Courageous is about four men with one calling: to protect and to serve. As law enforcement officers Adam Mitchell (Alex Kendrick), Nathan Hayes (Ken Bevel), Shane Fuller (Kevin Downes) and David Thomson (Ben Davies) are confident and focused yet when they go home at the end of their shifts they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle – fatherhood.

Life keeps happening, day after day until one day … tragedy happens. Veteran police officer, Adam Mitchell’s family begins to unravel and he understands he has to do something. He goes to his source of strength, God and begins the journey. He puts his plan into action. His police force brothers gather around him and together they take up the challenge of being the best they can be in a totally different arena.

The latest installment of life according to Sherwood Baptist church in Albany, Georgia, shouldn’t be dismissed lightly. The picture-making church keeps stepping up to the plate and hitting it out of the park. I have to admit that I’ve seen all four films. They went from a sweet little film called Flywheel to their next film, Facing the Giants. Then with the help of Kirk Cameron, the only actor with any name recognition to be in any of their films, they made Fireproof. They had finally pulled out of the totally low-budget movie ranks and made a film of substance. With Courageous, Sherwood has once again stepped up their game.

As their fourth film, this action packed police drama will make you laugh, cry and cheer as you are challenged and inspired by everyday heroes who long to be the kind of dads that make a lifelong impact on their children.

Hokey? Probably, but none the less, I loved it. I loved that there are still real men in this world that put their families first;  men who are passionate, yes, passionate about being good old-fashioned family men. Not the best CEO, not the best truck driver, not even the best doctor … the best dad. Men who take pride in being the best they can be and understanding in the depths of their souls that HONOR BEGINS AT HOME.

I’m sure most would agree that Courageous doesn’t have the best acting, the best directing or the best anything when it comes to film making. This film will never win an Oscar, but somehow I don’t think that is what it was meant to do. I suspect it was meant to do just what it’s doing, making us think about how we live our lives on a day to day basis. Courageous does a wonderful job of making you listen a little more, throw the ball a little more and savor every moment.

So, if you’re interested in a life of significance the message of Courageous is Fathers, Man-Up. Once again, I’m open to your insight at chastings@rockcliff.com.

Gil (Owen Wilson) is a successful Hollywood screenwriter engaged to Inez (Rachel McAdams) who loves him very much or at least what their life together would be. Rachel’s parents are going to Paris on a business trip and have asked Gil and Rachel to tag along. Gil thinks this is a perfect time to work on his novel, Rachel wants to shop and party.

Having lived in Paris for a short time in his 20’s, Gil had aspirations in his youth to be a serious writer. Opportunities came and he realized he was a good screenwriter. The literary dreams were postponed and he woke up ten years later, successful and unfulfilled and craving Paris.

But he’s back and decides to leave Inez and her mother to their shopping and wander the streets seeking inspiration. Inez’ shopping turns into dinner parties with friends from America and his daytime meanderings become forays after dark. One night while sitting on some steps in a neighborhood, he’s not sure where, a group of partiers in a vintage automobile stop and entreat him in, in to a whole new world, a whole new era. This YouTube age writer finds himself meeting icons and idols of a bygone era.

His new found friends are F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda, Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway and all their friends. They meld him into their lives and their hearts. This is the life he was meant to live and all it took was a magical stroll through a magnificent city. Gil had found his groove amongst a lost generation.

I’ve never been much of a Woody Allen fan but he loves Paris and his love is epitomized in Midnight in Paris. The last time I was in Paris I spent most of the day riding the “spokes” of the city to the outskirts of town and back. The scenery is real yet ethereal. The plot is fanciful. I never found F. Scott Fitzgerald that day but maybe I wasn’t looking for the magical.

The take-away from this movie though, is that we need to learn to enjoy the present for all it’s worth. It’s a little like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, in the end there’s no place like home.

This is a loving embrace of the city, art, and of life itself. Midnight in Paris is charming, clever and wickedly astute. Allen said that he got a great enjoyment out of presenting Paris to the cinematic audience the way he sees it. To me, the way he sees it is literate and beauty filled and yes, quirky. This film is predictably unpredictable! For an evening of pure fantasy (it’s a little like falling down a rabbit hole) it’s purely delightful.

As always, I invite your comments at chastings@rockcliff.com.

Let’s start with some of the oldies but goodies. One of my favorites is White Christmas (1954) with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. If you haven’t sang along with your sister to “Sisters”, you haven’t had Christmas yet.  It makes you want to get up and dance, fake snow and all!  Your checklist should also include the regulars, It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), Holiday Inn (1942), Christmas in Connecticut (1945), Babes in Toyland (1934) and of course, Miracle on 34^th Street. If you have children or grandchildren, be sure to watch some of these with them. It’s amazing how the young ones are enthralled with the simplicity of life in a kinder, gentler era.

Enter the next generation…A Christmas Story (1983) is still priceless. We also have The Muppets Christmas Carol (1992), Home Alone (1990),  Scrooged (1988) with the awesome Bill Murray and the still delightful National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) starring Chevy Chase. The Santa Clause (1994) with Tim Allen is also worth a trip down memory lane.

So, now we’ve worked our way into this century. Is your head spinning or your pen writing? We can start with How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000).  im Carrey is scary and funny and eventually charming in this all-time favorite. Kids and adults alike love The Grinch. If you’re a Will Ferrell fan, you will want to see Elf (2003) again. In 2004 we were graced with the genius of Tom Hanks in Polar Express. I still can’t believe they don’t bring this one back to the 3D theaters every year. I’ve written letters but I guess no one is listening. Polar Express on the big screen is totally amazing.

The little ones will love Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007) but please, do your self a favor and rent or buy the timeless, A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965). A little known but absolutely marvelous little movie my thirty something kids loved is Emmett Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas. This is Jim Henson at his sweetest and most brilliant. Your young ones are sure to be mesmerized.

Now I’m going schmaltzy on you.  One of my favorite contemporary films is The Holiday (2006) with Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Jack Black and Kate Winslet. What can I say; it’s a feel good movie. While I’m at it, if you like the Christmassy feel good stuff watch your TV listings for the plethora of Hallmark contributions. I record literally dozens of them every year to have something to watch on a rainy night with a big bowl of popcorn!

My last recommendation is the reason for the season! You’ll want to watch The Nativity (2006), a beautifully filmed story of Jesus’ birth.

Now you have your December cut out for you…20 of my favorite, all for different reasons. Pop the corn, cuddle up and enjoy. And, oh by the way, you can always email me with your comments at chastings@rockcliff.com.

Award winning,Faith like Potatoes is a wonderful movie I found “On Demand”. I have to admit, I wasn’t really expecting a whole lot even though I had friends who had recommended it, but I ended up enjoying it immensely.

Angus Buchan was a Zambian farmer of Scottish heritage. Life in Zambia was hard and when the political unrest became an untenable danger to the family, they decided to move to KWA-Zulu, South Africa for a better life. With their tractors loaded on a big old truck, kids hanging out windows, they slowly headed south.  Angus (Frank Rautenbach) and Jill (Jeanne Wilhelm) buy a small plot of land with a caravan, a tiny seen-better-days travel trailer and begin to rebuild their lives. Jill likens it to being gypsies in the Garden of Eden. It doesn’t take long for the curious Zulus to find them and the endearing Simeon Bhergu (Hamilton Diamini) decides to work for them. He doesn’t know how to farm but he just keeps coming back to learn and help.

In the face of ever mounting challenges, hardships and personal turmoil, Angus quickly spirals down into a life consumed by anger, fear and destruction. A friend invites them to church and his life begins to change.

Based on a true story, the auto-biography of Angus Buchan, Faith Like Potatoes was adapted for the big screen by Regardt van der Bergh. It weaves together the moving journey of a man, who like his potatoes, grows his faith unseen until the harvest.

Faith Like Potatoes  is set in the turbulent hills of the KZN Midlands. Angus’ manic quest for material success is slowly transformed into a wild love for God and people of all colors, as he wrestles with faith, hope, natural disasters and tragic personal loss. The potatoes he grows is an amazing analogy for so many things in his life and ours; those things that grow within us, as individuals, as families or as a nation. We need to be careful of what we plant because it will…grow. Like I mentioned earlier, America, our incredible country was planted on the principles of freedom; freedom of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But how are those freedoms planted, grown and protected? By our freedom of religion. Our founding fathers placed “In God We Trust” on our currency for a reason, a reminder!

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and just maybe your life will be changed a bit as you watch Faith Like Potatoes. You’ll experience the triumph of a farmer whose faith made him a phenomenon. As always, I welcome your comments at chastings@rockcliff.com

Daniel Hillard (Robin Williams) is a kind, loving father. He is also a poor disciplinarian and a generally shaky role model for his three children. Miranda (Sally Field), his wife had definitely had to take on the role of “bad cop” in the family. After quitting or losing yet another job, Daniel picks up his kids at school and throws together an impromptu birthday party for his son. Miranda is called home by a neighbor to find a huge petting zoo parked on her quiet San Francisco street with ducks and geese, little horses and rabbits inside and outside her lovely home. The police have just arrived and her husband and children are dancing on the fancy dining table. This is the final straw, there is no room left in her life for the eccentric, fun loving actor who specializes in dubbing cartoon voice-overs.

Miranda goes to divorce court and gets custody of the children. Daniel has ninety days to redeem himself. Now 90 days isn’t a lot of time when you unemployed and homeless, but Daniel finds a small apartment and get a boring job. It really gets interesting when he hears that she is going to hire a Nanny-Housekeeper for his children and Daniel applies for the job; basically in drag…enter Mrs. Doubtfire.

Mrs. Doubtfire is an elderly woman created by Daniels brother, Frank a special effects make-up artist and she gets the job. Frank does such an amazing job that no one seems to recognize Daniel. Life is beautiful. Miranda has an amazing Nanny. The kids have someone they adore and Daniel finally figures out how to be a parent.

Oh, yes, there is the resident hunk, Stuart (Pierce Brosnan). He’s an old friend, new client and wannabe new mate for Miranda which really steams Daniel. Back to Bridges. There is an incredibly funny scene at our local restaurant where Daniel is doing what Robin Williams does best, mastering chaos.

All in all, Mrs. Doubtfire is a poignant romantic comedy where Robin Williams will keep you in stitches with his improvisational antics. Sally Field will totally endear you and the children have some of the best lines. As always, tell me what you think at chastings@rockcliff.com.

Jaws meets Jesus. That’s the way I see Soul Surfer. Even if you don’t enjoy faith based films, you will more than likely love this movie. The Hamilton family seems to be living the life that we’ve all dreamed of from time to time. Every time I vacation in Hawaii I have the passing thought…I could just not go back home. I wouldn’t need a fancy car (well, maybe a beach buggy). I wouldn’t even need fancy clothes; just live in my bathing suit. I could fish the surf for fresh fish to eat and send for the grandkids! Then reality sets in.

Soul Surfer is about a real family. The Hamilton’s live on the beach on Kauai. It’s not a beachfront mansion; it’s a bungalow where everyone parks by the front door. They are a surfing family. Thirteen year old, Bethany (AnnaSophia Robb) has been surfing since she was a child.  Her two brothers surf, as do her parents, Tom (Dennis Quaid) and Cheri (Helen Hunt). She surfs competitively and has dreams of turning professional. On Halloween Day, while out on the waves with her best friend, she is attacked by a 14 foot Tiger Shark which rips her arm off. Bethany is rushed to the hospital by Holt (Kevin Sorbo) her best friend’s father. Returning from the brink of death with the help of local surgeon Dr. Rovinsky (Craig T. Nelson), Bethany faces a challenging new life. She looks to her church youth pastor, Sarah (Carrie Underwood)for guidance.

Based on Hamilton’s book (co-written with Sheryl Berk and Rick Bundschuh), the film never strays far from the theme that God has a plan for your life. Prayer and trust in Him are constants. Bethany is never lacking for good role models in life or in the movie. She has loving parents, great friends and even her arch rival, eventually comes around. I think the important thing to “get” is that life throws us all curve balls; it’s what we do with them that makes us who we are.  The shark attack leaves this amazing 13 year old questioning her faith, her capacity for happiness, and her dream of going pro. Determined to return to the water, Bethany slowly begins to surf again, struggling to figure out a comfort zone for an athlete with one arm, challenging herself through competitions, struggling to stay ahead of her self-doubt.

The aquatic cinematography is dramatically and artfully handled by John R. Leonetti. As for the shark attack, it’s not a sensationalized moment cheapened by an extended effort of suspense. It’s the only reason for the PG rating but it is done by Director, Sean McNamara, quickly with as little gore as possible. I have to admit I was ready to look away but didn’t feel the need. McNamara hits the scene quickly, reinforcing the shock of the violence by blocking it quickly, making the horrific event bold and real, and underscoring the tragedy.

Soul Surfer, the story of a young girl’s courage should be on your list to view. (It is not appropriate for the very young.)  As always I welcome your comments at chastings@rockcliff.com.

Secretariat is a movie about just such a magnificent creature. While the movie focuses primarily on the horse, as it should, the stories of the people are a huge part of the story.

Secretariat is a horse that dramatically affected the people around him. The story opens with the death of the Chenery family matriarch. Everyone comes home for the services and to figure out what to do next with the family’s horse farm which hasn’t turned a profit in a while. Penny Chenery Tweedy (Diane Lane) is married to a Denver attorney and is “Suzy Homemaker.” Her brother, the professor, wants nothing to do with the farm but Penny can’t quite pull the plug on their ailing father’s dream.

Penny decides to stay for a little while to figure out what to do. While she is still going back and forth from Virginia to Colorado she finds that she has a passion for the new foal born shortly after her mother’s death. Penny fires the trainer who has been scamming the family during her father’s illness and hires Lucien Lauren (John Malkovich). Lucien had retired but after some coaxing takes on the young horse. Penny sees in Lucien a man who is good but more importantly, desperately needs a “win” in his life. It’s amazing how someone who carries a pocketful of newspaper clippings of his failures reacts when given one more big chance!

Named Secretariat by the farm’s secretary, because a big race was coming up; he needed an official name and no one could decide what to name him. Everyone still called him Big Red, even his fans. There’s lots of speculation about him being a short distance runner only, but “Big Red” proved them all wrong. He went on to win the Triple Crown! The last of the three races, the Belmont Stakes was the longest and the hardest of the races, yet he won it by 31 lengths; a record that has not been matched in the 37 years since.

So, I wondered about Secretariat as I’ve wondered about a few others, like Lance Armstrong. Does God, once in a while create a Job or a Lance or a Big Red, or does it come from being placed in a situation where we are given the tools, the nurturing and the grit to excel?

Secretariat is a wonderful, well cast, family movie. After doing some research I learned that there was some literary license taken with the story but the result was the same—Big Red was gifted with guts, heart, determination and as we all eventually experienced, endurance.

As always feel free to give me your thoughts and opinions at chastings@rockcliff.com

A Shine of Rainbows is a very sweet movie with a very deep subject matter…love. It seems that one can never get enough of it. Our story opens with a fresh faced young Irish boy being taunted in his classroom by some older bullies. Eight year old Tomas (John Bell) is shy, introspective and has a stammer. He is also the brunt of all the pranks at the orphanage. One day he walks with trepidation to the office when called but is overjoyed when he finds he has been adopted by Maire O’Donnell (Connie Nielsen) a lovely woman who takes the boy under her wing. On the boat ride back to the island of Corrie where Marie lives, our young lad does everything but throw up over the side and this is his new father’s first impression, a slightly green young boy in a sea environment. Alec (Aidan Quinn) isn’t able to hide his disappointment with his frail new son. Tomas is loved by Maire while trying to understand Alec and live up to his expectations. Maire is someone filled with magic, the kind of magic that could change someone’s life by just allowing them to be themselves.

As he explores his new island home, he finds a baby seal (what Irish movie would be complete without a baby seal!) on the beach, and begins caring for the seemingly abandoned animal, showing it the compassion he’s longed for in his own life.

I was recently talking about A Shine of Rainbows to a friend of mine. Since this is considered to be a family film and he has a young child and a pre-teen we started to chat about different subjects that seem to be taboo in many homes today. Just how old does a child need to be to be able to ‘handle’ the subject of death? I’m definitely not young anymore, except at heart, but death was part of life when I was growing up. Now, we have memorials instead of funerals and parents don’t seem to know how to answer the tough questions. No matter how long we live, our lives are touched by death. Different movies handle it, well, differently. There is death in A Shine of Rainbows but to me it was not sentimental, it was too sincere and real to be sentimental.

A Shine of Rainbows is a beautiful movie about the transformation of love; a movie adults and children alike will ‘get’. Director Vic Sarin has created a masterful film with quiet yet dynamic performances by Bell, Nielsen, and one of my favorites, Aiden Quinn. One day I may yet review the other ‘stammer’ movie, The King’s Speech but not today. As always, I invite your comments. I love hearing from you at chastings@rockcliff.com.

Dr. Carson had a childhood dream of becoming a physician, but he grew up in a single-parent home, with dire poverty, poor grades, a horrible temper and low self-esteem. Struggling to help her sons, Sonja Carson, Ben’s mother did everything in her power to help pull her family out of their circumstances. When kids at school labeled Ben the “Dummy,” Sonja got his eyes checked (yes, he needed glasses!), turned off the television and took the boys to the Detroit Public Library. They embarked on a journey of learning. Later in life the boys would realize that their mother, who had only a third grade education, could not read but that hadn’t stopped her from looking earnestly at their two mother-required weekly book reports.

Dr. Carson attended Yale and University of Michigan Medical School. At 33 years old he became the youngest major division director at Johns Hopkins. Early in his career he led a team that was the first to successfully separate conjoined (Siamese) twins. His list of accomplishments is incredible from bestselling author to winning the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

I was thrilled to see that one of my favorite actors, Cuba Gooding, Jr. was chosen to play the part of Ben Carson. Cuba is distinguished and versatile. He often shows his “chops” by taking on roles that are diverse and eclectic, as exhibited by his turns in both independent comedies and gritty dramas. It is rare to find an actor that will tackle both Men of Honor and Cool Running’s, yet both are worthy movies in their own right. Sonja was played by Kimberly Elise, herself a two time NAACP Image Award winner.

Once I had viewed Gifted Hands, I wanted to know more about Ben Carson, the doctor and the man. After 25 years he is still the department head at Johns Hopkins as well as having been awarded 50 honorary doctorates. He has also achieved the status of Living Legend given by the Library of Congress.

One of his most admirable accomplishments was founding Carson Scholars Fund which has awarded more than 4800 scholarships and is still growing. This man is not only a “Legend” he is a devoted husband, father and yes, son. His mother, Sonja is still alive and well.

Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story is a wonderful movie that can be enjoyed by the whole family, but I have to warn you, you’ll want to hit the internet to see what else you can learn about the man with the gifted hands. As always, I enjoy your comments at chastings@rockcliff.com.

This delightful movie puts you right there in the middle of it. Every day factory worker, Iris King (Jane Fonda) get ups, gets the kids ready and then rides the bus to her job mass producing bakery goods. One day while riding the bus her purse is stolen and she gives chase. Going toe to toe with the big bruiser, she is knocked down and he gets away with her purse and devastatingly, her paycheck. Stanley Cox (Robert DeNiro) pursues the two but arrives moments to late to save the day. This marks the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Stanley works in the canteen at the same company and has noticed Iris while dishing out mashed potatoes.

Iris is recently widowed, harried and trying to make ends meet. Her sister Sharon (Swoosie Kurtz) and brother-in-law Joe (Jamie Sheriden) have moved in with her, her teenage daughter has just found out she’s pregnant and her son is still missing his dad.

Stanley is bright and kind and…illiterate. He rides a bike because he can’t read. When his beloved father passes away he can’t even sign the death certificate. He has lost his job because he’s deemed a liability in the kitchen where he works. He digs ditches, cleans toilets and works in a car wash to support himself. The angst and humiliation are warring within him as he waits for Iris outside the factory in the pouring rain. He starts to ask, stops, tries again but just can’t get the words out. Finally, through his pain as she starts to get on the bus, he blurts out his secret desire, teach me to read.

Thus, the journey begins. After many hours of sitting at Iris’ kitchen table starting from the beginning, while the life of a family surrounds him, Stanley learns to read and write and a beautiful and steadfast friendship blossoms.

Stanley and Iris, often simplistic and perhaps even naïve, is a story that could be played out in any home in any industrial city. While it never saw an Oscar nomination this movie is honest and direct and entertaining.

Robert De Niro’s gentle underplaying in the central role gives it believability. Jane Fonda brings a pent up desire for things to go back the way they were before her husband died, knowing that can’t be, she is going through the motions of living. While this may sound like a “downer” movie it truly isn’t. Stanley and Iris is about hope, friendship and finally love, abiding love.

I like this movie. I’ve watched it several times in the last 20 years and I am never disappointed. I’ve been privileged to live in an area where illiteracy doesn’t often rear its ugly head and for that I am thankful, but it’s out there and the fact won’t be denied. I am blessed and if you are reading this, you are as well. As always, I welcome your comments at Chastings@rockcliff.com.