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Moviegoers were given lumps of coal at the multiplex this Christmas weekend, at least according to Christian critics, who found Hollywood's holiday offerings far from generous. New releases Any Given Sunday, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and Man on the Moon were all judged extremely shallow. Fellow newcomer Galaxy Quest wasn't exactly brain food either, but the genial comedy earned upbeat notices for its inventive silliness.

Oliver Stone once again plays social critic in this football drama, in which an old-school, purist coach (Al Pacino) fights against a profit-driven owner (Cameron Diaz) and a bloated-ego quarterback (Jamie Foxx) to restore some dignity to the game he loves. In pulling back the curtain on the ugly reality of professional football, Stone was probably hoping to de-glamorize today's gridiron idols, but the unsavory elements (nudity, sex, drug use, drinking, violence, foul language, vomiting, and more) succeeded in turning off most Christian critics. "While Stone may be a technically brilliant filmmaker," writes Tom Neven, editor of Focus on the Family magazine, "and he may even make astute cultural observations and critiques from time to time, that counts for little as Any Given Sunday blasts moviegoers with a constant stream of profanity, full nudity and gratuitous sex scenes." Preview's Paul Bicking concurs: "Any good lessons are lost in a sea of filth." Michael Elliott of Movie Parables identifies several worthy themes in the movie—the development of leadership and teamwork and the devaluing of fame, money, and ego—that make Any Given Sunday "an interesting tale," but likewise feels that "Mr. Stone's directorial style works against the telling of it." A bigger problem for the U.S. Catholic Conference (and for a large number of mainstream critics) was its "strictly formula" story, propelled by a stereotypically grizzled coach who "philosophizes, cajoles, screams and whispers about team unity and the game's dignity."

Oscar-winning talents Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Anthony Minghella collaborate in this Golden Globe-nominated film, which is probably why Christian reviewers were disappointed to find nothing more extraordinary than a by-the-numbers serial-killer movie. "Despite its sumptuous appearance and rich characterization," writes Movieguide, "The Talented Mr. Ripley ultimately becomes an overlong, hedonistic bore." The movie also drew criticism for a muddled message in which good and evil are ill defined: "It is really unclear what the point of this movie is," says Movieguide. The U.S. Catholic Conference agrees, categorizing it as "a chilling cautionary tale of materialism" but adding that the point of the tale is "ambiguous." Mary Draughon of Preview warns, "discerning viewers may not appreciate a story with no consequences." Movie Parables' Michael Elliott was the only critic to see some value in the film, by treating it "more as a character study than a genuine thriller. ... Ripley is a tragic figure. He is made tragic by his inability to recognize his own self worth."

Reading the jubilant Christian reactions to Stuart Little made me wonder if there had been some sort of contest to see who could praise the film most highly. Movieguide calls the adaptation of E.B. White's children's classic "wonderfully nutty," noting the "excellent special effects" and "pro-family and redemptive messages." John Evans of Preview says it is "fabulously clever and funny," "will delight all ages," and stresses positive values like "the importance of the family." Focus on the Family's Bob Waliszewski also praises the values of the "strong, compassionate, and caring" Little family, concluding that the film "deserves to go really big." Criticisms were very minor, like Waliszewski's mention that "cats with flatulence are played for laughs." (This appears to be a favorite theme of director Rob Minkoff, who cut his teeth on flatulent animal flicks in his debut, The Lion King.)

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December (Web-only) 1999, Vol. 43