OPINION:
While the redemptive messages in this “Arthur the King” might get many a tail a-wagging, its profanity is worth a growl. “One Life” tells a poignant story of one Englishman’s determination to save Czech refugee children from the Nazis.
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Read on to get Plugged In on what’s beyond the movie titles and trailers for faith-filled and family-first reviews from Focus on the Family’s Plugged In.
Arthur the King – In Theaters
Michael named the dog “Arthur the King” because of his regal bearing — especially when the rest of the team was eating and he’d simply watch. But the name — and the movie’s title — comes with a more potent meaning.
England’s legendary King Arthur, as you probably know, presided over a bunch of equally legendary knights, and he most famously sent them out to seek the Holy Grail (the cup that Christ allegedly used at the Last Supper). Stories revolving around the Grail were wildly popular in the Middle Ages. And to this day, the Grail has been used to describe a worthy-but-unachievable (or nigh unachievable) goal. In some stories, the “hero” gets so lost in his quest that he loses sight of a simple, powerful truth: The “grail” — what we seek — is sometimes so much closer to us than we imagine. But we must suffer and endure the quest itself to find and understand it. (Queue up “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” for a pretty literal manifestation of this dynamic.)
For Michael, that elusive grail has always been a World Championship victory. We can see throughout much of the movie just how driven he is — and how he’ll stop at nothing. Pain? Suffering? It’s a given. But if he can just claim that title, it’ll all be worth it. He’ll sip from that precious cup of victory and feel complete.
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But then he meets Arthur. And, as he and his team pounds through the miles and pushes through the pain, Michael understands that maybe this grail he’s been looking for isn’t as important as he thought it was. Maybe the real grail he longs for is a little more ethereal: Friendship. Family. Love.
Sometimes a wise king understands these things better than a questing competitor such as Michael. Even if that king is a canine.
“Arthur the King” feels, in a lot of respects, like an old-fashioned Disney film, where a boy and his dog brave all manner of travails together. Sure, in this case, the “boy” is a 40-something man, but the vibe is still the same. And on that level, it still works. This is a sweet, sentimental story that has a lot going for it.
But an old G-rated Disney movie would’ve never contained a smidgen of swearing, and this PG-13 film is filthy with it. Add a few bits of bathroom humor and some perilous situations, and there’s a bit more content to navigate here. While the messages in “Arthur the King” might get many a tail a-wagging, its cursing is worth a growl or two.
Read the rest of the review here. Watch the trailer here.
One Life – In Theaters
We live in an incredible world, with access to safety and the riches of information and technology. But oddly enough, that abundance often leaves us with a very narrow and cynical view on life.
So it’s good to find films such as “One Life” that remind us to pause and consider some bigger and better things.
That said, this isn’t a “big” movie. “One Life” is a small, intimate and surprisingly lovely film about a man who, in his youth, tried to serve others and save innocent refugee children from the horrors of Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia.
Frankly, that’s not the type of pic that everyone will eagerly flock to. But between Anthony Hopkins’ underplayed-but-emotional excellence and director James Hawes’ craftsmanship behind the camera, this film offers simple, poignant and tender moments that are easy to settle into. (Despite its WWII flashbacks, there are only a few perilous instances and just a dash of foul language on hand.)
We each have but one life to live. A man named Nicolas Winton used a portion of his life to save the precious lives of others. And his inspiring story is well worth two hours of ours. Who knows, it might inspire some of us to broaden our perspectives and be more like him.
Read the rest of the review here. Watch the trailer here.
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Plugged In is a Focus on the Family publication designed to shine a light on the world of popular entertainment while giving families the essential tools they need to understand, navigate, and impact the culture in which they live. Through our reviews, articles and discussions, we hope to spark intellectual thought, spiritual growth and a desire to follow the command of Colossians 2:8: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”
Reviews written by Paul Asay and Bob Hoose.
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