While adolescents may be skeptical toward the church or organized religion, Of Gods and Men celebrates the enduring power of a Christian community. In 1995, terrorists threatened seven Trappist monks living in Algeria, but the monks commitment to faith, to each other; and to the local Muslim community they served compelled them to stay. Some may find the rhythms of monastic life slow, but Of Gods and Men offers a rich portrait of faith in action, brothers in Christ, united around the Lord’s Supper.

Soul Surfer is a rousing, true-life survivor story. Teens may question Bethany Hamilton’s casual reaction to losing her arm to a shark, but her Christian faith remains steady throughout the ordeal. Dennis Quaid quotes Bible verses as her guilt-ridden father and Helen Hunt furrows her brow as a supportive mother; but when Bethany surfs, all the drama is cast aside by the beauty of the ocean. Soul Surfer inspires.

Win Win captures the pathos of adolescence with refreshing warmth and humor. Paul Giametti stars as a lawyer who volunteers as a high school wrestling coach. Struggling to pay the bills, he takes advantage of a client, but ends up with an unexpected challenge—a teenage boy. Kyle turns out to be a gifted wrestler. What begins with greed turns into honest concern. Will Kyle find the dad he never had in his coach? Win Win takes us to the mat.

Source Code starts with the recurring premise found in Groundhog Day. Jake Gyllenhaal plays an Air Force captain given only 8 minutes to find a bomb and rescue a train. Through a miracle of technological (and cinematic logic), he is given multiple opportunities to become a hero. Source Code raises interesting questions about time travel and free will. Given an opportunity to alter our personal history, what would we do differently? What changes would we make to gain redemption? Source Code ultimately fails to offers satisfying answers to these key questions.

In I Am, director Tom Shadyac turns a close encounter with death into an opportunity to rearrange his priorities. Shadyac renounces the wealth he accumulated directing Bruce Almighty, adopting a more sustainable lifestyle. This documentary weaves experimental science and social commentary into a provocative mix. What’s wrong with the world? G.K. Chesteron admitted, “I Am”; but what if we were born to cooperate instead of compete? I Am dares us to live differently.

In Jumping the Broom, Sabrina and Jason shift from promiscuity to abstinence. Friends and family think they’re crazy. How can they possibly wait until marriage? Won’t her rich upbringing clash with his blue-collar roots? Producer T.D. Jakes hopes churches will talk frankly about the conflicting sexual messages confusing adolescents (and adults!). How do we make a break from a sexually active past? What kind of support will we need to resist temptation? Jumping the Broom affirms the power of prayer. We can’t make it alone.