Time Changer | |
---|---|
Directed by | Rich Christiano |
Written by | Rich Christiano |
Produced by | Rich Christiano Kevin Downes [1] |
Starring | D. David Morin Gavin MacLeod Hal Linden Richard Riehle Jennifer O'Neill Paul Rodriguez |
Cinematography | Philip Hurn |
Edited by | Jeffrey Lee Hollis |
Music by | Jasper Randall |
Distributed by | Five & Two Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 95 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $855,000 [2] |
Box office | $1.5 million [2] |
Time Changer is a 2002 independent Christian science fiction seriocomic film written and directed by Rich Christiano, released by Five & Two Pictures. The screenplay concerns Dr. Norris Anderson (Gavin MacLeod), who uses his late father's time machine to send his colleague, Bible professor Russell Carlisle (D. David Morin), from 1890 into the early 21st century. The film had a limited nationwide release.
In the year 1890, Bible professor Russell Carlisle (D. David Morin) stops and scolds a boy named Roger for stealing his neighbor's marbles. He makes the boy return the marbles, and demands he apologize for his unjust action, only for Roger to run away. Carlisle has also written a book manuscript promoting themes of bringing forth Christ's teachings apart from His name. The book is on track to receive a unanimous endorsement from the board of Grace Bible Seminary, until colleague Dr. Norris Anderson (Gavin MacLeod) objects, arguing that teaching morality without Jesus as the standard would be detrimental to future generations. The Dean puts the vote on hold until Anderson and Carlisle work out their differences.
Anderson invites Carlisle to his home later that evening to show him something that would prove his point. Carlisle turns him down, and urges the Dean to proceed with the endorsement without Anderson's vote. However, the Dean firms that the vote must be unanimous. Carlisle finally meets with Norris the next night, where Norris shows him a top secret invention: a time machine invented by his late father. Refusing to believe time travel is possible, Carlisle laughs Norris off as crazy before leaving. However, Carlisle relents and returns to Norris the next night after deciding their differences must be resolved.
Anderson prepares to send Carlisle 100 years into the future. Sending him on a Saturday afternoon, he instructs Carlisle that he has until Wednesday night, and must return to the exact location where he was sent. He further instructs Carlisle not to tell anyone where he is from, nor is he to learn of his own fate. However, Anderson does urge him to find a Christian librarian named Michelle Bain, who helped Norris when he himself traveled to the future.
Arriving in the late 20th century, Carlisle, although fascinated by society's advancements, is shocked at its moral decay: half of all marriages end in divorce, teenagers talk openly about drinking underage, children are disrespectful to their parents and treat moral sins, such as theft, as fun and games. Immodest apparel are openly sold in retail stores, movies and TV shows contain blasphemous language and inappropriate content. Jesus and the Bible are now banned from public education, and many professing Christians in the church do not really follow Jesus. Carlisle finds Bain (Jennifer O'Neill), and with her assistance, he learns that society decided to remove the Biblical foundations the country was built on in the 1960s, after deciding that morality was good enough on its own. Finally realizing the error of his ways, Russel begs God for forgiveness.
Two churchgoing police investigators grow suspicious of Carlisle, after learning many inconsistencies about himself, such as his identity and his work. They arrange to have Carlisle guest speak at an evening church service, hoping to expose himself. At the service, Carlisle gives a heartfelt expression of his shock and grief at how wicked the generation has become, even in the church. He reminds everyone that the faith is nothing to take lightly, and that the eternal state of their souls are in jeopardy if they don't truly commit to Christ. The cops tail Carlisle as he goes back to the alley to be taken back to the past, where they confront him. Carlisle tells them he's a messenger from God, and that the second coming of Christ is near. As they prepare to apprehend him, the sky grows thunderous, and Carlisle vanishes.
Carlisle tells Anderson that seeing the corruption of the future has forced him to see his mistake, and revises his book. Carlisle finds Roger sometime later and gives him his own set of marbles, telling him that it is Jesus who says theft is wrong. Anderson tries to find out the world's end by trying to send a Bible to the future. The machine won't operate with a target date of 2100. As the film ends, he makes more failed attempts, aiming for earlier dates.
Time Changer was Rich Christiano's first feature-length film. [3] In August 2001 Christiano Film Group announced the film's cast, and that shooting would begin on October 6, 2001 in Visalia, CA, for an August 2, 2002 release. [4] In February 2002, the website stated that the film was being edited in Los Angeles. [5] In March, the first rough cut was completed, work began on a second pass, and streaming video was made available. [6] In a press release, the theatrical release date was listed as October 4, 2002. [7] Editing wrapped in June, while music score, sound design, and visual effects work continued, and two scene sneak previews were linked on the website. [8] On August 2, the trailer was released online. [9] On August 6 the press release changed to show a theatrical release date of October 11. [10] On October 4, 2002, the film was announced as "ready to go", with a theatrical poster available which showed the final release date of October 25, [11] as did the simultaneous press release. [12]
The film premiered in limited nationwide release on October 25, 2002. [13] It was released on VHS and DVD in 2003; [14] The DVD included a "making of" featurette, commentary tracks, deleted scenes, promos and the trailer. [15] Time Changer was one of the first Christiano films offered through the Sky Angel Video On Demand service. [16]
A 140-page tie-in novel, Time Changer (A Novel), [17] was released in 2001, co-authored by Christiano and Greg Mitchell. [18]
In the Charlotte Observer , Lawrence Toppman praised the acting work, but had questions about plot holes and how some of the film's premises would be accepted by Christian viewers. [19] Toppman wrote, "technically, the film can stand with most releases", and gave it 2.5 stars out of four. [19] Variety reviewer Scott Foundas described the film as "goofy fantasy hokum" with a message, one scene as "subpar", and some monologues as "distinctly uncinematic", but other scenes as "surprisingly enjoyable." [13] Foundas found the film "hard to read" – often having "its tongue planted firmly in its cheek", but at other times "sweetly naive". [13] Joe Baltake of The Sacramento Bee gave 1.5 stars (of 4) to the "whimsical if predictable" film "marred by a willful single-mindedness." [20] He found the film's beginning "interminable", and overall, "very strange". [20]
As of 18 July 2009 [update] , the film holds a 22% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes with 2 out of 9 critics giving it a positive review with an average rating of 3.9/10. [21]
The Thing is a 1982 American science fiction horror film directed by John Carpenter from a screenplay by Bill Lancaster. Based on the 1938 John W. Campbell Jr. novella Who Goes There?, it tells the story of a group of American researchers in Antarctica who encounter the eponymous "Thing", an extraterrestrial life-form that assimilates, then imitates, other organisms. The group is overcome by paranoia and conflict as they learn that they can no longer trust each other and that any of them could be the Thing. The film stars Kurt Russell as the team's helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady, with A. Wilford Brimley, T. K. Carter, David Clennon, Keith David, Richard Dysart, Charles Hallahan, Peter Maloney, Richard Masur, Donald Moffat, Joel Polis, and Thomas G. Waites in supporting roles.
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. He is a black belt in Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu jitsu and judo. After serving in the United States Air Force, Norris won many martial arts championships and later founded his own discipline, Chun Kuk Do. Shortly after, in Hollywood, Norris trained celebrities in martial arts. Norris went on to appear in a minor role in the spy film The Wrecking Crew (1969). Friend and fellow martial artist Bruce Lee invited him to play one of the main villains in The Way of the Dragon (1972). While Norris continued acting, friend and student Steve McQueen suggested he take it seriously. Norris took the starring role in the action film Breaker! Breaker! (1977), which turned a profit. His second lead, Good Guys Wear Black (1978), became a hit, and he soon became a popular action film star.
Malcolm McDowell is an English actor. He is known for portraying Alex DeLarge in A Clockwork Orange (1971), and as the title character in Lindsay Anderson's Mick Travis trilogy: if.... (1968), O Lucky Man! (1973), and Britannia Hospital (1982). It was his performance as a rebel schoolboy in if.... that prompted Stanley Kubrick to cast him in A Clockwork Orange.
The Royal Tenenbaums is a 2001 American comedy-drama film directed by Wes Anderson and co-written with Owen Wilson. It stars Danny Glover, Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Bill Murray, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson, and Owen Wilson. Ostensibly based on a nonexistent novel, and told with a narrative influenced by the writing of J. D. Salinger, it follows the lives of three gifted siblings who experience great success in youth, and even greater disappointment and failure in adulthood. The children's eccentric father, Royal Tenenbaum (Hackman), leaves them in their adolescent years and returns to them after they have grown, falsely claiming he has a terminal illness. He works on reconciling with his children and ex-wife (Huston).
Magnolia is a 1999 American drama film written, directed and co-produced by Paul Thomas Anderson. It stars an ensemble cast, including Jeremy Blackman, Tom Cruise, Melinda Dillon, Philip Baker Hall, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ricky Jay, William H. Macy, Alfred Molina, Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly, Jason Robards and Melora Walters. The film is an epic mosaic of interrelated characters in search of happiness, forgiveness and meaning in the San Fernando Valley. The script was inspired by the music of Aimee Mann, who contributed several songs to its soundtrack.
Paul Thomas Anderson, also known by his initials PTA, is an American filmmaker. His accolades include nominations for eleven Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and eight BAFTA Awards. He has also won Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival, the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival, and both the Silver and Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.
Wesley Wales Anderson is an American filmmaker. His films are known for their eccentricity, unique visual and narrative styles, and frequent use of ensemble casts. They often contain themes of grief, loss of innocence, and dysfunctional families. Some critics cite Anderson as an auteur. Three of his films have appeared in BBC Culture's 2016 poll of the greatest films since 2000.
Resident Evil is a 2002 action horror film written and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson. The film stars Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, Eric Mabius, James Purefoy, Martin Crewes, and Colin Salmon. it is the first installment in the Resident Evil film series, which is loosely based on the video game series of the same name. Borrowing elements from the video games Resident Evil and Resident Evil 2, the film follows amnesiac heroine Alice and a band of Umbrella Corporation commandos as they attempt to contain the outbreak of the T-virus at a secret underground facility.
Noah Baumbach is an American film director and screenwriter. He is known for making comedies set in New York City and his works are inspired by writer-directors such as Woody Allen and Whit Stillman. His frequent collaborators include Wes Anderson, Adam Driver, and his wife, Greta Gerwig.
Charles Matthew Hunnam is an English actor and screenwriter. He is best known for his role as Jax Teller in the FX series Sons of Anarchy (2008–2014). His portrayal was nominated twice for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor.
There Will Be Blood is a 2007 American epic period drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, loosely based on the 1927 novel Oil! by Upton Sinclair. It stars Daniel Day-Lewis as Daniel Plainview, a silver miner turned oilman on a ruthless quest for wealth during Southern California's oil boom of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Paul Dano, Kevin J. O'Connor, Ciarán Hinds, and Dillon Freasier co-star. The film was produced by Ghoulardi Film Company and distributed by Paramount Vantage and Miramax Films. At the 2008 Berlin International Film Festival, it won the Silver Bear Award for Best Director and a Special Artistic Contribution Award for Jonny Greenwood's score. It grossed $76.2 million worldwide on a $25 million budget.
Michael Joseph Stephen Dudikoff Jr. is an American actor and martial artist. Born in New York City, his family later moved to Los Angeles. Dudikoff did different jobs to pay for his education, during this time he became a model. This led him to do acting auditions. He played supporting roles in films and television shows, until he got his break as the lead in the martial arts action film American Ninja (1985).
Late One Night is a Christian film released in 2001 by Dave Christiano. It stars Brad Heller, Josh Gaffga, Hugh McLean.
Shutter Island is a 2010 American neo-noir psychological thriller film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is adapted by Laeta Kalogridis from the 2003 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane, about a Deputy U.S. Marshal who comes to Shutter Island to investigate a psychiatric facility, after one of the patients goes missing. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo, with Ben Kingsley, Max von Sydow and Michelle Williams in supporting roles.
The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry is a 2009 Christian film, released to theaters on September 18, 2009. It was directed by Rich Christiano, and the majority of the film was filmed in Holley, New York, beginning August 18, 2007. Its world premier was at the Merrimack Valley Christian Film Festival. Gavin MacLeod, who also starred in The Love Boat and The Mary Tyler Moore Show plays the lead role in the film.
Dave Christiano is a Christian filmmaker and twin brother of Rich Christiano. He owns Dave Christiano Films and ChristianFilms.com. Several of Christiano's films have been released to theaters.
The Master is a 2012 American psychological drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and starring Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams. It tells the story of Freddie Quell (Phoenix), a World War II Navy veteran struggling to adjust to a post-war society, who meets Lancaster Dodd (Hoffman), the leader of a cult known as The Cause. Dodd sees something in Quell and accepts him into the movement. Freddie takes a liking to The Cause and begins traveling with Dodd's family to spread his teachings.
Noah is a 2014 American epic biblical drama film directed by Darren Aronofsky, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ari Handel. Inspired by the biblical story of Noah's Ark from the Book of Genesis and the Book of Enoch, it stars Russell Crowe as Noah, along with Jennifer Connelly, Ray Winstone, Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, and Anthony Hopkins.
God's Not Dead is a 2014 American Christian drama film directed by Harold Cronk and starring Kevin Sorbo, Shane Harper, David A. R. White, and Dean Cain. Written by Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman from a story they co-wrote with Hunter Dennis, and based on Rice Broocks' book God's Not Dead: Evidence for God in an Age of Uncertainty, the film follows a Christian college student (Harper) whose faith is challenged by a misotheist philosophy professor (Sorbo), who declares God a pre-scientific fiction. The film was produced by Pure Flix Entertainment in association with Check the Gate Productions, Red Entertainment Group, and Faith Family Films, and released theatrically on March 21, 2014, by Freestyle Releasing.
A Matter of Faith is a 2014 American Christian drama film directed by Rich Christiano and starring Harry Anderson, Jordan Trovillion, Jay Pickett, and Clarence Gilyard. The film was shot in the Summer of 2013 in Michigan, and was released into theaters on October 17, 2014, by Five & Two Pictures. The film follows a Christian student and her father (Pickett) who are challenged by a biology professor (Anderson) who teaches evolution.