hausrathman

Two people wake up to find themselves locked in an abandoned warehouse with no memory of how they got there. They are prisoners, but why? That premise sounds like something you would expect in a horror movie like "Saw," not a faith-based drama, but that's precisely the story here. In "The Reconciler," an unseen puppet master who traps people and forces them to reconcile their differences. Or die.

I am a fan of faith-based films, but I must admit that I grow tired of the steady diet of "pastors- with-a-crisis-of-faith" dramas. I want faith-based films to embrace all genres and tackle all sorts of subjects. Therefore, I applaud the filmmakers for taking a chance on a film that the more stodgy members of the audience might reject. I hope they don't. This film, directed with panache by Shawn Justice, and featuring some nice performances, particularly by the Steel twins, is well-worth a look.

A disparate group of people seek shelter in the basement of a church after an event which appears to be the Rapture occurs. I have seen quite a few faith-based End Times films. Personally, I feel the genre has been played out, but this film, directed by Cynthia L. Leon and Gary Voelker, found some new wrinkles as it let issues within the church like racism, unforgiveness and hypocrisy play out. There is a edgy honesty to the script that I found refreshing for a faith-based film. The Rapture itself was handled very well considering the budget. The film also features some good performances, particularly from Patrick Vann who plays a young skeptic who knows more about faith than the so-called Christians who find themselves left behind. I look forward to seeing more films from Ms. Leon and Mr. Voelker.

A young woman finds herself being followed by a slow moving but unstopping supernatural entity after having sex with a young man she hardly knows. After making her a target through sexual intercourse, the young man explains the rules: The entity will follow you, and eventually kill you when it reaches you, if you don't pass it on by having sex with someone else. It is a creepy premise that starts off very well. The cinematography and music are moody and atmospheric. Sadly, after such a good start, the movie falls apart in the second half. It's as if the filmmakers didn't know how to end the film. Still, it was well worth watching. I look forward to seeing another film from the director.