Walmart, P&G Continue Family Movie Night with 'Change of Plans'
Walmart and P&G are set to air the fourth installment in their "Family Movie Night" series next month.
The family project launched in 2010 with the film "Secrets of the Mountain," followed by "The Jensen Project" in July, and most recently "A Walk in My Shoes." "Change of Plans" airs Jan. 8.
The companies' goal is to provide more family-oriented entertainment options.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Ben Simon, a representative for Walmart, told The Christian Post that they want to provide "the options that reflect the needs, the tastes and preferences of moms and families across the country."
Regardless of religion, they only wish to deliver a powerful message through each film that can appeal to mom and child alike.
"It's a mom-driven strategy regardless of faith and political positions," he said. "Moms are pretty consistent in terms of what they are looking for."
Most of the ideas come from moms across the states. He shared that while the movie is being made, "moms and kids are involved in the entire process so that we ensure that what ends up on screen as the finished movie actually reflects what moms and kids are looking for."
Their vision is to create an environment where a parent doesn't have to dive for a remote control during a program. Through each film, they try to create an intersection between what moms want and what kids want to watch, he explained.
"We're trying to create an oasis for families so both the programming itself and the commercials during the programming are really a safe place for moms."
Although Simon mentioned that the films are meant to appeal to anyone regardless of religion, it is hard to avoid the fact that most of the films carry a Christian message.
For example, in "Change of Plans" four kids lose their parents and while they are living with their new guardians, for what was supposed to be a short time, the kids make sure to follow their parents' Christian values, such as saying grace before a meal.
The messages most of the movies deliver are generally about repentance, forgiveness and doing what is right. In "Change of Plans," we meet a couple who had the perfect marriage, the perfect life. But one day they receive the news that the wife's best friend died, leaving them in charge of her four children, three of which are adopted.
The new family has to learn not only to adapt to the new environment but also learn that even though things don't come out as planned, it is better to look at life beyond the sporadic circumstances and embrace it with hope and faith.
Walmart and P&G's family-oriented project is slated to feature more films in 2011. They hope to keep an experienced cast as they have for the past movies. "Change of Plans" features Phylicia Rashad ("The Cosby Show"), Joe Flanigan, ("Stargate: Atlantis"), and newcomer Brooke White from "American Idol."
"Change of Plans" is set to air on January 8 at 8/7c on FOX.
