Love Begins (2011) - trailer

Love Begins, a prequel to the Love Comes Softly series,

will air on the Hallmark Channel on September 17, 2011.

Synopsis: "Clark Davis’ (Wes Brown) adventurous dreams of seeing the world are put into jeopardy after he and a friend start a fight which damages a local cafe. Through a plea deal with the Sheriff (Jere Burns) and café owner Millie (Nancy McKeon), Clark works off his sentence as a farmhand for the Barlow sisters, Ellen (Julie Mond) and Cassie (Abigail Mavity).



Older sister Ellen doesn’t understand Cassie’s friendly nature with Clark; she agreed to the Sheriff’s offer only because the farm has become too much to maintain alone. Clark is slowing winning Ellen over, but suddenly suffers a traumatic head injury in a fall. After Ellen nurses him back to health, her former fiancé returns to win her back. Will Clark travel on or stay behind where love begins?"

View trailer

More information on Hallmark's website

Seven Days in Utopia

Released in selected theatres today...

(I thoroughly enjoyed Get Low which featured both Robert Duvall and Lucas Black and now they're both featured in this inspirational film.)

Film description:

"When Luke Chisolm (Lucas Black) has a catastrophic meltdown at a mini tour golf tournament, he is left broken and bitter. He is at the end of his rope. Embarrassed, he drives off from the tournament down the back roads of Texas and begins to analyze the destruction he is so desperate to leave behind. It is apparent that this is a defining moment in Luke’s life. His golf game is in turmoil and as a result, his relationship with his caddy/father is seemingly strained beyond repair. It seems as if Luke’s life is spinning out of control and he doesn’t know how to stop it.



Just when he thought it couldn’t get any worse, Luke soon wrecks his car at a fork in the road and finds himself stuck in a small town called Utopia, Texas….far from home.



Dazed and despaired, it is here in Utopia that Luke meets a man who will change his golf game and his life forever…Johnny Crawford (Robert Duvall). Johnny asks Luke to stay for seven days and embark on a journey that he will not soon forget.



Over the next week while he is stranded in Utopia, Luke learns more about golf, life and faith than he ever bargained for.



(Shown on right: Lucas Black, Robert Duvall, Deborah Ann Woll, Melissa Leo)



Utopia is indeed a place of mythical proportion. But make no mistake about it….Utopia, Texas is real and its teachings are profound and everlasting. Join Luke on his journey in Utopia as he discovers his purpose through actions such as fly fishing, painting and flying planes. Follow him as he explores relationship with the likes of Sarah Hawkins (Deborah Ann Woll), Lily (Melissa Leo), Jake (Brian Geraghty) and Mabel (Kathy Baker). The lessons of Johnny Crawford and the values of Utopia, Texas effect Luke in a way he never thought possible.



Only in Utopia can you enter one day with the weight of the world on your shoulders and leave a week later ready to conquer life. Only in Utopia can you find love and your sense of purpose all over again. Johnny is no ordinary teacher and this is no ordinary town."



Official Site

No Greater Love (2009)

Watched this last year with my sister and enthusiastically add it to my list of Inspirational Films.

Description:
“Jeff and Heather were the ‘lucky ones.’ Best friends from childhood, high school sweethearts, and married by 22, they were inseparable soul mates.

After the birth of her first and only child, Heather Baker (Danielle Bisutti) fell into a deep depression. Hopelessly lost, she did the unthinkable – she abandoned her husband and infant son – and vanished. Jeff Baker (Anthony Tyler Quinn) was forced to raise their son Ethan as a single father.

Ten years after his wife’s disappearance, Jeff is finally ready to move on and is on the verge of marrying his new girlfriend. His world, however, is dramatically rocked when Heather reappears in the most unusual place.”

Official site

Molokai: The Story of Fr. Damien (1999)

A biopic of St. Damien, a Belgian priest who sought to ease the suffering and raise the dignity of leprosy patients living at the Kalaupapa Leprosy Settlement on the Hawaiian island of Molokai in 1873. The film features David Wenham as Damien as well as other familiar faces such as Sam Neill, Derek Jacobi, Alice Krige, Peter O'Toole, Kris Kristofferson and Tom Wilkinson.

Synopsis from IMDb:
Exile to Molokai was the means with which leprosy was dealt with in the Hawaiian Islands during the late 1800s. Molokai was an untamed isle located between the islands of Oahu and Maui. Abandoned for all extents and purposes, the lepers attempted to scrape out a living in their squalor without outside aid or care. Enter the courageous Father Damien. He was the first priest to go to Molokai. And even though his bishop strictly warned him that "he must not touch anyone," Father Damien risked his life and health to reach out to the suffering.

Gradually, Father Damien was able to gain the trust of the lepers. Additionally, and more importantly, his cries for additional help were heard and heeded by others. The success of his appeals was unbelievably dismaying to superiors who were more interested respect and riches than reaching out to the suffering.

Eventually, as expected Father Damien was also afflicted. This, however, only seemed to provide him with an even greater drive to ameliorate the conditions of his now "fellow" lepers. After collapsing during Mass, he was carried to the very hospital that he himself had established where he died.

Cast:
David Wenham as Father Damien
Kate Ceberano as Princess Liliuokalani
Jan Decleir as Bishop Köckerman
Chris Haywood as Clayton Strawn
Derek Jacobi as Father Leonor Fouesnel
Keanu Kapuni-Szasz as Malulani
Alice Krige as Mother Marianne Cope
Kris Kristofferson as Rudolph Meyer
Leo McKern as Bishop Maigret
Sam Neill as Prime Minister Walter Murray Gibson
Peter O'Toole as William Williamson
Dirk Roofthooft as Father Louis Lambert Conrardy
Tom Wilkinson as Brother Joseph Dutton
Aden Young as Dr. Kalewis

Trailer

Watch movie on Youtube

Additional Inspirational Films

The Book of Ruth: A Journey of Faith (2010)

The Book of Ruth: Journey in Faith is a 2009 Christian film directed by Stephen Patrick Walker. It is based on the Book of Ruth, and was aired January 8, 2010 on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. The film stars Dan Haggerty, Lana Wood, Eleese Lester, Carman, and Sherry Morris as Ruth. [Wikipedia]

Plot:
"A biblical Cinderella story seen through the eyes of a young widow as she leaves her homeland to Israel in search of a better life. Upon reaching Israel, she is swept off her feet by a wealthy royal which ultimately leads to her destiny."

Trailer

Watch on Gospel Music Channel - April 17, 2011

Watch movie on Youtube

Courageous (2011)

Four men, one calling: To serve and protect.

As law enforcement officers, Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes, and their partners are confident and focused. They willingly stand up to the worst the world can offer. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle: fatherhood.

While they consistently give their best on the job, good enough seems to be all they can muster as dads. But they're quickly discovering that their standard is missing the mark.

They know that God desires to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, but their children are beginning to drift further and further away from them. Will they be able to find a way to serve and protect those that are most dear to them?

When tragedy hits home, these men are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering. Can a newfound urgency help these dads draw closer to God ... and to their children?

Protecting the streets is second nature to these law enforcement officers. Raising their children? That will take courage.

Courageous ... honor begins at home.

From Sherwood Pictures, producers of Flywheel, Facing the Giants and Fireproof

Release date: September 30, 2011

Index of INSPIRATIONAL FILMS

The Grace Card (2011)

When Mac McDonald (Michael Joiner) loses his son in an accident, the ensuing 17 years of bitterness and pain erodes his love for his family and leaves him angry with almost everyone, including God. Mac's rage damages his career in the police department, and his household is as frightening as anything he encounters on the streets of Memphis. Money is tight, arguments with his wife are common, and his surviving son Blake is hanging with the wrong crowd and in danger of failing school.

Things become heated when Mac is partnered with Sam Wright (Mike Higgenbottom), a rising star on the force who happens to be a part-time pastor and a family man. Sam never expected to be a police officer. He feels called to a minister like his grandfather. In addition to leading a small, start-up church, Sam works as a police officer to provide for his family. When he gets promoted to Sergeant, however, Sam starts questioning if his true calling might be police work.

Can Sam and Mac somehow join forces or is it nearly impossible for either of them to look past their differences, especially their race?

Released on February 25, 2011

Official Site

Index of INSPIRATIONAL FILMS

Change of Plans (2010)

Up to this point, Sally Danville's life has played out just as she hoped it would. A beautiful and free-spirited musician, she and her fighter-pilot husband, Jason, live life on the go, free of domestic responsibilities. But with a single phone call from Child & Family Services case worker, Dorothy (Phylicia Rashad, The Cosby Show), she learns that things don't always go according to plan. Sally (Brooke White, American Idol) is met with the news that her best friend from college has died in a tragic accident on a Peace Corps mission and has named Sally the legal guardian of her four kids - 3 of them adopted from third-world countries. Now Sally and Jason (Joe Flanigan, Stargate Atlantis) must quickly learn to parent this instant family and help the kids deal with the culture clash of life in America. The story is both humorous and heartwarming, revealing how fulfilling life can be when you look beyond your own plans and invest in the lives of others.

Part of series of Family Movie Night
(Produced by Wal-mart and P&G)

Website

Index of INSPIRATIONAL FILMS

A Walk in my Shoes (2010)

'In My Shoes' (original title) starring Nancy Travis, Yara Martinez, Philip Winchester and Cameron Deane Stewart is the heartwarming story of a teacher who has lost her way.

Description from Amazon.com:
Ever judge someone just by looking at them? We've all made snap judgments about people. But what if we really got to know them? Would our opinions change? And what if we actually became them... how would the shoes fit? Stressed-out high school teacher Trish Fahey can't understand her students' lack of effort and why their parents don't seem to care. This is especially true of Justin, a basketball star who is underperforming in her class. All of this changes when Trish wrecks her car and wakes to find herself living in the shoes of Justin's mom, a woman she has personally judged and criticized. With the help of a mysterious stranger, Trish discovers the real reason behind her struggles, teaching her a whole new meaning of compassion. No one is left unchanged.

Family Movie Night (Official site)
DVD available at Amazon

Index of INSPIRATIONAL FILMS

What If (2010)

"What If" tells the story of Ben Walker (Kevin Sorbo), who fifteen years ago left his college sweetheart Wendy (Kristy Swanson), and his calling to be a preacher, in order to pursue a business opportunity. Now with a high-paying executive gig, a trophy fiancé, and a new Mercedes, he hasnt considered a family nor felt the need to set foot in a church in fifteen years.

But God has other plans. While on a thrill ride outside the city, his new car mysteriously breaks down, and hes visited by a tow truck driver named Mike (John Ratzenberger) who claims to be an angel sent to show Ben what his life would look like had he followed his true calling. Suddenly Ben wakes up in the middle of domestic chaos as his wife Wendy and daughters (including Disney Channels Debby Ryan) are getting ready for church, where Ben is the new pastor.

Before he can get back to his old life, Ben must first embrace this reality and discover the value of faith and family, and perhaps restore his love for those who were heartbroken fifteen years ago: Wendy and God. In the tradition of Its a Wonderful Life and The Family Man, What If is a story of finding your true purpose in life.

Official Site - Available on DVD

Index of INSPIRATIONAL FILMS

The Mighty Macs (2011)

Set in 1972, “Our Lady of Victory” tells the inspiring true story of Cathy Rush, a sassy 23 year old former tomboy whose young life has been filled with a series of setbacks. On the brink of giving up and moving on to her child rearing years, she takes one final shot at her dream and becomes the head basketball coach at tiny Immaculata College. With help from the nuns, she finds the courage and faith to lead her team along the improbable journey of winning the first national championship in women’s basketball.

Starring:
Carla Gugino … Cathy Rush
David Boreanaz … Ed Rush
Marley Shelton … Sister Sunday
Ellen Burstyn … Mother St. John
Phyllis Somerville … Sister Sister

Release date: October 21, 2011

Index of INSPIRATIONAL FILMS

Soul Surfer (2011)

Release date: April 8, 2011

Plot Summary: "Soul Surfer" is the inspiring true story of teen surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost her arm in a shark attack and courageously overcame all odds to become a champion again, through her sheer determination and unwavering faith.

In the wake of this life-changing event that took her arm and nearly her life, Bethany's feisty determination and steadfast beliefs spur her toward an adventurous comeback that gives her the grit to turn her loss into a gift for others.

Bethany (Anna Sophia Robb) was born to surf. A natural talent who took to the waves at a young age, she was leading an idyllic, sun-drenched, surfer girl’s life on the Kauai Coast, competing in national competitions with her best friend Alana (Lorraine Nicholson), when everything changed in a heartbeat. On Halloween morning, Bethany was on a typical ocean outing when a 14-foot tiger shark came out of nowhere and seemed to shatter all her dreams.

"Soul Surfer" reveals the moving aftermath of this headline-making story, as Bethany fights to recover and grapples with the future. Strengthened by the love of her parents, Tom (Dennis Quaid) and Cheri (Helen Hunt), she refuses to give in or give up, and begins a bold return to the water. Still, the questions keep hammering her: Why did this happen? Why did she have to lose everything? Will she ever feel the joy and power of riding the waves again? And if she can't be a surfer, then who is she?

The devastating 2004 tsunami in the Pacific Ocean unexpectedly gives Bethany a new perspective. Traveling to Phuket, Thailand with her youth-group leader Sara Hill (Carrie Underwood), she witnesses life beyond her own shoreline and discovers her greater purpose—she can make a difference in the lives of others. Filled with a new sense of hope and direction, she returns home with a renewed resolve to conquer her own limitations and set an encouraging example for people facing adversity.

At the National Championships, Bethany bravely faces off with her fiercest rival, Malia Birch (Sonya Balmores), and takes her astonishing one-armed surfing technique to the limit. But as the horn blows, and the suspenseful competition kicks off, Bethany is no longer thinking about the challenges of her body. Now, her surfing, her biggest dreams and her life have become about pushing her own physical limits to touch the souls of others.

Official Site

Dennis Quaid, AnnaSophia Robb, Helen Hunt

Robb and Carrie Underwood

View trailer

Index of INSPIRATIONAL FILMS

One Night with the King (2006)

Based on the novel Hadassah: One Night with the King by Tommy Tenney and Mark Andrew Olsen

Plot: An epic motion picture set in an imaginative world of adventure, intrigue and romance, "One Night with the King" follows a young girl who rises from peasant to princess by going against the culture and seeking the King's heart rather than the riches of the kingdom.

By 'chance' she is born with exceeding beauty to a people who have been carried away as slaves to the most powerful kingdom in the world. By 'chance' her parents are killed while she is young leaving her to be taken in by her uncle, a man who has found favor as a royal scribe. By 'chance' the Queen is executed by the unknowing King, spurned on by the ruthless plotting of palace princes hungry for power. By 'chance' the King is left feeling alone, pushed and prodded, desperate to live up to and avenge the battles of his father. By 'chance' Esther is carted off to the palace to become part of the Kingís harem at the same time a vengeful young prime minister with the Kingís ear is rising to prominence with a plan for orchestrating the genocide of her people.

So begins the story of Esther, "One Night with the King," a story that reveals that all of life is under God's command. Power, position and prominence are one thing, but when Esther must choose between all she's ever dreamed of and the fate of her people, will she be able to find the courage to step forward and embrace her destiny?

Official Website

Thanks to Priceless for the photos!

Index of INSPIRATIONAL FILMS

Like Dandelion Dust (2010)

Jack and Molly Campbell (Cole Hauser, Kate Levering) are right where they want to be, enjoying an idyllic life with their six-year-old son Joey (Maxwell Perry Cotton), and the close family and friends who live in their small hometown just outside of West Palm Beach, Florida. Then the phone call comes from the social worker the Campbells never expected to hear from again. Three states away in Ohio, Joey’s biological father (Barry Pepper) has just been released from prison. He is ready to start life over with his wife Wendy (Mira Sorvino) but not without their son.

A judge’s quick decision deals a devastating blow to the Campbell family: Joey must be returned to his biological parents.

In the days that follow the ruling, Jack & Molly Campbell have a desperate and dangerous thought. What if they can devise a way out? They could take Joey and simply disappear… LIKE DANDELION DUST.

Based on a Karen Kingsbury novel.

The movie was released in September 2010 and has won multiple awards.

Official Site (DVD now available)

Wikipedia

Index of INSPIRATIONAL FILMS

INSPIRATIONAL FILMS - an Index

Here is a list of films (mainly period dramas but not necessarily)

which are inspirational or faith-based. (Most are Christian films.)

Amazing Grace
Amish Grace (2010)
A Walk in my Shoes (2010)
A Walk to Remember
Barchester Chronicles
Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972)
Butterfly Circus (2009)
Change of Plans (2010)
Chariots of Fire
Christy (1994-95)
Chronicles of Narnia
Courageous (2011)
Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler
Creation (2009)
Facing the Giants (2006)
Fireproof (2008)
Jesus of Nazareth
Joshua (2002)
Katherine of Alexandria (2011)
Like Dandelion Dust (2010)
Love Comes Softly
Love's Abiding Joy (2006)
Love's Enduring Promise (2004)
Love's Long Journey (2005)
Love's Unending Legacy (2007)
Loving Leah
Molokai: The Story of Father Damien (1999)
Magic of Ordinary Days
No Greater Love (2009)
Of Gods and Men (2010)
One Night with the King
Pay It Forward
Road to Avonlea
Romero
Seraphine (2008)
Simon Birch
Soul Surfer (2011)
The Book of Ruth: A Journey of Faith
The Christmas Cottage
The Gospel of John
The Grace Card (2011)
The Greatest Story Ever Told
The Lion of Judah
The Mighty Macs (2011)
The Mission
The Nativity (2010)
The Nativity Story
The Passion of the Christ
The Scarlett and the Black (1983)
The Second Chance
The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968)
The Song of Bernadette
The Shunning (2011)
The Sound of Music (1965)
The Ten Commandments
The Vow (2012)
The Waltons (1972-1981)
The Way (2010)
There Be Dragons (2011)
Though None Go With Me
Tree of Life (2011)
What If (2010)

Links of Interest

CHRISTIAN FILM DATABASE
ChristianCinema.com
The Arts & Faith Top 100 Films
Watch Christian Movies Online

Amish Grace (2010)

When a group of Amish schoolgirls are taken hostage and killed in their classroom, their parents and the Amish community of Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, stun the outside world by immediately forgiving the killer. Ida Graber (Kimberly Williams-Paisley), mother of one of the murdered children, has a tougher time than the others accepting the tragedy, but in her anguish and pain, she begins a personal journey of renewed faith, ultimately accepting the heart-wrenching tragedy of losing a child; reconnecting with her husband (Matt Letscher), family, and community; offering forgiveness to the killer; and even showing kindness and compassion to the killer’s widow (Tammy Blanchard) and children – all in the form of Amish Grace

(Previously aired on Lifetime channel)

Website for book: Amish Grace: how Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy By Donald B. Kraybill, Steven M. Nolt, and David L. Weaver-Zercher

Watch it online

Index of INSPIRATIONAL FILMS

The Tree of Life (2011) - new images

I loved the trailer for this film, looks intriguing! Sean Penn, Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain head up the cast.

Limited release: May 27, 2011

Director Terence Malick describes film:
We trace the evolution of an eleven-year-old boy in the Midwest, Jack, one of three brothers. At first all seems marvelous to the child. He sees as his mother does with the eyes of his soul. She represents the way of love and mercy, where the father tries to teach his son the world’s way of putting oneself first. Each parent contends for his allegiance, and Jack must reconcile their claims. The picture darkens as he has his first glimpses of sickness, suffering and death. The world, once a thing of glory, becomes a labyrinth.

From this story is that of adult Jack, a lost soul in a modern world, seeking to discover amid the changing scenes of time that which does not change: the eternal scheme of which we are a part. When he sees all that has gone into our world’s preparation, each thing appears a miracle—precious, incomparable. Jack, with his new understanding, is able to forgive his father and take his first steps on the path of life.

The story ends in hope, acknowledging the beauty and joy in all things, in the everyday and above all in the family—our first school—the only place that most of us learn the truth about the world and ourselves, or discover life’s single most important lesson, of unselfish love.

Early reviews at Cannes film festival