Sagely satirical
We need these stories to remind us of what we know in our hearts, that we have been blessed with this creation and by ignoring the damage done to it in the name of progress we allow the water to inch a little higher up the shell.
Surprised by Disney
Pixar’s latest, Inside Out, is a thoroughly unique and creative story told with surprising depth of insight.
A history for our own time
If reliving the triumph of Martin Luther King helps today’s audience understand our own time a little better, then I recommend Selma to everyone.
An epic adaptation
No one would argue against this being the era of “epic,” both in terms of budget and cast as well as the nature of the narrative. Films such as Avatar, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and Interstellar prove that right now audiences are transfixed by the grandeur of movies that pit the forces of good versus those of evil or the opportunity to feel the triumph of the human spirit over perceived insurmountable odds. We want not to be simply told a story, but to be immersed in a new culture; to experience the surreal vistas, and to feel we must exit the theatre as though we are returning from some other-worldly experience like stepping back through a magical wardrobe.
Love in the time of interstellar travel
Interstellar is big. BIG. There are big names, big visuals, and big scope. The latest offering from perennial Oscar favourite director Christopher Nolan – of The Dark Knight trilogy and Inception fame – is as ambitious a blockbuster film as you can get. Interstellar is the story of humanity’s last desperate hope to escape our dying Earth, discover a new planet that will allow for colonization, and provide our fallen hero a chance to fulfill his, as of yet unrealized, potential.
Less than meets the eye
Does the success of Michael Bay’s style of big-budget, explosion-y, thrill ride movie mean that Transformers: Age of Extinction is an especially good film? Not really. Was it fun to watch? Of course it was; that’s the entire point!
Peer-to-peer lending:
The internet will certainly, if it hasn’t already, change the way people of all nations communicate, learn about one another and struggle to share the gifts God has bestowed upon them in Christ-honouring ways. Whether it is at the exotic bazaar or local prayer meeting, in person or online, Christians will continue to engage timely trends with eternal wisdom.
Mark Driscoll: Modern-day Machiavellian?
How does one gauge the merits of a pastor? Is the ideal pastor one who sets the embers of our latent faith aflame with fiery oratory? Who has cool hipster style and a willingness to engage the controversy du jour? What if, additionally, the pastor had the charisma to drown out all other voices in our distracted minds, grip our concentration, and then use our attention to distill some Scripture into our hearts?
