This Week on DVD

Posted on June 14, 2011 at 3:19 pm

DVD pick of the week: The Grace Card This unpretentious but sincere film about the power of anger and the greater power of forgiveness has quiet power, and its final scenes are moving and inspirational.

Also on DVD this week:

Battle: Los Angeles Destined to be remembered primarily as yet another step toward closing the gap between games and movies, the essence of “Battle: Lost Angeles” is a lot of boom-boom and a bunch of “ooo-rah.” But the action scenes in this military vs. alien invaders saga are fun and the one-the-ground and on-the-fly portrayal of operational strategy and honor is stirring.

Hall Pass A vile mess that wastes the talents of everyone involved, this is an un-funny comedy about married men who want to be cool and single again, just for a week.

Red Riding Hood Oh, Grandmother, what a big, bad movie you have. I invoked my famous “Gothika Rule” on this one.

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The Grace Card

Posted on February 24, 2011 at 6:00 pm

Lowest Recommended Age:	High School
MPAA Rating:	Rated PG-13 for violence and thematic elements
Profanity:	Some language, implied racist term
Alcohol/ Drugs:	Drinking, including drinking to deal with stress, drug dealers
Violence/ Scariness:	Death of a child in an accident, shooting of a teenager
Diversity Issues:	A theme of the movie
Date Released to Theaters:	February 25, 2011
Date Released to DVD:	June 13, 2011
Amazon.com ASIN:	B005335K9A

Anger seduces us because it fools us into feeling powerful.

Anger absorbs so much energy that it helps us avoid the more complicated and painful emotions of loss, guilt, regret, and fear. And that, as “The Grace Card” shows us, is why it is so hard to forgive.
Mac MacDonald (Michael Joiner) is a cop so bitter and angry after the accidental death of his young son that seventeen years later he is consumed with hatred. He subjects his wife, his teenage son, and his co-workers to constant complaints and insults. The escaping drug dealer who killed his son was black, and Mac has allowed racism to poison his heart as well.

His new partner is Sam (Michael Higgenbottom) a part-time pastor who has had to work as a policeman to make ends meet. He has a naturally cheerful and optimistic nature but he is hurt by Mac’s bigotry and hostility. Guided by the wisdom of his grandfather (Louis Gossett Jr.) and his wife (a warm and gracious performance by Dawntoya Thomason), he is able to play the “grace card,” to find forgiveness in himself and, after a tragic twist, to inspire it in Mac.
This is an unpretentious but sincere film with quiet power, and its final scenes are moving and inspirational.

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Trailer: ‘The Grace Card’

Posted on February 18, 2011 at 3:56 pm

The Grace Card is the story of a policeman who must find his way through bitterness and despair after the death of his son. When he is assigned a new partner, a part-time pastor, they find a way to help each other to healing and hope.

The film-makers have put together a Church resource kit about the film as well.