(REVIEW) “Guns & Moses” is a rare film that succeeds both as compelling entertainment and as a surprisingly thoughtful exploration of faith. It’s a model that shows how believers can examine all aspects of life through their faith and art — including those they'd prefer to keep in a concealed carry. The film expertly tells a story that is emotionally satisfying from a faith standpoint.
Read More(REVIEW) What’s most interesting about “The Sandman” is not the Netflix show itself — but what it says about religion and spirituality. The show has plenty to say about death and faith in ways that fit exactly in with many trends of our modern day. In this way, “The Sandman” is itself a time capsule of modern-day dreams about our life and how the world works.
Read More(REVIEW) With no meaningful character arc and no coherent theme, “Honey Don’t!” leaves viewers adrift. It’s a detective story with no one to root for and nothing to say. Instead of delivering clarity in a chaotic world, it adds to the noise. In the words of Macbeth — adapted by Ethan Coen’s brother Joel in “The Tragedy of Macbeth” — the film is “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
Read MoreChanneling the rage on the Bluesky social-media platform, Sunny Hostin at “The View” claimed that the decision by CBS executives to cancel Stephen Colbert's “Late Show” could be the start of dangerous people "dismantling of our Constitution.” This raised questions for me, several of which were discussed during this week’s “Crossroads” podcast. For starters, who — other than President Donald Trump & Co. — were these dangerous people? Did this include millions of Americans who used to watch late-night TV and are now watching whatever they choose to watch on YouTube?
Read MoreTerry Bollea — better known as Hulk Hogan — carried an oversized presence during a career that spanned nearly a half-century and included countless ripped shirts, bandannas and leg drops. His biggest splash came in December 2023, though, as Hogan and his wife, Sky, were baptized at Indian Rocks Baptist Church, a Southern Baptist congregation in Largo, Fla.
Read More(ANALYSIS) With the increasing secularization of America, there’s far more freedom for Hollywood writers to tell stories about the afterlife that are in conflict with Christian narratives. There’s less cultural pressure to conform to Christian norms, so filmmakers are now freer explore alternative or ambiguous views of the afterlife.
Read More(REVIEW) “Squid Game” is a series that’s no stranger when it comes to weaving religious imagery into its narrative. Season 3 culminates that thread with both subtle and striking references, particularly when it comes to Christian symbolism. The season, it turns out, is more parable than sermon. The six episodes that form the final season are bloodier than ever.
Read More(REVIEW) Zombies resemble humans without retaining anything about our distinct personalities or relationships also have a visceral ability to articulate our fear of the end. Death is an ever-present fact of life, so symbols of death, like skulls or the Grim Reaper, are natural. This is particularly true during times when religious symbols of death and what comes after (like the Christian cross) appear to be out of style.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Once again, I need to apologize to the unknown — and search-engine invisible — person who created a quote that I want to share. I admit that there is some chance that I created the quote, but it sounds way too literate to have been created by yours truly.
Read More(REVIEW) Benjamin Franklin famously once said, “In life, nothing is certain but death and taxes.” Death is one of those things that the religious and non-religious have in common. It forces both to contemplate how to find meaning in life. Religious people have had the advantage in this regard, as the idea of eternal life is more appealing for people than the alternative.
Read More(REVIEW) The film does fall into some contrived tropes. It’s never really adequately explained why they don’t initially try to get donations for the surgery (or help from Joe’s super-rich friend). But it doesn’t lean as far into these as most do, and the authenticity of how the characters behave in these situations makes up for it. “The Last Rodeo” is the best Angel Studios movie to date and one of the better faith-based industry films ever made.
Read MorePhil Robertson, who gained national fame as the bearded, camouflage-clad Duck Commander, “has gone to be with Jesus,” his Louisiana church family confirmed. The reality TV star and Bible teacher — known for leading hundreds, if not thousands, of souls to Christ — died this past Sunday at age 79. His family had revealed last year that Robertson faced early-stage Alzheimer’s and other health problems.
Read MoreWhether or not this gender swap happens in the film, this should not be a surprise. Hollywood is moving toward a full-scale change in how it treats faith. Instead of elevating secularism over faith, Hollywood is adopting it as good when driven by women, but bad whenspearheaded by men. This change is putting it on a collision course with a growing alternative media, setting the stage for a new gender-coded culture war.
Read More(REVIEW) “Fallen,” the love story of a girl loved by a fallen angel, has been adapted to the screen twice since the original book was released in 2009. Its most recent adaptation to television, an eight-episode season now streaming on AMC+, suggests a more negative view of religion that’s developed over the past decade — and it’s worse off narratively for not embracing the original story’s theology.
Read More(REVIEW) “Shadow of God” is stuck between several different possible movies and doesn’t commit to any of them effectively. It could have been an entertainingly self-aware exorcism movie, but it has too few scenes where it embraces that winking glee for the cliches. It could have subverted the cliches with its own original ideas. Even if its ideas weren’t original it could have made up for it with thoughtful and nuanced dialogue to explore familiar ground.
Read MoreFor millions of Chronicles of Narnia fans, the term “Stone Table” represents a series of events that explicitly defined the Christology that C.S. Lewis placed at the heart of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” If news consumers want to understand the importance of reports about superstar Meryl Streep providing the voice of Aslan, then these dramatic Narnia moments are a good place to start. Some of these recent headlines provided a hook for this week’s “Crossroads” podcast.
Read More(ANALYSIS) For more than 50 years ABC — with very few exceptions — has offered “The Ten Commandments” as the network's featured film for Holy Week. In fact, nothing says “Easter” like a showdown between Moses, the 13th century BCE Hebrew prophet, and the pharaoh Ramses the Great and the gods of Egypt.
Read More(REVIEW) This is why a crowdfunded series ended up reaching box office heights. People don’t watch this series because they love it. They watch it because they love Jesus. The show, through its artistry and creativity, helps people see Him more clearly. It succeeds because film has a unique power: It can offer pure experiences that go beyond words.
Read MoreUnder the direction of Trevor Nunn, “The Score” serves up a fascinating dynamic between the king, who harbors his own musical ambitions, and Bach. Over time, despite their contrasting personalities and roles, a mutual respect does develop — despite their religious differences, lifestyles, ambitions and motivations — between the men, culminating in Bach composing a musical offering inspired by Frederick.
Read More(REVIEW) The fifth season premiere is great, and the best opener to a “The Chosen” season yet. Everything good about the series is here, and most of the weaknesses I’ve critiqued over the past four seasons are all but absent. This latest installment of “The Chosen” is a testament to how the faith-based industry can evolve in quality and how both Christians and non-Christians will embrace it when it does.
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