Movie Review: The Perfect Game

UPDATE APRIL 14
As I prepare my review for this wonderful film, I thought I'd revive the excellent review of a friend of mine who attended a screening over a year ago (original date of this post was 7/08), and never lost faith that this film would be released.
Leticia Velasquez

A guest post by Lynn Mary Wilson who attended a preview of this film

In 1957 North America, baseball was, as it is today, filled with miracles of all sizes. In The Perfect Game, based on a true story of baseball and miracles, a ragtag group of young altar boys in Mexico without hope of baseball but living in a culture filled with miracles and formed by an unlikely padre played remarkably by Cheech Marin, unfold their story. It may be just in time to rescue modern baseball fans of all stripes from apathy, cynicism, disgust and maybe even football. Many things have not changed in baseball or in life - men have fallen to envy, prejudice and corruption in every age - the real story is in the redemption of fallen or disheartened or oppressed or angry men and The Perfect Game is a unique kind of redemption story - a story of faith, hope, charity and a little romance - and the victory of the underdog that is more timely now than half a century ago. There is even a great little subplot about women in sports journalism.

Uplifting us from the sandlot of Monterrey to the glory of Ebbets Field, this is a movie to cheer about. In fact, at the screening I attended, that's just what happened in the audience! People love a story of men who believe in a cause and fight for it, and this is one story and one cause that should have no detractors. There WAS prejudice in 1957 in all quarters, but that did not stop one faithful priest and his flock from giving one desperate man (Clifton Collins, Jr.) a reason to believe and some good work to do. In the process, from a most unlikely corner of the continent, comes a story that reminded a nation what it means to seek and to find not only the American dream, but the God Who is behind it all. It bears repeating that the story has not changed much over the years.

This movie was to have been released on August 8th, 2008, but has been put on the backburner. If you believe in the power of miracles, please contact Lionsgate to vote for release of this movie sooner rather than later.

Review of "Letters to God"

Ever wonder what happens to the letters children mail to Santa? Imagine the dilemma the mailman faces when a confident boy of 8 hands him letters addressed to God. This is the situation that Brady McDaniels (Jeffrey Johnston) finds himself in, when he takes over the route of a fellow letter carrier on leave. More troublesome still, his supervisor Les (Dennis Neal)suggests he keep them. He brings them with him to show them to his old Commanding Officer, now a bartender at his nightly watering hole, who suggests they belong in a church. Hesitantly Brady walks up the aisle of the local church, hoping to leave the letters there and escape unnoticed. He feels uncomfortable, suspecting that his drunkenness will not go over well. He is startled by the pastor, who, knowing the boy who sent them, suggests that Brady has been given a mission by God, and that the letters addressed from his parishioner, 8 year old Tyler(Tanner McGuire) with brain cancer were meant for him.
What could the chatty letters full of details of Tyler Doherty’s life and childish questions have to do with a life where, as he describes it, ‘everything I touch turns to dust”? After he was caught driving drunk with his son in the car, Brady lost custody of him to his ex-wife. He misses his son, yet knows that, as a drunk, he is a bad example to him. His life is a lonely one, and it isn’t long before Tyler's letters reach Brady, he is drawn into by the loving attitude of the family and finds himself involved in their lives.
Maddy Doherty (Robyn Lively) is at the end of her rope. Her husband’s sudden death last year, left her a single mom of two growing boys. On the night she prepares to return to her nursing job at the hospital, she burns the meatloaf. Only the calm reassurance of her mother Olivia (Maree Cheatham) enables Maddie to keep it together as she hugs Tyler goodbye and leaves for work. Tyler is the light of her life, and though his doctor has warned her not to get her hopes up, she can’t help hoping that his cancer will be cured. What she can’t cure is her teenage son Ben’s negative attitude towards his family. He feels that his mother has forgotten him in her focus on his sick brother. He lost his faith in God, since the tragic loss of his father Patrick last year, and Ben (Michael Bolten)sullenly hides in his room, playing his guitar, and pushing everyone away.
"Letters to God" is not a typical sick child story. Missing the self absorption, and the scientists rushing to find a cure, we are left with an eight year old boy whose contagious hope buoys up everyone he meets. Tyler sits out on a porch on the roof of the house at night talking to God in his letters. “I miss Mom’s laugh”, “can you see the stars from there, God? My father told me you made them”. Tyler isn’t afraid of going to heaven, he tells God, “I already know two people there” and he isn’t afraid of sharing the reason for his hope: Tyler is best friends with God.
“Letters to God” is based on a true story written by Patrick Doughtie, the father of a little boy who died of cancer. His letters had a powerful effect on those who read them, inspiring them to write their own letters to God. Anyone who has had a loved one die the slowly painful death from cancer knows the importance of a relationship with God in a crisis. Yet Tyler ’s faith isn’t the foxhole faith of a dying boy, it’s the easy friendship of a life long walk in the company of Jesus, molded in His image. Tyler doesn’t beg to live longer, he asks for faith for those he loves, and someone to care for his lonely mother. When Tyler's friend Sam's Grandpa, the erasible Cornelius Pennyfield(Ralph Waite) tells him that he has been handed the role of his life, to be a warrior for God, Tyler takes on the challenge with gusto. His courageous example inspires his friend Samantha (Bailee Madison)who ferociously defence of him at school, lands both of them in the principal's office, to look into the hearts of those who are cruel and offer forgiveness. Tyler is an inspiration to his classmates, his brother Ben who composes a song on his guitar for him, and his mother who finds strength in his example. Soon, the influence of one little boy's faith inspires a movement of outreach and faith. "Letters to God" is a moving tribute to a life well lived and a mission unaccomplished.
A compelling performance by Tanner McGuire as Tyler is the hub of this emotional drama, compliments the theatrical magic of Ralph Waite. Mr Waite lost a child to cancer 30 years ago and for this reason felt inspired to be part of this moving tribute. Jeffrey Johnston is believable as Brady McDaniels, renegade turned father, and the film, though slow in places, finishes with a powerful impact, as real life testimonies to the real Tyler are shown during the credits.
This moving film will become a standard in many a family DVD collection.

No nudity or profanity, brief violence related to drunkeness, and a mature theme have earned this film a PG rating. Highly recommended for children Tyler's age(8) and up.

Interview with director of "Letters to God"

Interview with David Nixon director of “Letters to God”


How is your company related to the Church in Georgia?
About six years ago, we got a divine appointment with that church, Sherwood Baptist in Albany (Georgia) and they knew of my production company, I’ve been in production for about 30 years, doing secular productions; commercials, documentaries and things. They wanted to make Christian films and they called me and said, “Will you come and help us make our next movie, give us a Hollywood look that was “Facing the Giants”.
They made “Flywheel” themselves in the church, and they couldn’t get a Hollywood look and they called me, so I drove my crew from Orlando and we kind of elevated their production level to give them a Hollywood look, “At that point, we didn’t think they were going to get a theatrical deal. We didn’t think we could get that back then, but that was when “The Passion” was getting about $600 million”.
We were at the right place at the right time. And SONY picked it up, and put it in theatres and the rest is history”.

Where did you get the story for “Letters to God?”
About three years ago, we were putting a film deal together after we finished “Facing the Giants” and we were gearing up to make “Fireproof”, The distributor said, “can you do any more of these God films?”. I said the church can only do one about every three years, but Possibility Pictures can. That was SONY, who is the distributor. It’s an amazing thing that Hollywood wants these movies, and so I was looking for scripts., I have a friend in Orlando who is a writer, who said he was just working with the father of a little cancer boy up in Nashville who’s written this story “Letters to God”. He asked if I wanted to see it, and I said “definitely, and as soon as I read it, it just touched me and I got on a plane and I flew to Nashville, I met with Patrick Doughty the father, and I said, we got to make this movie, its just a wonderful sweet little story, and it has all the components of a great film. That was about three years ago, we went out and raised the money, made the film and here we are.
Sony originally said they would fund it, but I went back to Orlando, and I told my Christian friends, “Should we really let Hollywood pay for it?” and they said “no, no, we can raise the money, if Hollywood pays of it, they’ll control the content. And they’ll water down the message. Why don’t you let us raise the money here in Orlando, and we can make sure the content doesn’t get watered down, and the Christian message doesn’t get taken out of the movie. “
That really is the secret to the success.
Exactly.
And whether SONY realizes it or not, they still don’t know how to do Christian.
LaughsSo that’s really our model, my company, Possibility Pictures funds the movies.

What do you think sets this film apart from other films about sick children, like, “Extraordinary Measures”? What is the difference in perspective?
Well, really it’s the story. It’s a true story, and it goes beyond just the typical cancer idea, it’s the letters component. We wanted to make a movie with a lesson, but we didn’t want to be preachy, to hit you over the head. I loved this idea of a little eight year old, writing these simple letters to his best friend, God, putting them in the mail, because that’s a way to get across a message without it being overbearing, without it being preachy, and that’s what makes the difference. You’re so compelled by this little eight year old, and his faith and the characters portrayed up on screen, you become part of the family, that’s so real that it’s not hitting you over the head with the message, you get it.
The faith of this little boy changed all of the lives around him.

Yet it was the father who wrote the story, and there is no father in the story, why?
He changed the story because it was so difficult for him, after his son passed, he went through about two years of depression, he came out of that and God put it on his heart to write the story, but he had to change that because it was so close to him, he changed it to be a single mom instead of a single father, and he added a few characters, he changed it enough, so that it wasn’t so difficult for him when he was writing the story.

He wrote himself out of the story.
Yes, (laughs).

Was the mailman part of the original story? It’s very poignant his being an absentee father. So many kids are going through fatherlessness.
The mailman was fictional, but the father (Patrick Doughty) thought, ‘let’s add this guy who’s had his own demons, who’s going through his own struggles, being alcoholic and we can really see his character change, through the movie, and I thought Jess Johnson just played such a wonderful role, and really pulled that character off, You really feel for this guy.

I appreciate the fact that in the beginning, the audience is led to think, ‘what kind of a loser is this guy?’ then as the story unfolds, you begin to feel sympathy for him.
The screenplay came first, the book was written after the screenplay, the novelization was written after we’d actually made the movie. It was Patrick’s story of his little boy Tyler that he wrote into a screenplay, and that was the original idea. We took that screenplay and polished it. I had my writer, Sandy Thrift. She’s been my partner for about 20 years. She polished the script, added the magic, she added the characters which gave the neighborhood the wonderful charm, like magic.

Where did you find your actors?
We did a casting in LA and most of the actors were actors in LA who have done television and some movies, we just put the normal casting call out, we didn’t think we would get high caliber actors. This isn’t a high budget movie. We couldn’t offer them much in terms of compensation. We were amazed at how many actors came and said, “We love the screenplay, we don’t get enough of these kinds of screenplays, we would love to play this role. Especially Ralph Waite (Pa Walton in the Waltons). He blew us away when he came to the casting. He said to us in the casting, “you know, this movie is very close to my heart, I lost a child to cancer 30 years ago, so I wanted to play this role.“

What do you hope is the message that audiences take away from the film?
The bottom line is what Tyler says at the end of the movie, “I just want everybody to believe.” The reason why we make these movies is that we want people to know that you can have a connection with God. And if this little eight year old boy, going through the worst time of his life, can write these sweet little letters, to his best friend, to God, and he has this connection, then any of us can have that hope, and that connection and so, I hope that people will be inspired by the movie, and maybe they’ll start writing their own letters to God, but at least have some kind of connection with God that wants to be a part of their lives.

Did you use the words from Tyler’s original letters?
Exactly, that is true to life, that Patrick wrote down the same dialogue and the same things that happened with him and his son are true to life in the story.

What’s your next project?
We have two films we’re shooting this summer. One is a Christian comedy called “Saving Livingston” which is a wonderful little story we came up with, and another true life story about a girl in Orlando which is called, “To Write Love on Her Arm”. We’re shooting both of those this summer and they’ll be out next year in theatres.

You sound like you’re getting busier.
Oh yeah, it’s non-stop. While we’ve got this door open to theatrical release, we’re going to run right through that.
Our formula is in the three million dollar range, so we can have paid actors and paid crew in these movies, we’re staying to that formula, we’re not increasing it from movie to movie. We’ve gone out and raised enough money to make each one of these movies for about that, It works pretty well, you know the distributor has to make money, so you can’t be spending a hundred million dollars on a movie, in this genre, you’re not going to make your money back.

Do you have any romantic films coming? Is “To Write Love on her Arm “romantic?
Not really, “To Write Love on Her Arm” isn’t really romantic, it’s a true story about a teenage girl who went through depression became an alcoholic and became addicted to cutting.

That’s becoming a frighteningly common trend.
Terrible. That’s what that’s about; we wanted to tell that true story about a girl in Orlando who went through that. We wanted to tell that story to save some kids. There are kids who are committing suicide because of this. That’s a pretty heavy dramatic film. “Saving Livingston” is a comedy but it has a pretty romantic side to it. That will be a little lighter fare.

Can you do an anti-Twilight film?
Laughs. That’s the plan. Really, that’s “To Write on Her Arms” that’s the anti-Twilight film.

That’s a media trend which really disturbs me. Such a lack of self respect among young women.
Horrible.

Do you have any books as part of the film promotion?
Actually, there are seven, a children’s book, one on prayer, a novelization of the film, they’ve been out in bookstores for two weeks.

You did very well with “The Love Dare”, right?
That was phenomenal.

David Nixon was the producer of “Facing the Giants” and “Fireproof” and is the director of “Letters to God” which is coming out Friday, April. 8.

Catholic Actor Neal McDonough Refuses to do Racy Sex Scenes

cross-posted from A Catholic View

KUDO's to Neal!  Always great to see someone in the spotlight living their Catholic faith.

Neal McDonough is a marvelous actor who elevates every role he plays, whether it's in Band of Brothers or Desperate Housewives. So when he was suddenly replaced with David James Elliott 3 days into the filming on ABC's new series Scoundrels earlier this week, there had to be a story behind the story. The move was officially explained as a casting change. But, in fact, McDonough was sacked because of his refusal to do some heated love scenes with babelicious star (and Botox pitchwoman) Virginia Madsen. The reason? He's a family man and a Catholic, and he's always made it clear that he won't do sex scenes. And ABC knew that. Because he also didn't get into action with Nicolette Sheridan on the network's Desperate Housewives when he played her psycho husband during Season 5. And he also didn't do love scenes with his on-air girlfriend in his previous series, NBC's Boomtown, or that network's Medical Investigation. "It has cost him jobs, but the man is sticking to his principles," a source explained...

story

Book Review: Brother Andre

Brother Andre: Friend of the Suffering, Apostle of Saint Joseph
by Jean-Guy Dubac
Notre Dame: Ave Maria Press, 2010

On February 19, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI announced that Blessed Brother Andre Bessette of Canada is scheduled to be canonized on October 17, 2010. Brother Andre was a humble porter at Notre Dame College in Quebec, Canada. He had very little formal education and wrote nothing, yet he became known internationally. At his death in 1937, more than one million people filed by his casket, acclaimed as a saint by the people long before the Church formally made that designation.

In “Brother Andre: Friend of the Suffering, Apostle of Saint Joseph,” Jean-Guy Dubac relates the life story of this simple man. He also includes a history of his family as well as background information on Saint Joseph’s Oratory which Brother Andre helped to build. Brother Andre was known for two main things – his devotion to St. Joseph and his ability to work cures in God’s name. Despite life-long physical illness, he lived an ascetic life – both eating and sleeping little. He spent many hours in prayer and was scrupulous in performing all his duties as a Brother of the Congregation of the Holy Cross.

One of the earliest cures attributed to Brother Andre’s intercession was of a young boy in the college infirmary. He asked the child, who was sick with fever, why he was being so lazy. When the boy responded that he was sick, Brother Andre told him to get up and go play with the other boys. When he did so, suddenly healed of his illness, it was to the astonishment of all. He was cured, with no explanation. Over the course of his lifetime, countless sick would come to seek Brother Andre’s aid. He greeted all with love, cured many, and directed all to seek St. Joseph’s help.

“Brother Andre: Friend of the Suffering, Apostle of Saint Joseph” offers an interesting, highly readable introduction to the life and times of one of the Catholic Church’s newest saints. From Brother Andre, one can learn much about patience, simplicity, and devotion to St. Joseph.

Book Review by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur
http://spiritualwomanthoughts.blogspot.com

Review of "The Handbook for Catholic Moms"

By Lisa M. Hendey

IN, Ave Maria Press, 2010

This is a lonely time to be a mother. Neighborhoods are empty during the day, playgrounds are occupied with babysitters, and the parking lot after church looks more like a traffic jam than an opportunity for fellowship. Where is a Catholic mom to get solid advice on things like; prayer, fitness, finances, time management, doctor visits, and creating a culture of faith in our homes? We Catholic Moms are confronted with a culture which considers us at best, quaint, and we long for acceptance and a sisterly arm about our shoulders. Lisa Hendey, the woman behind the popular internet gathering spot, Catholic Mom, has given us just that in her book “The Handbook for Catholic Moms”. .

For more than ten years, Catholic Mom.com has provided Catholic women with a place for friendship and counsel, wit and wisdom. Now she has organized the insights of her talented cadre of seasoned Catholic writers into several important themes to form a book to reach the mom in the trenches of laundry, dishes, teens and potty training with the message that they are not alone. They are part of a blessed sisterhood.

Lisa does not see herself as a Mom-guru, giving advice from on high; she’s far too humble for that. Her attitude throughout the book is “I found some great ideas on this subject from a friend, come and see”, or “here’s how I struggled with this problem”. I enjoyed reading about her experiences as a young mother moving to a new parish with a husband working long hours, and the story of her stirring victory over breast cancer.

The Handbook has sound, balanced advice on matters practical as well as spiritual, and the topics are so diverse, that any mom is bound to find a personally relevant section. The two which stood out to me were the nutrition and fitness sections; these are two areas where my husband and doctor have been trying to motivate me. Lisa’s upbeat, affirming words have helped me take another look at how I care for my body. She has helped convince me that my health is worth taking time out of my schedule, and that taking care of me is an act of love for my family. Encouragement is her particular gift and she uses it well throughout this book. .

Lisa is a natural cheerleader, and when it comes to sharing her faith, her enthusiasm is contagious, yet she doesn’t get too theoretical. For example, in her section on prayer, she acknowledges the difficulty most mothers have maintaining an active prayer life and proposes practical solutions;

“The demands of our motherly vocation, couple with an ever-increasing societal “noise” level and the busyness of the schedules we keep, leave our spiritual reserves running on empty. In this chapter, we look at different types of prayer and how busy moms have succeeded in prioritizing prayer in their lives.”

Hands-on strategies, heartfelt sharing of triumphs and tragedies, and authentically Catholic advice based on Scripture, the saints, and the Catechism are what make “The Handbook for Catholic Moms” an essential resource, you will consult frequently. As Lisa says, in her section on creativity, “When we take time to tap into our creative abilities, we acknowledge the God who placed them within us, and who crafted us, just so, knowing every aspect of us and loving every hair on our heads”.”The Handbook for Catholic Moms” reflects both the creativity of its author and the love of the God who made us.

Looking for good Palm Sunday family Viewing?

Take a look at "Amish Grace" on Lifetime Television at 8PM on Sunday evening.
Read my review at Faith and Family Live.

Movie Review: The Last Song - PG

cross-posted from A Catholic View

warning: possible spoilers

Written by Nicholas Sparks, The Last Song is about a teenager, Ronnie (Miley Cyrus) and her younger brother  spending a summer with their father Steven, who is divorced from their mother.  Ronnie is angry with her father for leaving.  For the first half-hour or so, she is actually hard to watch. While there, Ronnie meets Will, and they start dating.  There are several factors such as her friend and his friends and family, which complicate things.  There are a couple of touching moments: Ronnie and Will spend the night on the beach to protect turtle eggs that haven't hatched, and  Steve and his son make a new stained-glass window for the church.  Steve also writes a song for Ronnie, who hasn't played the piano in years.

My problem with the movie is the characters: most of them are dysfunctional in some way.

It is a wholesome story;  there is no objectionable content or language.  It is also an engaging story, but unfortunately it is overwhelmed by the characters. 

The Last Song opens March 31.  

http://touchstone.movies.go.com/thelastsong/

Book Review: The Shroud Codex by Dr. Jerome Corsi

cross-posted from A Catholic View

I received an advance copy of "The Shroud Codex" to review, and  it is one of the best books of the year.

The central character is Fr. Paul Bartholomew, a former physicist who became a priest and  recently died in a car accident and was resuscitated.  Since his accident, Paul has begun to exhibit both the stigmata and other signs of Christ's passion.  He has also begun to resemble Christ, as he appears in the Shroud of Turin.   Paul states that it is all part of God's mission for him.  The Vatican hires Dr. Stephen Castle, a surgeon turned psychiatrist, to determine both the cause and authenticity of Paul's experience.  Castle is an atheist, but the Pope trusts Castle because he helped the Pope while he was still a Cardinal.   Other characters include Archbishop Duncan of New York, Fr. Morelli,who was sent by the Vatican to work with Castle on investigating Fr. Bartholomew, Fr. Bartholomew's sister Anne Cassidy, and Fernando Ferrar, a news reporter covering the story (he wants to be the next Geraldo :)

I very much like the way Dr. Corsi defines his characters; they all have distinct personalities, and a specific role in the story.

Much of the story focuses on the authenticity of the shroud itself, both its history and the specifics of the image on the shroud.   The investigation begins in New York City, and continues at the Vatican in Rome, the CERN in Geneva, and the Chapel of the Shroud itself in Turin.

As the story progressed,  I tried to anticipate the various ways it might end. None turned out to be correct.

There were several  reasons I enjoyed"The Shroud Codex": I have long been very interested in the Shroud of Turin, and I like  mystery, action and drama stories involving the Catholic church. (I also recently reviewed "The Death of a Pope").  I especially appreciate Dr. Corsi's somewhat fast-paced writing style.  I liked the pace at which the story progresses.

An excellent book...I highly recommend!

Pre-order "The Shroud Codex" on Amazon.com.

No Turning Back: A Witness to Mercy

Father Donald H. Calloway, MIC, has written an autobiographical book about his conversion from a drug-addicted teenager with a criminal record to a well-spoken priest responsible for helping to form young men for the priesthood. He now travels quite extensively bringing the moving and inspiring story of “No Turning Back: A Witness to Mercy” far and wide.

This book has an important message for a wide audience, both worldly and religious, but I will tell about reading it from a mother’s perspective. Father Calloway and I don’t have much in common except for being born in 1972 and loving the beach. I don’t as a general rule read autobiographies, books by priests, or conversion stories, and yet this narrative had me from page one.

Father Calloway introduces himself as a priest with an important testimony about the Divine Mercy and the radical changes it has brought into his own life. Then he dives into the midst of his teenage drama as he is being caught by the military police in Japan. He is a migrant military-child-brat who loves surfing, girls, and drugs; he will steal without compunction to get what he wants. The story is unbelievably captivating. As I read this I was thinking to myself that here is this now-very-educated, spiritual, and well-spoken man telling this story, relating the thoughts of his younger self that was so ignorant, worldly, and unsocial; and I was wondering how on earth this was possible.

As he relates the details of his upbringing, it is obvious that the constant uprooting from place to place and step-father to step-father has a great deal to do with his rebellion from his parents. Yet he never blames his mother for the hard decisions she had to make, and gives her credit for always taking him back with open loving arms, and patiently waiting for him to come back both to her and to God. He compares her to Saint Monica, who prayed endlessly for her son Augustine; he was a great sinner who eventually became one of the most esteemed of the Church’s scholarly saints. His mother’s present husband he compares to Joseph, who quietly and loyally supported Mary and Jesus.

About three-fifths through, after reading how he went from one rock bottom to another and wondering how low he has to go before he changes, the reader is hit by the same “Divine two-by-four” that hit Father Calloway in the head. One night he stays in his parents’ home alone and reads a book about Mary that they had in their bookshelves. He reads all night and then in the morning tells his mother he needs to speak to a Catholic priest. Seeing the extraordinary event that has happened to him, she tells him to RUN to the military priest. When he goes to Mass he miraculously understands the mystery of the Eucharist and that day is converted.

When I read this part, I was sitting on the beach watching my three-year-old play on the playground, surrounded by other moms and children. The way his conversion happens is so beautiful and amazing it was all I could do to not freak everybody out by crying right there. He makes it clear how a Catholic conversion through Mary and Jesus is fundamentally different from what is understood as the Evangelical-defined “born-again” experience. From that point, Father Calloway details the journey from his calling to the priesthood to where he is now.

The whole story was so compelling and insightful. I would recommend it to any teen or adult.

For more information see the author's website at http://www.fathercalloway.com/books/ntbbk.php

Father Calloway sent me this book in exchange for my honest review.