Showing posts with label Greg Kinnear. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Greg Kinnear. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

'Heaven Is for Real' Shows a Vision of the Afterlife - EFREM GRAHAM, CBN NEWS

'Heaven Is for Real'

    Connor Corum plays 4-year-old Colton in his very first acting role in the upcoming 'Heaven Is for Real.' (Sony Pictures)

'Heaven Is for Real' Shows a Vision of the Afterlife



The real-life tale of a child's remarkable trip to heaven and back has spent years on the best-sellers' list. Millions have read the bright yellow book Heaven Is for Real, and now the film adaptation arrives in theaters in time for Easter weekend.
Sony pictures tapped screenwriter and film director Randall Wallace to bring the best-seller to the big screen.
In a recent interview with CBN News, Wallace discussed the challenges of creating a movie that explored vision of the afterlife.
Vision of the Afterlife
"I think nervous is probably a good term. It was certainly in that field between nervous and sheer terror," Wallace said.
The film is based on a story from the Burpos, an ordinary Nebraska family that faced extraordinary circumstances. Their 4-year-old son Colton nearly died and had to undergo emergency surgery. Colton then awoke with undeniable visions of a trip to heaven.
Before entering the film industry, Wallace financed a year of seminary by teaching karate.
"The seminary training was wonderful for me in this in that I studied religion. I grew up in tent revivals and you always think about heaven in those contexts. And the great thing about that is heaven is presented as something glorious," he told CBN News.
That glorious presentation of heaven comes from a 4-year-old.
Playing Pastor Dad
Connor Corum plays 4-year-old Colton in his very first acting role. Oscar-nominated actor Greg Kinnear plays Colton's dad, Todd.
Kinnear described Todd's character to CBN News.
"Well, he is passionate. He clearly has a strong faith and a strong conviction about what he believes and a great love of his children," Kinnear said. "And I think those were the things for me to really try to translate as strongly to the audience as possible."
Todd Burpo is also a firefighter, pastor and a man struggling to understand what his son experienced and what to do about it. That struggle helped him write the book that has sold more than 10 million copies.
Kinnear wasn't familiar with the book before taking on the role.
"Turning it into a screenplay would be not easy to do," he recalled thinking.
"It is a tough thing to pull off so that it doesn't feel like a two-hour sermon," Wallace said. "That is, tell you a story, an honest story. And I thought he did an amazing job at doing that."

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Exclusive: "Heaven Is For Real" - First Thoughts after Screening the Movie - Aimee Herd - Breaking Christian News

Aimee Herd - Breaking Christian News:
Exclusive: "Heaven Is For Real" - 
First Thoughts after Screening the Movie

Aimee Herd-Opinion (Feb 19, 2014)

It's a movie that spurs the all-important dialogue that is always in the back of our minds (if not the forefront)—whether a Believer or not—which is: "Is Heaven real?"

Heaven is for RealI found Todd Burpo's NY Times best-selling book, "Heaven Is For Real," to be a very down-to-earth account of his son, Colton's experiences while lingering between this life and Heaven, and how he—as a pastor—reconciled what his son described with his own beliefs. (Graphic: "Heaven Is For Real" official movie poster)

But, when I heard they were making a movie out of the book, I admit I was afraid of the "hokey factor" that seems to have accompanied many faith-based films in the past.

Last night, I attended a private screening for "Heaven Is For Real" which will be released on April 16th—just in time for the Easter weekend.

If you're not familiar with the true story of what happened with the Burpos, here's a quick synopsis...

Heaven is for RealTodd Burpo is the pastor of a small-town church in America's heartland, where he lives with his wife Sonja; daughter, Cassie and son, Colton, who was just 3 at the time. A sudden and severe illness lands Colton in the hospital, and as he hovers between life and death, his family and church friends cry out to God on his behalf.

(Photo: Connor Corum and Greg Kinnear as Colton and Todd Burpo)

Colton recovers, quite miraculously, and a short time after, he begins to share matter-of-factly with his parents, some of what he experienced when 'his body' was in the hospital, and he was 'somewhere else.' What he tells his family, and others who will listen, changes everything.
Heaven is for Real
The acting in "Heaven Is For Real" was excellent, in my opinion. Greg Kinnear plays Todd Burpo; Kelly Reilly plays his wife Sonja; and Connor Corum is an amazing child actor, aptly playing the role of Colton Burpo.

(Photo: Kelly Reilly as Sonja Burpo)

This cast, along with 'church friends,' Margo Martindale and Thomas Haden Church, are completely believable and all seem to operate in that magical place of "I forgot they were acting."
Heaven is for RealUnder the direction of Randall Wallace (think "Braveheart"), the story of Colton describing his time in "Heaven" was expertly told, and in a very heartfelt, human way, in which we can all relate.


As Todd Burpo hears from his son, the extremely specific details about Heaven, he is suddenly faced with his own lack of belief, and just how to deal with that as a pastor.

Heaven is for RealHowever, the more Colton shares about his time spent with Jesus, and the others he met during his experience; the more those who hear it are changed by what it means to each of them.

(Photo: Connor Corum as 'Colton')

The movie dialog contains no expletives that I can remember, and I only felt the "hokey meter" begin to register a bit during the scenes (which were very brief) that depicted Heaven, and a few angels. Perhaps a few too many clouds—but seriously, what do I know? Maybe there are a lot of clouds there! (It just seemed slightly cliché at that point.)

Heaven is for RealBut on the other hand, how does one portray Heaven with special effects and have it not feel somewhat hokey? I do like the way they kept Jesus' face somewhat silhouetted until the very end, when child-prodigy artist Akiane's "Jesus" portrait is revealed. (That was the only picture of the Lord that Colton said was accurate.)

Heaven is for RealOn the whole, I would highly recommend "Heaven Is For Real," especially if you read and loved the book—but even if you didn't. Above all, it's the great love of God that is communicated through this film. (Photo: The 'real' Burpo family)
It's a movie that spurs the all-important dialogue that is always in the back of our minds (if not the forefront)—whether a Believer or not—which is: "Is Heaven real?"

And then, "If Heaven is real...how does that change how I live my life now?"
"Heaven Is For Real" releases in about 2,500 theaters across the country on Wednesday, April 16th.

To watch the official trailer, and for more information about the movie, Click Here.
Aimee Herd for Breaking Christian News

www.breakingchristiannews.com

Friday, November 15, 2013

'Heaven Is For Real' is adapted into a film starring Greg Kinnear

'Heaven Is For Real' is adapted into a film starring Greg Kinnear

'Heaven Is For Real' was written by pastor Todd Burpo whose son told him he traveled to heaven during an operation.

By Staff Writer / July 24, 2013
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Share onThe bestselling book “Heaven Is For Real” is on its way to becoming a film.
A movie adaptation of 2010 book 'Heaven Is For Real' will star Greg Kinnear as father Todd Burpo.
Evan  AP Agonistini/Invision/


The book, written by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent, tells the story of Burpo’s son, Colton, who underwent an appendectomy at the age of four and later told his parents that during the operation – while unconscious – he traveled to heaven, talked with Jesus, and returned with knowledge of a sister they had never told him that he had.
“Heaven Is For Real” was originally released in 2010 and is still at number 12 on the New York Times paperback nonfiction list.
Now “Little Miss Sunshine” actor Greg Kinnear is set to star as Todd Burpo in the film adaptation of the book, which is being released by TriStar Pictures. The movie is being directed by Randall Wallace, who also directed the 2010 film “Secretariat” and the 2002 movie “We Were Soldiers.”
“Sherlock Holmes” actress Kelly Reilly is portraying Burpo's wife and first-time actor Connor Corum will play Colton, while “Sideways” actor Thomas Haden Church will play family friend Jay Olson. The movie is currently in production in Canada.
In 2011, the Burpo family took part in video interviews which played at Lifetree Cafes, areas dedicated to conversation which are located around the country. In the video, Todd Burpo addressed those who doubt his son’s story and his reasons for publishing it. 
“As a pastor and as a dad, I want my son to know I tell the truth,” Burpo said. “He can read the book. He knows if I exaggerated or if I didn't. My son is forever going to believe that I'm an honest person or I'm a liar by what I wrote in that book, because he can read.”