Student Film Reviews

Film reviews from theaters, couches, and film festivals

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1. Kevin Tran 10.13.08 / 7pm

   Nice closing statement. I always wonder why people take spirituality so seriously. When you think about it, it’s as serious a thing as love or death, and movies have always found humor in those themes. I’m glad this documentary is able to poke fun at and make fun of how ridiculous religion can sometimes be.
2. Anthony DeLorenzi 10.14.08 / 2pm

   Great review, I like what you said at the end. In my Western Civilization class we learned that since the beginning of known civilization, religion has played a big part in helping people to understand the world around them, at least until science came along. I have always marveled at how seriously some people take religion, and I suppose they are surprised by how I don’t even think about it. The next chance I get I will head down to my local metro and check this out, as it seems to be a good movie.
3. Christopher Newcomb 10.14.08 / 11pm

   Well myself I am open to a lot of different opinions and I’m not at all the kind of guy that goes out to church on Sunday, but I do believe in God. I also think that it will be stupid not to watch a movie like this. This guy is going around the country and he is poking fun at all of the different religions. It seems kind of hypocritical if one religion can make fun of another religion yet get upset when it is done to their religion. I think that what Maher is trying to say is that it doesn’t matter what spiritual beliefs you have. Just be yourself and live your life the way you feel you should live it, not by what other people say is right or wrong. It is your life to live the way you please. No one has the right to force anything on you no matter what.
4. Jameson Macaluso 10.15.08 / 9am

   Religulous was one of the more entertaining films I’ve seen in a while. For anyone who was raised with religious structure in their life but had “strayed” there was something to identify with and to laugh about in some parts of this movie. The film covers everything from churches that are housed in trailers at truck stops with born again con men, to Christian theme parks in Florida, to the Vatican, to the Mosque at the Dome of the Rock. Every person Maher interviewed was passionate about their beliefs, whether they communicated this in a loud or quiet way. Every religious practice he showed us was extreme. Maher was not interested in the middle of the road because it is boring. He did not bother to interview anyone who prays only when they want comfort, goes to church only at the holidays or for funerals and weddings, but still considers themselves Christian – and that probably describes the majority of Christians. As far as the movie was concerned it is a “If you don’t believe what we believe, you are going to hell” mentality that describes all religious people. The movie provokes some thought, and probably inspired more than one good conversation, but overall, due to its strong bias, it is light weight and quickly forgotten.
5. Kelly Uyesaka 10.15.08 / 4pm

   Bill Maher is one of the most honest T.V. host out there. He speaks his mind on his HBO show, and has no problem speaking about any topic. Having gone from being a person who once attended church every Sunday to one who never goes, I think this is a great film. I would not say that I do not believe in “God,” but this film makes a good point. Which religion is right? And is there any possible way of ever figuring that out? I agree when you said that everyone should see this film, because I think it would open a lot of people’s eyes, even if they walk out of the theatre disgusted. People should not take offense to a movie like this because it speaks the truth.
6. Mike Falbo 10.15.08 / 4pm

   Very good review. I myself was brought up Catholic and attended Catholic school up until I entered highschool, and then started to see the many different aspects of religion around. Nowadays I still consider myself Catholic, but I am more than open to anything else out there or other people’s words. The beginning statement of the review, “It inspires love, hate, fear and thousands of other emotions every day,” could not have been more accurate in my eyes. I have seen so much love come from religion and at the same time I have seen so much hate and ignorance towards it and other people’s views on it. Everyone has their own opinion and views on whatever they want and should not be judged.
7. Shanna Jordan 10.16.08 / 10am

   I feel I pretty well know what to expect from this film after reading your brief and concise review, and I very much appreciated your frankness. You got right to the point in saying that the “film doesn’t pretend not to have a bias, it actually revels in the fact that it does.” You described flashes to clips from religious films meant to drive home what the interviewers are saying and comparisons of people looked at as moral compasses to such people as Osama Bin Laden. After reading your review, I can’t help but get a feeling of deja vu, have I seen something like this before? It doesn’t feel to me like anything fresh. I think this is one I can safely skip. Thank you, I will be saving my nine dollars.
8. HilaryErmolovich 10.16.08 / 6pm

   This film was hilarious. I myself am not very religious, very open, but this movie in my opinion opened my eyes to many ideas of this topic of religion. Bill Maher is on the quest to ask questions and to find out how religion is part of everyday people’s lives and how most simple questions and myths of religion really aren’t the truth. There are many religions that are involved so that one is not just singled out. Every religion seems to have its pros and cons. I seemed to fall for liking the Vatican’s “observer” who seems to be very smart. I really was surprised that in Kentucky they were making a museum to invite both sides of the controversial topic of how Adam and Eve seemed to live during the time of dinosaurs, which seems ridiculous in my opinion. This movie is thought provoking: ask questions, be yourself and think for yourself and don’t just follow what people say. I am very excited for the DVD to come out and to watch the clips that were cut out. Maybe of other religions?
9. Toomas Krooni 10.16.08 / 11pm

   First of all, thanks for a concise and interesting review. After reading it, I immediately felt that I wanted to see the movie. I think Michael Moore was excellent with early documentaries such as “Roger and Me” and “Bowling for Columbine.” However, I think his latest documentaries “Fahrenheit 9/11” and “Sicko” were just provocative for the hell of it. I think it is refreshing to make a documentary about religion. Now I can only hope that it is made in a tasteful way. It is also good that Charles and Monahan, in contrast to Moore, in your opinion don’t claim to be unbiased. Thanks again for a well-written and informative review.
10. AlexandriaMiller 10.17.08 / 5pm

    I’ve always been a fan of Bill Maher and after reading this review I wanted to run right out and find this film. Religion is an incredibly sticky subject and I think there are many who take themselves and their faith to an extreme level. It’s such a relief and a breath of fresh air to see people like Maher poke fun at a subject that is often taken too seriously. Though I myself was raised and confirmed as a Catholic, I think that there’s room to be open minded and at the very least learn about other people’s opinions. This film sounds funny and honest, and I can’t wait to watch it!
11. Jake N 10.17.08 / 6pm

    Good review. I like the objectiveness, and it made me want to see the film. I too am interested very much in the investigation of the motives behind religion. I would not appreciate it as much knowing that it is similar to a Micheal Moore production. And yet it sounds like it does not pretend to be unbiased, and that makes it a film definitely worth seeing. To challenge devout religious figures is the best way to understand their own true beliefs, and it seems like this film is at least a step in that direction.
12. devonstein 10.17.08 / 10pm

    Nice review. I found Religulous to be utterly refreshing amidst the mind-numbing effects of organized religion. I saw Bill Maher being interviewed on CNN, and his perspective on the film was that he didn’t set out to change anyone’s mind, but simply to start the conversation that is for the most part avoided by both religious and non-religious individuals. I liked his line in the documentary about doubt being his product. While some parts of the film were meant to be laughed at, I felt the images of events like 9/11 really drove Maher’s point home, adding an air of seriousness to Religulous. I liked your point about taking off one’s blinders in regards to the film, because even though Religulous might not prove to be revelatory for religious people, it certainly opens eyes as to the absurdity of religious fanaticism.
13. Nicolecmckernan 10.23.08 / 7pm

    I think the reviewer, William Conlin, made his strongest point at the beginning of his review when he commented that it is harder to find a more complex issue than religion. On any given day, the media bombards us with religious images–from children singing in a Christmas pagent to people being killed in wars fought because of religious beliefs. I think that while it is good to laugh at the absurdities of some religious fanatics, it is also a thought-provoking film that should be considered by religious people and non-religious people alike. Religion is a subject that is complex, but it is also a subject that can be deeply personal; no doubt this film will not be understood as satire or comedy by anyone who is traditionally religious.
14. Adrien Borisavljevic 11.17.10 / 10am

    Very good review. As William Conlin mentioned, Religion is a very hard subject to address. Religulous has a very strong point of view on the subject which I totally agree with. It shows from facts and religious history what the reality about religion really is. I recently read an article in the New York Times about the fact that non religious people actually have more knowledge about religion than religious people. It might come from the fact that non religious people question religions. Everyone should question their selves on why they are religious. Religulous should be watch by any religious people, it might not change their faith but it might give them another perception on it.

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