Read Jesus Out of Focus, if you want a concise, focused reply to the surge of new theories driving The Da Vinci Code and The Gospel of Judas. Here’s an excerpt… Of course, to evaluate these claims we must determine the value of these apocryphal Gospels. Do they represent legitimate voices suppressed in antiquity? In the last five years, this debate has intensified. Some scholars argue that the canonical boundary that separates our Scriptures from the apocrypha should come down.... Read more
One of my favorite childrens’ stories… the kind that’s so good, adults should be reading it… (more…) Read more
It’s National “How Ridiculous is The Da Vinci Code” Day, it seems. SECOND UPDATE: David Poland thinks that the bad reviews have been too kind! * * * * * UPDATE: A.N. Wilson and Christopher Tookey in The Telegraph, linked by Amy Welborn: * * * * * Peter T. Chattaway: The press kit for the movie is contradicting both the book and the film on historical matters. Peter Travers (Rolling Stone): There’s no code to decipher. Da Vinci is... Read more
Mark Shea is saving Ireland… from The Da Vinci Code. From Day 4 of his Ireland journal: More TV and radio interviews yesterday. One sympathetic and a couple more asking the tired question, “Isn’t it just fiction?” I proposed a fictional film in which all the homosexuals in the world were engaged in a vast conspiracy to destroy Western Civilization. “That would be offensive.” No duh. The *only* time people fall for this notion that a fictional story which goes... Read more
Michael Phillips of The Chicago Tribune: How can a film contain so many clues yet remain utterly clueless? The screen adaptation of “The Da Vinci Code” treats the Dan Brown novel with a reverence it does not deserve and from which it does not benefit. The film was directed by Ron Howard in a style to be named later, and the screenplay by Akiva Goldsman can’t get three sentences out without resorting to expositional set-ups such as “Ah, the Grand... Read more
From the Associate Press: Updated: 6:56 p.m. ET May 16, 2006 CANNES, France – “The Da Vinci Code” drew… Wait for it… Yes… Surprise! … lukewarm praise, shrugs of indifference, some jeering laughter and a few derisive jabs Tuesday from arguably the world’s toughest movie crowd: critics at the Cannes Film Festival. The year’s most anticipated movie, “The Da Vinci Code” was a generally faithful adaptation of Dan Brown’s monster best seller, spinning a murder thriller that stems from a... Read more
I knew it!! Sounds like The DaVinci Code is so bad, people are laughing at the wrong moments. … the reaction at the first press screening in Cannes was largely negative, and loud laughter broke out at one of the pivotal scenes. “Nothing really works. It’s not suspenseful. It’s not romantic. It’s certainly not fun,” said Stephen Schaefer of the Boston Herald. “It seems like you’re in there forever. And you’re conscious of how hard everybody’s working to try to... Read more
Calm down. You Christians are just paranoid. It’s fiction. It’s just a movie. And yet… today, on ABC News: “The Da Vinci Code” has undermined faith in the Roman Catholic Church and badly damaged its credibility, a survey of British readers revealed Tuesday as tensions over — and hype for — the forthcoming film reached a fever pitch. … The British survey, released by a group of prominent Catholics, revealed that readers of Dan Brown’s blockbuster novel are twice as... Read more
Christianity Today‘s Mark Moring sings the praises of Bruce Springsteen singing the praises of Pete Seeger singing the praises of God. Read more
Imagine the folks at The Criterion Collection called you up and pose you this question: “We’re starting a special series on the world’s greatest films for young people (12 or younger). We want to see your top five recommendations.” Which titles would you recommend? Here we go… Looking Closer’s Great Kid-Flicks Contest! Send me your top five, in no particular order, or go all the way to ten if you like. Post them here as a comment (no anonymous lists... Read more
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