October Baby

October Baby, based on the true story of Gianna Jessen, opens in theaters March 23.  Jessen is the survivor of a failed abortion attempt.  I first learned of her back in 2008, when the Wall Street Journal (of all things) ran her story.  That was the year Barrack Obama ran for president; here’s what I wrote back when.

Tim Challies has written a review after seeing an early screening.  He was “pleasantly surprised” at how much he enjoyed it.  Tim reviews the film, and also analyzes the challenge facing any and every Christian film.

You could watch the trailer at challies.com, but why not click over to Gianna Jessen’s blog and watch it there.  There’s a trailer for the film, and also a behind the scenes sort of thing with Gianna.

Evan Almighty

I have to admit, even I didn’t go to the theater to see this movie. I loved Bruce Almighty; you can learn a lot about God by watching it, I’m not kidding. But the Evan Almighty concept seemed like a stretch. It was a sequel to a Jim Carry movie without Jim Carry. Never do a sequel without the star (Speed 2, Cruise Control).

However – I finally got to see Evan Almighty on DVD, and it’s much better than I expected. I just couldn’t imagine how they would make the story turn out any good at all, but it works. Not as funny as the first, but there is still a thing or two to be said about God. The movie is rated PG, but I don’t see why. You could watch this with 4-year-olds. Unless I’m mistaken, there was not one bad word. Morgan Freeman relates theological truth in a way that George Burns couldn’t have done in a million years. Lauren Graham plays opposite Steve Correll, and I don’t even remember her name on the bill. It’s like a bonus. (Okay, eat my alive, but I’m a big fan of the Gilmore Girls. Go ahead, let me have it.)

Bottom line: I didn’t think it would be any good, but it was. It’s a shame this movie tanked in the box office. Definitely worth a look. And if Michael Spencer doesn’t hurry up and watch Bruce Almighty sometime soon, I’m going to time him up and force him to. I’m on a mission.