Pastor Shepherd

Raised by evangelists, I normally don't find films about religion funny at all. Between flashbacks of my baptism in the Atlantic Ocean and post-traumatic stress from having to memorize all the books of the Bible (forwards and backwards --- that's right Revelation to Genesis and everything in between -- 66 in all, if memory serves) I normally run faster than Lot's family from Sodom and Gomorrah at the mention of anything with the word "Pastor" attached.

Soooo, I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself happily locked into my seat for the duration of Edwin Marshall's "Pastor Shepherd." As an industry veteran, my normally jaded filter was wiped clean by the naiveté with which our hero approached life. Not since "Forrest Gump" has a character's purity of spirit so captivated an audience. His journey as he cares for his prescription drug and televangelist-addicted mother, applies himself diligently to his dare we say... morbid? profession, and struggles to communicate with those in his small world, has us cheering for this unlikely hero. "Pastor Shepherd" hearkens us back to a time when innocence was cool. And I think that's pretty darn neat.

I saw this with my parents and I liked it just as much as they did. My dad had kind of convinced me to see this and Im glad that he did. Both he and I really liked the relationships and then of course the connections that they all have with one another. Very different than most of what is in the movies and I liked that., I love it when any movie makes you think... I am so sick of all these big blockbusters with no character or main person worth investing in. I recommend this to anyone religious, goes to church, or has family that does. There are millions of action films out there and even more super hero ones, but this movie to me was super unique and different! I just loved the main character. i give it a 9 out of 10!

A friend invited me to the WorldFest Houston film festival to see this film. Overall I really enjoyed it. There are truly some laugh out loud moments. I really liked the Dewey character. I literally laughed for 2-3 minutes after seeing him painting his toenails with white-out. I also think the interaction between Shepherd and Phil, especially early in the film, is classic funny.

This may not be Danny Trejo's most memorable role, but I think we was more than adequate as the straight man to Shepherd's goofiness.

There is a definite 'independent' vibe to the film, but not in a negative way. In fact, it's clean and professional in it's delivery. I'm looking forward to seeing it again, I get the feeling there is more funny in the film that I missed.

This is one of those rare, indie gem sleepers that go almost unnoticed until you find it yourself. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie from start to finish. The script was utterly hilarious, as well as all of the characters. Danny Trejo got a great role, even though it was a relatively minor one, and showed off his comedic talent. Several of the lines in the movie are so funny, they hit you like a sight gag. I could not stop laughing at the interludes between Pastor Shepherd and his boss at the freeze-dried pet company. Whoever directed this deserves an award. It reminds me of a really good John Waters movie. If you want to be very pleasantly surprised by an overlooked gem, this is your ticket. Definitely one of the funniest movies in the last 20 years.

Good character development with lots of laughs. Plot keeps you guessing. Dewey was a hoot. Maria Elena is a up and coming actress that stole the show. As for Pastor Shepherd, what can I say. I am a big fan of his website and you tube episodes. He does not disappoint in the movie. I laughed so hard when they had to take Pastor Shepherd's mom to the hospital in a ATV. I still can't believe they were able to get a couch in a hearse. Not all laughs, there were some tender moments too. Pastor Shepherd also takes aim at the television evangelists that fleece homebound persons who can't attend church. The movie handles the subject with respect and does not demean the industry as a whole. The movie did a good job getting the point across. Good movie! Can't wait for the sequel.