SnoReptilePlenty
Memorable, crazy movie
CommentsXp
Best movie ever!
Roman Sampson
One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.
catherinebright-53464
Dogma is again Kevin Smith at his wittiest. This film will probably offend the theist but it's quite funny when it should be and doesn't hold back. In fact the ending is almost borderline crazy. Featuring a host of cameos as expected in Smith's films Dogma is a ripe comedy from the last months of the 90s. If you like comedy films which hold no punches then Dogma should be on your watch list.
AHOLDER-1
Sound: Nice use of buzzing flies with the 3 skater/hockey players-Beelzebub lord of the flies, in conjunction with the sound of their skates. The orchestral score was along the lines of religious drama music we have heard before but not extremely well developed. Sound was mixed well.
60/100 Technical: Good use of off-screen violence. Competently shot but nothing really special here.
60/100 Narrative: Too much exposition. The film utilizes an apologia in the beginning to try and keep the watcher from being too harsh. A journey structure is used to propel the story; go from point A to point B with interactions to increase the dramatic points.
40/100 Character/Acting: Good character arcs. Some poor dialog and misuse of religious or theological terms. Use of Deus Ex Machina.
40/100 Did I enjoy it: Yes, even though it is controversial and questions/lampoons my beliefs. When paying attention this film has much more merit than The DaVinci Code or Angels and Demons and really addresses a lot of the publics' misunderstanding of theological truths; and really attacks pop culture based theology with logic errors.
70/l00 Artistic merit: Other than the controversial elements and addressing them in a comedy without apologia or authority; nothing much here.
50/100 FInal score 53.3/100
Python Hyena
Dogma (1999): Dir: Kevin Smith / Cast: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Linda Fiorentino, Chris Rock, Salma Hayek: Extremely original in its theories with a warped view of Christianity. We are given a vision of Alanis Morrissette as God when the Bible indicates that Jesus refers to him as "Father." Matt Damon and Ben Affleck star as archangels banished from Heaven yet believe they have found a loophole. They must travel to New Jersey where a century year old Church is holding a ceremony. This would prove God fallible thus threatening human existence. God sends a woman who works at an abortion clinic to stop them. Unique achievement by director Kevin Smith who previously made such intriguing comedies as Chasing Amy and Clerks. Damon and Affleck have tremendous chemistry as two corrupt and lost souls out to escape judgement but ultimately meeting damnation in a violent showdown. Linda Fiorentino brings out the frustration of a woman thrown into the bizarre. Chris Rock plays the 13th Apostle who gives amusing speeches that are not Biblically accurate. He claims that racial discrimination dismissed him from scripture. Salma Hayek plays a muse who appears as a stripper before battling a monster made of toilet waste. There is something here to offend everyone but the the result is a visually stunning attack on organized religion. Score: 8 / 10
ibnalmauser
AN excellent film, brash and over the top as expected, but with a few plot holes as well. My chief gripe is the way it attempts to mess with my belief system. I do my best to avoid propaganda films, no matter what the rating, and although this is not as bad as some others it doesn't take a genius to see what its going for. The scene in the parking with Loki and Bartleby in the parking lot when the Affleck character flips and rants on with some pretty weighty questions on Christianity and organized religion made me think some. I mean alright, fair enough, they invite one to think. And I did. Paused, and talked it out with my cynic side out loud. But I definitely do not appreciate it, not when I'm watching a film for entertainment. Debates and diatribes are for other times. 7/10
