A First Look at ‘The Best of Enemies’

Last updated on: March 1, 2019 at 8:11 am By Paul Asay

In the wake of Green Book’s Oscar success, just got word of a movie focusing on an even unlikelier friendship. The Best of Enemies, scheduled to be released April 5, is the story of how civil rights activist Ann Atwater (Taraji P. Henson) and KKK leader C.P. Ellis (Sam Rockwell) met, fought, and eventually become friends, creating an unlikely alliance to deal with a local desegregation issue. Here’s an early behind-the-scenes look at the movie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oX4YSjd1q4&feature=youtu.be “The same God that... Read more

What Critics Get Right—and Wrong—About Green Book

Last updated on: February 28, 2019 at 1:33 pm By Paul Asay

Green Book was not 2018’s Best Picture. Not by a mile. Roma deserved the Oscar’s biggest honor. BlacKkKlansman and The Favourite were more creative and daring. Black Panther might’ve been a popcorn superhero flick, but one that was at once meticulous and regal, important and fun. Even if the Academy was interested in selecting the sort of film that the Academy stereotypically selects, A Star is Born was, aesthetically, the better choice. But if Green Book’s Best Picture Oscar did... Read more

Why Are So Many Horror Movies About Moms and Kids?

Last updated on: February 12, 2019 at 10:33 am By Paul Asay

The new trailer for The Curse of La Llorona dropped yesterday. It doesn’t seem like the horror movie’s trying to break new ground, but it does look pretty creepy. I know this puts me out of line with lots of Christians, but I’ve always appreciated a good horror flick–not gross, bloody, slasher/torture horror, but atmospheric, unsettling supernatural horror. Even though scares are inherently predicated on unpredictability, creaking doors and hidden stairways and things that go bump in the night... Read more

Finding Light in Darkness … and In LEGO Movie 2

Last updated on: February 7, 2019 at 2:16 pm By Paul Asay

Bricksburg has seen better days. When The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part opens, the happy little LEGO city of Bricksburg has gotten a Mad Max makeover: The once laid-back Surfer Dave now calls himself Chainsaw Dave. LEGO people walk around with scowls painted on their yellow faces. Even the plastic cats look like grizzled survivors of the Thunderdome. Only Emmet, the perpetually optimistic Master Builder, seems undaunted by his dystopian surroundings. And Lucy, his gothy special best friend, thinks... Read more

Jesus Returns … to the History Channel

Last updated on: January 31, 2019 at 4:15 pm By Paul Asay

The History Channel is no stranger to biblical programming. Six years ago, the network aired The Bible, which became an unexpected ratings sensation. Now it’s returning to the Good Book with an eight-part series called Jesus: His Life. It’ll run for four weeks beginning March 25. Here’s the trailer, which was released today. Now, if you’re anything like me, you might be thinking to yourself, “What? Another show about Jesus? The book was better, anyway.” But this show does have... Read more

Oscar Loses Its Religion

Last updated on: January 30, 2019 at 1:40 pm By Paul Asay

Oscar nominees were announced last week, and like always, they featured plenty of surprises, snubs and head-scratchers. Bradley Cooper wasn’t nominated for Best Director. Bohemian Rhapsody was nominated for Best Picture, despite critics collectively giving the flick a resounding “meh.” And what’s up with Vice, anyway? But maybe the year’s biggest Oscars snub wasn’t an actor or director or even a movie. It’s faith. Sure, some Oscar nominees had a spiritual undercurrent to them, and a few even made a... Read more

Glass Isn’t Just About Superheroes: It’s About Belief

Last updated on: January 18, 2019 at 10:47 am By Paul Asay

Ultimately Glass, M. Night Shyamalan’s newest twisty adventure, didn’t work that well for me, at least as a movie. To get to its finale, Shyamalan lost sight of some of the story’s characters, under-developing some and underserving others. Watchable? Sure, if you know some of the backstory. But it’s not one of Shyamalan’s best. But if the movie itself disappointed, it does drill down into a concept critical and deeply spiritual: The idea of belief. The real crux of Glass—and... Read more

Christian Bale Makes a Devil of an Acceptance Speech

Last updated on: January 7, 2019 at 12:34 pm By Paul Asay

People often thank God when they accept awards. Rarely do they thank Satan. Until last night, of course, when Christian Bale name-checked the diabolical one when he gathered in his Golden Globe for playing Dick Cheney in Vice. “Thank you to Satan for giving me inspiration on how to play this role,” Bale said after winning the statuette for best actor in a motion picture comedy/musical. Naturally, the Church of Satan was thrilled with the namecheck. Congresswoman Liz Cheney, Dick... Read more

Anger Reigned In 2018–Except At the Movies

Last updated on: December 28, 2018 at 12:42 pm By Paul Asay

Avengers: Infinity War gave us the greatest roster of superheroes ever assembled on screen. About 20 of ’em face off against Thanos and his Infinity Gauntlet, determined to thwart his evil plot. And they’re not just playing the numbers game, either: Rarely have we seen our heroes so heroic, so self-sacrificial. Rarely have movie audiences been witness to such muscled derring-do. But (and for those who haven’t seen in Infinity War, now’s the time to look away) it didn’t work.... Read more

The Year’s Best Movies (According to Me)

Last updated on: December 20, 2018 at 2:36 pm By Paul Asay

Reviewing movies is hard, people. You have to watch a lot of movies, and then you have to—get this—write about them. So. Much. Work. And then, if they’re especially good, you have to figure if they belong on year-end lists and where to put them. My list isn’t necessarily definitive. I haven’t seen every movie this year, and part of me wishes I could leave a space or two blank for films I might be watching in the coming days.... Read more

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