Aaah, my all-time favorite children’s book is now a movie. Where the Wild Things Are, based on the classic storybook by Maurice Sendak, is scheduled for release on October 16, 2009. Here’s the trailer.

(Video length: 2:05)

Yesterday in church we viewed one of my all time favorite mission videos: The Taliabo Story. The Taliabo Story tells the story of how God used two New Tribes Mission families to bring the gospel to an unreached people group in Indonesia.

Stephen & Mary Lonetti and Darryl & Kyla Palmer went to live with the Taliabo people in order to share Christ with them. After four years of learning the Taliabo language and culture, they began to share with them the “great story,” beginning with God and creation in Genesis.

Working chronologically forward through the Old Testament, they taught them key concepts about God, man, sin, death, judgment, mercy, and grace. All of this was in preparation to teach them about Christ. After six months of teaching, they were finally ready to share with them about Christ’s death and resurrection. You will just have to watch the video to see what happened then!

Do you have a favorite missions video? Share about it in the comments. (You can purchase The Taliabo Story along with its sequel on DVD here: The Taliabo Story and Delivered from Darkness DVD.)

Click here for more Missions related posts.

Related post: Don Carson’s Overview of the Bible

Here’s a first look at the new Star Trek Enterprise.

[Director] Abrams wanted to take the original TV-series Enterprise and the movie-franchise Enterprise and fuse them together into a new yet familiar Enterprise. His ambition was a ship that felt very realistic, that could stand up to today’s F/X standards — and beyond.

Originally slated for a December 2008 release, the new Star Trek movie is now scheduled to release in the United States on May 8, 2009. The first trailer will arrive this Friday, attached to the new James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace.

HT: FilmChat (which posts pictures of the Enterprise all the way from the TV’s pilot episode right up to the new movie)

Here’s the trailer for the new Pixar movie Up, releasing May 29, 2009. The trailer doesn’t grab me a whole lot (except for the montage at the beginning), but then neither did the trailer for The Incredibles, and I ended up loving the movie. In fact, I have yet to see a Pixar movie I didn’t like. How about you?

In this “coming of old age” story, a seventysomething hero, alongside his clueless wilderness ranger sidekick, travels the globe, fighting beasts and villains, and eating dinner at 3:30 in the afternoon. (HT: Trailer Addict)

The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding has put together a new guide to help teens evaluate the media in their lives. The guide is called: How To Use Your Head To Guard Your Heart: A 3(D) Guide To Making Responsible Media Choices.

The 3(D) Guide allows you to teach your students how to move from being “mindless consumers” of media, to an approach of “mindful critique” as they learn how to filter all media through the lens of a Christian worldview. Because teenagers are at a developmental stage where intellectual and cognitive abilities are taking shape, the 3(D) Guide is a tool that allows adults to walk alongside students as they begin to develop the ability to think for themselves.

The 3(D) Guide teaches students 3 Media Evaluation Steps:

1. Discover: Discover the message and worldview communicated in the piece of media.
2. Discern: Evaluate attitudes, values, behaviors, beliefs and worldview elements in light of God’s Word.
3. Decide: Make God-honoring decisions regarding their media use, consumption, and habits.

This looks like great material for youth groups, small groups or youth retreats. The cost is $15 for a pack of 10. You can download a free leaders guide here. You can also download a free media survey to get a handle on how your teens utilize media in their lives.

HT: Stand to Reason

Related posts: Taming Technology in the Home series

I had hoped to see the movie Fireproof this weekend but could not find it in any of the local theaters. According to the news it did quite well, debuting at no. 4 over the weekend with a gross of $6.5 million dollars, the second highest debut this year for a film released on 1,000 screens or less.

Here are some links and reviews:

Christian Post: ‘Fireproof’ Debuts at No. 4

The movie, produced by church-based ministry Sherwood Pictures, tells the inspiring story of a fireman and his struggle to save his faltering marriage from ending with his newfound faith and with the help of the “Love Dare,” a 40-day spiritual guide that utilizes Scripture to reveal what true love is.

New York Times: Fireproof (2008)

“Fireproof” may not be the most profound movie ever made, but it does have its commendable elements, including that rarest of creatures on the big (or small) screen: characters with a strong, conservative Christian faith who don’t sound crazy.

Christianity Today: Fireproof (See also Peter Chattaway at FilmChat)

After a shaky start and a steady middle, the film ends on a genuinely moving note that didn’t quite have me in tears, but still got me where it counts, both times I saw the film. With this, the folks at Sherwood Baptist Church have made their most impressive movie yet.

Good News Film Reviews: Fireproof Rakes in the Cash

In my original view of the trailer I claimed this looked like “another groan-inducing, half-baked flick that begs to be ridiculed.” It still looks like that to me, but apparently I may be in the minority here.

Boundless: Watching Fireproof

You know what? Despite the film’s “poor production values,” I found my heart elevated by the story. I adjusted my expectations based on the limitations placed on the film crew because of the available expertise and technology, and was able to engage the story to my benefit. (Note: You must read this one for context. It is not what you think it is.)

So, have any of you seen Fireproof yet? What did you think?

Related post: Kirk Cameron: “I’ll Only Kiss My Wife”

Check out the amazing Lego NXT Autonomous Wall-E Robot built by a member of the Trossen Robotics Community Forums.

(Video length: 1:18)

Creator bazmark writes:

He is entirely made of Lego parts and Lego NXT Mindstorms Robotic System for brains, he is fully automated and animated and programed using Labview’s NXT-G software. I have built many prototype before coming to this final revision (wall-e rev.3)

Technical specs:
    – 1 Mindstorms NXT with rechargable pack,
    – 3 Lego NXT Servo Motors,
    – 4 Lego PowerFonctions motors,
    – 2 PF IR receiver,
    – 1 UltraSonic sensor,
    – 1 Sound sensor,
    – 1 InfraRed link sensor (HiTechnic),
    – 1 NXTservo module,
    – 1 mini RC servo (Mindsensors),
    – 10 AA batteries,
    – Lego parts mainly from the Bulldozer set #8275, and
    – other parts from various technic sets.

Related post: 6 WALL·E Video Vignettes

The script for Kirk Cameron’s new movie, Fireproof, called for Kirk’s character to kiss the actress playing his wife in the movie. There was just one problem. Cameron refuses to kiss any woman except for his real-life wife.

“I have a commitment not to kiss any other woman,” the former child star of “Growing Pains” told Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford Monday on TODAY in New York.

To get around the conflict, the filmmakers employed a bit of movie magic, Cameron explained. They dressed his wife, actress Chelsea Noble, like the movie’s female lead and shot the scene in silhouette.

“So when I’m kissing my wife, we’re actually husband and wife honoring marriage behind the scenes,” Cameron said as Gifford and Kotb melted from the romanticism of the moment.

Fireproof opens in theaters this Friday, September 26th. You can learn more about the movie at the Fireproof website. Click here to find theaters and show times near you. (Note: Fireproof was made by the same group that produced Facing the Giants in 2006.)

Why so serious? Here is a classic scene from the 1966 Batman movie starring Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and Robin.

“Some days you just can’t get rid of a bomb!”
(Video length: 2:33)

See related posts:

• Little Batman
• Batman The Dark Knight Lego and 1966 Trailers

I have been a Batman fan for as long as I can remember, so I am really looking forward to The Dark Knight, the follow-up to the Batman Begins movie from 2005. The Dark Knight comes out in theaters July 18. Here is the two-minute trailer for the movie, masterfully re-created with Legos. (Video length: 2:09)

And here is the trailer re-created with clips from the 1966 Batman
movie starring Adam West. (Video length: 2:07)

HT: Neatorama and Looking Closer

See related posts:

• Little Batman
• Batman Gets Rid of a Bomb
• 15 Movies to See in 2008

Here are six video vignettes starring WALL·E the robot from the upcoming Pixar film, WALL·E.  WALL·E comes out in movie theaters on June 27.

                                            Magnet

 

                                          Headphones

 

Click below for four more WALL·E video vignettes (Hula Hoop, Bouncy Balls, Fire Hydrant, and Vacuum Cleaner).

(more…)

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian opens in theaters on Friday, May 16. In order to whet your appetite, I will be counting down the fifteen days to the movie by sharing a favorite selection from each of the fifteen chapters of C. S. Lewis’ masterful book, Prince Caspian. (Warning: Plot spoilers ahead! But if you haven’t read the book, you should really read it before going to see the movie anyways!) Here goes — let’s count down to Caspian!

From Chapter 1: The Island

It was an empty, sleepy, country station and there was hardly anyone on the platform except themselves. Suddenly Lucy gave a sharp little cry, like someone who has been stung by a wasp.

“What’s up, Lu?” said Edmund — and then suddenly broke off and made a noise like “Ow!”

“What on earth — ” began Peter, and then he too suddenly changed what he had been going to say. Instead, he said, “Susan, let go! What are you doing? Where are you dragging me to?”

“I’m not touching you,” said Susan. “Someone is pulling me. Oh — oh — oh — stop it!”

Everyone noticed that all the others’ faces had gone very white.

“I felt just the same,” said Edmund in a breathless voice. “As if I were being dragged along. A most frightful pulling — ugh! it’s beginning aain.”

“Me too,” said Lucy. “Oh, I can’t bear it.”

“Look sharp!” shouted Edmund. “All catch hands and keep together. This is magic — I can tell by the feeling. Quick!”

Thoughts:  This is a great opening scene. Lewis wastes no time but pulls you right into the story, as effectively as the children are pulled into Narnia from the railway station. Get ready to enjoy the ride! (Thoughts? Comments? Do you have a favorite scene or quote from chapter one?)

All the Countdown Posts:  Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

Click here for more Narnia and Caspian related posts.
Click here for Narnia sermon series.