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Christian commentary on ninth-place finisher Final Destination has died down; the teen-horror pic earned low marks as a thriller but prompted discussion over its themes of destiny and death. Click here to read the summary of reviews from our previous installment.

Dropping to tenth place is Best-Picture winner American Beauty, which has also exhausted conversation; click here to read our earlier coverage.

Just missing the top ten in its debut week is Black and White, a semi-improvised film from director James Toback that explores the fascination that affluent white teens have with ghetto culture. Available Christian reviews rejected the film for its "cynical, hostile attitude" and "filthy dialogue" ( The Movie Reporter), for its "unredeeming characters" and their "repugnant" actions ( Preview's Mary Draughon and Paul Bicking), and for its "raw, troubling" storyline ( U.S. Catholic Conference). None of them, however, bothered to address the real questions that Black and White raises. In mainstream circles, debate raged over the film's take on racism and teen sexuality. David Poland of TNT's Rough Cut attacks the movie, writing that "the idea, which Toback clearly does not intend, that relationships with black people are a fad, like blue hair or tattoos, is rather insulting to black people, no? The idea that young white girls are just out there looking for the newest adventure … is rather insulting to young girls, no?" The Miami Herald's Rene Rodriguez counters by calling it "the most intelligent, thought-provoking exploration of race since Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing." For him, the movie has less to do with hip-hop's young fans and more to do with its "players," elevated from ground zero to positions of power. "Black and White is ultimately about identity and how people often betray their own ideals—sometimes unconsciously—for personal gain."Christian critics found a lot more to like about Beyond the Mat, a documentary that probes the men behind pro wrestling, than in the bigger wrestling release Ready to Rumble. In this film, writer/director Barry Blaustein introduces the audience to three real-life wrestlers away from the ring: Jake "the Snake" Roberts, a former champion and current drug addict, Mick Foley (a.k.a. Mankind), a loving family man who contemplates giving up his success to calm the fears of his children, and Terry Funk, an elderly wrestler facing knee-replacement surgery. Nick Graham, guest reviewer for Christian Spotlight and professing wrestling fan, says the movie comes from "a man looking at his childhood heroes, and in some cases the heroes of his own children, and showing that they are all too human. … What he gets is a revealing, sometimes funny, sometimes wince-inducing, and sometimes downright depressing." The U.S. Catholic Conference, not composed of wrestling aficionados, calls it "a well-done, surprisingly interesting documentary" that provides "a candid behind-the-scenes look at the controversial sports entertainment." Preview's John Adair agrees, adding that it's "often funny, and even emotional at times," and might help battle the idolatry of hero worship.

Steve Lansingh is editor of thefilmforum.com, a weekly Internet magazine devoted to Christianity and the cinema.

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April (Web-only) 2000, Vol. 44