August 2010 – Standing Firm stands tall – Movie asks: if god is good, why do we suffer
Standing Firm, the first feature film from Praise Pictures, delivers a dramatic and gripping story that is remarkably strong for a start-up company. Praise Pictures was founded by Kyle Prohaska and Kevin Michael in 2007, the culmination of Prohaska’s boyhood dream and Michael’s inspiration to make Christian films.

Dave Corwin is the main player in this character-driven drama. Recently widowed, Dave questions the concept of God’s goodness. God allowed Dave’s wife Jen to die – how can He be good? The movie opens with scenes from Jen’s funeral, setting the tone for an emotional ride through a man’s struggle to survive financially, emotionally and spiritually.

The film uses flashbacks effectively, and through them, viewers learn that Dave and Jen’s marriage had been in trouble for some time. Dave feels responsible for her death because she died in an auto crash after they had argued and she drove away to clear her head.

Jen had been a strong Christian, and the Corwins’ young adult son Steven is a committed follower as well. After Jen’s death, Dave’s construction business is faltering, he can’t make his house payments, he turns away from God, and he totally avoids attending church. In that dark season of his life, he alienates his son and all of his friends.

If Standing Firm lacks anything at all, it might be action and subtlety. However, the emotional intensity holds the viewer’s attention and carries the story well.

As for subtlety, Prohaska told the AFA Journal, “I’m more focused on the church itself and the many who need to be saved within it. People tend to forget the thousands sitting in the pews each Sunday with nothing but darkness in their hearts. I think that’s a mission field forgotten, and it’s something I don’t mind diving directly into.”

That being said, however, Standing Firm has the strength and depth to show great potential as an outreach tool. The Gospel is clearly presented, not so much preached from a pulpit but demonstrated in the lives and words of the characters.

“I consider the films I make to be digital tracts,” Prohaska said. “Instead of a pamphlet, give them a DVD – something they’re much more familiar with today.”

Prohaska’s youth makes his accomplishment even more noteworthy. At age 22, he has already made great strides toward a lifelong ambition. He says he first became intrigued with movies as a young child and dreamed of making his own films.

Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and other filmmaking greats were his first heroes. But his own career goals took a turn from the secular after he gave his life to Christ at a youth event in 2005.

“Although my passion for filmmaking came from a secular source, I see God’s hand in it regardless,” he said. In recent years he has studied and/or worked with leading Christian filmmakers such as Sherwood Pictures’ Alex and Steven Kendrick, Rich and Dave Christiano and Peter and Paul Lalonde of Cloud 10 Pictures.

Prohaska said he owes the Kendrick brothers a lot because his dream took a big step toward reality when Michael came to his office one day with Flywheel and Facing the Giants (Sherwood Pictures’ first films), told him to watch them and think about making a movie.

Much like the initial Sherwood film, Praise Pictures produced Standing Firm with mostly volunteer cast and crew and a miniscule budget. Those factors establish the final product as no small miracle.

It will be available on DVD August 24, and Praise Pictures is scheduling church screenings via the company Web site (www.praisepictures.com). Michael has moved on to other pursuits and Prohaska now heads Praise Pictures alone.

“My prayer is that this film will edify the believer and bring the Gospel to others,” Prohaska said. “Regardless of my hopes, I just pray that God will use this in any way He deems fit. Whatever that means, I have to be content.”
Review by Randall Murphree 

Without A Father
Without A Father is the first film from Gordon Pictures, a Texas-based filmmaking ministry that seeks to spread the Gospel worldwide through film.

Filmed with an all-volunteer cast and lacking in film quality, it is clear to see that the cast and crew behind Without A Father are novices. But their efforts are well intentioned and their work makes for an emotionally charged movie that will likely challenge viewers with its poignant messages.

Without A Father opens with a young boy named Josh who is orphaned when his father suddenly dies from a heart attack. Josh is adopted by a family whose son Chris resents his new brother from the beginning. Twenty-five years pass, and viewers find Chris consumed with his law firm and Josh being released from prison.

Both boys, who have grown up without a father and are now living for themselves, have a faithful mother who is a sincere believer that refuses to give up on her family. Day after day, she prays for her family, and in the end her prayers are answered but not without a heap of hardships.

Without A Father addresses a number of serious issues including fatherlessness, adoption, interracial families, divorce, homosexuality, death, sickness, idolatry, hypocrisy and incarceration. These issues are played out in various subplots that make the movie feel disconnected at times and much too long.

However, the film seeks to show how important fathers are in the lives of their children as well as how important it is to live a life that brings honor to God because of love for Him. Scripture is used throughout the film but certain contexts in which it is used may be questionable to some.

Despite some of it shortcomings, Without A Father has a redeeming, yet unpredictable, ending that leaves viewers understanding that God has a purpose in everything.

Without A Father, not rated, is now available on DVD. It’s free for any church in America to show publicly, and previews of the film can be viewed at www.vimeo.com/8995198.
Review by Rebecca Grace Davis

Ramona and Beezus
Walden Media and 20th Century Fox are bringing the energetic Ramona Quimby to the big screen in Ramona and Beezus, an all-new film based on the best-selling books by Beverly Cleary. The film was set to release in theaters nationwide July 23.

Ramona and Beezus is a wonderful family movie about the adventures of young Ramona and her big sister Beezus, played by Selena Gomez. As the middle child, Ramona lives up to her position in life. Her vivid imagination, boundless energy and accident-prone antics keep everyone from her teacher to her classmates to her family on their toes. But when Ramona decides to help save the family home from foreclosure after her father is suddenly laid off, her sense of fun, adventure and mischief actually comes in handy.

Somewhat predictable in parts, Ramona and Beezus is all about love of family, even in the hardest of times. In fact, families with tweens seem to be the target audience for this film, which contains no language problems. Even when Ramona promises to use a very bad word, it only comes out as the word “guts” – a word Ramona apparently deems to be the worst word possible. Funny and delightful, this movie will likely make viewers both laugh and cry with joy.

However, there is one comment, intended to be comical, that may be problematic for some. Beezus complains, “Who could ever love a person named “Beezus?” Ramona simply responds, “Jesus.”

Ramona and Beezus is rated G. 
Review by Roy Wikoff