The Oscars were held on Sunday at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles. Jimmy Kimmel returned as host for the fourth time, joined onstage by an all-star list of presenters. Did any faith-based films win? Here’s a look at this year’s winners.
Read MoreAre faith projects such as “The Chosen” not considered for secular awards because of anti-Christian bias? While there is plenty of bias in Hollywood, the reason is a much more complicated one. Film critic Joseph Holmes delves into the issue in time for this Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony.
Read More(ANALYSIS) This year’s Best Picture nominees at the 2024 Academy Awards showcase how our culture is wrestling with a post-Christian society, whether or not these films feature religion or not. While Hollywood has gained a reputation for being deeply secular — even anti-religious — after Oscar nominees over the past two years featured rather complex portrayals of religion.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Think back to a time well before the internet when anyone could own a little bit of property in the suburbs. “God” had just been added to the pledge and father always knew best. Sound perfect? Great, even? This sepia-infused vision of mid-century America informs an entire political movement today.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The two biggest feminist films of 2023, “Barbie” and “Poor Things,” are poised to be heavy hitters at this year’s Oscars. And yet, despite the fact that both films claim to be overt pro-feminist manifestos, what both also have most in common is that they actually encourage the very toxic masculinity that they claim to be deconstructing. evangelicalism may hold the true answer they’re looking for.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The film missed the mark in looking at the socioeconomic conditions that many caretakers and mahouts undergo, the plight of the elephants outside of conservation efforts, and the history of this bond between humans and elephants in South Asia that dates back nearly 5,000 years.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The 2023 Oscar nominees have largely given up on real religion. Portrayals of religion in the real world are almost exclusively cartoonishly negative, but the movies also acknowledge that a world without religion isn’t great either. Instead of real religion, the academy seems to believe in a handful of imaginary religions created for the silver screen.
Read More(REVIEW) Ever get the sinking feeling that your friends don’t like you? That every time you talk, they’re just wishing you’d shut up — that they’re even timing how long you talk? Or worse: have you always thought you had a friend until, one day, they just told you they didn’t like you anymore? That horrifying premise is the driving force behind Martin McDonagh’s heartbreakingly bloody friendship breakup “The Banshees of Inisherin.”
Read MoreThe last thing anyone expected from last night’s Oscars ceremony was Will Smith slapping Chris Rock onstage. After he did, he proceeded to talk about God’s calling for his life. Here, we recap that and other faith moments from last night’s awards.
Read More(OPINION) This year’s Oscar nominees for Best Picture deal explicitly and intelligently with religion in ways that Hollywood movies rarely do. But the blind spots they reveal about Hollywood’s thinking on religion are equally as telling.
Read MoreThroughout Japan, there is a mixture of Buddhism, Shintoism and Taoism, which are easily recognized within the culture. Respect for nature, as well as reverence for “bodhisattvas” can even be seen in Japanese animations, teaching children and even adults. Here are five animations that have Buddhist themes and references.
Read More(REVIEW) “The Power of the Dog” became the most-nominated movie for the 2022 Oscars with 12 nominations. A slow-burn Western that explores power, masculinity and forbidden love, the movie gets its title and conclusion from a notable psalm prayed by Jesus.
Read MoreAs Christians around the world embark on Holy Week and prepare for Easter, here are five movies about Jesus, both featured in theaters and on TV through the decades, that rise above the rest.
Read More(COMMENTARY) The Italian director is known for many things, but will be most remembered for is his deep Roman Catholic faith, his an ardent support for the anti-abortion movement and his 1977 masterpiece movie Jesus of Nazareth.
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