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Film is ‘Modern Parable’ of Jesus (April 19th, 2002)

Jesus hits the big screen this weekend in parable form. A new movie set to open nationwide today follows the character Joshua as he arrives in small-town Auburn, gets a job as a carpenter and proceeds to perform acts that appear to be miracles, leading many locals to suspect that he may be Christ.

Based on the first novel of former Catholic priest Joseph Girzone's multimillion-selling "Joshua" series, "Joshua" is billed as "a modern parable about how compassion and love can bring a community together in unforeseen ways."

Tony Goldwyn ("Bounce" and "Ghost") stars in the G-rated film, along with Academy Award-winner F. Murray Abraham ("Finding Forrester" and "Amadeus") and Giancarlo Giannini ("Hannibal"). Shot last May in Chicago and Rome on a $10 million budget, "Joshua" was produced by Epiphany Films, which specializes in movies with spiritual themes.

Girzone told Epiphany Films: "Before I saw the movie I was on pins and needles about how it would turn out. But then I saw the film...and [was] ...deeply moved. Powerful messages were delivered in a gentle and subtle way." The movie's score was produced by Christian artist Michael W. Smith and features songs by Jaci Velasquez, Point of Grace, Nicole C. Mullen and Amy Grant.

Reproduced with permission from Charisma News Service

Christian Group Announces ‘Rotten’ Film Awards (April 12th, 2002)

The group behind what has been dubbed "the Christian Oscars" could one day be nominated for its own trophy-if the prize is ever created for the Most Unusual Awards Category. In addition to lauding what it considers to be the best movies of last year, the Christian film review publication "Movieguide" has also announced the winners of The Unbearable 'Rotten Banana' Awards for Contributing to the Corruption of Culture, with its list of the 20 Most Unbearable Movies of 2001.

Disney's "Bubble Boy," about a sick teen kept in a plastic bubble, heads the list as The Most Bigoted, Hedonistic, Anti-Christian Satire. Described as "blatant bigotry with phony compassion," it is dismissed as a "Satanic" and "politically-correct." Next is "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," which gets The Worst Spoonful of Sugar Makes the Witchcraft Go Down ranking for exalting "excessive paganism."

Nicole Kidman's ghostly thriller "The Others" is named for The Most Demonic Bigotry for its "demonic occult attack on Christianity and Christians," while Steven Spielberg's science fiction version of Pinocchio, "A.I.," is remembered for The Most Pathetic Anti-Human Storytelling. Despite being "visually dazzling," it has "major moral, philosophical and spiritual flaws," says "Movieguide."

Also included in the list are the student comedy sequel "American Pie 2" (The Raunchiest Popular Sex Fantasy, "completely reprehensible"), shock comedian Tom Green's "Freddy Got Fingered" (The Most Perverse and Disgusting, "disgusting... obnoxious"), "Planet of the Apes (2001)" (The Most Confused Evolutionary Hype, "slick...abhorrent worldview"), and the video game spin-off "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" (The Worst Masonic Drivel, "confused mix of occult and pagan elements.")

Reproduced with permission from Charisma News Service

Christians Bring Positive Influence to TV Soap Operas (April 9th, 2002)
Behind the scenes there is prayer, evangelism and 'a sense of God'

In front of the cameras there is backbiting and betrayal, while behind the scenes there is prayer and evangelism. The unlikely scenario is to be found in the world of daytime soap operas, where a growing number of Christians are sharing their faith.

Although the likes of "Days of Our Lives," "The Bold and the Beautiful" and "The Young and the Restless" are best known for their power-grabbing and lust-driven story lines, the believers among the shows' casts and crews are able to bring some positive influence to the productions.

"Days" still revolves around kidnappings and backstabbings, as it has done for more than 30 years, but many characters also mention God, and the show's fictional city of Salem has even seen miracles. Once a baby rose from the dead. Habitat for Humanity has been worked into scripts, and one character is part of a Bible study.

"While there is a lot of other stuff that goes on, characters pray and there is always a sense of God," said Julianne Morris, who plays Greta Von Amburg. "There is a basis on God, and that is nice." Jamie-Lynn Bauer, who played Laura Spencer-Horton on "Days" for nine years prayed regularly for "divine order on the set. I prayed for His manifest authority to be present."
Administrator Nancy Lewis felt "all alone" as a Christian at times, but "now it is great. There are so many Christians here. It is wonderful to be able to have someone who understands and who I can pray with."

Another Christian who was part of the "Days" team until his departure earlier in the year was Austin Peck. A former model and amateur boxer, he was "way-off center" when he arrived, but committed his life to Christ in 1997 after a period of spiritual searching. He led co-star Brian Ditello to Christ.

"I became a Bible-thumping Jesus freak," Peck recalled. "All of a sudden purpose was flooded into my life, and that tornado inside my chest calmed down, and I felt I was full. I had to tell everyone."

Hunter Tylo thought she would have to leave "The Bold and the Beautiful" after she became a Christian, but felt God wanted her to stay. She began to walk through the studio anointing each room and soundstage with oil. Though her character is not a Christian, she has been able to bring Scripture into several episodes, and shared her faith with other cast and crew members.

"There are Christians on all of the shows, but there is a larger, more vocal contingent on 'Days,'" said Stephanie Sloane, managing editor of "Soap Digest." "Soaps are not all about sex. People who say that do not watch them. They deal with poignant, ongoing stories. Yes, yes, many people have sex. But usually they do not just jump into it, and often there are consequences."

Scott Reeves, former star with "The Young and the Restless," said: "How can a Christian be in a soap? I don't think it is for another person to judge. It is between God and the person. You know when you are doing something you should not be doing."

The full story of Christians in the world of soap operas is told in the May issue of "Charisma," out next week.

Reproduced with permission from Charisma News Service

Hollywood Group Trains Faith-Filled Artists for Movie World (March 27th, 2002)
Leaders hope for 'renaissance of great Christian artistry in secular media'

The Oscars' red carpet may have been rolled away for another year, but a group of movie and TV professionals is putting out a welcome mat for Christians wanting to break into the Hollywood scene with faith-based scripts.

A faculty of writers, directors and producers who are believers themselves give aspiring screenwriters a month-long crash course on how to thrive professionally and spiritually in the competitive atmosphere of the film capital of the world.

Act One: Writing for Hollywood has resulted in a growing community of alumni who work in entertainment and are adding a Christian view to its products. "We're interested in people who want to be servants of God in Hollywood, who love film, not people who are coming here to take over, but people who are going to be part of [the industry], to love and write people into the kingdom," said interim director Marianne Savell.

Among the program's teachers and mentors are Lee and Janet Batchler, who co-wrote "Batman Forever" and the forthcoming Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones release "Smoke and Mirrors." "I want to see faith-filled artists succeed in Hollywood, not because they're Christians, but because they actually are among the best writers, period," said Lee Batchler. Within the next decade he hopes to see "a major renaissance of truly great Christian artistry in the secular media."

That would see "Christian screenwriters get hired because they're undeniably top-drawer at their craft, and that their Christian worldview then naturally filters out to the public through the fabric and spirit of their work."

According to Christian media expert Ted Baehr, the climate is right for efforts like Act One. The "Movieguide" review publisher said that there has been a "huge turnaround" in Hollywood over the last 12 months, with 40 percent of movies released having overt Christian themes.

"Movies are just a tool of communication," he told Assist News Service. "You can hurt somebody with a hammer or build a church. I am glad to see more and more people being redemptive and not just negative nabobs, but really reclaiming the territory."

Act One began in 1999 and brings together about 30 students each August for classes on everything from structuring screenplays and spiritual perspectives to how to dress for meetings with producers. Classes are held at the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. The program also has been held in New York, and is to be offered in Chicago in June.

Writer-producer Dean Batali of "That 70s Show," a former writer for "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," teaches Act One participants how to write one-hour dramas. "In Hollywood it's not about what you believe, but if you're good enough," he said. "That's where Act One comes in."

While "A Beautiful Mind" took best film honors at Sunday's Oscars, it only managed second place in the annual "Movieguide" Faith & Values Awards last week, finishing runner-up as best film of 2001 for a mature audience to "The Lord of the Rings." The award for top family film of last year went to "The Princess Diaries," followed by "Monsters, Inc.," "Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius," "Shadow Magic," "Spy Kids" and "Shrek."

Reproduced with permission from Charisma News Service

Conservative Groups Cautious of TV Sex, Violence Decline (March 25th, 2002)
New report is encouraging, but Hollywood is not yet "cleaning up"
Portrayals of sex and violence on TV have been on the decline for the last couple of years, but conservative media watchdog groups say it doesn't mean Hollywood is yet "cleaning up its act."
According to "The Los Angeles Times," a report released yesterday by a Washington D.C.-based nonpartisan group found that sexual material fell by 29 percent and serious violence by 17 percent between the 1998-99 television season and the 2000-01 cycle. "There are multiple indicators that television is cleaning up its act," said S. Robert Lichter, president of the Center for Media and Public Affairs (CMPA). "You can't know the future, but this is the first bit of good news in a while."

Melissa Caldwell, director of research and publications for the Parents Television Council (PTC), was more cautious, noting that "it's a little too soon to be optimistic" with Hollywood changing its pattern. She said: "There are glimmers of hope, but I think it's going to be a few more years before we can see significant improvement."

Although the CMPA findings are consistent with the most recent PTC study, the CMPA report didn't conduct a qualitative analysis on television's sexual content, Caldwell said. "According to our research, the sexual material on TV is being dealt with in more explicit terms than in years past," she said. "There may be less of it, but what's there is worse."

American Family Association (AFA) President Don Wildmon said although the CMPA report was "encouraging," the networks "don't deserve a pat on the back just yet." "When you look at the figures from just 10 years ago, overall sexual material is still up over 200 percent, with verbal sexual references up 700 percent," he said.

Wildmon said the CMPA study didn't consider the amount of crude language on television. "It is up 550 percent in the past 10 years...Words which were taboo less than two years ago are commonplace during the family hour now. Real people don't talk that nasty, which makes it difficult to understand why television characters do."

The CMPA report coincided with the debut this month of two basic cable programs -- ESPN's "A Season on the Brink" and Fox's "The Shield" -- which were blasted by conservative groups for their crude language and graphic sexuality. Caldwell said "there's definitely a lot more [Hollywood] could be doing," in light of the controversial programs. "When you have [programs] like that, it indicates television is continuing its downward slide," she noted.

On a positive note, ABC admitted this week that the network had "lost its way" in the last few years and promised a return to its traditional, family-oriented programming next season, "The Hollywood Reporter" said. "Finally, a major network has realized that the family market has been totally ignored," Wildmon said. "Let's hope ABC hasn't forgotten the meaning of traditional. We'll see."

Meanwhile, a new study shows that Christian movies released in 2001 earned nearly twice as much as non-Christian movies, Assist News Service reported. The findings were part of the Christian Film and Television Commission's Annual Report to Hollywood.

Reproduced with permission from Charisma News Service

Supernatural Thriller Wrestles With Spiritual Powers (March 21st, 2002)
The Bible says believers wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual powers. A new supernatural thriller from the producers of "Left Behind: The Movie," "Deceived" -- scheduled for release on VHS and DVD next week -- wrestles with the subject of extraterrestrial contact versus spiritual warfare.

The film, which stars Academy Award winner Louis Gossett Jr. and Judd Nelson, is different from previous Cloud Ten Pictures, which has specialized in end-time and Bible prophecy movies. "The other...[movies]...had a lot of restrictions," "Deceived" director André van Heerden said. "You couldn't kill your bad guy -- Satan can't really die. Whereas with this one, you have very much a good versus evil, but you don't have the same sort of restrictions."

Like other Cloud Ten films, van Heerden noted that it was a challenge to balance the story and faith elements. "You don't want to feel like you're preaching to someone, [so] you come back to the actors," he noted. "The actors know when it feels preachy, the actors know when it's going to be over the top."

Gossett, who plays Col. David Garrett in the movie, said "Deceived" espouses that "men are not the single most powerful beings in the planet or the universe." Gossett, who won an Oscar for "An Officer and a Gentleman," has a production company called Logo Entertainment. "I produce mostly family-oriented things, and I want families to sit and watch," he said. "It's important now because I think what probably has happened...around the world is the dissolution of the family unit, where one generation does not respect the other."

Reproduced with permission from Charisma News Service

'Left Behind' Movie Sequel in the Works (March 19th, 2002)
An Oscar-winning scriptwriter is to help bring the next installment in the "Left Behind" series to the screen. Pam Wallace, who won an Academy Award in 1985 for "Witness," starring Harrison Ford, is to adapt Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins' "Tribulation Force," the second book in the best-selling apocalyptic thriller saga.

Production is going ahead although a lawsuit that has pitted one of the authors against the filmmakers has yet to be resolved. "Pam is a quality writer who is perfectly suited for this type of picture," said Joe Goodman of Namesake Entertainment, which is producing the film with Cloud Ten Pictures. As the sequel to "Left Behind: The Movie," "Tribulation Force" will "remain faithful to the books," say the makers, but include "multiple storylines."

No cast announcements have been made yet, although "preliminary discussions are under way with several principal actors from the previous film." Principal photography is expected to start in early spring, with an Oct. 29 DVD and video release date. Cloud Ten chief executive Peter Lalonde said: "We're very excited about this film. It is not only an important step in establishing this film franchise, but it is also a critical component in building the foundation for faith-based filmmaking in general."

Shortly after "Left Behind: The Movie" was released, LaHaye sued Namesake and Cloud Ten claiming an original agreement had not been honored. Co-author Jenkins was not part of the action. Lalonde said that LaHaye's suit had been motivated by money. Cloud Ten spokeswoman Melisa Richter said that although the lawsuit had not been resolved, the "Tribulation Force" production schedule could go ahead.

Reproduced with permission from Charisma News Service

Study Says Family-Friendly Films Cash In (Feb 14th, 2002)
Sex may sell, but purity pays better. That is the verdict of a Christian Film & Television Commission (CFTC) study that found family-friendly movies with positive messages make more money on average than films with nudity and violence.

Features with a very strong "Christian and redemptive worldview" have outperformed graphic and extreme titles 90 percent of the time over the last five years. Movies with "a very strong moral and biblical worldview" have done better than others 85 percent of the time over the same period.
The victory for virtue was found when CFTC computed the box-office earnings and content of more than 2,500 movies released between 1991 and 2000. Among the films the group cited as having Christian and redemptive values were "The Patriot," "Remember the Titans" and "Mercy Streets."

"Sex, violence, vulgarity and immorality do not really sell as well as many people think, nor as well as the news media tries to report," said the report. "That's because God is still sovereign. His abiding love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth."

The fact may be filtering through to Hollywood. CFTC also found that the number of movies with "positive moral content" had increased 163 percent during the last decade, from 68 in 1991 to 179 in 2000. The number of movies that were considered "spiritually uplifting" rose 337 percent from 27 to 118 over the same period.

Reproduced with permission from Charisma News Service

'Barney' Tussles With 'VeggieTales'
Barney the purple dinosaur is picking a fight with Bob the tomato and Larry the cucumber. Lyrick Studios Inc., producer of children's shows including "Barney" and "Wishbone," is suing "VeggieTales" makers Big Idea Productions, Inc. for allegedly breaching a verbal business agreement, "The Dallas Business Journal" reported.

Lyrick contends that Big Idea has reneged on an unwritten deal that gave it an exclusive contract to sell "VeggieTales" products in secular markets in the United States and Canada. But Big Idea, based in Lombard, Ill., ended the arrangement last month and sought out a new distributor, alleges a suit filed in Dallas.

Lyrick is seeking an injunction keeping Big Idea from ending the agreement, or damages "for irreparable harm to its business reputation," the "Journal" said. In its suit, Lyrick said that it had expected revenue of more than $30 million over the remaining six years of the agreement.
When Big Idea backed out of a plan to develop a site in Lombard as headquarters for its growing company in 1999, it gave the 2.5-acre site to the community via a trust in a goodwill gesture that cost an estimated $4 million. President Bob Patin said the company wanted to live up to the value it espoused in its children's videos, "to do the right thing, no matter what."

Reproduced with permission from Charisma News Service

CHRISTIAN FILM BREAKS GROUND
A groundbreaking film from a Christian production company is being applauded for marking a new level of maturity among evangelical moviemakers. Hollywood veteran Burt Reynolds says "Waterproof" is a film that he is proud of - a claim he can't make about a dozen or so of his films. "I think it's good work."

Reynolds plays a Jewish storekeeper shot in a botched robbery in the story about forgiveness and redemption in a small Louisiana town. Released by Cloud Ten Pictures, it is a sharp departure from the group's usual end-times efforts, which have included the screen version of Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins' best selling "Left Behind."

Cloud Ten head Paul Lalonde said there is "a whole lot more to faith-based filmmaking than just Bible prophecy...They're movies that Christians can sit down and enjoy with the whole family, movies that they can share with friends who may or may not be believers themselves."

Ja'net Dubois, a Christian who starred in the 1970s sitcom "Good Times," and plays the grandmother of the young shooter in "Waterproof," described the film as "a helping movie. It's a movie with one intention: to show how God can change a person's mind, how He can turn anything around."

The film has special personal meaning for April Grace, who plays the boy's mother. Her baptism scene in the film became her own real-life step of commitment. "Everyone was bearing witness, but no one knew until afterward that I decided to make this for real-but me and God and my mom," she said.

Reproduced with permission from Charisma News Service

SOAP STAR MAKES MARK
After years in TV soap operas, actor Frank Runyeon found that the parts he was being asked to play just didn't wash. "Over time you are just looking for a script that is more nourishing for yourself and for your audience and that just speaks more deeply to the human condition," he said.

So he turned to the Bible for inspiration and created a series of one-man shows that bring the Scriptures to life, reported Assist News Service (ANS). The veteran of "As The World Turns," "General Hospital," "Falcon Crest" and "Santa Barbara" is currently on tour with "AFRAID! The Gospel of Mark."

A religion graduate of Princeton University, Runyeon also studied at Fuller Seminary and Yale Divinity School before receiving his masters from General Theological Seminary in New York. His faith "grew stronger and stronger" as he studied. "It was a deepening of my faith," he told ANS.

Runyeon's version of Mark's gospel translates the original text into contemporary American speech. "You're still doing the gospel of Mark, but then it really grabs people in a way that really holds them on the edge of their seats, moment by moment," he said. "It's just a matter of finding words to describe when [the Bible says] the sky is 'torn asunder,' I used 'ripped'!"

Reproduced with permission from Charisma News Service