Movies

Tinsel

So much fun you don't even care it's utterly ridiculous.

Looking Closer

Music's towering giant turns 72.

Schaeffer's Ghost

Not Deserving.

FilmChat

Ridley Scott's life-of-Moses epic Exodus may be coming to theatres in December 2014 -- just nine months after Darren Aronofsky's Noah.

Christ and Pop Culture

"But that scene with Pam and Jim reminded me of something more, too, of something that holds my marriage together in spite of my shortcomings."

FilmChat

Some spoiler-filled thoughts on the new Star Trek movie's mix of intriguing new ideas and recycled plot elements, plus: principles of non-interference, political subtexts, adolescent sensibilities, increased profanity and more.

Christ and Pop Culture

"Without beauty, our souls would be as malnourished as our bodies would be apart from food."

Schaeffer's Ghost

Should you go? Even if you're not a Trekkie?

FilmChat

Here are links to all the reviews, and some of the more substantial blog posts, that I have written about the first eleven Star Trek movies over the past two decades.

FilmChat

Jerry Goldsmith wrote the music for five of the first ten Star Trek movies -- and the Klingon theme, which he originally conceived as "bad guy" music, came to have other meanings over the years.

Christ and Pop Culture

On Sunday, ABC aired the second-season finale of its popular series Once upon a Time, with a third season confirmed for Fall 2013.  Capitalizing on the recent vogue for updated fairy tale treatments, Once upon a Time is set in the quaint town of Storybrooke, Maine, a town with a curious secret: it is populated [...]

Tinsel

The movie helped me understand the book. And that's saying something.

As a Muslim, I always thought of the "Jedi" as what a true follower of Islam should be like. 

by Irfan Rydhan

Schaeffer's Ghost

The newest release by acclaimed director Ramin Bahrani (Goodbye Solo, Chop Shop), strikes at the heart of our enterprise system and reveals the broken souls drifting along this cycle of greed.

Geek Goes Rogue

I’m writing this from New Orleans, the land of dreams and nightmares. I’m going to be posting about my time here later in the week. In the meantime, allow me to introduce you to an amazing artist and writer, Katherine Wirick. A few weeks ago, I attended S.P.A.C.E. con, an Indie Comic-Con convention. Katherine’s work [...]

Tinsel

Sure the movie is fun, but will it stick with you? Does it matter?

Christ and Pop Culture

In a piece that’s been passed around quite a bit, Damon Linker suggests that film critics in the mainstream media have, for whatever reason, largely ignored its religious outlook. Here’s the key assertion from Linker: [T]he vast majority of mainstream critics have failed to treat [The Tree of Life and To the Wonder] as the profoundly religious [...]

Doc Hollywood

My closet is loaded with clothes.   My garage is full of boxes.   Even my inbox is crammed with correspondence.   I am surrounded by so much stuff.    Jeff Shinabarger’s perceptive book, More or Less, was written for people like me.  

Schaeffer's Ghost

“Don’t be a don’t-er, do be a doer.” Such is the motto of body-builders/gym-rats Danny Lugo, Paul Doyle, and Adrian Doorball (Marky Mark, the Rock, and Anthony Mackie).

Looking Closer

I’ll write a full review of "Upstream Color" in time. But it will take time. Consider this just a first-impression burst of enthusiasm. Believe me, you don’t want reviews to explain this movie to you before you see it. So, here are a few fumbling attempts to describe it without spoiling it…

Schaeffer's Ghost

Is Tom Cruise worth watching in this futuristic thriller?

Schaeffer's Ghost

Disconnect gives us four stories about people growing estranged from one another and how they reach a breaking point, only to find that reconnection is still possible.