{"id":47224,"date":"2015-08-31T10:20:55","date_gmt":"2015-08-31T14:20:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/deaconsbench\/?p=47224"},"modified":"2015-08-31T10:20:55","modified_gmt":"2015-08-31T14:20:55","slug":"meet-the-steven-spielbergs-of-christian-cinema-the-masterminds-behind-war-room","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/deaconsbench\/2015\/08\/meet-the-steven-spielbergs-of-christian-cinema-the-masterminds-behind-war-room\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet “the Steven Spielbergs of Christian cinema,” the masterminds behind “War Room”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"3cvuu-Lj\"<\/a><\/p>\n

From Variety:\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

Outside of evangelical circles, the names\u00a0Alex Kendrick<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Stephen Kendrick<\/a>\u00a0are likely to be met with blank stares.<\/p>\n

But thanks to low-budget hits like \u201cFireproof\u201d and \u201cCourageous,\u201d the brothers have transformed themselves into Steven Spielbergs of Christian cinema. Their names above the title are enough to open movies that are firmly pitched to the faithful.<\/p>\n

This drawing power was firmly on display when \u201cWar Room<\/a>,\u201d a celebration of the purpose-driven life, stunned box office watchers by\u00a0nearly dethroning<\/a>\u00a0\u201cStraight Outta Compton\u201d as the weekend\u2019s highest-grossing domestic release with its $11 million debut. That\u2019s particularly impressive given that the religious drama was playing on a third of the number of screens as the N.W.A biopic.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a great example of the power of a brand,\u201d said Chris Stone, founder of the consumer advocacy group Faith\u00a0Driven Consumer. \u201cThe Kendrick brothers\u2019 films have an authenticity with this audience. They have consistently delivered a good product that resonates with the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t count reviewers among the fans. \u201cWar Room\u201d has a woeful 18% \u201crotten\u201d rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics like the Los Angeles Times\u2019 Michael Rechtshaffen\u00a0dismissing the film<\/a>\u00a0as \u201cmighty long-winded and wincingly overwrought.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alex Kendrick, a former pastor who handles directing duties on the brothers\u2019 films, said the filmmakers are accustomed to the rough notices.<\/p>\n

\u201cCritics in Hollywood are rough with us,\u201d said Kendrick. \u201cThey don\u2019t understand why we make our movies or our worldview. But our target audience gets them and that\u2019s who we want to draw closer to a walk with God.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Check out the rest.\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From Variety:\u00a0 Outside of evangelical circles, the names\u00a0Alex Kendrick\u00a0and\u00a0Stephen Kendrick\u00a0are likely to be met with blank stares. But thanks to low-budget hits like \u201cFireproof\u201d and \u201cCourageous,\u201d the brothers have transformed themselves into Steven Spielbergs of Christian cinema. Their names above the title are enough to open movies that are firmly pitched to the faithful. This […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47224","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-movies"],"yoast_head":"\nMeet "the Steven Spielbergs of Christian cinema," the masterminds behind "War Room"<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From Variety:\u00a0 Outside of evangelical circles, the names\u00a0Alex Kendrick\u00a0and\u00a0Stephen Kendrick\u00a0are likely to be met with blank stares. 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