(REVIEW) Unlike exorcism movies, which have largely gone unchanged since the 1973 film ‘The Exorcist,” vampire films have gone through interesting cycles of evolution. While vampires originally were portrayed as evil, alien creatures, franchises such as “Twilight” and “The Vampire Diaries” showed them as hot antiheroes and even — at times — as wholesome and misunderstood.
Read MoreThe second season of “Rings of Power” is far from perfect. But the finale pays off its themes in surprisingly satisfying ways, making it far more faithful to J.R.R Tolkien than its most ardent detractors will admit. To say that “Rings of Power” is controversial would be an understatement. Since its premiere, the series has fallen afoul of the culture wars online.
Read MoreMost religious mythologies reflect how various peoples experience the world. Mesopotamia had really bad weather and tribal warfare, so its people tended to portray the gods as deeply chaotic and unreliable. Meanwhile, their Egyptian neighbors had stable weather and an equally stable government. As a result, their gods were largely stable and benevolent as well.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Audience members may walk away from the first two movies in the “X” trilogy believing they’re meant to have picked up on a meaning. Maybe something about purity culture, womanhood or aging; maybe a warning about the perils of chasing stardom. But even the intended message is unclear.
Read MoreThe new "Reagan" biopic focuses on Ronald Reagan's role in the Cold War and the fight against Soviet communism. But faith emerges as a major storyline in the 135-minute biopic.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Exorcism movies are making a comeback — and the reasons are more interesting than you might think. The likely reasons actually say a lot about the present and the future of religion in America and its intersection with the future of mass media. Here's a deeper look at why Hollywood is going all in on the genre.
Read More(REVIEW) Adam Sandler has gotten better at guitar since “Chanukah Song.” In his new Netflix comedy special, "Love You," the comedian plays a long, honestly impressive, flamenco riff before bursting into a song in which he complains about mowing the lawn, and also whinnies like a horse. Guitar skill, it seems, is the only thing that’s changed about Sandler.
Read More(ANALYSIS) When the second installment in the blockbuster “Dune” franchise came out, it was hard not to see it as a not-very-subtle metaphor for the Israel-Hamas war. It was starnge to watch scenes of guerilla warriors in headscarves when I saw the same images on the news. Lately, people have been finding those same parallels in other movies or TV series about conflict.
Read More(REVIEW) “Rings of Power” tries to square the circle between the “The Lord of the Rings” wider Middle Earth treatment of religion, and it often is more confusing than anything. While the second season opener is far from perfect, it’s a giant leap forward toward the kind of show that “Lord of the Rings” fans deserve. It also honors J.R.R. Tolkein’s legacy and the way he imagined the world.
Read More(REVIEW) “The Crow” is the latest Hollywood remake brought to the screen. Based on the 1994 cult classic, the new film stars Bill Skarsgard as Eric Draven, who, after home invaders kill him and his girlfriend, makes a deal with an agent of the afterlife to come back as an indestructible assassin to exact revenge on the killers.
Read More(REVIEW) While “The Forge” deserves credit for wanting to address the real problems of struggling men and boys, it fails to speak to the very people it says it wants to help. Christian parents of such boys would be better off passing on this movie and following other sources for their boys, and following the example of the movie’s Cynthia by praying for them instead.
Read MoreNot only are churchgoers watching Christian movies, but some find them useful as an evangelistic and discipleship tool. A recent study asked churchgoers if they agree with the statement, “Christian movies are effective evangelism tools.” The study by Lifeway Research finds 68 percent of American Protestant churchgoers have watched a Christian movie in the last year. Around four in five say Christian movies are effective evangelism tools.
Read More(REVIEW) “Sing Sing” — the latest film from celebrated independent film studio A24 — tells the story of Divine G, imprisoned at a maximum security prison (Sing Sing) for a crime he didn't commit. He finds purpose by acting in a theater group alongside other incarcerated men. The film is based on the book, “The Sing Sing Follies,” which tells the true story of Divine G and the theater program he founded while incarcerated.
Read MoreThe Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from former reality TV star and Christian activist Josh Duggar regarding his conviction for downloading child sex abuse material. The nation’s highest court made no comment or notes on its decision to decline. Instead, the court just listed Duggar’s case as one in several petitions that were denied.
Read More(ANALYSIS) When Pope Francis addressed a group of top international comedians on June 14, he called them artists and stressed the value of their talents. To many Catholics, this meeting came as a surprise. Traditionally, the themes of detachment, sacrifice, humility and repentance appear far more frequently in religious writing and preaching than the spiritual benefits of a good laugh.
Read More(REVIEW) There are a lot of positive — dare I say “Christian” — values in the show. So much that I’d say anyone with a beating heart will find themselves weeping as they watch them play out — even if only despite themselves. Observing the cynical, broken Hellians that Charlie Morningstar finds and helps to reform and embrace being their better selves, can’t help but bring tears to your eyes.
Read MoreJelly Roll is on a roll. The “Son of a Sinner” artist — whose songs feature raw, religious lyrics that wrestle with his troubled past — won another big award on Thursday night.
Read MoreAward-winning Cree actress and activist Michelle Thrush spoke to students at Salish School of Spokane — giving them an insight into her life, how she got into acting, her culture and how she wants to tell stories from a place of honesty.
Read MoreThis year’s Golden Globes — the first in a series of awards that will set the stage for the Oscars — took place on Sunday evening at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. Among the top film nominees coming into the night were Greta Gerwig's blockbuster “Barbie,” Christopher Nolan's “Oppenheimer” and Martin Scorsese's “Killers of the Flower Moon.” See which movies and TV shows won awards this year.
Read More(REVIEW) The eight-episode series “In The Name of God: A Holy Betrayal” covered Jesus Morning Star, Five Oceans, The Baby Garden, and the God of Manmim cults. Comedian Esther Ku spoke with ReligionUnplugged.com about how the series unearthed an ecosystem of cults in Korea.
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