Parents' Guide to Faith of Angels

While the filmmaking doesn't soar, the events in this earnest drama might just make believers out of some viewers. Writer-director and producer Garrett Batty translates the true story to the screen without much pizzazz, and certainly similar stories have been told better (Ron Howard's Thirteen Lives is a great example), but there's a difference. Faith of Angels (which is being released in conjunction with the 35th anniversary of the real-life rescue) isn't about the skill of the rescuers—it's about the spiritual support that keeps Josh calm (which likely allows him to not expend unnecessary energy) and the supernatural nagging that motivates mine expert John to persist in being allowed to help.

This story and its supposedly miraculous outcome has been told and retold in the Mormon community since 1989 as evidence that there are angels watching over us and that the key to surviving difficult times is holding tight to your faith. While, again, this isn't a sizzler of a film (you're never holding your breath, and kids might even get a little bored from time to time), it is appropriate for families. It's not often that modern movies depict adults as managing a crisis without yelling, losing their temper, blaming, or finger-pointing. Spouses are loving and supportive, and neighbors turn out for each other. The world Batty creates is, in many ways, bland, but to finish a movie feeling comforted and safe isn't a bad thing.