Rating: 
Summary: no stigma in liking this movie
Review: I think the problem Stigmata had when it was released was the marketing. They made the movie look like it was a modern day Exorcist, which it isn't. It is a story about faith, with stupendous performances by Gabriel Byrne (this man is amazing, and so expressive without ever saying a word or going over the top), Patricia Arquette, Rade Serbedzija and Jonathan Pryce (who gives a chilling performance). Rupert Wainwright does a great job directing this religious drama/thriller. His choice of camera angles and moves, as well as the special processing ('skip bleaching') of the film stock help add to the surrealness of the film. Rounding it out is an amazing score by three different artists--Billy Corgan (of the Smashing Pumpkins), Mike Garson (a world renouned pianist), and film composer Elia Cmiral. Together these artists have created a strong film. The dvd contains a commentary track from the director, deleted scenes, Natalie Imbruglia's vidoe for "Identify", which Corgan and Garson wrote (and the video is filmed in an interesting way--it is worth watching, regardless of how you feel about the song). And the capstone is the alternate ending, one, in my opinion, they should have used. It's a solid dvd.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting Movie, Good Story, Good Message!
Review: This movie, often billed under the category of "supernatural thriller" or "horror movie", in my opinion is difficult to define entirely by either label though I suppose it has its moments which allude to these descriptions. Stigmata presents a good story, complete with intrigue and emotion, nice special effects and a quite surprisingly hard hitting message that leaves the viewer with some measurable food for contemplation. The story is about a 23-year-old hairdresser by the name of Frankie Paige (Patricia Arquette) who also happens to be an atheist. She's just an ordinary non-religious person, with ordinary friends. After Frankie's mother sends her a gift, which happens to be a cross from a deceased stigmata priest in Brazil, things change. She begins to experience the phenomenon of stigmata; bleeding like Jesus Christ did on the cross with wounds appearing in her hands, feet, head and back. Frankie's stigmata experience is also accompanied by intense visions of the crucifixion of Christ which are portrayed more violently and dramatically then I had seen in any other movie which depicted the crucifixion of Jesus. Frankie's disturbing encounters, which she can't understand, causes her to go to doctors and psychologists who determine she must either be suicidal or epileptic. Her chance encounter with a local Catholic priest brings a Vatican investigator, Andrew Kiernan (Gabriel Byrne), to document her episodes. Confronted with the powerful force that has taken control of Frankie, Kiernen immediately recognizes this phenomenon as an actual miracle of God. She has become a messenger for God to reveal a lost Gospel supposed to have been written by Jesus Himself. This revelation uncovers a conspiracy to keep the Catholic Church, not Jesus, as central to faith. Former priests come forward to validate the truth of this so-called Gospel by Jesus. Frankie and Andrew develop a unique friendship as the film progresses, and eventually both are met individually with their own confrontation of the question of faith over religion as well as to deal with the conspiracy at hand which has some officials in the ranks of the Catholic Church prepared to pursue whatever means necessary to silence the messenger and the Gospel she is compelled by her experience to convey. The intensity builds as the story progresses, leading the audience to a dramatic and powerful close. To say any more would be to spoil the climax and conclusion of this movie, but I will say that what was most striking to me was the message conveyed through the film that "the Kingdom of God is within you... not in mansions of wood and stone..." signifying that God is not found in mere religious structure or traditions of men, but He is living and real and desires to indwell the hearts of people. Of course anyone familiar with their Bible knows that this message is boldly conveyed throughout the Scriptures and not merely in some lost pages of an ancient alleged Gospel, but the movie confronts the topic of faith head on and I feel does so brilliantly. The interesting twist of this picture is that God uses an atheist to proclaim His message; someone completely non-religious who is touched by religion in a very disturbing yet powerful and intimate way - in that she is identified with Christ through His sufferings. Probably not a whole lot of Christians will jump at the opportunity to buy this film, because of some of its disturbing scenes and language at points, not to mention the "dark" feel of the movie (which includes themes of demonic possession, crucifixion, etc.). That is completely understandable and I certainly wouldn't classify this film as a "Christian" movie, but I would recommend it nonetheless because no matter your religious affiliation, the movie is powerful and the story is great and makes some strong points about religion versus relationship. There is also a short clip that portrays a very strong anti-abortion message, which was quite surprising as well. The film-work, acting and even the music was decent. I gave it three stars because there are better movies out there and this one is on the "dark side" as far as movies go. I would also classify it as not appropriate for children because of some bad language at times and disturbing, violent scenes. I saw it twice at the theater and enjoyed it both times. I have both the DVD version (which is great because there is commentary through the movie by the director) and the VHS.
Rating:
Summary: Great Religious Thriller!
Review: This movie is breathtaking and beautiful. The camera work is stunning and the story line is great! I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes thriller's and a good movie! This movie is not for kids because it contains graphic violent sequenes and some sexual content.
Rating:
Summary: Truth molded to entertainment
Review: An incredible soundtrack propels Stigmata as the best movie I have seen in decades. The bare bones of the movie was about the struggle for oppressed truth to be brought to public attention. Certain truths are hidden for political, medical,...selfish reasons. Religious truths, be it small or large, are often held undisclosed by another country or equally powerful holder. The religious truth pursued in the movie was that to love God didn't mean you had to pray inside of a church or attend to a minister. The Gospel of St. Thomas, scholars edition, that was found near where the Dead Sea scrolls were found, was used as supporting evidence. The priest who tried to decipher the scroll and make it public met an untimely death. The spiritual influences in pushing the truth forward will be enjoyed by people who believe firmly in the non-physical world interacting with and on the human world. The use of light and dark, music or a mix of sound effects with music really added suspense and maintained it. Wonderful job by Patricia Arquette who played the unsuspecting messenger, Frankie Paige, and Gabriel Bryne was a compelling and believable character, Father Kiernan, who doubted miracles as the scientific eye sent to dash the miracle of stigmata in Frankie Paige.
Rating: 
Summary: Provocative horror
Review: This innovative horror has Patricia Arquette as Frankie, a hairdresser who suddenly starts experiencing the stigmata. Eventually the Vatican gets to hear of it and send miracle detective Father Kiernan (Byrne) to find out if it's a true miracle. Upon arrival it soon becomes apparent that this is no ordinary case: Frankie is experiencing more of the five wounds of Christ than any stigmatic ever has before and, anyway, she doesn't believe in God. Obviously there's a lot of comparisons to be made to 'The Exorcist', but this is actually an entirely different movie. For one thing, it's about as modern as any movie could hope to be, with techno music and electric photography. Secondly there's a lot here to suggest that this isn't your usual horror. Interestingly, rather than focusing squarely on Frankie's personal hell it also takes into accounts the Church as Father Kiernan discovers an elaborate conspiracy in the Vatican. It turns out that Frankie is more than just a stigmatic but is trying to uncover the secret of an entirely new gospel, that of Jesus' own words. This plot is not only controversial but incredibly interesting in a day when most modern horror movies merely ape their predecessors. Here the hope doesn't lie in religion, in fact it's the exact opposite, with the Church being portrayed as a powerful and anything but benevolent force. Doubtless this will offend many, although the concept is nothing short of original. The acting is very good indeed as well, especially Arquette and Byrne as the two leads. Plus, despite not being especially frightening, the violent scenes have been directed with great care, looking a lot more at Frankie than at the act itself. It's not often that you can call a horror movie visually arresting. Not only that, but it's good too.
Rating:
Summary: Creepy and Beautiful
Review: Though I understand that Stigmata got a lot of poor and unfair reviews and it is not for everyone, I STILL think it's a wonderful movie! I left the theater with my jaw hanging and eyes gaping at how good it really was. As always, Gabriel Byrne has a way of pulling you into the film and into the feelings of the characters....especially his. Through his character who is a Catholic Preist, I FELT his struggle with love and religion - both common struggles to anyone who has a heart, soul, or brain. I never found any fault with ANYTHING that happened in the movie, like the fact that if Patricia Arquette was posessed by a holy Saint, I don't think he would be trying to seduce Father Kiernan (Byrne). No one who nitpicks EVER enjoys a movie! Some things to enjoy: the artistic direction was beautiful in a creepy, X-files sort of way and they couldn't have picked someone better than Billy Corgan to compose music. (My favorite band is the Smashing Pumpkins, favorite Actor - Gabriel Byrne...you can see how I loved this movie!) Corgan added an extra demension to the film as I kept thinking I heard heartbeats coming from the back of the theater. The main thing that attracted me to this movie (Byrne aside) was all the commotion surrounding the "bad rep" that Catholics were given. I personally found it funny that, as a whole, they spend too much of their time dishing it out to others but they can't take it themselves. This movie is like a government conspiracy only it involves corruption among a sanction of society that undoubtedly has INFINITELY more power than the government - the religious institutions. As with all conspiracy movies, all I have to say is that it really makes you think....
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Movie, Good Story, Good Message!
Review: This movie, often billed under the category of "supernatural thriller" or "horror movie", in my opinion is difficult to define entirely by either label though I suppose it has its moments which allude to these descriptions. Stigmata presents a good story, complete with intrigue and emotion, nice special effects and a quite surprisingly hard hitting message that leaves the viewer with some measurable food for contemplation. The story is about a 23-year-old hairdresser by the name of Frankie Paige (Patricia Arquette) who also happens to be an atheist. She's just an ordinary non-religious person, with ordinary friends. After Frankie's mother sends her a gift, which happens to be a cross from a deceased stigmata priest in Brazil, things change. She begins to experience the phenomenon of stigmata; bleeding like Jesus Christ did on the cross with wounds appearing in her hands, feet, head and back. Frankie's stigmata experience is also accompanied by intense visions of the crucifixion of Christ which are portrayed more violently and dramatically then I had seen in any other movie which depicted the crucifixion of Jesus. Frankie's disturbing encounters, which she can't understand, causes her to go to doctors and psychologists who determine she must either be suicidal or epileptic. Her chance encounter with a local Catholic priest brings a Vatican investigator, Andrew Kiernan (Gabriel Byrne), to document her episodes. Confronted with the powerful force that has taken control of Frankie, Kiernen immediately recognizes this phenomenon as an actual miracle of God. She has become a messenger for God to reveal a lost Gospel supposed to have been written by Jesus Himself. This revelation uncovers a conspiracy to keep the Catholic Church, not Jesus, as central to faith. Former priests come forward to validate the truth of this so-called Gospel by Jesus. Frankie and Andrew develop a unique friendship as the film progresses, and eventually both are met individually with their own confrontation of the question of faith over religion as well as to deal with the conspiracy at hand which has some officials in the ranks of the Catholic Church prepared to pursue whatever means necessary to silence the messenger and the Gospel she is compelled by her experience to convey. The intensity builds as the story progresses, leading the audience to a dramatic and powerful close. To say any more would be to spoil the climax and conclusion of this movie, but I will say that what was most striking to me was the message conveyed through the film that "the Kingdom of God is within you... not in mansions of wood and stone..." signifying that God is not found in mere religious structure or traditions of men, but He is living and real and desires to indwell the hearts of people. Of course anyone familiar with their Bible knows that this message is boldly conveyed throughout the Scriptures and not merely in some lost pages of an ancient alleged Gospel, but the movie confronts the topic of faith head on and I feel does so brilliantly. The interesting twist of this picture is that God uses an atheist to proclaim His message; someone completely non-religious who is touched by religion in a very disturbing yet powerful and intimate way - in that she is identified with Christ through His sufferings. Probably not a whole lot of Christians will jump at the opportunity to buy this film, because of some of its disturbing scenes and language at points, not to mention the "dark" feel of the movie (which includes themes of demonic possession, crucifixion, etc.). That is completely understandable and I certainly wouldn't classify this film as a "Christian" movie, but I would recommend it nonetheless because no matter your religious affiliation, the movie is powerful and the story is great and makes some strong points about religion versus relationship. There is also a short clip that portrays a very strong anti-abortion message, which was quite surprising as well. The film-work, acting and even the music was decent. I gave it three stars because there are better movies out there and this one is on the "dark side" as far as movies go. I would also classify it as not appropriate for children because of some bad language at times and disturbing, violent scenes. I saw it twice at the theater and enjoyed it both times. I have both the DVD version (which is great because there is commentary through the movie by the director) and the VHS.
Rating:
Summary: "The Kingdom Of God Is Within You And All Around You..."
Review: "The kingdom of God is within you and all around you. It is not within buildings of wood or stone. Split a piece of wood and you will find me. Look beneath a stone and I am there..." When released in 1999, there was a brief outcry from the Catholic church since this movie challenges basic tenets of Catholic faith & presents "The Church", it's internal workings & hierarchial church government in quite an unflattering light, to be sure. The premise of the story is about an agnostic woman receiving stigmata & even more interesting, an intertwining story about a church cover up dealing with the Gospel Of John and the political maneuvering that works within all organizations, be it church or state. Patricia Arquette as Gen X, "rave" generation hairstylist, Frankie, the tortured woman who receives ALL of the manifestations of the stigmata. That being two wrists, as opposed to the palms of the hands , two feet, crown of thorns, and the "coup de grace" being the spear through the side. Frankie also exhibits possession and lots of other "Exorcist"-like manifestations. Gabriel Byrne plays Father Keirnan, a young Jesuit priest-cum-white collared detective as he spans the globe investigating possible sainthood of the devout, weeping Mary statues, stigmata, demon possession and the like, all in the name of the church and at his boss, Cardinal Daniel Houseman's (Jonathan Pryce) direction and discretion. Fans of TV's Ally McBeal will recognize "Nell"-Portia DeRossi in a supporting role as Frankie's fellow employee, Jennifer Kelliho, and Nia Long also has a part as Frankie's friend, Donna Chadway. The soundtrack to Stigmata is most interesting. Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan and Mike Garson score the movie's music to create a perpetual sense of darkness, evilness, and general unease. Remy Zero's "Gramarye", Chumbawamba's "Mary Mary", David Bowie charges up for "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell," a mechanical/NIN sounding song, Afro Celt System with "Release." Natalie Imbruglia and "Identify", "Inertia Creeps" by Massive Attack and the beautiful, "All Is Full Of Love", by the incomparable Bjork. As a neat Catholic twist, during the final scene in the garden, the statue in the background is of St. Francis of Assisi- in the Catholic belief system, the first person to bear the marks of the stigmata... I highly recommend this movie and it's kickin' companion soundtrack ASIN: #B00000JYQI. Happy Watching and Listening!
Rating:
Summary: Stigmata - fiction movie that speaks more truth
Review: I had never heard of this film yet someone mentioned it in passing as something that may interest me. I have to say it do more than that. The performances are absolutely brilliant. The theme makes you really think. I loaned this dvd out to three different people and all were amazed at what a good movie it is. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: an awesome movie!
Review: Stigmata is a great movie. the acting is great. the plot is interesting. the shots are vivid. what more could you want. if you want a good thriller, check out this movie.
|
