Wednesday, June 11, 2008

End Times Box Set


You might have noticed that we at the SuperCandid Podcast don't care much for so-called "end-times" films. Its not to say that I haven't seen many of them; being a sci-fi fan of apocalyptic movies like Mad Max, The Terminator and I am Legend, I used to watch a lot of end-times movies in search of some great Christian sci-fi.


Unfortunately, the only decent Christian sci-fi I've seen so far isTime Changer(podcast episode), and even that is fairly silly. Movies like I am Legend, a Hollywood production, have Christian themes without becoming as involved with so-called "prophecy" as Christian films.


However, I'm always willing to give more a try, so I was fairly excited when I saw that Christian Cinema is carrying a special 5-movie set of end-times films. The film in this set that I've seen before is Final Exit, a really low-budget film a only bout 3 people in purgatory awaiting judgement(odd that it gets play with evangelical audiences with that concept). Final Exit has a lot of elements that are borrowed by "hell-house" productions, and some truly bad effects, consisting of mainly a smoke machine and colored lights. I might be remembering it wrong, but it's been years since I saw it.


The others are all new to me: End of the Harvest, which use the creation story to tell the story of the end-times(sounds interesting), Escape from Hell, another judgement experience like Final Exit, The Gathering, where a man has visions that Jesus' return is imminent, and Years of the Beast, which begins during the tribulation.


Some of these sound like they have interesting concepts, especially End of the Harvest(although I smell a plot twist in that one), but some of them like Escape from Hell and Final Exit have almost nothing to do with the end times!


Then, the real kicker: this set costs $62. How can they justify that? That's essentially $12, about $7 more than any of these is worth paying for. Even if one or two were really good, you're still paying full price for the rest of the set. What kind of deal is that?


If this set was like the one's at Wal-Mart or Best Buy sell for $10, then it would be a bargin of classic Christian sci-fi. As it is, it's 5 bad movies for one high price.





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1 comment:

headscratching said...

ahhh... but you forget: "Years of the Beast" features the actor who played Marcia Brady's husband (or was it Jan?) on one of those 'Bradys all grown up' TV movies which spawned a very short-lived series in the '80s... that's GOT to be worth an extra $52! I mean, c'mon--it's Marcia! (or maybe Jan. whatever.)

"Years of the Beast" is the only of these I've actually seen (my recommendation: save your $12--the precious special effects at the end of the film cost less than that).

"Final Exit" sounds like a Christianized version of the classic Jean-Paul Sartre play "No Exit" (where three people wind up in a room they gradually discover is hell)--I'd recommend seeing the play at some point, if a good college theatre program is performing it nearby.


BTW, a local documentary here (in Portland) is starting to make some waves and it has already started getting some national press: "Lord Save Us From Your Followers"... Subtitled, 'Why Is the Gospel of Love Dividing America?', the film may be the first Christian movie to ever earn universal praise from sources such as USA Today, NBC's Today show, and EthicsDaily.com.

http://www.lordsaveusthemovie.com/

Better yet, the movie is available online for $6.99 (follow the link on the site)...or it may be at your local multiplex soon if it builds up enough momentum.

(and no, i don't have anything to do with the film--it just sounds like it might be REALLY good... would you guys consider amending your 'no documentary' policy just one...more...time? pleeeeeeeeease?)

cheers,
sean