Faith & Family March-May 2008
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NEWS
The word is the thing for Walden Media
Company co-founder and president Michael Flaherty says that Walden’s success in reaching beyond mainstream movie-goers to Christian viewers is no secret, just the product of simple outreach. Full story
Studios renew religious interest
The market for spiritually oriented books, DVDs and software is worth about $8 billion. No wonder the video industry is putting a lot of faith these days into family and faith-based entertainment. Full story
Fit with spirit
Though movie producers have been getting religion by producing faith-based films, there’s another DVD genre that has converted to Christianity: fitness. Full story
REVIEWS
Jesus, Mary and Joey
The Joey of the title is Joey Vitello (Vincent Pagano), a young man living with his tight-knit Italian-American family while searching for a career. Mary is Mary O’Callahan (Marley Shelton), an old classmate of Joey’s who returns from a long absence, and the two re-connect at church. Full story
Davie & Golimyr
The Old Testament tale of David and Goliath is given a new lease on life in this unusually colorful feature. Here, young Davie has to oppose the enemy of his people, a giant named Golimyr, with only a slingshot and his sidekick sheep. Full story
NEW RELEASES
CHRISTIAN THEMES
Arts Alliance America
What Would Jesus Buy? (street April 22, prebook March 18; DVD $24.95) follows Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir as they go on a cross-county mission to save Christmas from consumerism, over-consumption and the fires of eternal debt.
BET/Paramount
The brightest stars in gospel and R&B meet in Celebration of Gospel: Spirit in Song (street April 29, prebook March 18; DVD $19.99), a foot-stomping, hand-clapping revival filled with performances by Patti LaBelle, John Legend and others.
Bridgestone
High school friends Madison and Lacy enjoy an out-of-town Christian rock concert and then experience eerie events at their hotel in Pray, a Christian thriller for youth (street March 24, prebook now; DVD $19.95).
Indican
In the urban film A Simple Promise (street April 22, prebook March 21; DVD $24.99), a struggling young artist and songstress learn through their faith how to be happy with who they are.
Lionsgate
A struggling waitress discovers something about herself she was unprepared for as two unrelated lives intersect in Bella (street May 6, prebook April 9; DVD $27.98).
Spirit/Maverick
Sister Aimee: The Aimee Semple McPherson Story (street April 22, prebook March 21; DVD $16.98) tries to answer whether she was a messenger from God.
NON-RELIGIOUS FAMILY FARE
Allumination
Can Mist (street April 22, prebook March 18; DVD $14.98) really learn her craft and prove herself worthy of a place in a team of sheepdogs at Borough Farm?
DVD International
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (street April 29, prebook April 4; DVD $12.95) is an adaptation of the book by Mark Twain.
Genius
Unstable Fables: 3 Pigs and a Baby (street March 4, prebook now; DVD $19.97) takes on a whole new twist of “The Three Little Pigs,” as a cunning team of special ops wolves hatch an ingenious plan to infiltrate the intrepid pigs’ impenetrable house of bricks.
Warner
The Waltons: The Complete Seventh Season (street April 29, prebook March 25; DVD $39.98) has 24 episodes that unfold as the U.S. enters World War II and changes come to the Waltons’ Mountain.
—Compiled by Barbara Wexler
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