'The Second Coming'
Yes, I've actually moved on from Billie Piper for a bit. Shocking, I know! Anyhoo, so I watched The Second Coming starring Christopher Eccleston and Lesley Sharp (Sky from "Midnight") and written by good ole Rusty.
Before anyone enters into the cut, know that this is a movie with religious themes and that I discuss those themes, my thoughts and that I am a Roman Catholic.
Hmm. I can appreciate the writing, really. I do think that Russell T. Davies is a marvelous writer, who fashioned three-dimensional characters and a heartbreaking romance (the "someone better" line at the end *really* broke my heart) that had moments of utter joy and beauty. The plot was well-done and the reasoning behind the climax -- Judith serving Steve rat poisoned pasta in order to kill him, thus killing God and all of the wars, the devils, the good/the evil, the higher power that goes along with Him -- made perfect, logical sense. Of course, if we have to rely on ourselves, instead of relying on that something better after we've mucked up this life, we'll do better ... because we've only got one life to live. One chance, one shot.
Of course. You'll believe that and see the absolute logic and reason behind that. If you're an atheist. As Russell T. Davies is. I, however, am not. For me, I believe that having God (or some higher power to which you ascribe) is a wonderful thing. It's not a way of giving humanity an "out," it's a path to show us that we can and should aspire to *be* that something better. So I can see the logic and the reason, but I can't appreciate it and I certainly do not agree with it.
Still, it was a well-made production. Christopher Eccleston was amazing as always. Lesley Sharp was fantastic, and not surprising giving Davies' penchant for strong female roles, her Judith -- yup, Judith, nicknamed Jude, as in, you know, Judas ... so I was rather waiting for her to be responsible for his death somehow, really clever, Rusty ;) -- was actually the main character, not Eccleston's Steve Baxter. He was just the catalyst; it was Judith who made things happen. One small quibble about casting, I realize that Sharp and Eccleston are the same age, but he really does look a good few years younger than he is and so there were quite a few times during the movie where he looked about ten years or so younger than her, and that didn't jibe with the 'we went to school together' bit. But just a teeny quibble, because she really was excellent.
Oh, and I got to see Clive again!! You remember Clive, from "Rose" -- the Doctor-phile who died ignominously in a mall. I thought that Mark Benton was a lovely actor from his short stint on Who and this certainly proved that belief right.
What I did enjoy most about this (aside from the writing -- opposed to the outcome due to my own beliefs -- and the acting) was how the situation was played out throughout the world, with the characters we knew, the reactions. I thought that if someone were to suddenly pronounce themselves the son of God and provide a miracle that "proved" it that Davies did a good job of capturing just how the world might indeed react.
Anyhoo, bottom line, good film, but not one with a philosophy with which I agree. As such, I was unable to fully enjoy it as someone who could step back and watch it with just an eye on the acting, writing, etc.
Before anyone enters into the cut, know that this is a movie with religious themes and that I discuss those themes, my thoughts and that I am a Roman Catholic.
Hmm. I can appreciate the writing, really. I do think that Russell T. Davies is a marvelous writer, who fashioned three-dimensional characters and a heartbreaking romance (the "someone better" line at the end *really* broke my heart) that had moments of utter joy and beauty. The plot was well-done and the reasoning behind the climax -- Judith serving Steve rat poisoned pasta in order to kill him, thus killing God and all of the wars, the devils, the good/the evil, the higher power that goes along with Him -- made perfect, logical sense. Of course, if we have to rely on ourselves, instead of relying on that something better after we've mucked up this life, we'll do better ... because we've only got one life to live. One chance, one shot.
Of course. You'll believe that and see the absolute logic and reason behind that. If you're an atheist. As Russell T. Davies is. I, however, am not. For me, I believe that having God (or some higher power to which you ascribe) is a wonderful thing. It's not a way of giving humanity an "out," it's a path to show us that we can and should aspire to *be* that something better. So I can see the logic and the reason, but I can't appreciate it and I certainly do not agree with it.
Still, it was a well-made production. Christopher Eccleston was amazing as always. Lesley Sharp was fantastic, and not surprising giving Davies' penchant for strong female roles, her Judith -- yup, Judith, nicknamed Jude, as in, you know, Judas ... so I was rather waiting for her to be responsible for his death somehow, really clever, Rusty ;) -- was actually the main character, not Eccleston's Steve Baxter. He was just the catalyst; it was Judith who made things happen. One small quibble about casting, I realize that Sharp and Eccleston are the same age, but he really does look a good few years younger than he is and so there were quite a few times during the movie where he looked about ten years or so younger than her, and that didn't jibe with the 'we went to school together' bit. But just a teeny quibble, because she really was excellent.
Oh, and I got to see Clive again!! You remember Clive, from "Rose" -- the Doctor-phile who died ignominously in a mall. I thought that Mark Benton was a lovely actor from his short stint on Who and this certainly proved that belief right.
What I did enjoy most about this (aside from the writing -- opposed to the outcome due to my own beliefs -- and the acting) was how the situation was played out throughout the world, with the characters we knew, the reactions. I thought that if someone were to suddenly pronounce themselves the son of God and provide a miracle that "proved" it that Davies did a good job of capturing just how the world might indeed react.
Anyhoo, bottom line, good film, but not one with a philosophy with which I agree. As such, I was unable to fully enjoy it as someone who could step back and watch it with just an eye on the acting, writing, etc.