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The Investigator (2013)
A Diamond in the Rough
What a surprise to find out The Investigator was written by Ray Romano's brother and based on his life! I thought his script for this story was cleverly put together. Although I'm a sports fan, I think the baseball tangent perhaps was emphasized a bit more than needed and there should have been more footage of the investigation. That concept is not new; both Lee Strobel and Josh McDowell eloquently documented their investigations on the topic of Jesus Christ. However seeing a class full of screw offs transform into keenly focused and highly motivated historical detectives was precious. The acting was solid. The sports action was fairly realistic (something you don't see much). And the cinematography didn't scream "low budget production". I thoroughly enjoyed this film and I highly recommend it.
The Resurrection of Gavin Stone (2017)
Awesome movie - even my wife loved it.
As a movie maker and a movie watcher, I think the true test of a film involves the importance and effectiveness of the message delivered and the level of emotional involvement by the audience. If my criteria is valid, The Resurrection of Gavin Stone passes the test with flying colors. The crucifixion scene has never presented in a more powerful manner. The idea of a human finding his need for a savior while playing that very savior in a dramatic production is awesome. There will be people who find Jesus through watching this movie. I just pray that eventually this story actually plays out in real life, because it appears the man who played Jesus still hasn't met Him. I can help but think that scene will be playing in his head the rest of his life. It would be ironic to think that he employed his terrific acting skills to lead people into Heaven yet missed the bus to the Celestical city himself. If that happens, it won't be the fault of the director Dallas Jenkins (son of Jerry Jenkins of Left Behind fame) and writer, Andrea Nasfell, who provided an entertaining and innovative way of preaching the gospel - without actually preaching.
God's Not Dead 2 (2016)
God's Still Not Dead - And He is Not Tame
PureFlix has officially entered the culture fray with guns blazing. The title of their newest film offering is not very imaginative - God's Not Dead 2. That may be the most severe criticism I can drum up for this movie. Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman have come up with another excellent script and PureFlix forged together a great cast to bring that script to life. A great story will provoke the mind to ponder beyond the surface and the adrenal glands to shoot emotional surges through the body. This one did both for me. The writers borrowed some pithy phrases from pundits as well as from scripture to complement their own provocative dialogue. I've always liked courtroom dramas, perhaps because I enjoy a conflict of wits and words more than fists and guns. Friction produces energy which provides stimulation to the human brain and body. There was no dearth of intellectual warfare and thus titillation in this one. And that battle is just a microcosm of what is happening in our real world today. If you have any question about that - read the bad reviews of this movie. Permit me to include a quote from one of my own scripts: "We are in a battle for the minds and hearts of mankind." This movie portrayed that scenario very well. One of the characters actually declares that humans, especially Christians, are in a war against the devil. I strongly urge you to see this movie. If you are antagonist to Christianity and your attitude precludes you from absorbing evidence that is contrary to your own world view, take my word for it, you will not enjoy the movie.
Now to address the bad reviews. I might say that having the liberal media review this movie is like having a tanning parlor owner review a movie about the dangers of skin cancer caused by tanning beds. Bias would certainly be cause for peremptory challenge removal of that critic from jury consideration, but unfortunately, reviewers are outside the jurisdiction of any fairness judge.
Let me go out on a limb here and suggest that if this story dealt with discrimination against an illegal immigrant or Muslim or sexually confused person, the critics would have found this movie to be delightful. The Bible says that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. This message not only brings the message of the cross, but also that fact that society is trying to systematically shut down that message. Those who criticize this movie often state that Christians are not being persecuted and there is no culture war. After all, many Christians would deny that there is a war going on. They're so focused on being cool and part of the world that they are being extremely naïve. But I can't throw stones at them. Eight years ago I was just as naïve. Let me ask this - how many movies do you watch that actually include a list of individual true cases which have been used to formulate the plot? There were probably about twenty incidents included in the closing credits which involve the trampling of religious freedom.
One critic made the brilliant observation "this is a stupid movie". Wow, I'm rendered speechless at such profound insight. Another of the frequent remarks by critics is that the movie contains sheer propaganda. I guess this is one of those situations where propaganda, like beauty, is in the eyes of the beholder. Support for my cause is propaganda; support for your cause is dissemination of information. My take on propaganda is that it should involve deception. The espousing of truth should never be described with a derogatory term. Thus the ultimate question that reviewers and just regular viewers of this movie need to ask themselves, is this truth? A superficial examination and mindless dismissal will not suffice to arrive at a well founded viewpoint. One critic said that this movie was made just to make a buck and in doing so is bringing out the worst in people. Others said this movie was produced purely for proselytizing. I tend to think it was made to rally the troops - to jolt complacent Christians out of their lethargy and self indulgent, catatonic state and into action. A sleeping giant may have been aroused. Stay tuned for future headlines. After all - Pureflix consider this a movement, not just a movie.
The ironic thing is that the atheist couple in the story considered themselves free thinkers. I might suggest that is mis-nomenclature. Truly free thinkers would allow the expressing of all opinions, not the suppression of ones that some people don't like. Arriving at truth requires the freedom to explore all avenues. Disallowing the name of Jesus in a discussion whether in a classroom or any other public setting is not conducive to a healthy society in any manner. The America I grew up in had people who said "I may not agree with what you say but I will fight to the death for your right to say it." That's how important freedom of speech was to them. Now political correctness is taking the place of freedom and the thought police are out in force. The new attitude seems to be "you have the right to say whatever you think as long as I approve of the content."
Perhaps society's strategy of trying to silence the witness of a savior who paid the supreme sacrifice out of love will backfire. At some point, perhaps young people will rise up in curiosity and explore this carpenter from Nazareth who lived 2000 years ago - because so many people around them are trying to make Him go away. And when they do, we might find revival breaking out among them that ignites a world. The King always has a counter move. And this movie God's Not Dead 2 seems to be His move for this season.