Breakthrough (Rated PG)
Adapted from the autobiographical book co-written by Joyce Smith, this film chronicles her efforts to heal her adoptive son, John, through prayer. At 14, John falls through the ice of a frozen lake. Despite being dead for one hour, John’s heartbeat returns when Joyce prays over him. Chrissy Metz’s portrayal is heartfelt as Joyce refuses to lose her son and makes moving pleas to God. Dennis Haysbert portrays John’s doctor, cautioning that he may never return to normal. Topher Grace appears as Joyce’s steadfast pastor, while Josh Lucas plays her supportive, yet skeptical husband. Depending upon your perspective, Joyce’s certainty that God will fulfill her wish is either her story’s strength or its weakness.
The Curse of La Llorona (Rated R)
James Wan’s formulaic shocker is inspired by a centuries-old Mexican legend. La Llorona first drowned her children, then herself, to punish her unfaithful husband. Myth holds that La Llorona’s ghost returns seeking children to replace her own. Anna Garcia (Linda Cardellini) is a well-meaning social worker and widowed mom when she is cursed by a woman claiming her children were stalked and killed by La Llorona. Within days, Anna and her kids meet the menacing apparition. Helped and advised by former priest Rafael Olvera (Raymond Cruz), Anna’s family fights back.
Penguins (Rated G)
Much like March of the Penguins, this Disney nature doc follows the breeding cycle and parental duties of penguins. In this film, a plucky penguin (named Steve) is voiced by Ed Helms, who also narrates. While the emperor penguins from March stand about three feet tall and weighs about 50 pounds, Steve and fellow adelie penguins are just two feet tall and weigh only about 15 pounds. When we meet Steve, he is late arriving for his first breeding season. Awkward but unbearably cute, Steve’s lighthearted struggles only become tense when he is stalked by killer whales or leopard seals. Disney timed the release of this breathtaking film to coincide with Earth Day.
