AFA Staff
AFA Journal staff reviews movies, books and other resources
July/August 2014 – ‘Summer Snow,’ conveys message: one life can make a difference
When Don Wildmon founded AFA 37 years ago, his goal was to persuade Hollywood and major entertainment entities to produce family-friendly fare. With occasional exceptions, however, the mainstream entertainment industry has continued to grow more and more offensive with anti-family content.
Wildmon never meant to make a movie, but finally, a few years ago, it seemed the right thing to do, and American Family Studios was born.
Summer Snow represents a big step in a new direction – a fictional story told in a feature-length movie aimed at big screens and TV. AFS sister-brother team Kendra and Jeremy White wrote the script and directed the film. Both are among the full-time AFS staffers committed to producing excellence in family-friendly entertainment. AFS is headed by long-time AFA staff member Jeff Chamblee.
In the story, Dan Benson, a dentist, and his three children are grieving the recent death of Susan, their wife and mother. Older daughter Julie is a nurse engaged to be married soon. David is a high school senior, and Hallie is eight years old. With Dad and the older children, writers subtly weave other issues into the script, e.g. pornography and abortion. However, no content is offensive, and the story remains child-friendly.
Hallie, played by Rachael Eggleston, steals the show with her series of frequent attempts to solve the problems of schoolmates, neighbors and family. For example, Hallie sets out to pay for dental care for a friend at school, and money-making schemes include selling toothbrushes she takes from Dad’s office, and staging a giant garage sale without Dad’s permission. Unfortunately, Hallie’s exploits often fail in ways that add a lot of comic contrast to the film’s serious subjects.
AFA president Tim Wildmon said, “We’re excited about Summer Snow, and we believe AFS is off to a great start.”
Summer Snow will have a limited theater release July 25. For more information, see the feature story on p. 12, and visit summersnowmovie.com.
Review by Randall Murphree
Persecuted: I Will not be Silent
This film takes a timely theme from contemporary American culture and the growing threats to religious freedom in the U.S. Persecuted: I Will not be Silent mixes a little scandal, a suspect television evangelist and some government corruption for an engaging story. Evangelist John Luther thinks Sen. Donald Harrison is a dear and trustworthy friend, but when Luther declines to endorse Harrison’s Faith and Fairness Act, Harrison sets in motion a plot to frame Luther and destroy his reputation and his ministry.
The preacher is entrapped, drugged and then positioned in poses that suggest a relationship with a teenage girl. The girl is found dead, and Luther is charged with her murder.
Writer/producer/director Daniel Lusko told Christiancinema.com, “I hope to wake up a world that takes freedom and truth for granted.”
Acting merits a big thumbs-up. The cast includes Fred Thompson, Natalie Grant, Dean Stockwell and Brad Stine. Two cautions AFA offers regard a few shadowy (not explicit) shots of the evangelist when he is framed in the compromising photos, and some gunfire and bloody scenes. Persecuted is scheduled to open in theaters July 18. Visit persecutedmovie.com for more information.
Irreplaceable
Focus on the Family released Irreplaceable this summer to spotlight the critical role a father plays in the family.
Host/narrator Tim Sisarich says, “They’ve asked me to take a journey, to take a genuine look at the issues that are affecting families most … to travel to the ends of the earth if necessary to find out what is wrong with the family.”
With startling statistics, insightful interviews and cogent commentary by Sisarich, the film hits its target on most levels. However, AFA cautions that there is one lengthy segment that focuses on examples of sleazy entertainment venues, scenes that add nothing to the impact of the film. FOTF recommends the film for viewers 15 and older.
Review by Randall Murphree
Christian fantasy hits mark
One Boy’s Adventure by J.L. Harned is an engaging and entertaining Christian fantasy. The genre has attracted a renewed interest in recent years, largely because of the big-budget, big-screen successes of C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia novels and J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Along with revived interest in the genre, a great number of aspiring writers have emerged, trying to emulate Lewis and Tolkien. Most fall far short, but J.L. Harned, an Illinois high school student, stands out from the crowd with Arkoumene (ar-kyoo-men-nee). Harned defines his story as “juvenile fiction,” but this story is captivating for readers of any age.
In short, the story focuses on 11-year-old Ethan Smith, an average kid who dislikes hard work and loves computer games. He daydreams that something exciting will happen in his life. Ethan’s dream comes true when he meets a talking horse in an abandoned alley and is transported to a land inhabited by dragons, trolls and evil goblins. His mission emerges as Ethan resolves to save a kingdom from evil forces that threaten to destroy it.
Yes, it sounds like a children’s story, but Harned cleverly incorporates metaphor and allegory in a manner that appeals to the mature mind as well. He recently expressed to AFA his frustration in trying to draw attention to his novel: “You can imagine the sort of reaction this book will cause … with its references to biblical creation and conservative morals, not to mention the message of salvation in the middle of the story.”
Harned is a remarkable young author, and Arkoumene is a great story for a family to share together. It will open the door to cross-generational dialog about some critical issues facing our culture today. Learn more and purchase the book at LukeHarned.com.
Review by Randall Murphree
