Review of ENCHANTED

ENCHANTED - STORY: A witch puts a curse on a fairy tale princess that sends her to the real world so she won't be able to marry the prince and take over the kingdom from the rule of the witch.
ENCHANTED - MESSAGE: True love crosses all boundaries. A positive attitude, faith and seeing the best in people wins the day. Without imagination, fun and faith, you can slip into a seriousness that makes you unhappy.
ENCHANTED - WIN: This was an excellent view of the spiritual ability to make things go one's way with attitude and faith. The prince's lack of self doubt was indeed refreshing and charming without any ego, "What's not to like?" I liked the animals helping the characters.
ENCHANTED - LOSE: There was no making up for disloyalty. The princess promises to marry the prince then violates that promise -- with no making up for it. It was correct, but she should have taken responsibility for her promise.
ENCHANTED - EFFECT ON ME: I felt happy and light and young and positive and playful.

Review of CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR

CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR - STORY: During the Cold War, a Senator helps raise funds from Congress to arm Afghanistanis to fight Soviets in a secret war so that the Soviets don't gain a strategic military advantage.
CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR - MESSAGE: Playing God in world politics can come back and kick you in the butt. Womanizing, shallow, influential people can be manipulated by sex and alcohol and attention and their faith to support military objectives. Corruption of the corrupt serves the corrupters. Today's solution may become tomorrow's problem. War is expensive. War is not the solution to the world's troubles. Corruption in government is hard to clean up. Dishonesty is good if it saves kids an the oppressed. Being sociable and likeable means having vices.
CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR - WIN: A good demo that today's solution is tomorrow's problem. A good demonstration of manipulation by those who are covertly hostile towards Mankind.
CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR - LOSE: There is no hint of the correct solutions. Religion is denigrated a weakness to be manipulated rather than a solution. Man is considered a soulless animal.
CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR - EFFECT ON ME: It made me uncomfortable. It made me feel like someone was trying to get me to think a certain way, even though the logic was flawed. It tried to make me feel that right and wrong are impossible to determine as it is all rigged to failure anyway, and you can only be wrong. I disagree with this.

Sincerely,
Becky Mate
Script Consultant
www.virtueinthearts.com

Review of Alien Vs Predator Requiem

AVPR - STORY: Predators researching Aliens on a lab spaceship get taken over by aliens and crash on Earth, releasing rapidly-producing, anti-human aliens near a small town. An ex-con returning to the small town tries to battle the alien infestation with, unbeknownst to him, help from a Predator who has come to hunt and destroy the aliens.
AVPR - MESSAGE: Courage, ability to face danger, quick-thinking, ability to utilize things and people around one to help one, leadership, honor, staying focused despite tragedy and making the tough choices win the day. Waiting and hoping for others to save you doesn't win the day. Being pro-active works better.
AVPR - WIN: The situation brought out the best in people, if they were to survive. The aliens were accurately just doing their thing, per their nature.
AVPR - LOSE: The soldier who just returned from Iraq didn't seem to have the confront I would have expected (although she was a good soldier as far as taking orders). And her daughter seemed to be traumatized too long -- I think a kid would bounce back faster than that.
AVPR - EFFECT ON ME: It gave me an appreciation and understanding of other life forms we might come across in the galaxy.

Sincerely,
Becky Mate
Script Consultant
www.virtueinthearts.com

Review of I AM LEGEND

I AM LEGEND - STORY: A man has to find a cure in his own immune blood to a deadly virus that wiped out mankind and created rabid people before the latter kills him.
I AM LEGEND - MESSAGE: Persistence, ability to face things, availing oneself of the help of others, faith, intelligence, adapting the world to ones needs, taking precautions and being responsible win the day.
I AM LEGEND - WIN: He was accurate as far as emotions, for the most part. And his responsibility level was accurate given human capabilities. In other words, he didn't sink to apathy, or if he did, not for long.
I AM LEGEND - LOSE: He seemed to lose it at one point in the movie, when a girl was pushing him, and he went out of character, but it wasn't totally implausible. The leaping and climbing ability of the rabid humans was not real to me. Also, their total succumbing to the virus seemed a bit too absolute for powerful spiritual beings in human bodies (which we all are.) When he slid to apathy, his behavior was consistent with apathy, but it was unlikely that he'd sink that low merely because of a loss. That is not an accurate source of suicidal behavior.
I AM LEGEND - EFFECT ON ME: My problems seemed much smaller. My appreciation for my fellow man came up.

Sincerely,
Becky Mate
Script Consultant
www.virtueinthearts.com

Review of NATIONAL TREASURE II

NATIONAL TREASURE II - STORY: To clear his family's name, a man has to follow clues to find the lost city of gold in America.
NATIONAL TREASURE II - MESSAGE: Observation, intelligence, courage, cleverness, physical fitness and persistence win the day.
NATIONAL TREASURE II - WIN: Seemed good emotionally. It showed that the natural affinity of people will be there if there is nobody trying to drive them apart, even if they have argued -- they can resolve it.
NATIONAL TREASURE II - LOSE: I saw so many movies over the holidays I can't remember specifics on this. It had its share of guns and alcohol, I believe.
NATIONAL TREASURE II - EFFECT ON ME: It brought out the hero in me.

Sincerely,
Becky Mate
Script Consultant
www.virtueinthearts.com

Review of THE GREAT DEBATERS

THE GREAT DEBATERS - STORY: In 1935, a group of top black student debaters get the chance to be the first to debate white students at Harvard.
THE GREAT DEBATERS - MESSAGE: Persistence, doing the right thing, fluorishing and prospering despite oppression win the day.
THE GREAT DEBATERS - WIN: The film seemed to be accurate in the portrayal of valor, bigotry, courage, confront, emotions, upsets and honor. It also accurately showed that true art gets emotional impact.
THE GREAT DEBATERS - LOSE: I believe that a womanizing, alcoholic debater was portrayed as more able than he would have been in real life, since alcohol and lack of virtue take their spiritual toll on a person.
THE GREAT DEBATERS - EFFECT ON ME: It made me feel that I can fluorish and prosper despite people that may not like me for one reason or another. I realized I was on the right track as a writer when I go for emotional impact. The charismatic debater stepped back and let the debater take his place who could think on his feet. This made me realize that organizing my life so the best person for the job is doing it on my behalf is a good idea. I also felt like cutting a break to anyone who has been oppressed.

Sincerely,
Becky Mate
Script Consultant
www.virtueinthearts.com