Why do hopeless candidates run for President? For some, it is obviously ego. Ever since they became Parks and Recreation director in Schenectady, they have heard “Hail to the Chief” in their minds. Others have discerned a unique business opportunity: if you can convince even a tiny niche of a party that you will be their mouthpiece, they will pay your bills for two years while you “run.” You can sell books, products of all kinds, and all of it... Read more
Pixar is the most consistent film company in the United States. The company has mostly made excellent movies, has a few mediocre titles, (Cars series shout out), and no bad films. Inside Out is as good as the best of Pixar and that means it is funny, well written, and thoughtful. Like all great films, Inside Out has images so powerful that they become part of us. A favorite image is the thought bubble that is formed whenever Riley “makes a memory.” The memory is... Read more
Inside Out would be the movie of the year if animation and family friendly films were not treated with condescension by the Academy. Most likely, the winner will be some film few saw, easily forgotten, but full of portentous meaning. This you can know: we will be watching Inside Out when all the creators are gone and blessing them for it the way we bless Disney and the wizards at his company for Fantasia, Mary Poppins, and Snow White. They have used the better tools... Read more
I know fine, young, Christian filmmakers and film mavens: HBU’s Josh Sikora . . . Nate Marshall. . . Nate Bell. They are out there: creative, working hard, and learning the craft. And yet when I turn on Christian television programming, look at most Christian “YouTube” or watch (God helping me) most Christian movies, I still see . . . work in progress. I know it takes time to learn the craft and that those learning need time, but Pixar... Read more
Today is my twenty-ninth wedding anniversary and it also happens to be Father’s Day. Since getting married help make me a father and my actual Dad did our wedding (the parts where he wasn’t crying) . . . the two things fit together nicely. I am fairly sure my Dad likes Hope at least as much as he likes me. They both love each other. I did not realize what a blessing that is until I ran into other situations.... Read more
There is nothing that irritates me more than the fatuous belief that the “kids are all right.” No moral decline is so great that somebody, somewhere, will not proclaim “the kids are all right” and compare the real degeneracy to the antics of their youth down by the soda fountain. “Our folks worried about us,” they chortle from their wheel chairs, “and now Reynolds is worrying about this generation.” This is as if the moral degeneracy of Bing’s music can... Read more
God helping me, there are six things I hate following the Lord’s example and there are even seven that are an abomination to me. God says: These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. And I say... Read more
On a day that a terrorist murdered African-Americans at prayer only one flag should flay at half-staff, Old Glory, and not the flag of murder, rapine, and slavery. The terrorist attack in South Carolina is one of many that have been perpetrated against the African-American community in American history. It is not an isolated event by one lone person. Americans have been murdering African-Americans at prayer for centuries. The church where the gunman attacked a Bible study had to worship... Read more
Mr. Weasley is more important than you might think if you read the Harry Potter series without care. Mr. Weasley is brave enough and a good enough employee at the Ministry of Magic, which turns out to be rare, but that is not what taught me something so important that I have to go to Wheatstone Academy this summer. Mr Weasley is fascinated by Muggles, the wizarding name for the not magical we that live with no hope of ever going to Hogwarts.He loves... Read more
The Harry Potter books helped create my summer vacation at Wheatstone Academy this summer. Harry Potter is a wise series and reminds me of things philosophers and Scriptures teach, but does it magically and with chocolate frogs. Friendship is the most important theme in the series: Ron, Hermione, and Harry are only the most prominent friends in the series. Teachers, bad guys, nearly everyone but Voldemort has friends and it is a key feature of Voldemort’s evil that he has no friends. His name... Read more
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