Film Review

Knife in the Water (1962)

Another in my "Less than 500 words" reviews: I finally caught up with Roman Polanski's breakout thriller.

On Movies & Media

A Hidden Life (2019)

A Hidden Life is a movie that I wish every moviegoer in the world would experience on the big screen while they have the chance. But I'm also holding back from what feels to me like excessive praise.

Journal

"Hymn for the 81%" — a new anthem addressed to the American church

I'm grateful for this new hymn.

Film Review

1917 (2019)

Even if we grant 1917 the distinction of being the first war film to play from beginning to end as one unbroken scene, I think we must also conclude that it's less than the sum of its part.

On Movies & Media

Favorite Films of 2019: The Top Twenty-One

At this point, here are my top 21 films of 2019.

On Movies & Media

Favorite Films of 2019: Intro and Honorable Mentions

It begins with the usual disclaimer: This list, like all of my film lists, is a work in progress. Of course it is. The temptation to pronounce judgments on works of art is great, more than ever in this culture of "rating" things with "Like" or

On Songs & Albums

Overstreet's Favorite Recordings: 2019

Here it is — a music festival, a playlist, a countdown of my favorite albums of 2019.

On Songs & Albums

Favorite Recordings of 2019: Honorable Mentions

A prelude to my countdown of 25 favorite records fro 2019, here's a long list of albums that probably deserve to be in that top 25 but... well... math is unforgiving. Explore. Listen. Discover some new favorites.

Journal

My 2019 in Review: An Introduction

Here come the year-end lists! But let's consider their context: It's been a difficult year. We have needed art to revive our sense of vision, to awaken our conscience, to offer us rumors of glory in a darkening world.

J.J. Abrams

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

Here's a review of J.J. Abrams' The Rise of Skywalker that follows the example of the movie.

Journal

My #1 Christmas gift recommendation — and five reasons why

I've been asked to recommend five highlights from my many years of reading Image, my favorite literary arts journal. I had difficulty limiting my answer.

On Movies & Media

Light from Light (2019)

Paul Harrill, director of Something, Anything, returns with another venture into the borderlands between body and spirit, head and heart. But this time, it might not be God that a young woman is discovering. It might be a ghost.

On Movies & Media

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)

Another Mr. Roger movie. Another essential vision — for here, for now, for American children and American adults.

Film Review

Ford v Ferrari (2019)

Race cars. Guys with clenched jaws. Bromances. Grudge matches. A good wife back home tucking the moppet into bed at night. This is sure to be a big hit.

Film Forum

Light From Light: A Looking Closer Film Forum

Until I can finish my own review, here's a round table of reviews worth reading that represent a range of perspectives on my favorite ghost story of 2019.

Journal

Cinemarginalia: Justin Chang & Ins Choi at The Glen Workshop; Criterion sale; Scorsese in Seattle

You can spend a week in Santa Fe with Justin Chang, Ins Choi, Over the Rhine, and more. Also: The new Scorsese film is getting the best possible projection in Seattle. Read about these things and more here...

On Songs & Albums

Overstreet Radio: Wilco, Lucy Dacus, Innocence Mission, R.E.M., Bruce Cockburn, and more

Here's a long list of new songs that are heating up my cold autumn days. Enjoy!

Journal

Practicing the Prophetic: James K. A. Smith on liturgy and discernment

Behold — James K. A. Smith's plenary lecture from Seattle Pacific University's Day of Common Learning.

On Songs & Albums

Famine Walk - the new Joe Henry opening track is here

I heard this in the car today, and I had to pull the car over.

Adam McKay

Overstreet Archives: Anchorman (2004)

Digging back into the archives, we've discovered evidence that I reviewed Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy for Christianity Today on its opening weekend.

Interviews

A Three-Piece Suit and a Doctor Strange T-Shirt

This is crazy. The latest episode of 0ne of my favorite podcasts — The Image Podcast — features a conversation between host Jessica Mesman Griffith, writer Morgan Meis, and... me! Listen here. We talked about how our life stories brought us to art and faith by very different paths. We talked about

On Books & Writing

In the Cosmos of the Arts, a Christian Cosmonaut Is Born Again

“NASA Twins Study Confirms Astronaut’s DNA Actually Changed in Space.” That’s the headline that makes you choke, then narrow your eyes, and forget what you were searching for.Come on. This isn’t The Twilight Zone. A man left earth and came back as somebody else? If you

On Movies & Media

Hustlers (2019)

Glamorous actresses, agile pole dancing, thrilling needle drops — Hustlers is an edgy crowdpleaser. But what is it really celebrating?

On Movies & Media

Cinemarginalia: September 21

Notes on my moviegoing priorities for this week; streaming services and other movie sources; and my first viewing of The Outsiders (a movie I didn't see in my high school years).

Journal

Cinemarginalia: September 14

This is the first installment in an new weekly series of miscellany-loaded posts. This one includes notes on my recent encounters with Blue Jay, Luce, War of the Worlds, The Peanut Butter Falcon, and more!