I Can Only Imagine tells the inspiring story of the most played Christian song of all time

Movie Title:  
  I Can Only Imagine

Grade:  B

Rating: PG, 1 hour 50 minutes

In a Nutshell: Imagine what it would be like to walk with Jesus.  That’s the crux of the story line of this movie and the best-selling song by the popular Christian band “Mercy Me.”  Timed perfectly for release during the Easter season, its opening weekend earned an impressive 17.1 million dollars, making it Roadside Attractions' biggest box office debut to date.

I Can Only Imagine - The Very Best of MercyMe is the most played Christian song of all time.  Want to talk about the movie or its message?  Go to: www.ChatAboutFaith.com

                                          

Tips for parents: 

• The movie deals with abuse, a delicate, frightening subject for children…and adults.
• No profanity.  Thank you.

Uplifting theme: 

• Hope
• Father/Son relationships
• Forgiveness
• Jesus changes lives.
• Chase your dream.                       

Things I liked:

• First of all, it’s always great to see people in the theater supporting this and other Christian, faith-based films.
• Dennis Quaid’s smile.  Irresistible.  His twins are actually Extras in the movie in the dinner scene.
• It was great to see Cloris Leachman in a movie again!  I’ve always gotten a kick out of her.  I think the first time I ever saw her was when my dad took me to see the movie Young Frankenstein  I loved that she was the one who said, “Mercy me!”
•  J. Michael Finley did a great job.  This was his first movie!
• You get to hear a lot of Mercy Me’s music.
• You get to see Amy Grant.   I’ve always loved her and her music.  I really love what she did for Bart in this movie.
•  You get to see Rick Burgess, and Bill "Bubba" Bussey Jr. playing themselves.
• The Amazing Grace scene was very sweet and powerful.
• The ending concert is very sweet and made me cry.
• Bart makes a cameo appearance as the first DJ to open a CD case of the song at the end of the movie.
• The release of the song was actually on March 16, 3/16, in honor of the most famous Bible verse (John 3:16).
• You get to see footage of the real band "Mercy Me."

Things I didn’t like:

• Lots of terrible Southern accents.
• The kids are cute, but the acting wasn’t very good.
• It was kind of silly to have J. Michael Finley play a teenager in high school; he looked WAY older than any of the other students.  Shaving off that beard could have helped. 

Interesting lines:

• “You didn’t write this song in 10 minutes….it took a lifetime.” – Amy Grant
• “So, we’re still a band?” – Nathan (Mark Furze)

“No, we’re family.” – Bart (J. Michael Finley)

Funny lines:

• “She will not be joining us.” – Bart

“Well ain’t she the smart one.” – Brickell (Trace Adkins)

• “That was Amy Grant.  She talked to me!” – Bart

If you enjoyed the movie, you're going to want to pick this up:

                                                                     

                              

                                                 @trinaboice

Paul, Apostle of Christ movies is more dark and gory than expected

Movie Title: 
  Paul, Apostle Of Christ

Grade:   B

Rating: PG-13,
 108 minutes

In a Nutshell:  Just in time for the Easter season, this Christian movie brings Paul and Luke, both faithful followers of Jesus Christ, to the big screen with their unique friendship and affirming messages.

This film is VERY heavy, dark, gory, and even depressing.  In that regard, it's very realistic. The film states at the end that is has been “dedicated to all those who have been persecuted for their faith.”  Christians will leave with a feeling of reverence and increased respect for the early Christians.

While this movie really won’t convince non-believers to turn their lives over to Christ, it is another arrow in the quiver of recent Christian movies that build faith and testimony.  Christian movies are slowly getting better and I'm grateful that Christian audiences support them in movie theaters.

Two additional Christian movies, a holy trinity of films so to speak, are also in theaters at the same time to celebrate the Easter season: I Can Only Imagine DVD and God's Not Dead: A Light In Darkness (Songs From And Inspired By The Motion Picture).

                                             

Tips for parents: 

• There are a lot of gruesome images of torture, deaths, bodies burning, and suffering.  I’m almost surprised that this movie wasn’t rated R because of so many brutal scenes.
• There is a LOT of talking with not very much action.  Most children will be bored.
•  It's definitely not a feel-good popcorn movie for a fun Friday night. It is, however, a thought-provoking film that will make you think and feel.

Uplifting theme: 

• Enduring faith
• Forgiveness
• Be the light.
• Peace begins with you.
• “Love is the only way.” – Luke
• “We cannot repay evil with evil.  Evil can only be overcome with good.” – Paul
• “Men do not die for things they doubt.” – Paul
• “We live for the Lord.  We die for the Lord.  Whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” – Paul
• Through suffering, good can come.

                             

Things I liked:

• I really like Jim Caviezel.  Knowing that he is a solid Christian makes me like him even more, especially as he tries to lend his big star name and talent to Christian movies, which are often seen as amateur and cheesy.  Jim Caviezel gave impressive strength to Mel Gibson's The Passion Of The Christ  Do you want to know what he did with a lot of the money he earned from that movie?  He adopted 3 special needs children.  Wow.
• I like the Giving Films logo and the name “Affirm Films.”
• The production value was very high.  Good technical work.
• I thought the Lord’s Prayer scene was powerful.
• The end was very sweet.
• Filming was done in Malta, where Paul actually went on one of his journeys.
• Some humor.
• Some of the dialogue was full of rich wisdom.
• I really like it when movie theaters don't instantly raise the lights when a movie ends.  Audiences are able to sit and reflect for a few minutes and even compose themselves before the lights turn back on.
• I really liked the scene where Luke told Paul that he saw Jesus in him when Paul taught the gospel.  What a great compliment.  Oh that people could see Christ in us!

Things I didn’t like:

• There are a LOT of scenes in dark corners and dungeons, making it hard to see what’s going on.  There are also a lot of scenes with whispered conversations, making it hard to hear what’s being said.
• The various accents were distracting.  Characters spoke with British accents, French, American, and even one guy sounded Scottish. 
• Paul's famous “Road to Damascus” scene was surprisingly short.  I wanted more.
• Some of the flashbacks could have been done better. It seemed like they were reusing footage to save money.
• It drags in some places, especially during the first half.  My sister and I both got drowsy and had to keep each other awake.  That's not good!

Funny lines:

• “Come, eat.  You must be starving.” – Aquilla (John Lynch)

“If you’re cooking, I don’t know if I’m that hungry.” – Luke (Jim Caviezel)

• “Quit your complaining.” – Luke to Paul
• “They truly were miserable days with you.  I do miss them.” – Paul to Luke 

Interesting lines:

• “The Devil sneaks in the darkness here.” – Paul (James Faulkner)
• “All men are a slave to something.” – Paul
• “Where sin abounds, grace abounds more.” – Paul
• “In a moment, you will know you know God’s love and I hope it is soon.” – Paul
• “They will know us for our love.” - Paul

In an online interview with Jim Cazievel, he mentioned how he could watch good Christian movies like Ben Hur over and over.  Be sure to watch that movie again this Easter season.  It's old, but it's extremely powerful!

                                      

                                           @trinaboice

The Star illuminates holy with high jinks

Movie Title:   
    The Star

Grade:  B+

Rating: PG, 1 hour 26 minutes

In a Nutshell: Walden Media and Affirm Films (owned by Sony Pictures) present a very sweet animated movie for Christian families this Christmas.  

While the movie isn’t entirely accurate to the actual Bible, The Star is still very well done and a wonderful way to celebrate the reason for this Christmas season, especially with your little ones.

Uplifting theme: 

• “We’re meant for something greater than this.”  - Bo (Steven Yeun)
• “Just because God has a plan doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy.” – Mary (Gina Rodriguez
• “Follow your heart.  Follow the light.  Follow that star.” – The Star - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack sung by Mariah Carey

Things I liked:

• Cute opening with appealing music while we watch the pygmy gerboa bounce around through the town.  Kristen Chenowith is the perfect voice for this adorable creature.
• The animation is simple, yet detailed and rich.  The hair, for example, looks textured and real.
• I have been a fan of Gina Rodriguez since I first started watching her on Jane the Virgin: Season 1, which role actually won her a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a TV Comedy.  She gives Mary a practical voice that is also tender and sweet.
• The wonderful Christopher Plummer voices Herod the King.  It’s so great to hear his voice again.
• Mary named the donkey “Bo”, so of course that caught my attention, because my youngest son’s name is also Bo.  Steven Yeun voices Bo.
• The Star - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is great with upbeat versions of classic and modern Christmas carols.
• A large part of the movie focuses on talking animals.  They learn and teach each other important life lessons while having silly adventures.
• This is Oprah Winfrey’s 4^th time lending her voice to an animated character.  She plays Deborah the camel.
• This is Walden Media’s first animated film.  
• Mariah Carey voices “Rebecca the hen”, but also wrote and sings the theme song of the movie.  Another singer, Kelly Clarkson voices Leah the horse.
• Other voice talents include Keegan-Michael Key, Tyler Perry, Tracy Morgan, Gabriel Iglesias, Patricia Heaton, Kris Kristofferson, and Anthony Anderson.

Things I didn’t like:

• Christians who know the story will be able to read between the lines.  For example, you hear someone say, “Joseph!”, but you don’t see the angel Gabriel who appeared to him and explained what was happening with Mary.
• Do I dare say it’s a little bland?
• Non-Christians will probably dismiss this movie as rug-rat indoctrination.
• Some of the humor is cliched and falls flat.
• Mary’s espoused husband, Joseph, is a bit whiny and mad a lot.  I always pictured him differently.  He certainly was supportive and kind and had to be amazing in order for God to choose him to raise His son.

Tips for parents: 

• Because the target audience is children, you can expect some poop and fart jokes.
• No profanity.  Very clean.
• The doctrine isn't entirely correct, but it's still a good introduction for little ones to learn the story of Jesus Christ's birth.

@trinaboice 

The Case for Christ challenges viewers before Easter

Movie Title:  The Case for Christ

Grade:  B+

Rating:   PG, 112 minutes

In a Nutshell: Perfectly timed for Easter, this Christian film attempts to demonstrate that Jesus Christ lived and was resurrected by challenging viewers to explore the evidence for themselves.  

Based on a true story and the book by Lee Strobel called The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus (Case for ... Series) , the film walks you through one man’s journey from atheism to Christianity.  As he says in the beginning of the movie, “The only way to truth is through facts.”  When his wife becomes a Christian, he resists violently, beginning his personal quest to prove religion wrong.  As a journalist by profession, he realizes he can no longer dispute the growing evidence.

So many people, including members of my own family proudly proclaim “I believe in science”, yet won’t take an honest look at what science has said about the existence of Jesus Christ and the resurrection.  This film addresses some of those pieces of evidence.  It also illustrates that you CAN believe in science AND God.

Uplifting theme: 

• “Believing in God…not believing in God.  Either way, it still takes a leap of faith.” – Kenny London (Mike Pniewski)
• “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance.  The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” – C.S. Lewis (as quoted by Kenny)
• Believe plus receive equals become.” – Leslie Strobel (Erika Christensen)
• “Open your heart and take a chance.” – Pastor (Jordan Cox)
• ‘If you look expectantly for whispers, you’ll hear them.” – Pastor
• “When is enough evidence enough?” - Ray Nelson (Brett Rice)

Things I liked:

• I’m glad that the number of Christian films out there is on the rise.  They are generally improving in quality and it gives those who want to watch “clean” films in a fun movie theater environment a good option.
• The movie shows an experience that reminds us that God uses us to bless others, to answer people’s prayers.
• It was good to see Faye Dunaway in a movie again.
• I always like it when information about the real people in the movie is shown at the end.  You get to see pictures of Lee and Leslie Strobel and learn about their books, ministry, and even what their children are doing.
• It shows flawed Christians. In other words, just because you're Christian doesn't mean you're perfect.  "Church is a hospital for the sick, not a museum for saints." (Abigail Van Buren)
• It does a good job illustrating that conversion is a process and an ongoing one at that, not a one-time event.
• A psychologist in the film, played by Faye Dunaway)  talks about a phenomenon called a “father wound”, which she says all of the famous atheists in history had.  It refers to some kind of dysfunctional relationship with their biological father, making it difficult for them to believe in a loving heavenly father.  Interesting.

Things I didn’t like:

• Lee and Leslie Strobel argue a lot about Christianity.  I never enjoy watching people fight and bicker in real life or in the movies, so that became exhausting to watch.  Marriage is hard, but if each spouse supports the journey of growth and discovery that we all take during our lives, marriage would be so much easier.
• Like a lot of Christian films, this one is pretty slow moving.
• Atheists always get so angry with Christians.  Why is that?  They scream for tolerance, yet they don’t offer any to those who think differently than they do.  Of course, this is just a movie, but I’ve definitely noticed that attitude in real life.  
• There is mention of the “Christ Cult”, which is just plain offensive to Christians who are doing their best to be good people.

Interesting lines:

• “There is no ‘what if’ with God.” – Alfie Davis (L. Scott Caldwell)
• “Listen?  Do THAT.” – Alfie
• “Churches aren’t perfect.  Pastors aren’t perfect.  That’s not God.  That’s people.” – Pastor
• “It’s not luck.  It’s Jesus.” - Alfie
• “In his time and in his way, God always keeps his promises.” – Alfie
• “I missed the truth.  I didn’t see it.” – Stroebel

“You didn’t want to see it.” - James Dixon (Renell Gibbs) 

• “What if it IS true?  Wouldn’t you want to know that?” – Leslie Strobel (Erika Christensen)
• “Shouldn’t we go to church?” – Lee (referring to where he should have his first prayer)

“Right here.  Right now.  This is church.” – Leslie

• SPOILER:  “I don’t know everything.  I never will know everything.  But I know enough and I believe.” – Lee Strobel (his touching prayer at the end of the movie)

• Tips for parents: 
• There is a graphic conversation when a doctor discusses flogging and crucifixion and shows images.
•  Young children will be bored.  There is a lot of "talking" and no action. 

@trinaboice 

The Shack gets polar opposite reviews of A and F

Movie Title:  The Shack

Grade:  B

Rating: PG-13, 132 minutes

In a Nutshell:  Based on the best-selling New York Times novel by Canadian author William P. Young, this lovely film can heal your heart if you let it.  Lose the cynicism at the door and just allow yourself to feel the love. 

It’s filled with beautiful symbolism and metaphors, yet movie critic haters have given it an extremely low score of F on Rotten Tomatoes.  Christians and fans, however, have given it an A rating on CinemaScore.  You be the judge.  (You being the judge is a strong theme in the movie.)

Uplifting theme: 

• “Pain has a way of twisting us up inside and making us do the unthinkable.” – Mack Phillips (Sam Worthington)
• There is no quick fix to problems. 
• “Don’t forget to enjoy the journey.” – Sarayu (Sumire Matsubara)
• Forgiveness, hope, love, faith, patience
• “Everything bares consequences.” – God
• “You’re not stuck because you can’t; you’re stuck because you won’t.” – God
• “With every act of kindness, the universe changes for the better.” – Jesus (Aviv Alush)
• “What do I do?” – Mack when he was a kid

“Talk to God.  He’s always listening.” – family friend/Papa

Things I liked:

• I love how God is revealed how the character can best accept him/her.
• Beautiful imagery of baptism when he goes under the waterfall.
• Lovely scenery and images.
• The colorful image of the father and son together, forgiving each other was touching.
• I loved the image of Jesus and Mack running across the water together.
• I was impressed with Nan Phillips, the wife, (played by Radha Mitchell) who never blamed her husband once.  What an incredible example of forgiveness and understanding she was.
• Octavia Spencer makes a wonderful God.  Her award-winning movie Hidden Figures is still playing in some theaters.  I also thought it was interesting to show God as a wise, old Indian father, played by Graham Greene. 
• How many of you still think of the movie Avatar whenever you see Sam Worthington?  Did you know Disney’s newest attraction Avatarland opens in May 2017!  My friend, who has the dream job of a Disney Imagineer has been working on this project for months!  I'm so excited to see it!
• Amelie Eve is adorable as Missy Phillips.
• Singer Tim McGraw has been showing up in Christian films quite a bit recently.  Good for him.
• I thought casting Aviv Alush as Jesus and Sumire Matsubara as Sarayu (Spirit) were fascinating choices.
• When Mack asks, “Which one of you is God”? all three characters say, “I am.”  I liked that portrayal of three personages with a singular purpose.  I also love that he spends time with each one as a friend.
• The way the central problem in the story is resolved is a biblical one that may seem too simple, yet is very powerful: trust in God, even when you can’t see or understand what God is doing.
• SPOILER: There is a lot of abstract philosophysing, but Mack is able to apply the principles and put into practice what he has learned.

Things I didn’t like:

• The story jumps back and forth in time a lot in the beginning.
• I think almost every parent has experienced that terrible feeling when you can’t find your child, even if it’s just for a few minutes in the grocery store when your toddler dashes down a different aisle.  The experience in this movie will touch every parent’s heart.
• There are few bad editing moments.
• For some who are currently experiencing grief in their lives, this can be a healing experience or one that is still too painfully raw.
• Most of the music is super cheesy.
• SPOILER: He never has to atone for his own sin of killing his father.
• SPOILER:  A dream?  Really?  Isn’t that the worst cop-out ever?  I didn’t read the book, but I’m told the author didn’t stoop that low.

• Interesting lines:
• “If God’s always with us, why does he care if we’re late to church?” – Missy Phillips

“God cares, because your mom cares.” – Nan Phillips  (great answer)

• “Son, when all you see is your pain, you lose sight of me.” – God
• “Why would you keep working on me?” – Mack

“Cuz that’s what love does.” – God

• “Don’t forget – we love each other.” – Nan
• “Dreams are especially important.  They’re a way of opening a window and letting the bad air out.” – God
• “You misunderstand the mystery.” – God
• “Love always leaves a mark.” – God
• “I don’t need to punish people; sin is its own punishment.” – God
• “When a star twinkles, a prayer is heard in heaven.” – Mack

“Wow, Papa sure is busy.” – Missy

• “Religion is too much work.” - Jesus
• “You want the promise of a pain-free life.  There isn’t one.” – Wisdom

Funny lines:

• “I always pictured you with a white beard.” – Mack

“I think that’s Santa.” – God

• “Honey, you have no idea how much I’m doing right now!” – God
• “Do you like Neil Young?  I’m especially fond of him.” – God
• “Serei can be very persuasive.” – Jesus

“If only I were smart enough to understand a word she says.” - Mack

Tips for parents: 

• The film addresses child abuse, abduction, murder, domestic violence, alcoholism, hypocrisy, religion, Christianity and other heavy subjects.
•  Mack says, "OMG!", but God immediately forgives him; otherwise, no profanity in this movie.  Yay! 

@trinaboice 

Hacksaw Ridge spills blood and faith in big amounts

Movie Title:  Hacksaw Ridge

Grade:  A

Rating:  R, 139 minutes

In a Nutshell: This is NOT your typical Christian movie.  Directed by Mel Gibson, this graphic, true story inspires faith and courage amidst a background of the brutal, horrors of World War II. 

The audience cheered and clapped several times during the movie to honor the first “conscientious objector" to receive the Medal of Honor, Desmond T. Doss.  The theater I sat in was also filled with veterans, based on their reaction and the comments I heard from them while we slowly walked out.

Uplifting theme: 

• “When the world is busy tearing itself apart, it doesn’t seem like such a bad thing to me to want to put a little bit of it back together.” – Desmond
• How well do you hold to your convictions?  How well do you show respect to those who do? 
• Bravery, cowardice, patriotism, friendship.

Things I liked:

• The star cast really knocked it out of the park on this one.  The acting really was stellar, led by Hugo Weaving, Andrew Garfield, Vince Vaughn, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey, and Dorothy Schutte.  Vince Vaughn was surprisingly effective. Hugo Weaving was absolutely amazing.
• Most people don’t much about Seventh Day Adventists. It was inspiring to watch a man truly live his religion.
• It reminded me a little bit of the faithful story in Saints and Soldiers, but with the gore and drama of Saving Private Ryan
• How do they film war scenes like this?
• I always love true stories where you get to see video footage and pictures of the real people the story is about at the end of the movie.
• Desmond goes to Fort Jackson.  I didn’t realize it was around during WWII.  My oldest son went there for his Army training too.
• Mel Gibson was a Hollywood hunk for many decades, only to be laughed at and dismissed in the past few years as a jerk and wackadoodle.  This film may be his comeback and apology.  It’ll be interesting to see if anyone is willing to grant him an Oscar.  Gibson is on par with his excellent work in Braveheart and Apocalypto  After a 10 year directing break, welcome back, Mel.
• There is a huge contrast between the sweet, innocent love story between Desmond and Dorothy during the first half of the movie and the brutal, gory carnage of the second half.   That stark contrast reminds me of the incredibly powerful movie “Life is Beautiful.”

Things I didn’t like:

• Does faith, patriotism, and courage have to be packaged with so much violence and gore to be appreciated?
• No guns.  No killing.  Where have I heard that before?  Oh yeah....Batman.
• You feel like your gut has been punched and your heart ripped out by the time you stagger out of the theater.

Here's an interesting trailer with Mel Gibson.  Did he get religion?

Interesting lines:

• “The U.S. Army does not make mistakes.” – 
• “You better come home to me.” – Dorothy Schutte (Teresa Palmer)
• “In peace, men bury their sons.  In war, fathers bury their son.” – Vito Rinnelli (Firass Dirani)
• “You didn’t kill him. “ – Smitty (I loved Luke Bracey in Point Break (2015) 

“In my heart, I did.” - Desmond

• “All I saw was a skinny kid.  I didn’t know who you were.” – Captain Glover (I chuckled to myself, because Sam Worthington's character in Avatar was all about "I see you.") 

Funny lines:

• “I have seen corn stalks with better physiques.” – Sgt. Howell (Vince Vaughn)
• “We’re not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy. Keep climbing.” – drill
• “You’re like gum on a shoe, ain’t ya?” – Sgt. Howell
• “It’s a bit late for target practice, don’t ya think?” – Sgt. Howell 
• “I’m going to marry her. “ – Desmond

“Does she know it?” –  Bertha Doss (Rachel Griffiths)

Tips for parents: 

• This is NOT a children’s movie.  It’s rated R for extreme violence, gore, lots of scary dead bodies, and realistic war images.
• You see the rear end of a naked soldier.
• It’s surprising how little profanity there is, considering the movie is full of tough soldiers in horrible situations. 

Newest Ben-Hur movie is half the length of Charlton Heston's Oscar-winning film

Movie Title: Ben Hur

  

Grade:   B-

Rating:  PG-13, 124 minutes

In a Nutshell:   I grew up watching the 1959 Oscar-winning original every Easter when it would play on TV.  

As a Christian, I’m always grateful to see religious-based movies hit the Big Screen.  However, as a Christian, I’m often disappointed.  

While the Charlton Heston adaptation earned 11 Academy Awards, this 6^th version will be mostly forgotten.   Watch the original instead.

Uplifting theme: 

• Redemption.
• Revenge vs. forgiveness
• Mercy vs. justice
• Fear vs. faith
• Kindness vs. brutality

Things I liked:

• This was filmed at the same site in Rome as the 1959 movie.
• Some of the sets were actually very good.
• The Roman ship battle scene was very impressive.  You’ll want to take a deep breath when it’s over.
• The chariot race towards the end was brutal, action-packed, and pretty exciting.
• Cheers to married couple Roma Downey and Mark Burnett who keep trying to bring family-friendly, inspiring movies to Christian audiences.  In fact, this adaptation shows more scenes with Jesus than any other version of Ben-Hur.
• Jack Huston sells us on his character's development.

Things I didn’t like:

• It doesn’t seem to have the same heart and soul as the Charlton Heston version. 
• The first half of the movie was a bit of a snore fest.
• Choppy editing.
• There is a lot of very obvious foreshadowing.
• This remake doesn’t really add anything new or even offer a different perspective to give audiences a reason to watch it.
• A lot of CGI, although it was done well.
• I always feel so sad for the horses in these sandal and sword movies.
• I wanted to cry and really feel something, but the few touching scenes were too rushed.
• Yeow!  Yeow!  Yeow!  Yeow!  (chariot race)
• This remake is half the length of Charlton Heston’s famous film that lasted almost four hours.  Granted, four hours is really too long for a movie (the popcorn only lasts 20 minutes).  I guess you could call this version “efficient.”  
• This movie will give you a headache if you see it in 3D.  2D is perfectly fine and enough.
• When you see Morgan Freeman playing the old sage, you know this movie isn’t going to be offering anything new.  I mean, how many times have we seen him play that role already?  Don’t get me wrong.  I do love him.  But wait, Morgan Freeman in dreadlocks?  That's new.

Interesting lines:

• “What should I do?” – Judah Ben-Hur  (Jack Huston)

“You’ve done enough.  Now pray!” – Naomi (Ayelet Zurer)

• “Love your enemies.” – Jesus (Rodrigo Santoro)

“That’s progressive.” – Judah

“It’s the truth.” – Jesus

• “We don’t kill all Romans.” – girl in tent

“Well, that’s not very comforting to the dead ones.” – Judah

• “You confuse peace with freedom.” – man in tent
• “You should have stayed away.” – Messala (Toby Kebbell)

“You should have killed me.” – Judah Ben-Hur  (Jack Huston)

“I will.” – Messala

  

Tips for parents:   

• Fighting, blood, suffering, drowning, trampling.  In other words, LOTS of violent sequences.
• Some kids just don't like older movies, so this newest version of Ben-Hur will be a nice introduction to this loosely-based Bible story for them.