Anne and I are just a few weeks from our tenth anniversary. And so we’re planning a much-needed getaway, just the two of us, away from all of the fantastic friends, the great jobs, the beauty and energy of Seattle. We need to disappear. We want to go to Vancouver B.C., and made reservations last night at what looked like a great hotel. But then a friend from the area dissuaded us from celebrating in that particular neighborhood of the... Read more
Whether it’s any good or not, I can tell you already that the film Amazing Grace will likely win honors from many Christian film critics merely because of its subject. (more…) Read more
The Christian Century has an interesting story this week about six Christians and their journeys to Catholicism. I’m probably asking for trouble here, but I’m interested in hearing from you… after you’ve read the story: If you’re a Christian, but not a Catholic, what did you grow up believing about Catholics? Have your views changed? If you grew up Catholic, what did you grow up believing about Protestants and other traditions? Have your views changed? And finally… how important is... Read more
Cauton: Spoilers ahead! The little movie that could … and that may, indeed, become an Oscar dark horse… is winning many and varied responses from film critics I know and respect. Here are a few different reactions and thoughts… (more…) Read more
Try to imagine what it would have been like if Robert Bresson had directed Munich. If you can manage that, you’ll have a pretty good grasp of what Army of Shadows is like. It’s an nail-bitingly intense (I can testify from experience–a couple of ragged nails here) spy thriller about the French resistance to the Nazis in 1942 and 1943. And boy is it bleak. In fact, by the end of the film I was wondering if these freedom fighters... Read more
(This post has been REVISED for the sake of clarification.) When Walden Media came into existence, it promised to focus on bringing high quality, family-friendly entertainment to the screen. And they got off to a great start. Holes was one of the most substantial, intelligent, creative films for young viewers to come along in a while. But since then, with the somewhat-impressive, somewhat-bloated and misguided adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the lamentable Around the World in... Read more
I’ve just seen the 2002 documentary Promises, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Promises is a documentary made by B.Z. Goldberg, an American who grew up in Jerusalem. He returns to interview children on both sides of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, to show us the world through their eyes. We glimpse the early stages of hate taking root in their minds and hearts, but there are moments… moments… when you can see a flicker of understanding, of hesitation, of conscience.... Read more
Sometimes, you buy an album because you liked the catchy song on the radio. Sometimes, though, you pick it up because you saw the band playing at a local club and you had that sudden adrenalin rush of amazement, and you said to yourself, “I am onto something great here… something no one else has yet discovered.” This may surprise you, but I don’t often buy fiction marketed to teenage girls. Nevertheless, I will be buying Story of a Girl,... Read more
Mark Shea shares a video that’s almost too convincing to be funny. (more…) Read more
Wouldn’t it be timely and rewarding if someone hosted a film festival to provoke discussion on the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians? (more…) Read more
Looking Closer
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