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CHRISTIAN MOVIE REVIEW: Ghost Town (2008)

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  • GENRE: Comedy / Romance
  • ACTORS: Ricky Gervais, Tea Leoni, Greg Kinnear, Kristen Wiig, Alan Ruck, Billy Campbell, Danai Jekesai Gurira, Aasif Mandvi, Uzimann, Dennis Albanese, Megan Byrne
  • RATING: PG-13
  • PARENTAL NOTE: Not for children. Some bad language and questionable situations. The portrayal of death is inconsistent with a Christian viewpoint.
  • INTENDED AUDIENCE: I believe the film makers and promoters view this film as being appropriate for children over the age of 13. I do not, because of the misleading portrayal of death. Adults, who recognize this movie as fiction, will enjoy the movie if they are not easily offended by the other questionable situations and language.
  • GENERAL PLOT: (No spoilers) A man’s near death experience (actually he “dies” for short period of time) enables him to see the disembodied spirits who walk the streets of New York.



  • REVIEW: As noted above, this film has some problems from a Christian point of view. That is, occasional foul language and inappropriate themes. Also, the portrayal of death in a manner completely inconsistent with truth, as known by Christians. But this movie is, after all, fiction. It presents a world, which we know to be false, but which is entertaining none the less. The leading character, Ricky Gervais, was the “boss” on the original BBC version of the popular, but vulgar, TV program, The Office. His character–essentially the same as his role in The Office, but slightly quirkier–is a hoot.
  • RECOMMENDATION: The story is an entertaining fresh take on a common theme. The acting is first rate. Subject to the above cautions, this movie is well worth watching, in my view.
  • RATING (out of 5 stars): ★★★★★

MOVIE RATING SYSTEM:

Start with zero (0) out of five (5) possible STARS

  • Add one STAR if it looks like the movie was made by professional film makers–not 4 or 5 guys with a camcorder.
  • Add one STAR if the film has a story, theme or plot (optional for horror and/or zombie movies); or if the movie makes any sense.
  • Add additional STARS for special effects, acting, good moral message(s), realistic zombies, scariness, interesting theme or plot and the like.
  • Subtract STARS for extreme bad acting, COMPLETELY awful themes/messages, overall INCREDIBLE trashiness, graphic and persistent lewdness, and the like.


The Time Traveler’s Wife (2009)

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  • GENRE: Drama, Science Fiction

    • Time Traveler's Wife
    The time traveler gets gray hair, but his wife, never seems to age.

  • ACTORS: Rachel McAdams, Eric Bana, Arliss Howard, Ron Livingston, Stephen Tobolowsky, Jane McLean, Brooklynn Proulx, Alex Ferris, Michelle Nolden, Tatum McCann, Hailey McCann
  • RATING: PG-13
  • PARENTAL NOTE: Not intended for young children. Brief nudity. Implied pre-marital sex. Although in a time traveling movie, it’s hard to say whether something technically happened before or after the characters were married. Some violence, but nothing extreme.
  • INTENDED AUDIENCE: This movie has romance, which could please fans of that genre. It has science fiction, which could please those fans. Or it could be just enough of each element to alienate everyone.
  • GENERAL PLOT: (No spoilers) A man travels through time, meeting his wife and his daughter along the way. You get one guess as to whether things will end well in this story line.


    • The 1960's TV show: The Time Tunnel
    The 1960's TV show: The Time Tunnel

  • REVIEW: As a general rule, people don’t want to know what lies in their future. Other than the next winning lottery number.[1. This time traveling cliche is put to use in The Time Traveler’s Wife] The concept of time travel is fascinating. The Time Traveler’s Wife actually plays the concept pretty reasonably and realistically–assuming you suspend the laws of nature and physics long enough to accept the concept that time travel is possible. For example, do you remember the campy 1960’s TV show called “The Time Tunnel?” The time traveling leading characters travel through TV time fully clothed. In fact, their clothing appears to be laundered, dry-cleaned and pressed as they bounce uncontrollably through time and space. Not so in The Time Traveler’s Wife. In fact the time traveler in this movie is stripped, and arrives at the end of his time travels completely naked. Too bad he never seems to time travel to his bathtub. I’m not sure this variation on the time traveling theme makes sense. But it does present a twist on the experience. Imagine being uncontrollably thrust into a foreign time and place wearing no clothes whatsoever.

    I’ve never seen a time traveling experience end well. And this film is no exception. It seems as though a time traveler ought to be able to avoid his downfall, by taking a little peek into the future, and then avoiding the danger that awaits. It seems like it–but it never quite ends this way.

  • RECOMMENDATION: Actually, I liked the film, notwithstanding the “romance” factor mentioned above.[1. Come on Hollywood, how about a big budget movie about time traveling zombies?] The film makers obviously put some thought into making the non-sequential elements fit together. The “romance” part of the story line was a bit too sappy for my liking, but I’m sure it would appeal to some.
  • RATING (out of 5 stars): ★★★★★

FOOTNOTES: