding of Connie (Talia Shire), the daughter of Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando). Even on his daughter's day of celebration, Don Vito still manages to take care of "business." After a few men grace his presence and ask for a few favors – revenge, a leading role, etc. – the Don unites with his family for the ceremony. His youngest son Michael (Al Pacino), who has recently returned home from war a hero, brings his new love Kay (Diane Keaton), and the Don's two older sons, Sonny (James Caan) and Fredo (John Cazale), along with his "adopted" son and confidant Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall), also come to celebrate their sister's special occasion.

With each of the five major mob families straining to gain ground on one another, the budding industry of narcotics presents a forum for a few to achieve a competitive advantage. However, it is Don Vito who declines Sollozzo (Al Lettieri), the drug supplier, of his offer to commence an involvement in narcotics trafficking. His son and heir apparent, Sonny, obviously disagrees with his father's choice – seeing that drugs are the wave of the future – but the Godfather does not concede. Don Vito understands that the drug industry is a cutthroat business where friends are few and far between. It is this rejection that spirals the Corleone family down a brutal one-way street that will both cost the five families many lives, and allow a new Don to emerge.

Al Pacino plays the supporting role of Michael with fire in his eyes. His transformation, from a civilian to a Godfather in both senses of the term, is the film's main and most dynamic storyline. In almost every sense, Pacino steals the thunder out from under Brando; nonetheless, Brando's role is perhaps the most iconic role in all of cinema. His character, styled after real life mobster Frank Costello, is one of the films many highlights.

Despite an unmistakable missed punch, a few continuity issues, and an abundance of character roles to keep straight, The Godfather remains one of the most influential films in cinematic history. Not only will Brando's husky whisper continue to be copied for generations to come, but also the only fruit that shares its name with its color will always signify an impending death or violent incident.

Aside from all of the orange metaphors, The Godfather's resounding themes on the duality of man – love and hate, good and evil, loyalty and betrayal, and family and violence – allow it to emit an atmosphere like no other film. The Godfather is the utter embodiment of the ultimate "guy film", yet whether you are a male or female or a frequent or infrequent moviegoer is not dependent on how much appeal you will hold towards this first-rate pulp crime drama. Regardless of your status, you will be taken aback by its magnificence.

On The Internet Movie Database's website, The Godfather is listed as the number one favorite movie of all time, and on The American Film Institute's chart of the "100 Years…100 Movies," it is listed as the number three greatest film. First or third, there is no question why The Godfather holds a spot on a myriad of Top 10 lists, mine included. It is a seminal classic that will only continue to steamroll sovereignty, praise, and admiration.