Hostage to the Devil (2016)

After taking a night off to work on one of my many projects, I decided to get back at it early this evening. What was my choice? It was the 2016 documentary Hostage to the Devil.

Plot/ A child possessed. An exorcist locked in combat with an ancient evil. In the battle for saving a soul, the question remains, just who really is the 'Hostage to the Devil'?

For many, the name Malachi Martin is somewhat polarizing. If you don’t recognize the name, he well-known theologian, and controversial figure in and around the Vatican and in the study of demonic possession. I remember the first time I heard him speak; it was eye opening. In this documentary, there is a tremendous mixture of archived audio recordings and footage alongside eyewitness testimonials that show the truth behind many pontifical secrets. Well made and thought provoking, this documentary is more that a story of Martin and his death, it is an expose of many different elements within Catholicism, and one of the reasons why religious practice sits at a crossroads. In the end, if you have heard the name Malachi Martin, this is a solid documentary and one that you should watch.

The Da Vinci Code (2006)

After taking a few days off from the blog, I decided that I needed to spend some time catching up with some different movies. With that, I went on a retro type binge and watched a few movies that I had not seen in some time. The first of those is the controversial 2006 thriller The Da Vinci Code.  

Plot/ Professor Robert Langdon is in Paris on business when he's summoned to The Louvre. A dead body has been found, setting Langdon off on an adventure as he attempts to unravel an ancient code and uncover the greatest mystery of all time.

Being based on a huge best seller that just happens to be one of the most controversial books of the 2000s, there was no way that this movie could ever live up to the stir that was created when the book was released. As a movie, it is a fun, thought provoking watch that has just enough parts drama, thriller, and action film to draw every viewer in. The scripting is solid, the cast and performances are wonderful, and the cinematography and visuals pull everything together in a manner that makes everything flow together. Yes, there are some slower moments sprinkled into to the flow that were unnecessary and the long runtime, while needed, may turn some viewers off. 

Of course, one cannot talk about this as a book or movie without discussing the storyline. For many, this subject matter is taboo, and an impossible topic that has been thoroughly chastised as heresy by different religious sects of Christianity. However, from different research materials that exist on the topic, the subject matter does not seem that far outside the realm of possibilities. Could Christ have had a wife? Anthropologically, that answer is yes. Still, because of the documents sequestered inside the depths of the Vatican Vaults, we will never know for sure what the true story is unless the Pope decides to open those doors and allow all of the forbidden gospels to breathe. Honestly, if the Bible is a book of history, why is it being censored?

In the end, this movie has aged well and I actually enjoyed it more today than when I did upon its original release. If you have not seen it, it is a movie that you should check out. Just watch it with an open mind.

The Haunted Boy: The Secret Diary of the Exorcist (2010)

This has been a long cold weekend. Yes, it has been nice spending time with the family, but between homework and some other work, I have moments where I need to take a break. Now refreshed, I decided to watch something different, a docudrama / documentary in the 2010 piece, The Haunted Boy: The Secret Diary of the Exorcist.

Plot/ This is the untold story of The Exorcist, a chronicle of true events based on the priest's secret diary the world was not to see.

I knew going into this one that it would be a polarizing entry for some viewers. No matter what the storyline is, to these viewers, documentaries cannot have any artistic flair. That is the case with this one, as it is more of a stylistic docudrama than pure documentary. This one has an interesting storyline, some interesting interviews, and some credible information that adds some depth to one of the greatest stories ever to be turned into a movie. Sure, some viewers will take offense to the artistic visual effects, the hard-hitting soundtrack and the edgy editing. In the end, I understand that the Booth Brothers are controversial names in the paranormal community because of their artistic interpretation of different locations and stories. To me, theirdocumentaries actually breathe some life into an over-saturated market. If you are a documentary purist, stay away. If not, give it a go, it is an interesting story.

Stigmata (1999)

After watching a few different horror and Sci-Fi movies while the rest of the family was watching an Illuminati ceremony at the Taylor Swift concert, I decided my night would not be complete without something with religious overtones. My selection for the evening was the 1999 entry Stigmata.

Plot/ A priest from the Vatican is sent to Sao Paulo, Brazil to investigate the appearance of the face of the Virgin Mary on the side of a building. While there, he hears of a statue of the Virgin Mary bleeding tears in a small town outside of the city. Meanwhile, a young woman in the U.S. begins to show signs of stigmata, the wounds of Christ.

I have always enjoyed this movie and thought that the layered storyline echoes something many people believe, the organized church is in some ways out of control. While some may see this as an attempt to be anti-religious, but it is not, it is anti-church politics. There is no secret that the Vatican Vaults hold many scrolls and writings that could influence the way people view religion as a whole, and it is not out of the realm of possibility that a story like this could in some way exist. The cast was solid and the acting was perfect for the scripting, the effects were outstanding and the cinematography was top notch. Yes, there were some head scratching moments, but overall, this is an entertaining and thought provoking movie and one that must be seen.