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RE: PIC - was BAAL a HOLY COW?

Movie Review of - DOGMA
© - Tom Hyland -12-12-08

Some will Love it - Others will Hate it. I liked it, and would give it Four Jiggles and a Double Whup-Whup! That’s about a 85-90 % Rating!

The PLOT - the Perennial Struggle between Good and Evil on Earth. The Principal Characters - a couple of Fallen Angels, played by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck - a Scion, a Demon, an Apostle - the 13th One, a Black Apostle, played by Chris Rock - a Muse - a couple of Prophets - and - at some point, even GOD makes an astounding appearance!

Some would regard this creative film as a Black Comedy - others will think it to be totally Sacrilegious - some would probably want to BAN it!

Concepts, Mysteries, Bible Stories and History, as well as Dogmas of the various religious sects are Dissected and picked apart, as possibly intelligent Questions and formidable Answers. All of this done, with perhaps a Jaundiced eye?

The Foundations of your personal Belief Systems may be in Jeopardy! Can you Handle it? Do you have an Open Mind? Are some of the Questions and Dilemmas quite pertinent? Will your Sense of Humor allow you to see the Folly of it all?

CAUTION: Foul Language Abounds in this film - the “F” word is perhaps over-used and overdone, but - for Effect! At some point in each of our lives, are we not Guilty of Cursing GOD? Have we not honestly Blamed Him/Her for our many mishaps and problems?

This film reminds me of others, like: The Seventh Sign, or City of Angels - but they were Serious - THIS is not! It is a SPOOF - an attempt to cause one to actually THINK - but then LAUGH at the Hopelessness of Mankind!

While it was made in 1999, I have no idea how I missed it for nine years! Would my mind have received it differently back then? I was a younger 59 in that year, still married, and perhaps honoring substantially different Values and Beliefs. Would I have found it to be Repulsive then? I Wonder!

But now, at Age 68, as I slowly approach the eventual Fact of Life - DEATH - the Pearly Gates - the Torments of Hades - WHAT do I now Believe? Does it Matter? Can I Change Anything? Do I Want to?

If you have the Intestinal Fortitude (stomach) to handle some Far-Out cerebral ponderings, and take them with the proverbial “Grain of Salt” - then, by all means, Rent and Watch this movie!

If, on the other hand, you are the type of person that can only handle wonderful, beautiful DISNEY-type films - then, ‘For Heaven’s Sake’ - SKIP THIS! THIS IS FOR ADULTS ONLY!

I honestly feel that DOGMA has ‘Redeeming Merit’ - it Births a few intellectual questions, like: “Did ANGELS get a Raw Deal?” “Is Mankind deserving of its OWN self-serving Higher Domain?” “Does GOD really EXIST?” “DID HE/SHE EVER?”

FINAL CAUTION: you might want to wait until AFTER the Christmas Holiday Season to watch this - it is NOT a Christmas Movie! This film makes ‘It’s a Wonderful Life” seem like KINDERGARTEN!

P.S. - I also watched ‘The Dark Knight” -
GREAT FLICK!

© - TKH - 12-12-08