Thank you Paramount for providing us access to a digital screener to review!

Secret Headquarters begins with a picture-perfect (Kincaid) family of three on a camping trip together. Just as the mother is about to play some acoustic guitar by the campfire, there’s an explosion in the night sky and a ship comes tumbling down a couple of miles away from their location. Since they’re in the middle of nowhere, the father (Owen Wilson), drives down to the crash site to offer assistance.

Upon arriving at the crash site, Mr. Kincaid finds a wounded pilot near the wreckage of a U.F.O. Near the alien ship is a hovering orb that rejects the military officer as its new owner, but accepts Mr. Kincaid as becoming its new guardian.

This alien artifact allows its owner to see futuristic events and produces energy far beyond any means available on Earth. The orb also creates structures and useful gadgets surpassing anything humanity can presently do. With this new technology, Mr. Kincaid becomes a superhero named The Guard who travels around the world at supersonic speed to stop crime. With great superpowers comes great sacrifices. The time commitment of saving the world from crime costs Mr. Kincaid his family as his wife files for divorce and their son hardly has a relationship with him anymore because of all of his “business trips”.

Thank you Cinergy for providing us with dinner and a movie! My husband and I had the pleasure of visiting the newly opened Cinergy Dine-In Cinema in Wheeling, Illinois. We got to dine on $4.99 Sour Patch Kids Candy, a $14.49 Kong Burger, and a $13.49 BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger while watching Thor: Love and Thunder. We sparingly drank our fountain drinks to avoid mid-movie bathroom visits, but refills are easily requested via a QR code menu if we needed more. Cocktails, wine, and beer are also available if you’re 21 or older. If you do find yourself needing to use the restroom, they are modern looking with a marble finish that goes floor to ceiling.

There’s more than just movies at Cinergy. Patrons 18 and older can enjoy pool and/or shuffleboard for $12/hour. In the future, they plan on adding attractions at this location for younger audiences to enjoy. Other Cinergy locations offer VR, bowling, and laser tag so those are within the realm of possibilities. When other entertainment possibilities become available, so will the option of hosting birthday parties and private screenings.

Thank you RLJE Films for sending us a Blu-ray to review!

I Am Mortal takes place 213 years into the future in the year 2235. According to this film, mankind pretty much dresses the same way (in the 2020s) and occasionally reads paperback books still. It’s assumed that humanity has been through some devastating warfare as the main city is in a domed environment and much of the Earth’s surface is barren. The main character, Logos, is a terraforming engineer trying to restore the land to its pre-devastated state.

Humanity’s leader refers to himself as “The Pilot” and he believes that God is a fantasy and that free will is undesirable. His gods are science and technology and he has discovered a way to modify people’s genes and wipes their memory if they defy his orders. In order to fit into The Pilot’s society, people must take a daily medication called “maintenance” that keeps them compliant and suppresses their critical thinking abilities.

When The Pilot deems people to be at their peak, he grants them the opportunity to become immortal in exchange for their service and compliance. Logos is days away from his gift of immortality, but he’s not looking forward to it as much as he thinks he should be. Sensing Logos’ hesitation, a group of rebels contact him to let him know that he’s not alone. The resistance group meets in an abandoned church and wants to tamper with the maintenance medication to let humanity know that God has a purpose for them and that they are intended to die in order to truly live.

We recently moved and for some crazy reason, we decided to stay in Illinois which has a variety of weather conditions. After being in our house for a couple of months, we realized that the outdoor faucet needed to be replaced. Two plumber calls later, it was replaced. The first plumber was trying to overcharge us so always get multiple quotes for work! $375 later (and $300 less than our first quote), we had a new faucet installed.

With a shiny new faucet installed, we should protect it from the elements to help it last longer. Thankfully, faucet covers like the Toovren Outdoor Faucet Cover is inexpensive and super easy to install.

Thank you Lionsgate for sending us this Blu-ray to review!

American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story is based on a true and remarkable story. Kurt Warner is considered the NFL’s greatest undrafted player. Kurt was inspired by Joe Montana’s Superbowl XIX performance and actually broke his record in Super Bowl XXIV. However, it took him a long time to get into the NFL.

During college, Kurt spent four years on the bench because the coach there didn’t like his playing style. I’m not savvy on football terms, but apparently Kurt didn’t stay in the pocket enough. When he did play, he did extremely well.

While in college, Kurt met Brenda, a divorced mother of two with one of them being blind. Their relationship had highs and lows and Kurt had to prove that he was going to treat her better than her ex-husband. Eventually Kurt got noticed by the Green Bay Packers, but only lasted two days in their training camp.

Thank you 20th Century Studios for sending us a Blu-ray to review!

The King’s Man is a prequel to Kingsman: The Secret Service and Kingsman 2: The Golden Circle. This origin story takes place in 1902 with Orlando (the Duke of Oxford), his wife, Emily, and their son, Conrad, supplying provisions through the Red Cross. A marksman’s bullet takes the life of Emily and wounds the Duke’s leg. Before she dies, Emily makes Orlando promise that their young son won’t see warfare again.

Fast forward twelve years during World War I and Conrad is a strapping young teenager and instead of pursuing females, he wants to jump into the battlefield to protect his country. The Duke has high-ranking military official friends who can only deter Conrad so much. In a last-ditch effort to convince him that there are other ways to save the country instead of being on the battlefield, the Duke takes Conrad on an undercover mission to assassinate Grigori Rasputin. Though the mission was successful, it didn’t change Conrad’s mind and he enlists anyway.

Thank you MGM for sending us a Blu-ray to review!

My family saw the first computer animated Addams Family movie in the theaters in 2019. The film was mildly entertaining, but mostly a disappointment. I’m happy to report that overall we found this sequel to be better than the original movie on many fronts.

The Addams Family 2 begins at Wednesday’s science festival which has many uninspiring science projects including the typical baking soda volcano. Wednesday’s entry is quite fascinating as it transfers the intelligence of her octopus, Socrates, into her Uncle Fester. When it comes time to announcing the winner of the science fair, Wednesday is visibly disappointed when everyone is given a participation trophy. The professor takes note of her disappointment and consoles her while asking for her data so he can improve upon her work. Wednesday tells him it’s a family secret.

Gomez Addams also takes note of his daughter’s disappointment, but she rebuffs any attention and consolation he offers her. In an effort to strengthen the family bonds, Gomez and Morticia decide that a family road trip is in order. Instead of bringing the family closer, a wedge is further driven between Wednesday and her family. Apparently, she discovers a mix-up of babies at the hospital she was born in and wonders if she is even an Addams.

We’ve been running this niche site for over twenty years now.  We do have some paid reviewers, but many like my husband and I are still volunteer.  We’re blessed to have our basic expenses like server hosting fees covered by the generosity of Patreon and Paypal supporters.   Our paid reviewers get a small sum of $25 per review, which is more of a gesture of appreciation than a sustainable living wage.  

This month, my husband’s employer gave him an ultimatum to be vaccinated or unemployed come February.  Given that we have natural immunity from recovering from covid, we feel that his mandate is both unnecessary and unconstitutional.  With a potential job loss in the near future, we have to evaluate our financial situation.  My husband and I both work since this site doesn’t generate much income.   We’re happy to keep it running as we see it as a worthwhile ministry to help parents and Christians determine which games are suitable for their family. 

We’ve recently been blessed with over 3,000 Twitch followers.  With a milestone like that comes opportunities.  This week we’ve been offered a sponsorship opportunity for Raid Shadow Legends which I realize is a meme at this point.  With that said, it’s hard to turn down an extra $150 when the site typically brings in $400/month.  Would we be selling out to do streams of this nature?   Other Streaming opportunities from Daredrop and Compassion International hit my mailbox this week as well so I’ll be looking into those.

Currently, YouTube and Twitch streams do not provide us with any income. We have yet to get a payout from either platform.  We really appreciate our Patreon, Ko-Fi, and Paypal donators.  We still have yet to get our first Subscribestar supporter.  As a way of saying thanks to them, we’ll be posting a game giveaway code every day this month.  Thanks for your encouragement and support!    

Thank you PBS for sending us the season one Blu-ray!

All Creatures Great & Small starts off in Glasgow, Scotland in the 1930s. The main character is James Herriot who wishes to become a veterinarian instead of having to do manual labor to make ends meet. Just when all of the nearby opportunities fizzled out, he receives a letter for an interview in Yorkshire Dales. After travelling hours by train and bus, he’s coldly greeted by the owner of the practice, Siegfried Farnon. The housekeeper, Mrs. Hall, insists that Siegfried gives James a chance.

James almost loses his job on the first night as the townsfolk pressure him to try their local ale and discovered that he can’t hold his liquor. Despite some blunders, James proves that he is hard working and more than capable of caring for the town’s pets and farm animals alike. Throughout the seven episodes of season one, you’ll see animals being born, operated on, and euthanized. If you’re squeamish, you’ll want to turn away during those scenes.

Siegfried has a brother, Tristian, who wishes to enter the veterinary field but is more interested in partying and pursuing women than studying. When Tristian is in town, both him and James try to earn Siegfried’s favor which is no easy task.

Here’s our 2021 Christmas buying guide! Below are our favorite gadgets and family appropriate titles we have played throughout the year. More reviews can be found on ChristCenteredGamer.com! Each game is given a gameplay score for the overall gaming experience and a moral score for how suitable it is for younger gamers. The Amazon and Humble Store links will benefit Christ Centered Gamer by giving us a small % of the sale.

Here’s a quick break down of each product:

Thank you NoSweat for sending us review samples of hat, face shield, and visor liners!

NoSweat is based in Minnetonka Minnesota and all of their sports-themed liners are manufactured in America. All thirty-one NHL teams are using their products on a regular basis. In addition to the NHL, athletes in the NFL, MLB, PGA, and WTA use NoSweat inserts consistently too.

NoSweat has products for baseball, biking, football, golf, hardhats, hockey, lacrosse, tennis, and even VR headsets! If you’re a fan of their stuff you can advertise for them by wearing branded t-shirts, hats, and using their thermos’ offered on their web store.  

Out of the samples sent our way, the only set I was able to use were the ones designed for baseball hats. I don’t own any face shields or visors. I have a couple of lighter-colored hats that have unsightly brownish stained front liners since I haven’t used any liners previously. It’s worth noting that these liners are only designed to be used three to five times apiece.

Thank you MGM for sending us access to a digital version of the film to watch!

My family saw the first computer animated Addams Family movie in the theaters in 2019. The film was mildly entertaining, but mostly a disappointment. I’m happy to report that overall we found this sequel to be better than the original movie on many fronts.

The Addams Family 2 begins at Wednesday’s science festival which has many uninspiring science projects including the typical baking soda volcano. Wednesday’s entry is quite fascinating as it transfers the intelligence of her octopus, Socrates, into her Uncle Fester. When it comes time to announcing the winner of the science fair, Wednesday is visibly disappointed when everyone is given a participation trophy. The professor takes note of her disappointment and consoles her while asking for her data so he can improve upon her work. Wednesday tells him it’s a family secret.

Gomez Addams also takes note of his daughter’s disappointment, but she rebuffs any attention and consolation he offers her. In an effort to strengthen the family bonds, Gomez and Morticia decide that a family road trip is in order. Instead of bringing the family closer, a wedge is further driven between Wednesday and her family. Apparently she discovers a mix-up of babies at the hospital she was born in and wonders if she is even an Addams.

Thank you DreamWorks for sending us a Blu-ray to review!

This film takes place thirty years after the previous one and all of the babies have grown up now. Tim is a stay at home dad with an over-active imagination. His mega-successful brother, Ted (the star in the previous movie) is a busy CEO and showers Tim’s family with lavish gifts instead of his presence at holidays. Tim’s second grader daughter, Tabitha, is growing up and no longer finds his antics humorous. Tim is afraid that they are growing apart. The youngest daughter, Tina, is an agent at Baby Corp. The school that Tabitha attends may be part of the reason that she is growing distant from her dad. In order to investigate matters Tim and his brother Ted must infiltrate the school as youths.

In his youthful form, Tim goes by Marcos Lightspeed and befriends his daughter. She confides in him and he learns her true feelings about him. Marcos/Tim and Ted also learn about an evil plan that will allow babies to rule the world without their parents getting in their way. Despite their years apart, Tim and Ted must set aside their differences and work together to save the world.

The main theme of this movie is that just because people grow up doesn’t mean they have to grow apart. That’s a great message. From an appropriateness standpoint, it’s worth noting that you’ll see some butts. There are a couple of moments where Ted is naked, but there are objects conveniently placed that prevent seeing anything between his legs. Many computer animated films are promoting the LGBTQ agenda and I did see a rainbow bumper sticker on one of the cars.

Thank you Algora Publishing for sending us this book to review!

Throughout the highs and lows of life, most Christians turn to the Bible for wisdom and guidance. The book of Proverbs has so much great advice from one of the wisest people to have walked this Earth (King Solomon). Civilization’s Quotations: Life’s Ideal has many wonderful quotes from various famous people and religious figures like Abraham Lincoln, Aristotle, Buddha, Churchill, Confucius, Einstein, Emerson, Gandhi, Pascal, Socrates, and more. Some Bible verses make it into this publication as well.

The table of contents is broken down by topics that you may be seeking wisdom on. Are you planning on getting married? If so, you can find some advice ranging from “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing” Proverbs 18:22 to “There are no premature babies, only delayed weddings.”-- American proverb

We all have different views on the state of the world. Here are a couple of quotes from this book: “Nothing is certain in this world except uncertainty.” – Old proverb and “We brought nothing into this world and it is certain we carry nothing out.” 1 Timothy 6:7

Thank you Crowder Music for sending us a digital album to review!

I first heard of David Crowder Band when they played for the youth group (I was a leader) at Harvest Bible Chapel. This was around the time of their Can You Hear Us album which I highly recommend if you haven’t listened to it yet. Their music ranged from alternative rock to bluegrass and everything in between. I was heartbroken when the band broke up, but am happy to hear that the members are still making music. Since the breakup, I have bought albums from the previous band members, The Digital Age, along with David Crowder’s records that go by Crowder Music.

Crowder Music’s latest album Milk & Honey is pure gold as there are no bad tracks in my opinion. The first song, “Good God Almighty”, has a title that I’m so used to hearing as a blaspheme but it’s wonderful to hear it in a good context. This is a very uplifting and powerful hymn. “In the House” has a pop feel to it, but it’s got a great message about God’s love and peace that He offers. “He Is” has a nice blend of piano and a tiny bit of country. The title song “Milk & Honey” has bluegrass roots and is quite catchy.

Higher Power is something I would expect to hear at a Christian dance club. Sweet Jesus takes things in a whole different direction with a smooth pop vibe that reminds me of something Usher would sing. God Really Loves Us is a beautiful piano ballad praising God’s love for us. Who’s Gonna Stop The King is a pop hymn that gives God the glory He deserves. Better Than Sunshine has a melody that reminds me of something that I would hear on a paradise island. Glory, Glory (God Is Able) has a 1920’s sound to it that’s bound to get your foot stomping to the beat. Hallelujah For Every Broken Heart sings about seeking God when all else is lost. This song mostly consists of piano and clapping. The final track, The Anchor is another piano-driven tune that sings about God being our hope in tough times.

Thank you Flexclip for providing us with a one-year business membership!

There are many programs available for editing movie clips. My kids laugh at me for still using Microsoft’s Moviemaker software for editing our YouTube videos. Flexclip was developed by PearlMountain Limited and have over three million worldwide users and nearly four hundred thousand registered accounts. Over six hundred thousand videos have been made/downloaded using their online tools.

Through the website, you can create a video for free and use various tools including their converter, trimmer, compressor, and recorder. In total, there are four plans available and they all have different features and limitations. The Free plan allows one stock (premade) video and twelve projects. This plan is limited by 480p SD downloads and the video length can’t exceed one minute. The freely made videos will have a FlexClip intro on them. The $5.99/month Basic plan lets you make three-minute 720p HD movies. There is still a one stock video limitation, but you can have an unlimited number of projects.

The Plus plan is $9.99 a month and allows you to use five stock videos and they can be up to ten minutes in length. The videos are offered in Full-HD 1080p. Like the previous plan, you can have an unlimited number of projects.

Thank you Materia Collective for sending us this digital album to review!

It’s no secret that I love the music from Undertale and have reviewed many different renditions of the songs from this game. If you enjoyed Ferdk’s interpretations of Battle Against a True Hero, Hopes and Dreams, and Spider Dance, you’ll want to hear Ro Panuganti’s versions in this album. I was impressed with Ro Panuganti’s Pokemon album, Metal Trainer, and looked forward to his progressive metal take on Undertale. While it doesn’t dethrone String Player Gamer’s version as my favorite, it’s still a solid album.

Fallen Hero has 24 tracks with the guitar being the most dominant instrument used. You’ll still hear drums, keyboard, violin, and other percussion instruments too. All of the songs were instantly recognizable and brought back fond memories of playing this game.

Here’s a full track list:

1. Once Upon a Time 02:25

2. Fallen Down 01:12

3. Ruins 03:25

4. Enemy Approaching 02:52

5. Ghost Fight 02:10

6. Home 03:26

7. Heartache 04:58

8. Snowy 03:38

9. Bonetrousle 02:49

10. Waterfall 03:31

11. Run! 03:01

12. Spear of Justice 03:39

13. Battle Against a True Hero 05:30

14. Metal Crusher 02:15

15. Another Medium 06:00

16. Spider Dance 02:33

17. Oh! One True Love 01:35

18. Dogsong 02:43

19. Death by Glamour 05:11

20. Bergentrückung 01:16

21. ASGORE 04:23

22. Your Best Nightmare 06:11

23. Hopes and Dreams 06:00

24. MEGALOVANIA 04:56

Thank you From Gamers Magazine (published by Guidefall) for sending us a digital copy to review!

From Gamers Magazine was successfully Kickstarted in April of 2021 and the inaugural issue was released in May and physically shipped out in June. The funds received from the Kickstarter cover the costs of making two issues and the next one is set to release later this year.

The goal of From Gamers Magazine is to prolong the lifespan of printed gaming media while bringing back the passionate voice of gamers that is no longer present in other media outlets. From what I’ve read of this 56-page magazine, I think they’re living up to these goals.

Along with crediting the Kickstarter backers, you can expect to find a few ads promoting various games, gaming magazines, and podcasts. You’ll also find insightful previews, reviews, and opinion pieces. There are informative articles that talk about the history of Far Cry and opinionated articles on how to improve the Halo series going forward and a list of game franchises to bring back. I like how the articles have QR codes to scan to view official trailers for the games being discussed.

Thank you Lizard Skins for sending us review samples!

Lizard Skins was founded in 1993 and their initial focus was making handlebar grips and long finger gloves for use in mountain biking. Since then, they have branched off into baseball, hockey, lacrosse and most recently, video game accessory grips. We were recently blessed with the opportunity to review PS4, Switch, and Xbox One controller grips. We were also sent a 4” x 6” cut to fit sheet which can be used to add grips to your mouse or anything else you want a better grip on.

The controller grips are pre-cut and are relatively easy to install. Each package includes an alcohol wipe packet and illustrated instructions. The cut to fit sheet includes a grid transfer sheet so you can trace and cut the grip as needed.

When applying the grips you’ll have to pay close attention to making sure that air bubbles are not being formed in the process. The product is pretty forgiving and lets you re-align it a few times without losing its stickiness. During my unboxing video I realized that I placed a grip on the wrong side of the controller and was able to remove and re-apply it without any issues. Naturally, I edited that mistake out of the video.