Christians in Cinema

The Blind Side; It’s Where You Want to Be

Angela Walker — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:26:37 +0000

In two weeks The Blind Side, a powerful film based on a true story, is coming to theaters near you. It hits so many perfect notes in all the right places that it is sure to win audiences around the country.

You’ve probably already seen the trailers, and perhaps, like me, you wonder if all the movie is shown in the trailer? Trust me, it’s not.

Sandra Bullock, who is one of my favorite actresses (While You Were Sleeping, Miss Congeniality, Hope Floats), teams with country music superstar Tim McGraw (Flicka), who is just about as nice as a person can be, to bring this story to life. You’ll be blown away by the performances of Quinton Aaron, Jae Head, and Lily Collins.

Watch the ChristianCinema.com website, because I’ll be publishing articles about the film there in the next couple of weeks. It’s a great film you’re not going to want to miss. See you at the movies!

Charles Marshall Isn’t Crazy, but He Might be a Carrier

Angela Walker — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:11:55 +0000

Dandy-like and dandified is how Charles Marshall (I’m Just Sayin’!, from Crown Comedy) describes himself the day we talk. He’s not dandelion-like, because that’s two levels above, where you’re almost insane, at least by his rating system. He’s feeling pretty good about life and before a minute has passed, he’s making cracks about the time of day, as well as Fresno, California.

I have two passions professionally: laughter and encouragement.

Before I could even ask the first question, he spent five minutes interviewing me about where I came from, how I wound up in California, and the difference between accents in the metropolitan areas of the South vs. accents of those who live in the country. It’s because he’s interested in other people and learning their stories. As Charles says, “I already know what’s going on with me, so I like asking questions.” He graciously took a step back and allowed me to start asking him questions eventually.

In addition to being a comedian, Charles is a creative problem-solver. When I explained that some of my interview recordings have sounds of interference after about 15 minutes, he asked if I ever considered that maybe after 15 minutes, (more…)

The Power of a Spoof

Angela Walker — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:09:10 +0000

You know you’ve made it if your film or show is spoofed by others. Actor Gary Moore regularly spoofs films made by Christian producers by inserting himself into the main character’s role and turning dramatic moments into comic ones.

Watch his take on Fireproof (called In-Law Proof), and Facing the Giants on YouTube. If you’re familiar with the two movies, you’ll enjoy his spin on things. Gary is on Facebook, so if you have any films you want him to spoof, “friend” him and make a suggestion.

Oh My God

Angela Walker — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:26:21 +0000

To some, the utterance of that phrase is blasphemy. To others, a prayer. Still others it’s a curse.This fall, it’s the name of a documentary by filmmaker Peter Rodger. He traveled the globe with a camera, examining the idea of God through various religions, cultures, spiritual leaders and celebrities. He also captures thoughts from ordinary people around the world. From the U.S. to Africa, the Middle East to the Far East, he asks questions that most people struggle with.Is there really one God? If there is a God, why does He allow so much suffering?Rodger wants viewers to have “an amazing journey…seeing places they would never see normally, hearing music that inspires and words that educate, bringing understanding and tolerance of other individuals that in turn richens their own existence.”Don’t pass judgment without seeing the film. Go see the film, listen to what is said, then join the conversation. Maybe we can learn something that will help us in our discussions with those who believe differently, or don’t believe at all.

Kenn Kington Filming Live in Atlanta, GA

Angela Walker — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:03:26 +0000

Comedian Kenn Kington is filming a new DVD in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday, October 24th. Promising an amazing night of comedy, Kington’s act that night will be the show he’s touring in 2010. If you’re in Atlanta, or have friends in Atlanta, encourage them to attend this entertaining evening.Kington is one of today’s most sought after comedians and is best known for his creative humor that reveals life in its funniest form. He’s also an accomplished author and motivational speaker, and has performed for major corporations such as Bank of America and Lockheed, as well as organizations like the PGA and the NFL.When you attend the show, if you mention reading this blogpost, you’ll receive $5 off the price of admission for the evening. Kenn is a great entertainer, and you’ll laugh your way through the night at this show. For more information, visit his website kennkingtom.com.

Where to Draw the Line?

Angela Walker — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:52:28 +0000

I just finished my reporting for the week. There are certain statistics I track and forward to upper management. They are very nicely displayed in a spreadsheet, complete with colored symbols and lines for easy deciphering. However, I cannot print them. Why? Because the particular software I’m using has a “Known issue” with printing charts.What? A “known issue?” And you released it anyway? Didn’t someone test for this particular application? Seems like if you want to create a graph, at some point you’re going to want to print it? Maybe they thought that in our digital, no one would want print capacity any more. Just email it, post it to a website, or cyber-something-else with it.Then I thought, “hmm…maybe they caught it too far down the road. Maybe some engineer in a cubicle thought to test it two days before the big launch and it was too late to pull everything back, so they just had to let it go.” [If I find out he exists, I’m going to have a conversation with him]From that point, it was an easy jump to film, since that’s what I think about most of the day anyway. At what point in the filmmaking process (which may not be as long as the development process for a software upgrade, but is usually a 2-3 year process) is it too late to make corrections? And (more…)

Lord, Save Us from Your Followers

Angela Walker — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:39:14 +0000

This gem of a film is currently in theaters in select cities around the country. If you’re like me, the title immediately caught your attention right away. Maybe it even made you say, “What? That doesn’t sound like something I want to watch.”

Well, you should watch it if you have the chance. Rather than being a mean-spirited poke-fun-at-Christianity-and-Christians outing, it’s an honest man’s chronicle of his journey…a journey to find out why people like Jesus but not Christians.

Face it, a large percentage of the population of the United States says they are Christians, but tune into almost any news show or talk show, and eventually you’ll hear arguments about what exactly that means. Does it mean we vote Republican or Democrat? Do we support Prop 8 or Prop 25? Are we pro-life and anti-stem cell research?

For some reason, being a Christian has come to be synonymous with political and cultural stands. If you claim to be a Christian, certain assumptions are automatically made about you, and (more…)

1 Minute Monologue Contest in Hollywood

Angela Walker — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:03:09 +0000

Acting coach, director and film producer Clay Banks (The Azusa Street Project) is sponsoring a 1-Minute Monologue contest for actors in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 10. Actors have the opportunity to showcase their work for a panel that includes agents, directors, managers, filmmakers, and casting directors.

Melissa Disney, the 2008 winner, was cast as the lead in a film directed by one of the judges who saw her in the contest last year.

The contest will be held at Clay’s studio in Los Angeles. You can register by going to the 1 Minute Monologue Contest website here.

If you want to participate and could use some coaching (more…)

What Would A VeggieNun Look Like?

Angela Walker — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:54:12 +0000

Big Idea is releasing Saint Nicholas: A Story of Joyful Giving this October. It’s their first Christmas release for a while, and centers on the origins of the Santa Claus story. This delightful story introduces a couple of new characters, one of which is a nun. Now what kind of vegetable do you think would make a good nun?

I think she’s a pea. It’s a little hard to tell because you only see her face, but it’s round and green, so the vegetable choices are fairly limited. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a pea glow, but when this nun tells the story of Christ’s birth and His ultimate reason for coming to earth, her face captures the radiance of someone saved by grace.

Once again, the VeggieTales creators hit it out of the park with their creativity and (more…)

Vote for My Ism

Angela Walker — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:34:27 +0000

Last week I got to do an interview with comic Kenn Kington, who is an outrageously funny guy. As we talked, he told me about something his wife does called “isms.” She takes a truism and basically messes it up - kind of like telling a joke but giving the wrong punchline. He said the best “ism” he ever heard from her was one night when she was putting their daughter to bed by singing to her. She mixed up the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” with the words from “Jesus Loves Me” and the “ABC” song. Hilarious.

Right now Kenn is running a contest on his website. People (like me) can submit their own “isms,” which are then voted on by visitors to his site. Each week the person with the most votes wins an iPod Nano and becomes a finalist. At the end of this month, the finalists will be voted upon and the winner will fly to Atlanta to be present at the recording of Kenn’s new video, during which he’ll perform their “ism.” Oh - and I get to take a friend with me.

So I need you to go - right now - to Kenn’s website (http://www.kennkington.com/isms.html) and vote for me RIGHT NOW!

My “ism” is: Better safe than stupid! So help me win that iPod Nano and the trip to Atlanta. Thanks!