WordJourney Magazine » Movie Reviews

5 Inspirational Christmas Movies

Matthew C. Keegan — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 20:19:15 +0000

Christmas movies are of a mixed genre, offering a lot of “feel good” and holiday goodness, but oftentimes without mentioning whose birthday we’re celebrating. We can’t expect the world to embrace the holiday in the same way we believers celebrate the First Advent, but we can find the occasional movie which does a fairly good job of honoring God.

No, I’m not talking about kid favorites such as “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” or “Frosty the Snowman” or “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” although “A Charlie Brown Christmas” certainly does warrant a mention in my five inspirational Christmas movies (and shows) worth watching this year.

A Charlie Brown Christmas — Created in 1965, “Charlie Brown” was the first prime time animated television special. Yes, I’m old enough to remember when it first aired and, just as I was enchanted by Charles M. Schultz’s cast of comic book characters when I was 7-years-old, I find myself drawn to this show 45 years later. The most inspirational part has Linus quoting from the gospel of Luke to give Charlie Brown the real meaning of Christmas — priceless!

A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens’ classic Christmas story has been told, filmed and acted out for ages. Many different versions of the “The Christmas Carol” exist with at least eight holding true to the original story. My favorite is the 1951 version with Alistair Sim, whose darkened character comes to life when he understands that the Christ child brings redemption and life to this world.

It’s a Wonderful Life — I never thought I would like this movie (released in 1946) until I sat down one Christmas season to watch it with my wife. Perhaps it is the wholesomeness of James Stewart and Donna Reed that attracts the viewer to this movie or the strong underlying message of redemption. Yes, there are spiritual inaccuracies advanced in the movie including Clarence’s role as an angel — when we die we are saints, not angels — and there are enough sad stories (war, depression) and unseemly characters (Mr. Potter, for example) to go around. George Bailey is a model of someone who tried, failed and was ultimately redeemed — not unlike what Jesus has done for you and I.

The Christmas Shoes – This story is designed to tug on your heart strings and does a wonderful job of doing just that. A mother’s fight with a life threatening illness has a young son desperately looking for a pair of beautiful, red shoes for her very last Christmas gift. While the story unfolds a driven, loveless man played by Rob Lowe interacts with the beleaguered family and comes to realize that life is much more than material success. The words of a song, “And I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight,” represent the most overt message — although the redemptive part isn’t said, it is assumed. A sequel movie, The Christmas Blessing, is also enjoyable.

An Old Fashioned Christmas — Set in Ireland around 1870, this movie aired for the first time on December 11, 2010. Starring Jacqueline Bissett who plays the role of a controlling grandmother visiting Ireland with her betrothed granddaughter, this movie’s plot uses Christmas as a backdrop, but that isn’t the primary focus of the story. Rather, we have a woman who is tempted by the lustful, selfish son of the Earl of Shannon who must choose between his advances and the unconditional love of her intended, Gad. This Hallmark Channel original upholds all that is holy, good and noble, with more than one character demonstrating that true love never fails.

Some movies, including the last one, are best viewed by mature audiences as the content is not suitable for young minds. Where the overt redemption message isn’t offered, there are still enough good points in each to make them worth watching this Christmas season.

Photo Credit: Discoverbg.com

Tebow Ad: Where Is The Controversy?

Matthew C. Keegan — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:32:36 +0000

This video was removed by its owner. A new video has been posted to YouTube, please follow this link to view it.

Super Bowl XLIV is in the history books, with the New Orleans Saints vanquishing the Indianapolis Colts, 31 to 17.

As with every Super Bowl the commercials are nearly as entertaining as the game itself as marketing professionals seek to outdo one another by offering what they hope is a memorable clip for their product. Indeed, with more than 90 million US viewers tuned in, paying 2.5 million for a thirty-second spot is not as terrible as it sounds.

Today, a lot of people who came out against sponsor Focus on the Family (FOTF) and the Tebow ad have egg on their faces. I am showing a lot of restraint as I write this, but the hype from Planned Parenthood and their ilk proves that some people love to jump to conclusions.

In case you missed the ad, I have included it here for your review. Controversial? Hardly. Inspiring, cute, and fun? Yes, absolutely.

My thoughts? Some people have an ax to grind. Pam and Tim Tebow are certainly not named among them.

AP Photo/Independent Florida Alligator, Tim Casey

A Woman Tells The Greatest Story Ever Told

Matthew C. Keegan — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 08:12:20 +0000

It is difficult for me to believe that the most watched film in the history of the world, The JESUS Film Project, has been around for thirty years now. In 1979, Campus Crusade For Christ founder Bill Bright released the film which depicts the life of Jesus as explained in the Gospel of Luke.

The “Jesus” film has been translated into more than one thousand languages and has been viewed in about 230 countries. At last count more than five billion people have viewed the film.

Last year, Campus Crusade for Christ released a new film, this one telling the gospel story from a woman’s point of view.

Magdalena: Released From Shame is the story of Mary of Magdala, better known as Mary Magdalene. The story tells what she may have experienced walking with Jesus of Nazareth during His public ministry. It is through her eyes that the film portrays how Jesus values women, focusing on historical accounts of His interactions with them.

“The Magdalena film is a wonderful way to share with women everywhere that they are loved and valued by God,” said Jim Green, executive director of The JESUS Film Project. “Magdalena has already been shown in other parts of the world where women encounter violence and humiliation simply because of their gender. After test screenings in the United States we discovered that the Magdalena film can also be a very effective way to reach women here who may have never before considered the relevance of having Jesus in their lives.”

I haven’t seen the film yet, but I’m willing to go out on a limb to say that if it is half as good as the JESUS film, then Magdalena: Released From Shame will certainly be highly effective.

I’ve learned that The JESUS Film Project is offering related resources that can be used by families, women’s study groups and churches to help improve the experience of watching the film as well as to provide follow-up opportunities.

To find out more information about Magdalena: Released From Shame please visit www.MagdalenaToday.com or call 800-432-1997.

Movie Review: Fireproof

Matthew C. Keegan — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:34:00 +0000

It seems that few things escape my attention these days, for better or for worse.

Being that I derive the bulk of my work through online sources, I’m logged onto my computer more than I care to admit. This allows me to surf the ‘net in between my projects, visiting certain news sites and other carefully chosen web pages to keep pace with what is happening in the world.

Certainly, I don’t find everything of value online, missing the occasional edifying story and learning
about it much later from other sources. A recent example of that was the release of the movie “Fireproof” a truly wonderful Christ-centered story directed by the brothers who produced “Facing the Giants” in 2006. Providence interceded to make sure that I not only learned about the movie, but that my wife and I would see it in the theater together this week.

I’ll explain how God got us to the theater later, after I share with you my review of the movie.

Never Leave Your Partner Behind

Did you know that the flame of marriage can just as easily flicker as it can burn brightly? Likely, if you’ve been married for some time, you understand how marriages have their ups and downs, going through tough times as well as sailing smoothly on placid seas with a gentle wind at the back.

Fireproof addresses those marriages where love has grown cold, the place where couples are taking each other for granted and have forgotten their first love. From the movie’s beginning, we learn that Caleb and Catherine are living in a strained relationship, seven years of a tough marriage that is about to reach the breaking point. Caleb, who is the Captain of the local fire department, lives by the motto — Never leave your partner behind — when coaching his underlings. Unfortunately, he long ago left his wife behind and his marriage is going up in flames.

The Plot

Without revealing too much about the story line, I can tell you that Caleb and Catherine reached a crisis point where she filed for divorce, shortly after he was introduced to a book, The Love Dare, which encouraged him to take a forty day journey to win back the heart of his wife. During the midst of that journey, Caleb surrendered his life to Jesus Christ, but the trials only worsened. Caleb was tested beyond what he could have imagined, finding himself questioning his own motives and wondering if he truly loved Catherine.

Aside from the plot, I was very impressed by the quality of the production. Kirk Cameron, who played Caleb, was the one notable “Hollywood” actor in the film, a devoted Christian who in younger years was in “Full House” and, later, played in three of the “Left Behind” movies. The remaining actors and actresses were mostly local folks, including congregants from Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia, the church where brothers and co-producers Alex and Stephen Kendrick serve as associate pastors.

The acting was of a very good quality and the story line was real, not stilted. I remarked to several people after seeing the film that I was glad that it was much more realistic than some of the Billy Graham movies I had seen years ago. In those pictures, the story line wasn’t always very strong with the usual “you need Jesus” theme overtly emphasized. True, we do need Jesus, but lives are not always outwardly changed immediately. We still go through time times, sometimes even more so after we accept the Lord.

Final Showing This Weekend?

Fireproof has had a successful run since being released on September 26th, grossing more than $31 million to date. This is extremely good especially considering that the budget for the film was just $500,000. Facing the Giants was also low budget fare — costing just $100,000 to produce. But, that movie returned 100-fold with receipts topping ten million dollars when all was said and done.

Christians from all backgrounds have been embracing Fireproof, but if you still want to see it on the big screen, then this weekend may be the last one for many movie houses. With new blockbuster hits being released, the squeeze is on and Fireproof may soon be squeezed out. Thankfully, the DVD version should come out in late January just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Simply Providential

So, how did God get my attention about Fireproof? Well, he used someone other than my wife to encourage us to see the movie. Last week, when I was enroute to California on a business trip, one of the last people to board the plane was a man who chose to sit in my row. I was occupying the aisle seat while the other two seats were empty. He took the window position and we had an empty seat between us for our four hour journey westward.

Well, I soon learned that he was a Christian and I affirmed my faith in Jesus with Him. We talked about a number of different matters before he showed me his copy of The Love Dare and explained how the book was related to the movie, Fireproof. Needless to say, when we departed in Phoenix to change planes to our final destinations I knew that Freddie was a new friend who also brought with him an important message from God: see the movie!

The Love Dare

When I mentioned how God had arranged that Freddie and I sat together, and our related conversations, my wife’s face brightened. I agreed that we should see the movie and we did so while our children were in school this past Tuesday. Hey, I may be a cheap date but it was the best opportunity for us to see the movie (matinee, no babysitter fee) and I am glad that we did.

Later, after the movie was over, my wife (Ruthie) and I departed as she went to pick up our children at school while I went to the local Christian bookstore in search of a special gift. I purchased two copies of The Love Dare and I picked up the companion marriage kit with CD which we’ll view at some point together. We’ve already started reading our respective copies of the book, starting what will hopefully be a life changing journey together.

I’m thrilled to know that Fireproof and The Love Dare have impacted the lives of so many people over the last few months and I encourage all married couples to take the time to view the movie, even to do the The Love Dare. Even if your spouse isn’t willing to read the book (or see the movie) go ahead take the dare yourself. Sometimes the heart that needs to be changed the most is our own, but only if you are bold enough to dare yourself to that first.

How about you? Have you seen Fireproof yet? Have you read The Love Dare? If so, please share your thoughts by adding your comment. I would love to get as much feedback as possible.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Matthew C. Keegan — Wed, 21 May 2008 10:48:35 +0000

Disney brings a C.S. Lewis classic to the big screen.

As a young Christian, one of the first books put in my hand was Mere Christianity, a wonderful defense of the Christian faith penned by C.S. Lewis. The book went very far to help me personally grasp the importance of what I believe, but most importantly of why Jesus Christ is my sure foundation.

Since then, I’ve picked up a handful of Lewis’ books including The Screwtape Letters and have enjoyed the BBC production of Shadowlands, a story that recounts some of Lewis’ later years including his relationship with Joy Davidman. As far as his seven-part The Chronicles of Narnia series, I haven’t read those books yet, but I have seen both of the Disney productions released thus far including Prince Caspian, a movie my wife and I enjoyed this week.

First In A Series

Disney won the right to produce the Narnia series and evidently is planning to release a new movie about every other year until the series has been completed. Production for the third movie, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, has started and is expected to be released in 2010. Douglas Gresham, who is Joy Davidman’s son, is representing the C.S. Lewis foundation to ensure that the stories hold true to Lewis’ story line. So far, both movies have been quite close, at least that is what my wife says who is reading the entire Narnia series to our children.

Carefully Scripted

I don’t plan on spoiling the story line, but I will share some observations about the movie. First of all, it is extremely well done, pulling viewers quickly into the story line as it brings the characters to life. Second of all, director Andrew Adamson (son of Adam?) manages to flesh out the characters without getting silly. Talking mice, squirrels, bear, and badger are retained for the storyline, but their importance, I am told, fades to the background compared to the book. The Pevensie sisters take part in the battle, as do many of the other female characters. Narnia purists may object to this change, but it doesn’t detract from the story line.

Aslan, who is a type of Jesus, is presented wonderfully. Majestic and merciful, the movie took great pains to show how Aslan treats his enemies — sparing the lives of soldiers and forgiving traitors. On a personal level, I connected with Aslan as a figure for Christ, seeing fully how God is quick to forgive and to strengthen those who will believe.

Rated PG

Prince Caspian is rated PG and for good reason — there is plenty of violence in the battle scenes, though there isn’t any of the usual Hollywood, “up close and let me show you a dagger piercing his heart and leaving a gory mess” scenes in the movie. In addition, young children are likely to be disturbed by the demonic encounter at the White Witch’s revelation, a scene that can be embedded in a young child’s mind and come to life in the middle of the night.

Some critics have said that the movie, at 2 hours and 20 minutes, is too long and that the storyline is plodding. The long part for me was the six or seven movie previews which delayed the movie’s start by at least ten minutes. Thankfully, Adamson and Gresham didn’t trim the story to the usual, manageable 100 minute Hollywood flick, retaining virtually all of the storyline as written by Lewis.

Coming to DVD

When the movie does come out on DVD we will, just like the first one, buy it. One advantage of watching it at home is fast forwarding through the scary parts to allow young children to enjoy the movie without paying for it later in the form of nightmares.

From a production standpoint, Prince Caspian is a raging success, having pulled in $56 million during its first weekend alone. Most importantly, the movie retains Lewis’ message which is a wonderful allegory of the life and love of our Savior, Jesus Christ.