Trailer Premiere: Same Kind of Different As Me with Greg Kinnear, Renee Zellweger, and Djimon Hounsou

Posted on August 17, 2016 at 11:18 am

The bestseller Same Kind of Different As Me is the true story of a sophisticated art dealer whose life was changed by his friendship with a homeless man. We are pleased to premiere the trailer for the film based on the book, starring Greg Kinnear, Djimon Hounsou, and Renee Zellweger.

The movie will be in theaters February 3, 2017.

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Based on a book Based on a true story Spiritual films Trailers, Previews, and Clips
New Film About WWII Hero Desmond Doss: Hacksaw Ridge

New Film About WWII Hero Desmond Doss: Hacksaw Ridge

Posted on July 5, 2016 at 11:43 am

hacksaw
Copyright 2016 Lionsgate

Mel Gibson’s new film is “Hacksaw Ridge,” the true story of WWII medic Desmond Doss, played by Andrew Garfield (“The Amazing Spider-Man”), who, in Okinawa during the bloodiest battle of WWII, miraculously saved 75 men in a matter of hours without firing or carrying a gun.

He was the only American soldier in WWII to fight on the front lines without a weapon. He single-handedly evacuated the wounded from behind enemy lines, under constant enemy gunfire and artillery bombardment.

Doss was a Seventh Day Adventist and a man of deep faith who saved the lives of men who had harassed him for refusing to carry a gun. He believed the war was just, but to kill under any circumstance was wrong. Doss was labeled the first conscientious objector (he called himself a “conscientious cooperator” as he volunteered) to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor.

The film also stars Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey, Teresa Palmer, Hugo Weaving, Rachel Griffiths and Vince Vaughn and is coming to theaters nationwide November 4th, 2016.

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In Production Spiritual films

Beliefnet’s Top Movie “Miracles”

Posted on June 28, 2016 at 3:30 pm

Want to see some movie miracles? Check out this list of Beliefnet-recommended movies with inspiring stories of divine interventions. Watch for a glimpse of the angel’s wings in this delightful dance number from John Travolta’s “Michael.”

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For Your Netflix Queue Spiritual films
Last Days in the Desert

Last Days in the Desert

Posted on May 12, 2016 at 5:45 pm

B+
Lowest Recommended Age: Middle School
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for some disturbing images and brief partial nudity
Profanity: None
Alcohol/ Drugs: Alcohol
Violence/ Scariness: Disturbing images, sad death of a parent
Diversity Issues: None
Date Released to Theaters: May 13, 2016

Copyright 2-16 Different Drummer
Copyright 2016 Different Drummer
The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell us that after he was baptized, Jesus entered the desert and spent 40 days fasting and praying. It was only when he left the desert that he was ready to take up his ministry. We do not know much of what went on, but two of the gospels say that during that time he was tempted by the devil.

Writer/director Rodrigo Garcia (“Nine Lives,” “Mother and Child”) wanted to explore that moment when the divine and the human sides of Jesus were both tested. With three-time Oscar-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki (“Gravity,” “The Revenant”) giving a burnished glow to the bleak and beautiful California desert, he tells the story of the last few days in the desert, as Jesus struggles with his destiny and spends time with a family with its own problems.

Ewan McGregor plays both Jesus (called Jeshua) and the devil. If God has made us in his image, then why wouldn’t the devil try to tempt us by having us see ourselves in him? But the real interaction here is with a family, a father (Irish actor Ciarán Hinds), a mother who is dying (Israeli actress Ayelet Zurer), and a son (Tye Sheridan) who live in an isolated hut. Like fathers throughout the millennia, this one thinks he knows what is best for his son, and it is doing what he has done. He is losing his wife and cannot bear to think of his son moving away. But like sons throughout the millennia, this one disagrees with his father. He wants to try life in the city. They cannot even talk to each other about it.

Don’t worry that this is going to be Jesus arriving like Dr. Phil or even Oprah to straighten everyone out. One of the wisest choices of the film is that Jesus, who will soon be performing miracles and instructing his followers is here in this place to listen and try to understand. There is no question of curing the mother or sitting the father and son down to try to negotiate or even get them to acknowledge the legitimacy and good intentions of each other’s positions. Jesus seems to understand that this is as close as he will ever get to what it is like to be in a family and he is there to listen, to observe, and to learn.

The quiet beauty of the film adds a meditative power, and McGregor’s performance reminds us how essential the human qualities of Jesus’ experience were in making possible the miracles that followed his time in the desert.

Parents should know that this film includes brief nudity and a sexual situation, sad death of a parent, some disturbing images, and spiritual struggles.

Family discussion: What did Jesus learn from the disagreement between the father and son? Why were Jesus and the devil played by the same actor?

If you like this, try: “The Gospel of John” and “Risen”

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Drama Epic/Historical Movies -- format Spiritual films

Interview: John Eldredge on “A Story Worth Living”

Posted on May 9, 2016 at 3:32 pm

John Eldredge, the author of books about faith like Beautiful Outlaw: Experiencing the Playful, Disruptive, Extravagant Personality of Jesus. In his new film, “A Story Worth Living” Eldredge and his three sons, together with two life-long friends,take on Colorado backcountry on motorcycles to create a documentary about life, meaning and the longing to be part of an adventure bigger than one’s self.

“A Story Worth Living” is filled with spectacular scenery and inspiring conversations. It premieres in select U.S. Cinemas nationwide on May 19 through Fathom Events. In an interview Eldredge spoke about the way challenging adventures expand the spirit by helping us understand our own stories.

Tell me a little bit about the logistics of filming — it looked like there was at least one GoPro strapped to a rider but how many other cameras were there and who was operating them?

We had 17 cameras operating in all, what with the drone, three HD cameras operated by cameramen, and various go pros on the bikes and hemet cams on the riders.

Was everyone wearing microphones?

Sound is a tough one during adventure filming. We don’t always have the chance to mic everyone they way we would in a static setting. We used a combination of wireless mics, booms, and sometimes had to grab sound from gopros and helmet cams.

Did knowing it would be recorded affect your interactions and conversations?

What made this possible, what made it truly authentic and real – totally unscripted – was that this group of guys know each other really well, we’ve spent a lot of time in the outdoors together, and these are the kinds of conversations we have off-screen. That was a big part of our hope – to demonstrate that men can have meaningful conversations and not just bs about the football game.

What is the most important thing to look for in selecting companions for a journey like this one?

Ask yourself, “Would this person drive me to homicide if I was trapped in a car with them on a 17 hour drive?” Compatibility is huge. Now – everybody is quirky, everybody is a little odd. You just want to make sure that you love most of their quirkiness, that they make you want to laugh more than they make you want to scream.

What did you learn in your bike training that was particularly useful?

Confidence is everything. Like with skiing – you have to be willing to commit your weight downhill; if you lean back and fight it you will fall. We learned confidence on these big bikes by dropping them a lot, by skidding out, by hanging our bodies off them at every odd angle, so that we could fully commit when time came to cross a river or climb boulders on these powerful machines.

You spoke of the impulse for adventure — what defines an adventure? Is it risk? Is it the search for something new? For context?

d) all of the above. A big point we make in the film is that in our day of extreme sports experts, we’ve lost touch with reality, with what adventure is. you don’t have to catch a 30 foot wave in Tahiti; you don’t have to ride your motorcycle around the world, or even ride at all. Adventure is something that takes you beyond your own world, your comfort zone, something filled with risk, yes, but also with joy, with beauty. It’s a leap into the unknown with just enough ability so that it doesnt scare the bejesus out of you. That could be travel, could be starting a company, could be getting married.

How is the story of this journey different for the participants at different moments in their lives?

I love the age span on this trip, from 22-63. For the younger guys, the physical adventure wasn’t the big test so much as the honesty in conversation, the thrill of being with older men who have a lot more miles. But for Dan (63) and me (55) we took huge risks to keep up with the younger guys on the dangerous terrain. So the trip had challenges for everyone.

Were there any moments of disagreement or conflict?

Of course. There is actually an incredible amount of pressure added to a trip like this when you throw film-making into the mix. You’ve got so much pressure to make the shot, repeat sequences, get to the next stopping point, then be totally honest on camera. Most of the tension took place around the back side of the trip – the timing and logistics and the need to push ourselves 14 hours a day.

How can we be sure the story we create for ourselves is the right one?

The is the $60,000 question. Many factors are involved. First off – is the story you are living all about you? If so, it’s a small story. Is it governed by past hurts and fears? That , too, will trap you in small things – or push you to prove yourself in a story that frankly isn’t even true to you. Identity is a big factor – Most of us are living out scripts handed to us by other people. Bottom line, what is the motivating power? Is it love? Is it goodness? The desire for justice, or mercy, or kindness? Big stories call us up out of ourselves into something much larger than personal happiness.

How did seeing one member of your group get injured affect the others?

It was terribly sobering. My accident was especially hard on my sons – they really feared something worse was going to happen. We were amateur riders in some extreme altitudes, and we could feel every day the fear trying to get in that someone was going to get really hurt. So we prayed a lot!

What is the next adventure?

Several things. Bow hunting for caribou in the arctic – a film about where does your food come from and what does ethical eating look like? The young bucks are training for a half iron man, and making a film about that.

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Interview Spiritual films
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