"David" Movie Now Showing In Theatres This Weekend

Once the Christmas presents are opened and the Christmas stockings emptied of their treats, many families venture out to the movie theatres to see what Hollywood entertainment will complete their family Christmas celebration. And with the release of the animated musical, "David", this weekend, Angel Studios is hoping that people will buy tickets for their retelling of David and Goliath. As the story of the young shepherd, David, defeating the giant Philistine warrior, Goliath, is perhaps one of the most famous underdog stories of all time.

A PG-rated animated film, "David", covers the story from I Samuel, about how a young shepherd, perhaps around 15 years of age, heeds the call of The Good Lord, and with five smooth stones and his slingshot single-handedly defeats the Philistine warrior, Goliath. A giant whose height is estimated to be either six-feet and nine inches or nine-feet and nine inches, depending on the translation of early Biblical texts. Estimated to have taken place around 950 B.C., many people interpret the story to show how nothing is impossible with God. However, it also shows how cleverness can outwit brawn. For it is likely that David defeated Goliath by aiming his stone at Goliath's temple, which is a sensitive area of the head. Then, in accordance with the Biblical account, David completed his defeat of Goliath after felling him with his sling by cutting off Goliath's head with Goliath's own sword. An act which made David a unifier of the Israelite tribes and led to him becoming their king.

Since David was also a musician in his day and is known for writing around half of the Psalms included in The Book of Psalms, the animated film, "David", features this musical inclination of David by dispersing several pop songs throughout the movie such as "Follow The light", "Why God – My God", and "I Will Not Be Afraid". With the Grammy- nominated contemporary Christian music artist, Philip David Wickham, providing the voice for the adult David in the motion picture. An experience which he describes as the fulfillment of a "secret dream" he has had since he was a young boy singing along to the Disney movie, "The Lion King".

At an hour and fifty-five minutes in length, the "David" movie is a little longer than most animated films. With the animation for "David" being produced by Sunrise Animation Studios, a full-service animation studio based in Cape Town, South Africa that is known for its animated "Jungle Beat" series. The co-founder of the studio, Phil Cunningham, is the director of "David". With Cunningham feeling led to produce the "David" movie while canoeing down a river in Africa and seeing the expanse and magnificence of God's creation as he spent days observing elephants and other marvels of nature. It is his hope that people will feel "inspired" by the "David" movie and will realize that "God is so awesome, so fun, so adventurous."

Luisa Reyes is a Tuscaloosa attorney, piano instructor, and vocalist.