Just perfect...

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Sure to completely disappoint those who enjoy watching a movie full of cussing and murder and mayhem and explicit sex and drug and alcohol abuse.But if you love God and long for an uplifting Christian movie that is clean and very inspirational then this is a movie for you.

In Facing The Giants no one can remember the last time the Shiloh Christian Academy football team had a winning season. Certainly not in the six year tenure of coach Alex Kendrick. In fact life has been discouraging in general for Kendrick, he and his wife Shannen Fields have been trying for a baby for years and that's going nowhere. This is the south where they take their football seriously even at a Christian high school. Some of the parents, male parents that is are even conspiring to get him dumped and they have in mind one of his assistant coaches for the top job.As this is a Christian film certain parameters must be observed and what happens is that Kendrick gets his faith renewed and that inspires what was a sad sack team to go on and face the perennial state champions, a team called the Giants.Seeing a number of these films I wonder how God deals with it when two teams have their roster similarly saved. I've got trouble believing that the Creator of infinite time and space and matter in this universe worries about an athletic contest on one small dust speck in the place called planet earth.Still I will say that for its kind it's not a bad piece of entertainment. Of course you will not know any of the cast members unless you are on the Christian film circuit for some of them. I did think that the performance of Bailey Cave who is a soccer player and tries out for football as a place kicker was very touching, especially in relationship to his crippled dad.

This movie was really a realistic movie even though it was not based on a real life event. The lighting was overall very natural without using any special effects. Sound was overall natural. The Cinematography is overall basic but very high quality work. The only basic effects they use in the film is transitioning an fading out based on highlight reals and/or transistors from one mood to another. The tone of the film and the characters was like a roller coaster. The coach's family was struggling. They were believers but they had to learn with God anything is possible by praying and having total faith within Him. Ever since then, a lot blessings happened. Someone got the the teacher/coach and his wife a new vehicle. Then the coach motivated his football team about putting God first and teaching his players having faith and about doing there best. They lost once they reached the playoffs and then with a special chance from God; and they took advantage of that and won the state Championship. This film is slightly comparable with God's Not Dead and other Christian movies.

A friend of ours gave us this movie to watch. I wasn't sure what I was in for, but decided to give it a whirl.PROS: -This movie has a nice, positive message about maintaining one's faith during times of trouble.-The action and football sequences were performed decently.-The Black assistant coach was a pretty decent actor.-A great movie to show to other church-goers (Thus my summary title).CONS:-The acting is very amateur, and rather painful to watch at times. -The Christian utopia at a public high school is a nice sentiment, and maybe allowed/encouraged in Georgia, but is unrealistic in many other places outside of the bible belt.-The cameo of Coach Mark Richt from University of Georgia is kind of an awkward scene. Unless you're from GA or follow college football, you will never really learn who he is.-The plot is fairly predictable.-The first 5 minutes of the movie consists of 1,505,768 opening logos for production & distribution companies who worked on this piece. If you understand that this movie was made by and starred volunteers, and not professionals, you may enjoy it. It's a great film to show other believers, because of its feel-good message.To everyone else, this movie is rather corny, and makes an After-school special look like an Oscar-winning film.If you want to show non-believers Christ-centered media, I'd steer clear of this selection. Steve Taylor's, "The Second Chance" may be a better avenue to reach those without Jesus in their lives.