Son of God is Now Playing in Theaters

Commentary by Mr. Loci B. Lenar

Son of God is a Cinematic and Visual Masterpiece which brings the gospels to life! Released on Friday, February 28, 2014, I went to see this inspiring movie on Saturday with my wife and her mother, including my nephew, Marc Anthony. We all loved it!

I highly recommend seeing this great film which encompasses the public ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus, and touches the heart and soul with the Holy Spirit.  A must see during Lent!

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Excerpt from SonofGodMovie.com:

Now, the larger-than-life story of The New Testament gets a larger-than life treatment in the stand-alone feature SON OF GOD. Told with the scope and scale of an action epic, the film features powerful performances, exotic locales, dazzling visual effects and a rich orchestral score from Oscar winner Hans Zimmer. Portuguese actor Diogo Morgado portrays Jesus as the film spans from his humble birth through his teachings, crucifixion and ultimate resurrection. It marks the first motion picture about Jesus’ life since Passion of the Christ, released ten years ago.

Read more: Son of God

The Mighty Macs Opens in Theaters on October 21, 2011



The Mighty Macs Movie Poster


The Mighty Macs - About the Movie

Review By Loci B. Lenar

I am pleased to express my delight in attending The Mighty Macs pre-release, which by the way went beyond by expectations. The screening of this uplifting movie was held on August 9, 2011 at the AMC Clifton Commons 16, Route 3, Clifton, NJ.

The Mighty Macs is a movie that soars with inspiration and is an enjoyable first-rate sports flick, especially for basketball fans! I was pleasantly surprised on its cheery and good-humored approach in connecting with a general audience by integrating faith into the film and showing its effect on the woman's college basketball team.

Interesting Fact and Movie Trivia: Basketball coach, Cathy Rush is a Babtist; and her assistant, Sister Sunday is Catholic. The movie is based on a true story and is indeed a wonderful showcase for communicating on how Christians of various denominations can interact together for a common goal - Winning for God!

The women's basketball team at Immaculata College soars to a national championship for the first time in its 1971-72 season! The team also wins the National Women's College Basketball Championships in 1973 and 1974!

I highy recommend buying tickets and seeing this flick when it opens in theaters on October 21, 2011.

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The following excerpt is from the website of TheMightyMacs.com:

It's 1971. Cathy Rush is a woman ahead of her time ... and she's about to embark on an adventure for the ages. A new era is dawning in the country and in collegiate athletics, where a national champion will be crowned for the first time in women's basketball.

In the lead up to this historical season, major universities are preparing their game plans to win that first title. Meanwhile a tiny all-women's Catholic college in Philadelphia has a more modest goal: find a coach before the season begins. Providentially, Cathy Rush is about to find Immaculata College.

Recently married, Cathy is dealing with the aftermath of a truncated playing career. While cultural norms would have her staying at home, she's willing to do the hard work necessary to help her new team reach their goals—or perhaps she's just trying to achieve her unfulfilled dreams through them.

From the beginning, her challenges are as imposing as the big-school teams Immaculata will face on the court. Cathy learns there is no gymnasium on campus, she receives little support from the school's Mother Superior, and the school is in dire financial straits. To top it off, she may not even have enough players to field a team!

While it appears the Macs don't have a prayer, all hope is not lost. With the help of Sister Sunday—a spunky assistant coach—and the support of a booster club of elderly nuns, Coach Rush creates a new game plan that just might bring the team—and the school—together.

THE MIGHTY MACS is based on the incredible true story of the 1971-72 Immaculata College team that started in obscurity but became the original Cinderella story in women's basketball. This team of pioneers went from barely making that inaugural tournament to the first dynasty in their game. And Cathy Rush, the woman that was ahead of her time, became immortalized when she was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

THE MIGHTY MACS stars Carla Gugino as Cathy Rush; David Boreanaz as her husband, NBA referee Ed Rush; Marley Shelton as Sister Sunday; and Academy Award and Tony Award winner Ellen Burstyn as Mother St. John. The film was written, directed, and produced by Tim Chambers. The film's executive producers are Pat Croce, the former president of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, and Vince Curran, a successful businessman and former basketball star at Penn. Curran and Chambers are founders and partners of Quaker Media.

Read more: The Mighty Macs 

“Courageous” a film that delves into fatherhood

“Courageous” a film that delves into fatherhood

Commentary by Loci B. Lenar

I was invited to see a screening of Courageous by Tim Lilley, Director of Communications, Maximus Group, GA.

I gladly accepted the invitation and saw the pre-release of Courageous which was held on April 14 at Clifton Commons 16, Route 3, Clifton, NJ.

The movie theater was nearly filled to capacity for the viewing of the film and met my expectations for promoting family values based on biblical principals. From my observation, the enthusiasm of those that attended the viewing of the film is a wonderful sign that the movie should find interest with a general audience.

The central focus of the film is on fatherhood and explores the relationships between some law enforcement officers and their families.

Other issues explored in the film are about integrity, and the consequences of actions when failing to live up to those standards.

I recommend seeing Courageous which opens in theaters on September 30th.

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The following excerpt is from RomeReports.com :

From the creators of the movie “Fireproof,” comes a new film on the virtues of fatherhood. The film “Courageous” is the story of four men and the choices they make in their lives to become better fathers.

By becoming more involved in the lives of their children and being better husbands, the men learn more about themselves.

It teaches about morals and humanity with some humor mixed in.

Many of the actors also starred in “Fireproof” and belong to the Sherwood Baptist Church in Georgia.

“Courageous” has something for all ages and can be enjoyed by the entire family.

Vision: From the Life of Hildegard von Bingen

YouTube Video 

Review by Loci B. Lenar

Shannon Attaway, director of home media production at Zeitgeist Films has sent me a screeners copy of 'Vision' before its public debut in the USA. I am grateful for her kindness in supplying me with a copy of the movie.  Produced in Germany by Zeitgeist Films, Vision was originally released in 2009, but now is available to purchase in a DVD format with English subtitles for the U.S. market beginning on April 19th.

Not knowing what to expect from this attention-grabbing film, I sat down on my living room couch and watched the movie for the entire 110 minutes without flinching an eye.  My usual routine is to consume some snacks and drink beverages to counter my restlessness when watching TV or a movie.  However, I was totally absorbed in this fascinating film for the entire time!

Director Margarethe von Trotta has captured the spiritual journey of Hildegard von Bingen in an upfront and poignant film about the 12th-century Benedictine nun and mystic, portrayed with a powerful performance by actress Barbara Sukowa. The movie provides insight into Hildegard von Bingen's remarkable life including her straightforward approach and skill in challenging superiors to make changes as a result of her visions and messages that she said were from God.

Vision is categorically a thought provoking film of intensity with an impressionable account of Hildegard's Christian faith that a general audience will find interesting!

Image Courtesy of Zeitgeist Films

Zeitgeist Films: Vision - From the life of Hildegard von Bingen



Vision - Official U.S. Trailer

The following excerpts are courtesy of Zeitgeist Films:

About the Film:

Hildegard von Bingen was truly a woman ahead of her time. A visionary in every sense of the word, this famed Benedictine nun was a Christian mystic, composer, philosopher, playwright, poet, naturalist, scientist, physician, herbalist and ecological activist.

In Vision, New German Cinema auteur Margarethe von Trotta (Marianne and Juliane, Rosa Luxemburg, Rosenstrasse) reunites with recurrent star Barbara Sukowa (Zentropa, Berlin Alexanderplatz) to bring the story of this extraordinary woman to life. Sukowa portrays von Bingen’s fierce determination to expand the responsibilities of women within the order. Vision is a profoundly inspirational portrait of a woman who has emerged from the shadows of history as a forward-thinking and iconoclastic pioneer of faith and change.

PLOT SYNOPSIS

A child of a wealthy German family, Hildegard is handed over to a Benedictine Monastery at the age of 8. Taught in the arts of herbal medicine, reading and writing by her mentor Jutta von Sponheim, she quickly excels in all. When Jutta dies, Hildegard is horrified by evidence of self-flagellation on her body and vows to change the ways of the order.

Hildegard becomes the abbess of the convent and by subtly using her intelligence and diplomacy begins to change the laws from the highest level. Since childhood she has had powerful visions that she records. Certain that these mystic perceptions are messages from God, she mentions them to her superior, without fear of the obvious scepticism and suspicion of heresy from the Christian order. The Pope grants her his support and allows her to publish the written accounts of her revelations. With this, Hildegard’s life takes a new turn. Allowed to build her own convent—the monastery of Saint Rupertsberg at Bingen—she invents a revolutionary and humanist approach to devotion.

About Hildegard

Born nearly 1000 years ago, Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) remains a popular figure to this day. A polymath ahead of her time who was at once spiritual and practical, von Bingen challenged Church rules and founded two convents. She was a visionary and modern theologian who, at age 60, explained the lunar eclipse not as a divine occurrence, but rather from a scientific viewpoint. With a keen mind, von Bingen was someone who believed in a positive image of humanity. Centuries later, masters such as Dante and Leonardo di Vinci were inspired by her works. Hildegard von Bingen was one the most important inspirational and visionary female leaders of the Medieval age, responsible for bringing Europe out of the darkness and into the modern era of science and enlightenment. In 1233, Pope Gregor IX initiated the process of canonizing her but for formal reasons the canonization was never completed. Regardless, Hildegard von Bingen has continued to acquire an ever-expanding faction of admirers worldwide.

Read more: Zeitgeist Films