Here’s the latest from the crossroads of faith, media & culture: 02/24/23

The God Couple. Inspired by a true story (and famous Time Magazine cover), the film Jesus Revolution (rated PG-13) is based on the book of the same name co-written Harvest Christian Church Fellowship Pastor Greg Laurie whose younger self is actually a character in the seventies-era story of unexpected and spiritually fruitful bond between idealistic hippie-street-preacher Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie who plays Jesus in The Chosen TV series) and Chuck Smith (Frasier‘s Kelsey Grammer), a conservative church pastor. The film, which opens nationwide today, is off-the-charts when it comes to word-of-mouth reaction from people who have previewed it and currently (as of this writing) has a 100% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. As you can see in the clip below, among those moved by the film is one of its stars.

Creed III (rated PG-13) in theaters (including IMAX) March 3rd. The inspirational Rocky film universe continues into the next generation with Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan who also makes his directorial debut) thriving in both boxing his career and family life. A challenge arises when childhood friend and former boxing prodigy Damian (Jonathan Majors), eager to prove that he deserves his shot in the ring, emerges after serving a long sentence in prison. Check this out.

Southern Gospel (rated PG-13) in theaters March 10th. The film tells the true story of Samuel Allen (Max Ehrich of TV’s The Young and the Restless and Under the Dome), a 1960’s rockstar who finds himself in jail after struggling with years of anger aimed at organized religion that led him down a road of rebellion. He gets a break when in, in a moment of apparent divine intervention, the judge dismisses drug charges against him on the condition that he speaks at local schools and churches about the dangers of drugs.

Tomorrow’s Hope hits digital platforms on March 21st. From director Thomas Morgan and produced by The Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation, the documentary explores the promise of Educare, an early education program on the South Side of Chicago, through the eyes of its first graduates.

In Viaggio: The Travels of Pope Francis arrives in theaters and VOD on March 31st. The documentary is the result of a decade-long chronicling of the journeys of the head of the Catholic church across all corners of the world. Directed by Gianfranco Rosi (Fire at Sea).

John W. Kennedy is a writer, producer and media development consultant specializing in television and movie projects that uphold positive timeless values, including trust in God.