ChristiansUnite Forums

I saw the movie Fireproof on January 1, 2009, and it made me cry!  Kirk Cameron and Erin Bethea were very compelling as the troubled married couple who needed to fireproof their marriage.  I also saw Facing the Giants last night,  and it also made me cry@  Both dealt with trusting God to provide and meet the needs of the married couple and single Christians as well!  Kudos to both producers in providing clean, wholesome entertainment with no profanity or sexual innuendos!

Same producers...and they have their first movie which is called Flywheel.  that is another on the recommended list to watch.

I loved Fireproof!
I was very blessed to get it for free. On another forum I post on, some lady (I guess she's not a Christian) decided to purchase it, but then didn't like the movie, so she wanted to give it away to the 1st person who replied. I was the 1st one to send her my address privately, so I got the movie. Made my day because I'd been wanting to see it! ;D

The movie I can't wait to see is Pilgrim's Progress a Journey to Heaven, by John Bunyun. I have seen the trailer for it ..... WOW ..... it looks like a great movie.

Christian Film Industry Going Mainstream

abcnews.go.com

Hollywood can be hard to predict, but given the choice between last year's Woody Allen film, "Vicky Christina Barcelona," Sean Penn in "Milk" and a Christian film called "Fireproof," starring aging teen idol Kirk Cameron, not a single industry insider saw this dark horse coming.

"Fireproof," a Christian-themed film straight out of "Godlywood," buried them all as the top-grossing independent film of 2008.

What's the Christian film industry's next brainchild? A soon-to-be-released film called "The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry," a film about a 75-year-old man who motivates three young boys to fend off a bully by following the Lord.

The film took center stage last week at an international Christian ministry festival in Anaheim, Calif., where the faithful gathered to pray and to learn about new ways to reach their flocks.

Rich Christiano, the film's director, screened "The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry" to a pastor-filled crowd, hoping to get them to preach the goodness of his movie and send the faithful to the ticket counter.

Christiano's message was clear: Hollywood is corrupting America.

"Why is it we watch movies with nudity and all this stuff we know we shouldn't? I'll tell you why, because Hollywood rules, not Jesus," Christiano said to the crowd. "Pastors, I'm telling you, this is the fight, this is what's going to steal your youth group; this is what's busting up your marriages. This is the fight. I need you to stand with us."

The movie is becoming the latest weapon in a cultural war coming soon to a theater near you. Christiano, 52, describes himself as a "filmmaker with a message for the Lord."

"George Lucas supposedly said the church, which used to be all powerful, has been usurped by film. And he's right," Christiano said. "The devil knows all this, and he has used films to break down this country; it's a very powerful tool."

With the release of "The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry," Christiano is urging the church to start playing offense.

"The church normally plays defense," he said. "Hollywood does something we don't like and we react to it. I say forget about that. Quit complaining and let's go on the offense."

The film stars Gavin MacLeod, who is better known to most as Capt. Stubing from the "Love Boat." MacLeod, who turned to Christ in 1985 after a long career in Hollywood, said he "became essentially a different person."

Transitioning from Hollywood to the emerging Christian film industry, MacLeod said it's "humbling" to be "used by God" in the movie.

The movie is becoming the latest weapon in a cultural war coming soon to a theater near you. Christiano, 52, describes himself as a "filmmaker with a message for the Lord."

"George Lucas supposedly said the church, which used to be all powerful, has been usurped by film. And he's right," Christiano said. "The devil knows all this, and he has used films to break down this country; it's a very powerful tool."

With the release of "The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry," Christiano is urging the church to start playing offense.

"The church normally plays defense," he said. "Hollywood does something we don't like and we react to it. I say forget about that. Quit complaining and let's go on the offense."

The film stars Gavin MacLeod, who is better known to most as Capt. Stubing from the "Love Boat." MacLeod, who turned to Christ in 1985 after a long career in Hollywood, said he "became essentially a different person."

Transitioning from Hollywood to the emerging Christian film industry, MacLeod said it's "humbling" to be "used by God" in the movie.

"We were all sort of pinching ourselves and laughing and watching it as it did so well," said Cameron, star of "Fireproof" and former star of TV's "Growing Pains."

While the box office profits speak for themselves, the making of "Fireproof" is a story in its own right.

The film was written and directed on a shoestring budget by the brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick, who are pastors in Albany, Ga. Other than Cameron, the entire cast was made up of church members -- and everyone worked for free. The Kendrick brothers say God told them to make the movie.

"Basically, we'll take weeks at a time and say, 'God, what do you want us to do?'" Alex Kendrick said. "We've learned there's a difference between a good idea and a God idea. And we say, 'God, point us in the right direction.'"

Success took more than prayers. "Fireproof" turned to savvy grassroots marketing as a promotion tool; the brothers shared their vision with pastors across the country who, in turn, encouraged their followers to see the film.

"Fireproof's" impressive success has branded Cameron as the face of Christian films -- a title that was bittersweet, at first, for the former teen idol.

"It used to bother me a lot more than it does now," he said. "I really don't care because I've come to a conviction in my own heart."

Cameron's conviction has grown stronger with the flood of e-mails from fans, who say "Fireproof" saved their marriages.

"I think that that's the most wonderful thing about doing the things that I like to do," he said. "Be a part of something God is doing to change the lives of other people."

Christian Flicks Get Grassroot Support

Whatever the content, Hollywood likes a winner. The Samuel Goldwyn film company, more accustomed to big stars like Russell Crowe and Julia Roberts, is the first major studio to embrace Christian films. "Fireproof," then a dark horse, was their release in collaboration with Christian film company Provident Films, and the genre of Christian film is on the horizon.

"It's an underserved audience," said Meyer Gottlieb of Samuel Goldwyn Films. "You know, you can say Christian or faith, that Hollywood is not serving that audience the level it should be serving it, and it's a huge audience. So, I think there are great opportunities, and I'd like to release one or two Christian films a year, or faith-based films a year."

While Christiano doesn't have the support of a studio behind "The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry," he's counting on churches to back him.

"What we're trying to do is get churches to sponsor this movie in their local theater, kind of a unique marketing plan," he told ABC News. "We actually charge the church $2,000 and then they pick the theater, we book the theater, when the theater pays us, first $2,000 goes right back to church."

It's not the standing ovation in theaters that matters to Christiano, but pastors' agreement to sign on and sponsor the movie.

"We are definitely sponsoring this movie, we want to put it in theaters and make sure that people have an opportunity to see not only this movie but movies like it," said Pastor Jerry Dirmann of the Rock church in Anaheim, Calif.

Get your popcorn ready -- no swearing, no violence -- just forgiveness, redemption and a church-approved happy ending.

The filmmakers, like Christiano, say it's important to know their audiences, as grassroots support from true believers can't be replicated by a slick Hollywood marketing campaign.

"Thank you for coming; the Lord bless you all," he said to the pastors." ... You won't lose on this and you won't lose with the Lord."

Brothers and Sisters,

I haven't gotten to see Fireproof yet, but I want to.

It is my opinion that Hollywood has been a horrible influence on our society, and most definitely on our young people. If a Christian film Glorifies God and teaches Biblical morals, I want to support this. We are a country in NEED of turning back to GOD, and I pray that GOD uses all of us according to His Perfect Will. I firmly believe that the time is growing short for the lost to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Hebrews 10:1-10 ASV  1  For the law having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect them that draw nigh. 2 Else would they not have ceased to be offered? because the worshippers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year. 4 For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. 5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, But a body didst thou prepare for me; 6 In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hadst no pleasure: 7 Then said I, Lo, I am come (In the roll of the book it is written of me) To do thy will, O God. 8 Saying above, Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein (the which are offered according to the law), 9 then hath he said, Lo, I am come to do thy will. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

I just watched Fireproof a few days ago and I would definately recommend it!  I totally enjoyed it and wish there were more clean, moral movies like it.  How does Hollywood know that the public wouldn't just eat movies like this up if they are unwilling to try it?  The garbage and "reality" junk on TV now is just taking up space like a clog in an artery.

The first time i watched Facing the Giants as part of our small group discussions ...my tears never stopped to flow...I was really refreshed knowing that God can do miracles in the lives of His creation...in the lowest point of our lives He will show His strength and power ... we just need the heart of our soil to be plowed for us to be ready to received His Blessings.....watching Facing the Giants its like watching it for the first time....Fireproof......is a great movie...good movie for the married and the soon to be married..Jesus will be the 3rd cord that will strongly bind the marriage ....it create a great impact in our lives...how God uses people and even situations for us to realize that our existence begins and ends  with God.,,,,,Those who didnt watched both movies...HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!...hope to see same movies in the future....

I've seen Fireproof and it is a wonderful movie. Wholesome, Clean, no Sexual suggestions that I bought the movie on DVD.

I've heard a lot about Fireproof, but my wife and I haven't had a chance to see it yet. It's supposed to be an excellent Christian film. Buying the DVD is a good idea.