Cast: John Ashton - Mike (Dad), Thom Mathews - Dan, Corin Nemec - Dan (teen years), Paul Gleason - Tony, Janice Lynde - Erika (Mom), Mario Van Peebles - Norman, Megan Gallivan - Sue, Dana Barron - Kathy.

The story of Dan Donahue (Thom Matthews) who has met the girl of his dreams, Sue (Megan Gallivan). He plans on proposing after a dinner with her parents but in the midst of it he wonders if he can really commit to a wife and family.

Seeing her family, he begins to question whether he is really ready and able to love like that. He still has deep-seeded hurt and anger that needs to be overcome–anger and feelings of abandonment caused by his father leaving him when he was just a young boy. Then there’s the fear that maybe he’ll be just like his old man.

Dan calls it quits with Sue instead, then spends some time alone trying to make sense of it all. In the midst of his introspection he cries out to God: “What do I gotta do to be free to Love?” In the moment of inspiration that follows, Dan decides to write a letter to his father, directly confronting him with the feelings of bitterness, disappointment, and disengagement that he experienced over the years.

(View the trailer-A Letter to Dad)

While Dan is writing his letter, we see his life unfold before us. First, the loving father and son relationship that quickly changes when his father (John Ashton - Mike) leaves and divorces his mother (Janice Lynde - Erika). As his father takes off for the first time, Dan cries out to God: “Why are you doing this to me?”

It doesn’t help that his mother remarries and he has to live with a jerk of a step-dad (Paul Gleason- Tony). Then, the unsatisfying time that he has every other weekend with his Dad who seems more intent on blaming everyone else and drowning his troubles in boos than on loving and spending time with his son.

Then comes the rebellion and challenges that he faces as a troubled teen–looking for love and affirmation in all the wrong places. The shock of a friends suicide brings Dan to the place where he decides to make something of his life–”to be somebody“.

He turns to God in the process and there is one scene where he goes to church with his mother and the pastor tells him that God is always there and unconditionally loves him.

As a young man, he begins to make a success of his life. Years later we see him meet the love of his life, Sue, followed by vignettes of loving courtship.

The film has a powerful ending and a message that is sure to encourage and inspire–”a touching story of how faith and love can overcome a lifetime of pain and anger.”

The sound track and music for this film is really awesome–featuring inspirational songs by a number of Christian artists including Jeremy and Adie Camp, Decyfer Down, and others.           

*Note: A Letter to Dad received the highest possible award– 5 Doves– by The Dove Foundation. 

**For more info. and to purchase the DVD: http://www.alettertodad.com/

***Possible Uses of A Letter to Dad as a Ministry Tool:

Pastors and Church leaders: This would be an excellent film to use as a resource in ministry. The message is particularly appropriate for use by Men’s groups, Youth Groups, Parent or Single Parent groups.

The Movie could be shown to a specific group, followed by a guided question and answer session exploring relational issues.

For example: How experiences or lack of love or support from our parents, particularly our fathers, growing up can affect our lives and how we relate to others. Why it is important for both parents, especially fathers, to reach out to their children in love.

Also, how God, as our heavenly Father, is always there for us regardless–making up for what we didn’t get from our parents (or in cases of abuse, what we did get)–reaching out to offer us unconditional love and help to overcome all of the challenges before us.         *Top

Brought to you by the same folks (David Zucker) who recently produced all the Scary Movie sequels, and the earlier Airplane! and Naked Gun movies. I will just say that the genre has not improved with time.

The ’story’  (such as it is) is a take-off of Christmas Carol with Spirits of the past, present, and future visiting a anti-American American left-wing documentary filmmaker, Michael Malone (Kevin Farley), who does remind one of Michael Moore. Of course that is the whole point of the film, to be a right-wing parody of Moore.

The film is actually one skit after another strung together by an implausible story line that is ignored most of the time. Some of it is well done and brings you to tears as you laugh through the punch lines and spill your popcorn on your neighbor. Other scenes, far too many, fall flat and you almost feel embarrassed for the actors.

Most of left-leaning Hollywood reviewers have panned the movie and probably can’t be expected to enjoy the myriad of lampoons at their expense. However, some of their criticisms are valid.

Kevin Farley does a fine job and has a real future. Leslie Nielsen is Leslie Nielsen, a fine caricature of himself. Kelsey Grammer is brilliant as Gen. Patton, Jon Voight plays a dignified Geo. Washington, and Dennis Hopper is completely outrageous as a judge who shoots down zombie ACLU lawyers in his courtroom.

This is not a movie I would see twice, but I might be persuaded to buy the DVD in order zip though the slow parts and view the scenes that actually make the film worth paying to see.

Right-wing conservatives like myself will enjoy it, moderates will think it so-so, and liberals will head for the exits early.

Some Christians who read my reviews might be offended by some of the antics and language that contributed to the PG-13 rating. Not really a film that children will be able to get a hold of, but some of the outrageous antics might keep them quit long enough for the credits to roll.            

*Top 

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This is a film made by Christians for Christians, starring Christians with a Christian story and a Christian worldview. It was produced by Sherwood Pictures, a ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church, the same bunch who produced Facing the Giants and Flywheel.

In short I liked it, I really liked it. I found myself laughing and crying all the way though. Usually I find Christian films to be rather boring, amateurish, and preachy–but that is not the case with this film.

It is the story of Caleb and Catherine Holt who were in the midst of a failing marriage and seriously facing the prospect of a divorce after 7 years of marriage.

Caleb, played by Kirk Cameron, is a fireman who seems consumed by his job at times and then at home ignores his wife for porno on the web, yet is disappointed because his wife doesn’t seem to respect him. Catherine is a hospital administrator who receives better treatment on the job, particularly from one particular doctor.

In the midst of their trouble, Caleb turns to his father for advise, who gets him to commit to The Love Dare, a book with a 40-day devotional designed at restoring relationships. His father tells him that it saved his own marriage. At first Caleb just goes through the motions with little or no effect at all.

This part of the movie is more realistic than most Christian movies dare to be. The marriage doesn’t turn on a dime but seems to continue to spiral downhill. But it is Christian movie after all so you can guess what the outcome will be. It is however, well done.

The film also provides a couple of firemen action scenes, one in a burning house rescue and another involving a car on a train track. Both dramatic and effective parts in the overall experience of the film.

There is also plenty of opportunities in the film to laugh. Scenes of comedy relief are offered up at the hospital where Catherine works and the everyday hi-jinks that happen at a firehouse.

In the end it is a tear jerker, even though you expected it going in. This movie was far more effective that I ever expected. It only got preachy a couple of times and the message was far more naturally embedded than usually is the case in a Christian production.

I highly recommend this film and hope that Christians all over will fill the theaters and make a statement that Hollywood won’t be able to ignore.

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Response: Gov. Palin never claimed anywhere that dinosaurs were on the earth only 4,000 years ago–a false conjecture. Also, the supposed library book banning has been exposed as a complete hoax by CNN and USA Today. Sorry Matt, thinking and talking without a script is obviously not your forte.            *Top

20 Greatest Sci-Fi TV Shows:

1. TWILIGHT ZONE (1959-1964)

2. STAR TREK (1966-1969)

3. BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (2003-)

4. THE X-FILES (1993-2002)

5. STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION (1987-1994

6. LOST (2004-)

7. FIREFLY (2002)

8. QUANTUM LEAP (1989-1993)

9. DOCTOR WHO (1963-)

10. MAX HEADROOM (1987-1988)

11. HEROES (2006-)

12. V: THE MINISERIES (1983-1984)

13. BABYLON 5 (1993-1998)

14. OUTER LIMITS (1963-1965)

15. THE PRISONER (1967)

16. ALIEN NATION (1989-1990)

17. MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 (1989-1999)

18. THE JETSONS (1962-1963)

19. THE SIX-MILLION DOLLAR MAN (1974-1978)

20. BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY (1979-1981)

Response: Star Trek should be at the top. What about Stargate SG-1, it was good enough to hang around for 10 years and still going in spinoff– Stargate Atlantis. Also, was The Six-Million Dollar Man really Sci-Fi? I love the show but it seem to be more of a spy show with some advanced tech.

The old BattleStar Galactica 70’s series was as good as some mentioned here. Also, what about the Star Wars Ewok Mini-Series and some of the latest SW animated derivatives? It is my observation that Star Wars movies have influenced a lot of the series on this list. 

This is not only the major blockbuster of the year, but is probably going to become the largest $ grossing film of all time–Titanic here comes The Dark Knight!

There is some remarkable acting in this sequel to Batman Begins. Christian Bale holds his own, Gary Oldman does a remarkable job as Lt. Gordon, Aaron Eckhart adds interesting dimension to the part of Harvey Dent as hero and villain. The small parts played by Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman are icing on the cake.

However, the real show stopper in this film is the Joker played by Heath Ledger. One can’t imagine a more chilling presentation of a truly diabolical character than the one created for us by Ledger. A performance that will go down in the history of film as one of the greatest and most remarkable villains of all time.

The Heath Ledger character forces Batman to choose between the normal life he was seeking and his continuing roll as savior of Gotham City. In the midst of the battle, he forces Batman to make choices that end up being unpopular with regular folks.

However, the most diabolical choice that he puts before the Dark Knight is to force him to choose between what is best for the city or the life of the one he loves. Batman is forced to make the ultimate choice here–a no win situation–and in the final analysis it is all for nothing.

Batman in this film goes from being everyone’s action hero, to becoming a lawless uncontrollable benefactor who acts on unpopular choices that no one else is willing to do for the good of all.  In the process he sacrifices part of himself for the salvation of Gotham.

It is an interesting film on a number of different levels, one that delivers at the theater, and powerfully impacts the observer long after the popcorn has been eaten and the credits have rolled.          *Top

The movie features animals which are extinct, and a variety of human cultures which never existed side by side or even in the same era or continent. Nevertheless, the story was interesting and at times almost magical.

D’Leh is the hero of the story, living in a tribe which hunts woolly-mammoth and reminds one of North American Indian culture. A group of horsemen raid the village and carry off a bunch of folks including Evolet, D’leh’s blue-eyed and beautiful girlfriend. D’Leh and a group from the village pursue the raiders. On the way they encounter sabre-toothed tigers and a type of pre-historic lizard that reminds one of the Raptors in Jurassic Park.

They finally come upon a village of black people, that is reminiscent of 18th century central Africa, which has also been raided and they join together in the pursuit. After a one day journey across a vast desert, they come to what looks like an Egyptian city along a large river (probably the Nile) with a huge pyramid being built by thousands of slaves and an advanced complex culture of noblemen, military, and priests.

The movie features one-dimensional characters which are either all good or all evil.  D’Leh, our designated hero, proves his moral character at the beginning by refusing to accept glory and honor that came his way by accident.  Even though he would have gained Evolet for his wife in the process. The Egyptian raiders exhibit no such redeeming characteristics at all.

It finally gets down to a real battle with panoramic fighting scenes on top of and flowing off of the pyramid. However, there is also an unseen religious power encounter going on at the same time.  Behind the battles scenes, there is a ’spiritual’ battle going on between the Egyptian priests and prophets, verses the native North-American type village witch doctor lady who exhibits a New Age/ Star Wars Jedi type of vision/power projection. Guess who wins the day!            *Top

  The good part: Jones is back with flair even in his older age. Marion Ravenwood, played by Karen Allen once more, brings a confident familiarity to the film. All the action and adventure of the earlier films are there. Also, it is really good to see Indiana make a real commitment in the end. Plus, the surprise that Marion drops on him adds a new dimension to Indiana’s character.

Now for the not so good: Cate Blanchett’s ‘Russian’ accent. Plus, Steven Spielberg’s penchant for making this Indiana Jones movie a remake of “Close Encounters” also–a twofer. The alien connection just doesn’t work for me. I really did miss the religious themes and connections which characterized the previous three films. Oh well, it was fun anyway!           *Top

One year has passed since they returned from their adventures in Narnia. The four Pevensie children are preparing to go back to school and it is obvious that they are having problems dealing with kids their own age and with the fact that they are merely regular children and not the grown-up kings and queens of Narnia.

But soon they are off for another adventure. One minute they are in a train station, and the next in far away Narnia. Prince Caspian is running for his life with his uncle’s troops after him, he calls for help by blowing on the magic horn that once belonged to Queen Susan, and immediately the four Pevensie children find themselves whisked away to their magical land once more.

It has been only a year for the Pevensie kids, but over 1,000 years have passed in Narnia. Their former castle in in ruins and now they are merely remote legends that have been are nearly forgotten in a realm that has changed so much that many of the creatures have forgotten how to speak, and magic and faith seem to be long gone.

This Narnia is far closer to the world we live in, where the strong take advantage of the weak and Lions who are divine are usually not directly experienced.  Lucy is the only one who sees Aslan through the ‘eyes of faith’. God is far more remote in this land than previous.

Since Aslan doesn’t seem to be around, Peter takes over and makes a number of Kingly decisions which turn out be disastrous. Some of the followers decide that the old evil witch had more ‘power’ and actually try to bring her back and replace Aslan with her in the place of worship. Fortunately, they are stopped, Edmund being a hero in this case.

At the moment when it looks like Prince Caspian’s uncle and his army will conquer and enslave them all. They send Lucy to find Aslan and of course Lucy and Aslan save the day.

Just like in our own experience in today’s world, many times Christians with the best of motives and intentions will attempt to do things on their own without the help and counsel of the Lord. Impatient to do something even when God seems rather remote at the time. Disaster strikes, and then we remember to seek the Lord and he pulls us out of the fire.  That is the basic religious lesson and theme of Prince Caspian.

While the movie didn’t really stick to the original book, the important lessons and themes are still there. Besides, the story is entertaining and the scenes are rather awesome.            *Top