superlo

Based on a true story in 1986 about a French-Iranian journalist (Caviezel) whose car broke down while passing through a remote Iranian village. At the risk of her own life, the aunt of Soraya M. made contact with the journalist to tell the story of her niece in hopes that it would make it to the outside world. It reveals a dark side of Islamic culture and the deep prejudice against women and the double standard they allow for men against women. As horrific as this story is, it is too easy to sit in judgment of these people for what they did. This is a difficult film to watch on the order of THE PASSION OF THE Christ for its brutality to an innocent person. We end up asking the same questions - how could, family, friends and neighbors allow this, let alone take part in this horrific act? Yet, we look at our society and the racial discrimination that produced equally violent acts towards fellow Americans. How is that societies end up dehumanizing certain segments of the human race, whether by gender, race or religious belief? How do ordinary people end up being murderers and incredibly violent? For sure, this is a story about Iran and Islam and their dark sides but if we don't go any further than that we have missed an opportunity to see where perhaps we have our ugly sides. This is a powerful film with an incredible visual impact.

STORY - Based on the true story of the murder of five innocent Amish school girls in 2006 in Lancaster County Pennsylvania. The main family in the story is fictional, however. Great acting and screenplay. Emotional without being manipulative. Violent without showing any violence. Inspirational without being preachy. I have always been critical of faith-based films that are basically 'sermons disguised as films'. Faith-based films should be great stories where the message is an integral part of the story. This is one of those. At the heart of the story is a horrific crime. A lone gunman backs his pickup to a one room Amish school, walks in and proceeds to kill five young Amish girls and wound five others. What happens after that is almost as unbelievable. Three Amish men, including the father of one of the victims, visit the home of the killer to offer forgiveness and help to the gunman's widow. But not everyone finds it easy to forgive. Ida Graber (Paisley) isn't buying it. 'I will not betray my daughter by forgiving her killer'. What follows is for the most part the struggle between two women, both mothers & wives, struggling with forgiveness and their husbands from two totally different perspectives. While we may all have a tendency to see the Amish as stoic and and almost mechanical or robotic in their faith, this is not at all what comes thru in the film. While raising (but not answering) some inconsistencies in their practices, we see them as real humans struggling to deal with this horrific crime against their community. One of the most powerful scenes is at the funeral for the gunman. This is a movie that will haunt you and stick with you as you consider (at least I did) how to live out a live of forgiving with even just the most mundane grievances. What could this mean for communities, our nation and our world if forgiveness were truly practiced. I highly recommend this film.

What happens when your life is turned upside down by your husband divorcing you for a slimmer, younger woman and walls are built around where you live adding hours every day to your commute to work and you spend every penny to keep your son in a private school? You take the first best opportunity that comes along to get out of that situation. Muna, a Palestinian single woman, does just that when she receives an offer to relocate free to America. This begins the adventures and misadventures of someone immigrating to America with the hopes and promises of a better life. She lands in a small town in Illinois to live (temporarily is the plan) with her sister and physician husband and teenage children until she can establish herself and son. She has two degrees and has had professional experience in the work world so it shouldn't take long - wrong! Told with humor as well as heartbreak (it's just after 9/11and anyone from the Middle East is the enemy), this National Geographic film is a reminder of why people still come to AMREEKA and how easy it is to be misunderstood and to struggle to make a living no matter how hard you are willing to work. It is worth watching by families whose children may be finding it difficult to accept those who don't talk or dress or act just like us. Changing schools as an American teenager can be very difficult. Try coming from another country, especially one we see as an adversary. Highly recommend.

This docudrama with both archival footage and drama tells the story of the peace talks in Paris in 1919 at the end of WWI which ended in the Treaty of Versailles. WWI was truly a world war and at the end dozens of nations wanted reparations or a piece of the spoils. They all convened in Paris for what they thought would be a 3-4 week conference to settle all the post war divisions. Nations' borders were being redrawn and people groups were being shuffled around like livestock. To Paris came kings and queens and caliphs and emirs and THEN the deity, Woodrow Wilson. The United States had entered the war and ended the war so everyone looked to the U.S. for answers and Woodrow Wilson was godlike, at least in the beginning. A large conference room was set up where nations could present their case in front of the representatives from Japan, Italy, Great Britain, France and Woodrow Wilson (U.S.). Japan was eliminated from the group after a short time and Italy had little influence in the end. This is a well done summary of a behind the scenes look at the Paris Peace Conference which stretched on for six months as countries jockeyed for position on the world scene, unknowingly setting the stage for WWII as they punished Germany into the ground, creating a backlash that produced evil like the world had never known and thought impossible. Even today we see and feel the effects of this peace treaty which spawned the League of Nations, the precursor to the United Nations and the brainchild of Woodrow Wilson. Another slice of history which helps to understand the world we live in today.

It's 1995 and Nelson Mandela (Freeman) has just been elected the first democratically elected black president of South Africa. Not surprisingly, his supporters see this as the ultimate opportunity for pay back to the white community for all the years of oppression. But Mandela is a different kind of leader. He believes in working hard to unite all the people and forgiving those who have harmed him and his people. Everyone assumes Mandela will replace the white leadership of the struggling national rugby team with his own. However, Mandela sees this as an opportunity to unify the country through sports. He commits himself to working with the existing white leadership and particularly the captain of the rugby team played by Matt Damon. He challenges Damon to rise to the occasion and capture the World Cup which they are hosting. He is taking a great risk with the future of his leadership. Based on the true story of Nelson Mandela and South Africa, it is part history, part leadership lesson and a moving sports drama. Highly recommend.

First of all, I love films where faith plays an important role in the story and where it fits into the movie but is not necessarily the center of the narrative. The latter tend to come across as sermons disguised as movies or books or whatever. This film has too much of that. The only thing missing was the altar call and I don't say that to be overly critical. For being set in 1970 it still comes across as too much like Leave It To Beaver. The 'good' kids seems a little too good and the 'bad' dude seems a little too good, also. In not wanting to offend the 'church' audience they sanitize it to the point it doesn't seem real. The bullies I remember used language that offended and other gestures that conveyed less than holy thoughts. Even good kids didn't always have it together or behave appropriately all the time. While the acting is pretty decent and it has warm fuzzies, it just doesn't come across as a realistic portrayal of the way life happens even to those whose faith is a priority in their life. Is it a waste of time? No, it has its merits and there are several meaningful lessons to be considered by viewers. Many will be inspired by the message of the film. There is nothing wrong with the movie, it's just that I would love to see people of faith concentrate on developing great stories where faith fits naturally into the story instead of developing a message and trying to fit it into a movie. There is a difference and the difference is between a realistic portrayal of life and what we would like to imagine life to be like. This is a film that has a message but ultimately it will probably 'preach to the choir'.

This is the story of Karim, the rural Iranian father of a deaf teen-aged daughter and two younger children. When, at the same time, he loses his job on an Ostrich ranch and his daughter loses her hearing aid right before important school exams, he heads to Tehran on his motorbike to look for work. By accident, he becomes a motorbike taxi driver and begins to make more money than he ever dreamed of. But he also begins to change as his desire for things and his ethics collide. Having promised his wife that the first priority would be to replace their daughter's hearing aid, he finds himself tempted by the material life he now has access to. Several heart breaking incidents cause him to examine what he has become. While the story/parable may be familiar, what is special is the way Majidi presents it. The dialogue is minimal letting the non-verbal actions of the characters speak for themselves as well as the great cinematography. Unlike many (not all)American films, it does not insult your intelligence with shallow dialogue and unnecessary action. Majidi really develops the characters into believable human beings. Reza Naji is great as Karim and the children in the film are so delightful and photogenic. And if you enjoy learning about and experiencing other cultures, it is a great window into Iranian culture, in this case, both rural and urban. With most of us only getting the sound bites about Iran we hear on radio or TV, this will give an insight into the real people and culture.

This is Ken Burns' epic series on the history of baseball. It is 10 discs for a total of about 20 hours. You don't have to watch them all and you don't have to watch in the chronological order they were produced but once you start it is hard to stop. Even those who may consider themselves marginal baseball fans can enjoy this amazing series. Baseball is so much a part of the history of our country since it began in the 1850's - yes, that's right they played baseball during the Civil War. Sometimes it reflects our culture (racial discrimination until Jackie Robinson) and sometimes it creates culture (hundreds of leagues at all ages playing the game in the beginning). Nobody does documentaries about our life in America better than Ken Burns and he is at his best with BASEBALL. He does a great job of bringing in political and cultural influences on the sport. The sport of baseball and particularly professional baseball does not exist in a vacuum and is subject to the same outside influences as any other institution in America. And, yes, there really was some good in the 'good old days' but there was also a lot that needed fixing and you will experience both during this series. As someone who once stood countless times along the chalk baseline in a straight row with teammates and sang the National Anthem waiting to hear the umpire say 'let's play ball', I can honestly say this is a priceless story of the game of baseball. Thanks, Ken Burns, for helping all of us understand why baseball is America's pastime and so much a part of American life. And for all those whose overly efficient mothers threw out their boxes of baseball cards when they went away to college, this is for you. And for all those sisters (I know at least four) who had to watch hundreds of their brothers' games growing up, this may help you to understand why he was so passionate about the game. Enjoy!!

This is the true story of Ron Clark, a teacher in rural North Carolina, who had a dream to teach in the toughest area of New York City. The dream wasn't just for himself, it was for that indifferent young boys and girls, against great odds, could become successful in life if only they could believe it was possible. Not only were the odds great against any of his students going beyond elementary school, the odds seemed even greater against Ron Clark making it through his first year of teaching in the toughest school in Harlem. But he had a dream and he was 'naive' enough and idealistic enough to believe he could reach that goal. While optimism and belief are essential, it is also helpful to have talent and Ron Clark is a very gifted and creative teacher. He was willing to experiment with various ways to reach this rebellious kids who wanted nothing to do with school or him. If making a fool of himself trying to 'double dutch' jump rope would get their attention, then so be it. The kids were more important than his ego. His relationships with parents should be an example for any teacher who really wants to make a difference with their students. This is one of those truly inspirational films and stories that comes along once in a great while. Not only has he helped students reach their potential but he has written a best selling book of classroom rules called THE ESSENTIAL 55 for teachers. We may not all have the same talents as Ron Clark but we can all be inspired to use what we have to the best of our ability and for the benefit of others. Put this at the top of the list. Unfortunately, it's OOP and somewhat expensive to purchase but readily available as a rental.

This is the life story of Dr. Ben Carson, chief of pediatric surgery at Johns Hopkins University and considered the world's best pediatric surgeon. The story begins with Dr. Carson being asked to consider operating on the two sons of a German couple who are joined at the abdomen and skull. No one has ever performed this surgery successfully with both children surviving. The film then flashes back to the childhood of Dr. Carson. He was raised by an illiterate but very loving and determined single mother who married at the age of 13 and was divorced soon after when she discovered her husband was married at the same time to another woman with another family. She was determined that her two sons would not turn out the same way she did. It is an amazing story of this mother and her love and determination. Ben, not realizing he needed glasses, consistently performed way below the other students in class until his mother used all their savings to get him a pair. That, along with her firm hand in making the two boys read two books a week from the library (along with written reports) as well as limiting TV watching to two programs a week turned Ben into the student of the year in 8th grade. Even that, however, was tainted, as a teacher at the award ceremony berated the other students for letting a boy of color with serious disadvantages and a single mother outperform them. The story continues with his achievements and struggles through high school and his scholarship years at Yale and on to his residency at Johns Hopkins. The story then takes us back to the conclusion of the decision whether or not to operate on the German twins. It is an incredible story of someone who not had the 'gifted hands' needed to be a great surgeon but also the determination, humility and faith to make a life of great service to his fellow humans against great odds. The acting is outstanding. I would encourage everyone and every family to make this a 'must watch'. I would also highly recommend SOMETHING THE LORD MADE, another story about a great African-American surgeon, Dr. Vivian Thomas, who was born 30 years too early to be able to have the same opportunities as Dr. Carson, but nevertheless made a great contribution to medicine that is still being used today.