On Movies & Media

WALL·E (2008) - A Review and a Conversation with Andrew Stanton

This review and interview were originally published in the online edition of Response, a magazine published by Seattle Pacific University. * Who would have believed that a mechanical trash compactor on wheels would become the most lovable big-screen personality of the year? It’s happening. The moviemaking wizards at Pixar Animation

Roger Ebert

Browser, 7/24: The Balcony is Closed; Tron 2?; Wolverine;

THE BALCONY IS CLOSED Roger Ebert blogs: Yes, we're planning to continue the traditional format in a new venue, and taking the thumbs along with us. I'm involved in that, and it will be a great consolation. But somehow I thought the show Gene Siskel and

On Movies & Media

Film Forum: Brideshead Revisited

Congratulations to my good friend Alissa Wilkinson, who makes her debut as a Christianity Today Movies film critic today with a 3 1/2 - star review for Brideshead Revisited: Portraying these types of complex characters always presents a challenge, but with this cast, one could hardly go wrong. Thompson

On Movies & Media

Sympathy for the Devil: Derrickson on "Paradise Lost"

When the sun sets on the new remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still, where will writer/director Scott Derrickson go next? Call him ambitious, but Derrickson plans to take on one of the most daunting works of big-screen adaptation imaginable: John Milton's epic poem about war

On Movies & Media

Today's interview: Do you want to believe in "The X-Files" again?

I've just seen The X-Files 2: I Want to Believe, and my review will be at ChristianityTodayMovies.com on Friday morning. But before I say anything about the movie, I'm interviewing YOU. I'm interested in your thoughts on any or all of the following

On Movies & Media

Thomas Hibbs Gets "The Dark Knight." Plus: Andrew Sarris.

And here... we... GO! Thomas Hibbs from First Things: ... The Joker espouses a nihilist philosophy concerning the arbitrariness of the code of morality in civilized society; it is but a thin veneer, a construct intended for our consolation. If you tear away at the surface, “civilized people will eat each

C.S. Lewis

Yancey: How C.S. Lewis shaped my faith and writing

Philip Yancey in CT: Lewis has taught me a style of approach that I try to follow in my own writings. To quote William James, "... in the metaphysical and religious sphere, articulate reasons are cogent for us only when our inarticulate feelings of reality have already been impressed in

Quotable

"We care for the environment precisely because God will create a new earth."

If you ever overhear me muttering threats while I read Christian media, it's likely that I've discovered more "Christian" shows of contempt for environmentalists. It's amazing how often I find fellow believers putting down those who strive to save the natural world

On Movies & Media

"The Dark Knight": More Than a Box Office Champ

The Dark Knight set an impressive box office record this weekend. But that's not the only list it topped. (Thanks to Scott Derrickson, who sent the link and prompted me to post this.) Granted, this IMDB list is vulnerable to surges, and as time passes, I'm

Cyndere's Midnight

Ladies and gentlemen...

Here she is.

On Movies & Media

Brace Yourselves for "The Dark Knight"

The Dark Knight is my favorite superhero movie for adults. It's every bit as good as you've heard, and probably better. But it's not for kids. Heath Ledger's Joker is one of the greatest portrayals of the devil I've ever

On Books & Writing

Veith on Tolkien's "Children of Hurin"

As the Over the Rhine song goes: "Like all true believers, I am truly skeptical of all that I have said." Those words apply to most things I write. And they apply especially to this post, now that I look back on it. I was so weary of

On Movies & Media

Salon: The Ultimate Family DVD List!

A few weeks ago, Andrew O'Hehir asked readers to submit their nominations for Best Family Movies. The result is here, and it's worth the wait. Here is Salon's Ultimate Family DVD List. Seeing the four films that were "THE UNDISPUTED CHAMPIONS"... I&

On Movies & Media

CT on "Lord, Save Us From Your Followers"

Brandon Fibbs at Christianity Today reports on Lord Save Us From Your Followers: Lord Save Us "If the first half of the film is showing how we're missing the mark," Merchant says, "the second half is really an examination of who we're trying

On Movies & Media

David Horsey on satire

Source here. (via Andrew Sullivan)

On Books & Writing

The Gospel of Judas: The Hoax

Gene Edward Veith notes: Chronicle of Higher Education

Looking Elsewhere

Browser, 7/14: Melissa Etheridge Apologizes to Phil Keaggy; Mattingly on Russert & Catholicism; Sixpence on Letterman; Parks on "4 Months..."; Jonn Woo's "Red Cliff"; Name That Singer

ETHERIDGE CLEARS THE AIR Were you following this tempest in a teacup? Melissa Etheridge was recently quoted in Rolling Stone in a way that gave readers a bad impression of guitarist Phil Keaggy.  The quote made it sound like Keaggy had once made a disparaging remark about Etheridge's

On Movies & Media

Joe Morgenstern: WALL-E for Best Picture!

Film criticJoe Morgenstern says exactly what I was thinking after I saw WALL-E the first time... and the second time... If the pattern of the past seven years prevails, "WALL-E" will be nominated for the Best Animated Feature category; if justice prevails, it will win. But "WALL-E&

On Songs & Albums

1969 interview: John Lennon Says He Wanted Beatles to Focus on Jesus

Here's a link to the Telegraph article on the first broadcast of a 1969 interview with John Lennon that contains some surprising statements about his appreciation for Jesus. But 28 years after his death, in an interview being broadcast for the first time, he claims that on the

Concerts

Stephen Lamb reports on Sixpence None the Richer's live show

Thanks to Stephen Lamb for writing up this report for Looking Closer on Sixpence live! Tension (Is a Passing Note) Between the Lines I've Been Waiting Sooner Than Later Kiss Me A Million Parachutes Melody of You Down and Out of Time Ocean Size Love There She Goes

Sound View Cafe

Bad, Bad Restaurant!

So I went to the Sound View Cafe in Seattle's Pike Place Market today, where I have spent many afternoons over the last decade sipping coffee, eating desserts, and writing in my journal, or on my laptop. It's a fantastic spot with a beautiful view. And

On Movies & Media

Do Del Toro's Creatures believe in Jesus Christ?

No. But the actor who plays so many of them does. Here's Doug Jones, who plays multiple characters in both Hellboy II and Pan's Labyrinth, talking about his faith at Twitchfilm. (via Chattaway)

"Christian" is a Bad Adjective

Many Thanks to the Christy Award Judges. (Updated. What *is* Christian fiction, anyway?)

Many thanks, again, to those who chose the nominees for this year's Christy Awards. I'm told it is a rare honor to have a book nominated in two categories, and this year, Auralia's Colors was nominated for Best First Novel and "Visionary"

Looking Elsewhere

Browser, 6/11: Radiohead w/lasers!; My Chat with Kim Ketola; "WALL-E"; "Where the Wild Things Are"; Outlandish Outlander; Sixpence None the Richer; E.B. White

Radiohead laser show The new Radiohead video didn't use any cameras. It used lasers. And now, I challenge you to fill in the blank with something that would catch everyone by surprise. For their next video... Radiohead won't use any cameras. They'll use __________________. Thanks

On Movies & Media

Film Forum and My Review of "Hellboy II: The Golden Army"

This is collection of reviews that I found interesting and helpful. The collection will be revised as I find more notable assessments online. Feel free to submit more reviews, or even your own, in the comments below. HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY With his newest fantasy, Guillermo Del Toro has