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Princess Kaiulani – Movie Monday

Posted by html404 on April 28, 2014
in Entertainment, Family Stuff, Movie Monday, Movie Review Monday, Movie Reviews, Movies, Uncategorized

We watched the movie Princess Kaiulani on Amazon Prime a couple of weeks ago. It was available free with our Prime membership. Amazon describes the movie like this:

This gorgeous, sweeping historical epic tells the story of the final days of Hawaiian independence and how one young princess stood up to the impending takeover of her nation.

Wikipedia says, “This is a 2009 movie based on the life of Princess Kaʻiulani (1875–1899).”

B’s Review of Princess Kaiulani

B is our 15 year old daughter.

I’ve always liked and respected Princess Kaiulani (ka-e-oo-lani). She is a great role model for young girls. I have read about her countless times, including her biography.

I went into this movie knowing it was a Hollywood film and that it would be different. It turns out it was pretty accurate.

I had a couple of problems:

1. The romance. There really was no romance in the princess’ life. In the movie on the other hand, I felt romance was the focus. They did not need a romance in the movie. More of her past, her relationships with her family members and her fight for her country would have been nice.

2. Princess Kaiulani was a Christian and her faith was a big part of her life and her fight. In the movie, this was not so. Her faith was downplayed, I found that pretty disappointing.

There were many smaller details, but I will overlook them for now.

I really enjoyed seeing the movie. Princess Kaiulani is one of my heroes and I loved being able to see her story come to life on the screen. They did a great job with the movie and I loved the period costumes.

I loved that they filmed in Hawaii as well as LA. It was fun to see which scenes were in Hawaii.

All in all it was a pretty good movie.

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God’s Not Dead – Movie Monday

Posted by Rosemarie Pagano on March 24, 2014
in Entertainment, Family Stuff, Movie Monday, Movie Review Monday, Movie Reviews, Movies, Reviews, Uncategorized

“God’s Not Dead” 2014

Director: Harold Cronk

A Drama, Produced by Pure Flix, a Christian film studio.

Rated: PG 1hr 53min

Or go to www.GodsNotDeadtheMovie.com to view the trailer.

I have pretty much given up going to the movies, not interested in the selection of films offered, so I was intrigued by the little known, small budget film, “God’s Not Dead” which
opened March 21, 2014. It grossed $ 9.2 million, the first weekend, and as I watched the trailer, I immediately made plans to see this movie aimed towards Evangelical Christians.

Josh Wheaton (Shane Harper), a pre-law student, signs up for a philosophy class with an aggressive professor. Professor Radisson (Kevin Sorbo) is an atheist who demands that everyone declare and write on a sheet of paper that ‘God is dead.’ Josh, a Christian, refuses which causes the professor to challenge him to prove God’s existence. He is given the
opportunity to present his defense, in front of the class, and if he is unable to do this, he will fail the class. There are several story threads, woven through the movie, that capture the struggles, heartbreak and challenges that believers and those questioning their faith face.

One intriguing character is an elderly woman who is visited by her absentee son (Dean Cain). He is a successful businessman annoyed and impatient with her dependence and deteriorating state of dementia. He angrily questions her faith and she, in a moment of clarity, tells him about the consequences of sin. There are a few surprising twists and special appearances by Newsboys and “Duck Dynasty’s” Willie and Korie Robertson.

I recommend this movie because it encourages Evangelical Christians to stand up for their faith. It also invites those questioning their faith to ask questions about God. I am sick and
tired of offensive language and the blatant attempts of the media to shock and offend with their disrespectful comments. In this movie, the name of our Precious Savior Jesus Christ was spoken with reverence and praise. It has been a really long time since I’ve heard that in a movie. Also, another important concept, about this movie, was that it was based on actual court cases where students, like Josh Wheaton, defended their faith in an academic setting. The ending credits list the students and universities.

The responses to this film are, as expected, strongly divided. I think this quote by Paul Levinson, media critic and professor of communications and media studies at Fordham University in New York sums up the movie very well. He states, “The success of ‘God’s Not Dead’ shows at least three things: Big budgets are not necessary to make popular movies, there is a significant part of the population that cherishes faith-based movies, and students like narratives about arrogant professors who get their due.”

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Movie Monday – Underdogs Movie Review

Posted by html404 on February 24, 2014
in DVDs & CDs, Entertainment, Movie Monday, Movie Review Monday, Movie Reviews, Movies, Reviews, Uncategorized

Trailer url:
http://tinyurl.com/lgu7wjf

Underdogs Movie Review

If you liked Facing the Giants, I think you will like Underdogs. It is the story of one Ohio high school football team that opened the minds and won the hearts of their community. It was inspired by a true story.

Underdogs was a little slow paced at times but still intriguing enough to keep all our children’s attention. A couple of scenes may be objectionable depending on your preferences (pool scene and a guy opening the bathroom on a girl trying to get dressed). Some of our children said “ewww” to the kissing scenes and one of our sons counted six kisses! After we finished the movie, it was so cute to hear him leave the room saying how many kisses were in the movie.

The language was good, only one reference to a$$ that I caught. So I would tend to disagree with This film has been approved for all audiences by the Dove Foundation. It will depend on your family’s values etc.

I really liked the fact there were intact families. I know families come in all shapes in sized, I am not dismissing that fact but so often movies don’t have one or the other parent and this movie had both parents of two of the teens. Also, the teens were respectful of their parents, except Johnny (quarterback for opposing team) a few times.

The story was inspiring and I loved how the team evolved under their new coach’s teaching and direction.

Our family enjoyed watching Underdogs together.

You can watch it too on video on demand (In-Demand, iTunes http://tinyurl.com/mhnspj6 or DIRECTV)! Or swing by Walmart and grab your favorite movie snacks and pick up the Underdogs DVD, on-sale now! http://www.walmart.com/ip/29114152

Features legendary hall-of-famer Joe Namath and stars D.B. Sweeney.

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Top Nine TV Shows -Movie Review Monday

Posted by html404 on April 16, 2012
in Movie Review Monday

Winter time always makes me feel like a couch potato. We watch waaaaay more TV and movies during the colder months of the year than any other and since it is has become such a big part of my life I thought I would share my top nine TV shows and share a Movie Review Monday post instead of a Monday Motivation post this week. These are in no particular order.

Disclaimer: And just because I am writing about these movies/shows or like them does not mean I necessarily agree with the lifestyles or language portrayed by some of the characters. If you own Clear Play, use it. If not it’s a program that helps clean up scenes and language so invest in it. Just like real life we come across many people and choices, to each his own. It’s only by God’s grace and sovereignty that I know how He wants me to live. It’s not my job to preach it at others.

1. White Collar – We really like this show, even my husband does. It is funny, entertaining and keeps you guessing. There is some language in certain episodes, violence and otherwise adult scenes so I do not necessarily recommend it for children unless you view it in advance and make an informative decision based on what you watched.

2. Downton Abbey – My older girls and I are hooked. This is a British show based on a upper class English family in the early 1900’s. The first episode is actually set in 1912, the time of the Titanic. It is amazing how much you can love and hate characters! PBS even allows you to rate the characters you loathe and love for each episode! Again, depending upon the episode there is adult content that is not suitable for younger viewers.

3. Shark Tank - My husband and I love watching entrepreneurs pitch their business to 5 multi-millionairs/billionaires in order to strike a deal with one of the “sharks”. Not only entertaining, but educational as well.

4. Undercover Boss – This show makes me cry nearly ever episode I have watched! I enjoy seeing the bosses trying to do the jobs of the rest of their staff and the employees reaction when they find out they worked with their undercover boss. I love seeing what the undercover bosses decide to do for their employees and companies after their undercover stint is completed.

5. Cake Boss - Cake Boss is highly entertaining. It makes us laugh. It makes us hungry!

6. Wipe Out – We watch Wipe Out when we need to laugh. It is an absurd obstacle course that people sign up to participate in to win $50,000. Is just hilarious and a show to watch if you ever what to/need to laugh!

7. Robin Hood – Another British TV show that we found on Netflix. It is no longer being aired but we fell in love with the characters of this show. Robin Hood is charming, Maid Marion beautiful and his band of fellows highly entertaining. While the Sheriff of Nottingham, on the other hand, is down right despicable! The violent fighting is probably the only concern to mention about this show, but it never really bothered our children for some reason. They knew it wasn’t real and just rooted for Robin Hood and his men. We watched this back in the fall when the children were sick and they still ask to re-watch episodes! Very thankful Netflix still has it on streaming! It was hard to see this series end.

8. Worst Cooks in America – We have only watched a season of this but it was highly entertaining and educational in the realms of cooking and baking. Talk about competition and pressure!

9. X-Factor USA/UK/Austraila – Our favorite is the USA/UK version. As I have mentioned before, my husband is a music buff and I get hooked on the personal stories and people.

What did you watch this past winter?

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Veggie Tales: Robin Good and His Not-So-Merry Men ~ Movie Review

Posted by Professor on April 9, 2012
in DVDs & CDs, Education, Family Stuff, Fun Stuff, Movie Review Monday, Movie Reviews, Movies, Uncategorized

Another great DVD from our friends at VEGGIE TALES!

Robin Good and His Not-So-Merry Men

Robin Good has a mission – fundraising from the rich and giving to the poor! But when greedy Prince starts stealing the townspeople’s hams, donations are down and Robin’s band of friends desert him to give robbing a try. Can Robin overcome his hurt, show his friends what’s right and restore the townspeople’s hope?

Bonus Features:

Leapin’ Leap Year Lesson
“Fun”-Raising with Larry
“Things Will Get Better” – Sing-along Songs
“Prince of Ham” – Sing-along Songs
Robin Good’s Guide to Handling Hurt – Discussion Guide
5.1 Surround Sound
English and Spanish Subtitles
DVD Format: NYSC/Region 1

PLUS! Silly Songs with Larry featuring Bubble Rap!

Running Time Approximately 50 minutes.

Our Review:

My family is HUGE fans of Veggie Tales…and this DVD did not disappoint! As a mother I especially liked the lessons presented in this DVD. This DVD came out just at the right time for us, during the Easter season because it teaches of the love of Jesus and what it means to give. Thus, a great lesson for Easter!

One bonus to the DVD is the discussion guide “Handling Hurt” … this was a great discussion in our house… the guide really helped open the children up to conversation!

And of course the Sing-along songs are always a hit! The best we have to say was “Bubble Rap”…the children loved this silly song with Larry!

One added bonus is that on the Veggie Tales website there are games and other activities for the children… nice interactive learning games and activities! You can even watch a preview of Robin Good!

For further information about the product and other offerings please visit www.veggietales.com

I noticed that the video is now on sale at the Veggie Tales store! You can buy your own DVD here: http://store.veggietales.com/robin-good-dvd.html

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

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WWJD: The Woodcarver ~ Movie Review

Posted by Professor on March 5, 2012
in DVDs & CDs, Movie Review Monday, Movie Reviews

Vivendi Entertainment and Nasser Entertainment bring this heartfelt story to life on DVD!

Synopsis:

Rebelling against his parents and the broken home he comes from, fifteen-year-old Matthew Stevenson makes a destructive choice to get attention: he vandalizes the church his father is renovating. To avoid criminal charges, he agrees to repair damage he caused to the intricate carvings and finds himself working alongside Ernest Otto (John Ratzenberger), a talented but reclusive woodworker. Laboring together, an unlikely friendship forms and both come to realize that all things are possible with faith, family, and friendship.

Our Review:

This was a wonderful movie! My entire family thoroughly enjoyed the film. I especially liked that I did not have to pre-screen the movie since it has the DOVE seal of approval (Family Friendly). My family loved the parallel theme of restoring the church and resorting faith that ran throughout the movie…this was a great topic of post-movie conversation! It was also neat to see John Ratzenberger in the role of Ernest. I remember him from Cheers and the children know him from the Disney Cars movies…so it was nice to see a familiar face in the film! This is a great film for the Easter season also… in respect that it exemplifies restoring belief in God and in life. What a great way to teach faith and forgiveness! Constantly remembering that change is possible if we simply follow God!

Overall a great family film…even my 3 year old was engaged throughout the entire movie! The movie itself created a great sounding board for post movie discussion with your family and children…I loved that I could tie this movie into the Easter season. I will be glad to pass this movie on the family and friends!

This film can be found at your local retailer…I noticed it was even available through Walmart! Available in stores this week.

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Christmas Movies – Movie Review Monday

Posted by html404 on November 28, 2011
in Family Stuff, Holidays, Movie Review Monday, Movie Reviews

This really isn’t a review per se, more like a generic post about Christmas movies.

We started watching some Christmas movies over the Thanksgiving weekend. Some old and some new. Miracle on 34th Street starring Maureen O’Hara was one of the ones we watched on Thanksgiving. It was one of my Dad’s favorites when my sisters and I were growing up. I still remember him calling to us as he always did when he wanted us to watch something with him (like 6pm Disney World on Sunday nights). Even though we do not celebrate Santa Claus, I love this movie’s story line and the warm memories it brings back.

One of the Christmas movies my husband grew up watching was A Christmas Story with “Ralphie”. This is a movie that my husband and children like, but I could live without. I detest the language in it and think it’s crude, but they all sat there laughing through it. My oldest could not understand how I could not watch it. I was in the room but ended up working on some project rather than paying attention to the movie.

We also watched The Nativity Story about the birth of Jesus on Sunday. It is one of our favorites now too.

Of course the classics like It’s a Wonderful Life, Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and Charlie Brown’s Christmas are usually on our must-see list.

We also watched a couple of “ABC Family Night” Christmas movies. Well, my daughters and I watched them and I am glad it was my older children because they contained a lot of adult content that I would not consider family-friendly. Even my oldest said that she thought Walmart was doing a better job with family movie night…yay Walmart and P&G!

So do you have your Christmas movie favorites? Feel free to warn us against the duds too so we can avoid them!

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Snowmen – The Family Movie Event of the Year

Posted by html404 on October 23, 2011
in DVDs & CDs, Family Stuff, Movie Review Monday, Movie Reviews, Movies

Snowmen is a all new heart-felt yet humors family-friendly movie about three young boys who want to make a difference and be remembered.

Our family loved this movie. We don’t know how the producers could make us laugh so hard at the same time we where crying. This movie was wonderful. All of our children loved it. And despite some rude humor, and mild language this movie was really good! It taught some great lessons about friendship, God, and making a difference.

Go see Snowmen in theaters! You and your kids will love it! You can learn more about Snowmen by visiting www.Snowmenmovie.com

Snowmen was created by the producers of notable films including The Passion of The Christ, The Ultimate Gift, and Braveheart.
The film stars Bobby Coleman (Last Song), Ray Liotta (Wild Hogs), Bobb’e J. Thompson (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs), Josh Flitter (Ace Ventura Jr.) and Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future).

Faith and Family Reviews received a free screening of following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

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Movie Review Monday: DreamWorks – MEGAMIND

Posted by Brande on March 7, 2011
in DVDs & CDs, Family Stuff, Fun Stuff, Movie Review Monday, Movies

Last week, I purchased Megamind at our local supermarket. The only reason I bought it was because I printed a $5.00 coupon off the web and it was on sale. I was a little skeptical, but thought I’d give it a try. I wasn’t sure if my daughter would enjoy looking at a blue bad alien guy with a big head. I was wrong about that and the whole story. I can hear it now, Oh Mom! Anyway, my family and I finally sat down to watch Megamind on Friday night. It had moments where it was a little slow, but surprisingly I enjoyed it. Especially the soundtrack! It has original music by Hans Zimmer & Lorne Balf. Other favorites were Bad to the Bone, Crazy Train, and A Little Less Conversation (the remix). I’m ready to buy it on i-Tunes, I enjoyed it so much. I’m not always the biggest Will Ferrel fan, he’s kind of like Jim Carey. He can either be great or REALLY annoying. Picking Will Ferrell was a great choice for the Megamind character, he has so many “voices” that he can change into. I was laughing because the character that Jonah Hill (Hal / Tighten) did the voice of (to me) almost looked like him. Mostly, if your is into a family friendly movie night this is a good current movie. Most of the ratings I’ve read are giving it 7 out of 10 or 3 stars. Here’s the story direct from the MEGAMIND website: (www.megamind.com)

Megamind is the most brilliant super-villain the world has ever known… and the least successful. Over the years, he has tried to conquer Metro City in every imaginable way — Each attempt, a colossal failure thanks to the caped superhero known as “Metro Man,” until the day Megamind actually defeats him in the throes of one of his botched evil plans. Suddenly, the fate of Metro City is threatened when a new villain arrives and chaos runs rampant, leaving everyone to wonder: Can the world’s biggest “mind” actually be the one to save the day?

I’ll let you watch the movie to see if Megamind he saves the day! And…..get’s the girl?????

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Faith and Family Movie Review: Rust

Posted by html404 on December 7, 2010
in DVDs & CDs, Movie Review Monday, Movies

I have a couple more movies to review so I can get my links sent to our contact. So I have one more for this week and hopefully two more for next week.

Rust is a movie with content of a more serious nature, but faith, family, friends – relationships – were a huge focus. In this movie actor Corbin Bernsen plays a former minister who is troubled in his soul. He returns to the town where he grew up only to rediscover his purpose as a minister. I loved the loyalty that Corbin Bernsen’s character, Jimmy, displayed. He was a true friend despite circumstances forcing others to turn away from a close childhood friend.

Due to the content being more serious, our oldest did not enjoy it as much. She thought it was scary because of a tragic event that occurred. She told us this after the fact. This was actually one movie we did not preview before the children. The other children seemed to like it (maybe not quite as much as others) and I think we addressed concerns as they arose during the movie. However, for that reason I would advise parents of younger children to preview it first to see if they think their children will be able to handle the content.

Because we were not expecting one surprising element of Rust, I think we enjoyed it more than we would have otherwise, as it has a rather unique story line. It’s always thought provoking to watch a movie that deals with real life issues. The relationship aspect of the movie makes us take a look at our own relationships and question how we can improve them and I think that is a good thing, as long as we seek the Lord’s leading too.

Watch one of Rust’s trailers (there are more at www.rustmovie.com):

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the 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.”