Free Books!!   |  
Courtesy of Hollywood Jesus and Thomas Nelson Publishers, you can be  one of three lucky Hollywood Jesus readers to win a copy of  52 Little Lessons from It's A Wonderful Life,  now available at book stores everywhere. Click through for details... 
  
  |  
 Free Blu-rays!!
  |  
Courtesy of Hollywood Jesus and Disney Home Entertainment, you can be  one of three lucky Hollywood Jesus readers to win a copy of  The Joy Luck Club,  now available for the first time on Blu-ray. Click through for details... 
  
  |  
 Yes, Virginia... there are more newsletters than just this one!
 
  
  Click on the image above to join, or to manage your subscriptions!
  |   
                
               | 
            
			  
                
                  
					  
                          
                            
                              We know that you value your privacy, and we respect that. If, for some reason, you are receiving this newsletter in error, please use the "SafeUnsubscribe" link in the footer of this email.
  | 
                           
                         
                    Featured Release Click through to read the full reviews...
     The Hobbit:  An Unexpected Journey 
   Tim Berroth 
  Leave it to big studio execs, hungry to milk every cent from this  franchise, to stretch one book over three movies. Halfway through this  film, I felt like the whiny kid in the back seat asking his parents  repeatedly, "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"
 
  Mark Sommer   No matter what I think about how Jackson has handled (or mishandled)  Tolkien's Middle-earth, he is a masterful filmmaker, and this latest  glimpse (if I can use that word for a nearly-three-hour spectacle) is at  least as remarkable as those we experienced a decade ago.
 
  Yo 
  It's been a long time coming, but The Hobbit is finally here.  Now the question is, was it worth the wait? Well, yes, absolutely it  was; but part of that will depend on just how high you've set your  expectations.
 
  Greg Wright 
    I'll applaud Jackson for using the film to break new ground with  cinematic technology, and for achieving a somewhat kinder, gentler  Middle-earth. But this is simply not a compelling film, except for the  most die-hard of fans.  |  
    Special Coverage of The Hobbit from Editor Mark Sommer
 Stay Tuned for More      Interview Features   Yo   
-  Being Gollum: A Talk with Andy Serkis  
 - One Book; Three Movies: A Talk with Peter Jackson and Crew  
 -  Insights From Peter Jackson  
  
 Satire  Michael P.
  Sometimes we get so excited about a movie that we tend to believe any  rumor that is posted on the Internet.  In the excitement and bustle we  may have posted rumors we thought were true.  Let me take a moment and  debunk them for you (and apologize profusely).   Continuing Analysis of the Book Catastrophe and Eucatastrophe:  Expect the Unexpected I always liked Billy Connolly as a comedian. I hope he can do a look  for Dain that gets across the seriousness of the situation. What's that,  Peter, can he do grim? Why don't you ask him? I mean he looks perfectly  friendly. You're not afraid of a Glaswegian ex-shipyard worker wielding  a mattock and wearing iron boots, are you? Tolkien's Prequel to The Hobbit For those of you who have only read The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings,  let me explain that The Quest of Erebor (Erebor being the Lonely  Mountain) was something that Tolkien wrote as an appendix to the latter  work, but most of it ended on the editing room floor, so to speak. He  had written too much. I think I know the feeling, but with Tolkien, that  was a lot more.   In The News
 
 As we approach the opening of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,  Crosswalk.com has posted a video interview with three Tolkien experts  on Christian themes in the book. Dr. Ralph Wood, Dr. Michael Ward, and  Rick Trumbo talk about how JRR Tolkien's faith impacted his writings.  Click through to see the video.   Just a few more hours until North America can see The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.  It been a long ride, and it's not over. We plan to still be with you  probably into 2015, covering DVD releases, etc. For now, here are a few  tidbits from what has been hitting the Internet this past week.   expecting *an unexpected journey*life is, perhaps,  when we look just right and the right wizard happens by,  always on the brink of an adventure . .   The soundtrack is beautiful, if that word rightly applies to the haunting sound you remember from The Lord of the Rings. There will be familiar themes adapted for the new story, as well as new themes for what's unique in The Hobbit.   |  
 | 
 Featured Interview
  
Click through for the full interview...
 
   Les Miserables     Paula Parker
  Les Mis. Based on Victor Hugo's classic novel, for over twenty-eight  years, the musical phenomenon has been seen by more than 60 million  people in forty-two countries and in twenty-one languages. On Christmas  Day, this beloved musical will open as one of the most highly  anticipated films of the year.
  During a recent press conference,  the movie's stars Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Eddie Redmayne, Samantha  Barks, and Amanda Seyfried, spoke about preparing for their roles and  how this story impacted them...
  |  
 Video Review Click through to watch the whole clip...
     Killing Them Softly
   A Gangster Movie... It Thinks  Dice
  While the movie works within a predictable genre, it never quite feels  like a gangster picture, despite the violence. In fact, it defies  expectations in a lot of ways. And it makes good work of witty dialogue  and visual presentation. But the artiness makes much of this... boring.
  |  
 Featured Preview Click through for more...
     Oz The Great and Powerful
   Reimagining History  Steve Norton
  Can prequels actually improve a story or are they always merely a 'cash  grab'?  As we anxiously await the release of Disney's much anticipated Oz: The Great and Powerful in March 2013, we stop to take a look at the value of 'prequels' and their impact on a story.
  |  
   
  News About What's in the Works for Film and Faith Managing Editor Greg Wright
   The Bible (TV)                The Nativity... A first glimpse at Mark Burnett's epic minseries The Bible,  which will air on History Channel starting 3-3-13. "The Scriptures  Christians live by come to life in an epic and authentic way," says the  publicity. Take a look and let us know what you think!
  Read More...        Also from The Pipeline:   The Bible (TV) Filmed in the desert of Morocco over a  period of three years, this series will comprise vignettes of biblical  stories beginning with Genesis and continuing through Revelation.  CeeLo's new music video uses footage from the new program. Check it out!
 
  The Bible (TV) Ms. Downey explained part of the reasoning  behind this series. "Just think about all the people who don't know the  Bible. We pray they will become interested in God's Word and that  believers will be reminded to make Bible study a part of their daily  lives."
 
  Laughing On Purpose 
Michael Jr. follows his best-selling comedy CD,  Funny For A Reason, with the release of his first solo stand-up comedy DVD. 
 
  |  
 | 
 Indie Focus
  
Click through for the full review...
     Any Day Now
   Fighting for Family  Darrel Manson
  What makes a family?  That question is one society has been struggling  with for some time. For better or worse, the concept of family has been  evolving. Any Day Now shows a step along the road to one of the ways many people understand family.
  |  
 | 
 New on Home Video
  
Click through to read the full reviews...
     Divination   
   Above the Board Melinda Ledman
 
 Now on DVD The story feels like a work of fiction because we are  trained to see these kinds of monsters and evil forces within the  framework of fictional films already.  But when you acknowledge that  Jesus actually spoke to demons, you have to ask the bigger question. Is  the Bible real? Plus...
    |  
  | 
                 
                
                  
					  
                      
                      
                      
                      
                      
                      
                    | 
                               Previous News
                                Miss other newsletters? Be sure to catch up.  You can find them all here. 
To manage your subscriptions, click on the mailing list signup logo at the top of the left sidebar, or click on the "Update Profile" link in the footer of this
email. |  
  | 
                 
                
                  
					  
                          
                            Glad to be here,   
                              The Staff 
                              HollywoodJesus.com  | 
                           
                         
                     | 
                 
                |