5000 Blankets trailer

 

Anna Camp stars in the film inspired by a remarkable true story, 5000 BLANKETS. Exclusively in theaters for two nights only – Dec 12 & 13. Get tickets now!

Inspired by a remarkable true story, 5000 BLANKETS is filled with hope and highlights the power of family and faith. When her husband has a mental breakdown and goes missing, a woman and her young son set out to find him on the streets, sparking a movement of compassion towards those in need and inspiring a city.

See the trailer:

AFFIRM Films, 5000 Blankets, stars Anna Camp, Carson Minniear, and Rob Mayes. Directed by Amin Matalqa and written by Matthew Antonelli and Larry Postel, this PG-13 film is a Fathom Event, showing in select theaters ONLY on December 12th and 13th, 2022.

LINKS:

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• The Heart of 5000 Blankets video 
• IMDb
• Variety article 

 

Paul, Apostle of Christ

PAUL, APOSTLE OF CHRIST is the story of two men. Luke (Jim Caviezel), as a friend and physician, risks his life when he ventures into the city of Rome to visit Paul (James Faulkner), who is held captive in Nero’s darkest, bleakest prison cell. But Nero is determined to rid Rome of Christians, and does not flinch from executing them in the grisliest ways possible. Before Paul’s death sentence can be enacted, Luke resolves to write another book, one that details the beginnings of “The Way” and the birth of what will come to be known as the church.

Bound in chains, Paul’s struggle is internal. He has survived so much—floggings, shipwreck, starvation, stoning, hunger and thirst, cold and exposure—yet as he waits for his appointment with death, he is haunted by the shadows of his past misdeeds. Alone in the dark, he wonders if he has been forgotten . . . and if he has the strength to finish well.

Two men struggle against a determined emperor and the frailties of the human spirit in order to live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ and spread their message to the world. (Website)

Love is the only way. This film covers the life of Paul as he transforms from Saul the persecutor to Paul the persecuted after a life changing encounter with Jesus Christ. One of the major influences on the world in history, Paul continues to make an impact today. His story gives hope to those who expect no mercy or redemption and we are able to gain a more visible insight into the courageousness to follow Christ...no matter the cost.

My Review: I thought the film was very well made and brought a deep insight into conditions that early Christians faced during the days of Roman persecution. The fictionalized story of Paul and Luke's relationship with a Roman prison official is a backdrop for sharing the gospel of Jesus. Standout performances for me included Jim Caviezel as Luke (physician and author of several books of the Bible) and James Faulkner as Paul. John Lynch as Aquila and Joanne Whalley as his wife Priscilla gave me a fresh perspective to the danger of being a Christ-follower and decisions that had to be made. Olivier Martinez as the Roman, Mauritius, does a good job as a doubter who is also desperate to save his dying daughter. To be honest, the pace of the film does drag a bit at times, but the message is clear and the ending is both satisfying and inspirational. I recommend it.

I highly recommend you watch all of the videos connected with the film that are on the Paul playlist on YouTube. Writer/Director Andrew Hyatt, Rich Peluso (Executive VP of Affirm Films), and several of the actors share more about the making of the film in these videos.

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Risen

"Risen" is the story of the Resurrection from the experience of Clavius (Joseph Fiennes), a member of the Roman Military Tribune. Due to the rumors that Jesus will return to life 3 days after his death, Clavius is assigned the task of overseeing the crucifixion and monitoring the guards responsible for making sure the tomb is left untouched. When the body of Jesus disappears, Clavius and his aide Lucius (Tom Felton) must discover what happened and how. In the weeks that follow, Clavius encounters events and people that challenge everything he holds true. When he finds the man whose crucifixion he had witnessed, Clavius is more determined than ever to find the answers...and his life will never be the same.

My Review: The acting, story line and production values are top-notch, and “Risen” followed the Biblical accounts closely enough that I had no issue with the creative licensing that must take place when telling a story from the point of view of a fictional character. The story brought a fresh look at people we are familiar with and “humanized” a few with both flaws and unexpected humor. Did I agree with every interpretation? No. But there was nothing that was outlandish or too far from actual events.

There are violent moments and graphic scenes as they search for Jesus among the dead, but not as intense as “Passion of the Christ.” Two younger teens were with me, and the movie was suitable for them, but I believe that parents should keep in mind that the film is PG-13. “Risen” is also one you can invite your unbelieving friends to see with you because it is a well told story about a seeker of truth (I love "Christian Pep Rally" films for my own encouragement, but some can be a tad antagonistic). Hopefully, it will open the door to many conversations and people will be more willing to explore the authenticity of Christianity. I confess that I am not a huge fan of several epic Biblical movies that people watch every year, but “Risen” will become a perennial favorite of mine.

The Confession dvd

The Confession is the continuing story of Katie Lapp (Katie Leclerc), a young Amish woman who is in search of her roots and discovering her true identity. Katie, who was “shunned” by the Amish community [in the first film, The Shunning], has reconciled her relationship with her adoptive parents (Bill Oberst Jr., Sandra Van Natta) and is now out in the world seeking her "Englisher" birth mother (Sherry Stringfield)...before it's too late.

Laura has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and her husband, Dylan (Adrian Paul), is desperate to find a way to hang on to his wife’s money to finance his gambling habit. When he hears from Katie, he quickly convinces a struggling actress (Julia Whelan) to pose as Katie in a scheme to grab the inheritance. Will the real Katie, who is hired as a servant, remain silent or will she expose the lies?

Click here to watch the trailer. *The trailer or review may contain spoilers.*

Disclosure: I received a copy of The Confession from Edify Media Inc. for review purposes only. I was not required to give a good review and all opinions are my own.

I remember seeing The Shunning and that I liked it, but I enjoyed this one even more. I admit there was a bit of a predictability with how the plot will go, but it is still a well told story that kept my interest from start to finish. This is somewhat like a fairy-tale, so you have to believe there will be a "happily-ever-after" ending...eventually. Keep in mind, though, that this is part of a trilogy. When Katie's first love, Daniel, reportedly drowned in The Shunning, I hoped he would return in a future film. He does! However...Katie also has a new love interest. Does Katie choose Daniel or Justin? Will Katie return to her Amish upbringing? The Confession leaves us hanging until the next film for those answers, but I am eagerly anticipating it. The film is peopled with characters whose stories intrigued me and left me wanting more.

Is it necessary to see The Shunning first? No. This film can be viewed as a stand-alone film without the viewer becoming confused about the story. For those who have seen the previous film, there are different actors in some roles (including Katie), but they are true to the characters you know. This is a family friendly drama and the faith aspect is touched on, but is not the main focus. I am not a fan of "sappy" movies whose major purpose is to make people cry, and am happy to say that while The Confession has the "tug at your heart" moments, it's not the emotional manipulation that annoys me.

The film, directed by Michael Landon Jr. and written by Michael Landon Jr. and Brian Bird is based on the book by Beverly Lewis. The Confession (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, AFFIRM Films/Provident Films) is currently being shown on The Hallmark Channel, but is due to be released on dvd June 11, 2013. You will want this one!

Abel's Field

Left motherless by tragedy and abandoned by his father, high school senior Seth McArdle (Samuel Davis) has been put under enormous pressure to support his little sisters. At school, he endures the daily bullying of the football team. When he fights back, he's singled out for punishment, assigned to an after-school work detail under the supervision of a reserved groundskeeper, Abel (Kevin Sorbo). Much to his surprise, Seth discovers that Abel may be the only one who truly understands his struggles. As dark times lure Seth towards desperate measures, the reluctant Abel may be the one person who can point him back towards the light. (back cover)

Watch the trailer below:

I liked this film, but I did not love  Abel's Field  . One one hand it was a moving story of a young man who was willing to do whatever it takes to take care of his younger sisters. He was not afraid to work hard, and did his best to provide a safe environment for them and make them feel loved. One scene (it's in the trailer, but I hate to give away too much) has a football player committing a criminal offense...in my state anyway.  [Goodness knows we are crazy about football too, but the boy needed to be held accountable by the witnesses.] Plus, it bothers me that no one seems overly concerned about how these children are surviving. There is an inconsistency that distracted me. I can go along with some of it, but not the entire thing.

The relationship between Seth and Abel was more convincing. Both were struggling with unimaginable issues for most of us, but each provided something the other needed. Abel had withdrawn into himself and did not want to let anyone in. Many of the touches of humor sprinkled through out the film played on this aspect of his character, and I thought Sorbo showed great reactions to these situations. Seth was overwhelmed by responsibility, mistreated and/or abandoned by those who should have been helping him; He also believed that God didn't care about him. Both of these men learn that family matters, we need others, and that God can be trusted to be there even when we are having to step out on faith.

FlyBy Promotions has a copy of this dvd to send out to one of my readers. To be entered into the random drawing, leave a comment on the blog. A winner will be selected at 6pm (CST) on Thursday, January 31, 2013.

Website: http://www.abelsfield.com

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"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."