Author Archives: Mark DuPré

About Mark DuPré

Retired (associate) pastor at a Christian church. Retired film professor at Rochester Institute of Technology. Husband for nearly 50 years to the lovely and talented Diane. Father to three children and father-in-law to three more amazing people. I continue some ministry duties even though retired from the pastoral staff position. Right now I'm co-writing a book, co-writing a serious musical drama, and am half-way through writing (on my own a month-long devotional.

The Hundred-Foot Journey

Posted on September 28, 2014 by Mark DuPré

The Hundred-Foot Journey has won one major award so far—director Lasse Hallström the Audience Award at the Norwegian International Film Festival. That makes sense. It’s a mildly enjoyable paint-by numbers film, directed with a certain professional panache from the director … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged Helen Mirren, Lasse Halstrom, Manish Dayal, Om Puri, The Hundred-Foot Journey, The Queen | Leave a comment

Heaven is for Real: A Matter of Resonance

Posted on August 31, 2014 by Mark DuPré

Finally saw Heaven is for Real on DVD, and was quite pleasantly surprised. As a film person, I approach the viewing of most films with enthusiasm, looking to find something of worth in even the worst films. As a Christian, … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged 12 Years a Slave, Christian, Colton Burpo, Dallas Buyers Club, Gravity, Greg Kinnear, Heaven is for Real, Kelly Reilly, Margo Martindale, preacher, Thomas Haden Church, Todd Burpo | Leave a comment

Boyhood

Posted on August 21, 2014 by Mark DuPré

In film class in college, we learned the difference between narrative and spectacle. Narrative, of course, was the story. Spectacle was, well, the songs and dances, or the special effects that dazzled, or the great set pieces like fights or … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged Boyhood, Ellar Coltrane, Ethan Hawke, Marco Perella, Patricia Arquette, Richard Linklater | Leave a comment

Guardians of the Galaxy

Posted on August 19, 2014 by Mark DuPré

Guardians of the Galaxy resembles one of those cloth dolls stitched together by someone who has the necessary pieces and a general idea of how to put them together. The result is something fun that fulfills its function, but upon … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged Chris Pratt, Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel, Star Wars, Zoe Saldana | Leave a comment

Jaws Revisited

Posted on July 16, 2014 by Mark DuPré

It only made sense when doing a large extended-family vacation on Cape Cod, after spending an afternoon on the beach, to take another look at Jaws. The first time around, the film got lost in the phenomenon. It’s heralded as … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Older Films | Leave a comment

Two Films from 1942

Posted on July 16, 2014 by Mark DuPré

Holiday Inn As part of my general research on musicals, I wanted a complete look at a couple of films of what I’d only seen bits and pieces. Both were released in 1942. Both were packed with star power, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Older Films | Leave a comment

Jersey Boys

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Mark DuPré

What a fascinating, enjoyable mess of a film! The saving grace of the film, of course, is that glorious music (“Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man”), with a nearly irresistible hook of the classic rags-to-riches-and-off-to-who-knows-where story, in … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Leave a comment

The Monuments Men

Posted on July 5, 2014 by Mark DuPré

I hesitated to write about this film, but have recently noticed that it is at the top of the rental charts. If a number of people are going to see it, a review seems necessary. The Monuments Men is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Leave a comment

The Fault in Our Stars

Posted on June 14, 2014 by Mark DuPré

The Fault in Our Stars is a meticulously photographed and acted film containing some of the best acting you’ll likely see all year. It’s also a Young Adult tearjerker, and if that genre is not one of the viewer’s favorites, … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | 1 Comment