Reviews

Michael W. Smith needs to be introduced to Jim Caviezel and Taylor Hackford (dir of "Ray"); and Stuart Baird, the editing partner of Richard Donner (Superman/Goonies/Lethal Weapon).

Smith can clearly act, but the editing and directing derail an otherwise solid effort. The script needed the on-set touch of the likes of William Goldman to help with continuity and B roll coverage mistakes. The cinematography needs some hep from Scott Free Productions (Tony/ Ridley Scott), or anyone from The West Wing.

Beyond that, the acting was on par with anything secular. The sound didn't jump around, a milestone for Cloud Ten, likely because it had Sony sound engineers babysitting post production.

Last and its greatest strength, MW Smith's total abandonment to step out and say to the stuffy mega church leaders, "We mean well, but there's something missing in what we're doing..." And they come face to face with the reality that they have fallen in love with the privileges that can come with too much career success in the ministry, media or no media.

The movie and its message will hit its target, and the senior pastors are not made out to be greedy ambitious villains. Smith is too old to play the up and comer, naive to the lessons he is 'learning'.

If you can ignore all these flaws, you'll be fine. Oh, and they shot it on FILM, not insulting the audience with the usual video cameras "to save money". (A Perect Stranger" was an embarrassment.) We're not there yet, HD geeks. Film. Respect the Bible with FILM.

I watch this movie as both entertainment and education. If there was ever a film that so thoroughly covers the making of a classic, bears all and leaves you wanting it to be longer than its 2 1/2 hour length, it is this.

First, it offers a breakdown of Lucas' roots, inspirations and student films. It glides over his personal life, barely mentioning how he met and married his wife, and tastefully omits the divorce Lucas endured as a result of his investment of time into Skywalker Ranch, instead of his marriage. The editor allows us to hear Lucas begin to talk about it, and then fades it off. It was painful the first time, and he probably should't have to relive it with his fans.

The same Bonus Disc contains a shorter documentary that features today's best movie directors discussing how SW influenced them. There is not a finer documentary made about the process of film-making.

The documentary almost takes a detour into propaganda when THX and Pixar come up, but then we realize that Lucas was the guy all of these entities was born from, or developed from. Today's movie editing software is born from Lucas' struggle to make 1970's equipment and people work for him.

A must-viewing for anyone serious about the craft or the profession.