The Last Airbender

Cast: Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Dev Patel, and Jackson Rathbone
Release Date: July 1st, 2010

M. Night Shyamalan returns to the spotlight after his 2008 film The Happening with a film adapted from the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. The first of a planned trilogy, it revolves around a 12-year-old boy capable of controlling the four elements. Along with a few friends, he must save his planet from the ruthless Firebenders and restore balance to the nations of Air, Earth, Water and Fire. We’re really hoping that M. Night can deliver something incredible like he did many moons ago.

Predators (2010)

Cast: Adrien Brody, Topher Grace, and Laurence Fishburne
Release Date: July 9th, 2010

We’ll take the word that this is not a remake, rather a direct sequel to the original Predator film. This one, however, will concern a group of Earth soldiers stranded on the Predator home-world and fighting for their lives. Again, we’re taking they’re word – whoever “they” are.

Despicable Me

Cast: (voices) Steve Carell, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier and Elsie Fisher
Release Date: July 9th, 2010

A computer animated film starring the always hilarious Steve Carell as a super-villain who wants to steal the moon. His plans may be disrupted, however, by three orphan girls who look at him as potential father material. Cute. That’s about all we have to say about that.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (2010)

Cast: Jay Baruchel, Nicolas Cage, and Monica Bellucci
Release Date: July 14th, 2010

While the world awaits the further adventures of the world’s most destructive archaeologist in National Treasure 3, the franchise’s star and director – Nicolas Cage and Jon Turteltaub – have come together for their take on The Sorcerer’s Apprentice instead. The setting for the film, with a wink to Enchanted, is present day New York. Though we probably won’t waste our money on this remake, we do wish Nick Cage the best of luck and hope that he takes a roll – within this century – that includes a decent hair cut.

Inception

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Cillian Murphy, Ellen Page and Michael Caine
Release Date: July 16th, 2010

Thank you, director of The Dark Knight, Mr. Nolan. Finally you have given us something we can sink our teeth (and summer movie money) into, that isn’t a remake or a “sequel” or something that doesn’t involve werewolves. It’s reported to be a “contemporary sci-fi actioner set within the architecture of the mind.” With a budget reported at $200 million, we’re convinced that Inception will blow our minds. And, yes, we want our minds blown.

Salt

Cast: Angelina Jolie and Liev Schreiber
Release Date: July 23rd, 2010

Keep an eye on this one. Underrated director Phillip Noyce helms, while Angelina Jolie stars in an action thriller about a CIA officer accused of being a Russian spy. She then has to clear her name, while the world basically tries to capture her. All we have to say is “Please, please, don’t let this be a “sequel” to Mr. and Mrs. Smith. We just can’t take anymore…”

Red Dawn

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck, and Connor Cruise (the adopted son of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman)
Expected Release Date: November 24, 2010

And, yet, another remake! This time Hollywood takes on the 80’s classic, Red Dawn, where a group of high school students take on invading forces from China and Russia. We are, however, giving this movie the benefit of the doubt. We’re not sure why but we just are.

Fireproof is a product of the team who brought us Facing the Giants, a film produced with a budget of merely $100,000 that went on to gross $15,000,000.

In this new film Kirk Cameron plays Caleb Holt, a fire chief in Albany, Georgia. While he is loved by the men who work for him and regarded as a hero in his town, Caleb struggles in his relationship with his wife, Catherine. After seven years of marriage it seems that the relationship is growing cold. Caleb finds solace in looking at pornography on the Internet while Catherine finds herself in a growing relationship with a colleague. As the couple begins to steel themselves for a divorce, and as they begin the process of ending their marriage, Caleb’s father presents him with a book and challenges him to begin a 40-day experiment he calls “The Love Dare.” Caleb decides to give it a shot, though he does so more to respect his father than to salvage his failing marriage. Struggling to show love for his wife even as she continually rejects him, Caleb calls his father and asks, “How am I supposed to show love to someone who constantly rejects me?” This gives his father an opportunity to share the gospel with him and, armed with the reality of a new love, Caleb sets out to win back his wife’s heart.

I can be excused, I think, for entering the theater somewhat apprehensively. After all, Christians do not have the greatest track record when it comes to combining great spiritual truths with sound art. But in the case of Fireproof I was pleasantly surprised. The film, though produced with a limited budget compared to most of what we see on the big screen, is very well put together. There are really no occasions where I feel a bigger budget might have improved the film, and this despite a couple of extended action sequences where I would almost expect to see quality compromised by budget restrictions. This is clearly not the case.

This is not to say the movie is without blemish. There are a few occasions when the dialog becomes just a bit stiff or stilted and this is especially true in the film’s opening moments. There are a couple of times when I feel that portions of the script could have done with just a little bit more tweaking or when a scene could have benefited from just one more take. Also, I feel that a handful of the minor characters are too weak, either through lack of development or through sub-par acting. But these are really the only downsides worth mentioning. (Is it worth mentioning that everyone in the town has a good Georgia accent except for Caleb? How is it that his father and mother both have that southern drawl and he doesn’t?)

Kirk Cameron is very solid in the lead role and was a great choice for it. He is strong throughout and at key moments, when given the chance to shine, is outstanding. Erin Bethea, who plays opposite Cameron as Catherine Holt is also very good, and this despite Fireproof being her first major movie role (and only her second role overall). Caleb’s father is excellent as a wise, loving, pastoral father. The prominent characters develop well and I found myself genuinely drawn into the story. While the movie deals with difficult and serious themes, it does not take itself so seriously that it cannot pause for a few laughs now and again.

One thing I like to evaluate in Christian movies is whether the film inserts faith themes subtly or blatantly. In the case of Fireproof the person who watches this film will walk away with absolutely no doubt that it is a Christian movie. Faith figures prominently and the gospel is clearly presented. Sinful actions and decisions are shown to have negative consequences and are eventually rebuked. While “The Love Dare” is used to draw Caleb back to his wife, it is clear that this is merely an instrument used by God to do His work. This movie is Christian by any measure. It sweeps to an ending that is powerful and emotional, stirring to tears at least several of the people in the theater with us.

I enjoyed Fireproof and am excited to know that a film with such a good message will be debuting on hundreds or thousands of screens across America. It is a refreshing film with a refreshing message that speaks boldly to a culture infatuated with immorality and convinced that divorce is freedom. I am grateful for this film and pray for its success.

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Tim Challies, a self-employed web designer, is a pioneer in the Christian blogosphere, having one of the most widely read and recognized Christian blogs. He is also editor of Discerning Reader, a site dedicated to offering thoughtful reviews of books that are of interest to Christians.

By Joel Christie

The Dark Knight might just be the best superhero movie ever made. I’ll have to see it again to be sure, but it easily cracks the top three. Why? It’s simple: because director Christopher Nolen refuses to be confined by the traditional limits of the genre.

With superhero movies, the audience is expected to be generous with its suspension of disbelief, and clearly (judging from the box-office returns of many superhero movies), we’re okay with that. We can live with a certain level of nonsense, because it’s fun and exciting. It’s just a superhero movie, right? Lighten up. But as a result of this agreement, it can be easy to dismiss the Herculean characters we’re watching as mere pawns of entertainment. We like them, sure, but we don’t really identify with them.

The Dark Knight pops that old agreement like a zit; no more nonsense. Knight insists on being taken seriously, and defies you to dismiss it as just summer entertainment. Everything hammers the audience as dead-on real. The settings. The danger. And most importantly, the characters.

Like all good stories, it starts with great characters. There are no weak links; Christian Bale plays the increasingly smug Bruce Wayne with cool candor; Aaron Eckhart dials down his usual pomp a half degree for Harvey Dent and makes him both likable, and tragic; Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman continue to be perfect in the supporting roles of Alfred and Lucius Fox; Gary Oldman is subtly brilliant as the determinedly righteous Officer Gordon; and Maggie Gyllenhaal brings a nice spark to the role of Rachel Dawes. Yes. She sure does. I know what you’re thinking: this is all just filler talk. Yup. You busted me. Because as good as these actors are in the film—and I meant it when I said there were no weak links—they pale in comparison to the late Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker. It is already becoming something of a cliché to praise Ledger’s performance, but the truth simply can’t be understated: Ledger’s Joker ranks among the best movie villains of all time. He’s flat-out mesmerizing, and it will be a stinging disappointment if he doesn’t posthumously receive the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. It’s strange to admit, but I found myself being increasingly lured into enjoying his sick psychosis.

Anchored by the maniacal Joker, the tone of the film is relentlessly dark. That’s not to say there isn’t humor. But it comes in unsettling forms: Alfred’s dry witticisms of the harsh times, the passively bitter exchanges between Bruce Wayne and Harvey Dent, and most especially, the sinister musings of the Joker. Yes, the Joker is funny, but it’s definitely in the how-can-someone-be-so-evil-and-so-charismatic-at-the-same-time category of humor.

The Joker never breaks the forth wall, but he might as well; his mockery of humanity’s goodness strikes us with uncommon force because indeed we fear that he might very well be right. As the Joker puts it, “People are only as good as the world lets them be.”

That’s really the theme of the movie, this question being asked again and again: What happens to good when it is confronted by evil? Which is stronger? Even as he is terrorizing the hapless citizen of Gotham and challenging Batman to rise to the occasion, it is as if the Joker is actually looking at us—his audience—and demanding that we answer. When you are confronted by evil—and the movie promises that we will be—how will you respond? It is a haunting question, and not one easily shrugged aside. For it is one thing to denounce evil when it is locked in the realm of fiction; it is quite another to stand against it when it is manifested in its most terrifying and seductive forms in our actual lives.

Four stars out of four.
Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and some menace
Runtime: 2 hrs 32 mins

Joel is captivated by good stories; the Bible, movies, novels, and the flesh and blood stories being told in people’s lives every day–God communicates powerfully through stories.