Fatherhood, something hard, something messy, something rewarding. Yet it is something few people experience. Sure they have kids, they love them, but they are never really fathers. If God is our example of a father figure 99% of dads across the world are missing the mark. But what if they realized this, what if they strove to right the wrongs, fight the fights, and win back the hearts and minds of their children, then give them back to God? This is what Courageous is about, answering that one "what if?" and then some.

Now I have been fan of the Kendrick brothers since their first film "Flywheel”. Two brothers that looked at the movies today and realized its application in the spiritual realm. From their first attempts at holding a camera steady to this movie, God has had their backs, and I was happy enough to be able to be one of the first to view the fruits of their labor.

As many of you know, I enjoy making films, and I know about many of the mechanics that go into making a movie. Not only that but I am a avid movie watcher, not just for entertainment-but for dissecting. And when I went to see this film, I knew that their last film "Fireproof" was a good movie, but it still gripped tight to that "New filmmaker" smell. For this, I was expecting something like Fireproof, only more polished. I was wrong. What I got was a full MMA HD smack down for my eyeballs, my sight and expectations lost, but high quality and pure filmmaking expertise stood over their remains holding the championship belt. And when my eyes finally recovered, they didn't have a moment of down time, this film was brilliantly layered, there was always something going on, and all of it was needed.

This film was sheer filmmaking perfection, color grades, editing, camera shots, all done for the glory of God. I am angry at my keyboard's pure lack of ability to relay how I truly feel about the movie. Acting was brilliant, you saw pure, unacted emotions on these people's faces, making every bit of drama completely your own. When characters shed tears, theirs hit the ground right next to yours. They showed fathers this is life, and that God is with you though all of it. This is where the always present "negative paragraph" goes. But I shooed it away, this movie deserves nothing but respect, because obviously, it had God's.

Fathers in this fallen world rarely stick around. They want nothing to do with their sons, daughters, and spouses. And because of this, earth falls deeper into the black pit it dug for itself. Crime rates rise, young suicides pour into it, and bitter hearts cause this black concoction to spill over the sides of the glass and onto humanity, making for a drowning world without the respect for God only daddies can teach. This movie shows fathers that they have a bigger part in this life than they thought, and that there is no way out of it, because you are either a good father, or a bad one. You stay a father period.  But the choice is yours. Will you let your children drown in this world, filling up their lungs with the gunk fathers before you left? Or will you be a part of the clean up team, protecting your kids from the world, showing them God's love? To teach them to do the same as you, so they may dry the world and make it presentable for the second coming. Will you sign the resolution and increase your accountability or just sit back on the couch, scratch your stomach, and merely be a spectator?

This movie opened my eyes to something as well, although I am not a father odds are, I will be. This frightens me terribly, I fear that I will not be able to fully be the father my son/daughter deserves but this movie shows that I will never be. Not without help. It says that fatherhood without the inventor of it is doomed to failure. But with him, you will have the strength to outweigh the world for your children. In the mean time, for now, I just need to prepare my heart for it. Do not just see this movie to support, view to learn, view to cry, view to show that God is in this with us. "As for me and my house, we will follow the Lord."

But this movie did something else, it opened my eyes to a job I was completely oblivious to, even though it was being performed in my own home. I never realized what all went into my dad's job as a father before. I never knew that it was so grueling and demanding. I never knew that he deserved a great deal more respect than I was giving him. But now I do. But for me, I am just happy that my father was already doing what the movie teaches perfectly.

I love you dad.

Every man is important when working on a movie, and today I would like to focus on some of the most important people in the industry-the editors. The editor's main job is to make the movie flow together, to make the film watchable. But what many people fail to see is that they just don't click and drag, they are artists, and the movie is their canvas. This ain't no paint-by-numbers. They have to decide what scenes or angles will work together, which ones would present the best emotion for the scene, and which ones would go together unnoticed. To show you the true meaning of the film editor, and to save me time trying to tell you about my experiences as an editor, I will show you this awesome youtube video about the spirit of the editors working on the movie "Iron Man 2"

Summer movies are coming to an end sadly, but to be frank with you (Frank is always honest, you should meet him sometime) there were not many good movies that dropped into theaters this year. Now what are you doing? Don't throw away your popcorn and local theater gift certificates that relatives gave you because they forgot about your birthday. Movies are still a movin! Here are three films that are awaiting your eyes. Though you may want to wait till the DVD of Abduction to come out.

Courageous: I've been following the Kendrick brothers since their first film "Flywheel" and it encourages me to see them getting backed by Sony, and kicking Box Office butt. But this is not just a movie you see to "support" your beliefs, it's a movie with a meaning, and an ordination from God. This is definitely one you need to see.










Abduction: filled with unknowns, thrills and conspiracy Abduction reminds me of Eagle Eye. It is a movie you'd want to see if you are into explosions. Though I believe the language barrier is being pushed.

Real Steel: I've been waiting for this film since June. Effects, fighting robots, And the same effects company that worked on the Transformers movies, what more can a growing boy ask for?

Soul Surfer

Things were looking up for Bethany Hamilton, she had a loving family, a God that loved her, a best friend, and a promising future doing the thing she loves best-surfing. Not to mention two loving brothers that perfectly fit the role of comedic relief. But this all changes when she starts putting waves before God. God tests her faith in a way that will change her world. She looses her arm in a shark attack, something that could end her career as a surfer and her dreams. But she finds that God's plans for her are not her own, and that everything will be ok on the waves using unwavering faith.

This is her true story.

When we started pushing this at the book store I'm working at, I was a little optimistic. It seems that now a days Christian movies are the same old script, same old tale, and same old bad photography. But to push a movie, you got to know it. So one night I shelled out twenty bucks, bought the blu-ray, set up a flat screen in my dark room and popped it in. And what I saw was impressive and touching yet at the same time a little unsettling.

This is my true story analyzing her story.

If you read the cover, you'd know that Bethany Hamilton is alive and well today, this is a true story. How much the movie kept to her real story I don't know. But I must say that this movie was as touching and well written as God's real tale of Bethany. Though not quite as perfect as God's.

There was a lot of blue in the movie, since the ocean was where most of it took place. The photography made sure you got the full impact of the waves and the breathtaking scenery of beautiful Hawaii, making you feel like you are soaked to the skin during a vacation that you and your wallet will never have. The movie is a great experience not unlike soaking your eyes in a bowl of Hawaiian Punch.

The characters and actors in the film played their part perfectly, causing this "Drama in Seaworld" to truly come together. The movie is not all about the color blue though, there was stress (the director did a good job of keeping you on the edge of your seat for the shark attack.....that won't happen for another twenty minutes) not only stress but love, drama, and true feelings were coming out of my small flatscreen. These emotions made the movie good.

But let's sit down here, I need to tell you something rather sad, but more so, shocking. You see, when you make a movie, especially to a secular world, you need something to push it. A formula, if you will. When it comes to kid's movies, you need humor. Animal movies, apparently you need crude jokes. But the formula that Sony picked for this film was, skin. Since for surfing you need swimsuits Sony decided to cash in on that secular goldmine, enough to keep it Christian-themed, but just enough to get some dimwitted males to go. Though innocent and unnoticeable at first, you start to pick up on the certain camera angles and clothing, along with one certain competitor who's wardrobe resembled a shark attack in itself.

But that flaw aside, the movie was a very well put together piece dripping with good writing. Though touching at times I feel that the movie had sadly more skin than God. To put it frankly, To much Surf but not enough Soul.

Buy worthy, but not quite up there with Fireproof.

Eureka

"Eureka": A cry of joy or satisfaction when one finds or discovers something.


This is one thing Marshal Jack Carter does not do when he discovers Eureka, a small town in the middle of nowhere no one knows about, and never will. With his car totaled he has no other choice than to stay in the town for a few days until it is fixed, a task that he finds a little hard to do since the D.O.D is telling him to mind his own business and not to touch anything. And with strange happenings in the town going on, the townsfolk showing their true colors and the town's sherif out of commission, he can't just sit around and do nothing!
Before he knows what's happening he is being forced to sign a nondisclosure agreement and is told that this odd town he found himself in is a top-secret community for the world's best, brightest and strangest. But something's going wrong, and they need him to help.
With wormholes, dogs, and a people that blow things up daily in a science-fuiled glee, this town both attracts and repels him but when his car is finally fixed tables are turned, Eureka needs a sherif-and he fits the bill.


The mixture of oddball characters and a unique plot gives this series a impressive flare that leaves a taste in your mouth, the kind of taste that makes you slowly inch toward the bag for just one more. It gives you a blot of science fiction with a likable hint of possibility, like what these people are actually doing in their little sciencey worlds are doable, not just something writers are making up to be cool.


The characters, who are the worlds best scientists live in a suburban world where one might ask his neighbor "Hey Phil, you mind if I borrow your plasma cutter for my hedges?" These characters are all quirky, smart, funny, backwards, and all oblivious that they are any of those. They look at Jack, the only normal one, and think that he is the only odd one. This world of non stereotypical characters with Mr. Normal thrown in gives this series an awesome storyline where it's not just the plot that keeps you staring, it's the mere conversations between characters that make it watchable.


Though it is a very colorful and creative show, the blend of "normal words" and "graphic scenery" makes it wobble. As in we get to see mutilated animals appear every now and then along with sex-crazied hosts and words not meant to be said in front of your children and apparently your parents as well. What makes me sad is that although this is a problem, it's stereotypical, and expected. In other words, if you watch TV, you can watch this. "Safe peril" is also included. "Safe peril" is where although a life-threatening event in happening, you still feel like everything is going to be ok. This is something that I rather like.    


In conclusion, this series gives you a break from normal TV, where the cops need to catch the robber, the surgeon needs to sow, where you can't see a show without guns being fired to pad time. This show gives you color, fun, and wishful thinking full of a longing for citizenship to this strange town, because to live in any other show you would live under the constant fear of being shot. In this show, although violence does happen, and deaths do appear, the show provides an allusion of security making you feel like the characters are safe. Though the animals in it may not be :)

Back in the Saddle

After two months of "air" the blog has dusted off its pants, grunted, and hopped right back onto the update horse. Just in time for Cowboys and Aliens, Sherlock Holmes, and Winnie the Pooh. No more lallygagging my friends, it's time for action, lights and cameras that is!

Movie Review: Cars 2

Pixar never fails to bring us a fresh new idea, even if they are recycling one of their old ones, and Cars 2 is no exception!

This time instead of racing and fixing egos, this Cars movie revolves around believe it or not, SPIES! Which is quite clever if you think about it, one of the coolest gadgets a spy has is his car. Spy Cars that can shoot missiles, fly and burn rubber are all a part of this flick, but the way Pixar does it makes James Bond wish he was a car.

This is the most filled out Pixar movie I have ever seen, there is not a single scene where they could have added another thing. The movie was a completely basted turkey with all the trimmings. It's one of those movies where you wish that you could view the entire film in slow motion just so you could see each and every minute detail!

But sadly, the most of characters that you all knew and loved in the last were somewhat "hollow" last second additions to the movie. They were all nothing but a shell of their former selves (a little joke for the people who know computer animation). Mater is the only exception for he is the star of the film and the new characters replace the old in a way that "somewhat" makes it "ok". Somehow I think that the only reason they kept the old characters is so they could make some money in a toy deal.

But one thing I did not expect in this race em up, is that it would also be a "shoot em up". Cars get blown up, shot, and tortured until they writhe in pain and die a painful death.......something I was not expecting in a "G" rated kids film. I don't know how the ratings board let this film get a "G". And these being colorful Pixar characters, it makes the violence worse. In one cringing scene we see the cubed remains of an agent car. But if you remove the few violent scenes that I have all mentioned here, you've got yourself one heck of an action film! 

Characters and violence aside, Pixar out did themselves in this film. It was a good film, but a classic summer movie with explosions and shiny things. But I did not try in any way to make this flick sound bad, it was another great pixar movie, a movie everyone needs to see and enjoy!