42 tells what happens when the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team signed the first black player in the Major Leagues, Jackie Robinson, in 1947. 42 is an inspirational, superb movie showing how the Christian faith of both Dodgers General Manager Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson helped end racism in professional baseball. However, there is a fair amount of foul language and some racial epithets, so caution is advised, especially for children.

Set in Montana between 1910 and 1935, A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT centers on two brothers, their father and the fly-fishing that shapes their lives. The film ties religion, family and fishing together in an unusual and intelligent manner as it deals with a family whose members are unable to help or communicate with one another. Regrettably, there are very brief scenes of drinking and gambling and partial nudity.

SOUL SURFER is an inspiring, powerful story about young surfer Bethany Hamilton, who overcame great obstacles when a tiger shark took her arm while she was surfing. SOUL SURFER is an inspiring, powerful story with a wonderful performance by AnnaSophia Robb about a courageous young woman who has deep faith in Jesus Christ.

In THE IRON GIANT, young Hogarth befriends a giant robot, which is designed for war, but is transformed by love in the face of military attack. The story makes it seem like all guns are bad and includes problems in describing the soul. Yet, the story also has wonderful elements of love overcoming evil, death and resurrection.

Mike Myers plays the title role in SHREK, a fractured fairy tale about a smelly ogre who finds that it takes a princess with a punch to finally soften his heart. SHREK is a delightful computer animated comedy with only a few minor elements to take the bloom off its family-friendly rose.

SHREK 2, the first sequel to the 2001 animated Oscar-winning hit, has Shrek trying to keep his marriage to Fiona intact, despite an evil plot by Fiona’s underhanded Fairy Godmother. SHREK 2 contains a few inappropriate jokes and a politically correct tone, but it also has a light Christian worldview and many biblical, moral messages showing that magical spells and fairy tale enchantments cannot bring real happiness and extolling forgiveness, repentance, self-sacrifice, thinking of others before yourself, selfless love, honor, valor, and the courage to do the right thing.

RED TAILS is a rousing war movie honoring the efforts of the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African American fighter pilots, during World War II in Europe. RED TAILS is an exciting, inspiring, well acted war movie with positive references to Jesus Christ and prayer, including a prayer in the name of Jesus, but there’s plenty of foul language and a love affair, so caution is advised for older children under 13.