Synopsis

JANE & EMMA is based on the life of Sister Jane Manning, one of the first black Mormons. She returns to Nauvoo to find that Joseph Smith, her prophet and friend, has been assassinated. Jane spends a ceaseless night with his widow, Emma Smith, sitting watch over the body of the prophet as a whirlwind of loss and confusion leaves them wondering how either one of them will be able to move forward. Through the long night, Jane wonders if the prophet’s promise to extend the blessings of eternity to her has died along with him. The film explores the possible events of that night, including Jane’s endeavor to remain amongst the Mormon people and Emma’s struggle to cope with her heartbreaking loss. Poignant issues of racism and polygamy threaten to break their bond of friendship. In the end, will Jane and Emma have the courage to follow the path each believes they must take?

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Review

This is a profound movie that might inspire deeper conversations.  It provides us a look into the past when there was a division between people on whether black people should be free or not; a look to the future based on religious beliefs, and the hope for a better world despite tragedy.

Jane is an inspiring woman for her time and her faith is unshakeable.  She leads her family to find a prophet in the LDS faith by walking from New York to Illinois because a boat captain would not let them travel aboard despite the fact that they are free and not slaves.  That is a true testament to faith to walk 700+ miles just to be close to someone in your faith.  Her strength shines through in various situations and she should be admired for standing up for her faith and acceptance.

This movie may be based on the LDS faith the deeper symbolism could be applied to any faith.  There are people in all walks of life that are strong and rise above those around them when defending their beliefs.  I found myself drawn to the characters and wondering how I would act or react if I were in Jane or even Emma’s shoes.  Both of these women were strong in many areas but weak in others including how they handled racism and polygamy.

I was surprised to learn that Jane was never allowed to enter the temple despite being baptized because of the color of her skin.  She continued to fight for acceptance in her faith until her last day on earth.

I think anyone can appreciate this movie and you do not have to be a member of the LDS faith to grasp the significance of the story.

We give this 5 paws up.

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About the Movie

The children in Millie’s family can’t wait for Grandma to arrive with her special Christmas apron. According to tradition, each grandchild will write down the gift he or she wants most in the world, and then slip that wish into the apron’s pocket. Then, on Christmas morning, those wished-for gifts will be magically waiting under the tree. But then eleven-year-old Millie overhears her parents: the family can’t afford gifts for all the little ones. She pictures the disappointment on her siblings’ faces: nothing to open on Christmas morning. Is Millie willing to sacrifice her own whole-soul wish so that someone else’s can come true? Full of tender emotion and delightful surprise, this story reminds us of the miracles that unfold when we think of others before ourselves.

Trailer

The Christmas Apron Trailer from Ron Brough on Vimeo.

Review

This movie reminds me a little bit of the story of the Magi, where the husband and wife sacrifice something for the other to give them a gift at Christmas.  In this movie, it is two sisters that selflessly give their wish for the Christmas Apron for the other.

This movie is set during the war so many do without or with very little.  The story is uplifting, heartwarming, and perfect for the holidays and what we should be teaching our children and those around us – the reason for the season.  I even found myself misty at the end when the family comes together Christmas morning.

We give this 5 paws up

Giveaway

The Christmas Project (releasing November 3rd on DVD)
Staring: JACOB BUSTER (The Christmas Dragon, Storm Rider, Christmas for a Dollar)
Run Time: 1h 32m

Synopsis

Christmastime is full of traditions, especially in the Buckley family. With their home perfectly trimmed for the Christmas season it is now time to choose a family the four Buckley brothers along with mom and dad will secretly “Elve”. This year Mom has decided on the Hagbarts, and according to the Buckley boys they are the meanest bullies at their school. Eleven-year-old Matthew can hardly stand it. By day the Hagbarts torture the Buckley brothers into submission, and by night the Buckleys drop of thoughtful Christmas gifts and treats to their sworn enemies. What will happen when Matthew is faced with a choice of ultimate revenge or doing good to others? The Christmas Project is a heartwarming comedy the whole family will enjoy.

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Review

This movie has a message you would expect to hear in a Christmas movie – love and tolerance – told from the eyes of Matthew, a 6th grader in 1986.  You may or may not remember those days, but if you do you will appreciate the lack of cell phones, video games, computers and such.  In fact, the big excitement for the Buckley Brothers is waiting on the Christmas Catalog so they can decide what they want to put on their Christmas wish lists.

The movie was good – it made me laugh, cry a little and reminded me what Christmas really means.  I liked the Buckley family and how close they were with each other (and yes the brothers did fight some).  The  mom was a crack up because she was pregnant and desperately wants a little girl after having 4 boys first.  In fact, she wears all pink in hopes that would influence the gender of the baby.

But what would a movie be without a little conflict – in this case it is Finn, the school bully.  But even he isn’t all that he appears to be, perhaps there is just a scared kid putting on a front for everyone else around him?  And of course there is young love between Matthew and the new girl across the street.

The movie moves along at a steady pace, not too fast and not too slow and many great lessons are imparted by dad and even the school bus driver.  Definitely worth the watch and we give it 4 paws up.

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Synopsis

The residents of Woodhaven are feeling discouraged—work is scarce, money is low, love is lagging, and spirits are down. Then a mysterious telegraph arrives, and a handsome stranger walks into town with nothing more than his dog and a chicken. Throw in a mean-spirited landlord, a love-sick preacher, a pair of delightfully charming old biddies, and an enchanting little girl—and what happens next will warm the heart and create a healthy dose of the Christmas spirit as the entire town is changed for the better.

Miracle Maker—based on a story written by Covenant author Ann Acton—shows what happens when seeds of love are planted and people create their own miracles by performing acts of service.

The movie is filmed primarily at This Is the Place State Park in Salt Lake City, old town Heber City, and American Fork, the film features a diverse cast of well-known actors, including Brian Krause (Charmed TV series), Jasen Wade (17 Miracles, Saints and Soldiers, Cokeville Miracle), Adam Johnson, Jake Stormoen, Melanie Stone, and eight-year-old Kalea Atkinson.

John Lyde and Sally Meyer once again combine their talents as director and screenwriter. The two have previously collaborated on popular films Christmas for a Dollar, Christmas Oranges, He Knows My Name, Abide with Me, , Minor Details, , and You’re So Cupid.

“It’s my hope that after watching Miracle Maker, families will understand that you can make your own miracles,” Lyde says. “Our message to audiences is that if you need a change in your life, you can create the change yourself.”

This full-length feature film was released on DVD on November 3.

Review

I’m a sucker for a feel good movie that warms the heart, and this movie does not disappoint!  Think of it of A Christmas Carol meets the old west – although there aren’t any angels of Christmas Past, Present or Future.   Mr. Booth pretty much owns Woodhaven and isn’t very gracious but luckily doesn’t throw out families if they are a little short – although his attitude is that the people in the town do not work for what they have or want, and this is the furthest thing from the truth.  Booth also has a daughter, Lily, that loves the preacher Thomas.  However, a tragic accident has turned Booth against Thomas and forbids him from seeing Lily, and even letting her leave the house.  Crazy, I know!

There is a wide cast of characters that add depth to this town and the story.  I think one of my favorites is plucky little Rae who is a spitfire and doesn’t take anything from anyone.  But more than the characters, this movie is about hope, faith and kindness.  The stranger that comes to town that everyone thinks is a Miracle Maker is just a normal human like anyone else, but what he teaches the citizens of the town is that everyone is capable of acts of kindness and when you have a small community you have to take care of one another.  It’s a lesson that is timeless and hopefully anyone watching this movie will realize that for themselves.

When the movie first started I was trying to determine what else I have seen with the actor that plays Mr. Booth.  Well, as mentioned above, it is Brian Krause from Charmed (loved that show!).  The rest of the cast may not be big names, but they all play their part well in conveying the message of the movie.

We give this 5 paws up and highly recommend watching the movie.

Synopsis

On May 9, 1986, in the small, ranching community of Cokeville,Wyoming, David and Doris Young took an elementary school hostage for several hours before detonating a bomb inside a classroom that held every teacher and student in the school. In the wake of the madness, Ron Hartley, whose children were inside the classroom, must fight his skepticism and unbelief as he hears eyewitness accounts from the students about miraculous, heavenly intervention during the crisis.

When tragedy strikes . . . what do you see?

Review

It’s hard for me to believe that this event happened nearly 30 years ago.  I had never heard of this event, but I was a freshman in college and I don’t think this would have hit my radar as I live in Texas.  It isn’t like today where events happen almost live thanks to social media and the internet.  That aside, it is truly a miracle that anyone survived this situation.

But this story is more than 150+ people surviving a hostage situation and a bomb, it is about faith.  There are plenty of naysayers that will try and rationalize the events of that day and why the bomb didn’t kill everyone.  I like to believe it was the faith of the townspeople, students and teachers and their prayers for protection and safety.  The Sheriff, Ron Hartley, had a hard time believing what he was hearing from all of the children, that they saw angels and those angels were past family members that had died that were keeping them safe from harm.  It didn’t help that he was having an internal battle when it came to his faith and it took a lot of inward soul searching to realize that maybe sometimes you just have to believe in what cannot be easily explained.

I thought the movie was well done and portrayed the incident as it happened.  It also reminds me that times are so different now compared to 30 years ago.  Maybe we were more naive or innocent at that time, but the community came together and prayed with and for each other and truly supported one another.  This is what our society should be like now.  There aren’t any big names in this film, and I don’t think there needs to be to share this story with the world.

I thought it was interesting as I was looking up this movie/event online that in 1994 it was a CBS movie called To Save the Children and Richard Thomas (who I remember from The Waltons) portrays David Young, the disgruntled former town employee seeking his revenge.  Robert Urich was also in the movie.

We give this movie 4 paws up and if you have the chance to watch it, I think you will enjoy the movie.  You can also enter to win a copy below!

Giveaway

Copy of the DVD, The Cokeville Miracle.  Open to US Residents only

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I am not a huge movie goer but do love movies and while I missed this one in the theaters a few months back, I am excited to be able to offer a copy of this movie to a lucky fan of StoreyBook Reviews. There have been a lot of movies recently about WWII, but I think this movie goes to something that isn’t really talked about – the segregation of blacks and white servicemen even in the face of battle.  I think this sends a powerful message of what many endured during the war even though they were fighting for our freedom.

Plot Summary

Germany, May 1945, the twilight of WWII. On a final mission deep in the Harz mountains a U.S. tank crew discovers a platoon of Germans, including three infamous Panzer tanks, preparing to ambush allied supply trucks.

Before the war, Sergeant Jesse Owens, was a product of segregation and racial discrimination. Forced by law to ride in the back of the bus and disenfranchised from the political process. As the Germans bear down on the Americans, Owens fights the Axis powers for a freedom he and his fellow African American soldiers have never felt.

With a deadly game of cat and mouse quickly unfolding, Owens and his predominantly white tank crew find themselves out-gunned and out-manned by the German Panzer tanks. Several in Owens’ crew are reluctant to put their faith in a black tank driver despite their dire circumstances. With tension and fear beginning to manifest Owens knows they must put aside their differences to stop the enemy from their deadly plan. Knowing that a victory over the Nazis means a victory for racial justice, Owens and his men find a way to work together to save hundreds of lives in a desperate battle against the greatest odds they have ever faced.

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DVD will be available for purchase on October 14th

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Giveaway

1 copy of the movie Saints and Soldiers 3: The Void

This is open to all US residents

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