Movie Review: A Great Awakening

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A superb historical drama. 

This movie tells the true story of the friendship between Benjamin Franklin and the preacher George Whitefield. This unlikely friendship between a deeply devout Christian and a man who has always been critical of religion and skeptical of God's existence is the heart of the film. The way these two very different men come to care for and respect each other is quite touching. Through this movie, you even get to see how the two clearly influenced one another. The way this relationship folds out and develops makes it so that we are fully capable of seeing what each saw in each other. Though they do argue about their theological and moral differences even in these scenes you can see how much they love each other. John Paul Sneed and Jonathan Blair's performances add very much to this. John Paul Sneed is one of the best Benjamin Franklins I have ever seen in a movie. He is so incredibly convincing that sometimes you almost forgot that he is not the real historical figure. George Whitefield is a very difficult character for any actor. To play this character you must be loud and boisterous (while never being over the top), while also being gentle and tender. That Jonathan Blair pulls this off perfectly is no small feat. This is a truly incredibly performance. The two actors also have fantastic chemistry with each other. They work extremely well together whether in scenes where they are gently ribbing each other or in the powerful scene later on when they are having a particularly heated argument. The film's concluding scene could have come off as a forced sermon but because of how we have seen this relationship unfold it feels like an earned emotional moment. 

Despite some poor special effects in one scene, this is a very handsome movie filled with the type of beautiful period look that audiences have grown to expect from this type of film. 

This is a truly great film that I hope finds a big audience.  

Movie Review: I Can Only Imagine 2

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

An excellent biopic of the Christian rock band MercyMe. 

Despite the prevalence of both musical biopics and sequels in modern cinema, a sequel to a musical biopic is rare. That is what makes I Can Only Imagine 2 work so well. It tells the story of what happens after where most musical biopics stop and about how everything doesn't necessary work out perfectly after your dreams come truly. With this theme the sequel takes a more serious and sometimes even melancholy tone. All the while though in true Christian movie fashion, this film tells how God is by your side through the tough parts of life and that even in your darkest days you can find hope. That the story is not afraid to go to darker and more serious places makes this message all the more effective. One may accuse this story of sermonizing at times, but the sermons fit the story and the characters. They are also quite well written (especially when dealing with the story behind the classic hymn, It is Well).

This movie also benefits greatly from an excellent cast. John Michael Finley is still great as the band's lead singer Bart. Trace Adkins is again fantastic as the band's manager. Sammy Dell is an excellent addition as Bart's teenage son holding his own with the rest of the great cast. However it is Milo Ventimiglia as the band's opening act, Tim Timmons who truly steals the show. He is simply wonderful here bringing a real heart to the film as well as some of the movie's most effective comedic moments. (On a sidenote it is strange how we actually hear more Tim Timmons music than MercyMe music in this film).

My main complaint with this movie however is that the focus is so much on Bart, his teenage son and Tim that we don't really get to know or spend time with any of the other characters. These characters are mostly just kind of there without us really having any connection to them. The sole exception is the band's manager yet that is more because of Trace Adkins' performance and a few pretty funny lines he is given than any actual character development. 

Despite these flaws though this is a very emotionally effective biopic. 

  

   

Movie Review: I Was a Stranger

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A very moving film.

This film from Angel Studios is about the plight of Syrian refuges through different stories that involve five different strangers. These strangers' lives all end up effecting others in profound ways, some positive and some negative. Though this movie is made by the Christian Angel Studios, it is not the typical feel-good sugar-coated Christian film that one might expect it to be. For the most part this film favors a sense of gritty realism. This even done to the point where different main characters speak different languages throughout, with English subtitles through it all. This may be alienating to much of Angel Studio's typical audience, who may not be used to having to read subtitles for so much of a movie. However, it does make this movie feel more real and adds much to its emotional resonance that way. Speaking of emotional resonance, this film is very throughout. The characters may not be the most complex but fulfill their job very well. We care about them and their plight. I will not give away any of the emotional scenes in this movie, but I will say that some will really have an impact on you. 

Though this may not be an overtly Christian movie, you won't find a single bible verse recited nor any character giving their lives to God. However, it focuses on one of the most important Christian values, compassion for others. In today's climate this is a value that is more important than ever all over the world. 

This movie does have the problem of trying to fit too many stories into too small of a runtime. This can make elements feel rushed and characters feel underdeveloped. 

All in all, a very well-done film that leaves an emotion punch at times. 

-Michael J. Ruhland

        

Movie Review: David

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

An excellent animated film.

This film follows the life of the Biblical David from childhood to when he became king and serves as a follow-up to the animated streaming series, Young David. The movie is even co-directed by that series' creator Phil Cunningham. However, you do not have to either have seen that series nor be familiar with the Bible stories to enjoy this film. The movie sets up everything we need to know very quickly making it perfectly accessible to everyone. Yet Christians who know their Bible stories, who let's be honest make up about 90% of the film's audience, will be delighted that this movie follows the Bible very closely. This is just what will make it work for non-Christians as well. These tales have endured and inspired for centuries because they are still powerful and effective today. That this film stays close to the source material helps give it much of that power as well. The movie's emotional moments hit hard, and its joyful moments make you cheer. 

For an animated feature not made by a major animation studio, it is amazing how good it looks. There is none of that cheap and off-putting look that has hurt so many well-written but low budget animated films. It may not fully reach the height of Disney or DreamWorks in this department, but it still looks very professionally made. 

As this movie is about the writer of many of the Psalms, it is no surprise that music plays a major role. The songs, written by Jonas Myrin (who has co-written hit Christian songs with such popular Christian artists as Michael W. Smith, Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman), are quite good with pleasant melodies and effective lyrics. They may not be especially memorable, but they do their job very well. Having award winning Christian singers Phil Wickham (who voices David as an adult) and Lauren Daigle in the voice cast, as well as Israeli pop singer Miri Mesika, helps elevate that music in this film. 

This movie does have its flaws though. The side characters (especially David's siblings) are not very well developed and come off as crude and unfunny movie stereotypes rather than actual characters. Speaking of unfunny, this movie has too much really forced humor that just doesn't work. 

Despite these flaws though, this is an excellent film that I hope points towards what lies in the future for animated Biblical stories.  

Movie Review: Sarah's Oil

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

An excellent faith-based film. 

This film follows the true story of Sarah Rector, a young 11-year-old black girl, who is given a plot of land that she believes God is telling her oil is on. When she hires a company to check for if there is oil on her land, they try to swindle her out of her land. 

What makes this movie work is that it shows us the ugly side of humanity, while still remaining hopefully about the future. The film never sugarcoats when it comes to racism and human greed. We see the absolute worst of both of them here and some of these scenes can be heartbreaking to watch. Yet this is a movie about how sometimes human decency and kindness can sometimes overcome hatred and greed. We may know that this may not always be the case but knowing it can happen sometimes gives us hope, especially as sadly this kind of hatred and can sadly still exist. 

This movie also benefits from some strong concise storytelling that doesn't waster a moment, as well as some strong acting. While Zachary Levi gives one of his better performances here, it is young Naya Desir-Johnson as the titular character who steals the show. She is so charming, likable and completely believable here that she makes the whole movie work very well. 

I will say though that this movie is very predictable and it is very often that you can see exactly where it is going. There are no surprises in the whole movie. 

Overall, this is an excellent movie. 

Movie Review: Soul on Fire

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A well-made, if flawed biopic. 

This movie tells the true story of John O'Leary, who has a child accidently set his house on fire and burned himself beyond what anyone would think that he could come back from. He survives and after making it through a struggle with self-doubt, becomes a powerful Christian speaker. 

Though visually this film may resemble a made for TV movie, it is obviously of a high caliber than what is seen on Hallmark or Lifetime. The acting is truly excellent here with not a weak link in the cast. Of course, William H. Macy is a standout as the real-life baseball announcer, who ends up becoming one of the main character's best friends. However, Joel Courtney and James McCracken also wonderful as the main character as an adult and kid. DeVon Franklin steals various scenes in a supporting role as a nurse.  Stephanie Szostak and John Corbett are excellent as the parents and Masey McLain is quite good as the love interest. I came into this film expecting the corny dialogue that is heard in too many Christian movies, but the dialogue was actually quite strong here with most characters talking how people would actually talk in these difficult situations. The writing also does its job as it makes you feel inspired by the story of this character's life. As you should with a feel-good movie, you feel better leaving the theater than you did entering it. 

The movie's main flaw though is that there is nothing cinematic about it. As mentioned before this looks like a made for TV movie rather than something that you would actually see on screen. Yet this is not the only aspect I am referring to when I call this uncinematic. The film simply doesn't follow one of the most important rules in movie making, show don't tell. I understand that the filmmakers' have to condense a person's life to less than two hours. However, this does not excuse brushing aside important plot points with brief bits of dialogue. After one disastrous attempt at talking to a group of girl scouts, we next see our main character having become a mostly successful public speaker. What changed between those time periods is never shown to us but rather the main character mentions it briefly during a conversation. For a movie about public speaking, this major change in the character's life should have been something that we were shown happening. The same thing happens with the character's transition from a party animal to someone who lives for God. Again, we are told about this change but don't see it happen in front of us. Even though this still a good movie, this is a truly major flaw. 

Despite this major flaw though this is a very effective film. It is a feel-good movie that truly makes you feel good. 

    

Movie Review: The Last Rodeo

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A well-made but familiar faith-based drama. 

There is little in this movie about a bull rider who hasn't ridden in 15 years (after a becoming injured in a bull riding accident) heading back into the saddle to help fun his grandson's surgery, that you haven't seen before. Still the film always has its heart in the right place. You care about these characters because it is obvious that the filmmakers care about them. The movie may get very sentimental at times, but the sentimentality always feels natural and never forced. This makes this familiar storyline, one we actually deeply care about. The acting is also great and Neal McDonough (who also co-wrote and produced the film) is fantastic and completely believable in the main role. He perfectly captures the emotion of the character and makes the film all the more emotionally effective.

The movie also does a good job at exploring important themes about putting aside your pride and letting others help you as well as trusting in God even when things get tough (this film is from the Christian owned Angel Studios after all). Like many Angel Studios films, this movie is not one where the whole film is about Christianity but has Christian themes and talk about God inserted in. These Christian themes (especially when characters talk about their faith in God) are never forced into the movie nor do they feel out of place. People who believe in God will sometimes talk about their own faith to their friends because it is a part of who they are as people. Because of this having a few scenes where Christian characters briefly talk about their faith only seems completely natural. This is not preaching to the audience, it is simply showing them that these are characters of faith and that is part of who they are. 

Despite a sense of familiarity, there is nothing really wrong with this movie. However, at the same time there is nothing spectacular to make it stand out among many similar movies. This does not change that this film makes for a good trip to the movies though. 

 

Movie Review: The King of Kings

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

A delightful, animated family film. 

With season 5 of The Chosen in theaters, The Last Supper on its way out and Light of the World coming to theaters later this year, I fear that this delightful family film about Jesus' life may be overshadowed by the flux of Jesus films this year. I hope that I am wrong about this though as this movie is a sheer delight. This movie is loosely based off Charles Dickens' short story, The Life of Our Lord, a story that Dickens created for his children and was not published until 64 years after his death. With this in mind the story of Jesus is framed with Charles Dickens telling the story to his son. This is not only a framing device as soon the great writer and his son become a part of the story. This framing device is what makes this movie so delightful. The film asks us to see this story that we all know from the point of view of a child who has never heard it before. Because of this we get to emotionally experience this story as if for the first time. The ways that our narrators get involved with the story also leads to a lot of fun and fresh moments that put a smile on my face. The bits of slapstick humor, while never laugh out loud funny did add a real childlike charm. Speaking of childlike charm as this movie is aimed at kids and focuses on a man telling the story to a child, this is a simplified version of the story (like in those kid bibles). Yet despite this it never talks down to its young audience, instead treating them with the utmost respect. 

 This movie also a big-name voice cast with many prominent movie stars. While for the most part, I am not the biggest fan of this practice (as I often would prefer to hear cartoon voice actors), it works fairly well, and I never once stopped and thought about these characters being voiced by big movie stars.

This film does have one big flaw though. This movie runs 1 hour and 50 minutes. This is simply too short of a time to tell Jesus' life, especially when his life doesn't take up the whole runtime. Because of this, the film feels like an overly condensed version of the story with many story points feeling rushed. 

A delightful movie for the whole family. 

Movie Review: The Last Supper

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A surprisingly pretty good movie. 

I read some reviews before actually seeing this film. After reading the reviews I came into this movie with very low expectations. Maybe these low expectations were a factor here, but I ended up really enjoying the film. This is a basic but effective retelling of Jesus' life. Much of the dialogue here comes directly from the bible and this authenticity adds to the movie's charm. What also helps this movie so much is that its heart is always in the right place. This is such a well-intentioned film that it is hard not to fall for its charms. The simple and direct way the story is told adds even further to these charms. While none of the acting truly stands out here, the actors all do a well enough job. The visual filmmaking will never amaze you, but it is always competently done.  

The only thing about this movie that really doesn't work are the scenes where Judas is tempted by Satan, who is in the guise of a serpent. This was a very unnecessary addition to the story and one that doesn't really add anything. In fact, I found it distracting as it felt like it belonged in a different film. 

For the most part though this is a well-done film but one that also doesn't do anything to make it stand out from the many other movies that tell the same story. Because of this sadly this well-made movie will end up getting lost in the shuffle of the many other movies about Jesus' life. 

Movie Review: Homestead

 

Michael's Movie Grade: D+

Angel Studio's weakest film yet. 

First things first, this movie is really the set-up for a streaming series of the same name. I am personally very against this idea. It is one thing to have a film where the story will be continued with the next movie but it is a very different thing to have a movie be nothing but a glorified pilot episode for a show. Many movie fans (me included) just simply want to watch a film when they go to the movies and don't want to have to watch a whole TV series after they are done. Because of this a movie like this really needs to stand on its own. Unfortunately, this film doesn't but feels just like what it is. 

I always appreciate how Angel Studios tries to take the Christian film industry beyond the usual genres. Unfortunately, this delve into the post-apocalyptic survival genre simply falls flat. Unlike most of the Angel Studios films, this movie does not do a good job at incorporating its Christian message into the story. For the majority of the film, there is hardly a mention of God. However, towards the last act, this suddenly becomes a full Christian movie with barely any build up. This sudden shift from what has been a very cynical story to an uplifting Christian one, simply feels jarring. Because of this it takes away any real impact this Christian message could have had. This movie also suffers from bland characters, who barely have any personality. The actors playing them, try their best but they can't make these characters interesting. They also can't deliver the awkward dialogue in a way that makes it work. For a movie about society falling apart, little is explained about what happened. I am sorry but I need more information than just technology stopped working and we were too dependent on it. How little is explained makes this film full of plot holes. There is so much that simply doesn't make sense here (also why do modern movies assume Texas and California would work together if society fell apart, this makes no sense (yes, I know it is only two films but still)). 

This movie does benefit from good performances (even if not good enough to make up for the weak characters), visuals that look surprisingly good and some thought-provoking questions being brought up. 

Yeah, this is not a great movie and the first Angel Studios film to really miss the mark. 

Movie Review: Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

A very well-made biopic. 

Bonhoeffer was a man who completely deserves to have a movie about him. He was a German pastor, who stood up against Adolph Hitler and against the church when it followed this horrible man. Yet he always felt, he had to help in more ways than just preaching and he helped in any way he could even when it was very dangerous. This movie captures just what made this man so great, while still painting a very human portrait of him. Though it is never slow paced, it takes its time to let us get to know the man, instead of rushing into the important things he has done. The scenes where he is in the U.S. with his good friend (a black pastor) help us see what helped shape him into the great man he would become. It is during these scenes that we see his faith in God become something deeper than just reading the bible and him learn just how much prejudice exists in this world. We also even get a good glimpse into another side of the man as he discovers jazz music for the first time and falls in love with it (if Louis Armstrong was on stage the first time you hear jazz, you would fall in love with it too). These moments don't add much to the story but do make this film feel much more real to us and the man much more human.

This movie does follow the conventional bio-pic storytelling and doesn't really do anything new. Because of this it doesn't really stand out from similar movies as much as it should. However, the story and subject are more than interesting enough to make up for this.

All in all, an excellent movie. 

Movie Review: The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A delightfully old-fashioned Christmas movie.

This film feels like a throwback to a more innocent time. Yet this is just what makes this such a charming movie. As you watch it, it is hard to not feel like a kid once again. This is of course perfect for a Christmas film, as Christmas does the same thing of making us feel like a child again. This movie's simple story of a small town's bullies taking charge of the church's Christmas pageant (which is the pride of a town) and perhaps learning the spirit of Christmas themselves can invite you in like a warm hug, the way a more complex story couldn't. Not only is the story delightfully old-fashioned but so is the visual filmmaking. From the opening shots of storybook to the 70's setting to even the sets and use of lighting (which feel like they are from a movie from multiple decades past). With this great visual filmmaking this film seems to effortlessly have the old-fashioned Christmas charm so many movies try to achieve and don't (most Hallmark Christmas movies for instance). This is mostly because here it feels natural instead of forced as well as a passion project rather than an effort to easily sell something to an audience. Even the use of narration (much of it reminiscent of A Christmas Story (1983)) adds to the warm nostalgic charm. Even with the outward simplicity of this movie, there is a surprising intelligence here (in the spirit of director Dallas Jenkins' popular Christian TV show, The Chosen). This film more than anything is commentary on hypocrisy. It looks at a community that views itself as Christian and yet is anything but. They are more concerned with tradition than what is actually right or wrong. The Herdman kids may be bullies but they are not hypocrites and because of this they can provide this town whose traditions have grown old and stale with something real and genuine. One of the best scenes is fairly early on, when the Christmas play's director is reading the Christmas story from the bible to the kids. The rest of the kids are bored because they heard this story many times and it has become boring for them. However, the Herdmans are gripped on every word and have many questions. They may not understand everything, but their reactions are real, genuine and honest. Though before this scene all we had seen of these kids are them being bullies, this comedic little scene tells us all we need to know about how they are more than they seem on the outside. 

This is a new Christmas classic.        

Movie Review: The Forge

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B-

A well-made but familiar faith-based film. 

 This movie about a young adult, learning to grow up and take responsibility as finding faith in God, offers nothing that anyone watching has never seen before, but it does its job well. The main thing that this film gets right is the main character. He is very likable and easy for anyone watching to relate to. Since this film is about him growing up, he changes a lot over the course of the story. However, this change seems to happen naturally and is completely believable. Also, no matter how much he has changed he still feels like the same character. The main character's relationships with his mom and his boss feel very well realized and this makes both him and those characters feel more real to us. Because of this even though the movie hits many familiar beats, some of the emotional scenes truly do pack a punch.   

As you must expect from a movie like this it does have a very prominent Christian message. It has a lot to say and says it well. This is done and a way that feels accessible to non-Christians, while still having something to say to Christians. However oftentimes it feels like the whole story stops so a character can give a sermon. These are very well written sermons, but they can also mess with the film's pacing and can take you out of the movie. 

This film also has problems with some awkwardly written dialogue, some bland side characters (some of whom aren't well acted) and weak humor. The familiarity of the story also makes it hard for this to stand out among many similar movies.  

This may not be a classic, but it does its job quite well. 

Movie Review: The Firing Squad

 

Michael's Movie Grade: C-

A good story that is unfortunately hampered by terrible acting and below average visual filmmaking. 

The basic storyline of this movie is a pretty good one. It is the true story of a man who finds Jesus while on Death Row. Naturally such a story is very emotional. It is both quite sad as well as being an uplifting tale of how people can change for the better. As such there are some truly emotional moments in this film, especially towards the end. The romance in this film also works surprisingly well and has some real touching moments. 

However this is not the great faith-based movie it should have been. Many people who don't watch a lot of Christian movies criticize them for being cheaply made and poorly acted. This is not true of most Christian films today, many of which are very well made. However, this film does fit those criticisms. The acting here is truly terrible. Not one actor is actually good in this movie. Sometimes the acting in this film can make what are supposed to be very serious scenes into something unintentionally funny. The scenes with the prison guard are some of the most unintentionally funny scenes I have seen in a long time. This is not helped by very clumsy dialogue at times. There is actually some good dialogue in this film (the lines about not crying are quite well written), but that doesn't make the clumsy dialogue any better. Much of the clumsy dialogue revolves around characters stating that they don't believe in God. Sometimes the dialogue in these scenes makes you wonder if anyone working on this movie has ever actually met an atheist and has any idea how they talk or think. Even the visual filmmaking isn't that great here. The cinematography is often quite bad and very distracting. The uses of montage are even worse and almost feel like we are just looking at stock footage that the filmmakers just happened to find. 

This movie tells a good story and has moments of good storytelling. However, the acting and visual filmmaking may make this a rough watch for some. 

Movie Review: Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A very well-made faith-based movie.

To me the best inspirational and uplifting films are the ones where you have to go through some hard stuff to get to the uplifting moments. Similarly, I think the best faith-based movies are the ones where the characters' faith is truly put to the test. It is not that I relish these elements (not in the slightest). However, I feel that the inclusion of these scenes makes the more uplifting and happier moments all the more effective. This is definitely true here. There are some scenes here that all truly hard to watch. However, because of these scenes, I found myself being strongly moved by this movie. This is a film about adopting children, who have been abused and are traumatized. The film never sugarcoats either the trauma they have suffered or how hard it can be to adopt and raise them. The movie also doesn't overlook how hard adopting multiple children can be financially for the average working person. Yet this film has moments of great tenderness that makes you understand why despite the difficulties it was worth it to adopt them. At the same time there are scenes involving one of the kids that are so tender and heartfelt that we can't help but be on her side. This is a movie that I think will inspire many who are on the fence about this type of decision to actually do it. And that means that this movie does exactly what it sets out to do and is very successful at doing it. 

This movie has a major problem though. It focuses on the foster parents and one of their foster kids so much that we don't get to know any of the other children. When it comes to the other kids these parents are raising (both foster and ones they gave birth to), we know pretty much nothing about them. Not even little things like what their interests are or how well they do at school. There is one very emotional scene right after the couple adopts a pair of kids. However after that those kids are regulated to being in the background for the rest of the movie. Not only that but the resolution to what happens during this scene happens off screen. It feels wrong to have such a powerful scene and then barely address it again. 

Despite this major flaw though, this is a truly powerful movie.  

Movie Review: Sight

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A very well-made film about the life of Ming Wang, a brilliant doctor who helped blind people be able to see. 

What really made this movie work is the way it is told. This film tells one specific story within the doctor's life. However, this is interspliced with flashbacks, where we see everything that brought him to this point. These flashbacks are often the most emotional parts of the film. Because of this the main story becomes all the more emotionally involving. What at first seems just like a conventional and not especially emotionally involving telling of this story, gains more emotional urgency as we begin to understand more and more what is driving this character. The flashbacks are also often very well juxtaposed with the main story, with many reflecting what we see in the next scene. The main story also has its share of heart felt moments, especially towards the film's last act. A scene in a church is especially touching. This movie also benefits from a very strong lead performance by Terry Chen. The movie also benefits from a very strong sense of humor with some truly funny moments. of being based off such an incredible true story doesn't hurt either. 

Anyone familiar with the studio or the filmmakers will know that even if it is not the focus their will be some Christian messages here. They are very well incorporated into the plot without feeling like the film stops to preach to its audience. In fact, some of these moments are even some of the film's most emotional.

This film does have its flaws though. One is that the supporting characters are often quite bland, and we never get to really know them as characters. The romance also can feel tacked on. It doesn't really add much to the story and instead kind of distracts from it. It also is not that interesting. It seems to be here because nearly all biopic movies have a romance in them. 

Though this movie has its flaws, it also has a lot to recommend it. 

Movie Review: Cabrini

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A well-made biopic. 

This film tells the true story of Francesca Cabrini, an Italian nun, who heads to New York to help out improvised Italian Americans, who simply because of racism are forced to barely survive in a run-down area not fit for a human being. This is an incredible true-life story told with real sincerity and heart that we can feel in every scene. The movie does a great job of making us understand, just why what this woman did was so extraordinary and so important. While this is an inspirational movie, it has no problem facing the harsh realities of life head on. Some of these scenes can be hard to look at, but that just makes the rest of the film all the more powerful. The whole movie does a wonderful job of mixing harsh reality with a real sense of hope. The movie makes us see things through our protagonist's eyes and understand just what drives her. Because of this we not only are in awe of this real-life hero but also see how no matter how hopeless things seem it is always possible to make a change in this world. A great performance by Cristiana Dell’Anna and an effectively atmospheric late19th century look and feel, don't hurt either. 

Unfortunately, this film does suffer from some corny dialogue (the last line is almost unbearably corny), overlength and too many underdeveloped subplots.  None of this can take away from how powerful the story is. 

Though not without its flaws, this is a movie that will almost certainly emotionally move you.  

Movie Review: Unsung Hero

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

Very conventional storytelling can't ruin an incredible true story.  

This movie is the first feature film directed by Joel Smallbone (of the Christian pop-duo For King and Country). For his first film as director, he tells the story of his own family moving to the U.S. from Australia and winding up there without the job his dad was promised in this new country. This movie specifically focuses on his parents and his big sister (Christian singer Rebecca St. James). As well as directing Smallbone also plays his own father in this film. 

The true story this film is told is wonderful. It is a very touching story about how a family with all the odds against them survive in a strange new country and without money, thanks to their faith in God and love for each other. Yet it also delves into the difficultly of accepting help because of our own pride. Much of the heart of the movie comes from the father learning this simple but difficult lesson. The Proformances are wonderful all around with Smallbone as the dad standing out. This film also boasts quite a few really well-done emotional moments, especially involving the parents. Much of this is due to how much we truly care about the parents and Rebecca. 

However, this movie is told in a very familiar way and there are many times when the film can feel a bit too much like many other movies you have seen. The film is also told in too fast a pace, often hoping from one story point to another. This often lead the supporting characters and even some of the kids in the family to not being very fleshed out. We don't ever feel like we truly get to know some of these characters. 

While not perfect this movie does tell a good story and has many emotionally effective scenes. 
 

Movie Review: Ordinary Angels

 

Michael' Movie Grade: B+

An excellent feel-good movie. 

This film tells the story of a father going far into debt just trying to help his 5 year old daughter who badly needs a liver transplant. It also tells of a woman who decides to dedicate most of her time to helping this young girl survive, while fighting her own personal demons. 

In many ways this movie is quite familiar and corny. However, the film is presented so earnestly that it works very well. This is the type of movie that will even charm the most cynical movie goers and make them believe that there truly is goodness in this world. There is no doubt that the filmmakers truly believe in this goodness and that is felt in every second. The climax is a perfect example of the pure sincerity behind this movie's message. The film also benefits from truly likable characters. This is especially true of our two leads. They are incredibly likable and relatable, while still being very flawed. The film does a wonderful job of making us see ourselves in these characters. We see ourselves in both their virtues and their flaws. This gives us an emotional connection that makes the emotional scenes work incredibly well. These characters are also helped by truly wonderful performances by Hillary Swank and Alan Ritchson. Those who are familiar with the other movies from Kingdom Story Company, will know that there will be a Christian message here. The Christian message could not be better done. It comes naturally out of the story and characters and the film never feels like a sermon. Actually, the message instead enhances both of these as we delve into how tragedies can cause one to lose their faith. The father trying to deal with how to hold onto his faith when everything seems hopeless is something that will connect with both those who believe in God and those who don't. 

This movie does have its flaws though. Many of the scenes can feel too familiar and there can never be much suspense when we all know how the story will end. There are also some scenes involving the kids that try too hard to be cute and come off as cloying. While there is a lot of good dialogue here, there are also parts where the dialogue can be a little clumsy. None of these flaws though stop this movie from being quite emotional.

This is a heartwarming movie that will truly warm your heart.  

Movie Review: Journey to Bethlehem

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A very charming musical version of the nativity story.

This may in many ways be a very simple retelling of the Christmas story but in many ways the charm is in that simplicity. This is because while it may be simple it does capture the heart and the warmth of the biblical story. It may take a few creative liberties, but it gets right down to the essence of what Christmas is all about. Whether you are a Christian or not this movie will simply put a smile on your face. Much of the warmth can be found in Mary and Joesph themselves. While Mary (as portrayed here) may in some ways resemble your typical Disney heroine, she is a character that we like from the time that we first see her (much of this is due to Fiona Palomo's warm and charming onscreen presence). Also even while adding more typical movie heroine traits, this movie always treats her with the utmost respect and shows why she was far from just any woman. The way Joseph is portrayed is simply perfect. This film takes a good look at the inner conflict he had. We truly see him battling within himself whether or not to believe Mary. This is something that I feel many film versions of the nativity story tend to overlook. However I feel that it is one of the most important parts to the story. The sheer amount of faith Joseph had to walk with to believe and trust that Mary was telling the truth. I simply love that this movie, honestly takes a look his step of faith (Mary even says to him, "I'm not the only one who was chosen for this."). This also adds a real emotional connection to a story that we all know how it ends. 

I went into this film, expecting to not really enjoy the songs. Part of this comes from many modern musicals having songs that I didn't care for. Yet I was surprised that I actually ended up enjoy these songs quite a bit. They are quite catchy and pleasant to listen to. There are even times where the lyrics are quite clever. I even actually loved the song from Joseph's dream sequence.

The scenes with the Magi are mostly played for laughs and are often times very silly. While I have no problem with this concept, I felt they should have been funnier. There may be a few smiles in these scenes, but there are no real big laughs. Though most of these scenes I was feeling that I should have been laughing more than I was.   

While this may not be the best film version of the Christmas story, it is a very charming film. There are even a few moments of greatness here.