notes on christianity, belief, and art
I’ve been asked multiple times about Believe Me, a new film hitting theaters and video on demand tomorrow. Is it a Christian film? Does it trash the faith or have some sort of redeeming quality to it all?
I had a chance to view an early screening of Believe Me and later interview Will Bakke, the film’s director. It was a great conversation and I think it’ll answer some of your questions. YOU CAN READ THE INTERVIEW HERE
Last year, I took some time to dissect Taylor Swift’s song, 22. It’s upbeat, fun, and a reflection of the darkness surrounding Taylor’s life.
What?!
Yes. 22 is more than just a catchy tune for teenagers driving to prom. It bleeds with clear allusions to failed relationships, sorrow, and, of course, an episode of The Twilight Zone. If you haven’t had a chance to read my piece, you can do so here.
Today, I’m going further down the rabbit hole by critically analyzing Taylor’s (we’re on a first name basis) new song, Shake It Off. Continue Reading…
My son Weston
This Sunday is my first Father’s Day. It’s difficult to believe Weston will be a year old next month. Pretty soon he’ll be able to bring me the television remote and mow the lawn when I need to rest up for dinner. I think I’ll teach him how to bake cookies too. You never know when you’ll need a skill like baking cookies. Oh wait, yes I do. Every single day. Continue Reading…
Years ago, a minister’s widow gave me her late husband’s library. I still remember the books covering my office floor, leaving a small trail of carpet from the door to the desk. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited to start thumbing through the old volumes. I think libraries can teach us a good deal about a person. They reflect what we value, what we yearn for. Books are an echo of our imaginations and desires. Continue Reading…
Godzilla (2014) – Legendary Pictures
After I watched Monsters—director Gareth Edwards’ first feature-length film—I couldn’t stop gushing over it. “Have you seen Monsters?” I would ask a friend.
“When I was seven, I thought I saw one hiding under my bed,” was usually their reply.
“No, the movie Monsters.”
“The one with Mike and Sulley?” Continue Reading…
The X-Men film franchise begins at a rain-soaked Nazi concentration camp during World War II. In the midst of a large crowd walks a young Jewish boy. His dark coat bears the Star of David, the badge’s yellow color contrasting against the dreary hues of the compound. As the boy is torn from his parents, he mysteriously emits a powerful magnetic force, bending the camp gate. The chaotic moment reaches a breaking point when the child, later known as Magneto, is knocked unconscious.
This introductory scene—expanded in X-Men: First Class—encapsulates the thematic mood of the entire franchise. At its core, the X-Men cinematic universe is more than a slab of blockbuster meat to a slew of hungry consumers. It’s a probing commentary on social subjugation, equality, and discrimination…READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE HERE.
A year ago this week, I was told to look for another job. The Christian school where I taught saw an enrollment drop and couldn’t afford to keep me on staff.
Days after the news, the tips of my fingers still tingled with numbness when I thought about finances. I didn’t know if there would be any money left to scrape out of our bank account in the next few months. If this news wasn’t enough, we had just moved into our first home and my wife was seven months pregnant. Continue Reading…
There’s an iconic scene at the beginning of Return of the Jedi. Luke and Han are in the clutches of Jabba the Hutt. They are on the verge of being thrown into a deadly Sarlacc pit. Sarlaccs are highly evolved organisms who digest their prey over thousands of years. Its victims are mysteriously kept alive during the entire ordeal, left to die a slow, painful death.
Group text messages are the Sarlaccs of the 21st century. No one ever intends to stumble into a group text message, but once they do, they will never be the same. Continue Reading…
While summer cinema is usually judged by popcorn—not philosophical—consumption, this year’s upcoming releases look to pose a number of questions that just might get our brains turning. From issues like equality, supernaturalism, and human progress, these next few months at tinseltown have the potential to instigate a slew of conversations about faith and culture. Continue Reading…
The clean version of an Eminem song gave me the feels three weeks ago.
Most people think I’m a huge fan of rap, but that’s just them playing off of stereotypes. Even so, when I heard Eminem’s new song “Headlights” on the radio, I lost myself in the music, the moment.
I owned it. Continue Reading…
