UPDATE 3/26, 10:45a: October Baby did very well at the box office this weekend. According to The Hollywood Gossip:

The anti-abortion drama October Baby opened in 390 theaters nationwide this weekend, earning the second-highest per-screen average behind The Hunger Games.
Samuel Goldwyn released the movie, starring Rachel Hendrix, John Schneider and Jasmine Guy, primarily in favorable political environments, earning $1.7M….

The movie’s overall gross is technically $1.9 million now….

In an effort to finance a wider release, filmmakers were able to raise $3 million from investors. To promote the film, its backers screened it for church groups and ran advertisements on networks such as Fox News.

While its niche may be relatively small, it is that dedicated, laser-targeted audience that helped make fellow faith-based fare Fireproof, starring Kirk Cameron, one of the most successful independent films of 2008, grossing $33.5 million.

According to Box Office Mojo, October Baby landed in the top 10 for the weekend, quite respectable.

UPDATE 3/26, 10:27a: I went to see October Baby Saturday night with a group of pro-life friends and was pleasantly surprised by a bonus feature that ran during film credits but was not in the cut I was sent to review.  Actress Shari Rigby spoke of her own abortion and the healing she had received.

This was a brilliant move on the part of filmmakers, who compasssionately planned ahead for those who would see the movie who had been touched by abortion. Cuts were taken from this profile of Rigby…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl1zNt2R5U0&sns=em[/youtube]
Thank you, Shari, for sharing your story.

3/23, 2:52: Pro-life feature film October Baby opens today in theaters nationwide. Find one here and try to see the movie this weekend.

October Baby tells the story of 19-yr-old college student Hannah (Rachel Hendrix), who embarks on a personal fact-finding mission after learning she is an adopted abortion survivor.

Subplots involve finding romance with long-time best friend Jason (Jason Burkey) and repairing the damaged relationship with adoptive father Jacob (John Schneider).

I had a lengthy conversation with co-writer and co-director Jon Erwin during the March for Life in January, a good man. Jon relayed a couple real life subplots to the movie.

One is when abortive mother Shari collapses in remorse after receiving a visit from Hannah. The raw emotion displayed in the scene is real, because actress Shari Rigby really had one and was actually reliving her pain in the moment.

Another is one of the songs in October Baby. Listen for the haunting “Ocean Floor,” sung by real life abortion survivor Gianna Jessen. Download it here. The only video performance I could find was apparently when Gianna performed on Italian television last month….

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXoYkMgvoGg&sns=em[/youtube]

Here’s the problem with October Baby, from review site Rotten Tomatoes…

Movie critics don’t like October Baby so much (notable exception: a decent review in the LA Times), and audiences do.

The easiest explanation is that critics are by and large liberal and the audiences in this case are by and large pro-life.

But ideological differences aside, there is some validity to complaints by critics that portions of the plot are contrived. I have to agree (Would a father really leave it to a doctor to break the news of such a shocking birth history? etc.), although the acting and many of the screen shots are superb.

The film critic in me gives the movie 2-1/2 stars (out of 4), and the pro-lifer in me gives it 4 stars.

I appreciate the passion of the Erwin brothers and that they went to more trouble than I can imagine to get a plausible pro-life story on the big screen. Gianna is proof that the movie’s scenario is real. October Baby has and will generate conversation about abortion. It humanizes those the other side would rather be regarded as blobs of tissue. (Don’t forget Barack Obama voted as state senator to let babies like Gianna and Hannah die.)

As I said at the onset of this post, try to see October Baby this weekend. You’ll be glad you did, and its getting good traction will encourage the making of more pro-life films.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxH2fPhrNEc&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/youtube]

Wow I can’t believe I have a baby!

[Luca is] the most wonderful, sweet adorable baby!

~ Actress Hillary Duff tweeting about her newborn son, via US Magazine, March 23

[HT: Laura Loo]

My top five favorite political cartoons for the week, beginning with a zinger by Michael Ramirez at Townhall.com…

 by Lisa Benson at Townhall.com…

 by Chuck Asay at GoComics.com…

 by Glenn McCoy at Townhall.com…

 by Gary Varvel at Townhall.com (it’s all true, btw)…

   The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the human spirit within a person, declares….

~ Zechariah 12:1, New International Version

On Monday the U.S. Supreme Court will begin hearing an unprecedented three days of oral arguments in a lawsuit brought forth by 26 states, the National Federation of Independent Businesses, and four small businesses challenging the constitutionality of the two-yr-old Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The lawsuit alleges that forcing individuals to buy health insurance and forcing states to expand Medicaid benefits are both unconstitutional.

Meanwhile, Obamacare isn’t faring well politically. Politico posted a must read article yesterday, “5 things Dems got wrong on health care,” vindicating conservative opposition to Obamacare:

President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies thought their political assumptions were airtight during the yearlong battle to overhaul the health care system.

Voters would reward them, they thought, even if Democrats muscled a bill through without Republican support. It was just a matter of getting out of Washington and selling the law. Obama would lead the charge, and rank-and-file Democrats would proudly campaign on the achievement.

None of it worked out that way….

One year from now what do you predict will be the status of Obamacare?

[Photo via Politico]

Activists from around the country are in Portland for Planned Parenthood’s annual convention.

[Georgetown University law student Sandra] Fluke was invited as an honored guest at the awards dinner forming the centerpiece of the Planned Parenthood conference.

Oregon Right To Life Director Gayle Atteberry said the conference was kept very quiet. She wasn’t aware it was happening until receiving a call from OPB [Oregon Public Broadcasting] for comment.

~ NPR, March 23

by Kelli

We welcome your suggestions for additions to our Top Blogs (see tab on right side of home page)! Email Susie@jillstanek.com.

• The Passionate Pro-Lifer has a revealing piece on infamous late-term Colorado abortionist Warren Hern, who is apparently an environmentalist doing his part to eliminate humanity, which he calls “a malignancy – in the planetary ecosystem. The human species now displays all the major characteristics of a malignant process.”
• Timmerie Millington has testimonials and video on individuals with Down syndrome, in honor of World Down Syndrome Day, held this past week:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVxz71ygHbk[/youtube]

• John Smeaton points out African mothers’ desire for real maternal healthcare. Most of the government funding goes toward groups like Ipas for abortion funding, while mothers who choose to give birth do so in substandard conditions.
• Human Life Matters points out Canada’s seeming disdain for the disabled, as evidenced by the open public discussion of euthanizing disabled children as well as the support for the parents who kill them. Would the same support be shown to parents if they “mercifully killed” their healthy children?

  Wesley J. Smith has thoughts on this topic as well.

• Reflections of a Paralytic asks, “what is normal?” as it relates to individuals with disabilities:
  
  

  Do we not all develop our own sense of “normalcy” based on our individual likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, abilities and disabilities? Why would children with disabilities, though they may not be the picture of perfect health, be any different?

  In fact, researchers at Newcastle University recently… demonstrated that “disabled children… have the same range of happiness and unhappiness as all children.” As they grow up and develop their sense of self, “they see their disabilities as part as who they are… (and) they perceived their position in life no differently as their friends in the general population.” In other words, yes, children with disabilities will develop their own sense of “normalcy” just like anyone else and they will enjoy their lives immensely… if they’re given the opportunity.

by LauraLoo

Kevin Allocca is the trends manager for YouTube and has deep thoughts about silly web video.  In this talk from TEDYouth, he shares the four reasons a video goes viral.

This is the first talk posted from an amazing TEDYouth event, and many others will come on line next month as part of a TED-Ed launch.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpxVIwCbBK0[/youtube]

Email LauraLoo with your Lunch Break suggestions.

[HT: Jill]