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I hear a lot of my Christian friends talking about what a great movie ‘Avatar’ is. However, I won’t be seeing it anytime soon even though I’m an avid Sci-Fi fan and would no doubt love the movie.  …

Why? Because of what James Cameron might do with all that money in the future. Remember the documentary hoax –”The Tomb of Jesus”? Bought, paid for, and produced by Cameron.

<<Read the rest of what I have to say about it on my main page>>            *Top

Theater release: November 20, 2009 by Warner Bros.; Directed by: John Lee Hancock; Runtime: 2 hours 6 minutes; Cast: Sandra Bullock (Leigh Ann Tuohy), Quinton Aaron (Michael Oher), Tim McGraw (Sean Tuohy), Jae Head (S.J. Tuohy), Lily Collins (Collins Tuohy), Kathy Bates (Miss Sue)

A tremendous ‘feel-good’ movie that highlights the acting talents of Sandra Bullock. Bullock plays a wealthy white Christian housewife ( Leigh Ann Tuohy) who takes on the onerous task of raising a homeless black kid- Michael Oher.

She helps him to overcome his learning deficiencies and encourages him to participate in sports. He eventually becomes a football star that ends up being heavily recruited by college coaches and later on to the NFL.

There are twists and turns along the way but Mrs. Tuohy and her family are up to the task and make a home for a young man who has never really had one. The process also seems to be good for the Tuohy family and gives them purpose and actually ends up drawing the whole family closer together.

There were also several interesting scenes where Leigh Ann had it out with some of her ‘socialite’ lunch friends who questioned the advisability of giving a home to a big black kid from the wrong side of town.

I was actually taken back by Sandra Bullock’s performance. I’m used to seeing her in comedy roles and in this movie I actually forgot that she was ‘Sandra Bullock’. She really excels In her role as Leigh Ann Tuohy and should be up for some awards, though the Hollywood crowd who vote on that stuff are usually not up for redeeming ‘feel-good’ roles and movies.

This is not only a touching movie but also a true one to boot. For once a Christian family is not typecast as a bunch of hayseed bigots like Hollywood usually tends to do nor are the Tuohys presented as some kind of idealized family like many Christian films seem to be guilty of. These are real people and the film presents them as such warts and all but also their natural goodness.

The title of the film was really apropos because I ended up being ‘blind-sided’ by the movie. It was far better on many different levels than I ever expected it to be even though I had read a number of lovely reviews on the film. It stands as a movie not to be missed—either in the theaters or later on DVD.          *Top

On Wednesday I wrote about how in this weeks story lines the writers of NCIS and particularly NCIS LA had turned the Major Hasan FT. Hood story on its ear. In rehashing over the NCIS episode -“Faith” (12/15) -in particular,  I realize that I had missed an obvious Muslim tradition within the story that was even more offensively reversed by the writers—forced reconversion or death.

In this episode an American military family was shown to be guilty of trying to force their Muslim convert son/brother to drop Islam. In the end it turned out to be his own brother who had killed the Muslim officer because he had ‘dishonored’ the family with his conversion to Islam and his refusal to recant.

I totally missed the irony of this story line.   <<Read the rest on the Main AFTF blog>>

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Last night on NCIS and NCIS LA, the TV series writers turned the Ft. Hood story of Muslim Major Hasan on its ear. Obviously they were figuring that all of us bigoted Americans were over due for a needed lesson in ‘political correctness’ when it comes to Islam.

After all, Muslims are the new favorite PC protected class in America and all the ‘propaganda’ that seems to run counter to that dictum in real life must be challenged in the fictitious world of Hollywood.  <<Read the rest on the AFTF Main page>>            *Top

Review by Dana Chaffin

Fountain of Youth is the debut Christian short film from Light in the Dark, Inc.  The film is only 12 minutes long, but the story is timeless.  Light in the Dark, Inc. is a unique production company with high standards and a promising future.

Fountain of Youth is the story of a young man struggling with being in a rut.  When he hears tale of a “fountain of youth” he is intrigued.  He talks with an elderly man that tells him where the fountain can be found.  He and a young female friend set off on a journey to find the fountain.  What they find is inspiring.  The cast, although debuting in this film, is talented. Much thought was put into every scene.

     Light in the Dark, Inc. was started in 2003 by Allen Carrescia.  It is run by Allen and his brother Reid.  Allen graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston.  Reid is currently at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. They are presently working on other short films with a feature film in the near future.

Fountain of Youth is an inspirational film that will touch many of lives.  The simplicity will draw viewers in to the story.  The cast does a great job of keeping your attention.  The film is available for only $5 (free shipping) at www.lightinthedark.com.

Genre: Animated, Comedy; Theater release: November 20, 2009 by TriStar/Sony Pictures; Directed by: Jorge Blanco; Runtime: 1 hour 31 minutes; Cast: Justin Long (Lem), Dwayne Johnson (Captain Charles T. Baker), Seann William Scott (Skiff), Jessica Biel (Neera), Gary Oldman (General Grawl), John Cleese (Professor Kipple).

An alien from space lands on the planet and the folks respond fear, the military searches for the intruder, and the scientists want to study it. Meanwhile, the alien makes friends with the kids who try to help him get back home.

You have seen this scenario a dozen times before in E.T. and a bunch of assorted Sci Fi and Disney movies. Nothing really new here except the alien is an American astronaut from Earth.

My grandson loved it but I had trouble staying awake. Too many clichés to keep me interested. Besides Planet 51 and their culture was far too similar to planet Earth and the town featured in the film reminded me of ToonTown at Disneyland and the cars looked just like what we use to have in 50’s when I was kid.              *Top

*Now on DVD: 2008 Cloud Ten Pictures; Directed by: Duane Crichton; Cast: Ving Rhames (Pastor Armstrong Cane), Ricardo Chavira (Rev. Danny Christopher), Dean McDermott (Blaze), Dwain Murphy (Norris Johns), Genelle Williams (Ashley Ellis).

Review by Dana Chaffin:

Saving God, an exciting Christian film, is available on DVD.  This is an inspiring movie about making choices and finding hope.  The story brings to mind the Scripture Romans 3:23 NIV “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.  We all have done things in our past that we regret.   But because of God’s grace we can be forgiven and change.  People are capable of changing with God’s help.  It was awarded five Doves from the Dove Foundation, their highest rating. Saving God has also been nominated for the 2008/2009 Time for Peace Film Award.  The story is moving and the cast is very talented and well known.  Grab your popcorn and enjoy an extremely entertaining and motivating movie.

The Story

Saving God is the story of Pastor Armstrong Cane (Ving Rhames), a recently released prisoner.  He entered prison a rebellious young man, but left prison a man of God.  His father had died while he was locked up and that was a turning point in his life.  His father was the pastor of a small church in his hometown and now he would take over.  In a very tender moment in the movie Cane visits the graves of his parents and tells his dad that he would not let him down.  He will have several people from his past telling him that he can not change his violent ways. 

Armstrong returns to his father’s church to find that most of the congregation had left because of the decline in the neighborhood.  The area was now overrun with drug dealers and violence.  Armed with his love for God and a megaphone he is determined to take back the neighborhood and overcome his past.  By a chance encounter he meets Norris (Dwain Murphy), a young man that is making bad choices.  Cane tries to help Norris turn his life around.  Norris must first decide to give up his drug dealer lifestyle.  That is not so easy because he is ruled by a violent drug dealer, Blaze (Dean McDermott).  Norris does not know that his teenage girlfriend is pregnant, but he wants to get his life straight.  The struggle that occurs for the life of Norris is exciting and dangerous.

The Actors

Ving Rhames plays Armstrong Cane.  He was born and raised in Harlem, New York, so he can identify with the neighborhood in the movie.  Rhames also served as Executive Producer of Saving God.  He is a Golden Globe winner and very experienced actor.  He is also nominated for the 2008/2009 Time for Peace Actor Award for his exceptional performance in this film.  Mission Impossible, Kojak, Pulp Fiction, Con Air, and Lilo and Stitch are only a few of the movies he has acted in.  In this film he does an outstanding job.

Ricardo Chivira is wonderful as Danny Christopher, a superficial TV preacher.  It is a long way from his role as Carlos Solis on Desperate Housewives.  He has had numerous guest star appearances on Monk, 24, JAG, NYPD Blue, and the George Lopez Show.  Chivira is also active off screen as a breast cancer advocate.  This is an issue close to his heart as his mother passed away at the age of 43 years old of breast and ovarian cancer.  He is honorary spokesman in San Antonio, Texas for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

The brutal gang leader, Blaze, is played by Dean McDermott.  He is known for being a very talented actor and being married to Tori Spelling.  His acting career includes Open Range, Kojak, Brian’s Song, Without A Trace, and the reality show Tori & Dean: Inn Love to name a few.

Dwain Murphy is outstanding as Norris Johns, a young drug dealer who has a tough choice to make between being a thug and being a THUG for Christ.  Murphy is best known for his role as Eric in Degrassi: The Next Generation.  He has acted in many films such as Poor Boy’s Game, How She Move, and The Line.  He has a passion for acting, but also enjoys basketball in his free time.

Extremely talented actress Genelle Williams plays the girlfriend of Norris Johns.  In the film she finds out she is pregnant and tries to find the right time to tell Norris.  Williams has a long list of acting credits including The Lazarus Child, It’s a Boy Girl Thing, The Orphan, and more.  In 2007 she was nominated for the Gemini Award for “Best Performance in a Leading Role” as Monica in the mini-series Doomstown.

Saving God is a brilliant Christian movie.  Who will save God for the souls who have lost Him?  It is a quality film with exceptional actors and an amazing message.  It has some violence and the subject of drug dealing so it may not be suitable for younger children.  This would be a great movie for adults to share with their teens.  The excitement and teen issues will keep them interested.  This film expresses the topic of choices and how even those choices we make as young people can altar our life, so it is important to make careful choices.  You can purchase Saving God wherever Christian movies are sold or at the movie’s website www.savinggodmovie.com. 

"5 Dove Rating"

Bob Dylan has a new Christmas album out. Here he is in an outrageous music video called- “Must be Santa” –with Dylan wearing a crazy looking wig at a party that seems to be a cross between a frat house romp and a Jewish wedding–I am still laughing!:

Genre: Action, Thriller; Theater release:November 13, 2009 by Columbia; Directed by: Roland Emmerich; Runtime: 2 hours 38 minutes; Cast: John Cusack (Jackson Curtis), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Adrian Helmsley), Amanda Peet (Kate Curtis), Oliver Platt (Carl Anheuser), Thandie Newton (Laura Wilson), Danny Glover (President Thomas Wilson)

The ultimate disaster flick. Nearly all of humanity is killed and only a few 100,000 are saved but you really don’t get too concerned because the hero’s family survives under the most incredible circumstances. The computer generated graphics are taken to the next level as you view the entire world destroyed before your very eyes.

Chiwetel Ejiofor is a steady binding influence throughout the entire movie in his role as the head scientist Adrian Helmsley. Woody Harrelson is wonderful as the outrageous comedy relief/apocalyptic nut. Danny Glover was steady but unremarkable as the President. Oliver Platt is totally believable as the diabolical government bureaucrat. John Cusack, Amada Peet and the kids are the main focus and ‘heroes’ of the story if there really is such a thing.

There is absolutely no new ground sowed in this movie—you have all seen this plot before in dozens of recent disaster movies and at least once a week on the SyFy channel. But guess what, it is entirely fun anyway.

Read what else I have to say about this movie, particularly about how religion is portrayed, on my main page: “-2012: The Movie, Humanity, and Religion” *Top