Thank you Ascot Media Group for providing us with a screener to view!The Invisible Everywhere is an AI-generated movie made by Dr. Michael Guillén who has Ph.D.'s in physics, math, and astronomy from Cornell University. He taught physics at Harvard and was the science editor at ABC news. It's an understatement to say that his life revolved ar...

Thank you Cinergy Entertainment for providing us with two tickets for dinner and a movie!We're not too far from the Cinergy Dine-In Cinema in Wheeling, Illinois. It's super convenient to order food from the comfort of your chair and the staff will bring your meal right to you! On the opening day of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Cinergy was hosting ...

There are moments in life when we all need encouragement. Whether facing personal struggles, uncertainty about the future, or simply the weight of everyday responsibilities, inspiration can make a powerful difference. For many viewers, inspiring Christian movies provide that much-needed sense of hope and reassurance. Through meaningful storytelling...

Entertainment is a big part of everyday life. Movies help people relax, unwind, and escape the pressures of work, family, and responsibilities. Yet not all entertainment leaves viewers feeling fulfilled. Many people are becoming more intentional about what they watch and why. This is one of the main reasons people choose to watch Christian movies. ...

Being an informed parent and trying to find quality shows and movies for your children to watch in the modern age is hard. Gone are the days of mindless cartoon violence and slapstick comedy; here are the days of culture war and agenda-driven programming. Speaking from personal experience, when you find a show that not only is free and clear of que...

Light of the World is a 2D animated film released by Salvation Poem Project, which is a non-profit studio that produces high-quality resources for ministries, missionaries, and fellow believers. Their projects are distributed in twenty-five countries and are translated into nearly one hundred different languages. Better yet, many of their products ...

Thank you Lion Forge Entertainment for providing us with a screener to review!Iyanu: The Age of Wonders is based off of the graphic novel series Iyanu: Child of Wonder which takes place in a Yoruba (West African)-inspired world. The cartoon series recently completed its first season and is comprised of ten episodes; season two has been announc...

Thank you Abramorama for providing us with a screener link to watch!The Short Game is coming to theaters in August 2025. This is not the only film with that name as there's a similarly titled documentary about 7- to 8-year old golfers which was released in 2013. This film tells the story about a high school senior named Jeremy Avery. His passion is...

I'm going to immediately preface this movie review right now and advise that you don't take children under 12 to see Sketch. While it does have some impressive CGI visuals, the scary elements overpower the film more than I had expected compared to what the trailers showed. The designs of the creatures in the movie are nightmarish for younger audien...

Thank you Cinergy for providing us with to two tickets for entry and two bottles of water!Two years ago, we checked out the Wheeling Cinergy Cinema when they first opened . The Dine-In experience is still revolutionary where you can scan a QR code that's unique to your seat and your meal is delivered directly to you. The menu has changed since we l...

Thank you Picture House or sending us a screener to watch!Leap of Faith is an hour and twenty-six minute long documentary about Christian conflict transformation. The Colossian Forum has gathered together twelve pastors in the Grand Rapids area and the only thing in common about them is their geographic location. Various ages, genders, races and ho...

Thank you iMemories for digitizing our twenty-five year old wedding VHS tapes!IMemories has been around for over twenty years and has over one million customers. After checking out their service first hand, I can see why they have such a happy clientele. If you have 8mm film, 16mm film, super 8 film or VHS, Betamax, Hi8, Digital 8, MiniDV, MicroMin...

Thank you Balboa Productions for providing us with a screener link to watch the film!Lost on a Mountain in Maine is based off of a 2013 book documenting the true story about a twelve-year-old boy named Donn who was lost on Mt. Katahdin for nine days. This happened in 1939 where there were no cell phones, air tags, GPS, or any easy way to locate los...

Thank you House of Grace Studios for providing us with a screener to view the movie!Disciples in the Moonlight takes place in the near future where the Bible is outlawed. The government is promoting a watered down version called the "Truth Bible" that has no hate speech in it. A Bible Buyback program is in place to collect and destroy the Word of G...

Thank you Lionsgate Home Entertainment for sending us a Blu-ray copy to review!Arthur the King is based off of the true story of a pro adventure racer named Michael Light. Pro adventure racers traverse over four hundred miles on dangerous terrain in a ten-day time-span. For context, an Ironman competition is 140 miles. Michael has done multiple adv...

Thank you Paramount for sending us this Blu-Ray to review!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was popular when I was a teenager. Despite (mostly) growing out of toys and cartoons, I would still make excuses to watch this show with my brother. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem makes some changes to the characters, but there are many familiar faces. Like Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, April O’Neil is a woman of color. The main villain, Superfly (voiced by Ice Cube) is new to the series.

The movie begins with a scientist, Baxter Stockman working on his mutants in an underground lab. His work didn’t go unnoticed and his lab is trashed. Before his demise, he sends some of his green glowing ooze into the New York City sewers. As luck would have it, four turtles and a rat came into contact with it and grew to be as big as humans.

Unfortunately, these mutants are not accepted by humans and the few interactions with them have been scarring. Splinter (voiced by Jackie Chan) has taught the turtles martial arts so they can defend themselves if needed. He also taught them that humans are “demon scum” and should not be interacted with. The turtles stealthily rob convenience stores on a regular basis to sustain themselves. There’s a bit of brand placement as they have some peculiar tastes.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem has an overarching theme of acceptance. That’s what most of these mutants want. Sadly, some are misguided on how to get it. I love how many of the bad guys are swayed against annihilating the human race (despite their flaws). Prejudice is shown in a negative light, which is a good thing. Language is present in this film including words like pee, hell, d*mn, and OMG is spelled out numerous times. Lastly, there's a pride club poster displayed in the local high school that April O'Neil attends.

The art style is really unique with a gritty 2.5D feel to it. The voices and mannerisms of the turtles are different than the animated series. Whether you’re new to the series or a veteran, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is worth watching. Just keep in mind that it has more language than the TV show. Be sure to wait for the after credits scene which reveals the next villain!

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Thank you Angel Studios for sending us a screener to review this film!

Angel Funding has raised funds to support many Christian projects like The Chosen and The Sound of Freedom. The Shift is their most recent successfully backed film and it’s due for release on December 1st. A nearly twenty-one minute short film version is available to watch on their website. The full-length movie has a different cast of which I recognized Sean Aston as the character Gabriel and Neal McDonough as The Benefactor.

The Shift takes place in 2008 during the real estate market meltdown and the main character, Kevin, is deeply impacted by it. Because of his line of work, many blame him for the crash. While watching the negative news coverage at a hotel bar, he is approached by a woman named Molly who is dared by her friends to hit on him. She does cheer him up slightly, and predicts their romance and trials and tries to back down saying it’s not worth the effort. Kevin doesn’t give up as she is the only thing keeping him going.

Kevin and Molly get married, have a child, and go through some good and some tough times together. Later on after having an argument with his boss, Kevin is dismissed early from work and heads home. While talking to his wife on the ride back, he gets into a car accident and wakes up to The Benefactor standing in front of him. The problem is that Kevin is not in the same world/timeline as before. The Benefactor has the capability of shifting people to different parallel universes. While The Benefactor has the power to shift people, he lacks the ability to be present in all of the parallel universes. He is seeking help in securing his control throughout the different timelines. The Benefactor sets his sights on Kevin. The only difference is that this version of Kevin is reluctant to join forces with him.

Kevin just wants to be reunited with his wife. Not just any Molly, but HIS Molly. He searches for five or more years while travelling to different universes to locate her whereabouts. While being stuck in a particular universe for a while, he takes on odd jobs and smuggles the Gospel to those who need to hear its message. The hard work takes a toll on his health and some of his close friends tell Kevin to give up on God. Kevin presses on despite having the odds stacked against him.

The Shift is a modern sci-fi twist on the book of Job. While it doesn’t have the same budget or level of special effects as AAA films, it tells an interesting story that will make you question what you would do in a similar situation. Would your faith survive hardships and trials? Job and Kevin are both good examples of keeping one’s faith in God despite the world crumbling around them. What would you do if you were in their shoes?

I don’t recall any language, but there is blood, violence, and death. Sex outside of marriage is alluded to, but not shown. Not all of the Kevins in the parallel universes are monogamous. The Shift is not rated, but I would guess it would receive a PG or PG-13 rating. If you’re interested in a sci-fi retelling of a Biblical story, check out The Shift in theaters next month!

Thank you Fan Expo for providing me with a press pass for the event!

Fan Expo is formerly known as Wizard World and has not changed much when it comes to bringing in talented film and voice actors along with renowned comic book artists.  You can attend question and answer sessions for free, but autographs, pictures and selfies have hefty fees.  This year’s themed movies stars come from Back to the Future (Michael J Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Tom Wilson) and the National Lampoon series (Randy Quaid, Christie Brinkley).    Unfortunately, Chevy Chase canceled along with Christina Ricci (Addams Family) and Brent Spiner (Star Trek). 

Many voice actors are present from popular anime shows like One Piece (Colleen CLinkenbeard, Christopher Sabat, Luci Christian, Ian Sinclair) , Avatar (Dante Basco), and My Hero Academia (David Matranga, Justin Briner, Clifford Chapin).  We have seen Mario’s voice actor, Charles Martinet at multiple Fan Expo/Wizard World events and he’s here as well.  Fans had an opportunity to play Mario Kart with him.  There are some themed areas for younger audiences, but many areas and artwork shown are intended for adults.  

Thank you Lionsgate for sending us this DVD to review!

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. is the film adaptation of Judy Blume’s classic children’s novel that was published in 1970. I haven't read the book so I can't compare how well this movie represents it. The main character is an eleven-year-old girl named Margaret Simon. After arriving home from summer camp, she discovers that she’s moving out of New York city. She doesn’t want to move and be away from her friends and her grandmother, Sylvia (Kathy Bates). In desperation, Margaret introduces herself to God and asks Him to intervene and prevent the move if possible.

Upon arriving at their new house, Margaret is quickly introduced to an outgoing neighborhood girl named Nancy Wheeler. Nancy inducts Margaret into their secret club where they talk about boys, breasts (or lack thereof), and getting their periods. They compare bust sizes and use Margaret’s dad’s Playboy magazine for a reference. While photographic nudity isn’t shown, there is a scene where they look at a diagram of male genitalia.

Most of the girls in the club have a crush on the same boy in their class. Margaret is smitten with a different boy that mows their lawn. She took notice and seems to be attracted to the fact that he has armpit hair.

During their sixth grade school year, the students have to do a research paper and Margaret’s is on religion. She comes from a mixed household with her mom being raised Christian and then outcast for marrying a Jew. Her parents decided to let Margaret make her own choices when it comes to religion. For her research project, she went to synagogue with her grandmother and three different Christian denominations with her friends.

Upon seeing her family argue over religion, Margaret decides that it’s not for her. Does she completely give up on God? I won’t spoil that part and leave that for you to find out by reading the book or watching this 1 hour and forty-five-minute film. Is this film worth watching or is the book worth reading? Like puberty, it's certainly not something I want to experience again. Puberty is awkward enough to deal with once and this movie brings back some undesirable memories. My husband felt uncomfortable watching this film. The views on religion are thought-provoking. Can someone have a meaningful relationship with God without being "committed" to a faith? It's certainly not ideal nor Biblical according to Matthew 18:20.

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Thank you Universal for sending us a review copy!

I grew up playing Mario Bros. on the Atari and then Super Mario Bros. and its sequels on the NES. It’s been quite a successful video game franchise though it has had a rocky live-action history. Growing up, I loved the short-lived TV show and its rap theme song. The 1993 film adaptation, Super Mario Bros. was poorly received along with many other videogame themed movies around that time. Thankfully, videogame inspired films have been doing well recently and The Super Mario Bros. Movie is no exception. The Super Mario Bros. Movie begins with Bowser invading an ice kingdom inhabited by penguins. After stealing their Super Star that grants invulnerability, he sets his sights on Mushroom Kingdom to demand that their princess marry him or be annihilated. Meanwhile in Brooklyn, New York, the Mario Brothers (Mario & Luigi) are struggling to launch their plumbing business after parting ways with their spiteful boss. They have spent their life savings on a TV commercial and their first job from it didn’t go so well. Their family isn’t very supportive of them following their dreams. To make matters worse, Brooklyn is getting flooded with water as multiple pipes start bursting. Mario and Luigi come to the city’s rescue, but as they go into the sewers they discover a network of pipes and get sucked into a green pipe that takes the brothers to different worlds. Luigi lands in the Dark Lands and is surrounded by undead skeleton koopas. He takes refuge in an abandoned castle. Meanwhile, Mario lands in the mushroom kingdom and meets Toad who tells him about Luigi’s dire situation. Mario seeks an audience with Princess Peach who in turn wants his help to thwart Bowser from destroying her kingdom. Because the mushroom inhabitants are not battle savvy, Mario and Princess Peach must seek an audience with Cranky Kong to lend their army. You’ll see many references to classic and modern Mario franchise games throughout this film. You’ll also hear iconic theme songs as well. Naturally, there is some go-karting and lots of cartoon violence and battles. The character line and voice acting is top notch. This is a star-studded film and it’s very well made. I love the banter between Donkey Kong and Mario, but one of the funniest characters is the cute nihilist, Lumalee. Lumalee is one of many of Bowser’s captives. While Luigi has hopes of escaping, Lumalee is looking forward to the sweet release of death. Bowser is hoping to offer the prisoners as a ritual sacrifice for his wedding to Princess Peach. Though there are some dark moments, especially when Luigi goes to the Dark Land in the first act, overall this film is pretty upbeat. There’s lots of eye candy and be sure to stay tuned after the credits as there is a hint of a possible sequel? If you’re a fan of Super Mario Bros (who isn’t?) this film worth watching/owning. The Bluray is available for under $25 on Amazon.