By Geno McGahee

I was a fan of the GOD’S NOT DEAD series.  In 2014,  the first film came out, followed by the second in 2016 and  the third in 2018.  The first two films were a lot of fun with cartoonish villains played by Kevin Sorbo and Ray Wise.  The third entry changed the tone to a more serious dramatic one and we see more of that in this latest one, GOD’S NOT DEAD: WE THE PEOPLE. 

Mike (Antonio Sabato, JR.) and Rebecca (Francesca Battistelli) homeschool their child, along with others, and that soon becomes a problem when a government official shows up to cite them for not teaching according to state regulations.  This gets the attention of Reverend Dave Hill (David. A.R. White) and he soon starts thinking about how to approach it.  He has a flashback to a conversation with his old friend, Reverend Jude (Benjamin A. Onyango), and that was good.  They should have never killed him off in the last one. 

The film gives a lot of focus to prospective reverend, Martin (Paul Kwo).  Kwo was in the other entries but never in such a major part and he cannot act.  His acting is so wooden and monotone and the initial conversion that he has with Ayisha (Hadeel Sittu) is so bad.  I’m not sure why they focused on Kwo so much in this one. He worked out alright in the others when he was featured minimally and directed better, but here, nothing about him or his conversations seem legitimate. 

Mike and Rebecca go in front of Judge Neely (Jeannine Pirro) and she makes the decision that the homeschoolers must conform to government regulations or they will be fined and potentially incarcerated.  Reverend Hill goes into action, meeting up with Congressman Smith (Isaiah Washington) and sets up a meeting in Washington and we get some villains for Hill to take on, including Robert Benson (William Forsythe). You cannot go wrong with Forsythe and he’s good in this.  He isn’t as over the top as Sorbo or Wise was, but he plays the role well.

As all of this homeschooling conflict is going on, we have the son of Mike and Rebecca, Brandon (Matt Anspach), is looking for his first car and meets Kayla (Dani Oliveros).  She is selling a car and the two quickly become a couple.  It doesn’t fit the movie that well.  Every time this part of the story was going on, I felt it was kind of put in for padding.  Both Anspach and Oliveros do well in the roles, but it’s very forgettable stuff.

Hill, Martin, Rebecca, Mike and Taylor (Amanda Jaros), the mother of another homeschooled child, hit Washington.  They have their say and this is where the film finds some legs, especially with David A.R. White and his closing speech.  The film wasn’t bad up to the final speech of White’s but it showed how vital he was to the success of the series and what he can do when he’s got good material to work with.  He delivered, but it was, unfortunately, the only time in the film where it found that drama and quality. 

GOD’S NOT DEAD: WE THE PEOPLE is, by far, the weakest entry in the series, but it’s not terrible.  It’s slow and the acting is less than great, but it comes together in the last third.  The film tries to go after the overreach of the government but I really wish that they could have had another writer take a jab at the film.  The writing is pretty weak with the exception of the very end.  I don’t know what the hell happened, but he found some greatness there. 

I recommend GOD’S NOT DEAD: WE THE PEOPLE.  David A.R. White is always great and you can’t lose with William Forsythe, but the first three are so much better.  It’s worth a watch but you probably won’t watch it twice.

Rating: 5/10

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By Melissa Antoinette Garza

After watching GOD’S NOT DEAD: A LIGHT IN DARKNESS (2018) and remembering how much I enjoy movies in that genre, I decided to get a PURE FLIX membership.  I gifted it to myself for my birthday and thus far it’s well worth it.

I’m a fan of Christian films in general and especially those that are retellings of fairytales like CINDERELLA and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.  They’re always silly, over-the-top and leave the viewers with a feelgood ending.  CHRISTMAS BELLE (2013) also known as A  FAIRYTALE CHRISTMAS is a perfect example of this.

The film opens with Isabella (Haylie Duff) overwhelmed by the workload of the real estate business she owns with her father, Rex (C. Thomas Howell).  Rex passes all the responsibility on to her while he sits around and reads Garfield.  He’s not a bad guy, but he is oblivious to the stress he puts onto his daughter.  Despite being told last minute and still having a lot of work to do, Isabella (Haylie Duff) agrees to head up north and sell a mansion prior to Christmas which is only weeks away.  Her business needs the commission and so she gets herself together and leaves right away.

On her way there, she stops by a deli where the chef warns her that the owner of the mansion, Hunter Lowell (Nicholas Gonzalez) is impossible to work for.  As he rants and raves, Angie (Sheree J. Wilson), an employee of Hunter’s overhears.  She comes over and reassures Isabella that Hunter isn’t all bad.

When Isabella finally arrives at the estate, Hunter isn’t happy to see her.  He wanted Rex to do the job. Isabella offers to call her father, but explains that her expertise is needed to sell the home and its contents.  Hunter relents knowing his grandmother’s extensive library needs to go and that Isabella’s knowledge on valuable antique books would help.

At first, it appears that the chef’s warning is warranted.  Hunter is a jerk!  His dog, Beast, is cool; but Hunter has an attitude problem.  He gets so angry at her for planting new roses and cleaning up the conservatory that he smashes a potted plant.  Isabella, having had enough quits and goes back to the deli to say goodbye to her newly found friends.

Angie is there.  She secretly calls Hunter and tells him to stop by and apologize to Isabella, so she doesn’t leave.  He does just that and it works.  Isabella forgives him.  Later, he explains that his fiancé who died tragically loved the roses and that the greenroom was her favorite place which is what set him off.

Quickly, the two grow extremely close.  While they are beginning to find a romantic connection, Rex is being swooned by Tony (Mark Famiglietti), a rich suitor who is working the dad to get to Isabella’s heart.  He asks for Rex’s blessing and not knowing his daughter is fawning over Hunter, Rex does his best to help Tony.

Tony will do anything to win Isabella including purchasing Hunter’s home and the library she loves so much.  He even goes so far as to lie to Hunter by introducing himself as Isabella’s boyfriend.  Of course, this misinformation causes an eruption in Hunter and Isabella’s blooming relationship.  Will they get back together?  What do you think?  Of course, they will.  We don’t watch these movies for surprises.  We watch them because we know what’s going to happen and that the main characters will end up happy.  It’s the movie version of comfort food and I love it.

For those not subscribed to PURE FLIX, you can rent this on AMAZON and VUDU.  It’s definitely worth a watch and even worth a buy.

The acting is great.  The characters are fun. C Thomas Howell is hilarious in it!  His timing and mannerisms make the jokes work, especially when Rex finds Garfield amusing.

Also, Sheree J. Wilson was excellent in the role of Angie.  Angie’s empathy and kindness towards Isabella ensures the audience share her compassion for Hunter.  It was a pivotal role that Wilson portrayed perfectly.

Mark Famiglietti did magnificent as the antagonist.  I would have preferred him messing with the couple throughout the film.  It could have been amusing to see such a white-collar sleaze break in and steal books to get Angie fired or pretend to be a flirtatious woman calling for Hunter in hopes Angie would quit.  There’s so many tropes that would have fit perfectly with his character.  Still, for the time he was on screen, he was fantastic!

Like the rest of the cast, the leads were outstanding. Nicholas Gonzalez and Haylie Duff have great chemistry together.  There was a playful realism to Isabella and Hunter’s relationship that made it impossible not to root for them.

Overall, I highly recommend this.  CHRISTMAS BELLE (2013) delivered on what it was supposed to do.  It was a fun, modern, retelling of a fairytale that is safe enjoyable viewing for the whole family.

Scared Stiff Rating:  6.5/10 

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By Melissa Antoinette Garza

I love the GOD’S NOT DEAD series.  I saw the first one and had zero expectations.  At the time, I hadn’t heard of PURE FLIX.  I remember hearing the buzz around the film and heard people say it was fun, so I jumped in.  I loved it.  I was so excited when I heard about the sequel.

Like the original, GOD’S NOT DEAD 2 (2016) blew me away.  From beginning to end it was a great feelgood movie. It had a great message, fantastic characters and an entertaining plot.  What stands out the most about that film was the performance by the great Ray Wise as the evil ACLU attorney Pete Kane.

When the third entry, GOD’S NOT DEAD: A LIGHT IN DARKNESS (2018) was released, I heard mixed reviews.   Some said it was a different type of film, void of over-the-top characters and the comedy of the first two.

Admittedly, to an extent, they are correct.  The film was made in a distinct style that makes it stand out from the others. Though there is a lot of laughs, the humor is done in a more subtle and realistic fashion.  It’s more conversational comedy, but it works!

Also, rather than over-the-top, pompous antagonists, we see more natural interactions between family, friends and even friendly foes.  There isn’t a stated bad guy in this film and there’s no intention to get the audience to hate anyone.  Even the characters that openly doubt Christianity are shown in a sympathetic and understanding way. Their morality and love for the fellow man is not hindered by their lack of belief in a creator.  It’s a different approach, but it is this different approach that made the movie so special.

It opens with Reverend Dave (David A.R. White) being released from jail.  His friend and fellow pastor, Rev. Jude (Benjamin A. Onyango) is there to greet him.  Sadly, controversy erupts on Hadley University and the school is torn as to what to do.  Many want Dave’s church gone stating that the college is now operated by the state rather than the church.

Keaton (Samantha Boscarino) finds herself among students in her dorm who are unbelievers.  They lean toward Quantum Physics and evolution for answers to existence.  She is a Christian who has doubts.  When she blows off her boyfriend Adam (Mike C. Manning) to seek religious counsel from Josh Wheaton (Shane Harper), a chain of events is set off that is the catalyst for the entire movie.

Adam gets drunk at a party and becomes enraged at Keaton’s lack of communication. The fury boils over come nightfall and Adam throws a brick thru the empty church unknowingly hitting a gas line.  Rev. Dave and Rev. Jude happen by at the same time.  Jude runs in to check out the place and dies in an explosion, despite Dave’s attempt at rescue.

Rather than take the side of the church, Hadley University decides that the protesters are right.  They want to tear it down and build a student center.  Rev. Dave’s good friend and school administrator Thomas Ellsworth (Ted McGinley) starts off trying to help the church, but eventually caves under the pressure of financial donors, a leftist media and the threat of losing his job.

Desperate, Dave reaches out to his semi-estranged brother Pearce (John Corbett) for help.  Pearce is an attorney who takes the case despite having an ideology somewhere in between agnostic and atheistic.

Meanwhile, Dave’s grief and anger over Jude’s death brings him to a dark place.  Though he never questions the existence of God, he does question God’s intentions for him.  He feels lost.  Friends and even a romantic interest Meg (Jennifer Taylor) rally around, but just as the church has support so does the other side.

Many students take the side of the school and protest to tear the church down.  Despite both sides holding up signs that say “LOVE NOT HATE” it’s clear that everyone there, Christian and Atheist alike, have hatred in their hearts.

The imagery, by no coincidence, is identical to what you’d see on the 24 hour news channels.  It depicts the America we see today; one that is so divided and where everyone is screaming at each other and yet have zero interest in hearing what the opposing view has to say.

When depicting the news, GODS NOT DEAD: A LIGHT IN DARKNESS does a phenomenal job in accurately showing how the talking heads would rather argue, insult and patronize to one another rather than have a real conversation or meeting of the minds.

In the end, Dave seeks out God’s voice and listens to Him.  Without giving the conclusion away, I will say the focus is on forgiveness, redemption and compromise.  It’s about loving everyone and respecting the differences of opinion while still appreciating the unity of humanity.

This isn’t a movie that preaches to you or hits you over the head with the Bible.  Rev. Dave is a flawed man.  He isn’t self-righteous nor is he perfect; and it is that which makes him so relatable.  Whether on the left or the right, progressive or conservative, Christian or Atheist, you have to watch this.  It has more heart than any film I’ve seen in a very long time.

Scared Stiff Rating: 8.5/10

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By Melissa Antoinette Garza

The past few years have been pretty crazy. I began watching religious films, like GOD’S NOT DEAD (2014) for entertainment value alone.  I wasn’t really a religious person and bounced into and out of Christianity.  It’s only very recently that I felt a solid relationship with God.

Don’t get me wrong.  I still watch these films for entertainment.  They have some soap opera qualities.  The villains are wonderfully over-the-top and display exaggerations of actual arguments.   That said, there is a difference.  The earnestness of the filmmakers and actors strikes a chord, that they didn’t do previously.

GOD’S CLUB is a perfect example.  The film follows teacher Michael Evens (Stephen Baldwin), who copes with his wife’s death by trying to get the God’s Club approved as an after-school activity.  She had been attempting to get the club, but was met with quite a bit of resistance from the parents of other students.

The resistance doesn’t ease up as Michael and his high-school daughter Rebecca (Bridget Albaugh) start the class.  The two main opponents, Spencer (Lorenzo Lamas) and Littlefield (Rico Simonini) scheme to try and destroy the God’s Club.

Meanwhile, Rebecca’s rivals vandalize her father’s classroom, car and even go as far to set fire to their home.  Michael’s faith is tested when he survives the fire.  It is only through Rebecca’s constant encouragement that he continues.

Michael isn’t the only one who depends on Rebecca’s faith.  Spencer’s son Victor (Nic Lukon) is seeing a psychiatrist for depression.  The Prozac prescribed is making him worse and when he goes off it cold-turkey he starts having suicidal tendencies.  Rebecca is reluctant to reach out to him at first because he doesn’t believe in God, but when she sees how much he needs her, she befriends him.

Spencer hates the union and threatens to send Vic back to an institution if he doesn’t take his meds like intended.  This side-story is very intriguing.  Thankfully, they make the psychiatrist a nice man and the film certainly isn’t anti-medication, but it’s really easy for some to pull parts of this movie and get that feel.  One of the glaring omissions of the movie, is Vic’s full recovery story.

He finds faith and without question faith can do wonders, but as Spencer tells him the make-up of his brain is altered in a way that he needs meds.  This is never fully addressed.  Vic obviously needed a different anti-depressant, but the movie ends prior to that.

Otherwise, GOD’S CLUB is a great film with an amazing cast and great characters.  Rico Simonini was perfect as a villain.  He said his dialogue with so much vitriolic anger and disgust that he stole every scene he was in.

Lorenzo Lamas is just great and he did a phenomenal job as well.  Spencer is a complicated character because he isn’t evil.  He loves his son, believes GOD’S CLUB is a brainwashing tool and is trying to do the right thing.  Littlefield is more-so a rebel-rouser, who outright hates everything Michael stands for.  He’s a lot like Ray Wise’s character from GOD’S NOT DEAD 2 (2016).

Corbin Bernsen also has a pivotal role as Stephen’s ally, Max. Max rallies to Stephen’s defense when Littlefield provokes a physical altercation.  Bernsen is an asset to any film and this was no exception.  Max was a laid back, sensible guy who is there for Stephen in his darkest moments.  It’s a great comradeship the two have.  Baldwin and Bernsen play off one another fantastically.

The younger cast portrayed their characters in a believable and interesting way.  Whether verbal and physical fights between the teenage girls or Vic’s decent into major depression, the film remained captivating.  A major part of that reason is the dedicated cast who all brought their A game.

Speaking of A game, Stephen Baldwin was perfect in the lead role.  He has come so far from BIO-DOME (1996).  I’m not insulting that film.  Back in 1996, I enjoyed it.  I still like the scene where they reenact the SAFETY DANCE video.  God Bless Men Without hats!

Still, one can see how far Baldwin came in 20 years.  I would assume a big part of it is that he is the real deal. I know he’s been a Christian for a long time and his love for Christ is shown in every element of his performance.  He put his heart and soul into this production and the outcome makes for a great watch.

If you have NETFLIX, definitely put this on.  It’s an uplifting fun film with comedic moments and a heartfelt message.

Scared Stiff Rating: 8.5/10

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By Melissa Antoinette Garza

NETFLIX has opted to celebrate Women’s History Month in one of the strangest ways possible.  THE MOST HATED WOMAN IN AMERICA (2017) is a biopic about the life of famous atheist Madalyn Murray O’Hair.

It’s quite difficult to even wrap my head around what I’ve just watched.  To write a review is no easy task as the intended message the filmmakers wanted to relay was the near opposite of what was conveyed.  That’s not to say it was a bad movie, but rather that it failed in what it was trying to do.  Instead, the element of interest is found within the odd outlook of what writer/director Tommy O’Haver seemingly interprets as feminism and strength.

Full disclosure, I am a Christian in training. I don’t intend church.  I considered myself agnostic for years and even dabbled in some other faiths for a while.  In the last year and even more-so in the last few months, I have developed a relationship with God.

That said, I don’t hate or judge Atheists.  My husband isn’t a Christian.  My brother is somewhere in-between Atheist and Agnostic.  My sister is a devotee to a specific church whose ideology I don’t embrace.  My best friend wraps herself in the beauty of all that is nature and she’s the most loving, loyal and magnificent women I know.   Regarding my own faith, I’m probably closest with my mother, which is odd as when I was younger, I poked fun at her belief system. If someone is kind and has good intentions, I welcome them with open arms.  I’ve watched both the PENN & TELLER BULLSHIT episode about THE BIBLE  and the Bill Nye debate with Ken Ham 20 times over.  I’m a fan of James Randi and rock out to JUDAS PRIEST every chance I get.

It wasn’t until I was reading the Bible about a year ago that I went through my own journey.  I’ve read the Bible for years.  As a child, I read Cain and Abel constantly and because I was an odd child, I had a crush on Cain.  For nearly twenty years, I only read the Bible to find contradictions, to raise questions and to bring up points of contention.  I would admit that parables like The Prodigal Son were philosophical masterpieces, but was far from convinced it was anything but a smart man writing a smart story.  The tale of Job was one of my major issues with the Bible.  I couldn’t understand how a bet with Satan would propel God to make a servant of his lose absolutely everything.  I read that tale again and again.  I would bring it up to Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, friends who were religious, Reverends, Pastors, and family alike.  No one could really justify it for me.  Then one day, the tale of Job changed for me.  It was no longer a story about a man screwed over without justification.  No, it was a tale about remaining faithful and hopeful in the face of tragedy.  To put it simply, bad things will happen to good people.  I don’t know why I didn’t see it like that before.  I’ve lived like Job, but rather than remain faithful turned my back on God long ago; but within seconds the decades of anger and frustration over that tale vanished.  Now, I don’t know if Job was real or if the story was just an allegory, but I do know that the emotion that washed over me when I grasped the true intent was something I had never experienced.  It was an awakening of sorts.

That’s my story and people have many various reasons for the faith or lack thereof that they choose.  I don’t judge.  I don’t preach to people.  When I get home at night, I do pray.  I do put my life in the hands of the Lord recognizing that my actions and intentions are significant in my own path, but He is there to guide me when I listen.

So, why go into a long detail of my religious journey in a movie review.  Simply put, THE MOST HATED WOMAN IN AMERICA doesn’t.  We don’t see her backstory, her childhood or the philosophical awakening that brought her to the conclusion God doesn’t exist.

The film opens on August 27, 1995. Madalyn Murray O’Hair (Melissa Leo), and with her as always is Garth (Michael Chernus), and granddaughter Robin (Juno Temple) are kidnapped.  Garth is Madalyn’s second son, but not the father of Robin.  They have bags over their heads, but the mastermind soon reveals himself.  Former employee of Madalyn, David Waters (Josh Lucas) alongside two of his buddies, Gary Carr (Rory Cochrane) and Danny Fry (Alex Frost) demand one million dollars from the three of them.  Having only 600K in their personal bank account, Garth explains they must wait a week for him to get the rest transferred from an off-shore account.  The group remains in the hotel room throughout the movie, while flashbacks reveal portions of Madalyn’s past.

In 1955, Madalyn lived with her parents and her one son Bill (Andy Walken).  She becomes pregnant again and the guy runs off.  The opening scene with her folks is a strange one.  They are sitting at the table ready to eat and her father John (Ryan Cutrona) is saying grace.  He asks Madalyn to not eat prior and she is instantly annoyed.  Bear in mind, Madalyn doesn’t have a job, is middle-aged, mooching off her mom and dad, yet doesn’t show him the respect of honoring his belief.

When John finds out Madalyn is with child again, he understandably gets angry.  Unjustifiably, he calls little Billy a ‘bastard,’ but instantly regrets it and tries to apologize.  Madalyn rather than let her father make amends and set her son’s mind at ease, stops it and makes her son go eat in their room.

The issue I have is that Madalyn is an unredeemable character.  I say character, because I truly don’t know enough about the woman to judge whether this is a fair depiction.  Regardless, she didn’t deserve to be kidnapped, but she isn’t someone I would’ve liked to know.   Though some of her actions were righteous, her intentions are always displayed as self-serving.

For example, she and her son attended a civil rights rally to stop segregation at a Texas restaurant. They were the only white people there.  That’s a commendable action, but the movie reflects that her motive was to get on TV, get on her father’s nerves, and shove it up the community’s behind.

Later, Madalyn brings Bill (Devin Freeman) who is now in his teens to school late.  She gets angry when she hears the Lord’s Prayer said in school and that Bill is not permitted to abstain.  Now, this is a difficult issue.  My stance is a child and or school should be able to conduct a morning devotion, but anyone should be permitted to abstain.  I don’t see any issue with a voluntary prayer.  For example, I am completely for a teacher saying, “Bow your head in silence. You can use this time to pray or give thanks or just wish to think about things.”  I remember I had a 5^th grade teacher that did just that every day after saying the Pledge of Allegiance and I felt good afterward.  There were days that I prayed and then there were days that I just reflected on life.  It’s not a bad thing.

That said, Madalyn took the case to the Supreme Court – because of course she did.  In Murray vs. Curlett, Bible reading in school.  Now here the film is a little muddled.  It gives the impression that Madalyn stopped prayer in school, but that was done a year prior with the supreme court ruling of Engel vs. Vitale.  I’m not sure if this was just not properly explained to the viewer or if Tommy-Boy’s research team weren’t as dedicated as they should be.

Now, while speaking Madalyn made some valid points.  She spoke against the war in Vietnam and for helping one another.  She emphasized that she wasn’t attempting to recruit people but rather ensure the constitution was upheld.

If her sentiments seemed legitimate, I would view her as a strong woman.  Despite, disagreeing with much of what she says, I would admire her dedication to stand up for her belief system.  I just didn’t get that message with the movie.

It was only after she was sent a $100 bill that she founded the American Atheists.  Over the years, despite being a non-profit organization, she hid funds in off-shore accounts and embezzled millions.

If that wasn’t bad enough, she was awful with her children.  Bill (Vincent Kartheiser) descended into alcohol after Madalyn ruined his marriage.  She played the sympathy card and reminded him how much she needed him.  She brought up the fact that as a child, he told her to be a nonconformist and she followed his instructions.  As she lay in the hospital from nerve damage, milking every moment of it, Bill begged her to free him from her clutches.  She refused.

Finally, Bill hit rock bottom and went to a 12-step program.  It was there that he found God and got his life together.  He became an advocate for prayer in school and went on TV promoting his new cause.

In the one scene where she see’s Bill on the TV, there was a moment of sympathy.  Then, within a second she was back to being a crotchety old woman.  Both Garth and Robin swear to never leave her.

When the three are kidnapped, the cops refuse to start an investigation.  The three disappeared before as publicity stunts and as far as they were concerned there was no evidence of a crime.  Madalyn’s friend Roy Collier (Brandon Mychal Smith) is the only one convinced something is wrong.  He enlists the help of reporter Jack Ferguson (Adam Scott), who is dying for a real story.  He isn’t convinced to take the case on until Roy finds Madalyn’s passport, giving credence to the three being kidnapped.  Roy explains that he was kicked out of his house for being gay.  In Texas, being black and gay wasn’t an easy thing but Madalyn took him in.  Now, this is a good deed!  If only they showed rather than told this story.  If Madalyn’s intentions were unselfish in helping Roy, she would have earned some sympathy.

Despite everything, Madalyn, Garth, and Robin were victims of a heinous crime and everything that occurred during the kidnapping was undeserved, wrong, and lacked any realm of humanity.

That said, where was Madalyn’s humanity?  Was she just a loudmouth, ungrateful, greedy wench who used the Civil Rights and Feminist movement to further her own agenda? She reminded me of so many women in my family and that I know personally who I cannot stand.  She was a stereotypical shrew! Maybe she was really like that. I don’t know, but I intend to find out.

My question is why make this movie? Who is made for?  If the film is supposed to represent Madalyn as a hero, it fails on every level.  It shows atheism as nothing more than a money-making scheme.  I wondered if this was a clever Christian ruse.  Thomas O’Haver is a complete mystery to me.  Maybe, he was an undercover Christian that used identity politics as a mechanism to trick NETFLIX into making this movie.  That’s one theory.

The other is that he stole quite a bit of the story from William J Murray’s (Bill) book.  WND.com interviewed Murray who mentioned quite a few similarities, major omissions and the fact that much of the information within the movie could only be found within his memoir MY LIFE WITHOUT GOD.  Murray sent a letter asking whether any of his copyrighted material was utilized in the film, only to get a letter stating the company would not contact him.   I highly suggest reading the entire article as it has quite a bit of significant details that the movie failed to mention or outright lied about.  The most significant is regarding an attempted move to the Soviet Union.  Read the full piece here:

http://www.wnd.com/2017/03/netflix-drama-conveniently-forgets-major-fact-on-famed-atheist/

This is the second article in a row that I’ve written where copyright infringement has come into play.  If O’Haver stole from Murray’s book, I hope justice prevails and that Christians rally around Murray assisting with legal fees if need-be.

There are so many things that bother me with this movie.  First, we have its blatant attempt to pander to women and feminists while failing miserably.  Second, there are so many other women that could have been chosen for a biopic, especially during this month.  Let’s have films made on Daisy Bates, Norma McCorvey, Anne Braden, Rose O’Neill, Helen Cook or an entire film on the African American woman suffrage movement, I could literally go on and on about strong, fierce, patriotic women who should have their own film, but do not.

Still, if one is going to make a biopic about a woman they should consult a living relative, especially if that person is going to be a character within the film.  I’m disappointed NETFLIX is so seemingly blasé about putting their name on a movie that could have been stolen.

I hope that William J. Murray pairs up with David A.R. White and PURE FLIX to produce his life story and journey.  PURE FLIX always makes quality Christian films that refrain from beating one over the head with hellfire and brimstone.

As for THE MOST HATED WOMAN IN AMERICA, it wasn’t the worst movie I’ve ever seen.  It has some amazing actors in it.  Adam Scott, Rory Cochrane and Vincent Kartheiser were fantastic.  I will say that the attempt to make Kartheiser look older was laughable.  It appeared he used the silver Halloween spray.  I’d expect it in a lower budget flick, but here it stood out.  Regardless, they as well as most of the other cast members were topnotch.

I must mention Peter Fonda’s performance as Reverend Harrington.  He was on-the-nose fantastic.  I’ve had a soft spot for Fonda since RACE WITH THE DEVIL (1975) and the vastly underrated FUTUREWORLD (1976).  Here, in the five minutes of screen-time Fonda shows different facets to Harrington.  He’s portrayed as a greedy believer.  He allows Madalyn to destroy the Bible because he gets more cash AND he gets more followers.  Fonda’s bravado and charisma makes it easy to see why someone would be inclined to follow his biblical teachings, but there’s also a sincere belief in him.  In one scene, Harrington says “I’ll pray for your soul,” and Madalyn responds, “I’ll curse yours.”  This pivotal moment is evidence of the main problem.  Fonda made Harrington a 3-dimensional character that is riveting and poignant, while Madalyn remains the same old shrew.

As for Melissa Leo, it’s impossible to tell if she was good in this without knowing what direction she was given.  Madalyn was portrayed as a one-dimensional, hateful human being.  Even as she comforted Bill when his wife left him, it was so self-serving it made me sick.

The story itself is an interesting and sad one.  I find Bill’s character uplifting.  Kartheiser’s level of sincerity in the end was heartfelt and resonated well.  Garth and Robin came across as brainwashed yet goodhearted.  Chernus and Temple did a terrific job at connecting with the audience. They displayed awkward and anti-social behavior, which without doubt was due to being raised by a sociopath.  There are a few weird moments that didn’t sit well with me.  Garth and Robin shared glances and held hands in a manner that the camera focused on it a bit too long.  As they were biologically related (uncle and niece) I certainly hope nothing went on.  O’Haver either toyed with the idea or the editing of the movie needed some tuning.

The film is good enough for a watch.  Had I known about the intellectual property that was allegedly stolen, I may have waited until I bought William Murray’s book.  I do look forward to reading it.  I’ve never spoken with Mr. Murray, but I truly enjoyed the interviews I’ve seen of him.

I look forward to reading his books.  To purchase, you can buy via Amazon at:

MY LIFE WITHOUT GOD:

https://www.amazon.com/My-Life-Without-God-Classics/dp/1936488345

MY LIFE WITHOUT GOD THE REST OF THE STORY:

https://www.amazon.com/My-Life-Without-God-Story/dp/0736903151

If nothing else, hopefully this biopic will encourage readers to look up William Murray as I did and purchase his life-story.

SCARED STIFF RATING:  6/10

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By Melissa Antoinette Garza

It feels like spring in Western Mass and despite enjoying horror films and everything strange and dark, I do have a soft side.  I’m a girl.  I grew up on soap operas which with few exceptions are obsolete now.  After surrounding myself in all the dreary, haunting and scary flicks during winter, I often seek out romance films in the spring.

Like many movies, I hadn’t heard of this flick.  Other than Tom Wilkinson who portrays the male lead’s father, I wasn’t even all that familiar with the actors.  I did however know about Nicholas Sparks.  He wrote the novel of the wildly popular THE NOTEBOOK (2004) and the novel for this film among many others that were adapted to film.

My mother adored THE NOTEBOOK.  I could take it or leave it.  There was always something about Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams relationship in the movie that seemed forced and unnatural.  Odd since they dated in real life, but I just didn’t get the connection of the characters that most others seemed to appreciate.

THE CHOICE however is everything THE NOTEBOOK isn’t.  The film opens with southern playboy Travis (Benjamin Walker) successfully flirting with every girl in sight.  One lady who doesn’t fall at his feet is his new next door neighbor Gabby (Teresa Palmer).  She hates that he blasts his music at all hours and finds his smug nature irritating.  When she finds out her dog Molly is pregnant, she assumes it’s Travis’s dog’s and confronts him.

The two playfully argue and Travis puts on the charm.  They get on each other’s nerves, but when Molly has issues with her pregnancy, Travis comes to the rescue.  His father owns a Vet clinic and he’s followed in his dad’s footsteps.

When Gabby’s boyfriend Ryan (Tom Welling) leaves town for a few weeks, things heat up between the neighbors.  For the first time, Travis ends up falling in love.  Gabby falls hard too, and the chemistry between them is electric. When Ryan returns, however, Gabby is torn and isn’t sure what to do.

The story doesn’t end there and it takes place over a 7-year period.  It isn’t just about a love triangle but an accident that occurs.  It’s a tale of the strength and power of love and it’s done remarkably well.

At first, I didn’t think Travis was attractive at all.  He reminded me of the guy you see at the beach who thinks he’s more than what he is.  As the film progresses, he goes through a genuine metamorphosis. The character become deeper and more sympathetic.  Walker does an amazing job displaying Travis’s transformation over time; and it definitely translates to sexy.

Palmer does a great job as well.  Gabby never comes across bitchy or entitled.  There’s a softness in Palmer’s portrayal that even when makes bad decisions, one can’t help but feel for Gabby. Palmer sort of reminds me of Reese Witherspoon, but is more dramatic and in-tune with her character than Witherspoon typically is.

I highly recommend this for the female readers.  When I watch this style film, I don’t typically watch it with the hubby.  I know he won’t enjoy it and as he doesn’t often force Japanese super hero sitcoms on me, I give him the same respect. Plus, I get to become more involved in the movie and more connected with the characters and plot when I’m not worried that he’s bored and just putting up a good face for me.

So, gals watch this with your girlfriends or alone.  It’s a nice romantic drama that has comedic moments, and fine acting. It does have a religious message some may agree with and some may not, but I don’t think it bashes you over the head with it.  Unless you are an outright atheist who hates all that is miracles, I can’t imagine you’d have a problem.

Scared Stiff Rating:  8/10

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By Geno McGahee

You can’t go wrong with Ted McGinley. For years, he played “Jefferson” on one of the best comedic sitcoms ever: MARRIED WITH CHILDREN. I’m happy to see that he is still acting and has been showing up in a few films. In the 2011 Pureflix film “CHRISTMAS WITH A CAPITAL C,” he plays a Christian, eager to defend the reason for the season. I love most of these Pureflix films. I’m an atheist, but I’m open to entertainment across the board and these films are very entertaining. Other notables featured in this include Brad Stine and Daniel Baldwin.

Dan Reed (McGinley) is the mayor of a small town and is readying it for the Christmas season. Signs are being put up everywhere, welcoming the holiday from mostly a religious point of view. Nobody seems to care. I have seen these sorts of battles happen all over the place and I don’t care if somebody says merry Christmas to me or not. I would rather have them say that than go F yourself, but I’m OK with happy holidays too. No need to fight about this stuff, but people do. When former high school rival, Mitch Bright (Daniel Baldwin), returns to town after many years away, the rivalry begins to pick up again. Dan and Mitch fought over everything and Dan won most of the time, including the love of his wife, Kristen (Nancy Stafford). At first, it all seems very calm, but the storm is brewing.

Sitting at the local diner, Mitch begins speaking to the townies and tells them about certain things he can do to bring in business and tourism into the town. They are all receptive, considering that they all own small businesses, for the most part. Unfortunately, one of the things that are keeping people away, according to Mitch, is the Christian vibe of the town. He wants to take the Christ out of Christmas and the town is split on the idea. Dan and his brother, Greg (Brad Stine), are vehemently opposed and considering Dan’s place in the town, he has the final say. That will be challenged in the mayoral race that Mitch throws his hat into.

Things get dirty when Mitch stops Dan’s daughter, Makayla (Francesca Derosa) from singing on government property, a thing that has been done yearly for quite some time. Dan and Greg start investigating Mitch and begin to find out some very interesting things about his true reason for coming into town and starting up all this conflict. It leads to a decision to either bury Mitch or find some common ground and get along. It’s a Christian film. So you can probably figure out what decision he made.

CHRISTMAS WITH A CAPITAL C covers a topic that is a point of contention for many. It’s a rather silly one, actually. When somebody gets offended at either “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays”, you must classify them as an idiot. Any well wish should be accepted even if you don’t subscribe to the philosophy of their choice. In this film, we get that “war on Christmas” that so many have discussed, but the holiday is really a personal thing and it can’t be destroyed as long as it is in your heart and home. Sounded lame right? Maybe I should have just said home and not heart. I’ll let you decide if I sounded like an idiot there or not. You don’t have to email me with the results.

McGinley is a very versatile actor and he has found a home in dramatic work. He did a great job in this film and they also cast the villain very well. Baldwin delivers here. A pleasant surprise was Brad Stine. I couldn’t figure out where I knew him from, but then it hit me. He did that Christian standup comedy routine that was cringe-worthy in some documentary, BUT I’m happy to report that he was funny in this film and provided the comic relief that was needed. I really liked his performance. A lot of good comedic actors are not good at standup. Look at Tim Allen!

I recommend this flick. It runs the typical course of most religious flicks from Pureflix. You have Christians done wrong and then they fix it and those that did them wrong come around at the end to see the error of their ways. It’s a formula they use and it’s a winning formula. I found this entertaining and over the top and I love over the top acting.

Rating: 7.5/10

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By Geno McGahee

During the Xmas season, there are plenty of Christian-themed holiday movies. I guess it could be argued that all of them are Christian-based, but there are those that focus on the feeling of the holiday and those that focus on the religious side of it. WISH FOR CHRISTMAS is a Pureflix film and that is the reason why I was so eager to see it. GOD’S NOT DEAD is one of the best religious films of all time and that was a Pureflix production. Now, I’m not religious, but I appreciate entertainment and WISH FOR CHRISTMAS is actually rather entertaining.

Luke (Joey Lawrence) and his wife, Elizabeth (Leigh-Allyn Baker), are lawyers that are out to help the public. They run their own firm and are not in it for the money. They are Christian and live to serve those in need. Their daughter, Anna (Anna Fricks), is a teenager that is very self-absorbed and tired of the restrictions placed upon her by her religious parents. She can’t dress as she wants to and the holiday ball that she wants to attend and be the queen of the ball. When they schedule the ball on Christmas Eve, the night of the big church service, Anna gets upset and wishes that her parents lose their faith. The next morning, she awakens to some strange things.

In these religious films, atheists are usually portrayed as cartoonish villains. We’ve seen it in the GOD’S NOT DEAD series and the other films that have recently been put out by Pureflix. I don’t think that there is a better way to do it and when Luke and Elizabeth lose their faith, they become money-hungry lawyers that are willing to give up church and let their teen daughter do whatever she wants. Elizabeth tries to become a friend to Anna, rather than her mother, as she takes her shopping and encourages to get her a belly-button ring. Anna likes it at first, but she begins to notice things that aren’t right.

Alex Smith (Sean T. Ward) was on the verge of losing his house when Luke and Elizabeth stepped in to help him deal with the banks. In this new world, the lawyers decide to drop his case and work for the banks, forcing Alex out of his home and pushing the foreclosure. They actually leave the poor guy in the waiting room for a couple hours before taking him in. Anna finds out through her boyfriend, Colton (Ryan Boudreau), who is also Alex’s son. She brings it up to her parents, but Luke tells her that if Alex paid his bills, he wouldn’t have the problems he did. Luke and Elizabeth also coldly fire their receptionist, Rebekah (Alexandra Boylan), after she isn’t receptive to the new direction of the firm. I felt bad for poor Rebekah, but seeing Luke and Elizabeth standing shoulder to shoulder, stone-faced, and firing her was quite amusing.

Unable to talk to anyone else, she confides in a homeless guy that is dressed up like Santa, played by Bill Engvall of Blue Collar Comedy Tour fame. She initially treated him very poorly but things begin to clear up and he becomes a voice of reason. She begins trying to get the faith back into her parents, but they are oblivious. She has to start within and examine her own selfishness and lack of love. She realizes how she has partaken in bullying and how she was even mistreating her friends. Her self-praising speech set for the ball is changed out with a tribute to Jesus and the community.

Her parents come around and things go back to the way they were, but now Anna has grown as a person and has become kinder. WISH FOR CHRISTMAS is not as over the top fun as GOD’S NOT DEAD, but it’s a rather good movie. Joey Lawrence and Leigh-Allyn Baker were great as the religious parents, but were fantastic as the atheist materialistic couple. I can tell they enjoyed the roles and they excelled at them. Great choices in casting across the board on this one. Anna Fricks did a great job in her starring role, coming off as unlikable initially, but then became somebody easy to root for. The cast and the cinematography in this film are exceptional.

I highly recommend WISH FOR CHRISTMAS. It was a good film and even if you’re not religious and I’m not, you can appreciate it. It borrows from some other holiday films, but it has its own vibe and approach to a lot of things. I enjoyed it.

Rating: 6.5/10

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Reviewed by Melissa Antoinette Garza

I just found out that SAVED! is on HULU.  I love that flick.  I watched it about a year ago when it was on NETFLIX.  Eventually, I’ll have to buy the film.  It’s a mixture of MEAN GIRLS (2004) and BUT I’M A CHEERLEADER (1999).

The plot surrounds senior student Mary (Jena Malone) who is a born again Christian and attends a religious and very conservative school.  Her father died when she was young and even then her mother Lillian (Mary-Louise Parker) told her it was God’s plan.

During summer vacation, prior to her senior year, Mary’s boyfriend Dean (Chad Faust) came out of the closet to her.  She has a vision when she hits her head that Jesus wants her to save him.  The two have sex and at first she believes it worked.  It is then she finds out that Dean was sent to a Christian recovery camp because his father found a gay porn magazine under his bed.  His parents believe the camp can convert him to heterosexuality.

Mary confides in her best friend Hillary Faye (Mandy Moore) and begs her not to tell anyone.  Hillary thinks a prayer meeting is needed and outs Dean to the whole school.  Hillary is a typical mean girl who justifies her self-centered, self-righteous and judgmental discrimination with scripture.

Mary finds out she is pregnant with Dean’s child and hides it from everyone.  She dips into a depression and begins to have religious doubts.  Though Hillary says she wants to save Mary and every other outcast at the school, she does so with condemnation and threats of hellfire.

It is then that Mary finds solace with the biggest outcast and the only Jewish student Cassandra (Eva Amurri Martino) and Hillary’s disabled brother Roland (Macaulay Culkin).  She finds herself crushing on the principal/pastor’s son Patrick (Patrick Fugit).  He has feelings for her too, but Hillary wants to win his affection.

The entire production, from start-to-finish, is perfect.  Despite what some have said, it is not an anti-Christian film.  It’s actually a very pro-Christian movie that promotes tolerance and acceptance within the church.

It shows the fundamental flaws and failures of conversion and recovery programs for unwed mothers, homosexuals and others that don’t fit the version of Christianity held by too many.  It also delves into the positivity of religion and Christianity when based on acceptance of others and the faith of unconditional love and approval without judgement.

I don’t know how many are out there that haven’t seen this film.  It certainly has a cult following and though admonished by many of those on the fundamental right, it is embraced by those who have the mental capacity and humanity to grasp the meaning.

It’s funny, quirky and ironically not preachy with its preaches.  The acting and casting is perfect.  The conclusion is great.  Even the last minute turnaround of certain “villains” is welcomed and executed extremely well.

The industry really needs to make more films like these.  It appeals to a younger audience who need to hear the message of understanding and love. Though there is a great portion of society who embraces differences and frowns on bullying of any kind, we still face a bunch of people who are on the farthest side of the right that preach hatred.  We need to not only balance out the anger and idiocy of those who share their horrible views to the youth, but we need to drown them out with entertaining and meaningful films like these.

Scared Stiff Rating:  8.5/10

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