What I liked:
Robert Downy Jr. I mean who doesn’t. His character is wonderfully written, but his performance is an A+. Love the guy. Overall the film is really well written, which is surprising for a superhero movie. The dialogue is quick witted and engaging. I really enjoyed the pace and sarcasm of the all the characters picking at each other. I think the writers also did a good job of getting the characters out of their over-the-top super powers, and took them into some psychological battles, which I liked.

The Not So Great:
I can’t complain about much with The Avengers. It was interesting of all the antagonists from the precursor movies they chose Loki (Thor’s brother) to be the main bad guy. I think there were some opportunities to integrate some of the other characters from the other films. I think bringing back an Ivan Vanko or Johann Schmidt could have had an interesting angle. There was an implied love connection between Hawkeye and Agent Romanoff there never materialized to anything. As an audience we want to see these guys end the story with someone special, and Starks is the only one with a significant other.

Conclusion:

This film is doing VERY well in the box office. It’s even exceeding it’s ballooned expectations and it’s easy to see why. A stellar cast powering some well-crafted writing can be a fun night at the movies. The Avengers won’t disappoint you, trust me. Also, make sure to stick around after the credits are finished … there is a humorous team building activity worth the wait.

Now, I haven’t read Blue Like Jazz. I haven’t intentionally because I wanted to grade the film on a totally subjective basis, but after reading “Searching for God Knows What” I was cringing as I took my seat at the theater. Let me tell you … I was pleasantly surprised.

What I liked:
I loved all the characters with the exception of Miller’s mother and her youth-pastor lover. Miller’s college friends seemed to each have unique traits and personalities and they each handled Miller’s suppressive origin differently. I think Marshall Allman gave a stellar performance. I say that, but come on, if it’s anyone besides Kirk Cameron starring in a “christian” film I’m happy. It seems to me none of the cast has deep religious ties to the christian film industry, which I was glad to see. It’s refreshing to see fresh faces and talent on-screen working with “moral” material. Tania Raymonde‘s character (Lauryn) was likeable from “go.” Her high school picture on the cork board was clutch. I loved her attitude and the way her condescending dialogue rolled so smoothly off her tongue. I think Claire Holt (Penny) also did a good job. My favorite, by and large, was Justin Welborn (The Pope). The Pope pushing a burning grocery cart through campus is a memorable visual. One we shouldn’t forget.

The not-so great:
The animated cut sequences were subpar. The sequence with the rabbit chasing the carrot to Reed College could have had more thought put into it. The astronaut cut sequences seemed out of place. Not-so-great visuals cut into a great story are a little jarring. The biggest beef I had with the film was the climax. Every great story needs to be built around an ending, and this story didn’t have one. It’s an anti-climax climax. Miller’s friendship with his classmate “The Pope” is not even a central storyline, yet we find ourselves closing the movie with the two of them exchanging a heartfelt conversation at “confession.” The central storyline is Miller running away from his conservative and hypocritical background. The central conflict builds as he discovers his mother has become pregnant by a married youth pastor. More and more tension builds as Miller refuses to talk to his mother. Penny even saves his phone from drowning in the holy water. I think the writers should have built the end of the movie around the much more personal conflict between Miller and his mother, rather than focusing on his relationship with The Pope. A much more elegant ending to tie into the central conflict could be Miller finally answering his mother’s call with a simple “hey mom.”

Conclusion:

I really enjoyed the film. It explores the unique perspectives of being a Christian but resenting the gross actions committed by the masses tagged as “Christians.” Films like Blue Like Jazz are “thinking” films; exploratory if you will. There is no strong overarching agenda, which makes the audience’s experience much more enjoyable. Well worth your money at the box office. Find theaters that are screening Blue Like Jazz on their website.

What’s to like:
Rachel Hendrix. She looks great on camera, and even with the overuse of slow dreamy sequences, she has a bubbly and likeable character. I wouldn’t be surprised if she gets a shot at another feature with more credibility. First time directors Andrew and Jon Erwin have put together a beautiful film. Although the characters lack credibility, the core story is touching. Shari Rigby‘s performance … wow, I could have just relived the office scene with the note over and over. Kudos. Jasmine Guy also brings a solid performance. The scene of her and Hannah talking made me remember what real acting was. You get lost in the scene and forget you are watching a movie.

The not-so-great:
Unfortunately this film is plagued with poorly written and unbelievable characters. The two that stand out the most play the largest role in Hannah’s story: her father, Jacob (played by John Schneider) and her romantic interest, Jason (played by Jason Burkey). I wasn’t too keen on Jacob’s southern authority role, and Jason was often disconnected from the people around him. I think the film could have also reworked Jason and Hannah’s “date.” There’s a bit of romantic tension built between the two before this scene, then the date climaxes at the “we almost kiss, but wait this is a christian film” moment. It’s a total tease. It’s lame, and unneeded.

Conclusion:

Despite the poor character development, October Baby is worth the watch. Especially if you are a faith-based individual, it speaks volumes to the entertainment industry to cast your vote at the box office for films like October Baby.

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We are currently casting for the following roles:

• Female: ages 20-28 (1 lead role)
• Male: ages 20-28 (1 lead role)
• Female:  ages 24-40 (1 supporting role)
• Children: ages 4-10 (2 supporting roles)

Brady goes on to talk about the root cause of insecurities: You don’t believe that God is good, and that He has good things in store for you.

The two things we need to do to conquer our insecruities?

1. Stop fearing people
2. Stop fearing the future