Reel Inspiration
By Jessica Bloustein

New York Pays it Forward

A new inspiring documentary follows New Yorkers affected by 9/11 as they travel the country helping others rebuild after tragedies.

You're familiar with the notion of "paying it forward"—the idea that one good deed can and will exponentially multiply, potentially changing the lives of countless individuals?

There Be Dragons

Watch an exclusive clip from the new film There Be Dragons, starring Charlie Cox and Wes Bentley!


There Be Dragons
, a new inspirational film based on the life of Opus Dei founder Saint Josemaria Escriva, hits theaters May 6, and we have an exclusive clip!

Tribeca's Most Inspiring

The successful film festival kicks off in New York City, featuring a host of inspiring and uplifting movies!

Late April in New York means tulips, warm weather (we hope) and the annual Tribeca Film Festival!

The now 9-year-old festival kicked off this week and will play host to a number of uplifting and inspiring films. The two-week event was started in 2002 by Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro and friends as a way to revitalize and uplift the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City, which was devastated physically and emotionally in the aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks on 9/11.

Family Movie Night: Change of Plans

Former American Idol star Brooke White stars in a new made-for-TV movie about personal growth.

When I talked to former American Idol star and singer/songwriter Brooke White this week, she told me wasn't sure what she was getting into when she signed on to star in the new made-for-TV movie, Change of Plans.

"I wasn't looking for acting roles," she told me. "I've been so music focused."

Friday Night Family Movie Night

Nancy Travis' newest TV movie may be a great suggestion for some quality family time.

I love Friday movie nights. They're the perfect occasion to unwind from a hectic week with those closest to you!

I've been doing Friday movie nights for as long as I can remember. On almost every Friday evening of my childhood, my parents, my brother and I would cart out the TV dinner trays, turn down the lights and plop down on the couch to watch a movie together. We'd laugh, cry, shout, cheer and smile both at what was happening on the screen, and at each other.

A Life of Music and Hope

The world's oldest living Holocaust survivor has an inspiring story to tell.

The world's oldest living Holocaust survivor is 106-year-old Alice Herz-Sommer.

Hereafter: Questions and Answers

Clint Eastwood's newest film tackles the questions we all have about heaven and the afterlife.

Movies that tackle life's biggest questions don't often meet with good reviews. With so much diversity in faiths and ideas throughout the world, it's hard to make a film with a plot that satisfies everyone.

There are a few gems out there however, that are successful—not in that they come up with answers to the questions, but because they inspire us to think more about how we can answer them for ourselves. 

A Love Story for the Ages

The inspiring story of two adults with Down syndrome who fell in love and got married.

Are you in the mood for a good love story? If so, tune into HBO on October 14 at 8 pm EST to see Monica & David.

Secretariat: Heart, Faith and Triumph on Film

How Randall Wallace's faith inspires his filmmaking.

We recently got a chance to sit down with Randall Wallace, the director of Disney's new film Secretariat (in theaters October 8), to talk about this exciting new film.

Heaven on Film

What are your favorite movies about heaven and the afterlife?

Do you ever wonder about heaven and the afterlife?

Filmmakers certainly do. It must be so, because there sure are a lot of movies out there that explore those big questions about the hereafter!

We asked you all on Facebook which of those films you find most inspiring. You brought up dozens! Watch the video below to see the 5 most popular:

Jessica Bloustein is the Online Content Producer at Guideposts. She thrives on drawing inspiration from the cinema, and hopes she can inspire everyone else to do the same! That’s why she started Reel Inspiration, where you can find movie reviews and recommendations for every occasion!

Jessica began her foray into the world of online journalism at Newsweek, shooting and editing documentary-style feature videos for Newsweek.com. Before that, she was a reporter for WAMC Northeast Public Radio in Albany, New York, covering everything from government and politics to arts and community news. She has also done several national spots for NPR and American Public Media.

She has a Bachelors degree in liberal arts from Wellesley College, a Masters degree in broadcast journalism from the Medill School at Northwestern University and is an active member of the Screen Actors Guild.

Jessica is from Albany, New York, and currently lives in Astoria, Queens with two adorable tuxedo cats and an ever-expanding collection of movies.

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