By Rebecca Grace, Randall Murphree and Ed Vitagliano

May 2009 – Films seek Christian support but show Serious shortcomings
On the heels of Sherwood Baptist Church and its popular films Facing the Giants and Fireproof, a number of churches, companies, families and individuals are entering the world of Christian filmmaking and hoping for success.

Trying to produce a top-notch film of Hollywood quality is a challenge. Knowing how to make the most of limited finances is another. Creating a family-friendly film with widespread appeal is even harder, while accurately illustrating the Gospel and being faithful to Scripture seems to be the toughest task of all. 

AFA Journal commends and appreciates Christian filmmakers for their efforts and wants to encourage them in their future endeavors. As evidenced in the films cited below that are being marketed to the Christian media and Christian community, many still have a way to go while some are well on their way to creating an excellent piece of art that brings glory to God instead of a mediocre alternative with a Christian label.

Not all of the recent Christian films fall into the latter category, but the ones that do are often more harmful than helpful. 

Missing pieces
Magdalena: Released from Shame is the first-person account of Mary Magdalene’s beautiful redemption and lifelong devotion to Christ. Through her story, viewers are introduced to Christ and His saving power. 

The 82-minute movie is based on Scriptural accounts in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. In fact, a lot of the dialogue is quoted directly from Scripture. 

Lacking in film quality in parts, Magdalena is well done and informative. It’s a nice summary of Christ’s ministry on earth, which is brought to life in a powerful way. The joy of Christ’s true followers in this film is inspiring and contagious. 

The movie does leave out some significant parts of Scripture – most likely for the sake of time. The film also takes a few dramatic liberties. Parents should know that Jesus ridding Mary Magdalene of demons may be frightening to young children. There is some blood and violence but nothing gratuitous. Magdalena is not rated.

In the action-adventure film, Pendragon: Sword of His Father, a wanderer tells Artos, the main character, “Some tasks take more than one generation to accomplish.” 

The statement is true for Artos, and it may also be true about the Burns Family Studios, the group of home schooling families that describes itself as having “a passion for film.”

The Burns Family Studios has made impressive improvements in the quality of filmmaking they produce, but unfortunately Pendragon demonstrates that the group still has a long way to go.

An ambitious undertaking, Pendragon tells the story of a young Christian man, Artos, who lives on the isle of Britannia in A.D. 411 after the Romans depart. Saxon raiders have invaded Britannia, killing Artos’ father and some family members and devastating many villages. Artos believes God has called him to defeat the Saxons and push them off the island.

There are some good special effects in the movie and a good deal of attention has been paid to set design and costuming. However, the acting is mostly sub-par and at times cringe-worthy, and there are storyline problems as well as periodic continuity problems as the movie shifts from scene to scene. These elements take a toll on the viewing experience.

However, many of those who wrote, produced and acted in Pendragon appear to be young people, giving hope that the Burns Family Studios’ goals may one day be attained.

The film is unrated but has no sexual content or profanity. However, there are numerous battle scenes and individual fighting sequences, although without the blood and gore common to today’s war pictures.

For more information, visit http://burnsfamilystudios.com/movies/pendragon/. 

Questionable content
Angus Buchan was an ordinary man, a South African farmer who took great pride in his land. His manic quest for material success was destroying his life. He was in a downward spiral when the Holy Spirit convicted his heart and brought him into a saving relationship with Christ. 

Buchan’s heart was slowly filled with a wild love for God and people, and he began sharing his faith, preaching the Word of God and helping African AIDS orphans. 

Buchan continues his miracle-filled, faith-healing ministry today in the uttermost parts of the earth. 

Faith Like Potatoes, one of South Africa’s top-grossing films of 2006, is based on the true story of this farmer and his faith. It’s inspiring and a vivid reminder of God’s might and power both through the good and bad. The film shows the eternal impact of building relationships and demonstrating the love of Christ on a daily basis. 

The landscape is beautiful, the acting good and the story inspiring.

Faith Like Potatoes is rated PG for some thematic material, an accident scene, mild language and brief smoking. The film contains several angry outbursts, name-calling, multiple uses of a British expletive, upper male nudity, a man in his underwear, several kisses between a husband and wife and a tragic gory death. 

It’s available April 7 on DVD, which includes a 54-minute documentary titled God’s Farmer: The Angus Buchan Story. 

The One Lamb, a new film from University City Methodist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, recently opened in 100 theaters in 34 states. 

It is the inspiring journey of marathon runner Jack Price and his battle with cancer – from fear and despair to hope and redemption. Casting mostly first-time actors and working with one camera, the film is remarkably well done by screenwriter/director Bryan Forrest. In the lead role, Forrest does a credible portrayal of Price.

The two-hour film is flawed primarily by its frequent profanity. In the first 30 minutes, God’s name is used in vain twice and nine other profanities occur. Occasional profanities occur throughout the rest of the film.

Another concern to families might be the opening scene, which features a few brief views of a shadowy silhouette with Jack, who is married, kissing a woman in a hotel room. As a result of that incident, his wife leaves him and his boss fires him. He gets drunk, goes into a church late at night and is rescued by Earl, a retired pastor who takes him to the hospital where his cancer diagnosis occurs.

One scene, intended as comedy, has a group of black women at their Bible study at Earl’s kitchen table ogling, leering and making suggestive remarks to a shirtless Jack, encouraging him to take it all off. It is an unfortunate caricature of the African-American Christian.

The film is subtle in its approach, but direct in its message as it chronicles Jack’s journey from his lost state to salvation.

Theological issues
C Me Dance strives to glorify Jesus Christ in the compelling story of Sheri, a Christian teen who wants to reach her friends and community with the Gospel after she is diagnosed with terminal cancer.

The only problem is that she doesn’t actually preach the Gospel, which raises theological concerns. While Sheri is supposedly granted special powers by God for winning the lost, the manifestation of that power has the feel of the occult.

Standing behind the pulpit, she communicates by telepathy with the congregation; then, people are shown apparently coming to Christ. 

Sheri is also able to communicate the reality of the crucifixion of Jesus merely by touching people on the hand, at which time they see an image of Christ being nailed to the cross. In at least one instance Sheri merely stares into the eyes of hostile classmates, which causes them to leave her alone.

The Bible makes quite clear that the instrument of the fulfilling of the Great Commission is the preaching of the Gospel (Romans 1:16; 10:14, 17). While it is certainly true that the Gospel can be presented in many compelling forms – such as live drama and in film – it must somehow articulate the content of the Gospel clearly. And it certainly cannot be done by means that approach the forbidden line of the occult.

C Me Dance, from Uplifting Entertainment, is produced by Gregg Robbins. It is rated PG for thematic material, some violence and mild language. Some demonic scenes and a car chase scene may be frightening to young viewers. It released April 3 in select theaters.   

‘Heart of Texas’ gets it right
To quote lines from the documentary titled The Heart of Texas, the story told through this 60-minute DVD is a “heartbreaking beauty” and an “occasion to celebrate God’s grace.” 

The film profiles the life of two Texans – Grover Norwood and Ulice Parker. Their lives are an amazing depiction of redemption and forgiveness after personal tragedy pierces their quiet Texas town. Because of the work of Christ in the hearts of this community, grace and mercy triumph over anguish and outrage. 

The film points viewers to the character and attributes of God while the story prayerfully helps others recognize their need for Christ’s forgiveness.

The Heart of Texas is poignant and powerful and likely to leave a lasting impression. Get it. Watch it. Contemplate it. It is not rated and does deal with death, but there is nothing objectionable in it.