“3 BLIND SAINTS” Movie Review
By Bernie Lutchman for
Twinas Latinas
“3 BLIND SAINTS” (now available on DVD) is a movie to watch with
the entire family, over this special Christmas season! I gave it 2 thumbs up and Five Stars!
A relatively
unknown movie, made by a church in Kansas City, Missouri, is our choice for the
Twinas’ Movie review this holiday season! As the world is preparing to
celebrate “the most wonderful time of the year” (my favorite Christmas song) “3
BLIND SAINTS” is just the kind of warm, funny movie with a much-needed message
of hope, second chances, and redemption we need right now!
The story
revolves around three overgrown adolescents, in their late thirties, who have
no faith, no future, and no foundation in anything except their own lifestyles,
an endless pursuit of the next cheap adventure.
The three wild men are Sam (Richard Speight Jr.; Independence Day), Jamal (Elijah Rock; Crenshaw Nights) and Frankie (Stelio Savante; A Beautiful Mind). While on
their “next” adolescent jaunt, these 3 end up in front of a small-town judge in
handcuffs.
This small
town is mostly owned or controlled by the corrupt Rusty Pickens (Hollywood
actor Barry Corbin; Northern Exposure, No Country for Old Men, and new TV
series Army Wives), and the one local church in Rocky Road is in desperate need
of a pastor, after losing the last few (under questionable circumstances). The
church “leadership” is made up of the corrupt Rusty Pickens and his henchwoman.
In order to
make an arrangement beneficial to all, Rusty offers the Judge a deal, to
release Sam, Jamal, and Frankie into his custody for a week and they will go
“straight” as the new pastors of Rocky Road Community Church! What follows is a series of fast moving
comedic situations, which real pastors face in churches, made up of a variety
of individuals in different stages of spiritual development!
However
Rusty and these men are more interested in the collection plate! Money gets
skimmed off the top of church offerings and everyone seems to be happy, until
something life-threatening happens to the child of the movie’s most likeable
and sympathetic figure, Tiffany (Audrey Matos).
And when “Pastor Sam” is asked to pray for her son, he finally comes to
terms with his lack of faith.
A messenger
is sent by God, a “Mr. Patterson”, who shows up at church and has Pastor Sam
electrocuted to stand before God, the God Sam had never believed in. This is
where some of the best transforming lines of the film are delivered directly by
God.
The script
is cleverly written by Pastor Steven Jack Gray, of World Revival Church in
Kansas City! He is also the Executive Producer and Music Director. Gray is the founder of Hungry Horse Media
Productions, and is in the process of writing his second movie “Something to
Believe”.
Much like
Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia, whose pastors gave us Courageous and Fireproof, they were unafraid to use the best available talent and
Hollywood-style production to create a quality movie. Everyone involved in this
wonderfully life-changing, and transformational movie has a chance to reach the
world with a message of hope and love!
Review by Bernie Lutchman for Twinas
The 22-minute movie “Butterfly Circus” has been seen by over
20 million people worldwide, and has won the following awards: Clint Eastwood
Filmmaker; Crystal Heart; the Vision Award for Best Short Film, and the
Audience Favorite Award at the 2010 Heartland Film Festival. It also won
Best of Show at the Fargo Film Festival, and the Best Short Film from the Feel
Good Film Festival at the Historic Egyptian Theater in Hollywood! RECOMMENDED: FIVE STARS!
Set in Depression-Era America, when traveling circuses and
sideshows abounded; Butterfly Circus stars the well-known Mexican actor, Eduardo
Verastegui, and was written, directed,
and produced by Joshua and Rebekah Weigel. However it is Nick Vujicic, playing “Will”, who steals the show!
Called the “Limbless
Man” by the cruel owner of a fairground sideshow, Will is exploited, insulted,
and abused for financial gain, until he encounters the kind Mr.
Mendez (Verastegui) causing him to stow away in Mendez’ vehicle, to join the
Butterfly Circus.
It is at the Butterfly Circus that Will is transformed from
a hopeless, angry, young man to become an inspiration to other physically-challenged young
people! From "the man whom God Himself has turned His
back upon” (and so full-of-hatred) Will grew to be a man inspiring the phrase
"the greater the struggle, the more glorious the triumph” under the kind-but-tough love Mendez, and others, offered him at the
Butterfly Circus.
There are several
object lessons which can be learned by all of us, and they are:
- No matter the handicap we start off with in life, we don’t
have to live UNDER those circumstances. We can rise above them.
- There is no need to be defined by the past. However the
past can bog us down if we wallow in hatred and settle for anything less than
the best.
- Like Will, we should use every opportunity to explore our
potential, and things just may turn out better. Will was excited about being
able to walk on a log until he fell into deep water, but then he discovered he
could swim!
- We are not the sum of our past. We are who God meant for us
to be, if we accept His plan for our life and follow His decrees. The main
purpose of God’s plan is to help others, through us, and that is what Will did!
In the final analysis, one can almost say, Will started as a
caterpillar and then transformed to soar like a butterfly!
Note: See the Butterfly Circus November 9th, 2012, at South Carolina's Underexposed Film Festival - for more information see: York County's Underexposed Film Festival celebrates shorter movies (or find it on YouTube) and prepare to shed a tear or two!
Meet our friend & new Family Movie Reviewer, Author, and Ordained Evangelist, Bernie Lutchman, of Bernie
Lutchman's Family Ministry! He is a Bible-teaching Television Host in Central Illinois on Christian
Television Network (CTN) affiliate WLCF, Decatur (Plumbline and panel member of
Contemporary Living). He is also the President
of a growing non-denominational Men's Ministry "Business Men in Christ"!
Find his books, sermons, and TV shows online at:
On Twitter @BernieLutchman
On YouTube Bernie Lutchman
You will also enjoy Bernie's reviews of Kirk Cameron's "Monumental" Documentary & "For Greater Glory" now on DVD!
And "An All Hallow's Eve Tale"
by Billy Kravitz @wilkravitz
