I Can Only Imagine (Movie Review)

Plot Summary

Bart Millard always loved to sing, but he grew up in a broken home.  His mother left while he was young, and his father beat him and told him he would never amount to much.  When Bart failed high school football due to injuries, he and his father spent as little time around each other as possible.  Out of this, Bart began singing in high school plays and was told that he had a special talent for the stage.  This led Bart to pursue a career in Christian music, but life on the road was hard.  When he was forced to make a pivotal decision at a crossroads in his career, Bart was finally faced with having to go back to reconcile with the person he came to hate the most: his father.

Production Quality (3 points)

What else can be said about the talent of the Erwin Brothers at this point?  They have clearly mastered production quality, especially when it comes to historical epics.  The attention to detail in I Can Only Imagine is exquisite.  Video quality, camera work, and audio quality are flawless.  With Brent McCorkle involved, the soundtrack is always going to be a hit.  Sets, locations, and props in I Can Only Imagine are excellent and demonstrate wonderful historical authenticity.  This content-packed epic is edited nearly to perfection.  In short, it’s rare to have a perfect production, but the Erwin Brothers are still schooling the industry in how it’s done.

Plot and Storyline Quality (3 points)

Naturally following their epic film Woodlawn, the Erwin Brothers seem to have found a niche in biopics.  The story of Bart Millard is one that is absolutely worth being told, especially since so many people are familiar with MercyMe and their original breakout hit single, which is the title of this film.  What some audiences may not expect is the profound and timely message this film has to offer.  This film is more than just another inspirational film to grab cash from a willing audience.  In typical Erwin fashion, I Can Only Imagine is the film the western church needs now.  Besides this, the characters are very realistic, authentic, and easy to access via believable dialogue and back stories.  Each character is flawed and gray rather than black and white.  There are really no errors to point out here as the Erwins have masterfully captured another poignant true story in the context of film.

Acting Quality (3 points)

The Masters of Casting did their homework once again in crafting a cast that was true-to-life to the real people behind the story.  Each actor and actress is cast appropriately and assume their roles very well.  Costuming is excellent and correct for the time period.  Dennis Quaid likely posts one of the performances of the year as a very complex three-part role.  In the end, there are little to no errors to raise about this film, which has become the norm of the Erwin brand.

Conclusion

I Can Only Imagine receives an x-factor point for presenting an extremely important issue in a realistic way.  Audiences will flock to this film on the basis of its title recognition alone, but many will receive a message they least expected, yet one that the church as a whole desperately needs.  Many, many Christians and those associated with the church are running from parts of their lives that are broken and are not always their fault because they do not know how to deal with them.  I Can Only Imagine brings this paradigm to front and center at a time when the message of redemption for broken families needs to be heard.  Also, in keeping with their perfect record, the Erwins have notched another one on the Hall of Fame and have possibly taken the top spot of Christian film.

Final Rating: 10 out of 10 points

March 15, 2018January 1, 2019 by Box Office Revolutionary Categories: Drama, Hall of Fame, Historical, Inspirational, Movie Reviews, RomanceTags: 10 points, 2018, Alexander Dominguez, Amy Grant, Andrew Erwin, Bart Millard, Brent McCorkle, Brent Ryan Green, Cindy Bond, City on a Hill Productions, Cloris Leachman, Cole Marcus, Daryl C. Lefever, Daryl Lefever, David Norana, David Norona, Dennis Quaid, Epic, Erik Ashlock, Erwin Brothers, Gary Wallace, Gianna Simone, Historical, Holley Ellis, Imagine Rights, Inspirational, J. Michael Finney, J.R. Cacia, Jake B. Miller, Jason Burkey, Joe Knopp, Jon Erwin, Josh Walsh, Kevin Downes, Kevin Downes Productions, LD Entertainment, Madeline Carroll, Maria Hurdle, Mark Furze, Mark Robert Ellis, Micheal Flaherty, Mickey Liddell, Mission Pictures International, Musical, Nicole DuPort, Pete Shilaimon, Priscilla Shirer, Randy McDowell, Rhoda Griffis, Rhonda Griffis, Samuel Sadovnik, Scott Brickell, Scott Ellis, Simon Swart, Taegen Burns, Tanya Clarke, Tony Young, Toy Gun Films, Trace Adkins, Travis Mann 8 Comments

Unconditional (Movie Review)

Plot Summary

Samantha Crawford believes that her life was perfect when her husband Billy was alive.  Therefore, when he is murdered in a seemingly random mugging, her entire world—and faith—come crashing down.  Ready to take her own life where her husband died, Sam’s suicide attempt is suddenly interrupted by the needs of two street kids who are injured in a hit and run.  This distraction from her world of depression directs Sam down an unexpected path on which she reconnects with a childhood friend, Joe, who is now being a father to fatherless children on the streets and in the projects of Nashville.  Together, they discover that God’s unconditional love changes everything, even hurts from the past.

 

Production Quality (3 points)

For a pilot film, the production quality of Unconditional is exquisite.  The camera work is flawless.  The editing is wonderful, masterfully mixing the past and the present.  Since Brent McCorckle is a composer, the music of Unconditional gives the movie a very professional and artistic flair.  The sets are very diverse and realistic.  In short, there are no errors here as the crew obviously put a lot of time into making this film look very professional.

Plot and Storyline Quality (3 points)

Since this film is based on true events, it already has a lot going for it.  The plot is not as linear as most plots, which is a good thing.  True-to-life dialogue and poignant flashbacks build accessible and flawed characters.  The events the characters experience are very realistic and believable.  While the plot twists are minor, this is not an issue because this story could take place in any inner city in America.  There is one surprise at the end that is a change-up from most movies, thus making this entire plot a breath of fresh air.

Acting Quality (3 points)

The cast of Unconditional is experienced and professional, and they are obviously coached well.  While a majority of the actors are not explicitly Christian, they are utilized for good purposes.  The lines are delivered well and the emotions are believable.  In short, the acting of Unconditional should serve as an example to other aspiring Christian film crews.

Conclusion

Unconditional receives an extra point for presenting an important social issue in a great fashion and for including under-used movie concepts, such as flashbacks and an emotionally provoking musical score.  Fatherlessness in America is a social crime, and Unconditional brings this to light.  Though this movie is lesser known than many Christian-themed films, it deserves to be elevated above many others.  There are virtually no errors in Unconditional, thus giving it a perfect score.

 

Final Rating: 10 out of 10 points

February 1, 2016January 18, 2019 by Box Office Revolutionary Categories: Drama, Hall of Fame, Inspirational, Movie Reviews, SuspenseTags: 10 points, 2012, Brent McCorkle, Bruce McGill, Cedric Pendleton, Danielle Lewis, Diego Klattenhoff, Emily Rollins, Inspirational, J. Wesley Legg, Jason Atkins, Joe Bradford, Kim McCorkle, Kwesi Boakye, Lynn Collins, Mark Petrie, Michael Ealy, Montrel Miller, Shannon Atkins, Suspense, Tarren Mason 10 Comments

Woodlawn (Movie Review)

Plot Summary

Coach Tandy Geralds only believes in what he sees in front of him.  All he sees is a broken high school in Alabama forced to integrate two racial groups who desperately do not want to associate with each.  Coach Geralds, also the assistant principle, is overworked, is unpopular with the school board, and is failing as a husband and father.  His players are frustrated with integration and racial tensions flare easily.  Tony Nathan, an underappreciated African-American athlete, is among them, yet he has been raised to treat people, regardless of skin color, the way Christ treated them.  Everything changes for the team one day when Hank, an itinerant and seemingly offbeat sports chaplain, convinces Coach Geralds to let him talk to the team.  At the end of his rope, Tandy reluctantly agrees.  What ensues from there is a miracle that transforms the football team, the high school, and the city.  One thing leads to another in a miracle season for the Woodlawn Colonels, but everything grinds to a halt one day when they are faced with adversity after adversity.  But in the grand scheme of things, each character learns in one way or another that there is one Way, one Truth, and one Life—Jesus.

 

Production Quality (3 points)

The Erwin team went all out for this blockbuster production that was designed to reach outside of the Christian movie circles.  The camera work is phenomenal, ranging from difficult football scenes to character canvasing.  As an epic, the story covers a lot of time, but the editing is seamless.  It is very difficult to make an epic without being too long or without letting important plot elements fall by the wayside.  The editing team walked this tightrope flawlessly.  The inclusion of alternate and historical footage throughout the movie is an artistic flair that was pulled off nicely.  This is not a cheap production, and it shows.

Plot and Storyline Quality (3 points)

As previously mentioned, epic plots are very hard to craft.  Too long, and the audience is lost.  Too quick, and no points are driven home.  Too often in potential epics, character development is discarded and scenes are wasted.  Neither of these mistakes occurred in Woodlawn.  Despite the large amount of plot and character content in this movie, nothing is missing.  The dialogue is concise yet profound.  There are no wasted scenes.  As a side note, Box Office Revolution maintains that movies based on real events are among some of the best on the market.  Nothing could be more true regarding Woodlawn.  The plot twists and turns just as real life does and the historical characters are adapted well.

Acting Quality (3 points)

BOR has long called the Erwin brothers the Masters of Casting.  There has never been a character in their movies that was not cast in the absolutely appropriate role.  Veterans Sean Astin, Nic Bishop, Sherri Shepherd, and Jon Voight are excellent in their roles, along with newcomers Caleb Castille and Joy Brunson.  All actors are coached well.

Conclusion

BOR can find no flaws in Woodlawn.  It also can be awarded the x-factor point for delivering an important topic packaged in a masterful epic.  The Erwin brothers have reached the pinnacle of their career, and there is no turning back now.  The Christian movie industry is at their fingertips, and BOR expects nothing less than the best.

 

Final Rating: 10 out of 10 points

January 23, 2016January 5, 2019 by Box Office Revolutionary Categories: Drama, Hall of Fame, Historical, Inspirational, Movie Reviews, Psychological, Romance, SportsTags: 10 points, 2015, Andrew Erwin, Bone Hampton, Brando Eaton, Brett Rice, C. Thomas Howell, Caleb Castille, Carlton Byrd, Danny Vinson, Devin Bright, DeVon Franklin, Epic, Erwin Brothers, Francesca Battistelli, Historical, Inspirational, Jason Burkey, Jeff Rose, Jet Jurgensmeyer, Jon Erwin, Jon Voight, Joy Brunson, Justin Tolley, Kelly Greyson, Kevin Downes, Kevin Sizemore, Kirk B.R. Woller, Lance Nichols, Lee Perkins, Marcus Henderson, Mark Burnett, Mark Shlabach, Michael Catt, Nic Bishop, Paul Mills, PureFlix, Quinton Peeples, Rhoda Griffis, Richard Kohnke, Roma Downey, Sean Astin, Sherri Shepherd, Sports, Steven Chester Prince, Todd Gerelds, Virginia Williams 9 Comments