Top Faith and Family Movies in Mid-May

This writer’s top pick for the week is the inspirational, remarkable, redemptive movie Where Hope Grows for general and disabled audiences, in theaters May 15. This movie features the first leading actor with Down Syndrome, David DeSanctis, who lights up the screen with his loveable performance. It is should be noted that Where Hope Grows has a PG-13 rating, partially due to some brutal teen scenes.

David DeSanctis lights up the screen with his costar Kristoffer Polaha; Photo Courtesy of Godspeed Pictures.

Redemptive and family-friendly movies and television programs continue to do well at the box office and in ratings in the ongoing Reformation of content and Renaissance of artistry. Content is becoming more substantive, multi-layered, and relevant for our times. Production quality and acting is improving thanks to the work of skilled, experienced, and notable producers, directors, and actors. The artistic, hopeful inspiration of this work is especially significant and helpful for the troubling and dark times in which we are living today.

As of May 13, Mojo Box Office lists the following redemptive and/or family movies still available in movie theaters, although many have been out for weeks or months. They are as follows according to their current box office rankings: 6. Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, 7. Home, 11. Monkey Kingdom, 13. Cinderella, 16. Little Boy, 25. The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, 26. Do You Believe? 27. Paddington. Movie theaters continue to offer good family movie picks throughout May. (See specific details related to acceptability and quality of movies on Movieguide®.)

Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 leads family films in the ratings this week; Photo Courtesy of Happy Madison Productions

In the months ahead, moviegoers looking for other good family and/or redemptive movies can anticipate the following films in theaters: June – Beyond the Mask, July – Faith of our Fathers, August – War Room, Shake off the World, October – Woodlawn, February 2016 – Ben-Hur, March 2016 – Christ the Lord: Out of of Egypt. Further redemptive movies in development include God’s Not Dead 2, Do You Believe 2, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, The Ten Commandments, King David, Apostle Paul (with Hugh Jackman), Pontius Pilate, Unveiled, and HD Texas movies. Stay tuned for ongoing personal, exclusive interviews with producers and actors for these films and television programs.

Written by Diane Howard, Ph.D., (Performance Studies), dianehoward.com