2 of 5

This week, the raves continue. J. Robert Parks ( The Phantom Tollbooth) writes, "If studios and directors weren't so contemptuous of their audiences, summer movies could be both smart and entertaining. Last year's Spiderman and Signs, along with the Spy Kids franchise, are perfect examples. And for this summer, I offer Pirates of the Caribbean, a glorious adventure tale that will delight teens and adults alike. When I first heard the Disney was hoping to turn some of their theme park rides into movies, I was aghast. Have we really been forced to scrape that part of the barrel, I wondered. But if all of the movies turn out like Pirates, I say let's have more of those."

Steven D. Greydanus (Decent Films) says, "Pirates…is more entertaining, funny, and even thrilling and romantic than it has any right to be. If it doesn't transcend the pirate-movie genre, it at least transcends the theme-park attraction genre, rising to the level of decent summer popcorn action fare."

Mike Furches (Hollywood Jesus) calls it "a wonderful thrill ride that will last for almost 2½ hours. You leave the theater wishing for more."

Holly McClure (Crosswalk) writes, "I think even Errol Flynn and Douglas Fairbanks would enjoy this exciting swashbuckling addition to [the] genre. The incredible special effects and superb cast make it a memorable movie. But parents let me stress again: the scary and disgusting skeletal appearances of the pirates are definitely not appropriate for children with impressionable minds who get nightmares easily."

Legally Blonde 2: Red, White, and controversial
Last week, Christian press critics were unenthusiastic about the sequel to the popular Reese Witherspoon comedy Legally Blonde. This week, a few spoke up in defense of Elle, the spunky heroine, while another found her offensive.

Denny Wayman and Hal Conklin (Cinema in Focus) observe "many moral messages imbedded within the comedy of film. As in the first film, rather than surrendering her morals to advance herself in an immoral system, Elle uses creativity, intelligence and goodness to reach the people within the system."

Megan Basham (RazorMouth) disagrees. "Though her character sparkles like the huge pink engagement ring she wears…this time [Elle's] sunshiny optimism and diamond-hard determination hide a decidedly unattractive underbelly. Namely, in her own dimpled way, [Elle]…endeavors to let young girls everywhere know that there's nothing wrong with being homosexual."

But on the same site, Mary Cady Exum (RazorMouth) exhorts parents, "Let's give our girls a role model like Elle, however fanciful she may be, to remind them of how wonderful it is to simply be a happy girl, who sees the importance of close friends, a supportive family, and strong mind."

T3 may be one too many, but 4 is on the way
Just as they did last week, Christian press critics continued expressing guarded praise and some degree of disappointment with the new Terminator film.

Gareth Von Kallenbach (The Phantom Tollbooth) writes, "The action is relentless and it is nice to see that real stunts were used for many sequences instead of being created by CGI, thus giving a sense of reality and unforced spectacle to the action that recent films such as The Matrix Reloaded and Hulk seemed to lack." Stunts aside, Von Kallenbach concludes, "The film does not have the depth of story and the emotional attachment that the previous two films had." But he still rates it "easily the most satisfying and entertaining of the summer blockbusters."

next page... |  2 of 5

share this page

July (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47