CHRISTIAN MOVIE REVIEWS: SECRET rating system revealed

In the interest of full disclosure, here are my rating criteria for movies reviewed on K_Line Christian Online…

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.

ZOMBIE MOVIE REVIEW: Last of the Living (2008)

The movie reviewed here is definitely NOT for children, and probably not for most other people either. Made in New Zealand.

Last of the Living
Last of the Living
  • GENRE: Zombie “Comedy”/Horror
  • ACTORS: Morgan Williams, Ashleigh Southam, Robert Faith, Emily Paddon-Brown, Mark Hadlow
  • RATING: UK-151
  • PARENTAL NOTE: Not intended for children. Bad language. Violence. Zombie killings galore.
  • INTENDED AUDIENCE: This movie is intended for fans of the genre, and may not be appreciated by others.2
  • GENERAL PLOT: (No spoilers) Three certifiable knuckleheads and a scientist chick they pick up in a zombie infested church are racing against the clock (and a bad zombie bite) to save the world.
  • Continue reading “ZOMBIE MOVIE REVIEW: Last of the Living (2008)”

  1. Apparently equivalent to about PG-13, or a mild R, but the movie is official “NR” in the USA
  2. As noted elsewhere in this review, this particular film may not be enjoyed by fans of the genre either.

MOVIE REVIEW: Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Not suitable for children.

  • GENRE: Action
  • ACTORS: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan, Kelly Reilly, Hans Matheson, William Hope, William Houston, Geraldine James
  • Sherlock Holmes

  • RATING: PG-13
  • PARENTAL NOTE: Not intended for younger children. There may be some profanity, but it is not prevalent. Some questionable situations and references to magic and the occult. There is almost (but not quite) brief nudity in a couple of scenes.1 Lots of violence, but not explicit nor gory. I don’t think watching this movie would harm older teenagers.
  • INTENDED AUDIENCE: This movie should have a broad appeal for viewers of an appropriate age.
  • GENERAL PLOT: (No spoilers) If you’ve read the Sherlock Holmes books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 – 1930), or seen other Sherlock Holmes movies, it’s best to pretend you haven’t. This movie is only loosely related to the book. I’ve always thought the detective, Holmes, was a more “dark” character in the books, than in earlier movies. He’s portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. as plenty “dark” in this film. Although there is reference to magic and the occult, I wouldn’t say that dark themes dominate the movie. Perhaps only dim themes, or grey themes. There are lots of twists and turns in the plot, but you never get the feeling that there is going to be any big surprise. There isn’t. After all, Sherlock Holmes always evades the criminals and solves the crime. That ingredient in books and previous movies has never changed.
  • Continue reading “MOVIE REVIEW: Sherlock Holmes (2009)”

  1. One of which is shown at the end of the video clip in the full blOg entry.

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