‘Through computerisation, the world has become a simulation – The Matrix – in which the temptation is to participate in the illusion and the answer lies in courageously pursuing the truth. A small colony of humans survive in a place called Zion, and salvation lies in the saviour-figure overcoming the power of the Matrix in order to re-establish a human world.

The chosen one, the saviour figure who is called out of his world of illusion to save the world, is a computer hacker called Tom, whose on screen name is Neo (an anagram for the One). His companion is called Trinity, his mentor Morpheus (the God of Dreams).

His identity is a growing one, with a John the Baptist figure in the form of a woman oracle who is found in a kitchen cooking biscuits encouraging him to pursue his mission. Salvation can only come about through incarnation – Neo and his helpers must enter the Matrix in order to save it from within.

There is also betrayal, sacrificial death and resurrection. Much has been made of the special FX of the movie, and the action nature of the movie will guarantee it will be a hit with mid-older adolescents and young adults. The mythological explorations and suggestions play on some themes that offer good potential for religious conversations and comparisons’. (Peter Horsfield, writing for Christ and Media Culture: Electronic Culture Research Project)

Download the pdf discussion guide for the complete resource.

Link : Hollywood Jesus review

Link : IMDb entry

Download:  The_Matrix.pdf

The Sixth Sense is an intriguing, insightful psychological drama, if at times surprising and even shocking. The movie invites discussion about important issues – truth telling in relationships, the nature of life and death, grief, the effect of unresolved issues.

A nine year old boy, Cole Sear (played brilliantly by Haley Joel Osment), is disturbed by visitations from dead people ‘walking around like regular people’ who don’t (or won’t) realise they’re dead and appear to be ‘in limbo’. Cole fails to make friends with other children, is branded a ‘freak’ and is harassed – emotionally and physically. Cole is trapped in his torment because he is unable to share his secret with anyone, until he meets child psychologist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis).

Various reviews attempt to place the movie in the ‘horror movie’ genre, but the Director helps to focus the theme more helpfully. ‘It’s reality based fright. It comes from the fears of real people, real children and real adults: fears of loss, the unknown, of having a sixth sense about what lies beyond and fears of not understanding those intuitions’.

Download the pdf discussion guide for the complete resource.

Link : IMDb entry

Link : Hollywood Jesus review

Download: Discussion Guide to The Sixth Sense (pdf)

‘Can a marriage survive 15 years?’ After 15 years of marriage, Ben (Bruce Willis) and Katie (Michelle Pfeiffer) are faced with the familiar quandary of trying to work out what it is that is at the core of their marriage. Those qualities once considered endearing and engaging are now the very thing that niggle, annoy and finally become a wedge between them.

When their two children (Josh and Erin, aged 12 and 10) head off to summer camp, their parents decide on a trial separation to give themselves space from their relationship which has become emotionally exhausting for both of them through constant fighting and bickering and withdrawal.

The way to resolve the issues confronting them is through retreat – from each other, and from the issues begging to be dealt with head on. The time apart gives them a chance to reflect on their relationship, on where each has been as individuals in that relationship, and on the fusion of two individuals in a marriage that changes from ‘me’ to ‘us’.

Download the pdf discussion guide for the complete resource.

Link : IMDb entry

Link: Hollywood Jesus Review

Download:  Discussion guide for The Story of Us (pdf)

The film is ‘a rivetting thriller’ (based on the acclaimed suspense novel by Patricia Highsmith) and starring Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and Cate Blanchett. It is set in the late 1950’s and follows the extraordinary events which take place in the life of Tom Ripley (Damon) in his quest to take on the lifestyle of his new-found friend, Dickie Greenleaf (Law).

To be young and carefree amid the blue waters and idyllic landscape of sun-drenched Italy; that la dolce vita Ripley craves – and Dickie leads. When Dickie’s father, a wealthy shipbuilder, asks Tom to bring his errant playboy son home to America, Dickie and his beautiful expatriate girlfriend Marge Sherwood (Paltrow) never suspect the dangerous extremes to which Ripley will go to make their lifestyle his own.

After all, it’s better to be a fake somebody than a real nobody.

Download the pdf discussion guide for the complete resource.

Link : IMDb entry

Link : Hollywood Jesus review

Download:  Discussion guide for The Talented Mr Ripley (pdf)

A Synopsis to this film is probably not needed, but I’ll write one anyhow.

This is the final act in the story of the birth of Darth Vader, the act in which the Emperor will cease to be in hiding and where the Jedi order is banished to the four corners of the galaxy. This is also the act where Padmé becomes pregnant, gives birth and dies.

In a way this is the end of the first trilogy, this is the final act of the story of Darth Vader and, in the end we’ll see glimpses of the story that will be continued as the rebel cause builds in numbers and in strength.

Download: Discussion Guide for Star Wars Episode 3 – Revenge of the Sith (pdf)

Tells the story of a social studies teacher (Kevin Spacey) who gives an assignment to his junior high school class to think of an idea to change the world for the better, then put it into action. When one young student (Haley Joel Osment) creates a plan for ‘paying it forward’ favors (pyramid style!), he not only affects the life of his struggling single mother (Helen Hunt), but he sets in motion an unprecedented wave of human kindness. He is unaware his idea has blossomed into a profound national phenomenon.

The principles of Trevor’s ‘pay it forward’ idea are: – it has to be something that really helps people – something they can’t do by themselves – I do it for them, they do it for three other people and the film explores The film shows people taking on Trevor’s idea – the homeless man fixing Trevor’s mother’s car and later preventing a young woman from committing suicide. The prisoner gets medical attention for a young woman, her father – a wealthy businessman – gives away his car to a reporter who has had his car written off in an accident.

Download the pdf discussion guide for the complete resource.

Link : Hollywood Jesus review

Link : IMDb entry

Download:  Discussion guide for Pay It Forward (pdf)

This movie depicts a complicated clash of cultures, both ethnic and artistic. It is the story of a white, middle class small town teenager Sara, whose life is turned upside down when she has to move to the rough streets of Chicago to live with her father (a down on his luck jazz musician she hardly knows) after the untimely and tragic death of her mother.

Without her mother to support her, Sara is thrust into an unfamiliar world and enrolls in an inner city virtually all-black Chicago high school. She has been an aspiring ballerina, devoted to dance, with an ambition to gain entry to New York’s famous Juilliard dance school. Although this hope has been dashed, she finds solace and affection with a handsome, gifted and popular African-American student, Derek. He was once the crown prince of the hip-hop hangout, but aspires to gain entry to medical school, thereby securing a better life for himself.

The pair share a common passion for dance, and romance flourishes between them. But their romance is put to the test as they face racism, antagonism and peer pressure, and have to deal with their own individual obstacles.
(from Paramount Pictures blurb)

Download the pdf discussion guide for the complete resource.

Link : Hollywood Jesus review

Link : IMDb entry

Download:  Discussion guide for Save the Last Dance (pdf)

“She’s the One” is a story about two brothers and their contrasting relationships with their wives, friends and family. It is a romantic comedy that examines commitment and priorities in life.

Download the pdf discussion guide for the complete resource.

Link : IMDb entry

Download:  Discussion Guide for She’s The One (pdf)

This is a valiant effort, it takes on some challenging material in Frank Millar’s Sin City comic series and pulls it off without spoiling Frank’s original art work, if anything this movie adds to Frank’s vision.

Frank Millar’s comic series “Sin City” is an ambitious and violent series, it’s characters are potent, violent, morally questionable and mostly unrepentant. Sin City is a place where prostitutes and police each keep to their own side of town, where villains are extra-evil and heroes would, possibly in the “normal world” be classified as villains…

In other words, Sin City moves our contemporary “dirt boundaries” so that what looks violent in our world is actually “normal” or perhaps even “good” in the world of the comic.

This movie shows a series of vignettes from Frank’s comics, stories of a police officer fighting a sex offender, a gladiator hunting down the killer of a woman who asked for his protection and a story in which a group of prostitutes accidentally kill a police officer and where a hero needs to step up and act in order to stop a war.

Most of the movie is in black and white, every now and then there’s a splash of red, so the blood for much of the movie is actually white, artistically it fits in very well with Frank Millar’s original work… It may take a while for people to get used to the style, but artistically it’s quite stunning.

Have no illusions, this is a violent movie set in a violent and fictional world where thugs become heroes, vengeful policemen become saviors and villains are politicians, police, religious men and even cannibals.

Link: IMDB Website

Link: Hollywood Jesus Website

Download:  Discussion guide for Sin City (pdf)

In a world where superheroes actually have families one question is raised… Where do the children of superheroes study? Sure, the TV series “Smallville” suggests that Superman could go to high school and not be discovered, but imagine if we’re talking about 600 adolescents, all who are coming to terms with their new found powers imagine the chaos that could be caused…

So, Sky High is the high school where superheroes send their children to learn how to be a good superhero, or, to be a sidekick (superhero support).

This movie follows a group of kids who find themselves sent to Sky High to learn how to use their powers, and, for a variety of reasons they each find themselves in the Superhero Support stream.

One of the main characters is Will Stronghold, the son of the two greatest superheroes in the world and is expected to keep working in the family business, “saving the world”… Now, Will has one problem, his powers haven’t showed up yet, afraid of his parents reactions he hides his lack of super powers from them before hitting the campus for his first day where he is labeled as “sidekick”.

As the movie progresses Will becomes comfortable with his calling as sidekick and is able to inform his parents that he lacks any powers at all before finding that his super powers have kicked in, meeting his arch nemesis and becoming a part of a love triangle between his life long best friend Layla and the beautiful and incredibly skilled Penny.

But, there’s the problem of Super Villains, it soon becomes apparent that a Super Villain is out to get the Commander and Jetstream, and as the students and staff of Sky High is attacked it becomes Will’s job to save the day, his friends, his family and the world.

Link: IMDB Website

Link: Hollywood Jesus Website

Download:   discussion guide for Sky High (pdf)
[rating:4]