DVDs - Faith and Family Reviews

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Movie Review Monday- Letters To God

Posted by Bobbie Gould on August 30, 2010
in Movie Review Monday, Movies

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Letters To God

We recently watched Letters To God via Netflix as we had a free one month trial. And we thought that this was a really great movie. This movie is about a young boy with cancer, and how he decides to write letters to God. And how is his family learns to deal with the pain of watching their son, grandson, and brother have cancer. This movie was very moving and you will need a box of tissues. The movie was funny in parts as well as sad in other parts. I highly recommend this movie for familys and children of all ages.

Here is the synopsis:

Tyler Doherty is an extraordinary eight-year-old boy. Surrounded by a loving family and community, and armed with the courage of his faith, he faces his daily battle against cancer with bravery and grace. To Tyler, God is a friend, a teacher and the ultimate pen pal—Tyler’s prayers take the form of letters, which he composes and mails on a daily basis.

The letters find their way into the hands of Brady McDaniels, a beleaguered postman standing at a crossroads in his life. At first, he is confused and conflicted over what to do with the letters. Overtime he begins to form a friendship with the entire Doherty family. Moved by Tyler’s courage, Brady realizes what he must do with the letters, a surprise decision that will transform his heart and uplift his newfound friends and community –in an exhilarating act of testament to the contagious effect of one boy’s unwavering faith against the odds.

Inspired by a true story, Letters to God is an intimate, moving and often funny story about the galvanizing effect one child’s belief can have on his family, friends and community.

You may watch the trailer below:

You can purchase Letters For God for various prices at many different retailers. Be sure to check out the Letters To God website.

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Set Apart DVD

Posted by html404 on May 7, 2010
in DVDs & CDs, Movies

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We requested the movie Set Apart from our library via interlibrary loan. We had read a description of it in the CBD catalog and were intrigued.

Set Apart is about a ministry reaching out to inner city kids who are being tempted all around by negative influences. Four of those kids get an opportunity to escape to the country side to see what life on a ranch is like.

Friendship, trust, action, excitement, comedy make up this poignant drama. It may be a little scary in parts for little ones, so parents be advised you may wish to view it first so you can properly prepare them.

We really enjoyed it as a family, so wanted to be sure to mention it as another family-friendly movie.

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Horse-Boy Review

Posted by html404 on April 20, 2010
in DVDs & CDs, Movies

I received the following book in exchange for writing a review. While I consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, my review is my honest opinion and thoughts of the book.

Horse Boy is a documentary about a boy with autism. His name is Rowan. This DVD is the journey of Rowan and his parents and their search for answers to how to live, deal with and manage Rowan’s autism. Rowan’s father, Rupert Isaacson, is a human rights worker, author and former professional horse trainer, and his mother Kristin Neff, is a psychology professor. Initially, they sought all the normal medical care, but these therapies had little affect on Rowan’s behavior.

In their struggle to make sense of their son’s disorder, they discover an interesting connection between Rowan and horses. It was this connection with a neighbor’s horse that made Mr. Isaacson wonder if he could combine horses with healing. He began researching the origins of horses and where they were first domesticated. What he found led him to Mongolia, where shamanism is known for its healing and is actually their religion. This led Mr. Isaacson to decide to take his family to Mongolia in search of healing Rowan’s autism. Ms. Neff had to be convinced of the feasibility of this trip especially when every day life was a battle, but in the end Mr. Isaacson won her over to the prudence of this decision.

The movie documents the family’s journey to Mongolia. It shows some raw footage (bathroom trips, purification “bath”, which they use a fuzzy image for privacy), but it is reveals their family’s personal journey. I just like to disclose things like this because I prefer to know about these types of things if someone recommends a movie or book to me for the first time. That way viewers can make an informed decision about their family watching the movie. However, I won’t reveal the outcome of their trip overseas in case you want to watch the movie!

I also want you to know that April is Autism Awareness Month, so please be sure to check out the additional resources in the links below for more information about autism.

Watch Horse Boy on PBS!

If you have TV and are so inclined, you may watch Horse Boy on PBS Tuesday, May 11, INDEPENDENT LENS presents The Horse Boy, Michel Orion Scott’s remarkable new documentary about Rupert Isaacson and Kristina Neff’s unorthodox journey with their autistic son and the miracle they find through horses — first on their Texas farm and then in the outer reaches of Mongolia. Rupert Isaacson, who has also written a book about the experience and now runs a learning center, The Horse Boy Foundation.

Resources:

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/horse-boy/

http://www.horseboymovie.com

http://www.autism-society.org/site/

http://exchanges.nyse.com/archives/2008/04/autism_awareness.php

http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=research_awareness

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The Book of Ruth DVD

Posted by html404 on April 19, 2010
in DVDs & CDs, Movies

I received the following book in exchange for writing a review. While I consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, my review is my honest opinion and thoughts of the book.

Book_of_Ruth_med

We had the privilege of reviewing another movie produced by PureFlix Entertainment last weekend called The Book of Ruth. It is interesting that this was the next movie to review because last month our family watched another version of Ruth and were slightly disappointed in the discrepancies throughout it. Pureflix’s version was pretty much right on in their depiction of the biblical story and characters. They did not take liberties like the other version did and we appreciated that fact.

We really enjoyed this movie. With everything going on though, we did not preview it one beforehand but there really wasn’t any need to. It is a very family-friendly movie. We loved that the characters were portrayed like their real characters, showing their sorrow, as well as their joy and servitude towards one another. Just imagine what the world would be like if more people would think of others before themselves, it’d be a whole different place wouldn’t it?

I loved the wonderful relationship between Ruth and her mother-in-law. So often in the real world, mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws get a bad rap from one another, but this movie showed how a daughter through marriage can be a devoted and loving daughter – by choice, by example and by love.

We have been very pleased with these two films we have received from Pureflix and highly recommend them to families seeking family-friendly, Christian entertainment.

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The Business of Being Born

Posted by html404 on April 10, 2010
in DVDs & CDs

Ever since I heard about documentary, The Business of Being Born, I have wanted to see it. There was even a screening here in the Chicago area, but being a bit of a miser I decided to wait until it came out on DVD. Then life happened and I forgot about it until this past week when a friend and colleague mentioned it on Facebook. So I looked it up online, found it and watched it. It was really good.

Business of Being Born dvd

Director, Abbey Epstein and executive producer, Ricki Lake did a great job of documenting how birth has become big business and how normal, healthy pregnancies can produce a healthy birth at home. Both of these ladies actually had a birth filmed and a part of The Business of Being Born.

Here’s another tidbit about me, I am actually a bit of a prude. So I don’t enjoy seeing other women in all their “glory” giving birth. Although, I do love their responses as they meet their newly born child – that moves me to tears. I also do not like fowl language, which The Business of Being Born did not “bleep” out the few times that it was uttered by participants in the movie, but that did not detract from the message of the film. It did make my ears ring though. Not that I don’t ever spout off something I shouldn’t when I am upset, I do, after all I am human. However, I do not use the “F” word and think it sounds atrocious to be honest. Very unlady like and unprofessional in my opinion. But I will say that some of these ladies were giving birth and in pain, so in part they really did not have had much control at the time either.

I think this is a must see film for all women planning to have children, expecting or who may even be done having children. Each group of women will take something away from it and it will challenge the way they view and think about birth.

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BibleMan – Combating the Commandment of Confusion DVD

Posted by html404 on March 25, 2010
in DVDs & CDs

I received the following DVD in exchange for writing a review. While I consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, my review is my honest opinion and thoughts of this DVD.

Bibleman

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I signed up to receive this BibleMan DVD. I had only heard and seen a couple of products at our old bookstore. I was under the impression BibleMan was animated, I guess because of the toys, but I was wrong. This DVD is actually a live adventure with the actors performing on stage in front of a live audience. I really enjoyed the opening song! It was encouraging.

Of course, I loved the biblical principle presented in the DVD, which was based on Ephesians 6:11 (ICB) “Put on the whole armor of God so that you can fight against the devil’s evil tricks.” They did a very good job of showing us how we are in a spiritual battle and that we need to be prepared to fight by using the armor of God.

Our children have enjoyed watching The Commandant of Confusion and Chaos cause a disruption in the Biblical Adventrue Training Academy. They really liked it. Again, this is a product probably geared towards children under 8. I couldn’t find any age recommendations, but I am going by my children’s reactions and comments. As I have said before, I find as our children get older they are not entertained by the same things as the younger crew. Although, our nine-year-old daughter said that she likes BibleMan, so again, every child is going to be different.

Some Christian films in the past have seemed amateur-ish, especially once you have viewed anything Hollywood or Disney has created with their multi-million dollar budgets. However, BibleMan was like watching a live theater performance. I was pleasantly surprised with the content and production.

For more information visit www.bibleman.com/ BibleMan may be purchased at most Christian retailers, as well as at other major retailers like Walmart and Amazon.

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Interview with Author Tina Turbin

Posted by html404 on March 15, 2010
in Books, DVDs & CDs, Giving Back/Charity

This interview was conducted before I received any of Mrs. Turbin’s Danny the Dragon products.

FF: I am looking forward to reviewing your products.

TT:Thank you for doing them!

FF: I just have a few questions about your upcoming DVD that is due to be released in March. Official street date is April 14th actually.

FF: Is the DVD an animation or does it have real actors?

TT: Neither, the DVD is the book read aloud by an actress and the DVD has sign interpretation for the deaf.
I am donating the money to the Blossom Montessori School for the deaf as well as for Literacy and Education.

FF: What ages is the DVD geared towards?

TT: 2- 9 years but I have attended many schools with it and the young teens sure love it!

FF: Is there a particular reason that you decided to make a DVD of Danny the Dragon?

TT: Kids love to watch things on TV and computers and I was also asked that I create one off of the book. I also wanted to make something for the deaf as well.

FF: Does the DVD deviate from the book? If so, how?

TT: Not at all. The exact story.

FF: You have included sign language in the DVD. Did you have a personal reason for doing that?

TT: I visited a school to do a reading of my Danny the Dragon book and the school works with kids from very young all through High School and they had a number of deaf students. Carol Downing did the sign while I read to these lovely children. These kids amazed me, the staff inspired me and I walked away from that day with a new view on many aspects, and so did my photographer who came with me for the reading. I got in the car and my ideas starting rolling away on how I could help or do more. I first attended a fund raiser and donated to that and that was not enough. So now we have the DVD as well.

FF: And were actual deaf actors involved? ( please see above)

FF: How was that experience for everyone who participated in the making of the DVD?

TT: We all felt a deep sense of commitment doing it and truly enjoyed working on it. The end was an accomplishment well worth the time and the kids love watching it over and over.

FF: It is great when authors, celebrities and businesses support different causes in the work they are doing. You support the Celiac Foundation and now the deaf; what made you decide to choose these two organizations?

TT: CELIAC: I am passionate about raising awareness to Celiac Disease and the many adverse effects that gluten produces in many children and adult bodies- and even animals! One in every 120-130 people have this disease which means about 2.35-2.85 million Americans to this date have not yet been diagnosed. It takes an average of 4-10 years (depending on who you reference) to be properly diagnosed and in the meantime other auto-immune diseases can begin and a whole mess evolves. People find out about celiac or gluten intolerance and start researching it themselves and bring the topic up to their doctors, after many years of tests and troubles to no resolution. I was one of these people! Also, many kids with autism are taken off of gluten for a very good reason. Much more is on my resource site about these topics: http://GlutenFreeHelp.info DEAF: (Explained above)

FF: I think I have exhausted my question reservoir for the time being. I appreciate the privilege to review your book and DVD, as well as the opportunity to interview you.

TT: I thank you VERY much and you can learn a bit more about me at this site: www.TinaTurbin.com

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