On Movies & Media

The Incredibles: My Review and the Decent Films Review

Here's my review of The Incredibles. Here's Steven D. Greydanus's review of The Incredibles. What more do you need to know? Go see it!

On Movies & Media

Get Out and Vote This Friday for The Incredibles

This Friday, the unthinkable happens ... We get a superhero movie that's so good, it rivals Spider-man 2 as the best superhero movie of the year. Pixar's The Incredibles keeps the studio's perfect record: It hasn't released a stinker yet. This is their

On Movies & Media

Loosed!

I saw Woman, Thou Art Loosed just a couple of hours before seeing Ray, and wow, what a combination. Both films are about individuals who suffer childhood trauma. Both are about community dynamics in the South. Both central characters respond to their difficulties by getting hooked on drugs and misbehaving.

On Movies & Media

"Ray" Pretty Much Guarantees that Jamie Foxx Will Win an Oscar

I'm giving Ray a B+. Foxx ... just give him the Oscar now. Here's my full review. Please notify me of any necessary edits in the comments here, or send me a note at LookingCloserReview@msn.com.

On Movies & Media

Laws of sequels: Item 231a

Laws of sequels: Item 231a A sequel must introduce the father, or at least a close family relation, of one of the first film's main characters. And for Pirates of the Caribbean, we'll be meeting the father of Johnny Depp's character Jack Sparrow. He

On Books & Writing

It's Only Fair

Having encouraged people to tear other Christian-film-reviews to pieces with their editing cutlery, I should put myself on the operating table as well. I do this to emphasize that I'm interested in better writing, not in belittling other review writers. So, here is a somewhat-hurriedly written review of

On Movies & Media

My Star Wars Oath

I have never seen a Star Wars movie without knowing the story first. Not once. I read the novelisation before I saw Star Wars on the big screen... at seven years old. I read the classic young-readers' Star Wars "storybooks" ... those large, thin books full of movie

On Movies & Media

"Re-Viewing the Passion"

If you are at all interested in the plight of artists seeking to contribute serious religious art in the arena of mainstream art and entertainment, I encourage you to check out this new book of essays on Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. It's called

U2

Bono the Preacher

Books and Culture covers Get Up Off Your Knees, the book of sermons based on U2 songs.

On Movies & Media

Saturday Night Not-So-Live

I remember when the music on Saturday Night Live was as much an event as the comedy. That was years ago. Whereas they used to focus on providing musical events, now they serve up the latest flash-in-the-pan fakes more frequently than anyone of substance. And they celebrate anyone willing to

On Movies & Media

He wants to be not a clone but a filmmaker

Do these titles set your toes a-tappin'? "I Want to Be a Clone." "Meltdown." "Hero." "Baby Doe." "On the Fritz." "This Disco (Used to be a Cute Cathedral)." "I Blew Up the Clinic Real Good."

Politics

Election Blues

Count me among the crowd of people who wishes they could just go to sleep and wake up long after the election is over. Neither choice appeals to me, and there don’t seem to be any exciting new options on the horizon for four years from now. The debates

On Movies & Media

Lost: I'm Hooked (Are You?)

Okay, I’m “out-ing” myself as a fan of the new TV series “Lost.” But really, that shouldn’t surprise those who also know I got hooked on “Alias” the night of its two-hour debut. “Alias” and “Lost” are the brainchildren of the same inventive writer—J.J. Abrams. Just

On Movies & Media

Go See Primer

If you haven’t seen Primer, you should. It's the first challenger this year to take on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind for the title of Most Enthralling Science Fiction Feature. It’s even more intriguing because it was made for $7,000. You read that right.

U2

The Legend of Bono's Lost Suitcase

Bono of the rock band U2 had a briefcase of new songs stolen from him while he was in Portland, Oregon. That was back in the early '80s. The crime is famous among fans of the band. And three years ago, when I was at the front of the

On Movies & Media

Caviezel won't be Superman. Thus sayeth the director.

Ain't It Cool News has an interview with Bryan Singer about Superman, X-3, and Logan's Run. Singer himself says that Jim Caviezel will NOT be Superman. Singer: No, that's absurd. I read that too and think it's just bizarre about James Caviezel,

On Movies & Media

Christian Movie Review Editing Lesson #2

In Round One of "Christian Movie Review Editing Lessons," readers had a lot of fun discovering just how much could be done to improve the review in question. So now, in the name of excellence, here's Round Two. When I visited a popular Christian fim review

On Movies & Media

Christian Movie Review Editing Lesson: An 'Appreciative' critique

Since it's my job to read every Christian-press movie review every week, I am constantly reminded that Christian media is in dire need of TRAINED EDITORS, writers who know how to use the English language. I include myself in the lot of those who need watchful editors to

On Movies & Media

I ♥ Huckabees (2004)

[This review was originally published at Christianity Today. Also: Don't miss my interview with director David O. Russell, which is truly my most memorable filmmaker interview.] • I ♥ Huckabees is "all about what it's all about." At least, that's what the studio'

On Movies & Media

How David O. Russell turned me into a priest

[An abridged version of this article was originally published at at Christianity Today.] • When I walked into the Fairmont Hotel in downtown Seattle to interview director David O. Russell, I thought I was prepared. A friend had warned me that the man responsible for the new, philosophical existential comedy I

On Movies & Media

My Zany Interview with David O. Russell

Here it is in its entirety. And here's the shorter version at CT.

On Movies & Media

The Answer to the Caviezel/Superman Question?

You can find what looks like plausible answers to the whole "Is Jim Caviezel going to be Superman?" hubbub at Superman-V.com.

U2

Four guys sitting on a bench.

This may be the cover of U2's new album... I'm looking for confirmation of that. Here is the official tracklisting: * ‘Vertigo’ * ‘Miracle Drug’ * ‘Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own’ * ‘Love And Peace Or Else’ * ‘City Of Blinding Lights’ * ‘All Because Of You’ * ‘A

Sam Phillips

Sam Phillips - The Looking Closer Interview

Introduction: An interview anticipated for two decades. I was 22 years old when I attended my first "celebrity interview." This was in 1992. I was a sophomore in college, and a music reviewer for the school newspaper The Falcon. My very first piece for that paper had been

U2

Was This Always His "Secret Ambition"?

U2's new keyboardist may be... Michael W. Smith