OK, most of us agree that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice wasn’t a great movie. But it was, at times, a surprisingly thoughtful one. And with the Zack Snyder-helmed superhero flick now available on a variety of streaming services this week, it’s time to take a look at one thoughtful thread: The movie’s recurring thoughts about fatherhood—even when we’re talking about the heavenly Father. It’s no coincidence that Christians call God our “Father,” after all. The Bible has loads of... Read more
Free State of Jones is not technically a Christian movie, but it might as well be. In the film, Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey plays Newton Knight, a Confederate deserter who leads a rebellion against the Confederate States of America in his home state of Mississippi. Based on a historical character, Knight’s motives for the rebellion are complex: He’s tired of soldiers stripping his and his neighbors’ farms clean, leaving families with nothing to eat over the winter. He’s disgusted by the... Read more
Free State of Jones, opening tomorrow, June 24, is a far cry from the sequels and superhero movies that typically saturate theaters during the summer. Starring a very grizzled Matthew McConaughey, the movie tells the story of Newton Knight, who led a rebellion (based in Jones County, Miss.) against the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. It is, as its press suggests, a movie for adults—full of hefty themes, heavy moments and a significant level of spirituality. I’ll talk... Read more
That sense of power pervades The Conjuring 2: That God—and His servants—can kick demon butt. Read more
Some Christians believe that believers shouldn’t even watch horror films, much less write them. Too scary, they say. Too gross. The occult themes in many can even be dangerous. Screenwriters Chad and Carey Hayes, twin brothers who penned The Conjuring and, now, The Conjuring 2 (in theaters June 10) have heard it all—sometimes from their own family and friends. But they have a different take. They see a dark world out there—not the world they create through their work, but... Read more
You can’t be bummed and be Christian. Or, at least, that might be your takeaway listening to contemporary Christian music. According to Leah Libresco, writing for the website FiveThirtyEight, Christian pop is (in her words) “unrelentingly cheerful” these days, where nary a discouraging word is heard. Lyrics are chipper and upbeat, extolling “love,” “joy” and “strength” far more often than the flip sides of those words: “fear,” “sorrow,” “weakness”. “Grace,” for instance, is used about 2.5 times more than the more... Read more
Well, hi there, stranger! Welcome to my newish blog. It’s not really new, of course. Just remodeled—new address, new look, and as of today a new blog post. Because really, it’s about time. While experts were tinkering away at the Watching God blog, I was off in Washington state, knocking around a couple of national parks with my wife. When you watch movies and television for a living, it’s nice to see the world without a filtering screen sometimes, and... Read more
Team Cap or Team Iron Man? Captain America: Civil War practically demands its fans to take sides—even before they even walk into the theater. When I went to my advance screening for Civil War, the PR reps asked me whose side I was on. I said Captain America, of course, and they handed me a blue wristband and waved me through. I’ve always been a Cap guy. His motives are purer than Iron Man’s His movies are better. Heck, he’s better.... Read more
Director Rodrigo Garcia is not a particularly religious guy. He jokingly refers to himself as a “secular Catholic,” having grown up in Mexico and Spain where Catholicism was an integral part of the culture. But he says, “You don’t have to be Catholic to be intrigued by the life of Jesus.” Garcia is so intrigued with Jesus that he wrote and directed a whole movie about Him. Last Days in the Desert, screening in a handful of select cities May... Read more
Captain America: The Civil War might just be Disney/Marvel’s best superhero movie yet. It’s fun. It’s gritty. It’s heartfelt. And most importantly, the movie’s creators know their characters, never trying to make them less than who or what they are. Are you listening, DC? It’s interesting that Civil War and Warner Bros. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice were released in the very same year given how similar they are. Both feature iconic superheroes punching each other. Both acknowledge that... Read more
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