Alex Kendrick has produced many faith based movies in major theaters over the last 9 years, perhaps you have never heard of him but might remember some of them; Flywheel (business integrity), Facing the Giants (good football story), Fireproof (firemen marriage story).. And now Courageous (parenting,integrity,life choices)
Alex is an associate pastor at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany GA and the guy in charge of their movie creating entity Sherwood Pictures, the writer, producer, director, editor, he does it all... They started filming Flywheel in 2002 with a budget of $20,000! They have been at it every since, using the people from their church for many of their productions main characters in the beginning, and/or extras along the way. Knowing that made it easier to watch the movies because well, they were just regular people trying to be polished for the cause of Gods kingdom. honestly, and at times the plot or performances may have made you cringe as a tad slow going, answers very easy to do or instructed as so... WHY, because we are used to seeing multi million dollar productions where a team works the script, action goes perfectly edited for the big screen..
My hats off to him and his church for taking on Hollywood by removing the foul language and sex in a movie which is the "teaser" in most every movie made to get you in a seat; making faith based movies with the message of Jesus Christ using small time equipment, small time College play budgets, soccer moms, grocery checkers, plumbers, electricians, nurses, accountants, Dr's from their church doing the acting and being successful, very successful..
Now hopefully I'm not going to give the plot away totally for this movie in my excitement for what we witnessed, but no promises. We finally got around to seeing it last night.. It opened in major theaters Sept 30, and last night Oct 15 the theatre was still packed out and we sat 2nd row... Yes, that is a challenge seat even for someone nearsighted to have it right in your face, not my ideal location, but what are you going to do, reschedule, so we watched from our 2nd row seat...
My impression was: This was a movie that competed with the Hollywood expectation of deep plot, good humor throughout, many tears, heart wrenching sadness, successes, gangs, drugs, prison, and shoot em up action, out-of-wedlock children, marriages in tact doing well, some suffering, others divorced, and poverty,.. I wasn't disappointed at any point, plot moved along and the acting was very good, if you ask me they were all professionals while they might have been the same people they have always used in their productions.. The movie brings you hope, the courage to do better, do more, do it Christ like. My favorite characters were Javier/Carmen...
What did it include that Hollywood won't touch; everyone is a sinner, secrets exposed, our sinful selfishness that affects others, redemption through Christ alone, friendships in Godly accountability to survive, ceremony of men being the leader in homes, wives supporting husbands for better or worse, the suffering of kids dramatically in fatherless homes, statistically..
Hey I didn't give away anything that keeps you from seeing it but only intrigued you to see it and take a friend, because it is hopeful and to be shared. Enjoy
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Saturday, October 15, 2011
A new approach for chores projects...
There are just those "simple" things I will ask Greg to take care of and weeks, months later He is still processing it as he will call it.. So last night I steal a minute at his desk to use one of his two computers, and it's rather dreary at the desk as only one lightbulb of three in the fixture is lit up and that one bulb is on it's way out, so it's hazy lighting at best... Now this is his work space and it's not that he doesn't notice, it's just "good enough" a life mantra of his on well, too many things actually.... So I being the Plant Engineering czar of getting things done quickly by issuing a PO# (purchase order), issued Greg a PO # for the work and laid it on his desk... THIS MORNING it was done, and he had to laugh that saying that he also deals with PO#'s everyday and that's what moves him..... He liked the idea...
The 2nd PO # left for him has been a long sore spot in that our upright washer in the laundry room sits on tile. Tile in the laundry room was a hindsight decision of regret, but it has and is causing us the louder vibration/airplane at times sound when it spins, and if it's out of alignment look out, the neighbors have to hear it. And then the tv gets turned up louder in response, quite a scene! The Laundry room is located between our kitchen/living room in front of house and the den in the rear of house, in an outside hallway near the side exit door, but not a room of it's own, another regret! Greg says it gets off of level because tile allows it's movement. So Greg being of engineering mentality 8 months ago "prototyped" as he called it, using wood molding as short blocks and cut into them in some fashion round holes for legs of the washer and dryer to be placed in and to anchor them together... with Shane, they high fived each other figuring it was a done deal... It had a minor affect on the problem but it was better..
Now mind you, I didn't see how the SILENCE I was after was going to come without placing a thicker rubber matting under the washer dryer to buffer the sound, but they disregarded my opinion and said it was only the first prototype and they'd monitor it.... Oh brother, do you remember that I said this occurred 8 months ago, that's not monitoring that's forgetting about it all together. I thought the other day, It was going to walk itself during a vibration fit into the kitchen for a drink it was rocking so strongly.. Just then Greg walked in the door and just placed his hand on top of it and it settled down a little with the weight of his push... As though it needed some loving, I just grinned and said I was glad he was home, because I had only three loads left for him to hang onto it for me... Ha, ya got to laugh or someone would be irate....
He leveled it this morning as his next fix and since he's going out of town all next week on business... I may be "ordering" that rubber mat through Grainger or something similar and have the boys install it below... Taking the bull by the horns or working as a team ~ whatever you might decide
The 2nd PO # left for him has been a long sore spot in that our upright washer in the laundry room sits on tile. Tile in the laundry room was a hindsight decision of regret, but it has and is causing us the louder vibration/airplane at times sound when it spins, and if it's out of alignment look out, the neighbors have to hear it. And then the tv gets turned up louder in response, quite a scene! The Laundry room is located between our kitchen/living room in front of house and the den in the rear of house, in an outside hallway near the side exit door, but not a room of it's own, another regret! Greg says it gets off of level because tile allows it's movement. So Greg being of engineering mentality 8 months ago "prototyped" as he called it, using wood molding as short blocks and cut into them in some fashion round holes for legs of the washer and dryer to be placed in and to anchor them together... with Shane, they high fived each other figuring it was a done deal... It had a minor affect on the problem but it was better..
Now mind you, I didn't see how the SILENCE I was after was going to come without placing a thicker rubber matting under the washer dryer to buffer the sound, but they disregarded my opinion and said it was only the first prototype and they'd monitor it.... Oh brother, do you remember that I said this occurred 8 months ago, that's not monitoring that's forgetting about it all together. I thought the other day, It was going to walk itself during a vibration fit into the kitchen for a drink it was rocking so strongly.. Just then Greg walked in the door and just placed his hand on top of it and it settled down a little with the weight of his push... As though it needed some loving, I just grinned and said I was glad he was home, because I had only three loads left for him to hang onto it for me... Ha, ya got to laugh or someone would be irate....
He leveled it this morning as his next fix and since he's going out of town all next week on business... I may be "ordering" that rubber mat through Grainger or something similar and have the boys install it below... Taking the bull by the horns or working as a team ~ whatever you might decide
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