The Foxy Film Fan

Left Behind (2014) For years, the Christian film genre has been the center of jokes and abuse from film critics, and it has left fans sitting back and scratching their head in disbelief. Allow me to take the opportunity to step in, and to explain why these films are typically despised. Bear in mind that I am addressing this issue from the perspective of a film critic and not from any sort of religious point of view. Christian films are, for lack of a better word, sloppy. For the most part, they tend to serve as little more than a pat on the back and a moment of celebration for Christians who are excited to see their point of view presented on the big screen, but as movies they often fall flat. Putting aside any agreement (or lack thereof) with the messages taught in films such as God's Not Dead  and Left Behind , movies in this genre have the tendency to use the message they preach as an excuse to completely disregard all other important aspects of filmmaking. They are film...

Andrew Garfield as Pfc. Desmond T. Doss in Hacksaw Ridge While I do not consider myself a particularly emotional moviegoer, Hacksaw Ridge  nearly managed to move me to tears. Mel Gibson, as complex and sometimes despicable as his actions may be, is a gifted storyteller who understands the media of film well, and his newest release is arguably the best movie he has ever been involved with (sorry, Mad Max , you're still near and dear to my heart). The concept behind the film is simple, but were it not based on a true story it would be too farfetched to believe: Pfc. Desmond T. Doss, a pacifist who refuses to harm another person even while thrust into World War II, devotes his time spent in combat to saving the lives of his fellow Americans without firing a single shot. Based on concept alone it promised to be a moving and poignant experience, and thanks to Mel Gibson's competence and understanding of film as a visual medium it certainly went above and beyond my expectatio...