We hear a lot about our “calling” in evangelical circles. We look in the Bible and see that it’s filled with pretty normal people who did some amazing things through God. And we assume that we, too, have parts to play in God’s overarching story. He might ask us to do something we love and feel like we were made for. Or He might ask us to do something unexpected or uncomfortable or even dangerous. But we trust that God... Read more
It’s been quite the year for Christmas movies. I’ve seen a sleigh full of them, and most have been—well, a bit silly. But silly movies can sometimes contain deeper thoughts. Last year’s Spirited was extraordinarily silly, and it wound up being one of my favorite movies of the year. I haven’t seen a Spirited-level contender for Christmas movies yet this year, but all the holiday movies I have seen have been pretty interesting in their own ways. So let’s unwrap... Read more
The most striking moment in the opening episode of God. Family. Football. isn’t a jaw-dropping play or a fight in practice. It’s a Tuesday morning Bible study, when dozens of high-school football players kneel and press their heads to the floor in prayer. “[These players] belong to You, every one of them,” Pastor Denny Duron prays over the team. Later, one of the team’s members, lineman Jacob Carpenter, says that Bible study is the team’s most important activity. “Going in... Read more
Traveling can be stressful for most of us. The flights, the hotels, the pressures to see and do everything that we’ve come to that place to see and do. But whatever we deal with, it’s nothing compared to what the Pope must navigate. Magnolia Pictures’ In Viaggio—essentially a travelogue of Pope Francis’ decade-worth of trips around the world—shows us just how difficult, and delicate, such travel can be. Pope Francis may not need to worry about lost luggage or missing... Read more
I swear on my name and the names of the ancestors… That I shall walk the Way of the Mand’alor… And the words of the Creed shall be forever forged in my heart. This is the Way. So goes the Mandalorian Creed—tenants treated by one-time bounty hunter Din Djarin as sacred. That creed (and what it represents) is more than what he believes; it’s who he is. It’s so important to him, in fact, that he’s willing to do almost... Read more
Ever since Rocky Balboa stepped into the ring against Apollo Creed in 1976, the Rocky/Creed movies have often held just a teensiest whiff of the Gospel (with a dollop of the old Protestant work ethic). Sure, they’re not advocates of turning the other cheek. But they do stress a lot of messages straight from Sunday school: Turn away from the idols of this world. Don’t get tied down by worldly pleasures. Don’t fixate on outward appearances (Rocky was almost always... Read more
In The Everlasting Man, G.K. Chesterton said that the Christian faith has a peculiar character. Often in history (he writes) it seemed as though the “whole soul seemed to have gone out of Christianity; and almost every man in his heart expected its end.” But every man, it seemed, would be wrong. “Christendom has had a series of revolutions and in each one of them Christianity has died,” Chesterton wrote. “Christianity has died many times and risen again; for it... Read more
What makes a good movie? It’s a hard question, and one I ask myself right about now every year. Certainly, the skill and artistry play a huge role, and we’ve seen plenty of films in 2022 showcasing top-notch craft. But it’s not enough. A film’s cinematography might be incredible. It might have rock-solid actors playing memorable characters. But for a film to stick with me, it must move me. Its narrative needs to resonate with where I am and what... Read more
For a guy who sometimes claims to be an atheist, Guillermo del Toro sure spends a lot of time talking about faith. Del Toro says he left the Catholic Church as soon as he could. And yet his breakout movie, Pan’s Labyrinth, could be read as something of a Catholic parable of sacrifice and redemption. He turns his back on faith, but his Hellboy movies presupposes heaven and hell, and its titular hero is the most unlikely Christian you can... Read more
Bah. Humbug. So I might’ve said a few weeks ago to Spirited, yet another revision of A Christmas Carol. More than 100 versions of Charles Dickens’ classic have been made, featuring everyone from Bill Murray to Mickey Mouse. Hey, I love Scrooge and Tiny Tim as much as anyone. But we’ve seen it. The possibility of finding something new there? Well, that seems deader than a coffin nail. And then I actually saw Spirited, Apple TV+’s clever, musical addendum to... Read more
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