Faith & hope in ‘Miracles’ – Family strength

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LOS ANGELES, March 11, (RTRS): When the faith-based movie “Miracles From Heaven” had its world bow in Los Angeles at the ArcLight Cinemas, it was an atypical Hollywood premiere. Sure, there was a red carpet and beautifully attired stars, but the general mood and feel of the evening was markedly different. There was a sense of good will and contentment emanating from all players involved in the project about the true story of the Beam family: When Christy Beam (Jennifer Garner) discovers her 10-year-old daughter Anna (Kylie Rogers) has a rare, incurable disease, she becomes a ferocious advocate for her daughter’s healing as she searches for a solution. After Anna has a freak accident, her daughter’s health takes a dramatic turn that leaves medical specialists mystified.

Cast members and filmmakers in attendance to celebrate the film’s heart-tugging messages of faith and hope included Garner, Rogers, Martin Henderson, John Carroll Lynch, Eugenio Derbez, Queen Latifah, director Patricia Riggen, producers Joe Roth, T.D. Jakes and DeVon Franklin, and author Christy Beam with her entire family, including young Anna Beam, now 12.

Roth and Jakes, the producing team behind the 2014 movie “Heaven Is for Real,” acquired the film rights to Beam’s book, believing there’s mass appeal for this film as well, because it’s about an everyday type of superhero. Former Columbia Pictures exec-turned-producer Franklin explained, “We wanted to make sure we focused on the universal theme of miracles; that even the smallest miracle might be in front of us but if we’re not looking for it, we might miss it. Having seen this film play all around the country, this story is touching people. Entertainment can not only inspire, it can heal. Hollywood doesn’t do enough films like this because they think people don’t want it — not true! The movie is working. My hope and prayer is that people will see it. The everyday superhero is the mom or dad, the superpower can be faith and that can also have a place at the box office.”

Garner, who plays the devoted mom, also thinks the film has the potential to connect with a wide audience. “I think audiences will fall in love with the Beam family and their story and their strength, and how they lean on each other. I think they should take away some feeling of hope and inspiration.” As Garner’s character faces her daughter’s medical crisis head-on, there are many tearful moments (bring tissues!) and Garner shared that she felt “very connected” to her onscreen daughters, “corralling the three girls between takes, trying to keep them busy and happy.”

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Laika and Focus Features have released a magical second trailer for their stop-motion animated film “Kubo and the Two Strings,” directed by Laika topper Travis Knight.

The movie opens worldwide on Aug 19.

The film follows a young storyteller who goes on an epic adventure after he accidentally releases a spirit bent on carrying out an ancient vendetta. Kubo, voiced by “Game of Thrones” actor Art Parkinson, must battle gods and monsters to save his family and solve the mystery of his fallen samurai father with help from his magical musical instrument, a shamisen. The film, set in Japan, also features the voices of Matthew McConaughey, Charlize Theron, Ralph Fiennes, Rooney Mara and George Takei.

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Halle Berry is in talks to join Fox’s spy comedy “Kingsman 2,” portraying the director of the CIA.

Matthew Vaughn is returning to direct from a script he co-wrote with Jane Goldman, with Taron Egerton again starring. The 2014 original, “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” was based on the comic book “The Secret Service,” created by Dave Gibbons and Mark Millar, and follows the training of a potential secret agent to take on a global threat from Samuel L. Jackson’s Richmond Valentine.

Vaughn also produced the original, which grossed a surprisingly healthy $415 million worldwide. Colin Firth, Mark Strong and Michael Caine also starred.

Several recent reports have indicated that Julianne Moore has been in talks to play the villain in the sequel. It’s unclear whether Firth or Strong will return for “Kingsman 2.”

Fox has dated “Kingsman 2” for release on June 16, 2017.

Berry reprised her role as the mutant Storm in “X-Men: Days of Future Past” in 2014 and played an astronaut in CBS series “Extant,” which was canceled after two seasons last fall. She also stars in Relativity’s upcoming action-thriller “Kidnap” as a mother who tries to find her abducted son.

Berry is repped by CAA and Management 360. The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.

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