Heaven Is for Real (2014)

Why are people so obsessed with getting into heaven? Is life so boring that they feel the need to die sooner than later? And why should people need assurances of getting into a better place rather than creating a better place here on Earth and living a better life?It baffles me that people or so obsessed with concept of heaven, that they have to promote grand delusions of such a place, rather than remind people of what Jesus would do. He certainly would not sell the illusion this film represents.Can we please have fewer films like this and more like Selma or Luther? At least they promote the Christian faith in a way that promotes change.

There comes a time when we all question Is heaven for real? On most occasions the act of good seems to far fetched to believe in and solace is found the misery of the event. Based on a four year olds anecdotal account of being invited to heaven after a ruptured appendix it is a truly remarkable tale of faith. Faith and hope are two things adults seem to thrive on to wake up each morning and what is extraordinary about the movie is its focus on the father, a pastor, his peeled s and the adults and how they perceive the question. Heaven is for real? A paradoxical question that questions ones own faith, but not of heaven but of existence. We all seek validation and our state of affairs is almost always based on what we believe. What an extraordinary tale to be told. This is not about whether Heaven is for real, but more about is mankind for real?I say this because what is real is what we decide to believe is real. An amazing cast and an splendid performance by Connor Corum. What is a wonderful capture of Connor's performance, who plays young Colyton Burpo, is the innocence and often heightened glee as he strolls through each scene. Almost as if he, during the making of the film was touched by an Angel. This is more than a feel good movie. It brings you to that point questioning not if Heaven is for real- but are you for real?

Originally given to my 88 year old Mother-in Law by my minister Sister-in-Law, I expected this to be a real preachy, "bible thumper" bomb-of-a-movie. Was I dead wrong! It takes it's time (15 min.) introducing all of the main characters, which makes it a bit slow, but it's very well-done and this saves a lot of "plot exposition" later. Colton is the 4-year-old little boy who sees a vision of Heaven in a near-death experience during an emergency appendix operation. As the story progresses, his story seems all-too-real: He met Jesus and his horse (there are many animals in Heaven). He also met his Great Grandfather (nobody wears glasses and is old in Heaven). He met his unborn baby sister, who is un-named and "died in Mama's tummy". His parents never told him about her! Colton's dad is the Pastor of a small-town Nebraska Mid-Western church. He struggles with his own faith, and instead of getting "preachy" the movie gets more real:he and his son are ridiculed. He becomes a media oddity. He is pretty-much bankrupt and his own parishioners are thinking of replacing him. A great ending as it all comes together with a kind-of "Disney-like" charm. One star off for silly sub-plots about kidney stones and a few other things. By-the-way, the "real" person still presides as the Pastor of the same church, to this very day. Well-cast and sincerely produced and directed. Practically "G" rated except for a few hospital "OR" scenes. Anger is expressed without a single nasty "cuss word". Filmed in Manitoba,Canada. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I am not a very religious person at all! It's a light drama and would seem to have a limited appeal? Wrong! A multi-million-dollar box office hit based on a best selling book! However, my mother-in-law didn't like it. (It's not a musical and it was too-long for her!) Obviously, if you do not "like" Jesus, this is not your film either! The viewer will have to decide whether this a true story or an allegory.

Or is it Heaven for the Christians? It's tough to sell to everyone just by definition. The concept is or should by familiar to everyone, whether they believe it or not. And the movie does take a few shots at it and the reaction people would obviously have if they were confronted with a "reality" like that.All through the eyes of a child who seems to be saying all the right things at the right moments. Which brings issues into the family and the people close to the family. Acting wise this is really good and there are a few things that are a bit out there (a punching or two, screaming at God and some other things), that you might not expect. But it never gets out of hand completely. It's a movie for those who believe anyway, but has a nice speech by Greg towards the end that can be seen as uplifting.