Before the Wrath {A Review and Giveaway}

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through Flyby Promotions in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

I've been interested in end times prophecy for about half of my life. Shortly after becoming a Christian I remember being introduced to different movies and books that spoke of the rapture and the tribulation. So, when I was offered the opportunity to watch and review Before the Wrath, I was quite excited. 

I was intrigued to discover that this inspirational documentary/drama is the #1 Christian movie in America. The film is narrated by Kevin Sorbo (God's Not Dead) and is a combination of interviews and a historical drama taking place in ancient Galilee. And it focuses on the "why" of Jesus returning for His church, instead of the "when," and highlights the importance of Biblical prophecy.  

Throughout the film there are interviews with :

• Jack Hibbs - Theologist and host of "Real Life" on SiriusXM
• Amir Tsarfati - Founder and President of Behond Israel
• Jan Markell - Founder of Olive Tree Ministries
• JD Farag - Theologist and Eschatologist 
• Scott McConnell - Exec. Director of Lifeway Research
• Jay McCarl - Ancient Middle Eastern Anthropologist 
• Lizette Dillinger - Qualitative Director of LifeWay Research

This documentary explains the importance of why Jesus is coming back and how we can know this by understanding something as simple, but profound, as a Galilean wedding. They explain the importance of realizing that Jesus spent most of his time in Galilee and that his followers were Galileans. So, in that respect, his parables and stories would be told in a way that they would have understood. So, in order for us to understand his true meaning, we have to understand the culture, not just of the Israelites in the time of Jesus, but specifically of the Galileans. 

There is a lot that I knew, but didn't really understand. I mean, I have read the Bible stories of the bridegroom coming for his bride, and the 10 virgins waiting with their lamps, and Jesus's first miracle taking place in a Canaanite wedding, but their significance only made sense when watching this documentary and being shown the details of a Galilean wedding. In fact, as I watched, there were parts that just gave me goosebumps. 

I love how the pieces are all brought together, from the betrothal through the one year preparation period, to the actual wedding night and feast.

Here are a few screenshots from the film:

The bride accepting the cup at the betrothal

The bride waiting for the bridegroom

The bridegroom coming for his bride at night

The parallels between a Galilean wedding and the the New Covenant that Jesus made with his church truly are profound. We are the bride and we need to willingly accept the cup to be consecrated to Him. Jesus is now preparing his father's house for us, his bride, just as a bridegroom would prepare a room added on to his father's house. At the same time we, as the bride, are to prepare and wait and be ready when the bridegroom comes. And as with the Galilean wedding, only the Father knows the time when he will send the Son for his bride. 

This film was a reminder of how important it is for us to be ready for Jesus's return. However, now that the signs appear to show that his return is drawing even nearer, the church is falling further away, so many not even believing in a literal return of Jesus, and there bickering among those who do believe because there is no agreement on when it will happen. 

Before the Wrath from Ingenuity Films truly is a captivating documentary. One that should be watched by Christians so they can understand the importance of prophecy in Scripture. I loved the combination of interviews with experts and the historical drama. Though most of the drama was told through the narration, there were times when the were some spoken lines. The story was told through the scenes and music and narration, along with the interviews, scenes from modern day, and charts displaying pertinent information. 

I am eager to share this information with my church leaders, perhaps to suggest a Sunday School class viewing. I think it is very important for pastors to be sharing about prophecy and end times, and was very sad to hear that so few actually do, even though it is a significant portion of the Bible. 

Though the film doesn't come out and say we should believe in a pre-tribulation Rapture, it definitely shows why that would be the case. The title itself speaks toward it. I would hope those who don't believe in pre-trib theology would still give this film a chance as it is quite eye-opening. 

Leave a comment below to be entered into the giveaway. Must leave email address so I can reach you. Giveaway ends December 5th. I will choose the winner using a random number generator. 

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):

Many thanks to Ingenuity Films for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, from the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

A Movie Review of Life With Dog from Mill Creek Entertainment {A Homeschool Review Crew Review}

We had the opportunity to review a new movie titled Life With Dog from Mill Creek Entertainment. I had read the description of the movie, and was intrigued, so I was pleased when I was chosen for this review. And it stated it was family approved by The Dove Foundation, so I thought it would be a nice movie to watch with the children during our movie time.

"Life With Dog" is a 106 minute movie about a man named Joe Bigler (played by Corbin Bernsen) who has lost his wife, under what he considers mysterious, and even sinister circumstances. The opening scene of the movie comes down from above, descending to the scene of the bike accident that killed Alice. You see the emergency vehicles encircling the intersection, and as you draw closer you see a bicycle in the middle. As you get closer you notice it is mangled and someone is being placed into an ambulance. The camera then focuses on a mangy looking dog sitting on the curb.

We then cut to Joe who is alone in his home. Except suddenly he is talking to his wife Alice (played by Marilu Henner). At first it is a bit confusing. Is this a flashback of a time when she is alive, or something else? It is soon made clear that he is imagining his wife is still with him, though he knows she is dead. Throughout the movie he will see her and she will say something, or they may even have conversations. It is clear he is having a hard time letting her go and has not been able to grieve, even though it has been months since the accident. He is depressed, and hangs out in his chair, which we find out when his daughter Zoe (played by Chelsey Crisp) questions him. Adding to the struggle and the conflict with his daughter is the fact that she is a Christian (as was his wife) and he has no faith, especially after what happened to Alice, and as we discover, to his son prior to the loss of his wife. Zoe is worried about her father, and isn't sure what to do to help him.  

He has become paranoid, and feels that the company that is building a complex next door is after his house. In fact, it is his belief that they killed his wife to get him to give up and move so they can have his property. And I have to admit, it is hard to know for sure during a good part of the movie whether this is true or not. Is he just paranoid, or is there some truth to these accusations?

However, he gets increasingly delusional and even violent. I admit, I wasn't ready for this, and had wished I hadn't let the children watch it with me the first time. This is because there were some scenes that stressed me out because I didn't know what the children were going to see. A good reminder that I really do need to watch movies first before letting them see them, even if they are "family approved." I'm not saying it isn't appropriate for the children. However, if I had known what was going to happen at times, I would have been more comfortable watching them see it, so I could reassure them that nothing major was going to happen. Especially with the scenes where Joe is holding a gun on people and threatening to shoot them, when he gets violent with a bank worker and assaults him, holding him against the wall and threatening to punch him. There are also creepy scenes where there is someone in a hood outside the house at night sneaking around. That sure added to the suspense, which I am not a huge fan of honestly.

There is a lot of deceitfulness on his part, and there were times when he mentions what he calls "the f bomb." No, the word is not used, but I didn't really appreciate the reference to it either. I also didn't appreciate the fact that he included the phrase "pain in the a**" on the posters he made to hang up to announce he found the dog. Though he did cross the a-word out, it was still clear that it was there, and this isn't a word I allow the children to use. 

Early in the movie this dog suddenly shows up and stares at him. He never really tries to get friendly, he is just there. The dog continues to come back, even though Joe tells him to go away. However, at some point Joe allows the dog to stay and they become sort of friends. There is never any real affection being shown, by either party, but you can tell the dog is a comfort to Joe. He gets so he doesn't want to get rid of "Dog" as he calls him, even though he knows the dog isn't really his to keep. We see this conflict through the "conversations" he has with Alice. It's like "Alice" is there as some sort of conscience at times, talking him out of things he shouldn't do, or making sure he does what he should do. 

I mentioned to the children when the movie was over, that I was disappointed that we don't really see any change in his faith. We see a man who is violent throughout the movie, who at the end finally seems to be willing to offer forgiveness as the mystery of her death is solved and he accepts that she is gone. However, I was hoping there would be a growth in his spiritual life, somehow being led to Christ, and that Christ would be helping him through these struggles, not a dog. Yes, Dog is there to give him comfort, and he does end up being more important in the mystery of his wife's death than we realize at first, but I really wanted to see this poor grieving man be able to turn to the Lord, as was the hope of his daughter and his wife.

Is "Life With Dog" a powerful movie? Yes, I would say it is. However, I would definitely not consider it family friendly, at least for children under age 13. I thought maybe my 12 year old was getting something out of it, but she really didn't like it at all. And my 11 year old only liked the fact that there was a cute dog in it, as did my 7 year old (because he is obsessed with dogs and puppies right now). However, I would say they thought the movie was kind of boring and any messages related to dealing with grief went over their heads.

Sadly, I have to admit we really weren't fond of this movie. There really isn't any action, except for the scenes where Joe is reacting with anger, which isn't the kind of action I want the children viewing.

You can find Mill Creek Entertainment on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

The DVD release of "Life With Dog" is available at Walmart stores now. It is also available on many websites to rent or purchase, such as Amazon.

Though this isn't a movie we really enjoyed, I'm sure there are plenty of families who do, so don't forget to click on the banner below to see what my fellow Crew Mates had to say about "Life With Dog."

CAUTION! Don't Be Fooled! "Show Dogs" Still Pushes the Limit and is FAR from Appropriate

CAUTION! Don't be fooled! Even though they "edited" this movie, there are still scenes that are uncalled for, so you may not want to let your kids see it.

I don't know if you are aware of the controversy surrounding the movie "Show Dogs." Honestly I had never heard of the movie prior to being made aware of an article over at For Every Mom that cautioned parents not to take children to see "Show Dogs" because of scenes that eluded to sexual grooming. She had read a post over at Macaroni Kids written by Terina Maldonado who had gone to a screening of the movie for her blog. In this post Terina explains the offending scenes, and yeah, they are bad. I encourage you to go over to read her review of the unedited version.

Fast forward a few days and we learn that the outcry was so great that the movie actually got pulled and edited. That sounded promising. I mean, Yay! Hollywood was listening to the concerns that parents (and other organizations) had. So, when we learned that it was playing at the drive-in with another movie we wanted to see, we decided to give it a chance.

Here are my thoughts:

"Show Dogs" by Global Road Entertainment actually has potential of being a wonderfully fun, and entertaining family film. It is about a NYPD Police Dog named Max who ends up working with an FBI agent named Frank, even though they really can't stand each other. But their goal is the same, to rescue a kidnapped baby panda. They have to go undercover in a dog show in Las Vegas to do so, with Max as the "contestant." Of course, this tough street dog isn't quite ready for such a life, though using his wits and street smarts, along with his physical skills and even some humor, he is able to move up closer to becoming Best in Show. This is important as he discovered the kidnapper is also after the dog that wins this title.

There are lots of animal friends made along the way, and of course they talk. Can't have a kids' movie about animals if they don't talk, can we? There are a trio of pigeons who think try to help and add quite a bit of comedic fun. Max befriends dogs at the dog show of course, in addition to becoming interested in a female dog. He enlists an ex-champion to help him prepare himself for the competition as well.

It is the specific coaching by this dog that caused part of the controversy, and it was a scene we were shocked to see, as we thought such scenes had been deleted. Yes, the "zen" scene that Max had during the judge's examination in the original uncut version was removed. The scene where he is in his happy place while the judge is doing what the judge needs to do. However, we do still see the scene where the other dog is advising Max to go into his zen place while he and the FBI agent/partner/handler are helping him get ready for the experience. We see the agent repeatedly reach for Max's privates and get snapped at. And we do see the judge reaching for the privates, and if I remember correctly, Max's face looking like he is sort of zoning out, before it cuts to the next scene, the one that must have followed the "zen" scene in the original.

To me and my husband, too much was left in as it was still inappropriate that they were talking about going to that "zen" place. Personally we would have loved that the handling of the privates was also removed completely, even though we realize it is a part of the life of a show dog. However, according to a friend who has spent a lot of time around dog shows,  "Except for a brief touch to make sure everything is in place, show dogs aren't subjected to having their private parts handled. Certainly not long enough for them to need to zone out to get through it."

I know I don't usually share such controversial topics, but I had to share our thoughts on this movie. There is such a concern with sexual abuse in the world today, yet this company thought it was okay to allow such a plot point to be prevalent in this family film. Yes, Global Road Entertainment considers this a family film, which means they must feel this topic is family friendly. Huh?? It is not right to be telling children they just need to go to their happy place if someone is wanting to touch their private area. Don't we tell them they need to say "NO"? And yet here we have Max clearly uncomfortable, and he is being made to submit to such a thing. Yes, he is a dog and yes genital examinations are normal for dog shows; however, that doesn't make it suitable material for a family movie. A quick exam? Fine, I would be okay with that. But this was made into a huge deal, where technically an animal wouldn't really be bothered anyway.

Just curious what your thoughts would be on this. Did they edit it enough in your mind? Because as far as my husband and I are concerned, there are definitely scenes that should still be cut out.

Wholesome Family Entertainment with Princess Cut {A TOS Review}

Do you struggle to find wholesome movies to watch with your family? Well, today I would like to share a little about a movie we recently received thanks to being on the Homeschool Review Crew. We were so excited when we learned we were going to get to watch the Dove Approved, Romantic Drama titled Princess Cut by Watchman Pictures. 

The children and I have actually watched Princess Cut three times now. It is a lovely, Christian romance that focuses on the theme of "True Love is Worth the Wait." With all the movies and shows out there that portray characters finding "true love" at the drop of a hat, it was so refreshing to watch a movie that focused on this theme. 

The movie opens with a confusing scene. We see a man digging a hole, a hole where he is burying what appears to be an engagement ring. We're left wondering who this man is, and why in the world would he be burying a ring. Though we do find out who the man is quite early in the movie, the mystery about the ring takes a while to be answered. 

After the title screen the first thing we see is a case full of engagement rings. And we are introduced to Grace Anderson, the main character in this story. At the beginning of the film she is obsessed with the thought of receiving a Princess Cut engagement ring. It is obvious she is focused on what so many are these days when it comes to relationships, finding someone "cute/hot" and "fun." She is excited about the possibility of her boyfriend Stewart proposing to her, as he has invited her on a date and has told her he has something important to tell her. Her parents are concerned that she is getting too emotionally attached to a man she doesn't really know anymore, a man she hasn't even seen for awhile as he has been away at college. Though her mother tries to impress upon her the importance of waiting for true love and not getting caught up in the superficial, you can tell she isn't getting through to Grace, whose main thought is finding the perfect dress for her date that night.

Sadly the date doesn't go as planned and Grace finds herself without a boyfriend and distraught over the thought that God doesn't want her to ever get married. It doesn't help that her best friend Tessa is also only obsessed with the outer appearance. In fact, she tells Grace that it might help if she changes such things as her wardrobe and her perfume, not realizing she isn't really helping matters at all. 

Then two men come into Grace's life. 

First there is Jared, who seems nice enough as he approaches her in the coffee shop. In fact, we are reminded that we first saw him in the jewelry shop where he worked prior to working in the coffee shop. He is most definitely interested in pursuing a relationship with her. 

Then there is Clint, Doctor Clint Masters that is. He has just recently moved to their little town of East Bend, North Carolina. It took a while for it to dawn on me that he is the first character we met, as he is the man who was burying the ring in the opening scene. The Anderson family first meets him when they stop by his home to welcome him to their town. Throughout the movie he is interacting with the family, helping out when needed. Though it isn't until a bit later that he makes him intentions known in regards to Grace.

As the story progresses Grace discovers the importance of listening to her parents, of deferring to their wisdom. She is faced with heartache and confusion as one relationship turns bad, and another seems to be taking an uncertain turn. However, thanks to a talk and an object lesson from her father involving soybeans, she has decided that she will let God lead her in this area of her life, waiting for Him to bring the right man into her life.

So, what does the Lord have in store for Grace's life? Well, I'm obviously not going to tell you the answer to that question and ruin the movie for you. I'll just say, there were definitely twists and turns I didn't see coming, though some aspects were a bit obvious. Tension was added to the movie in several different places. The Anderson family is dealing with financial hardship on their farm, which has led to stress and uncertainty. To add to Grace's personal struggle, there is the addition of an ex-girlfriend of one of the male characters. And to top it off, her best friend Tessa falls for one of the "hot" guys and claims him as her own, though they only ever bumped into one another and no relationship was ever pursued. 

The movie isn't all tension and drama, there were some comedic moments we all enjoyed. The majority of these revolved around an ad that was placed by Grace's younger brother Drew in an attempt to help her out. Suddenly, there are all these different suitors showing up at their door trying to impress her father and win her hand, and the macaroni and cheese. In fact, there are even more of these scenes, plus extended versions of the ones in the movie, in the Special Features section of the DVD.

Here is what you will find in the Special Features:

• The Making of Princess Cut
• Deleted Scenes
• Blooper Reel
• Set Apart Girl Promo
• Princess Cut Trailer
• Love Covers All Trailer

While I personally believe this movie is suitable for the entire family, I did want to make you aware of a short, yet intense scene that involves an attack leading into a fight. Also the word "jerk" is used one time. There are scenes were it is implied that there was some intimacy going on between Grace and one of the male characters, but it sounds as if the "intimacy" is no more than hugs and a kiss. Though Grace was definitely bothered by them, especially because they happened in seclusion. 

Princess Cut is a great Christian movie that has no issue with talking about the Lord and quoting Scripture. It was so refreshing to be able to watch a movie that I could share with my children, knowing it wasn't full of bad language, scantily clad characters, or disrespect. It is definitely a movie I highly recommend and want to share about with my friends. Yes, there are decent movies out there!

You can find Princess Cut on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Google +, and YouTube.

Don't forget to click on the banner below to see what my fellow Crew Mates had to say about Princess Cut.

"Patterns of Evidence: The Exodus" {A Review and Giveaway}

I had the wonderful opportunity of receiving the documentary "Patterns of Evidence: The Exodus," thanks to FlyBy Promotions. It seemed like perfect timing, as we are going to be studying the Old Testament times this year, spending quite a bit of time looking at the Israelites time in Egypt and the Exodus, plus the land and culture ancient Egypt as well.

About the Film:

"Patterns of Evidence: The Exodus" is Tim Mahoney's first full feature documentary film. It was released in January 2015.

"The film took 12 years to develop and takes a scientific approach to investigate the events of the biblical Exodus. The overall vision for his film company is to explore "patterns of evidence" that support the biblical narrative and engages the world in a conversation. The film takes a balanced approach and leaves the audience to decide for themselves if the Bible is real history or myth."

The documentary starts with the Bible verse Exodus 13:3:

"Remember this Day when you came out of Egypt, out of the place of slavery, for the LORD brought you out of here by the Strength of His hand."

In the film, Tim Mahoney, who considers himself a "reluctant participant" in the controversy, is faced with a crisis of faith. He was brought up believing the stories from the Bible, as many others have been. But events that were once believed to be true have started to be doubted. The Bible was seen as truth for 1500 years in Western civilizations, but due to archaeological findings not fitting the timeframe of the Bible, the events told in the Bible, such as the foundational story of Exodus, are now met with skepticism. So, he set out to find out if there was any hard evidence for the Exodus at all.

His quest led him to the Middle East where he met with and spoke to many distinguished people. The documentary features the filmmaker interviewing such people as Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, and different Egyptologists such as: David Rohl, James K. Hoffmeier, Manfred Bietak, Kent Weeks, and Charles Aling. Additionally he interviewed archaeologists such as: Israel Finkelstein and Norma Franklin. and rabbis such as Rabbi Manis Friedman.

Mr. Mahoney used a "Wall of Time" to help keep all this information in perspective.

 

He used this to compare Biblical history with Egyptian history.

Tim Mahoney discovers that there are findings that seem like they could fit the biblical story, yet the experts in the field still refuse to connect them to what the Bible tells us. Mr. Mahoney discovers that the biggest barrier is the Ramesses/Exodus Theory, which states that the Exodus would have happened during the time of Ramses II. However, evidence that has been found for the Semitic people to have been in Egypt is dated centuries earlier than this theory places the Exodus. 

So, he decides he needs to look at this scientifically, looking for "patterns of evidence." He searches for evidence to prove that the important parts of the Exodus story, starting back at the arrival of the Israelites in Egypt, actually took place.

As we journey with him during this documentary, we discover that there are many findings that follow the Bible story. He delves into their arrival in Egypt, the story of Joseph, the Israelites living there and multiplying. He looks for evidence of slavery in Egypt that fits the Bible story. He then looks into the judgement, actual exodus, and the conquest of the Canaanite lands. Finding that there is definitely proof that fits such events, but as mentioned above, they take place a lot earlier than would be expected, so "experts" deny that these events are referring to the Israelite people.

What I thought about "Patterns of Evidence: The Exodus"

Quite frankly, I have found all this evidence quite compelling and intriguing. It all goes back to the "experts" interpretations and datings. Which makes me think back to the creation/evolution debate. The supposed experts in the field are not to be questioned. Even if their findings have led to doubt and skepticism of the Bible, we are to belief what they are telling us. On the flip side, there are those religious leaders who tell us, we don't have to worry about what science tells us, we just have to have faith. So, they allow doubt to creep into the church, because these supposed "facts" are taught to the people, who then end up losing their faith. People are so willing to take fallible man's word for such things as evolution and datings of when events thousands of years ago happened, that they aren't willing to look at the truth of God's word and see how it may just fit, if people are just willing to say, hey, we might have been wrong when we said such and such happened at such and such time.

I actually got chills multiple times while watching the documentary, because there is actually evidence for so much that is written in the Bible. I found it quite interesting that there is a site where it appears the Israelites could have lived for those centuries before Moses led them out of Egypt. A place called Avaris. There are even remains of what was a statue that may have been of Joseph.

I really appreciated seeing the different archaeological sites and the computer generated images that show how all of this fits together.

I can't wait until we get further into our school year. When we get to our lessons on the Israelites in Egypt, I will definitely be sharing this film with the children. Though we won't watch it all the way through in one sitting.

About the Author/Filmmaker/Producer:

"Tim Mahoney founded Mahoney Media Group, Inc. (MMG) in 1989. MMG focused its business on television and video production for regional and national companies. In 2014 Tim founded Thinking Man Films & Media as an international documentary & publishing company with a focus on education and the Bible. Tim produced numerous productions for Christian organizations including Billy Graham Association, World Wide Pictures, and Compassion International. Tim also served as the President of the board for the International Christian Visual Media Association (ICVM)."


Some interesting facts about the film:

• It won 13 awards on the film festival circuit in 2014, including a Gold Remi Award winner for Best Director at the Worldfest Houston Intl. Film Festival, the Gold Crown Award for Best Picture and Best Documentary at ICVM 2014, and Official Selection at the Soho International Film Festival in New York.
• Supplemental resources associated with the film include a nearly 400-page hardcover book, small group Bible study, Movie Event kit, youth version (called Young Explorers), homeschool curriculum and others.
• It includes powerful interviews with some of the top experts in the fields of archaeology and Egyptology as well as people of influence in the Middle East.
• The film has an objective, fair-minded and balanced approach. It allows viewpoints from all sides to be heard in a respectful way while asking honest questions of the Bible and scholars' views. It does not preach and lets the evidence speak for itself. This allows the film to be very shareable with those of different viewpoints

In addition to the disc with the actual documentary, there is also a Bonus disc with several interesting features.

• Meet the Cast
• Behind the Music
• From Film to Book
• Books and Resources
• Extended DVD Boxset
• Host a Patterns Event
• Full Length Trailer
• Short Trailer

and even a little teaser about the next Patterns Film that will be coming sometime in the future. I will definitely keeping my eyes peeled for more information about that.

This is definitely a documentary that I can recommend if you would like to look into the truth of the Exodus. 

You can find Patterns of Evidence on Facebook.

The film is available to purchase on the Patterns of Evidence website. There are different editions, such as the Director's Choice, Collector's Edition, Director's Choice BluRay, sets with the book and film, and packs of multiple copies. 

I have been given the chance to offer my readers a discount code for $3 off the Director's Choice Edition which normally sells for $19.95. Just use the code MK1 while purchasing on the website.

Better yet, you have the opportunity to enter to win a free copy below!!

Time for that giveaway!

Great news! I have been given the opportunity to offer a giveaway for one person to win their own copy of "Patterns of Evidence: The Exodus."

All you need to do is enter in the Rafflecopter form below. 

There are only 2 simple mandatory entries, with the remainder of the entries being optional. 

Remember, you do not have to do the extra entries, but they will increase your odds of winning. 

This giveaway is open to Continental US residents 18 and over. 

The giveaway runs August 31st through September 10th.

Thanks for stopping by, and good luck!

 By entering the giveaway, you understand and agree that your contact information will be shared with the sponsor.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification."

Disclosure: I received the 2-DVD set "Patterns of Evidence: The Exodus" in exchange for my honest review. No further compensation was given. This did not in any way influence my review. I only recommend products I use personally and feel will be a good products for my readers.

Trust Fund: A Story of a Prodigal Child {A TOS Review}

We had the privilege of reviewing a great movie created by homeschool graduate Isaac Alongi. Not only was I intrigued by the fact that Mr. Alongi was homeschooled, but I loved the idea of a modern day prodigal daughter story. The parable of the prodigal son, as told by Jesus in Luke 15, is such a wonderful story of God's unfailing, unconditional love. I am so thankful that I was able to review Trust Fund by Mapelle Films, thanks to the Homeschool Review Crew, and I am so excited to share my thoughts with you.

We received a physical DVD which is 1 hour and 47 minutes long. There is a free downloadable 12-page study guide available on the Mapelle Films website under the "tools" tab. Here you will also find four movie clips related to the sections of the study guide. Additionally, some of my fellow Crew Mates received a companion book titled, Love Was Near written by Sandra Martin. This book is suitable for girls ages 12 and up. 

The movie begins with a montage of scenes from the early lives of the sisters, Reese and Audrey. You can see how close they were when they were younger. We then move forward in time, to when they are young ladies who aren't quite as close anymore. Audrey is the responsible, older daughter, while Reese is the irresponsible dreamer of the family. Reese has it made really. At least it seems she does, until it is revealed that her finances are in dire straights. She is in the process of writing a book, not interested in getting a job in the meantime to help pay her bills, instead relying on daddy and advances on her book. However, she suddenly finds herself having to take a job that her father offers her in his Chicago publishing company. 

It doesn't help that she discovered that her mother left both her and her sister quite a sum of money in a trust fund when she passed away. She feels that she is entitled to this money, and doesn't understand why her father is keeping it from her. After some frustrating confrontations with her sister, Reese ends up stealing her share of the money, transferring it to an account. She then hightails it out of there, headed for Italy where she has a man waiting for her, a man she had previously met and fallen in love with. 

Of course, if you know the prodigal son story, you know something is going to happen to cause Reese to lose all her money. Though we do see her spending it on lavish items, she was also trying to be responsible with the rest of it, thinking she was investing it. She naively trusted her boyfriend Milo, not realizing he was involved with illegal transactions. She thought she was helping him, until, with the help of a new friend, she discovers the truth. She is scared she is going to be implicated in the crime, so she runs, however, she is now penniless. 

On the other side of the story, we have Audrey who can't understand why her father isn't taking a more forceful stance in searching for Reese to bring her to justice. She feels her father dotes on Reese too much, and is blinded by how she is using him. When Reese finally makes it home, running into her father's loving arms, Audrey distances herself, not even attending the party thrown in Reese's honor. Like the older son in the prodigal son story, she thinks it is so unfair that her sister is welcomed home so eagerly. 

Unlike the biblical story, the movie continues on, showing both the consequences of Reese's actions and how the relationships of all the characters evolve. Through it all, we see her father's unconditional love for both Reese and Audrey.

I originally watched Trust Fund alone, because I wanted to make sure there weren't any scenes that would be too mature for the children. Honestly, I was going to watch it with my husband, but he had to work the night we got the movie, and I was just so eager to view it. Though there are some suspenseful scenes, I didn't really find anything that would be objectionable for children to watch. So, we watched it together as a family.  

Trust Fund is a wonderful movie demonstrating a father's love. If you are familiar with the Bible story, it is obvious that this story is based on it. However, the message is conveyed in a way that does not shove Christianity in the face of the viewer. That said, it can open up a dialogue with an unbeliever, showing how God loves all, even those who grievously wrong Him. 

I love that the story doesn't end with the welcome back party. But we get to see the story play out to it's natural conclusion.There is a love story involved as well. A love story that is almost ruined because of Reese's actions. 

This is a wonderful adaptation of the Prodigal Son that the whole family will enjoy.  Tabitha and Amelia even begged to watch it a second time and were quite upset when I told them they had to wait a day.

You can find Trust Fund Movie on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Don't forget to click the banner below to see what my fellow Crew Mates had to say about the movie and the companion book:

Inspiring Movie: The Ultimate Gift DVD {A TOS Review}

What would your ultimate gift be? In the movie we recently had the chance to watch, called The Ultimate Gift, the main character had the chance to see what his "ultimate gift" was. We were able to review this DVD thanks to The Schoolhouse Review Crew and FishFlix.com. FishFlix.com is a family-owned, online Christian movie store where you can find a wide array of Christian movies, documentaries, Sunday School materials, cartoons, and so much more. Movies to help your faith grow, and to ensure you are filling your children with wholesome entertainment.

Let me start out by saying that The Ultimate Gift is an inspirational, emotional movie based on the book by the same name written by Jim Stovall. It is quite rare that I am moved to tears during a television show or movie. This movie is one that really tugged at my heart-strings. The movie revolves around the changing life of Jason Stevens. His grandfather has just passed away and he finds out he is named in the will. The thing is, Jason's inheritance is only hinted at and has to be worked for. Along the way he discovers what his grandfather hopes he will discover, how to have a meaningful life. 

Jason comes from a wealthy family and has not had to work a day in his life. Instead he lives off his trust fund, partying and squandering money. When we first see him, he is late to his grandfather's funeral, swaggering in with cigarette in hand after noisily driving up the cemetery road in his flashy sports car. Again and again we see his arrogance as he starts on his journey toward the "ultimate gift" his grandfather's recorded instructions send him toward. 

As the story moves forward he has to complete certain tasks to the approval of Red Steven's friend and lawyer, Mr. Hamilton. If he fails at any of the tasks, his inheritance, an as yet unknown amount, is forfeited. We discover that each task is in and of itself a gift from Red to Jason. There are 12 gifts he wants his grandson to receive:

• The Gift of Work
• The Gift of Money
• The Gift of Friends
• The Gift of Learning
• The Gift of Problems
• The Gift of Family
• The Gift of Laughter
• The Gift of Dreams
• The Gift of Giving
• The Gift of Gratitude
• The Gift of a Day
• The Gift of Love

At the beginning of his journey, all Jason cares about is getting the tasks over and done with so he can get his money. However, during the second task he befriends a young girl named Emily along with her mother, Alexia. As they enter his life, his attitude slowly begins to change. At first, it was still all about completing the tasks, which Alexia understands and resents. However, he starts caring for others more than himself. He starts giving of himself and becomes emotionally intertwined with their little family. 

I don't want to spoil any of the surprises for you by sharing too many details. Needless to say, in this 117 minute movie there is a lot of story being told and some interesting twists you probably won't see coming. There was suspense, drama, humor, and the wrenching of our hearts.

Even though the movie is rated PG, I did watch it myself prior to allowing the children to watch it. I was glad I did because I did find a scene that I wanted to shelter the children from. While Jason is in Ecuador on one of his tasks there is a run in with drug lords which is a bit violent and suspenseful. I just fast forwarded through it and the children didn't really feel like they missed anything. There is also a bit of language that some may find offensive, along with a couple of scenes involving alcohol and immodestly dressed women. Personally, we don't have a problem with our children watching it as we are able to discuss it with them as we watch. However, I am not sure our church would be comfortable showing it to the congregation as they have with other movies. And while I would consider this movie to be family entertainment and there are a few mentions of God, Jesus and heaven, there isn't any specific Christian theology going on here. Don't get me wrong, we watch plenty of movies that do not have Christian themes. I just wanted to clarify that this is not what I would consider a "Christian" movie, which some may prefer and others may opt to avoid.

Here are the children sitting down to enjoy the movie:

My husband and I did peruse the Special Features menu after the children were in bed. They don't care for that behind-the-scenes type stuff that the hubby and I enjoy. Here is what you will find:

• Narration for the Visually Impaired
• Behind the Scenes of The Ultimate Gift
• Leave a Legacy
• Live the Ultimate Gift
• Something Changed Music Video
• Legacy Music Video
• The Ultimate Gift Theatrical Trailer
• The Redemption of Sarah Cain: Sneak Peek
• Trailers for Christy: The Complete Series, Love's Abiding Joy, One Night with the King

We really enjoyed the Behind the Scenes section. And I was intrigued by The Ultimate Gift Experience Kit that can be purchased and used with one's own family. 

You can find FishFlix.com on their social media sites:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fishflix
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/FishFlix 
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ChristianDVD 
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/fishflix/

For this review, my fellow Crew Mates and I had quite a few different movies to choose from. Here is a list of the movies you will find reviews for by clicking the banner below: War Room, Woodlawn, Gospel of John, My Son My Savior, Theo, Superbook: A Giant Adventure, Captive, Owlegories: The Ant, The Fruit, The Butterfly, and Agenda 2. 

Captive Movie {Review and Giveaway}

We had the awesome opportunity to review the movie Captive, starring David Oyelowo and Kate Mara. I had never heard of this account before receiving the email about reviewing this movie, but it is based on a true event that took place in Atlanta, GA in 2005.

About the movie:

Based on a miraculous story about the power of faith, Captive is an "amazing, inspiring" drama about the spiritual collision of two lost souls, Brian Nichols (Golden Globe Nominee David Oyelowo), on the run from police and desperate to make contact with his newborn son, takes recently widowed mother Ashley Smith (Kata Mara) hostage in her own apartment.  Fearing for her life and desperately hoping to see her daughter again, she turns to Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven Life for guidance.  Ashley and her captor face a crossroads where they discover hope and light in the midst of despair in the moving film that Dick Rolfe, CEO, Dove Foundation hailed as "powerful." 

DVD Release Date: January 5, 2016

Runtime: 96 minutes

Rating: PG-13 (for mature thematic elements involving violence and substance abuse) 

There are over 30 minutes of bonus content on this DVD including Journey Through Darkness: Filming Captive and Faith and The Purpose Driven Life.  Also included with this DVD is a Digital HD copy that can be instantly streamed and downloaded.  

You can check out the trailer here.

I do enjoy watching movies that are based on true stories, especially ones that are inspirational. I was a bit unprepared for the intensity of the violence at times. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, it is a story of an escaped convict who takes someone hostage. Brian Nichols was on the run after pummeling his guard, and shooting both the judge and court reporter in the courtroom. While on the run, he killed two more people and threatened others. He ended up taking Ashley Smith hostage in her own home. 

Ashley is a recovering drug addict who recently lost her husband and had her daughter taken from her because she was ruled to be an unfit mother due to drug use. She was trying to get her life back in order, but was struggling. When we first see her she is attending a Celebrate Recovery meeting, after which she is offered a copy of The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. This was sort of interesting to me because we have studied The Purpose Driven Life in small groups at church, and our church has a Celebrate Recovery group. She ended up throwing the book in the trash, but it finds its way back to her later in the movie. 

There are quite a few intense, suspenseful scenes after Brian takes Ashley hostage. However, things take a turn for the better when Ashley starts reading her copy of The Purpose Driven Life to Brian (out loud as he commanded her to do). Remember, this is the book she originally tossed in the trash. However, it appears it was God's will she was to have the book, because as she read from it, it began to speak to both her and Brian.

You will have to watch the movie to see how things turned out. Keep in mind, this is a true story that is based on Ashley Smith's book, Unlikely Angel, though details have been changed as is normal for movies that are based on books.

I thought the movie was very well done. I have seen Christian movies where the acting and cinematography didn't have near the same quality. I was quite impressed with the emotion that came through, and the way I was kept in suspense til the end. Even though we knew Ashley was going to make it out alive, seeing as the movie is based on her book, we don't know how the events are going to unfold and it remains tense and suspenseful. You can see the way God's hand is working in this situation. Though I admit, watching the bonus selection "Journey Through Darkness: Filming Captive" made me aware of some subtle things I hadn't noticed while watching. For instance, there is a scene where Brian has taken some meth that Ashley gave him (which she still had stashed away) and is trying to force her to take some too. According to the bonus feature, during this scene in real life, Ashley actually heard God talking to her. I hadn't caught that while watching the movie the first time, but when I rewatched the scene, I could see what she was trying to convey.

During the movie there aren't that many scenes of Ashley actually reading The Purpose Driven Life to Brian. However, it was filmed in such a way that you could see see was making her way through the book, and God was working through the book to soften Brian's heart and to help bring changes in Ashley's life.

This is a wonderfully done movie, full of suspense and God's power. I highly recommend it, however, it is most definitely not for younger viewers. There are way too many instances of shooting and guns being pointed at people, in addition to scenes of actual drug use. Additionally, during the first part of Brian holding Ashley hostage, he has her tied up a couple of times, plus there is a scene of him in the shower (though he is only shown from the waist up).

Don't forget to check out Captive's website and social media accounts.  

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Now for some great news. I have been given the opportunity to offer a giveaway for 1 lucky person to win a DVD of Captive.

All you need to do is enter in the Rafflecopter form below. 

There are only 2 simple mandatory entries, with the remainder of the entries being optional. 

Remember, you do not have to do the extra entries, but they will increase your odds of winning. 

This giveaway is open to US residents 18 and over. 

The giveaway runs January 22nd through January 29th 2016.

Thanks for stopping by, and good luck!

 By entering the giveaway, you understand and agree that your contact information will be shared with the sponsor.

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"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”