Dangerous Calling Movie Review

When you hear the phrase Christian thriller, what comes to mind? Is it suspense and horror? How can Christian and horror go together? Does that mean Satanic and Devil Worshipping? Ok, so it is not normal. This new movie from the Daws Brothers named Josh and Jeremiah (writers / directors) have made a Christian suspense thriller with a horror twist. “Dangerous Calling” takes place in a fictious small North Georgia mountain town called Willit Springs. The story is about church politics and the perversion some people have on the church’s direction from week to week. It should be safe and secure some believe. No loud rock music and no change allowed. At least that is what one character Miss Pat Hinton believes. The other two main characters, Pastor Evan and Nora Burke, deal with a new church after the mysterious death of its former pastor and how possibly we all should handle the Miss Pat’s in churches today. I felt inspired and relieved that this movie finally dealt with an issue I feel is big in the churches now despite the denomination.

The lessons taught through story progression are noteworthy for “Dangerous Calling”… so is the acting. The Daws brothers have assembled a great cast who all live near Atlanta, Georgia. The brothers not only live and shoot their projects in Georgia; it seems they like to get their talent from there also. I hope that audiences from 15 to 75 see this movie and find hope and faith in it. I really enjoyed the twists and turns throughout the screenwriting and directing and hope they are around the independent film business for a very long time producing great quality products like this movie. Their brand of skewed and mind opening views of the Christian community is refreshing and needed for a better balance of the community in the future. My rating for this project is 3 out of 4 popcorn tubs.

Be blessed!

Brad

The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry Movie Review

In this independent movie from 5 & 2 pictures, writer / director Rich Christiano brings together 2 TV veterans, Gavin Macleod and Robert Guillaume, to lead a group of unknown actors and actresses in “The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry.” Mr. MacLeod plays Jonathan Sperry an elderly man who has a love for God and an unusual way of talking to people about Him.

This movie is set in the summer of 1970. It is heartwarming as it tells of 75 year Jonathan Sperry befriending a 12 year old boy Dustin played by Jansen Panettiere the younger brother of Hayden Panettiere. Dustin tries to make a little money mowing yards for people every summer. One afternoon Mr. Sperry notices Dustin next door mowing his neighbors grass and walks over to ask if he would like to mow his. After Dustin excitedly agrees, this opened the door for Jonathan Sperry to begin telling his stories to him and Dustin’s two best friends that summer.

“The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry” tells of life lessons taught, Bible reading of the Book of John and love changing adventure that everyone should watch. If you want to have an experience like never seen before on the big screen or on video, then this is the movie. Everyone’s acting is superb and will stay in your heart and mind for a long time. The theme of this movie of “everyone can be somebody and make a difference in somebody else’s life” gives me just one reason why I wrote this review in hopes many will see this film.

For more information about the film go to http://www.sperrymovie.com there still is an ability to see this film on the big screen before it comes out on video.

Be blessed!

Brad

The Osiris Alliance Book Review

What can I say about the first book written by Jack Ford? I like to read political intrigues and thriller type books to read as this one is. My favorite authors in this area are John Grisham, James Patterson and Robert Ludlum for favorite fiction writers. When I was asked if I would review “The Osiris Alliance” even though I have only reviewed Christian fiction books so far, I have been challenged to broaden my horizons in my reviews to express opinions on secular or non-religious books while still keeping my family focused reviewing. While I get what they mean, I believe that people can read anything if they want to and find a little bit of themselves in any fiction story without having to be put a Godly spin or Christian spin to the story. However, with this story, “The Osiris Alliance,” I am going to start a rating system on my reviews and consider reviews outside of my comfort zone.

Why do I want to start a rating system? Because I realized that there are no rating scales on books and this one requires a rating. The movie industry has one from Rated X down to Rated G so why not books. I will give you my rating of the book later at the end of my review.

“The Osiris Alliance” is a story of mystery, national security matters and dealing with a kidnapping of the Lindbergh child. It starts out on April 3, 1936 discussing the execution of Bruno Richard Hauptmann, the convicted killer of the famous pilot Charles Lindbergh’s child. After this is explained, the story jumps to 1998 New York City, NY or Long Island, NY to be precise. After which, the story slowly builds for few chapters after introductions and then it rockets until the end.

Adam Stark, a U.S. attorney for the Justice Department, has been brought in to investigate and break a smuggling ring to import and export nuclear weapons to the Russians. As he starts to investigate, he determines that a reporter Megan Delaney has been also investigating the same thing for her TV station and they decide to become allies in trying to solve this case. With many different turns and switching from the Lindbergh kidnapping to the Russians while trying to track down a missing journal with all the secrets, this story picks up steam on many levels.

Now as for the reasons I think this book got me thinking about a book rating, it became clear this should be rated R for excessive and unneeded excessive profanity, extreme written violence and the steamy love scenes described throughout. This book fits the “Goodfellas” level of profanity. I can see this book turned into a movie with the ways Mr. Ford describes scenes in detail for a screenwriter to use. This story seems to be a cross between “The Firm” meets “Clear and Present Danger” meets “The Bourne Identity.”

I do like “The Osiris Alliance” but would have enjoyed it better without the profanity and non-consideration of his reader. This is not a book for anyone under 16 to read. If you are a religious person, then you might want to consider if you should read this knowing what will take place as I have vaguely described. I will give Mr. Ford a 2 out of 4 stars rating for this first novel. I hope that if he writes again in the future he considers a wider audience to appeal to with less profanity and better description of feelings. The use of God’s name in vain is not a good description of anger. Until next time…

Be blessed!

Brad