August 4, Christian Cinema.com has reported a great deal of good news about popular redemptive movies that feature notable, respected actors that are now available in various forms. They share news of movies that have been in theaters or on television that are now available on DVD that include “Do You Believe,” “When Calls The Heart: Heart Of The Family,” “Alone Yet Not Alone,” “Beyond the Mask,” “23 Blast” and more.
On August 5, Mojo Box Office reports that many redemptive, family movies remain at the top of the box office: “Ant-man.” “Inside Out,” “Max,” “Home” and more.
Likewise, Movieguide, which has researched and calculated the progress of redemptive and family movies for many years, has posted an encouraging update, “Family-Friendly Movies Shine at the Box Office.” They have shared that to date, two of the top five movies at the box office are family movies and that none of the top five are R-rated. They report that only one movie in 2015 has been rated G (Disney’s documentary MONKEY KINGDOM).
‘Max’ is a redemptive, family-appropriate movie current rising in the box office; Photo Courtesy of Google Images.
Whereas 106 movies have been rated R with an average box office of $12.6 million, PG movies have averaged $58.4 million. Although in May with the summer approaching, not one family movie was released; two of the family movies released in June and July have made more than $300 million. For Paramount Pictures, their biggest box office hit of 2015 has been THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE OUT OF WATER. SPONGE OUT OF WATER has brought in almost twice the income of its second place movie from Paramount, TERMINATOR GENESIS.
For Sony. its highest grossing movie of 2015 has been PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2. 20th Century Fox’s highest grossing movie of 2015 has been the animated family comedy HOME. Disney has had two family movies above $200 million, INSIDE OUT and CINDERELLA.
Further, 168 Film that has launched 20,000 filmmakers to produce good redemptive films has reported that its upcoming 168 Film Festival screenings will include some films by notable filmmakers who have participated in their program. The festival will feature selected alumni films that include the 2008 Best Film winner “Stained.” This film by Joshua and Rebekah Weigel has led to their next powerful short film project, “The Butterfly Circus.”
This short has been viewed over 40 million times and is currently available in 25 languages. (This captivating film that features Eduardo Verástegui and Nick Vujicic can be viewed online.) “Lord of the Rings” trilogy Executive Producer Mark Ordesky and Jane Fleming, former New Line Cinema executive, have signed on to produce “The Butterfly Circus” as a full-length feature film.
168 is also due to screen another alumni film by Texas filmmaker, Andrew Librizzi. Librizzi is one of the many good redemptive filmmakers that 168 has launched. His first feature length film, called “Beyond the Farthest Star,” has been released to theaters in August will enjoy a special 168-hosted screening on August 13th at AMC Burbank Town Center 6.
Currently and into the near future are many redemptive and family movies in theaters for a range of ages. These include the following in August, 2015: “Princess Cut,” “Shaun the Sheep,” “Bonobos: Back to the Wild,” “Beyond the Farthest Star,” “Shake off the World,” “Enchanted Kingdom” (3D), “Underdogs,” and “War Room.”
Ms. Clara (Karen Abercrombie) celebrates after Elizabeth (Priscilla Shirer) shares how God answered a specific prayer in ‘War Room’; Photo Courtesy of the Kendrick Brothers.
Other redemptive and family movies coming out this fall in theaters for a range of ages that look hopeful include: “Adrenaline,” “90 Minutes in Heaven,” “Captive,” “Pan,” “‘Woodlawn,” “The Peanuts Movie,” “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2,” “The Good Dinosaur,” and “Star Wars: Episode VII, The Force Awakens.”
Next year looks especially promising for redemptive and family movies in theaters with the following films: “Risen,” “Kung Fu Panda 3,” “Ben-Hur,” “Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt,” “God’s not Dead 2,””Miracles from Heaven,” “The Jungle Book,” “I Am Not Ashamed: Rachel Joy Scott Story,” “Same Kind of Different as Me,” “Finding Dory,” “Providence,” “Left Behind 2,”and ” 90 Minutes in Heaven.”
More redemptive and/or family movies in development that have not yet announced release dates include: “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair,” “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew,” “Ten Commandments,” “King David,” “Apostle Paul’ (with Hugh Jackman), “Pontius Pilate,” “Butterfly Circus,” and HD Texas Movies.
In our times, when the world is full of ugly terror, many moviegoers and home movie viewers are seeking and supporting good movies that are hopeful, inspiring, and uplifting. Fortunately, the Reformation of content and Renaissance of artistry continues in movies.
Written by Diane Howard, Ph.D. (Performance Studies), dianehoward.com
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