As usual, Richard and I are a little late with our “Best Of” list for 2013. There were so many strong releases during the last few weeks of 2013, that we needed some extra time to see as many of them as possible. Again, we’re not arguing that these films are, objectively, THE best of 2013. Instead, these are some of the films that provoked, challenged, or inspired us around more overt spiritual themes. I’ve often compiled a separate list... Read more
Over the holidays my twitter feed was blowing up with end of the year lists. Best of this, worst of that… most overrated/underrated… you were dumb if you didn’t know… you get the point. Most of the lists play to whatever the general pop conscious was this year with a couple selections no one has heard of to prove that the writers are still way cooler than we are. If you are interested in what other outlets thought this... Read more
Few films among the contenders for Best Picture in the run up to awards season are as polarizing as The Wolf of Wall Street, if you pay attention to that sort of stuff. Whether celebration, condemnation, or parody of the luxurious lifestyles of its “protagonists” (or a mix of all three), Martin Scorsese has given us the most profound cinematic evocation of the Gospel of Mammon in recent memory. Unfortunately, it’s a Gospel that far too many Christians know all... Read more
Angels play a major role in the Christmas story that many Christians around the world continue to celebrate this week. They’re found in every major world religion. As recently as 2011, 8 in 10 Americans believed angels exist. It should come as no surprise that countless people claim to have been visited by an angel at some point in their life. In his latest book, The Angel Effect: We Are Never Alone, John Geiger explores the “sensed presence” phenomenon in which... Read more
The biggest lie being perpetrated this holiday season (aside from the hyper-commercialization of Christmas) is that Saving Mr. Banks is a delightful holiday film for the entire family. While it might be appropriate for viewers of all ages, it’s far from the case that all age groups will love the film. Marry Poppins was/is fun for the whole family. Saving Mr. Banks relies heavily on familiarity with said Disney classic, knowledge that many younger (and increasingly older) viewers might not have. Yet... Read more
In a previous post outlining the homophobic comments of Phil Robertson, prior to the controversial GQ article that got him suspended from his show on A&E, I talked about painting people with a narrow brush: “This is not a call to abandon the cause of justice. But while we may paint justice broadly, we need to have pointillist personal relations. This is the true meaning of tolerance and liberality—not that you agree with me on all parts of my... Read more
The news is splashed all over the Internet today about Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson’s homophobic and racist comments in the January 2014 issue of GQ. Huffington Post calls the comments “shockingly vile” in their headline, and for once, they don’t exaggerate. The article reveals for a larger audience much of what Phil’s sermon from 2009 already revealed years ago, even quoting the same Bible verses. The article supports my observation that Phil sees himself as part of an ordered... Read more
Every now and then…rarely really…I read a book about film(making) that, like I feel after seeing a great film for the first time, makes me want to immediately start reading it all over again. Gareth Higgins‘ Cinematic States is just such a book. It’s not only the best film book I’ve read in a long time, it’s one of my favorite books of the year. (more…) Read more
Looking for something outside of your normal Christmas playlist? Every year we get new holiday albums that vie for the coveted spots along side Mariah Carey and Nat King Cole as Christmas classics. This year is no different with offerings from Kelly Clarckson, Mary J Blidge and Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas. With so many options on the market most holiday music gets discarded or replaced by whatever the newest version happens to be. What I wanted to... Read more
Park Chan-Wook‘s Oldboy is one of those films that you never forget. I still remember everything about the first time I saw it…and the panicked phone call I made to my wife, who was working the night shift at the children’s hospital. Yes, it’s worth interrupting the care of others to talk about this film. Needless to say, I had mixed emotions when I first heard the news that Spike Lee was going to direct the American remake. I anxiously awaited and... Read more
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