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PDF version"Game Time: Tackling the Past" NBC Family Movie Night, Sept. 3
by Sr. Rose Pacatte on Sep. 03, 2011
The latest TV movie from the NBC-Walmart-Proctor & Gamble family friendly triad airs this Saturday, Sept. 3, at 8/7c on NBC: "Game Time: Tackling the Past".
It's a football movie starring Catherine Hicks and Beau Bridges as the parents whose oldest son Jake (Ryan McPartlin) is a pro football player. While his achievements on the field have brought him near a place in the Hall of Fame, his career and ambition have kept him from his family for 15 years. When his dad has a major heart attack, Jake goes home to more devastating news.
This is a rather formulaic made-for-TV movie, but the cast and performances are appealing, especially from Hicks and Bridges. The unique thing about previewing the film was that the marketing company organized an online screening with Hicks, who plays the peace-keeper in the family. During the screening journalists could log in and type-chat with Hicks throughout. I really enjoyed this -- it was as if we were all sitting in a living room chatting while watching, just like families do.
Some of the things we talked about were the lack of diversity in this "Family Movie Night" series and who the intended audience really is. One journalist said she was Hispanic-African-American and white, and that the film appealed to her, even though the film is almost 100 percent white. She liked the story and said she and her family would watch.
Hicks, the mom in the long-running television series "7th Heaven", admitted that she is a total football fan, as she graduated from St. Mary's College across from Notre Dame University. Hicks is a practicing Catholic and we know one another from her visits to our bookstore here in Culver City, Calif. It was fun reading her responses to comments and the journalists' (about 26 participated) comments and questions.
This is the fourth film out of eight in this series that I have seen. The best so far was the spy mystery "Who is Simon Miller?" that aired in August.
I give credit to NBC and the sponsors for offering sanitized primetime stories that most of the family could watch if they wanted to. The question is: will they want to? I think they have a ways to go to capture the imagination of more families out there.
If a family can really get into the story, there are salient themes to talk about -- besides the fact that Walmart and P&G are branding our eye balls by trying to create warm, fuzzy connections between the movie and their products.
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For more information about this film and previous TV movies in the series, visit NBC Family Movie Night: http://www.familymovienight.com/
Thanks I enjoyed the good
Thanks I enjoyed the good story presented in an easy manner.
Just wondering if there is
Just wondering if there is anyway to find this movie again either on the TV or on the internet somewhere? We did not get to see the whole Movie because of the delayed football game. My husband and I would really love to see the last hour of this movie.
I too am in the same
I too am in the same situation. Due to my work schedule I set the DVR to tape and only got the 1st half of the movie due to the football game delay. I would like to see the rest also but can't find any info. on when it will show again.
I recently saw Miracle which
I recently saw Miracle which starred Carol Baker and Roger Moore. What do others think of that movie, if they know it? Seemed most odd to me, the Mary statue coming to life, taking the place of the postulate until she returns. Roger Moore was delightful, very handsome, charming, charismatic. Lit up the screen for sure. Very good in the role. Ms Baker was either directed wrongly or did not suit that role, yet can be really good in other films (like Baby Doll, brilliant work.) The movie had great production values, scenery, costumes, lots of color and action. Just a weird story line as far as the religious themes went. Any one see that movie?
I have to reply to the
I have to reply to the comment this person made. Whoever you are, the movie the Miracle is a beautfiul movie and Caroll Baker did play a beautiful part and played it well..........regardless of the statue of Bl. Mother movine into her place that was the Miracle and with God all things are possible.
Sr. Rose, I agree with your
Sr. Rose,
I agree with your statement about sanitizing TV. My aunt was a Dominican nun. While we were visiting her, she told us she had seen The Sound of Music 34 times. I asked her what else she/they watched. She told us almost nothing, because TV was so full of sex and violence. I was stunned at this, then quickly realized that she was very correct. One would think that with cable TV there would be at least one channel that nuns could watch. But apparently not.
BTW, I also commend NBC for that effort. Although otherwise, I regard them as very little better than FOX News, with all of the Hannities and O'Reilly type screwballs on it.
can anyone please explain to
can anyone please explain to me how American football is so intertwined with Christianity in our schools?
Upon what theological or sacramental basis?
Like having our bishops bless our battleships, seems a disconnect to me . . .
Thanks for your comments. To
Thanks for your comments. To answer some of your questions:
I contacted one of the producers for the film "Game Time" and asked about re-broadcast and availability of the series on DVD. Here is his response:
"... the series (except maybe Simon Miller) are available now on DVD at Walmarts. http://familymovienight.com usually has all the up to date info."
Regarding the 1959 film "The Miracle" with Carol Baker: It doesn't really have anything to do with the topic here so I will just say that when I was stationed in Guam in 1993, that was the most requested video at our book store. When I finally saw it, I thought it was more creepy that inspirational but that's me.
And Charles, just google Sports and Religion or Sports as Religion and you will find endless resources to consider the theological basis for football (golf, baseball, basketball, racing) as religion. Also check out http://CatholicAthletesforChrist.com.
One book by a Catholic publisher is "Crossing Home: the spiritual lessons of baseball:. True, it's not football, but I think certain correlations can be made, though baseball has the edge for me because players don't usually pound one another into the dirt to win. It's easier to find practicing Catholics in major league baseball than football or basketball it seems.
And to quote Lynette (Felicity Huffman) on "Desperate Housewives" when she tried to convince her Catholic husband Tom they needed to go to church, "Just because you wear a Notre Dame tee shirt when you cut the grass does not make you a good Catholic."
Quite a bit has been written about sports, faith, Catholicism. You can take a look at a piece I wrote earlier this year on Catholic universities and movies - often the link is sports. http://ncr.travidia.com/SS/Page.aspx?secid=99908&pagenum=16&sstarg=&faci...
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