Creative Gaming
March 10, 2010
Thankfully, in the recent publication, Halos and Avatars: Playing Video Games With God, editor Craig Detweiler and his contributors forego the well-worn arguments of whether or not video games promote violence and take a deeper look at their theological and spiritual potential. A Belgian film, Ben X, reveals such potential while continuing to raise questions about video games as violence-inducing or as a location to vent pent-up violence. [Read more]
In Defense of AVATAR: Or Why Mark Driscoll Just Doesn’t Get It
February 26, 2010
Yesterday, a friend directed me to an article about a recent sermon by Mark Driscoll (pastor of Mars Hill Church) in which he called Avatar “the most demonic, satanic film I’ve ever seen.” Check out my response after the jump. [Read more]
Shut Out the Past
February 24, 2010
Martin Scorsese has provided us with some of the most memorable films, and moments, in the history of cinema, many of which demand multiple viewings. While his latest film, Shutter Island, is not one of those historical classics, it is by no means a disappointment, thanks in large part to an engrossing story by Dennis Lehane. [Read more]
The Hound of Heaven
February 15, 2010
As the days and weeks approach, we’ll start to hear more and more about the “best movie(s) of the year.” To hear about one of these, and one of the year’s best performances, you’ll most likely have to tune into the Independent Spirit Awards. Goodbye Solo, should have been nominated for Best Feature at the Independent Spirit Awards but seems to have been crowded out by more mainstream indies (Precious and (500) Days of Summer). Thankfully, its lead actor, Souleymane sy Savane, is up for a much-deserved Best Actor award. [Read more]
Swing and a Miss…
February 12, 2010
After watching Creation, the film supposedly about Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species, one is left wondering what all the American fuss was all about over the film and why it had such trouble securing an American distributor. As one viewer who was looking forward to seeing this film, I almost with it hadn’t. [Read more]
Moments of Grace…
February 9, 2010
Richard Lindsay reviews A Single Man after the jump. [Read more]
Crazy Good…
February 4, 2010
Crazy Heart is this year’s The Wrestler, and that’s not a bad thing. Without the violence and the real-life comeback story of a washed-up actor, Crazy Heart cuts to the heart of The Wrestler’s narrative of a once-great entertainer who has alienated his family and searches for some sort of redemption…or at least a return to relevance. [Read more]
Pop Theology’s Oscar Conversation
February 3, 2010
Like Punxsutawney Phil, Ernest Myers usually makes an appearance at Pop Theology around this time of year. This year, Ernest and I have a quick conversation about the Oscar nominations announced yesterday, what we think should win, what we think will win, and what we didn’t see. [Read more]
Bad Even for Hollywood
February 1, 2010
In a recent review of The Book of Eli, I referenced Owen Glieberman’s review of the film in which he bemoaned the release of another post-apocalyptic film, a viewpoint of which I was critical. Well, I spoke too soon. The recent release of Legion represents just the type of (post)apocalyptic film we could do without. [Read more]
A New Way to Dialogue…
January 29, 2010
I recently highlighted a list of significant religious documentaries released in the past decade. Well…it looks like I missed one, but perhaps so did many of you. Thankfully, Lord Save Us From Your Followers will re-release in theaters on February 26. I had the opportunity to host two screenings of it as part of the Pacific School of Religion’s Earl Lecture Series. [Read more]
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