DVD Movie: Remember the Titans

The true story of a newly appointed African-American coach and his high school team on their first season as a racially integrated unit.

Suburban Virginia schools have been segregated for generations, in sight of the Washington Monument over the river in the nation's capital. One Black and one White high school are closed and the students sent to T.C. Williams High School under federal mandate to integrate. The year is seen through the eyes of the football team where the man hired to coach the Black school is made head coach over the highly successful white coach. Based on the actual events of 1971, the team becomes the unifying symbol for the community as the boys and the adults learn to depend on and trust each other.

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My Rating: 4 out of 5

DVD Movie: The Miracle Worker (2000)

A television remake of William Gibson's classic play about Annie Sullivan's efforts to draw Helen Keller from her world of darkness and silence.

Originally telecast November 12, 2000, on ABC, The Miracle Worker was the third film version of the classic biographical play by William Gibson. Following in the footsteps of Patty Duke and Melissa Gilbert as the young Helen Keller is Hallie Kate Eisenberg, who skyrocketed to TV fame in 2000 as star of a series of well-circulated cola commercials. Alison Elliot co-stars as Annie Sullivan, the dedicated, no-nonsense teacher who ultimately draws the blind, deaf, and mute Helen out of her lonely shell (literally kicking and screaming at times) and into the "normal" world. Filmed in Mississauga, Ontario, The Miracle Worker was shown as a two-hour episode of ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney anthology. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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My Rating: 3.5 out of 5

DVD Movie: The World's Fastest Indian

In the late 1960s, after a lifetime of perfecting his classic Indian motorcycle, Burt sets off from the bottom of the world, Invercargill, New Zealand, to clock his bike at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. With all odds against him, Burt puts his irrepressible kiwi spirit to the test, braving the new world on a shoestring budget. He makes fast friends of many he encounters along the way who find themselves swept up in his energy and singular determination. Burt's quest culminates in an unlikely conclusion and remains legendary within the motorcycle community to this day.

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My Rating: 3.5 out 5

DVD Movie: ENTRE LES MURS (The Class)

Winner of the Palme d'Or at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, master French director Laurent Cantet's THE CLASS is an absorbing journey into a multicultural high school in Paris over the course of a school year. François Begaudeau--an actual teacher and the author upon whose work the film was based--is utterly convincing as François, an openminded teacher in charge of a classroom of youngsters from a wide variety of backgrounds. Of course, the mere fact that he's older and in a position of authority causes his students to challenge him on many occasions. François is stuck in the middle. In the teacher conferences, he butts heads with the harsher adults who don't appear to have any sympathy for their students. In class, his attempts to be lenient and understanding are somehow misinterpreted and he finds himself arguing with the kids that he so clearly wants to help. As the school year progresses, tensions rise, until François finds himself in a position he never imagined he'd be in. Unlike his more formally written early films like HUMAN RESOURCES and TIME OUT, Cantet proves that he has an ability to work in a more improvisational manner. Shooting on HD and working with a cast of young non-actors, he allows THE CLASS to breathe, resulting in a fictional drama that has the spirit and energy of a documentary. His startlingly assured ensemble brings the new, culturally diverse France of the early 21st century to striking life.

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My Rating: 4 out 5

DVD Movie: Extraordinary Measures

The movie is based on the reports of Wall Street journalist, Geeta Anand in 2004. It follows the struggles of John Crowley (Brendan Fraser), a pharmaceutical executive on the rise, whose 8-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter have been diagnosed with Pompe disease. His greatest dilemma is that this rare genetic disorder with no known cure will eventually spread to his children’s vital organs and kill them at a young age. But John will not give up and lose his children so easily. He meets Dr. Robert Stonehill, (Harrison Ford), a rustic University researcher who has discovered an enzyme that could possibly cure Pompe disease. The bulk of the plot focuses on John’s struggle to build a foundation, then run a bio-tech company and try to work with Dr. Robert in spite of personality clashes.

The plot is easy to follow and develops quite predictably. The script has a tendency to be too syrupy and weepy at times and has a prolonged focus on the melodrama. But still Jacobs and Vaughan manage to create a captivating movie. The performances of Fraser, Ford and Russell are solid and genuine. The camerawork is clean and the editing is tight. Technically, the movie is more than good but not necessarily great. Overall, the movie succeeds in evoking sympathy for a father battling the odds to save his children.

The movie is strong in its message about family. John’s efforts are commendable and Aileen’s (his wife) support for him despite the uncertainty of the situation is inspiring. Another strong point of the movie is its message of hope and acceptance of God’s will. Accepting one’s fate, no matter how painful, is a sign of humility and complete trust in His providence. The movie would have been perfect if the element of prayer or faith were also highlighted as source of courage and strength in overcoming his ordeal. It would be best for parents to remind their children that in real life, faith and spirituality play a major role in sustaining a person through his pain and struggles.

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My Rating: 3.5 out 5

DVD Movie: Les Choristes

On 15 January 1949, the former music teacher Clément Mathieu arrives in "Fond de l' Etang" ("Bottom of the Well"), a boarding school for orphans and problematic boys, to work as an inspector. The place is administrated with iron fist by the cruel director Rachin, and most of the boys have severe punishments for their faults. Clément decides to teach the boys to sing in a choir in their spare time, and identify the musical potential of the rebel Pierre Morhange, the son of a beautiful single mother for whom he feels a crush. He also has a special feeling for the young Pépinot, a boy that expects the visit of his father every Saturday near the gate, but indeed lost his parents in the war. With his methods, Clément changes the lives of the boys, of the other employees and his own.

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My Rating: 3.5 out of 5

DVD Movie: Invictus

The film tells the inspiring true story of how Nelson Mandela joined forces with the captain of South Africa's rugby team, Francois Pienaar, to help unite their country. Newly elected President Mandela knows his nations remains racially and economically divided in the wake of apartheid. Believing he can bring his people together through the universal language of sport, Mandela rallies South Africa's underdog rugby team as they make an unlikely run to the 1995 World Cup Championship match. (Warner Bros.)

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My Rating: 3 out 5

DVD Movie: HACHIKO

An American adaptation of a Japanese tale about a loyal dog named Hachiko. This very special friend would accompany his master to the train station every day and return each afternoon to greet him after work. Sadly his master departs one day, passes away and never returns to the station. Hachiko faithfully returns to the same spot at the station the very next day, and every day for the next nine years to wait for his beloved master. During his daily visits, Hachiko touches the lives of many who work near and commute through the town square. He teaches the local people love, compassion and above all unyielding loyalty. Today, a bronze statue of Hachiko sits in his waiting spot outside the Shibuya station in Japan as a permanent reminder of his devotion and love.

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My Rating: 3.5 out 5

DVD Movie: SEABISCUIT

SEABISCUIT, an American epic of triumph and perseverance set during the Great Depression, is based on the inspiring true story of three men - a jockey, a trainer and a businessman - and the undersized racehorse who took the entire nation on the ride of a lifetime.

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The picture relates a moving story of friendship and devotion in rehabilitating the main characters'fractured lives, as it interweaves the interactions between horse, jockey, trainer, and owner and their adoring fans. The film accurately portrays the real people and events of those troubled times and how Seabiscuit "fixed us, every one of us."

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My Rating: 4 out 5

DVD Movie: MIRACLE

From Walt Disney Pictures comes MIRACLE, an inspiring family drama that combines hockey and history in retelling the story of one of sports' all-time greatest upsets. In 1980, amidst the tense political climate of the Cold War, Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell) took over as coach of the U.S. Olympic hockey team. With the help of affable assistant coach Craig Patrick (Noah Emmerich), Brooks selected a group of twenty amateur hockey players who faced the daunting task of bringing respectability to their country's floundering program. While Brooks was well aware that his team lacked the talent and experience of the team from Russia, he nonetheless devoted his energy to realizing his lifelong dream: to coach a team to Olympic gold. Stepping into the gaudy wardrobe of the legendary Brooks (who was a consultant on the film and died in an automobile accident just after production wrapped), Russell delivers one of his finest performances to date. Surrounded by a cast of unknown young actors, Russell captures the complexities of a man who dared to dream the impossible dream. Director Gavin O'Connor and screenwriter Eric Guggenheim deftly balance the drama of the game itself with the larger political implications the game inspired, celebrating this truly miraculous moment in time.

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My Rating: 4 out of 5

DVD Movie: Children of Heaven

In this simple family drama from Iran, two children invent an intricate plan to conceal the loss of a pair of shoes. Ali (Amir Farrokh Hashemian) and his sister Zhara (Bahare Seddiqi) are living in a poor neighborhood. Their mother is suffering from illness and their father is overworked and underpaid. When Ali is sent out to pick up his sister's shoes, a blind street peddler accidentally swipes them. Afraid that he will get a beating if his parents find out, he and Zhara concoct a plan by which she will wear Ali's sneakers to school in the morning and he will wear them to school in the afternoon. But the plan has its flaws because Ali is late to school everyday and his principal threatens to expel him. In a final act of determination, Ali enters a race to win the third place prize, a new pair of sneakers. Majidi's acclaimed film is an example of a current trend in Iranian cinema where children are used as central characters in order to circumvent censorship issues. His later film THE COLOR OF PARADISE about a little blind boy received similar international critical attention. CHILDREN OF HEAVEN received an Academy Award Nomination in 1998 for Best Foreign Film.

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My Rating: 5 out of 5

DVD Movie: October Sky

Based On An Extraordinary True Story

Sometimes one dream is enough to light up the whole sky.

The true story of Homer Hickam, a young boy trapped in a close-minded coal-mining town in the 1950's. When Sputnik is successfully launched, Homer becomes obsessed with the concept of rocket launching. To the dismay and disgust of the townspeople, as well as Homer's father, he and his friends try to launch a rocket themselves. With the inspiration of a school teacher, they persevere and never lose hope in the dreams. An uplifting, hopeful story that the whole family can enjoy.

My Rating: 4 out 5

DVD Movie: The Blind Side

Sandra Bullock (“The Proposal”), Tim McGraw (“Friday Night Lights”) and Oscar® winner Kathy Bates (“Misery”) star in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “The Blind Side,” which depicts the remarkable true story of All-American football star Michael Oher.

In the film, teenager Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) is surviving on his own, virtually homeless, when he is spotted on the street by Leigh Anne Tuohy (Bullock). Learning that the young man is one of her daughter’s classmates, Leigh Anne insists that Michael—wearing shorts and a t-shirt in the dead of winter—come out of the cold. Without a moment’s hesitation, she invites him to stay at the Tuohy home for the night. What starts out as a gesture of kindness turns into something more as Michael becomes part of the Tuohy family despite the differences in their backgrounds.

Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. And as the family helps Michael fulfill his potential, both on and off the football field, Michael’s presence in the Tuohys’ lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own.

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My Rating: 4 out of 5

DVD Movie: Les Miserables

Liam Neeson stars as Jean Valjean, a heartless convict who is transformed by a single act of mercy. Uma Thurman is Fantine, the vulnerable prostitute who begs Valjean to raise her only child, Cosette (Claire Danes). And Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush, as Inspector Javert, an ambitious policeman determined to return Valjean to prison.

Les Miserables is a story about the lives of Jean Valjean, Fantine, Inspector Javert, Cosette, and Marius Pontmercy, who meet, part, then meet again during the most agitated decades of nineteenth-century France. It also tells the story of the 1832 revolution and describes the unpleasant side of Paris. The novel is in essence a plea for humane treatment of the poor and for equality among all citizens.

My Rating: 4 out 5

DVD Movie: I am DAVID

I Am David is adapted from Anne Holm's internationally acclaimed novel of the same name (re-titled North to Freedom in the USA). It is the story of a 12-year-old boy, David, who escapes from a Communist concentration camp with little more than a compass, a sealed letter, a loaf of bread, and instructions to carry the letter to Copenhagen, Denmark. David is thrust into the free world for the first time in his young life as he travels across Europe. It is a spiritual voyage of discovery, where David slowly loses his instinctive mistrust of humanity and begins to smile, share, trust and ultimately, love. I Am David addresses the cruelties, politics, and suffering of warfare while celebrating the resilience of youth and the unbreakable spirit of a child.

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My Rating: 4 out 5

DVD Movie: Flywheel

Jay Austin wants to sell you a car, and it doesn't matter to him how he does it. He is dishonest in his business, and that's exactly how he conducts his personal life as well. He is dishonest in all of his relationships - even his wife and son know they can't trust him. However, as Jay works on restoring a classic 1958 Triumph TR3A convertible, he comes face-to-face with the reality that his life is spinning out of control because of the choices he has made and the way he has conducted himself in his business and in his relationships. He resolves to give his life and his business over to God and make God the "Boss," and begins the ride of his life! Despite the fact that selling cars at honest prices may cause him to loose his business (as it would have been a struggle even at the dishonest prices he had been selling cars), he decides that he is going to be honest in all of his dealings. He gives the business over to God and says that it is His car lot and He can do with it as He pleases. If the business goes under, then it is because God allowed it; if the business succeeds it will be because God saved it... all he desires is to finish well by honoring God with the way he conducts his business, and indeed to honor God in all of his relationships.

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My Rating: 4 out 5

DVD Movie: Schindler's List

"Schindler's List" is the based-on-truth story of Nazi Czech business man Oskar Schindler, who uses Jewish labor to start a factory in occupied Poland. As World War II progresses, and the fate of the Jews becomes more and more clear, Schindler's motivations switch from profit to human sympathy and he is able to save over 1100 Jews from death in the gas chambers.

Oskar Schindler is a vain, glorious and greedy German businessman who becomes unlikely humanitarian amid the barbaric Nazi reign when he feels compelled to turn his factory into a refuge for Jews. Based on the true story of Oskar Schindler who managed to save about 1100 Jews from being gassed at the Auschwitz concentration camp. A testament for the good in all of us.

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My Rating: 5 out 5

DVD Movie: Life is Beautiful

In this extraordinary tale, Guido (Benigni) -- a charming but bumbling waiter who's gifted with a colorful imagination and an irresistible sense of humor -- has won the heart of the woman he loves and created a beautiful life for his young family. But then, that life is threatened by World War II ... and Guido must rely on those very same strengths to save his beloved wife and son from an unthinkable fate.

Honored with an overwhelming level of critical acclaim, this truly exceptional, utterly unique achievement will lift your spirits and capture your heart!

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My Rating: 5 out 5

DVD Movie: The Pianist

The true story of Wladyslaw Szpilman who, in the 1930s, was known as the most accomplished piano player in all of Poland, if not Europe. At the outbreak of the Second World War, however, Szpilman becomes subject to the anti-Jewish laws imposed by the conquering Germans. By the start of the 1940s, Szpilman has seen his world go from piano concert halls to the Jewish Ghetto of Warsaw and then must suffer the tragedy of his family deported to a German concentration camps, while Szpilman is conscripted into a forced German Labor Compound. At last deciding to escape, Szpilman goes into hiding as a Jewish refugee where he is witness to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (April 19, 1943 - May 16, 1943) and the Warsaw Uprising (1 August to 2 October 1944)

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My Rating: 5 out 5

DVD Movie: Fireproof

FIREPROOF, from the same team that made the 2006 hit FACING THE GIANTS, is a Christian relationship drama with a very strong message. The film stars Kirk Cameron of the classic television series GROWING PAINS as Captain Caleb Holt, a fireman whose fearlessness is limited to his work. At home with his wife of seven years, Caleb shows little of the bravery he displays on the job, and has a failing marriage as a result. Fighting over every little thing, Caleb and his wife, Catherine (Erin Bethea), are on the verge of signing divorce papers when Caleb's father and coworkers urge him to approach his marriage in the same way he fights vicious flames. When Caleb's father gives him the "Love Dare," a 40-day guide to religiously motivated marriage help, Caleb begins a difficult journey to reclaim his wife, and in the process, his faith in God. With several action-packed scenes, FIREPROOF uses fire metaphors in its exploration of marriage. The film offers an alternative to the common romantic comedy and, some might argue, a more multidimensional view of romance. The film examines both the ups and inevitable downs of married life, offering faith as a prescription for saving what may at first glance appear to have already failed. Likely to please its target audience, the film offers a fresh perspective on marriage and inspiring relationship tips viewers may want to try regardless of their faith.

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My Rating: 4 out 5