Customer Reviews

Time Changer [VHS]

5 star:		(117)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(26)

 

 

In the history of film, few Christian movies have really made an impact with a profound message like 'Time Changer' has since it's release. It's a mixture in the genre of Christian, sci-fi and drama. In the year 1890 a Bible professor, Russell Carlisle (D. David Morin) has written a new manuscript, "The Changing Times." Carlisle's book is about to be unanimously endorsed from the Grace Bible Seminary board until his colleague Dr. Norris Anderson (Gavin MacLeod) raises an objection. If we remove Jesus' authority. There are no standard of living. Satan's goal is to remove Jesus Christ from human morality from all aspects of life. Dr. Anderson believes that what Carlisle has written could greatly affect the future of coming generations. Anderson persistance of a sceptical Carlisle journey into the future pays off. Using a secret time machine, Anderson transports Carlisle over 100 years into the future to the year 2002.

In the future, Carlisle is offered a glimpse of where his beliefs will lead. Once Carlisle enterd into our present time, he experiences things that shock and dismay him. He meets Eddie Martinez (Paul Rodriquez), a good guy who says it's all he needs to get by. Carlisle quickly learn the way of modern society. He visits a modern day church and witnesses it's new doctrine of teaching. Carlisle also visits the University Library on the advisory of Dr. Anderson to meet and tlak with Michelle Bain (Jennifer O'Neill). His meeting with her is an eye-opener. In the meantime he meets with some other interested parties while attending a movie at a local theater. During their conversation, Carlisle gives these two fellows some lead about his past and a clue that send them in an investigative trail about Carlisle's mysterious origins. Back at the University Library, he lectures to a class and relates Dr. Anderson's teachings in relation to Jesus Christ. The teacher rebuts Carlisle and tells him that his lecture on religion is not allowed. With Carlisle's disappointed it was worser than he could imagine.

Carlisle has another meeting with Michelle Bain while back in his room the undercover men break in to find his bible dated 1865. In his discussion with Ms. Bain, she tells him society's not built on biblical principles anymore (based on the ruling of the Supreme Court of 1962 ending school prayer). A sign of the times. People rely on their own goodness that can't save them. In relation to her own life, Bain had success but emptiness. She found God is patient. Her work at the library gave her a chance to tell people about Christ. Secular entertainment is the biggest tool Satan uses to mislead people. He desensitizes us through profanity, violence and sexual immorality. Even with cleaner morals, Satan is the deceptor who kept Jesus Christ from society. The fear of God is beginning of wisdom and if we don't what can we expect. A prayerful Carlisle sees his wrong. On his last night he's asked to speak at a church meeting. He shares with these people some matters of the heart. Matters of culture different from theirs. The lifestyle he observed was startling. He quotes from 2 Timothy 3:1-5. Society is blanant and open as much as in the days of Noah. Through his own fault we try to reform the teachings of the Lord without the Lord of the teachings. Jesus died for our sins. Our eternity depends on it. Society will go through troubled times. Carlisle leaves them in silence. He says goodbye to Eddie and gives him a bible and Christ's message. He hurries to the designated place of return. The men who had been following him show up. They're in for the surprise of their lives! He vanishes in the speed of light. Carlisle is back in 1890. He tells Dr. Anderson he was wrong in his thinking. Without Christ people are lost. Could he have witnessed the last days? Carlisle presented his new manuscript to the Seminary Board called "Time Changer." Time must change or time as we know it will end. Over 1900 years ago Christ came to save us and complete the task of salvation. How far could one go into the future to witness the last days? 2090-2080-2070-2060-? The future is in God's hands. A spectacular movie I highly recommend.

So how would YOU feel meeting a throw-forward from the 1890's? Or, how would you feel if you were transported forward 100 years into the future...

Time Changer, an amazing new film directed by Christian producer Rich Christiano, is finally on DVD and home video. This movie is a surprisingly well produced and well done film by Five & Two pictures, and boasts some surprisingly big actors featured in the film.

PLOT: Dr. Russell Carlisle (D. David Morin), a professor at Grace Bible Seminary, has just completed a new book entitled The Changing Times. He hopes to secure approval and endorsement from the board of directors at the Seminary. However, one board member, Dr. Norris Anderson (Gavin McLeod, of "Mary Tyler Moore" and "Love Boat" fame) disapproves of the work, on grounds of the book's premise that the teachings of Christ can be taught apart from the NAME of Christ. This disturbs Dr. Carlisle, and he resolves to fight the Unanimous rule the Seminary holds for any book endorsement. His efforts are rejected by the Dean of the college, played by Hal Linden (Of "Barney Miller" fame). Carlisle avoids Dr. Anderson for a while, despite Anderson's pleas for him to come to his home and discuss the matter. At last, Russell relents and goes to Norris's house, where Norris shows Russell his convenient time machine, located in his barn. (Those things DO come in handy from time to time) Norris rockets Russell more than a hundred years into the future to see the moral deprivation of the age. Russell is blown away by the absence of belief in Jesus in the world, let alone the culture shock of the 21st century. He realizes the terrible mistake he made in thinking God's moral law can be laid down without the authority of God's name behind it, when trying to law down this law and getting only "Says who?" in response.

GOOD: Obviously, the film is a Christian film, and contains very, very little of what any movie goer might consider bad, unless the wholesome religious themes offend you. The quality of the film underscores the excellent production and effort that went into this movie. The fact that such big names as Gavin McLeod, Jennifer O'Neill and Hal Linden are featured in this film just goes to show you; Some actors can be Christians after all. The music and visual effects are very well done for the mood, especially when you consider that both areas were headed up by professional yet youthful gentlemen.

BAD: As much as it pains me to say it, there are several moments where it appears that D. David Morin needs much more acting experience. It is unclear to me whether or not the strange and stoic action is an attempt to display the common character and attitude of the era, but it only serves to appear to me like any other bad actor I've seen. As far as any other objectionable material, there is none. No kid will be frightened by the brief special teleportation effects, I'm sure.

THOUGHTS: This movie offers some important insight into the culture of today. Through gradual desensitization, things like nearly nude models in the mall don't bother us any more, or at least most of us. We attend movies that wouldn't be the choice of our Savior, if He were in the theater today. While sending an important message to born-again believers, it also sends the all-important message to non-believers, and doing it in an entertaining way. Purely from a quality standpoint, there are included theatrical trailers, as well as a great 57-minute behind-the-scenes feature.

I must give this movie 7 ½ out of ten stars.

I personally enjoyed this movie. Some parts of it (as in most movies) were dry, others were very well done. The message this movie sends to people, or at least to me, is that if you're going to say that something is wrong then you must state the reason it is wrong. In this movie they tell children not to do certain things because they are wrong, but not why and the main character finally realizes that he must tell them that Jesus said not to do them; that they are wrong and that is why he must not do those things. Today's society (the future in the movies case) was well portrayed and although we do not always agree with everything that they said is wrong in the movie like PDA and "white lies" it was still over-all one of the best "Christian/preacher/message" movies that I've seen in a long time. This movie sends a positive message and even if you don't agree with it it is there. The times have changed, but can you change the times?

This movie was very entertaining and true. It IS true that we are straying away from the church and all of the godly principles that we built this nation on. This is not a joke movie, and a movie that really everyone should see. It is a good movie, and has some funny moments. You see, the main character has traveled from 1890, and over 100 years later and he doesn't know what a remote control, computer, etc. etc. is. Whenever someone mentions one of those items, he will say, "Computer." "Remote control." It is a really good movie and a great buy! It is very true that we have fallen away from God, by not going to church, not reading the Bible, not going by the principles of the Bible. This movie is definitely a good flick, one that you will need to see more than one time and is a very good film. It is put together very well, and the special effects are very cool! The cast is great, the message is great, well...I think you get the picture...the movie is great! I definitely recommend this movie if you want a good movie without so much trash and junk blaring through the screen.

It's about time someone made a movie like this. A Christian film that is not ashamed to be a Christian film, but boldly holds forth its message of strong faith. It is time for Christians to stop being fair-weather believers and be all-weather believers, and this movie truly drives this point home.

The plot:
A seminary professor, Russell Carlisle from the 1890s, played by D. David Morin, has written a book entitled, "The Changing Times." The college board members (the dean, by the way, is played very well by Hal Linden) are on their way to approving it, except that Dr. Norris Anderson (played by Gavin MacLeod) raises objections. How can Christian morals be promoted, he asks, without Christ behind the morals? His words are only too true, though Carlisle is very offended. Teaching morals without Christ raises children who become what Christ Himself referred to as "whitewashed sepulchres." That is to say, tombs that are beautiful to behold on the outside, but within are filled with rottenness and decay. These are the Taj Mahals works without faith create, and this movie is not ashamed of this fact.

At any rate, Carlisle and Anderson have a strong disagreement about Carlisle's book, and the only way they can settle it is for Anderson to send Carlisle forward in time, to see the results of his teaching. Of course, we know that no time machine has been invented, but that does not signify. We can use our imaginations, and open our minds to this impossibility that the strong message can be spoken. This movie is not intended to be accurate about scientific advances, it is intended to make one think. And what could be so bad about thinking?

In the future, 2002, Carlisle discovers how "white washed" the world has become. He sees that the 5% divorce rate of 1890 has become the 50% divorce rate of 2002. He sees people everywhere who are "good people," who trust works rather than faith. He sees that Christ is no longer allowed in the schools. He sees the immorality of the young people, and the unblushing immorality on the movie screen, which is tolerated willingly by Christians. He sees that there is no future like the present - and that the present is dangerously wrong.

The experience changes his perspective, and on his return to his own time, he is no longer the same person, and thus changes the title of his book to, "The Time Changer."

At the end of the movie, Gavin MacLeod leaves us thinking, as he experiments with his machine to see how far into the future he can send a Bible. He starts with 2100, and the Bible will not leave - for by then the world had ended. He keeps working closer and closer to our own time, though we do not see where he ends. But it makes you think - the time is short, and Christians need to do something about it!

My only objections to the movie:
1. Yes, some of the acting was stiff. I thought it was particularly stiff in the beginning, where Morin did not seem quite comfortable in his character of a compromising professor, and several of the board members were rather stiff, as well. There was also far too much laughing at puns that were less than hilarious. I thought Morin's acting improved as the movie went on, though he did still have some stiff moments. Some of his stiffness could, of course, be attributed to his character being an uptight, proper 1890s gentleman, a bit of a "stick-in-the-mud." But some of his stiffness was, indeed, too much.

There were several moments in the movie that seemed "hokey," and some puns that were rather weak, i.e., "When did you live, the 1890s or something?" (No one specifies the '90s as specifically as being distinctive from any other 19th century decade. They'd more likely ask if he were from the 19th century, just as a generality, and this would have done just as well.)

There are generally funny moments as Carlisle is exploring the wonders of the modern world, and here Morin's facial expressions are very good.

All in all, this is a fabulous Christian movie. No, not perfect, but since when was perfection a requirement? Nobody's perfect. The message is very strong, and very timely, and I believe all Christians would do well to watch it. Open your mind, set aside million-dollar expectations, and prepare to be impacted. The world is straying from Christ, and Christians are relinquishing their position. This is the future. The time is now.

This is a very well made movie. The message should warn Christians about the danger in leaving God in even the tiniest area of one's life. Also, the message will hopefully encourage non-believers or truth seekers of what is his or her own source of morality.

This movie is also very entertaining. A very creative movie. I give it my best review. Costume, filming techniques are all very professionally done, meet or exceed even the secular Hollywood standard. But I love it the most for its plot, message, and thought-provokingness.

This was the best presentation of the gospel I have ever seen. Our 16 yr.old son said that even after all the services he had listened to, he finally understood. The premise of the movie is that without Christ as our Authority there is no reason to do anything. There is no one to hold us accountable.

A bible professor for Grace Bible Seminary in New York (1890) has written a transcript for which he needs unaninmous approval by the board. All agree but one. This author states that in one section of the transcript that it is simply enough to tell people to be good that they will just know that the authority for morality is Christ. The opposing professor says no, people will not know. He insists that the professor come to his home to further discuss the issue. As it is a science fiction movie, the author of the transcript goes off to the future 100 years to see the results of not having an authority for morality.

This movie is anything but preachy. The gospel is presented gently but firmly that without Christ as the authority i.e. do not steal. Why, who says? because Christ says not to...morality does not survive. Divorce rates are up, crime rates are up, etc. As well, without repentance and accepting Christ as Lord and Savior, as the professor explains to a hispanic shop owner, and that really is all there is to it, there will not be a place in heaven for you. The professor goes back to 1890 at an appointed time with renewed enthusiasm to rewrite portions of his transcript.

If you find this movie preachy, unfortunately you did not understand the message.

This movie shows how we have forgotten to bring Christ into our everyday life. It won't win any oscars, but has sound acting and an interesting story. The message is there for us to realize what has happened over time, or to ignore how we have changed. "Oh yea, who says?" from the little boy is an important point, and who hasn't heard that from someone today? Good movie to watch with the whole family.

I rate this film 4 stars however, I wish the rating system was graduated in 10ths as I would rate it a 4.3 rating. Taking all things under consideration, this movie was very inciteful and moving. It may not be quite the typical evangelistic work as some perhaps are looking for, but it does make one think. It is not just for Christians as one rater has stated, it is for all. I think this film will bring about many great questions from non-Christian viewers - if their heart is in right. As far as children viewing this movie, it needs to be explained by a mature Christian individual. A "Washed in the Blood" individual. I thought the movie was well done and the acting was pretty good considering the type of film. If one wants special effects and action, then this wasn't for you. If you like to think, then watch it.

This is by far one of the best Christian films that I have seen, and it presents important issues for consideration for both non-believers and believers in Jesus.

For non-Christians, the effect of our society's moral relativism on peoples' lives and interactions with others is shown. People get hurt and hurt others all the time because everybody is too busy doing what "works for ME." Most people do try to be good people, but they think that this means avoiding only the 'big' sins like murder, assault, rape, etc.; they think nothing of lying, stealing, sexual immorality and a slew of other, 'little' sins. This film contains the reminder that no one can be good apart from Christ; as the Bible states, if we do things apart from God, then all our good works are as "filthy rags" to Him. The good news, which this film also clearly presents, is that forgiveness and salvation are available through Jesus, and that He has prepared good works for us to do in order that we can be a blessing to others (not to try to earn our way into heaven, which we can never do).

However, this is not just a film for the non-believer; it also forces Christians to look at how we are living our lives. I must admit that I got a bit uncomfortable during the scenes in which the characters discuss a movie that their church group has just seen. We have to walk a fine line between not isolating ourselves from the world and yet not succumbing to its temptations either. The movie-discussion scene shows how easily we sometimes give in to the world rather than maintaining our standards and providing an example for non-believers. It also provides good reminders that we should not begin to take our faith for granted and simply 'go through the motions' of worship and church activities.

Although the film has many important messages, it is also a good piece of entertainment. As I was watching it, I began to think of it (quite obviously) as a Christian version of H.G. Wells's "The Time Machine." Fortunately, because of it's focus on Jesus, this film has a more positive outlook than Wells's novel (and the films based on it) had. Rich Christiano, his cast, and his crew are to be commended for this excellent movie.