Film Review: Scenes From An Empty Church (2021)

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SYNOPSIS:

In a locked-down NYC, two priests open their church doors to those seeking salvation during the most isolating of times. From the commonplace to the truly metaphysical, their visitors reflect the full spectrum of personal crises of spirituality. Throughout their encounters with the city’s sweetest, wildest and weirdest, the two priests learn the importance of connection, empathy and open-mindedness. Sometimes a little faith is all you need to make it through the bad times. From writer/director Onur Tukel (Catfight), and featuring standout performances from Kevin Corrigan, Max Casella, and Thomas Jay Ryan, Scenes from an Empty Church is a uniquely timely and timeless spotlight on the search for life’s meaning, told with Tukel’s trademark wit and wisdom.

REVIEW:

Directed by Onur Tukel (Catfight), and written by Onur Tukel and Andrew Shemin.

I was so excited to be able to cover another virtual film festival. I discovered that my love for films has made me appreciate them more.

The Chattanooga Virtual Film Festival allows people to connect from all over. I decided this would be the second feature film I watch for the film fest.

Paul (Max Casella), Father Andrew (Kevin Corrigan), and Father James (Thomas Jay Ryan) are dealing with COVID. COVID had managed to slither its way into 2021.

Paul shows up and he wants Andrew to ditch the mask. Kevin Corrigan and Max Casella do a great job. The film tells this story of COVID and everything that came along with it. They even show the 7:00 PM cheering that New Yorkers did everyday for the healthcare workers, the “front line” workers as they have been called.

Paul thinks it’s bullshit, he thinks the church should be opened. It’s sad when you truly think about things, I was on social media and came across an account where a gentleman started KareAndAssist, it helps people in Kensington, Philadelphia. It’s so difficult to actually talk about all of this and Andrew Shemin and Onur Tukel went and made a movie about it.

The opioid problem, the “pandemic”, drug abuse, losing everything, and so much more. From what I’ve read and heard over the years, Jesus walked around and just talked to people. He didn’t sit in a fancy building preaching. Maybe he did? I don’t know, does anyone know?

Was anyone there? But the movie offers up the psychological aspect of what people do. Do people just follow along? Is the research correct for COVID? The world could be burning, would the churches open the doors?

There are so many questions, do you have to specifically pray in church? Father Andrew convinces Father James to open the doors. One man, Jimmy (Edward Carnevale) comes in to pray, to purge his feelings. He leaves “lighter” according to Father Andrew.

He brings up “cleanliness is next to Godliness,” and starts disinfecting the area where Jimmy sat and prayed. Now, Elizabeth comes in, and she prays and talks to Father James and Father Andrew.

Father Andrew starts writing, and Paul comes in. Paul doesn’t pray but he comes in the church. There is something light and comforting sometimes, going in to an older church, a Baptist church and sitting and there is just the stillness. Father Andrew brings up the Black Plague, World War II, the Spanish Flu in regards to the end times in Revelations.

COVID and this pandemic was horrible but back in those days they didn’t have the technology they have today. The people were suffering, badly suffering with nothing. At least in modern times, some people have the internet, the ability to work from home, food, and some people have an excessive amount of toilet paper.

Some people did have a horrible time, they got sick and wound up in the hospital and family and friends couldn’t visit. “By the time this virus is over, we’re all going to be agoraphobic with O.C.D.”

Paul makes a few good points and he wonders where the soul of New York City went? One thing about New York City, all the times I’ve visited New York, I have felt alive. Your soul dances and feels the love of the people, the buildings, the sounds, the heart of New York. The cars buzzing around, the taxis beeping non-stop. Yet, in 2020, New York City was shut down but then again, everywhere else was shut down too.

New York is not dead, it’s not over. New York bounced back from so much. So many strange things happened, look at the snow in Texas. I think Scenes From An Empty Church add in all these questions, notions, and thoughts. Nurse Sarah (Natalie Carter) comes in and she describes just some of the things nurses and healthcare workers are worrying about.

Family, not enough supplies, not enough help, lack of employees, too many patients per unit. It goes on and on and on and on.

Father Andrew steps outside and embraces the cheering and clapping despite again the negative connotation with oh, now we really appreciate the healthcare workers.

Does hell exist? This is another question that causes debates and life altering moments. Father Andrew calls his father. It seems difficult for him.

Father James asks Sarah what she thinks about the people cheering at 7PM? What does she think of people cheering for the healthcare workers? Sarah said, it lifts her spirit. It’s something positive, it feels better than nothing at all, I suppose.

Father Andrew’s father brings up the other religions and how some of the religions are not that different. People just want peace, they want to be okay, they want their families to be okay. I guess when you are forced, forced to stay home, you think.

When we are alone, we think. A gentleman comes into the church to be baptized, and this scene was extremely difficult to watch. It makes you question everything. WHY? Why can people just do that? Scenes From An Empty Church delivers all the questions, maybe not all of them. It does hit quite a few nerves. It makes you think about humanity and what happened to humanity?

That character causes Father James to confess… some things… not all but you get the uncomfortable gist of it. Father Andrew wants to confess now.

Father Andrew continues to tell the story. He zones out Father James. Kevin Corrigan and Thomas Jay Ryan deliver powerful performances.

Paul delivers a speech about Jesus and Astro projection. The power of social media and the hindering parts of social media. “Love is a beautiful thing.” I think that sums everything up. Fear, anxiety, dread, doubting ourselves, and wanting to so badly to be at peace can drive a person crazy, and we are all in this together. What a great freaking movie. New York City will never die. It is one of the greatest places in the world.

Check out Scenes From An Empty Church, it’s a beautiful film. Andrew Shemin and Onur Tukel did a great job.