Review of 10,000 B.C.

10,000 B.C. - STORY: A man from a mountainous tribe must acquire an army to battle the evil pyramid builders who kidnapped into slavery his people and his woman.

10,000 B.C. - MESSAGE: Love begets heroics. In order to win the day, you need willingness to be a leader, courage, conviction, to stand by your word, ability to win friends, ability to see and use opportunities and the ability to put into full use the skills that you have and the organizational structure you have developed to work as a team.

10,000 B.C. - WIN: There was an old woman who knew things that were happening far away, and who was able to influence nature and events to some degree. She was considered wise and an advisor and a source of prophesy. There was also accurate prophesy among the other peoples, predicting an event to come. There was no turning to drugs or alcohol. Their religion included the believe that life as a spirit continues on after death (the "ancestors" who have a hand in current events.) There was value put in honesty, a quality of character, in that the hero rejected validation for something he didn't do. The maiden in distress was far from a victim; she was proactive in her rescue. I liked that the father went ahead and by teaching others his language, facilitated the son's success. It was beautifully explained how some men take responsibility for only their immediate family and some take greater responsibility, such as for their clan or for many clans.

10,000 B.C. - LOSE: The old woman could perceive, but she never taught her skills to others. It was implied that she had a gift, rather than that she was inherently spiritual and thus able to do what she did. Movies can sometimes imply that any old spiritual life force can animate a body, as if my life force could exchange with your life force, without recognizing that any one given life force is an individual who would animate a body in a different manner. It would have been better to re-acquire the original inhabitant, rather than replace the leaving spirit with another, towards the end of the movie.

10,000 B.C. - EFFECT ON ME: I felt inspired to be a leader. I saw the power of explaining modern concepts using ancient people. I was inspired to finish the love story I'm writing, because inextinguishable love between two people is incredibly romantic.

Sincerely,
Becky Mate
Script Consultant
www.virtueinthearts.com

Review of THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL

THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL - STORY: In midieval times, a woman embraces her uncle's desire for family power and goes after the position of queen, at the expense of harming her siblings.
THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL - MESSAGE: Greed, desire for power and sacrificing your family do not win in the end. Lack of backbone doesn't win either. Virtue, obedience, honor, forgiveness and simple directness do win. Altered importance on having an hier can corrupt aristocracy. Never anger the king.
THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL - WIN: Good example of withdrawing in order to lure someone towards you. Good example of placing too much importance on things that are not importance. The various emotional levels were well-depicted and accurately portrayed in acting and writing. Accurate portrayal of an evil, controlling person who orchestrates his climb up the ladder despite the sacrifices his family must make. Bad deeds got their just desserts.
THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL - LOSE: Castle and its inhabitents were a bit too clean for historical accuracy. The shift from good sister to attacking sister was a little abrupt, but on the other hand, she may felt bad about her transgressions against her sister.
THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL - EFFECT ON ME: It made me want to live more smartly and decently towards my fellows. It made me want to assess my own importances to ensure I am fighting for things I really want, not just slipping into the social patterns around me.
Sincerely,
Becky Mate
Script Consultant
www.virtueinthearts.com

Review of ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS - STORY: A songwriter failing to break into the business gets a chance when he discovers singing chipmunks in his house.
ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS - MESSAGE: Utilize and don't be blind to and don't combat opportunities that befall you; be understanding of those around you. Persist in your dream.
ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS - WIN: My favorite part of the film was the expert ability of actor Jason Lee to communicate with the chipmunks as if they were real. He had genuine affinity for them. He was really able to bring them to life from his viewpoint, which brought them more to life for all of us. The songs and energetic performances were uplifting.
ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS - LOSE: The chipmunks were a little too unruly in relation to their musical success (in other words, people that unruly would normally hold themselves back from success to stop themselves from doing harm.)
ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS - EFFECT ON ME: I felt like I had seen a cute movie and I had laughed.
Sincerely,
Becky Mate
Script Consultant
www.virtueinthearts.com

Review of FOOL'S GOLD

FOOL'S GOLD - STORY: A wild treasure-hunter teams with his estranged wife to score the sunken ship of their dreams.
FOOL'S GOLD - MESSAGE: Perserverance, insoucience, bravery, passion and dogged pursuit of a goal win the day. True love can overcome life's little hurdles. Teamwork in striving for a goal brings a family or a group together.
FOOL'S GOLD - WIN: This film was a good example of the ability of great charismatic men to get even those opposed to one on one's side and heading in one's direction. It also was a good one to show that a calm and carefree attitude makes things go right around one.
FOOL'S GOLD - LOSE: Promotes drinking alcohol as a positive trait. Suggests than minor infractions of the law are okay.
FOOL'S GOLD - EFFECT ON ME: It uplifted me and made me more insoucient. Rekindled my passion for those things I'm passionate about.
Sincerely,
Becky Mate
Script Consultant
www.virtueinthearts.com

Review of UNTRACEABLE

UNTRACEABLE - STORY: A sadistic killer taunts everybody by killing his victims on camera feed to the Internet.
UNTRACEABLE - MESSAGE: You're a sadist just like everyone else so admit it; there is an innate human desire to watch violence, torture and death
UNTRACEABLE - WIN: Accurate depiction of the criminal and antisocial mind, not only in the antagonist, but also the writer, director, editor and producer of this film. The heroine did use perserverence to win the day.
UNTRACEABLE - LOSE: There was no hint of any redeeming feature in the human race. The writer has totally bought the lie that man is a mere animal with base tendencies, and that man has no spiritual side.
UNTRACEABLE - EFFECT ON ME: I felt dirty, like I stayed and watched torture when I could have gotten up and left. It was upsetting.
Sincerely,
Becky Mate
Script Consultant
www.virtueinthearts.com

Review of THE BUCKET LIST

THE BUCKET LIST - STORY: Two men dying soon of cancer decide to go out with a bang by completing a list of life's challenges.
THE BUCKET LIST - MESSAGE: You're never to old to play the game of life; pushing for hard-to-attain goals is what the good life is all about; it is the family and people in our life that are important, not the toys or adventures; you'll find a decent human being if you look at someone without your prejudices; it takes working at it to maintain a close relationship
THE BUCKET LIST - WIN: The emotional arcs seemed realistic as did the quirks and foibles. A slight reference to the spiritual side of life.
THE BUCKET LIST - LOSE: They could have observed or realized a greater sense of themselves as spiritual beings who'd live on, which would be a logical tendency or desire to someone facing the end of one's body, especially since, as the spiritual beings we all are, we do already know on some level we'll continue past death.
THE BUCKET LIST - EFFECT ON ME: It made me want to procrastinate less and put more drive towards my goals. My necessity level came up, and I realized that if I lived my life to the fullest now, without waiting for some terminal disease deadline, I might get more done.
Sincerely,
Becky Mate
Script Consultant
www.virtueinthearts.com

Review of THE GREAT DEBATERS

GREAT DEBATERS - STORY: The first black debate team gets a shot up against an ivy league school.
GREAT DEBATERS - MESSAGE: Communication solves all; it is a big person that can love despite what is done to them; courage wins the day; a good manager utilizes the best aspects of each team member despite personal sacrifice to make the best attempt at winning the group goal; non-conforming is sometimes a valuable commodity
GREAT DEBATERS - WIN: The teacher and team didn't get slowed down by what had stopped others before them; good use of emotional impact in the art of speechgiving. Good example of fluorishing and prospering in the face of oppression, as the real way to foil the oppressors.
GREAT DEBATERS - LOSE: None.
GREAT DEBATERS - EFFECT ON ME: It stirred in me the pride to be different, to stand tall despite those who would hate me or my fellow women, parishioners and Americans. It made it okay to be who I am.
Sincerely,
Becky Mate
Script Consultant
www.virtueinthearts.com