http://christianmovieblog.com/ 79-38 http://christianmovieblog.com/reviews/dangerous-calling Dangerous Calling is actually a movie I've had for a while and never got around to watching due to my overly busy schedule. When I finally sat down to watch it this past weekend, I was quite pleased with how well thought-out it is! The storyline, though not unheard of, is not your typical everyday situation - and really left me reflecting on the fact that this DOES happen in some churches. An overly controlling widow who feels she owns the Church, manipulating everyone in her path as a subtle/cunning character that only Jackie Prucha could have brought to life! I totally loved her in this movie! Yes, she was the "bad guy" but her acting was excellent - sending chills down my spine et al. I gave the acting quality a 4-star rating only because there were parts where it could have been better - but overall, it was engaging (yeah that's the word). I don't know why I was expecting everyone to live happily ever after, but some main characters did die in the movie, and that was another shot of reality... but eventually, God was glorified. I like the way the movie displays the sovereignty of God despite the shortcomings of the Church. I think the Daws Bros did a good job with this one... hope the next one is better! ]]> Tue, 21 Sep 2010 21:41:08 -0400 69-20 http://christianmovieblog.com/reviews/imagine-that I really enjoyed watching this movie. It wasn't too serious, or too emotional. ]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:43:00 -0500 61-19 http://christianmovieblog.com/reviews/the-note A writer goes on a quest to bring a special Christmas gift to a relative of a plane crash victim, but it's no easy feat as she realizes the odds of finding the right person are huge. She travels far and wide, with a famous reporter hot on her heels, as she looks for clues and evidence. Even though the note was not meant for every likely candidate, it brought her full circle to a very special Christmas gift of her own - one she could not have dreamed of. ]]> Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:29:15 -0500 69-14 http://christianmovieblog.com/reviews/imagine-that "Imagine That" is a movie that highlights a challenge that a good number of parents experience - juggling parental and career responsibilities and having to make decisions on which one takes precedence. Murphy gets an extra dose of this when his career success becomes unexpectedly tied to how well he performs as a father - how well he can "enter" into his daughter's imagination, live the fantasy with her, and speak a "language" she understands. This in turn translates into some serious superstar moments for him at his job, a "language" he understands. The movie continues in several really funny moments when Eddie Murphy does what he's done for so many years - make us laugh. We see how he gains a better understanding of what it means to be a father, and how when the moment finally came for him to decide just what he was willing to give up for fame and fortune - he decided his daughter's love wasn't. ]]> Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:58:05 -0400 59-13 http://christianmovieblog.com/reviews/love-comes-softly I was really impressed by Dale Midkiff's acting, his face always had this warm and deep look that made you think about what he was saying. I have to say, he made me wonder for a bit how a practically isolated Christian could continue to have such strong faith in God, while I struggle with it sometimes. There was no church scene, so I wonder how much of a Christian community there was, but maybe the movie did not want to stray away from the book. ]]> Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:11:08 -0400 59-11 http://christianmovieblog.com/reviews/love-comes-softly I did not read the book, but I loved the "love on the prairie" feeling in this movie, it's certainly a welcome break from the "modern" movies these days. I also loved the fact that it wasn't too "preachy" a movie - the story line really carried you along with their lives and had a "real" touch to it that I can relate to. ]]> Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:48:03 -0400 67-10 http://christianmovieblog.com/reviews/bella The life of an up and coming soccer star, Jose (Eduardo Verastegui), is suddenly turned upside down due to an unfortunate turn of events. His decision to do the right thing costs him his fame, fortune and future. With his professional soccer dreams dashed, and a dark secret in his past, he settles for a humble but respectable position as a chef in his brother's restaurant. The healing process slowly begins for him and escalates when he reaches out to help a co-worker, waitress Nina (Tammy Blanchard), at a desperate moment in her life. The gesture unfolded into an unplanned full day of outing that led them to several different locations including Jose's family home. The day allows them to both share dark secrets that are somewhat related but of different extremes. We experience a series of flashbacks - an experience that brings them even closer together in a soul-touching sort of way. There are no sexual scenes or connotations but the message of love between them is very real and convincing as Nina experiences Jose's family and culture and he learns of her childhood. Jose proves to be full of wisdom and carries a Christ-like demeanor that pierces Nina's heart and leads her to make a life-changing decision - which in turn opens the path to Jose's recovery from his troubled past. It seemed as though they were destined for each other - but not in the way we are used to. The gift of life they exchange provides immense relief to their souls and gives viewers a heart-warming and thought-provoking message. Bella is a captivating movie that manages to combine good acting and an inspiring storyline. There are several references and observations about God, and prayer is portrayed in the movie. ]]> Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:52:49 -0400 66-9 http://christianmovieblog.com/reviews/the-moment-after The journey begins for these two FBI agents as they perform their duty of investigating and documenting the claims of witnesses about the disappearance of loved ones. The witnesses provide several different accounts that get the agents no closer to solving the mystery. Agent Riley (David White) begins to discover that this incident was foretold in the Bible, and has flashbacks to times when his former partner, a Christian, tried to introduce him to Jesus. We are taken through a series of events as the agents try to find and arrest the mysterious leader, Jacob (Brad Heller). Succeeding in their quest results in Agent Riley coming face-to-face with a realization that God had it in mind all along to get his attention and use him for His purpose. After accepting Christ, he makes a drastic decision that jeopardizes his job and pitches him against his partner and and an evil military leader, Lieutenant Fredricks (Monte Perlin). The acting is very good and convincing in most places, and the story is pretty accurate to the series of events that take place during the tribulation period as told in Daniel and Revelation. ]]> Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:42:46 -0400 65-8 http://christianmovieblog.com/reviews/genius-club Genius club is a group of seven geniuses who have one night to prove that God exists while playing a "game". The fate of the whole world rests in the balance and we experience their journey from regular life to captivity in the "game room" where most of the movie unfolds. There, they spend several hours trying to answer and explain deep questions about the existence of man, and causes and solutions for the world's problems. Genius club's storyline is very potent because it addresses several issues that man faces today, and provides controversial answers to troubling questions. Viewers will find themselves debating some of those issues long after the movie is over. There are several exercises of the mind and we have an opportunity to play along as we try to decipher the code to the nuclear explosive that threatens to destroy all of humanity. There's a strong Christian message throughout the film, and we are even presented with "scientific proof" to support their claim. Ultimately though, the decision is left to us the viewers to decide whether or not to believe their claim. Either way you lean, Genius club has dug up issues for which our decisions could mean the difference between life and death. ]]> Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:32:43 -0400 64-7 http://christianmovieblog.com/reviews/flicka Katie McLaughlin (Alison Lohman), daughter of rancher Rob McLaughlin (Tim McGraw) has a heart for working the family ranch but her parents see a future for her in college and ultimately corporate America. As she struggles to adapt to the rigors of boarding school, her mind is invariably drawn to the family ranch in wyoming and her love for the family's horses. While home from school, she discovers and becomes attached to a stray wild mustang that reminds her so much of herself. Determined to protect and tame the beast, she names her "Flicka" and goes through a series of confrontations with her father who is bent on getting rid of the animal. Katie risks her life several times to win Flicka's trust which results in a strong bond between girl and horse. After being condemned by several, as a completely loco horse that could not be tamed, Flicka finds new solace in the sound of Katie's voice much to everyone's amazement. In an intense moment when both girl and horse have their lives hanging in the balance, Katie's father steps in to rescue them - giving them both the chance to live, and be together. Flicka is a good movie that portrays family values, love and perseverance without the use of profanity or intense sexual scenes. We are greatly entertained by the ranch life of a closely knit family, headed by a stern man who knows when his wife is right. It is a feel-good movie that reminds us of Christ's love for us and how He sees through all our filth at who we can become if we surrender to Him. ]]> Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:07:42 -0400