Showing posts with label
instant streaming Christian film.
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Showing posts with label
instant streaming Christian film.
Show all posts
Today's review is a movie with a message. The subject matter is probably not young child friendly. It is a film that I have wanted to watch for some time, but I was not sure if I was ready for the subject matter. I watched it via Netflix streaming (one of my favorite ways to watch faith-based films).
October Baby
Provident Films
Starring:
Brian Gall, Carl Maguire, Chris Sligh, Colleen Trusler, Corey Winston, Don Sandley, Jasmine Guy, Jason Burkey, Jennifer Price, John Schneider, Joy Brunson, Lance E. Nichols, Maria Atchison, Mary Tolley, Rachel Hendrix, Robert Amaya, Rodney Clark, Shari Wiedmann, Tracy Miller
About the film (from Christian Movie Database):
OCTOBER BABY is a coming of age story of a 19 year old freshman named
Hannah. Hannah has always felt like an outsider. Something is missing.
Although she is an incredible stage actor with a lovable naivety, She
has always had a deep seated feeling that she has no right to exist.
Because of escalating health and psychological problems her parents
reveal to her that she was adopted and was never told because of the
shocking and heartbreaking circumstances surrounding her birth.
With her identity and world thrown into turmoil she sets out on a
spring break road trip to New Orleans with her best friend Jason, his
girlfriend and a host of misfits piled into a decrepit VW minibus.
Everyone else is on the ride for good times, but Hannah is determined to
use the opportunity to return to the city of her birth and find the
answers she craves -
something her overprotective father has forbidden her to do…
My review:
All in all I liked this movie, but I really had to work at it. Now, I may be overly picky, but the first hour drove me nuts. I did not like Hannah. Hannah is pretty rocked when she finds out she is adopted. I imagine I would be as well, but considering the circumstances, it is no surprise that they kept it from her. It is not something easily told without an impact that could sway the most well-functioning individual, and Hannah is already going through issues (which are hard to understand when we see a clip of what looks like pretty fun times as a young child and we know she was raised by two loving parents). Why she feels she has no right to exist is kind of a lame label.
The solution to go on a road trip to get some answers made some sense to me, it was the cast of characters along for the very short ride that did not. It was something added into the story that really could have been omitted other than the fact that they probably didn't want us to see Hannah intentionally just take a road trip with her guy best friend. It just did not add to the story in any way that mattered, and really just took away from it for me. Like I said, I was struggling. I was waiting for it to get better.
Jasmine Guy's performance was incredible, John Schneider's was also awesome. I actually started to like the movie more once Jasmine Guy came into the film, but honestly it swept the good right back out quickly when Hannah continued with her bratty moments as well as a few from her friend Jason, as a parent, I wanted to smack him.
In the long run, the pay off was really nice. The finally half hour was great, well acted, and had really good moments. I think the film would have been much better if the beginning and middle were thought out better, and if people paid some attention to how other people really act and talk to one another. There were a lot of moments where I thought, "who has conversations like this?" There were points where it seemed they were trying too hard for comic relief. There were lines that just blew me out of the story like when Jason says to Hannah "Remember when we were like nine?" and she says "When you were nine I was 8 1/2." WHAT? That made no sense. Maybe if he talked about his 9th birthday which still would have not made sense. It was just an addition in the dialogue that bugged me and thus pulled me out of the film.
Anyway, I digress. I liked it, but that is to say, I liked what it was attempting and I liked the last half hour quite a bit. I held off watching it for a while, because a friend of mine who was adopted told me that after seeing it, she was glad she never met her birth mother. That gave me pause as to what I would get.
Lastly the music was wonderful! The soundtrack was extremely well done.
I would rate this three out of five smiles. I liked the message of forgiveness. I enjoyed the performances of several of the actors. Will I watch it again? No. I did not enjoy it enough for that.
Lastly, this is a film that has a Christian pro-life message. Some reviews I have read expressed issues with that. I think because of the very important message it had to convey, they should have worked out the kinks a little more. It is a film that I would share with my son, but I know he would be bored long before he heard the valuable message in this film and felt its impact.
I love finding family friendly films that I can feel good about, I like it even more when they are of good quality. Faith-based films are my absolute favorite. Today we watched WWJD II: The Woodcarver via Netflix streaming. There is a clip of the film at the bottom of this review.
What Would Jesus Do
Nasser Entertainment
About the film:
Matthew is a troubled boy from a broken home. When he vandalizes the
local church to get back at his parents, Matthew has to repair the
damage to the church to avoid criminal charges. While working at the
church, he meets Ernest (John Ratzenberger), an accomplished wood carver
who created the intricate woodwork decoration that Matthew destroyed.
Now Ernest and Matthew must work together to preserve the church’s
beautiful antiquity, and along the way, they also manage to restore
their faith in God and in life.
Starring: John Ratzenberger, Dakota Daulby, Anthony Harrison, Stephen E. Miller, and Nicole Oliver.
My Review:
Matthew's world is crumbling around him, and he is lashing out in every way he can think of. He has quit school, is withdrawn, and has destroyed church property. Ernest is a man who is still reeling from his own loss. Matthew destroyed much of what Ernest built for the church and has started working with Ernest to fix the damages on the outside of the building and the inside of his heart.
The story is done quite well with really excellent acting on all sides. From the beginning opening music to the flow of the story, I was drawn in. Sometimes a faith based film can seem rather cheaply done, poorly written or badly acted. That was entirely not the case for this film. Ernest and Matthew develop a bond immediately, and the older man helps the teen deal with the pain from his broken home and the teen and his family show the elder wood carver that God indeed has a purpose even now for his life even without his bride by his side.
I would strongly recommend this film for any family member. There is a great message. It is appropriate for all ages, but in my opinion I would probably look at the age to start at around 8 or 9. This is a good time for them to get a message of deciding what Jesus would do in their own circumstances. It is a very clean film.
My rating of smiles would be to definitely rate it a five out of five smiles. It is truly well done.
It has been a crazy busy time and I am so glad to have finally had the opportunity to enjoy a nice family friendly film. I try to purchase family friendly films when I have the opportunity and try also to focus on those with faith-based messages, but being family friendly is good on any level. The movie following I watched via Netflix Instant Streaming.
Johnny
Pure Flix Entertainment
Starring - Mel Fair, Lee Majors, Jerry Phillips, Aubryn Cole, Musetta Vander
About the film: Johnny is an inspirational family story about loss and how one young
boy's mission, before he is called to heaven, makes a difference for a
family struggling to find their way back after a tragedy devastates
them. When Dr. Drew Carter (Mel Fair) tragically lost his ten year old
son in a car accident while his wife Julia (Musetta Vander) was driving,
he didn't expect to lose his whole family as well. Since the accident,
Julia is emotionally absent from Drew and their daughter Kayla (Aubyn
Cole). When Dr. Miller (Lee Majors) refers Johnny (Jerry Phillips), a
foster child with leukemia, to Drew the wheels start to turn as he sees a
chance to heal his family.
Johnny doesn't know what he is in for,
but is convinced he's there for a special mission; a mission revealed
when he enters Dr. Carter's world. This film shines brightly with hope
and will move your heart and soul with its message of redemption,
salvation and forgiveness.
"Dove Family Approved" from The Dove Foundation. Awarded 5 out of 5 Doves and recommended for ages 12+.
My review - Johnny is a story about damage and about purpose. Even the lives that are here for just a short time have a purpose set by God. Johnny has an aggressive form of leukemia. If there was ever a prognosis that wasn't good, it is Johnny's. Although Johnny is fully aware of his situation, He has an outlook on life that is amazing. He memorizes words of scripture, holds onto and shares God's promises, and knows that no matter what God has a purpose for his life. He is completely open to God's will. He has complete faith in God which he shares openly and bravely.
Dr. Carter and his family take him in. His daughter who has been suffering from a mom who is mentally and emotionally absent from her and her father's life is excited about having Johnny in her home. He is funny and kind. She opens up her home and heart to him and God right away. Dr. Carter has opened his heart and listens to Johnny. He enjoys the child's company a great deal and gains a new insight. Sadly his wife Julia is not ready for Johnny to live with them. She deals with the decision her husband has made, but her heart is so torn up. There is no room in her life for this boy when her heart is still torn to shreds over the loss of her son. She has no interest in attaching to another child especially when that child is knocking at death's door.
Things that stood out to me:
Setting - I cannot mention this film without saying how much I enjoyed the setting. I do not know where it was filmed, but I was ready to move there. Combine green grass and an ocean with some pretty blue skies...take me away.
Characters -
I loved that the characters were flawed but real. Certainly you aren't going to run into Johnny every day, but there are people just like him everywhere. People who are facing deep trials but shining God's love to others. Now some, like Johnny, may have an illness that is obvious to the eye, but others have circumstances that you may never know of, but they love with all they have rather than let the pain get them down. They know that God has a purpose for their lives.
I liked that there was realism in the family dynamic. Mom was really struggling. Her husband brings this sweet kid home, and she is just wigged out. She is in real pain over her loss. Pain that she is told she needs to move on from. That is not an easy thing to do. It was realistic that not everyone is just ready to paint rainbows and find happy ever after, because life is not always happy ever after and many of us also have a pain that we are still clinging to. This doesn't mean we should be clinging to our pain, but it does happen.
Actors -
Great job with all. Loved the child actors. They were incredible. Loved seeing Lee Majors in a Christian film too.
Final thought -
Johnny is a sweet story about forgiveness of self and others. It is sometimes breezy and easy but it also has very serious moments. Will it tug at your heart? Yes. Will it inspire you? Absolutely. I did say it is family friendly, but I would definitely have a family viewing starting at about age 8 or 9 with the kiddos.
I have a smile rating and I would give this one 4.5 smiles out of 5. :)
