Song of Survival

Documentary

1985 (2004) / 58 min
Rating: 7/10

By early 1942 the Dutch East Indies were under Japanese control and all Westerners were being interned in camps. It would be three-and-a-half years before they were freed.

Song of Survival chronicles how after being held captive for 18 months a group of women in one camp – Dutch, Australian and British – came up with the morale-boosting idea of performing the works of Beethoven, Schubert and Chopin. The problem was, they had no instruments...so all parts were performed vocally! The choir's principle organizer, Margaret Dryburgh, had an extraordinary memory for music and, as we hear in the documentary,

she had no sheet music, no instruments, but she was able to recall the melodies and harmonies of over two dozen orchestral and piano themes and arrange them for 4-part women's voice.

The founding of this vocal orchestra serves as the framework for the much larger story of what it was like in these Indonesian internment camps. Of the almost 100,000 non-Asians who were interned many died of malnourishment, and untreated diseases. The Japanese captors were often brutal, and generally uncaring.

So who would want to see this? Anyone with an interest in history, World War II (and particularly the Dutch perspective), music, or simply stories of courage, will appreciate this story.

The Corrie Ten Boom Story

Animated / Biography / Drama

2013 / 34 minutes
Rating: 7/10

What's an appropriate age to expose our children to the truth about Nazis, concentration camps and dead numbered in the millions? Those are horrible truths, but ones that can't be avoided if we are to have the next generation remember the self-sacrificial love, the bravery, and faithfulness of the many millions who rose up to fight this evil.

The Corrie Ten Boom Story might be a good way to begin. The film's producers suggest that it is appropriate for children as young as 8, but I read one review from a mother who watched it with her three and half year old (she pointed out to her little boy that the Ten Booms were Christ-imitators, offering up their lives to save the Jews). I don't know if I would go quite that young – I haven't shown this to my four-year-old yet – but the filmmakers have done a remarkable job of presenting a muted, yet still accurate account of the horrors of World War II.

The Ten Boom family ran a watchmaking business in the Netherlands, and when the Germans invaded and started rounding up Jews, the Ten Booms began hiding Jews. It was a courageous yet simple decision for them – they knew this was what God wanted them to do. They helped many, but were eventually betrayed and sent to concentration camps. Here the same love for God that had them hiding Jews helped Corrie endure the loss of her father and sister – she trusted that God knew what was best. 

After the war she traveled extensively telling the story of God's faithfulness in all her trials. At one speech she met a former captor, a man who had viciously beat her. He was asking Corrie to forgive him. What would have been too much to ask of anyone, Corrie was able to do with God's enabling strength – she gave the man the forgiveness he was seeking.

Cautions

The only caution I can add (other than to be cautious about age-appropriateness) is that other episodes of this series often feature animations of Jesus, which may violate the Second Commandment, and one of these depictions is shown in a promotional clip that automatically plays just after the film ends 

Conclusion

Corrie Ten Boom will be a familiar name to many. Her biography, The Hiding Place, is quite famous, as is a 1975 film by the same name, and I believe there is also a play that many Christian schools have performed.

What sets this animated account apart is that it makes her story understandable and accessible to a much younger age group. I would highly recommend it for any school-age children, but it must be watched with adult supervision, so mom or dad can talk with any child who gets confused or worried.

Now you can watch it online for free, below.

The Silver Fleet

Drama
1943 / 88 minutes
Black and White
RATING: 7/10

This is well-done, almost unknown World War II film told from the Dutch perspective.

As the occupation begins the Nazis ask Dutchman Jaap van Leyden whether he would like to continue on in his job as shipyard manager. They want him to complete work on two half-built submarines that were originally intended for the Dutch navy. When he decides to accept the position both his workers and his wife question his patriotism – why was he willing to be a collaborator? But while van Leyden may not have the courage to stand up to the Nazis, someone else does. The workmen have started receiving anonymous messages outlining a daring sabotage plan. The notes are all signed "Piet Hein," a historical Dutch hero from the 17th century, and stirred by the memory of Hein's great deeds done long ago, and their own strong love of country, the workmen are happy to help this mysterious figure.

Cautions

Silver Fleet doesn't fully explore why these men were willing to risk their lives. Their love of country is the expressed motivation, but for Christian viewers, who know that our country can do nothing for us after death, patriotism should strike us as a wholly insufficient reason to risk one's life.

But while God is not mentioned in the film, we know that it was their love of God that prompted our Dutch grandparents and great grandparents to take the risks that they did. So, with that in mind, Silver Fleet can be enjoyed as a secular tribute to the bravery of Dutch men who, whether the directors cared to acknowledge it or not, were willing to risk their lives for love of God and country... in that order.

Conclusion

The Nazis are at times more buffoonish than threatening, but overall the acting is quite good. The Silver Fleet is a solid World War film that I would recommend to any 1940s film enthusiast, as well as anyone who wants to learn more about the War from the Dutch perspective.

There seem to be no trailers available for The Silver Fleet, but the 3-minute clip below gives a feel for the film.

Free Film: The War on Humans

Documentary
31 minutes, 2014
Rating: 7/10

War highlights how the increasing denial of "human exceptionalism" - the understanding that mankind is special - is leading us down a weird and wacky path where we treat animals and plants better than people.

The one weakness of this documentary is that it never really explains why we should think humans are "exceptional" - it merely repeats that assertion using a number of synonyms such as us being "unique," and having "inherent human dignity." This is put out by the Discovery Institute, which is an Intelligent Design (ID) think tank. ID folks agree that we are designed, but they have agreed to disagree about just who that Designer might have been. That's why, in this documentary, they can't ground our unique worth in the fact that we are made in God's image, since they aren't willing to actually acknowledge God by name, giving Him the credit He is due.

So the documentary effectively points out the flaws and foibles that result when you deny human "exceptionalism" but can't firmly explain why we are indeed special.

Free film: The Making of a Martyr

Documentary
58 minutes, 2005
Rating: 7/10




In 2004, a 15-year-old boy was driven to an Israeli border checkpoint with a bomb wrapped around his body. He was supposed to blow himself up, taking as many Israelis as possible. But instead the boy gave himself up. Fear, and thoughts of his family, made him rethink his murderous goal.

His apprehension made for dramatic TV. Soldiers, at a distance, ordered him to undo his bulky coat, uncovering the explosives wrapped around his waist. The boy's round face, and short stature made him look even younger. Anyone watching the news that night couldn't help but wonder wow this child ended up in this situation. What was he thinking? Where were his parents, his family, his friends? And who encouraged him to do it?

These were pressing questions because, while Hussam Abdu decided not to blow himself up, many other children are. As The Making of a Martyr notes almost 20 per cent of Palestine suicide bombers are now children.

To get answers the two journalists/producers of this documentary headed to Palestine. They got access to all the key figures, and uncovered the way children are being recruited – through their friends, via money, and with children's television programming – to offer their lives to the cause of Jihad.

For those who are squeamish I'll warn you there are some brief gory scenes – images of bloodied bodies. This is not suitable for young children. However these scenes total no more than 30 seconds, so, while disturbing, it shouldn't stop older teens and adults from watching.

This documentary is well worth seeing. Even if you regularly read about Israel and Palestine in the papers or hear about them on the TV news you really can't understand the conflict. Those media outlets don't offer you any depth. But in The Making of a Martyr we get to follow along as two dogged journalists seek out the answers to questions hardly any one else is asking. You'll get an understanding of the underlying problems Israel faces, and the way the Palestinian people have been manipulated by their leadership. And you'll see child after child describe how they, too, would like to be martyred.

The film offers no solution, but does a very good job of showing how deep-seated the problem is – these children worship a God these delights in them blowing themselves up, so long as they kill Israelis too.

This, then, is a good film to see to understand the problem. But it is sad to see just how far they are from the only possible solution – turning to the real God, who made both Palestinians and Israelis in his own Image.

You can watch the whole film for free by playing the video above.

Flight: the Genius of Birds

Documentary

63 minutes, 2013
Rating: 9/10

I watched this with my three-year-old daughter and we had the exact same reaction: “Wow!” Flight takes a look at the design of birds and focuses particularly on hummingbirds, starlings and arctic terns.

All three have their wow moments:

• the hummingbird with how its tongue works
• the starlings with how thousands of them can come together in giant, flexing living clouds – this was awesome! 
• the artic terns in how they can migrate from one end of the planet to the other every year

I was thinking about not including the trailer with this one, because the trailer manages to make this remarkable film look almost boring (you can find the trailer below). That just isn't so – this is amazing, a documentary you will watch again and again!


While the hour-long film did tax the interest of my daughter - about half way through she returned to her Lego - the next day she was asking to see the rest of it. The impressive computer graphics, and the continuous close-up, slow-motion, and wide-angle shots make this a visual feast. It is intended for adults, but suitable for, and enthralling for, children too – unlike some nature documentaries, this has no violence; no predator and prey shots, so it really is child-friendly. I really can’t imagine anyone not loving this.

The thesis of Flight is that the intricacies involved in birds’ ability to fly gives evidence of a Designer. But the producers don’t specifically name the Designer; they don’t specifically give God the credit He is due. But what the producers don’t do, viewers are sure to – you can’t watch this without praising God!

You can buy it at Amazon.com by clicking here.

it's a girl

Documentary

63 minutes, 2012
Rating: 7/10

This must be the first documentary that I and feminism’s flagship publication, Ms. Magazine, have both recommended.

It covers the topic of gendercide – the killing of unborn baby girls just because they are girls – and it begins with a smiling Indian mother explaining how she strangled every one of her eight newborn girls. Her casually murderous ways are not unusual in India, where women are greatly devalued. There is a saying in southern region that, “Rearing a daughter is like watering a neighbor’s tree.” The thought is that girls are of no benefit to the family they are born into; they are only of benefit to the family they marry into.  Why? Because of dowries. Though the practice is illegal, the giving of dowries is still common in much of India. And because this money has to be paid by the bride’s family to the groom, it is profitable to have sons, but a financial burden to have daughters. So families value daughters-in-law, but not daughters.

The film begins with India, but, about midway through, transitions to China where they have also devalued women, though it has nothing to do with dowries. Instead the culprit is the country’s one-child policy. Traditionally, it is sons who care for their parents so if a couple can have just one child, they want it to be a boy.

The end result, as this documentary shows, is that “the three deadliest words in the world” are “it’s a girl.” In India mothers will regularly kill their baby girls soon after birth: from the ages of 1-5 the mortality rate for girls is 40% higher than for boys. In both India and China woman who are pregnant with girls can face enormous pressure to abort.

So why should we watch this film? Because it’s relevant here in North America, too. This is an issue that can unite both Christians and non-Christians to take some early steps together towards the protection of the unborn. This stratagem was first tried in Canada in late 2012 when Conservative Party MP Mark Warawa put forward a motion that would have condemned gendercide. Unfortunately some backroom maneuvering meant his motion never came up for debate. But with some support this documentary could have a role in bringing this issue to the public’s attention once again.

For information on where you can watch a screening, or how you can order a DVD visit www.itsagirlmovie.com.

 

Christian biographies for children - 3 from The Torchlighters

"The Torchlighters" is a series of animated films created by Voice of the Martyrs to teach children from 8-12 about the many people who have been persecuted for their love of God. The animation is consistently solid, and while the topic matter – persecution – is somber, the depictions of torture are quite age-appropriate (though, as I note below, some 12-year-old children may well find The Jim Elliot Story too much).

The three recommended here are highly educational, and reasonably entertaining, or to put it another way children should see these, won't mind seeing them, but likely won't want to watch them again and again. So they are excellent resources for Christian schools, but not ideal for the family video library.

I should note this isn't a blanket recommendation of the series. Several of the other films in the series depict Jesus talking to one of the characters (Augustine, Perpetua) which skirts uncomfortably close to the Second Commandment, and in other cases the biographical target has significant troubling aspects to their theology (the Arminian John Wesley, for example). But these three are well worth watching – the persecution of their Christian brothers and sisters is a topic the Western Church does not pay enough attention to, or pray enough about, so teaching our children is an important step in the right direction.

You can find a preview of these films at their website www.torchlighters.org and watch them for free at RedeemTV.org (though you will have to sign up for a free account).

The William Tyndale Story
32 min; 2005
Rating: 6/10

The strength of this film is in its simplicity. The vast cast of characters featured in the live-action version is, in this animated retelling, cut down to only the half dozen most important. So now even children will be able to follow the story and learn about how Tyndale translated the Bible into English at the cost of his own life.

The Jim Elliot Story

30 min; 2005
Rating: 6/10
 

In 1956, Jim Elliot and his four friends seek out a group of Ecuadorian natives who have never heard the gospel. The missionaries are murdered for their efforts. Years later, when the men’s wives also seek out the natives, and forgive them, their example serves as a powerful testimony to the truth and power of the Good News, and many of these same natives are then converted. Though this is a cartoon it should definitely be previewed by adults as some scenes – specifically when the missionaries get speared – will be too intense for some children (I would say this is for kids 10 or older)

The Richard Wumbrand Story

30 minutes; 2008

Rating: 6/10 

I knew of Richard Wurmbrand as the man who founded Voice of the Martyrs, an advocacy group for the millions of Christians being persecuted around the world. But before he began speaking out for the persecuted, Pastor Wurmbrand was tortured himself, in his homeland of Romania. The Communist government intimidated other Christian leaders into silence or complicity. They wanted Wumbrand to go along too, but at a government-sponsored event Wurmbrand took the opportunity to publicly denounce the state's suppression of the Bible and their denial of God. His stand buoyed up the courage of many other Christian leaders in attendance. It also landed him in jail. As the film makes clear, what he had to endure was dreadful – physical torture and long stretches of solitary confinement – however there too God provided him the strength he needed.

We in the West have no idea what Christians in other parts of the world have to endure, and, because we haven't been so sorely tested, we also have little idea of how God provides all that we need. Of the three films here this is the one I most want to show my own children... when they get a bit older. I want them to see how this man relied on God, and could trust God to provide him all he needed, even in the most desperate of situations.

On Flywheel

The folks over at Kuyperian Commentary lament the Kendrick brothers for making films that are sermons (Flywheel, Courageous, Fireproof, Facing the Giants). It is an accurate diagnosis, but it also points out that it is best to appreciate something as it is intended. The Kendrick brothers are trying to do precisely that: they are trying to make films that are sermons, so if we don't pretend they are great art, but instead appreciate them for what they are - sermonizing films - we can appreciate them as pretty good sermonizing films.

But the reviewer also notes that film can also be a pretty powerful medium for the Christian messages that aren't sermons, as we see in some bits and pieces of the Narnia Chronicles. It is an article well worth reading, and you can find it here:

www.kuyperian.com/flywheel-eustace-and-redemption/

How to Answer the Fool (free film)

Documentary
85 minutes, 2013
Rating: 8/10

“Why should I believe in God?”

That might seem the first, most obvious question we would have to know how to answer if we were going to hit the streets to tell people the gospel truth. But Romans 1 tells us otherwise. There we read that on some level everyone knows God exists – God has made Himself known through his creation. So, then, spending our time trying to argue for God’s existence simply isn’t fruitful. We are flattering the sinner, treating his ridiculous claim as if it was serious. As the apologist in this film, Sye Ten Bruggencate explains, if someone were to come up to us and say they didn’t believe in words, would we believe him? No, we would treat his foolish claims as just that.

So while some Christians do try to give reasons to believe in God and believe in the Bible, in How to Answer the Fool, Sye Ten Bruggencate wants to teach us how to skip right past that and instead talk to the unbeliever about how it is only by acknowledging God, and the Bible as his Word, that the world makes any sense.

This is a “presuppositional” approach to defending our Christian faith – an approach that starts with the Bible. It is the way Pastor Douglas Wilson also does apologetics, as demonstrated in the documentary Collision, but whereas Wilson focuses on morality – demonstrating that an atheist has no basis on which to complain about anything being wrong – Bruggencate focuses on the issue of reason here. He shows some rather bright atheistic university students that they have can’t justify their belief in reason. He makes his case so well that the students give up on reason, and start to argue that they actually know nothing. Sye attempts to guide the student into realizing how very foolish – how downright comical! – it is for a person paying thousands of dollars a year to learn to deny that they have ever, or could ever learn anything. He encourages them, to instead acknowledge the God who makes reason possible.

The mix of on the street exchanges, examples of famous evangelists doing evangelism wrong, and one on one clips/interviews with the “star” of this film, Sye Ten Bruggencate make this both entertaining and incredibly challenging. The only caution I would give for it is that while some approaches to evangelism flatter the sinner by treating his foolish claims as legitimate, presuppositional apologetics runs the risk of “flattening the sinner.” Sye shows how we can demolish foolish arguments, and we are indeed called to demolish these foolish arguments. But we must do so in love, and loving demolition is a tricky task, and one that must be taken on with care. I would recommend this film as the best instructional film on presuppositional apologetics, and Douglas Wilson's Collision as the better example of doing it winsomely.

It is a must-see film – one that should be used in all our schools, and one that should be seen by every member of our churches, though preferably in a setting where the film can be discussed, and the very real risk of “flattening the sinner” considered.