Facing the Giants (2006)

A few years ago I stumbled across a simple Christian film called Flywheel made by a Baptist church in Georgia. Despite its technical limitations, Flywheel is a wonderful and fulfilling family Christian flick.

Those same filmmakers have followed up with another gem in Christian family fare... Facing the Giants. The story involves a high-school football coach who battles six years of losing football, a car that won't run, a house that smells and a marriage in which he and his wife are unable to have any children.

When the coach turns to Jesus, things start to fall into place. He changes his approach to a very simple one... If we succeed, we praise God. If we fail, we praise God. We must give our best in all we do to honor God. This philosophy bleeds through to the players and the people around him and their fortunes begin to change.

Granted, Facing the Giants travels over familiar cinematic ground and there are not a lot of real surprises as the story unfolds. But, the journey is exceedingly satisfying. Why? Because we all want Jesus to be that obvious in our lives. We want to see such clear cut tangible results from our faith. So, when the team improves and other minor miracles occur, we’re glad, even if we're not surprised.

The writing is clever, moving and often times quite funny. The actors, all of whom are volunteers, do a very good job and the end result is a film that pulls at the heart and the spiritual strings... sure we've heard the song before, but we don't mind because it sounds so beautiful.

With Flywheel (made for $20,000) and Facing the Giants ($100,000), the folks at Sherwood Baptist Church have made films with more substance, depth, weight and emotional impact than Hollywood movies made for 100 times their cost. These guys believe that Jesus is the best screenwriter, director, editor, cinematographer, etc. and that their job is to offer the film up to him and he'll make the magic happen. And, with Facing the Giants, they've created another piece of Christian family magic.

This is one film my kids have demanded we add to our DVD library. I'm only too happy to oblige.

Unidentified (2006)

What is the real purpose behind UFOs? How does that work into a Christian fundamentalist view of the Bible and Jesus? Those are the questions asked and answered in the Christian film Unidentified. The story starts out with varying people in a small Texas town who see a UFO. Two reporters for a non-tabloid, bipartisan magazine visit the town to investigate. As it turns out, one reporter is an atheist, the other a part-time Christian.

As the story unfolds, as the experiences of the abductees are relayed and as more sightings occur, the reporters each pursue opposite sides of the story. The part-time Christian investigates to determine if the events are real and the atheist investigates to see if the UFO phenomenon is all a clever ruse used by others to make money. The story concludes with both sides being explained, but with the UFO sightings identified as a deception by demons and Satan to pull people away from Christ as the rapture approaches.

The overall concept and potential of Unidentified are exciting, unfortunately the implementation of the story plays out like a TV movie of the week. There's a lot of talking, and I mean a lot, with almost no visualization or cinematic imagery at all. Explanations are told instead of shown, which makes for an uninteresting film experience.

Plus, the effect of the film would have been far greater had it come out ten years ago, before 9/11, when shows like the X-Files and numerous Roswell, Texas books were so popular. Now, in a post-9/11 world, we're too focused on the real dramas in the war on terror to put much emotional weight into UFO sightings.

I've enjoyed the work of Rich Christiano and these filmmakers before (Time Changer), but, even though Unidentified has its heart in the right place it unfortunately it misses the mark.

And Even More Pics

And the last of the pics...

The boys playing the addictive Wii

DC "rolls" a strike.

Peter and Kristi

Matt, Paul and Andrew

My great sis, Mary.

Pete and Pete

Even More Christmas Pics

Here are a few more pics from the holidays...

Nothing gets between me and my caffeine.

KT and Sarah, who sits in a guy-cringing pose.

Laura, Gabe, Dea, KT, DC and
Sarah making Christmas cookies.

Laura, Pete and KT as "Angels"

Sarah in her "big sister's" lap

More Christmas Pics

And some more...

Pete and kids

DC and Dea in Helen, GA.

Gabe's Gator wallet.

Gabe and his new Gator blanket.

Mom making her edible Christmas presents.

Some Christmas Pics

This past Christmas we spent with my parents in NC, as my father has trouble traveling. We spent a lot of time at my niece KT's house, at my parents house and at my brother Steve's house. All in all, we had a GREAT time.

Below are some pics from the trip.

Sarah and DC


Luke


Luke in drag...


Laura making gingerbread cookies


Gabe, our fire-keeper, in his full Gatorness

Severed Rewrite - Version 4

Writing is Rewriting.

That's the axiom and there was rarely a more true statement every written... or rewritten.

I've recently finished the fourth re-write of my Christian action flick called Severed. It amazes me how much this story has grown and changed over time.

The story is much more concise and effective and tight and its Christian aspects of martyrdom has expanded over this past two drafts. There are probably a few more revisions in its life, but I think they will be minor changes this point forward.

I had also discussed with my wife changing the name to Lambs of God(s), referring to both the sacrificial nature of martyrdom as well as the seemingly opposing viewpoints of God where one religion proclaims believing means loving your enemy and for the other it means destroying your enemy... therein lies the (s) in the title.

My wife thought the name change was too controversial and would be perceived as taking away from Jesus, the true Lamb of God, which, of course I'm not. As a matter of fact, I'm actually portraying that the character's sacrifices, no matter how great to them, are extremely insignificant compared to a sacrifice which forgive the sins of the entire world. But I understood her point. The message may get lost in the controversy. But, would the controversy be a bad thing?

I don't know. Plus, my daughter mentioned that some religions are not allowed to use a capital G when speaking of God as it is offensive to them, but using a small g would be offensive to us, so the God(s) part may not work and if changed to god(s) it may not work either.

All that being said, I think the Lambs of God(s) title captures the sense of the film far better than Severed, but it may not be the right title in the end.

First things first... I have to figure out how to shoot the film no matter what its name ends up being!

Baden-Baden, Anton Benz's Hometown

Here are some pics Charles found that show Baden-Baden, Germany, the hometown of Anton Benz, our distant relative.




You can read more about Anton Benz in this previous post.

Thanks for the pics, Charles.

6-Pack + 17 Yrs x 2 Surgeries = 2 Liter

When I used to act for a living, my primary concern was making sure my product, i.e. me, was in the best shape I could be. I spent hours a day at the gym and it paid off. I was never in better shape.

The thing I worked hardest on was my stomach. We have, in our genome, a thing called The Bauer Belly. So, I was determined never to fall prey to its inevitable power and fought the insistent genetics by doing hundreds of sit-ups a night while watching TV.

While converting some old VHS tapes to DVD, I stumbled across a video of me at my peak (see below).

Well, 17 years and two intestinal surgeries later, my once proud six-pack has turned into a two-liter that no amount of sit-ups will ever fix. My flattened tummy muscles have been forever destroyed and I am left looking in the mirror wishing I could look as I once did. I mean, hell, I still sit in front of the TV, except now, doing 100 crunches would only exacerbate my already malformed stomach muscles.

Oh well, at least I can say I had a six-pack once... a long, long, long time ago.

And don't even get me started on my once full head of dark hair...

Aunt Alice Passed Away

My father's sister, Alice, passed away yesterday. She had the same firey personality as my Dad. His once large family has been reduced over time to my father, his brother Clary and his brother Bernie.

My mom's family of six now remains only herself and her sister Mary.

It must be so hard, as you age, to watch all of those you know and love to pass on to the other side. Being the youngest of eight I wonder if I, too, will be one of the last remaining of my family in the decades to come.

My prayers go out to everyone touched by Alice's bright life, especially my wonderful and wounded parents.

Her funeral will be held in Hot Springs and her ashes will be interred Kokomo, Indiana.

Sister Katie With The Family

Here's a picture of Aunt Katie (the Nun in the middle) with Mom, Dad, Joe, John, Steve and Mary.

Catherine Buckley - 1894

This picture is labeled Catherine Buckley - 1894. It's not my Mom, so I'm not sure who this is... I'm sure someone will update me.

UPDATE: My Mom posted the following: This is my mother's sister. She lived until about 12 years of age. I don't know what caused her death, but it wasn't by accidental causes. She had an illness of some kind. My father had a sister Catherine who also died around that age. You can imagine why I wanted to pass the 12th year.

70's Thanksgiving

Here's a picture of one of those wacky Thanksgiving celebrations held at our house, hat wear and all.

Paul Bauer - Age 13

It's 1973, Paul hasn't had braces either and Paul's hair is dry because he never exercised.

Pete Bauer - Age 8

It's 1973, I haven't had braces yet and I've just had gym class (the reason for the wet hair). But, a little cuteness resides in there somewhere.

More Benzes

Here are some more pics of the Benz branch of the family tree.

Paul Benz

Paul Benz - Age 5

Peter Benz

Uncle Paul Benz

Click on all for larger images.

Grampa Benz's Brother

Here's a picture called Grampa Benz's Brother. Anyone have any more info?

UPDATE: From Charles - The gentleman in this picture is George Reiser. He is the brother of Gertrude Reiser Benz, married to Anton Benz. All I have for his wife is M L which I read off the back of the picture. George Reiser is our 2nd great-grand uncle.

(click for larger image)

Leo Flaherty

Below are two pics of Leo Flaherty, the first is from First Communion, the second is from years later.

Eternal Patience

My screenplay Severed is a Christian action flick about of martyrdom wrapped in the topical events of terrorism. In researching martyrdom, I found this in Maccabees, which seems all too applicable today.

2 Maccabees
Chapter 6:14-16

Thus, in dealing with other nations, the Lord patiently waits until they reach the full measure of their sins before he punishes them; but with us he has decided to deal differently, in order that he may not have to punish us more severely later, when our sins have reached their fullness.

He never withdraws his mercy from us. Although he disciplines us with misfortunes, he does not abandon his own people.

Seems humanity never changes and never learns and God is eternally patient.

Gators National Champs... Again!

My beloved college, the University of Florida, won the National Championship for football last night, dominating Ohio State, 41-14. This makes the first time in U.S. history that a division one college owns the championships in both basketball and football during the same year.

(read more on ESPN website by click pic)

As the old saying goes, it's great to be a Florida Gator!

For all of you Georgia fans staying at our house, I'll save the High Def broadcast on my DVR in case you want to watch it again :)

Mom - 1928

Here's my Mom in 1928 at the age of two years old in Boston, Mass. One word... adorable!

John Bauer - Peru, Indiana Part 4

Here's the last pic of I have of my grandfather (left) John Bauer at his workplace for over 30 years, at the Peru train station.

John Bauer - Peru, Indiana Part 3

Here's a pic of my grandfather John Bauer outside of the Peru, Indiana train station.

I think this highlighted one below is my grandfather.

John Bauer - Peru, Indiana Part 2

Here's a pic of my grandfather, John , in front of the Peru train station.

Click for larger image.

John Bauer - Peru, Indiana

Here's a pic that includes my Grandfather, John Bauer, at the Peru train station.

(click for larger image)

Here's a closer pic of Grampa Bauer in the picture.

Charles - 70s Style

Charles in the 1970s where, apparently, barbershops were outlawed.

1973

1978?