I have a confession to make.

The only real reason I saw Spike Lee’s new film at the Sundance Film Festival here is because it is set in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, where my oldest daughter started her career in an elementary school with Teach for America.

Even though I think and write about religion for a living, I didn’t attend “Red Hook Summer” because the program guide describes it as the story of a “firebrand preacher bent on getting (his grandson) to accept Jesus Christ as his personal savior.”

After all, why would anyone expect a nuanced, respectful exploration of the black church in America from Spike Lee? Let’s face it, the words “Spike Lee” and “theologian” don’t roll off the tongue very easily, if at all.

So imagine my surprise when “Red Hook Summer” delivered a humorous, honest look at the vibrancy, complexity, sincerity and messiness of African-American Christianity.

The story begins with Flik, a teenager who attends a private school in Atlanta and enjoys the finer things of life. His life is turned upside down when his mother sends him off to Brooklyn for the summer to stay with his preacher grandfather, Enoch.

Flik is certainly unprepared for life in the projects, but is even less prepared for working every day at his grandfather’s Little Piece of Heaven church. The only upside is meeting Chazz, a sassy teen who has learned to negotiate life on the streets of Red Hook with her life in the church.

She’s a believer but not stuffy about it, and helps Flik get through the Sunday worship service, which is punctuated by Enoch’s theatrical rants, the spirited “Amens!” of the congregation and the melodramatic sounds of the Hammond organ.

The heart of this film is grandpa Enoch. As the story begins we get hints that Enoch is a man with a past, and it reaches its dramatic climax when we realize that though Enoch is done with his past, his past is not done with him.

Clarke Peters (Det. Lester Freamon from “The Wire”) in the role of Enoch delivers a textured, multi-layered performance that does for the role of a black pastor what Robert Duvall did for revivalists in “The Apostle.” These characters are believable, complicated and likable.

At the Q&A following the film, it was obvious that I wasn’t the only one surprised that Lee delivered a thoughtful, respectful and savvy film about religion. The first audience question was about Lee’s personal religious background. He never attended church as a boy in Brooklyn, he explained, although some summers he was sent to stay with relatives in Atlanta who made sure he did.

Suffice it to say that church and religion have not played a central role in Lee’s life.

So what is the source of the film’s religious content? To answer that question, Lee introduced his co-author on the script, James McBride, and the richness of the film immediately made complete sense.

I interviewed McBride in Chicago in the 1990′s about his best-selling book “The Color of Water.” It was an autobiographical account of his Jewish mother who converted to Christianity and, with her husband, founded the church where “Red Hook Summer” was filmed.

McBride talked about his belief in God and Jesus, and said his faith was renewed and strengthened during the writing and making of the film. He also talked about spirited debates with Lee about certain scenes where McBride’s desire to respect religion collided with Lee’s determination to keep it gritty and real. It was a productive tension, and it worked.

I still find it fascinating that Lee would make a film about religion, and that he teamed up with McBride to do it. Sundance is all about telling stories, and “Red Hook Summer” tells a center-stage story about the importance of religion.

(Dick Staub is author of “About You: Fully Human and Fully Alive” and the host of The Kindlings Muse (www.thekindlings.com). His blog can be read at www.dickstaub.com)

The Disney Company found another goldmine in the release of the 3D version of The Lion King. So great was that goldmine, that the company decided to do it again with 1991’s Beauty and the Beast. The 3D effects are quite nice. Instead of a more rounded or realistic look in modern 3D movies, this resembles a 3D ViewMaster reel or a pop up story book with different layers. The most impressive shots are those that include weather like snow and rain. However, as nice as they are, they are hardly necessary.

Beauty is the third film of the famed “Disney Renaissance” period after The Little Mermaid and The Lion King and was the first animated film ever to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. (And that was when they only allowed 5 pictures to compete for that title.) Even without the 3D hoopla, the film is beautiful as is. It tells a great story with memorable songs and characters. At the very least, this reissue is a good excuse to see the film back on the big screen.

An extra special bonus is the new Tangled short about the wedding of Rapunzel and her prince. However, the story is more about the horse and gecko chases after the bridal parties’ rings. It is hilarious and almost worth the price of admission by itself.

Like many Disney animated pictures, Beauty is a simple story that tackles some pretty deep themes:

Entertaining Angels Unaware

“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Hebrews 13:2 (KJV)

At the very beginning of the story an old beggar woman offers a young prince a rose in exchange for a night’s stay out of the weather. Disgusted with her appearance, he turns her away unaware that she is actually a beautiful enchantress in disguise. Because of the prince’s selfishness, she casts a spell over him turning him into a hideous beast and his servants into furniture and household items.  This is similar to the verse, Hebrews 13:2. This isn’t to say that your guardian angel is armed and ready to change you into a creature at a moment’s notice, but more  of a challenge for us to act in a way that is honoring to God whether someone is watching us or not.

Christians are Odd

“You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Matthew 10:22 (NIV)

Belle loves books more than people. She loves to learn, dreams of leaving her small town and wishes she could see the world. Because of this, all the townspeople think she is odd. As Christians, we sometimes get the same treatment. We love God’s book and we long for a better afterlife in heaven.

Sacrifice

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 (NIV)

When Belle’s father, Maurice, is thrown into the Beast’s dungeon due to his trespassing into the castle, Belle offers to take his place. Maurice of course objects to this arrangement but is thrown outside before Belle can change her mind. She would rather sacrifice her life as a slave of the Beast than to have her father face a similar fate.

Kindness

“Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?” Romans 2:4 (NIV)

After a fit of anger the Beast chases Belle away. Soon, she and her horse are attacked by wolves. Surprisingly, they are both rescued by the Beast but he falls due to his injuries. Belle turns to leave but decides to care for the Beast instead. The Beast is touched by Belle’s decision and in return offers to give her his entire library.

Unconditional Love

“But God show his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (ESV)

At the climax of the story, the Beast lays dying in Belle’s arms. In tears, she whispers that she loves him, the hideous Beast. Suddenly, the Beast is revived and turns back into the handsome prince, but Belle doesn’t recognize him. It’s not until she looks into his eyes and sees that they are the same that she rejoices in his salvation.  Belle was able to accept Beast as he was unconditionally. The fact that he was really a handsome prince was just a bonus.

Originally posted on Examiner.com

Watch the trailer at http://filmtimes.net/joyful-noise/

Almost everyone know someone who isn’t all quite together, but you love them anyway because deep inside they are a wonderful person.

That is much like Joyful Noise, the new Queen Latifah/Dolly Parton flick about dueling choir directors and their families. Latifah can do no wrong in my book and you can’t help but like Parton. She pretty much plays herself in every role she plays, but she is so dog gone likeable.

Bernard Sparrow (Kris Kristofferson) is the choir director of Divinity Church in Pacashau, Georgia. Each year his choir enters, and loses, the Joyful Noise Gospel Music Competition.

After he passes away from a heart attack, Pastor Dale (Courtney B. Vance) appoints Vi Rose Hill (Latifah) to be the new leader instead of Bernard’s wife, G. G. (Parton). Vi likes the more traditional music while G.G. likes to mix things up.

Living practically as a single mother, Vi raises two teenagers on her own; Olivia (Keke Palmer) who is also a member of the choir and Walter (Dexter Darden) who struggles (unconvincingly) with Aspergers syndrome. G. G. Is all alone until her wayward grandson Randy (Jeremy Jordan) shows up and takes a shine to Olivia which furthers the struggle between the two choir mistresses.
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Putting Latifah and Parton in sparring roles is pure genius. Their verbal assaults at one another is hilarious especially a food fight spat that shown in a diner.

Like her real life counterpart, G.G. sports razor sharp fingernails, a plastic face incapable of frowning and tightly hemmed choir robe and pokes fun of herself. Her relatively good nature is a great foil against Vi’s uptight personality. Still, with all that spunk, Parton comes off a little fragile and the exchanges are too short.

The music, and there is a lot of it, is great. You already know that Dolly and Queen can sing, but Palmer (Akeelah and the Bee) and Jordan (in his first film role, but well known on Broadway) are a wonderful surprise. Kristofferson sings and appears only briefly.

He actually speaks instead of sings much of his duet with Parton, which was disappointing. Other cast members are fellow Broadway stars that fill out the choir well.

Joyful Noise is best when it focuses on its main characters, but instead, it insists on taking on multiple storylines that somehow waters down rather than add to the film. Overall, the plot is rather cheesy but it has heart.

Some scenes are genuinely touching and others are surprisingly realistic (don’t EVER tell Queen that she is not pretty!), but the overall it feels hollow. The message of hope and the need for Jesus in our lives is loud and clear, but the message is uneven.

For instance, it’s not clear why Randy shows up in the first place. He’s presented as a “bad boy” who never enjoyed “church music” before meeting Olivia. By the end of the movie, we know that he has a good heart, but he doesn’t show any signs of a stronger faith.

Now a warning: Don’t go in thinking you’ll be seeing a good old-fashioned Christian movie. While the music is great, you won’t be hearing any familiar standards and at least half of the songs are versions of popular pop songs that aren’t necessarily spiritual, but they are uplifting. Noise is more liberal than most faith-based movies with mild language and adult situations. It’s not a story for young children.

Watch the trailer at http://filmtimes.net/joyful-noise/

Originally posted at the Examiner.

Movie: Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Rachel McAdams, Jared Harris, Stephen Fry

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Action/Adventure/Crime

While I’m all for updating the Sherlock Holmes story (I love the modern PBS television version), I miss some of the more classic touches. I’m not talking about smoking the big pipe or wearing that funny hat. But I miss the “elementary my dear Watson”-ness. I miss the mystery.

Don’t get me wrong. Warner Bros. has done a great job with this new franchise. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law make a great pair and banter back and forth very nicely. There is an emphasis on their friendship, strange as it is. The soundtrack by legendary Hans Zimmer is both contemporary and nostalgic at the same time providing a nice background and the costumes and sets are fantastic, especially in the newest, A Game of Shadows. But, Guy Ritchie seems to be so bent on making an action and adventure film, that he forgets that Sherlock is a detective.

A Game of Shadows timeline takes place shortly after the first film with Watson’s marriage to Mary (Kelly Reilly). There’s an adventure getting the groom to the alter in the first place and the newlywed’s honeymoon is short-lived as he and Sherlock face their greatest foe, Professor James Moriarty, excellently played by Jared Harris.

If you are a fan of the first “Downey” Sherlock film, you will no doubt like Game of Shadows as well. Noomi Rapace, (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), is a welcome addition to the cast as Madam Simza Heron, a fortune-telling gypsy. We also get a chance to meet Sherlock’s brother, Mycroft (Stephen Fry) who appears to be just as eccentric as Sherlock, but in different ways. There are some beautiful shots of Switzerland this time around as well.

For the most part, Shadows is a very enjoyable film. No over-arching messages except maybe the value of friends, and nothing to be offended with either. It does feel a bit too long as the story lags between the action sequences, but still is an enjoyable visit with the sleuth.

Originally posted at Examiner.com.

Movie: Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

Cast: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg and Paula Patton

Director: Brad Bird

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Action/Adventure

The problem with the Mission: Impossible films, is that I haven’t been able to enjoy them like I wanted to. I am old, but not old enough to have watched the original TV series (beyond the opening credits anyway) so I went into the movie franchise without knowing much. Then, the first three movies’ plotlines were so convoluted; I never really knew what was going on. To top it off, the first three movies were very Tom Cruise-centered, and if you’re not a big TC fan, it doesn’t leave you with much. They were always enjoyable, but not fantastic in my book. That all changed with Ghost Protocol.

Blamed for the terrorist bombing of the Kremlin, IMF operative Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is disavowed along with the rest of the agency when the President initiates “Ghost Protocol.” Ethan must find a way to clear his agency’s name and prevent a further attack. All he has to rely on is the help of fellow agents, Brandt (Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker), Benji (Simon Pegg, Shaun of the Dead) and Jane (Paula Patton, Jumping the Broom) each with their own personal motives.

While technically the 3^rd sequel to Mission: Impossible (1996), Ghost Protocol stands alone just fine. It doesn’t rely much on the previous storylines to confuse you. What is probably the most unique feature of this movie is that Brad Bird directs it. Bird has worked with many characters in Hollywood over the years, but most of the time they have been animated. Known for directing such great Pixar/Disney films like The Incredibles and Ratatouille, this marks Bird’s first live action directing gig. The film also has J. J. Abrams on its’ side as Producer. Abrams, one who can do no wrong, has brought us TV’s Lost, Fringe and last year’s sci-fi reboot of Star Trek. Instead of churning out just another film in the franchise, the crew took great skill is producing a bigger and better film. Oh, that Abrams. Always the over-achiever.

Ghost Protocol is also unique in that it is a fun film. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, it doesn’t have the dark overtones of the previous films, and it has a lot of humor. It features more gadgets than usual and not all of them are working without flaws. The ensemble cast is a lot more appealing than Ethan’s usual Long Ranger routine. This time, they all have to trust each other and work as a team. They all have their own flaws and not always as confident as they should be with their given roles, making them a bit more relatable in a non-relatable universe.

Ghost Protocol is literally breath taking with its’ incredible views provided by IMAX. This is a must-see-at-the-theatre movie and if possible, an IMAX theatre. You really feel like you’re one of the team facing the same dangers that they do. There is plenty of violence, but not bloody or gruesome and I only counted two swear words in the whole film! In fact, I doubt that there is much for a Christian to take offense with this movie. Personally, I think that it is the best of all four films and I doubt that I’m alone with this assessment.

The Greatest Miracle, rated PG, opens today in 63 cities across the country. A list of opening cities and theaters is available now at the movie’s website.

The Most Rev. David Ricken, Bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay, Wisc., calls it a “powerful new film,” noting that the 3D animated feature “helps us better grasp the spiritual forces at play in our daily lives.”

The Greatest Miracle tells a story of hope and faith set against the backdrop of mysterious spirits and a religious service many have come to take for granted.

In the movie, three people find themselves at the same Catholic Mass because of crises they are struggling to endure. Going to Mass is not new to any of them — but they need assistance to embrace its true meaning. What they experience during that Mass changes all of their lives forever.

“The Greatest Miracle draws the viewer into the Mass by artistically portraying what we as Catholics believe to be taking place, but what we as humans are incapable of perceiving with our earthly senses,” Bishop Ricken said.

“May we take from The Greatest Miracle an exhortation to participate more fully and more regularly in the Mass — a tremendous gift to the Church and indeed, to all humanity.”

The Greatest Miracle is directed by Bruce M. Morris. He is the visual writer of the animated hitsPocahontas and Hercules, and earned an Academy Award nomination for his work on 2009′sThe Princess and the Frog.

Oscar®-nominee Mark McKenzie, who orchestrated the score for Dances with Wolves, wrote the score for the film, which earned the 2011 Hollywood Music in Media Award for Best Original Score — Independent Film/Short/Documentary. McKenzie’s work also includes Men in Black, Spidermanand Ice Age: The Meltdown.

Strong themes of evil make the PG film unsuitable for all ages. Parental discretion is advised.

Sherwood Pictures, the studio that also brought  Fireproof and Facing the Giants to the big screen, is challenging people to do more than they thought they could with its new movie, Courageous.

Written and directed by Stephen and  Alex Kendrick, the film revolves around four law enforcement officers who are used to going through danger almost every day of their working lives.

Each of these officers has his own “family” issues at home. Adam Mitchell (Alex Kendrick) has an estranged teenage son, but loves his young daughter whole-heartedly.

Nathan Hayes (Ken Bevel) would do anything to protect his own children, even if it means giving his own life. Unfortunately, his teenage daughter pretty much loathes him with all her heart because of his unbelievable rules for dating.

Javier Martinez (Robert Amaya) has an intact family, but financial problems cause problems at home.

David Thomson (Ben Davies), got a girl pregnant back in college and wanted to have the child aborted. The girl refused and ended up being a single mother. Then there’s Shane Fuller (Kevin Downes), who is divorced, just like his own parents.

The life-changing tragedy at the center of the film takes place when Mitchell loses his beloved daughter in an accident. Desperate and guilty at the same time, he goes through the Bible and ends up with a new resolution for his life – he will honor the Lord through his family, by being a better father to his teenage son.

Upon this inspiring desire to change, Hayes, Martinez, Thomson and Fuller start to mend their broken relationships with their families as well.

What I  admire about this movie is that it does not encourage men to be “macho” or “men’s men”– The courageous aspect in the film is not about physical strength, but inner strength. It’s already pretty obvious that these four men are physically strong – they’re law enforcement officers, but being physically strong on the outside does not equal having inner strength or being a better person, father, family man or anything like that.

Though there are a few violent scenes in the movie, as a whole, it is still a good movie for the whole family to watch. It is also definitely a movie that you can suggest to a non-Christian friend who seems to be going through some struggles with his or her family. It is touching, emotional, heart-warming and even funny in some scenes.

After screening the movie, Machine Gun Preacher the night before, I was pretty intimidated to meet Sam Childers and writer Jason Keller in person.

Childers (pronounced “Chill-dears), is a former drug-dealing criminal who now risks his life to save and take care of orphan children in Northern Uganda and Southern Sudan, Africa. Keller is listed on the movie’s official website as the “go-to writer of muscular, character-driven projects.”

I meet the two in a fancy downtown Seattle hotel – not the kind of place you’d expect to meet the machine gun wielding, Harley Davidson preacher and his macho friend. Instead of intimidation, they both great me with big smiles are hearty handshakes.

Being the last interview of the day of a month-long tour, I ask them if they are getting tired of answering the same questions over and over again.

Childers smiles and politely says that all of the interviewers ask the same questions but in different ways so the conversation stays fresh. Then I couldn’t help myself, so I ask, “What is the stupidest question you’ve been asked?” Keller speaks first.

“What’s on your I-Pod?” Childers laughs and then adds one better,

“Who is better looking, Sam Childers or Gerard Butler?” (Butler portrays Childers in the film). Childers shrugs his shoulders and looks horrified that anyone would rank him below Bulter. I like these guys.

Machine Gun Preacher (MGP) is not a “Christian” film per se, but it is filled with spiritual truth and speaks about faith in a very realistic way.

The film is filled with stories of personal salvation, prayer, worship, and water baptism. I figure that in order for a film to be so honest about the Christian faith, one must be a believer. “Are you religious yourself?” I ask Keller.

He points to Childers and says, “He says I am, but I don’t.”

“Why do you say that?” I ask.

“I believe in God and Jesus, but I don’t do any of the ritual stuff. I grew up Catholic but I don’t go to church on a regular basis.”

Childers says matter-of-factly, “The bible says that those who believe will be saved.” Whether Keller wants to admit it or not, it is obvious that this journey has made a deep impact on him.

Before typing a word of the script, Keller spent about a year researching, interviewing and even living with Childers and his family. During my interview, Keller is no less passionate than Childers is about the Angels of East Africa and Children’s Village ministries.

I ask, “Why do you think that the Marc Forester (Producer and Director of MGP) thought you’d be the best for this writing job?” Childers speaks for Keller and tells me that he is known in the business as a script doctor and would be very good piecing all the parts together.

You may not have heard of Keller before, but this won’t be the last. His next project to come to the screen is the still-untitled Snow White project that is starring Julia Roberts, Sean Bean and Lily Collins. He is also and working on another film, The Tomb, which is set to star Bruce Willis.

MGP shows the good, the bad and the ugly about Childers past life. This includes drug use, swearing, and violence. It would make most people cringe to have their lives so exposed, let alone a minister of the cloth.

I ask him if he was happy with the movie’s portrayal of him and if there was anything that he regretted being shown. He tells me that the movie tries to compact about 30 years of his life into 2 hours, so some scenes feel a little false to him.

For instance, in the film, his character decides to give up heroin and the next scene we see him in church. Childers tells me that there was about four years between his giving up heroin and when he gave his life to Jesus as his Savior. He doesn’t like the idea that the film could give some the impression that his addiction just went away overnight.

Another scene in the movie shows him, in a time of frustration, of going to a bar and drinking a lot. He tells me that that didn’t happen. He has visited bars, but he has been sober for 20 some years, so that scene was a little painful to watch. By and large though, he feels that they crew got the story right.

I mention that at times, the film’s language is quite strong and asks if he regrets that. He tells me that it isn’t anything worse you hear in the real world. “Religous people worrry about that,” he says.

His biggest concern isn’t worrying about what others think of him, but that the word can get out letting others know of the atrocities that are still happening in Africa and how they can help.

To learn more about Sam Childers and his ministries, you may enjoy reading the book, “Another Man’s War.”

Originally written in 2009, the book has been re-released with photos of the movie. You may also want to visit his website, MachineGunPreacher.org, where you can watch videos, and read stories from the orphan children themselves.

Back in May 2011, the world was a buzz about the impending rapture predicted by Harold Camping. “Save the Date” billboards and bumper stickers were posted proclaiming that May 21 was the scheduled end of the world.

When the day came and went, Mr. Camping changed his mind. Instead of an earthquake we were to endure, all of mankind was “shaken with fear.”

For the last five months, you may not have known it, but according to Camping, we have been living in period of judgment with the final, FINAL rapture deadline moved to this Friday, October 21.

If on your “to do” list, reads:

• Do laundry
• Wash the car
• Get salvation

You missed the deadline.

Apparently, according to Camping, no more reservations have bene taken after May 21. So, go ahead and cancel your plans for this weekend. The weather is bound to be terrible.

Many movies have been made about the rapture by well-meaning Christians. Most try to scare the hell out of you and cause you to turn your life over to the Lord. Many times these have had the opposite effect.

Some will remember the Left Behind series that stared Kirk Cameron. It was inspired by the book series of the same name by Tim LaHaye who is said to be unhappy with the results and is seeking to have the movies remade.

The most recent movie with this theme to came out this year. Jerusalem Countdown is actually quite good. (Click on the link below to read my review). But the grand daddy of them all was A Thief in the Night.

While not the first end times film, A Thief in the Night is the most well known. It was released in 1973. Running a mere 69 minutes, the film managed to scare Christian children for years to come and not just because of the bad acting or the wardrobe. It just might be the perfect film to watch on Friday.

Thief is a story about Patty; a young woman who knows the gospel, but ignores it thinking that all one has to do to go to heaven is to just be a good person.

Her pastor, Reverend Matthew Turner, preaches that people don’t have to personally give their lives to Jesus to be saved, as the Bible is just an allegory in nature. One day, her husband and millions of others disappear and Patty realizes that she is living in the last days of the Antichrist.

A government system called UNITE (United Nations Imperium of Total Emergency) is set up giving all those “left behind” a special marking.

Those who resist receiving the marking are arrested. Patty resists UNITE but ends up cornered on a bridge and falls to her death.

Then, she awakens in her bed believing that all that had happened was just a dream. But not so fast – she stumbles out of bed searching for her husband and find his electric shaver still running and left in the sink. She realizes that the dream is starting to come true.

Thief was the brainchild of Russell S. Doughten. While Doughten worked on some secular films, most notably as an uncredited producer and director of 1958’s, The Blob, he is better known for his work with Christian end time films.

Thief was the first in a series of four:

• A Thief in the Night (1972)
• A Distant Thunder (1978)
• Image of the Beast (1980)
• The Prodigal Planet (1983)

Doughten himself appears in all four films as Reverend Matthew Turner, a survivalist who doesn’t completely believe in the Bible.

The rest of the cast includes little known actors including Patty Dunning (Patty), Mike Niday, Colleen Niday, Maryann Rachford, Thom Rachford, Duane Coller and Clarence Balmer.

While quite stylized, the quality of the film is very poor. The writing, actor and music make the film painful to watch, but is very much a part of Christian pop culture.

It features Larry Norman’s iconic composition, “I Wish We’d All Been Ready,” one of the earliest Christian rock his and one of Norman’s best-known releases.

Many have become Christians after seeing these films, but is debatable if that the best approach to share the “good news.”

Doughten went on to produce more faith-theme films with happier themes. His last film to date was A Stranger in My Forest in 1988.

Originally posted here.