I will be keeping an updated list of Good Movies and Bad Movies in this post.  Revisit often to make the most of your viewing experience.  Two hours is a terrible thing to waste.

Update: Jesus Camp

YELL-AT-THE-TV MOVIES:

• Jesus Camp (2006) documents the indoctrination to-the-core of 9-10-11 year-olds by intimidating, charismatic evangelical Christians at a children’s summer camp.  If the film had depicted the same practices involving Muslims instead of Christians, there would have been an FBI investigation.  As I saw it, the tactics amounted to child abuse.  Footnote: the camp closed due to controversy sparked by the film, but I have to wonder whether it has resurfaced since then.

GOOD MOVIES (I liked them, so you might like them too):

• Waste Land (2010).  A sobering and stirring documentary about human beings serving as recycle agents (“pickers”) in a Brazilian landfill and the artist who illuminated their lives.  Those familiar with Star Trek will find themselves contemplating The Prime Directive.

• Babies (2010).  While I am partial to documentaries, I am not so partial to babies.  Nonetheless, I found this to be a fascinating (and sweet and funny) look at human development and culture.

• Up (2009) and Toy Story 3 (2010).  I enjoyed both films, but I lump them together here because of an annoying feature they have in common: the tear-jerker scene.  I don’t like to be manipulated (to cry, as I did, on command) especially for a cartoon, for crying out loud.

STRANGE MOVIES (are you feeling lucky?):

• Hesher (2010):  This is like E.T., except that it’s not an extraterrestrial in your closet but a psychopathic stoner who has taken over your spot on the sofa.   Oddly entertaining, and I’m actually looking forward to a sequel.

BAD MOVIES (avoid at all cost, really):

• Cairo Time (2009):  In the end, it’s hard to think anything but, “What was that about?”  So let me tell you: it’s about ninety minutes of repressed flirting.

• Never Talk to Strangers (1995).  Rebecca DeMornay and Antonio Banderas star (so to speak) in this film that is one F-bomb and two S-bombs away from the Hallmark Channel.  I bet everyone involved would like to forget this bomb too.

• The Belly of An Architect (1987).  I doubt you will ever stumble onto this film or be tempted to watch it — but I had to include it here, as this is by all measures the absolute worst movie I ever tried to watch.  Brian Dennehy had the lead role.  We met Brian once in a Toronto restaurant and I (unwisely) reminded him of this work.  Our conversation was very short.