Saint Ralph is not only a great family-friendly film, it has to be one of the top films I have seen this year. (Trust me – that is a LOT of films.) People of all ages will like this film although some of the sexual humor may not be appropriate for young children.

The story of Ralph Walker’s attempt to pull off a miracle win in the 1953 Boston Marathon at age 14 is the driving force of the film, but it is the humor of the film that makes it lovable. Even the strong will be tempted to tears as Ralph attempts to create the miracle needed to bring his mother out of a coma. But lest you think it is a tear-jerking, downer of film, know that even the most stoned-faced viewers will catch themselves chuckling as Ralph defies rationality and creates one humorous situation after another. In this time of increasingly horrible movies, Saint Ralph will leave you glad you invested the time to watch.

RATING 9 out of 10

From an inspirational piece of fiction, to an inspirational piece of true life. The documentary Murderball takes a look at the Paralympic sport of Quad Rugby. The sports creators orginally dubbed it murderball and despite the international sports community’s attempt to tone down the name, it is still known by that for very good reason.

The teams are made up of quadriplegics in modified wheelchairs playing rugby on a basketball court. As in traditional rugby – the game is intense, the collisions are jarring, the action is frenzied, and the players are… well, at least a little bit nuts. Call these guys what you will, just don’t call them handicapped.

The film is more than just a documentary about how they overcame individual difficulties and found even greater opportunities post-injury. It is a compelling story as well. The filmmakers weave the drama of former US Quad Rugby star Joe Soares’ attempt to coach the Canadian team to victory over his former teammates with stories like lead-man Mark Zupan’s reconcilliation with former best friend Christopher Igoe – despite the fact that Igoe’s drunk driving accident was the cause of Zupan’s transformation from star soccer player to quadraplegic.

You will never look at someone in a wheelchair the same after viewing this film.

RATING 9 out of 10