"October Baby" Helps Heal an Actress' Heart

A wonderful story at Life News:

October Baby, a moving film with a message of life at the center of its story, surprised many in the media during its opening weekend by doing very well at the box office despite many odds.

What resonated with viewers? I suspect that in addition the film’s genuine and heartfelt approach to the issue of abortion, authenticity was key in the performances by actors. During the end credits, viewers got a glimpse of how true one particular performance was when the filmmakers decided to include an interview clip of Shari Rigby, the actress who plays a post-abortive mother, which you can view by clicking here.
Rigby shares how her role in the film mirrored her own life, to the surprise of the filmmakers who did not know that she had undergone an abortion in real life when they offered her the part of the mother. For Rigby, the role offered a chance to disclose a long-held secret, to find healing, and give voice to the story of so many women who have undergone abortions.

“It was easier to get rid of the child, to not be questioned again, rather than to have a child and be looked up at the time like another failure,” Rigby says of the circumstances surrounding her abortion, breaking down in tears. “So many times, especially as young women, we carry that burden that we’re going look like a failure, that it’s shameful. And you can hide a secret for a long time, of abortion, unless you really speak about it.

In one of the most gripping scenes towards the end of the movie, Rigby’s character and Rigby herself, found healing in the forgiveness of God. On filming that scene: “We went into it and I remember the cameras rolling and I just, right as I walked into the room, I just knew that the Lord was with me and it was just complete healing…that wasn’t acting, that was my moment with God and Him with me, saying ‘it’s okay, it’s over, and you’ve been forgiven.’"

Praise God - I am definitely going to see this movie.

October Baby - Pro-LIfe Film Released This Week

From a review by Gina Delfonzo at Breakpoint of new pro-life film October Baby, in theaters this weekend.

Late last week I had a chance to see a new film called October Baby, set to open in theaters March 23. The movie tells the story of a college student who belatedly learns that she was adopted -- and that she's a survivor of abortion.

Give them credit: That's a perspective that I believe has very rarely been shown on film before.

The filmmakers are, as you would guess, pro-life Christians, and the film openly reflects that. Which raises the question, how is it as a film? As many of you know, I strongly believe that a film needs to be a film, not a sermon. And I'll be honest with you: During the preview, when it was mentioned that the Erwin brothers, who made this movie, took some advice from the Kendrick brothers, who made Facing the Giants, I winced a little.

That said, October Baby is in many ways a strong film. Most of the acting is good, and some of it is very good. The characters are more real and likable than those in most other faith-based films I've seen, and not all of their storylines are tied up with a neat little bow. The story feels original and fresh, with both emotional impact (I teared up a couple of times) and humor....

Looks promising!

The Next Bourne Movie

To be followed by "The Bourne Eschatology"?

Hat Tip:  Tall Skinny Kiwi

Talkin' About Jackson (While It's Temporarily Cool)

One Righteous Babe (love the blog name) talks about living in Jackson, Mississippi, (where I also live) while it's temporarily cool due to the book and movie "The Help."

You basically need a passport to come to The South because it's like a whole 'nother part of the world. Like good ol' William Faulkner said "To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi."

Then she says:

Did you know that Mississippi has brought you people like William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Tennessee Williams, Elvis Presley, B.B. King, Soulja Boy, Afroman, Oprah Winfrey, Jim Henson, Faith Hill, Morgan Freeman, 3 Doors Down, James Earl Jones and Jimmy Buffet.

And I love this:

"Mississippi is like my mother. I am allowed to complain about her all I want, but God help the person who raises an ill word about her around me, unless she is their mother too."

It's nice to be temporarily cool (even when the weather is hot!) .... And don't you talk bad about either Mississippi or my mother!

Blue Like Jazz: The Movie:

Years ago I wrote about the possibility of a movie version of Donald Miller's book Blue Like Jazz. Well, guess what? The rumors were true and the movie is being made.



Considering the subject matter, and that it is produced by Steven Taylor, I expect this will be one weird, wild and wonderful flick!

Hat Tip: Thinking Out Loud and Euangelion

Tuesday Links

Some harvests from my internet grazings:

A World Without the King James Version

A Pirate's Life for Me - Ben Witherington's review of new Johnny Depp pirate movie

World's Biggest Treehouse

The Church of Oprah

President Obama as the 2nd Jimmy Carter

Some Saturday Links

Some links from my internet wanderings:

A World Without the King James Version

A Short History of Christian Rock Music

God is more interesting than stealth helicopters

Pauline Christology: Implications for Understanding Synoptic Christology

Ben Witherington Reviews the Movie "Thor"  
 (Nothing spiritual about it, but a good action flick for a comic and sci-fi buff like me!)

Everyone Needs Some White Christmas

Got to find time to watch White Christmas this year. It has nothing to do with the Christian message of the Holiday, but my wife and I love this movie. And remember, the best things happen while you're dancing! When I am worried and I can't sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep.  Great music!

Little know facts about the movie White Christmas.
 

Waiting for Narnia 2010

Every year we go see a movie with our kids on Christmas Eve. This will be 2010's movie. I can't wait!

Another Movie From a C.S. Lewis Novel - "The Great Divorce"

This should be good! I finally got around to reading this book just two months ago. It was a short read, but I could not put it down.

"Veteran producer and Mpower CEO Steve McEveety will lead the production team. Childrens' book author N.D. Wilson ("Leepike Ridge," "100 Cupboards") is attached to write.

Lewis, who wrote the "Chronicles of Narnia" books and often wove Christian themes into his works, published "The Great Divorce" in 1945. Story centers on a man who learns that the sprawling, dim metropolis where he's been living is actually Hell; he hops on a bus headed for the outskirts of Elsewhere, only to discover that the one place worse than Hell, for a self-absorbed ad executive, just might be Heaven.

Mpower was created by McEveety in 2007 after he'd been a longtime exec at Mel Gibson's Icon Prods. He produced "The Passion of the Christ" and "We Were Soldiers" and exec produced "Braveheart" and "What Women Want.""

Hat Tip: The Thinklings,   Dougwils.com

White Christmas

The AMC Channel is running a marathon of "White Christmas" today - and I intend to watch it!

Nothing spiritual about the movie. It's only peripherally about Christmas. But my wife and I love it. Merry Christmas, Everybody.

(Little know facts about "White Christmas.")

Scripting Your Life

Donald Miller's Book Blue Like Jazz is being turned into a movie! He talks about the process of having his life turned into a movie script at Be. Do. Write in Christianity Today,

Miller's newest book - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years - covers this in more detail.

You see, this book is (ostensibly) about the process of turning Jazz into a movie. Two filmmakers come calling, Miller agrees to have his life scripted for the screen, and the three men collaborate on a screenplay. It's a chance for Miller to "edit his life," to make it more structured, compelling, and, well, movie-like. Does his life, like Casablanca, have purpose in every scene and every line of dialogue? Will his life leave observers with a beautiful feeling as the credits roll?

These questions stand at the heart of A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, which is essentially a stream-of-consciousness meditation on story, how our lives are like stories, the theory of narrative, God as a writer, and so on. It's a movie-like book about a book becoming a movie. The prose alternates between episodic, cinematic "scenes" and philosophical ruminations about story. It's all very meta and postmodern and layered in an Adaptation sort of way.

Pardon me while I break off to go edit my life.

Good Film About Martin Luther

I tend to quote Martin Luther a lot on this blog because I find his central insights on the Gospel to be so profound. Several years ago (2003), my wife and I saw the movie Luther in a theatre. We liked it so much we bought a copy of the DVD for our home library. This week Carl Gobelman at New Creation Person wrote a review on the film - Martin Luther: Father of the Reformation « New Creation Person . I can agree with the following comments.

"... the cast is outstanding. Joseph Fiennes as Martin Luther is about as good as it gets. I loved him in Shakespeare in Love, and I love him in Luther. Fiennes does a superb job of capturing the emotional struggle in Luther between his strong stance of faith and the doubts that surged in his heart. Luther was a man who loved the church, but hated the abuses of its ministers. I firmly believe that Luther did not want to break ranks with the Catholic Church. Rather he wanted to bring it back to the true gospel. Fiennes brilliantly captures the sense of betrayal Luther must have felt when he realized that the Holy Father did not agree with his diagnosis.

The rest of the ensemble was brilliant too. Alfred Molina as John Tetzel, Jonathan Firth as Girolamo Aleander, Claire Cox as Katharina Von Bora, and Sir Peter Ustinov as Prince Frederick the Wise all play their roles with clarity and conviction.....

....As for the film’s shortcomings, they are few but should be noted. As previously mentioned, the film only touches on the high points in the life of Martin Luther. It does not go into depth concerning his spiritual and theological convictions — convictions that helped shape the landscape of Protestant theology. Second, the film has a few historical inaccuracies, but they are minor (e.g., referring to Bible passages by chapter and verse when chapter and verse divisions weren’t instituted yet; stating that Luther and Spalatin met on law school when they didn’t meet until later; etc.). Third, the movie tends to simplify the heros and villains a bit. Luther is clearly the good guy and Pope Leo X, Aleander and Tetzel are clearly the bad guys. We all know in real life, things just aren’t that simple. Lutherans and Protestants will probably shout a hearty “AMEN” to this while Romans Catholics will match that with a resounding chorus of “BOO.” That’s probably to be expected."

The other shortcoming I would add is that the major characters don't age much when the film covers over 30 years of time!

All in all, it is a very good flick, especially if you are interested in church history (as I am). I recommend it for an interesting evening's viewing.

STAR TREK Rocks!

Okay, I forgive them. I forgive the continuity changes. I forgive the character changes. I even forgive the ship design changes.

STAR TREK ROCKS!

What a great movie. Best Trek in 40 years.

Ben Witherington likes it too - AN ADVENTUROUS ENTERPRISE--- REBOOTING 'STAR TREK'

Jonah Goldberg complains about Nimoy's acting and the continuity flip flops, but what does he know. I liked it!

Synopsis of reviews at Trek Today.

It's Coming!

Have I mentioned lately that I cannot wait for this movie? May 8th can't get here fast enough!

The Year of Trek Arrives!

Have I mentioned lately how much I am looking forward to this movie? Four months and one week to go!

Star Trek - May 8, 2009

Star Trek Babies?

Fellow Star Trek fan and conservative writer and speaker Jonah Goldberg at The Corner on National Review Online apparently isn't burning with anticipation for the new Start Trek film. He quotes other fans who have seen the theater trailer and call it "Star Trek Babies", "'Lost' in Space," "Felicity: Star Fleet Academy," and "Star Trek 90210."

Further comments from Jonah's e-mail in box at Trek's Sucktacularity or Lack Thereof.

Oh well, guess we'll find out who's right next May.

Star Trek Movie Spoilers

Some more plot spoilers on the new Star Trek movie have been leaked this week, including a picture of the new version of the Starship Enterprise (as shown above). I wish they'd left the ship exactly the same, round nacelles and all. Oh well, we can't have everything I guess.

For the plot spoilers, see the following sites:

TrekMovie.com
Den of Geek
Empire Online
Popwatch

Also: Big Reactions to New Enterprise

Have I mentioned lately that I cannot wait for this movie? Warp factor five, Mr. Sulu, ahead to May 2009!

New Star Trek Pictures!

Have I mentioned lately how much I am looking forward to this movie?

Trekie News

Have I mentioned recently how much I am looking forward to the new Star Trek Movie? May 2009 cannot come fast enough for me. Meanwhile, here's some Trek news from this week:

Star Trek 101

Star Trek XI Trailer Tidbits

Two Movies in One
Trek Back on TV?
Trek- Not Galaxy Quest II
As Good as Dark Knight?

Beem me up, Scotty - Take us out of orbit Mr. Sulu - Warp 1. Did I mention I'm really looking forward to this movie?