I loved the original Star Wars trilogy as I was growing up, and I still adore the first two films in particular. (The third has its moments, but only moments.) The prequels, on the other hand, have been an overblown bore, and Lucas has shown a remarkable ability to elicit very bad performances from otherwise good actors. But the one thing that has remained remarkably good across the entire series has been John Williams’s music. And now comes this bit... Read more
I never did write a review, as such, of Million Dollar Baby. However, I just finished writing an essay that looks at that film in the light of a couple of other recent Oscar winners that touch on euthanasia. (It’s not really a “spoiler” any more that Clint Eastwood’s film gets into that subject, is it?) And I really, really wish I had had more space to get into the parallels between Million Dollar Baby and Eastwood’s previous multiple Oscar... Read more
Hi there. I have been thinking about starting a blog for quite some time now. Many of my friends and colleagues have them, and for years I have been writing blog-like posts to the various e-mail lists I subscribe to and the odd message board here or there. Truth be told, I actually prefer e-mail, but I find it’s often a pain to search through listserv archives, so I’ve been pondering my alternatives. Last summer, one of my priests (I’m... Read more
Dear Frankie is such a charming little film, and it grows on the viewer so gradually and has some nice little surprises to boot, that I am almost inclined to say, “Just see it first, and then we’ll talk.” However, that wouldn’t satisfy my editors, so review it I shall. The film is about a woman named Lizzie (Emily Mortimer) who moves to Glasgow with her deaf 9-year-old son Frankie (Jack McElhone) and her chain-smoking mother Nell (Mary Riggans). We... Read more
Since long before the invention of the automobile — and no doubt since long before the invention of the wheel itself — children the world over have had to cope with the fact that grown-ups will often try their patience by taking them on long and boring journeys. And now, thanks to so-called family films like Are We There Yet?, children have plenty of opportunities to return the favor, as they drag their parents and guardians to the multiplex and... Read more
Few themes in the Bible are as persistent as the call to remember: whether it is God commanding the Israelites never to forget how he brought them out of Egypt, or Jesus telling his followers to eat his body and drink his blood in remembrance of him, or the thief on the cross asking Christ to remember him when he comes into his kingdom, the role that memory plays in shaping our identities and in binding us to each other... Read more
This archive is a work-in-progress. General and related articles: ‘Clever Dark Materials anti-Christian,’ BC Christian News, Nov 2002‘Harry Potter more “Christian” than other current children’s best-sellers,’ BC Christian News, Sep 2007‘The Chronicles of Atheism,’ Christianity Today, Nov 2007‘His Dark Materials: How the Grinch stole God,’ BC Christian News, Nov 2007 Books and films: Philip Pullman, The Golden Compass (book, dvd, blu-ray)News: BC Christian News, Feb 2008Reviews: Christianity Today, Dec 2007; ChristianWeek, Dec 2007; BC Christian News, Jan 2008 Philip Pullman,... Read more
This archive is a work-in-progress. General and related articles: ‘Filmmakers seek to inspire audiences with The Nativity Story,’ BC Christian News, Nov 2006‘Nativity Story producers, writer look beyond the Christian “niche”,’ ChristianWeek, Nov 2006‘Mary Goes to the Movies,’ Christianity Today, Nov 2006‘Ethnicity in Jesus films — does it matter?,’ Mennonite Brethren Herald, Nov 2006 Books and films: The Nativity Story (dvd)News: BC Christian News, Apr 2006Reviews: Christianity Today, Dec 2006 Related blog posts: ‘The Nativity — coming soon to the... Read more
This archive is a work-in-progress; a lot of blog posts and a couple of articles remain to be linked here. General and related articles: ‘Mel Gibson’s Jesus film inspires impassioned discussion among pastors, ministry leaders,’ BC Christian News, Jan 2004‘Passion piques interest and raises eyebrows,’ ChristianWeek, Feb 2004‘Come and See,’ Christianity Today, Feb 2005‘Top Ten Jesus Movies,’ Christianity Today, Apr 2006‘Rethinking The Passion in light of Gibson’s folly,’ BC Christian News, Aug 2006‘Mary Goes to the Movies,’ Christianity Today, Nov... Read more
I happened to read Dan Brown’s book in July 2004 on a three-day Greyhound trip back from the Cornerstone festival, and I posted some thoughts on it here. General and related articles: ‘From Temptation to The Code,’ Christianity Today, May 2006”Engaging’ Heresy,’ Christianity Today, May 2006‘Grappling with the Da Vinci juggernaut,’ BC Christian News, May 2006‘Christian groups gear up for release of Da Vinci Code,’ Georgia Straight, May 2006 Books and films: Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code (book, dvd)Reviews:... Read more
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