By Morgan
Lee , Christian Post Reporter May 27,
2014
A 10th
place finish by Heaven Is for Real over the four-day weekend kept Memorial Day
weekend from being the first without a faith-based movie in the top 10 since
February 21-23, the week before Son of God debuted in theaters.
Based on
the bestselling book, Heaven Is for Real earned $2 million in its sixth week
open. With a budget of $12 million, the film has thus far generated nearly $86
million.
X-Men: Days
of Future Past won the extended weekend with $91.4 million.
Moms' Night
Out which was heavily marketed to family audiences, fell from 10th to 13th over
the weekend. The film made roughly $700,000, bringing its total haul to $8.7
million. The comedy, starring Catholic actress Patricia Heaton, cost $5 million
to make according to Box Office Mojo.
March
release God's Not Dead dropped out of the top 30 this week and Box Office Mojo
contained no figures for the movie's financial performance. Posts on the movie'
Facebook page informed viewers that Memorial Day weekend would likely be their
last chance to catch the movie in theaters.
According
to Box Office Mojo, the movie is the seventh highest grossing Christian film
and brought in nearly $60 million over its nine week run. The low-budget film,
which cost $2 million to make, trails Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ, three
Chronicles of Narnia films, and 2014 hits Heaven Is for Real and Son of God.
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Heaven Is
for Real is the final well-known faith-based film in theaters until Exodus:
Gods and Kings premieres in the U.S. on December 14. Christian Bale will star
as Moses, Aaron Paul as Joshua, Joel Edgerton as Moses' step-brother and
Pharaoh Ramses, Signourney Weaver as Tuya, Moses' Egyptian mother, and John
Turturro as Seti, Moses' Egyptian foster father.
A film
about the life of Mary is also scheduled for later this year.
Earlier
this month, the founding partner of Christian film studio Pure Flix
Entertainment, which produced God's Not Dead, and Hollywood actor himself,
David A.R. White, said that despite his credentials, making movies for a
Christian audience is challenging.
"I
don't think it's any mystery that any Christians can be some of the most
judgmental people on the planet," White told The Christian Post recently,
laughing. "You're dealing with that, but at the same token, they are also
some of the most loving people. You have a wide array of people that are
watching something and you cannot please everyone at the same time. Half the
people will love it; half the people will hate it. Half the people won't see
it."
In addition
to its financial success, White says God's Not Dead has also had an impact on
moviegoers themselves.
"[In
one viewing,] the paramedics were called in, so they stopped the movie and they
all gathered around, everyone in the theater, and prayed for this man. Another
time, the print went down and people started singing a hymn in the
theater," said White. "It's really turned into an event, almost a
cause type of film."
'Son of Sam' Killer Converts to Christianity, Says 'Jesus Has Freed My Soul, Has Forgiven Me'
1
May 13, 2014|1:25 pm
(File: NYS)
Serial killer David Berkowitz, aka "Son of Sam," in a New York State prison mug shot taken in 2003.
"David told me that the reason he has never sought freedom from the parole board by attending parole hearings is because 'Jesus has already freed my heart, soul and mind and has forgiven me,'" Mark J. Heller, Berkowitz's lawyer, told the New York Post.
Heller added that Berkowitz had converted from Judaism to Jews for Jesus while behind bars and is reportedly an active member of the group in prison. Berkowitz has even worked as the Sullivan County prison's minister's assistant. It's a radical change for the man raised in the Jewish faith and culture.
Berkowitz became famous for shooting six young people and maiming seven others in the summer of 1976-1977. He came up with the nickname "Son of Sam" and during his trial claimed that the neighbor's dog, Sam, told him to carry out the shootings.
"I tell you, I felt like I was under demonic control," Berkowitz told the Daily News in 2012. "I don't even recognize that person. 'Son of Sam' represents evil and satanic things. That person is like a total stranger to me now. God has put some really great, caring people in my life. To me, they are more than friends, they are family. I'll be the first to say that I don't deserve to have my life spared, but I believe God spared my life for me to do the things I'm doing now."
"I want people to see my God is a God of miracles," Berkowitz added. "If He can save someone like me, He can save anybody."
Read more at http://global.christianpost.com/news/son-of-sam-killer-converts-to-christianity-says-jesus-has-freed-my-soul-has-forgiven-me-119655/#QgkyWEUKLXdtp73t.99