Independent Films

In our culture, it seems like we get used to the glamorous films of Hollywood.  Everything's professionally, smoothly done.  The acting is believable.  The lines flow.  So, it's interesting to watch independent films that aren't as professionally, smoothly done, where the acting is sometimes stilted, and the lines don't always flow.

How does one judge these films?  Are they good?  bad?  worth watching?

I watched one of these films yesterday.  Ashes of Eden.  The movie is about an 18 year old boy--he's really a boy in a man's body.  His mom is a cop and he's gotten out of the joint.  He returns to high

school to find that he's been expelled.  All he's got is the ability to sell drugs.  And a girlfriend.

This is a Christian film, but it isn't as heavy handed as many I've seen (like The Princess Cut).  The filming is clearly independent film quality.  The acting is okay.  The plot's okay.  The credits were well done and remind me of the projects my brother in law worked on when he was in college.

If you enjoy crime dramas and want something a little less violent than a lot of what's out there, this would be an option.  It does have some cussing and some violence.  It is a redeeming story filled with tough decisions--the stuffings of life.  To some people, this film might not seem realistic.  But, it is to me.  I know several families who've had to make very tough decisions about their children's involvement in drugs.  This story tells some of their stories.

One of the big questions that I find parents like me have about movies like this one is: What age is this movie appropriate for?  This movie is not rated and that sometimes makes things tough.  In the world today, it would probably get a PG rating, but as a parent I would give it a PG-13 rating.

If you're interested, you can read other reviews about this movie online at FishFlix, an online Christian retailer for movies, HERE.

Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this movie from FishFlix.com for review.