Two Soldiers Tell the Real Story Behind 12 Strong

Last updated on: January 12, 2018 at 1:54 pm By Paul Asay

On Jan. 19, the war drama 12 Strong will hit theaters and hit ’em hard. Produced by action impresario Jerry Bruckheimer, the movie focuses on 12 American special ops soldiers who fight the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001, as the wreckage of the World Trade Center still smolders. The movie might not have an Avengers-level budget, but it has an unmistakable Hollywood sheen. It stars Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth, as the heroic Captain Mitch Nelson. Award-winning character actor Michael Shannon... Read more

Are People Missing the Point of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri?

Last updated on: January 11, 2018 at 11:22 am By Paul Asay

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, ran away with plenty of hardware from the Golden Globes last night, including for Best Drama, and it’s only fitting: In a year filled with so much rage, Three Billboards seemed a fitting entertainment capstone. It’s a Molotov cocktail of a film, filled with fire and fury that seems ready to burn the movie screen down. But its message goes deeper than that. And I wonder whether some folks are missing its real point. [Warning:... Read more

What The Post Can Teach Us About Pushing Past Fear

Last updated on: January 9, 2018 at 3:18 pm By Paul Asay

Most folks would call The Post a straightforward docudrama. Maybe if you squinted really, really hard, you might find a hint of a low-key thriller in there, despite the lack of shootouts and car chases. But a horror movie? Puleeeze. Then again, most of us aren’t The Post’s Kay Graham. Graham, played by Meryl Streep, is the publisher of the titular Washington Post—a pretty frightening position itself, and one she never expected to hold. Her father bought the paper. Her... Read more

Six Faith-Based Movies (Maybe) Worth a Look This Year

Last updated on: January 7, 2018 at 8:10 am By Paul Asay

What? It’s just the early days of 2018 and your “Read the Bible in a Year” plan is already shot? Well, no worries. Hollywood has us Scripture-slackers covered, apparently. Three high-profile, Bible-based movies are heading to theaters this coming year. And they won’t be alone. Several other prominent faith-based offerings are on their way, too. ‘Course the question is, will any of them be worth our time? Let’s face it: While Christian flicks are getting better, they’re still pretty uneven.... Read more

‘I’ve always Been Fascinated with the Concept of Grace:’ An Interview with Lady Bird Director Greta Gerwig

Last updated on: December 21, 2017 at 11:36 am By Paul Asay

Everyone loves Lady Bird. The little indie coming-of-age dramedy boasts a 99-percent “freshness” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s raked in a bevy of awards and nominations already, with more on the way. Heck, it landed in my top three movies of 2017, even though it’s about as family-friendly as midnight trip to a blue-collar Boston bar. Yes, it’s harsh. But it’s beautiful, too—powerful and poignant and surprisingly relatable. Director Greta Gerwig tells me that she’s had men in their 70s... Read more

Why Luke Skywalker is a Perfect Spiritual Symbol For Our Times

Last updated on: January 4, 2018 at 11:05 am By Paul Asay

It’s not easy being Luke Skywalker. The one-time fresh-faced lad from Tatooine has been kidnapped by wampas, zapped by emperors and had his hand cut off by his very own dad. But when we meet Luke in The Last Jedi, we know that he’s suffered more since we last truly saw him. He’s no longer a headstrong idealist of A New Hope or the sober-minded savior of The Return of the Jedi. He’s a changed man, and not for the... Read more

Watching God’s Best Movies of the Year

Last updated on: January 8, 2018 at 4:16 pm By Paul Asay

What makes a good movie? Ask a secular movie reviewer, and they’ll talk about the writing, the acting, cinematography, relevance. Ask some Christian movie reviewers, and they’ll talk about how aspirational the themes are and how free it is from nudity, violence and naughty words. The former might rank a movie like, say, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, near the very top of their “good movie” list. The latter might slap it right near the bottom. I’ve had my foot... Read more

Why a Doc about Istanbul’s Stray Cats Might be One of the Year’s Best—and Most Spiritual—Movies

Last updated on: December 10, 2017 at 9:30 am By Paul Asay

I’m not a cat person. I used to be, back before I realized that they made my eyes swell shut. After that, I turned my attention to dogs, which by any legitimate measure are simply better than cats. Science says they’re smarter. They’re certainly more trainable. If a burglar comes a-burgling, it’s better to have a dog than a cat—unless, naturally, your dog’s a Pomeranian and your cat’s a leopard. Most importantly, dog hair doesn’t make my eyes swell shut.... Read more

Film and Follicles: Hollywood’s Seven Best Beards of 2017

Last updated on: December 7, 2017 at 11:49 am By Paul Asay

Much has been said and written about the Avengers: Infinity War trailer already. Who is Tony Stark apparently mourning? Does Vision survive the loss of his Infinity Stone? Whose side is Loki on, anyway? Those are all worthy and important questions. But as I watched, one question trumped all. Captain America has a beard? In a team already sprouting with notable facial hair (how long does Tony Stark spend trimming that goatee, anyway?) it’s clear that ol’ Cap is bringing... Read more

Netflix Asks Us to Find God in the Mud of Mudbound

Last updated on: December 5, 2017 at 8:36 am By Paul Asay

Netflix, the ubiquitous television streaming service, wants to become a venue for must-see movies, too, and it means to do so by winning a whole bunch of shiny awards. And while the Motion Picture Academy has been loath to give Netflix Oscar noms for its dramas, Netflix has unveiled its strongest contender yet: Mudbound. It’s a lyrical, brutal, epic tale of two families in the 1940s whose fates are tied to the rich, loamy soil of southern Mississippi. It’s a... Read more

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