(ANALYSIS) “Murderbot” — a name he picks only because he likes the sound of it — has options, but only a few. Kill all the stupid humans and flee, which likely means another SecUnit would stop him and then the company would melt him down as scrap. Or play along, pretending to do the job you’ve always done but hope no one notices when you’re not all there because — you’re bingeing thousands of hours of “content” — human/bot/AI entertainment.
Read More(REVIEW) At times, it feels like there are two different “Light of the World” movies vying for dominance onscreen. One is a cringe Sunday school lesson with forced try-hard laughs and mini-sermons sprinkled throughout. The other is a beautifully animated character drama that shares the beauty of Jesus through relatable characters and moving imagery with genuine laugh-out-loud moments.
Read More(ANALYSIS) It’s hard to take Jell-O salad to the after-church brunch a few hours after your husband of 33 years runs off with a younger woman. But the old-fashioned church Leanne Morgan attends in her summer Netflix sitcom does have a Philippians 4:13 poster in the fellowship hall proclaiming: “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.”
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) “The Blind” deserves credit for making a Christian-friendly film that doesn’t downplay the darkness of life. If it had only been able to overcome some of the other tropes that plague the genre, the results could have been truly special. Even so, for fans of the Robertson family or those who want a classic Christian redemption story, this story about a duck-hunting clan mostly hits its target.
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 More(REVIEW) “East of Wall” is a heartwarming and raw story about overcoming hardship and helping others. Unfortunately, its unusual style both helps and hinders our ability to connect with the people and experiences at the center of the drama. The film follows Tabatha, a rebellious horse trainer, who, after her husband’s death, wrestles with unresolved grief while providing refuge for a group of teens.
Read More(OPINION) Back in 2023, I wrote that I was “both frustrated and mesmerized” by the first season of this docuseries. “Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets” was a behind-the-scenes story of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their children, the stars of the TLC hit television series “19 and Counting” and a number of spin-offs.
Read More(ANALYSIS) This summer’s “Superman” is more than just another superhero movie. James Gunn's latest, starring David Corenswet, offers something different: A return to the character's core — not just as a cultural icon, but as a figure imbued with spiritual and moral gravity. Because Superman has always been religious. Maybe not explicitly, but unmistakably.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Two recent announcements about two upcoming faith-based releases that could be game-changers for the industry: Angel Studios and The Wonder Project’s “Young Washington” and Mel Gibson’s “The Resurrection of the Christ.” While the announcements have mostly gone under the radar, they have the potential to upend the Hollywood landscape as we know it for a long time to come.
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 More(REVIEW) “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” continues the Marvel trend of having a strained relationship with God that reflects trends within our culture. And while this new version of the Fantastic Four is more optimistic in many ways, its view of God is increasingly terrifying. Marvel has long had a complicated relationship with God. While they mostly ignore Him, the movies have, over time, featured and discussed the Almighty more and more.
Read MoreThe film, a standout in early faith-based cinema, returns for its 15th anniversary amid a revitalized genre led by hits like “The Chosen.” Directed by Dallas Jenkins and starring Kevin Sorbo, the film explores an alternate reality where a businessman sees the life he could have had by following God’s path. Strong writing and emotional depth elevate it above genre clichés.
Read More(REVIEW) Stories help us sift through random events of our lives into something coherent. COVID was a seminal time in American life, and it’s more than right that we should tell stories about it. But without something coherent to say, those stories stop being useful ways to interpret the noise, and instead just add to it.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Based on the many reviews that I have read and the YouTube commentaries I have watched, it sounds like this movie was “written” — scare quotes are intentional — for folks much, much younger and more video-game oriented than me.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Are Superman and Jesus headed for an American revival? For better or worse, people’s love of Superman and devotion to God have always been tightly fused. Whether this will lead to a long-term revival for both or just a short-term connection remains to be seen. For now, a lot more people are looking up to the heavens than were before.
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 MoreThe director’s most recent film, “The Phoenician Scheme.” very explicitly affirms faith. This is all the more surprising because his previous film was one of the most moving anti-faith films of the past 20 years. What explains this? Why did Anderson change his portrayal of faith so radically between his last film and his latest one?
Read MoreSeason Two of the hit TV docuseries “Shiny Happy People” will focus on now-defunct Dallas-based youth ministry Teen Mania and founder Ron Luce, Amazon Prime Video announced Wednesday. Premiering July 23, the three-episode season will expose the early-2000s evangelical teen pop culture phenomenon.
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