On Movies & Media

A collection of 1451 posts

On Movies & Media

A Few Thoughts on the Loss of Jackson and Fawcett

Yesterday, I felt a strange urge to give calls of concern to the other giants of my childhood. I don't have anything profound to say about either of the superstars that we lost. Neither were particularly inspiring for me personally, even though they did loom large on the

On Movies & Media

With email like this, who needs reviews?

An email from my dear friend Bryan Rust (CAUTION: "Mild" spoilers.) : Hi Jeffrey:Jane and I finally made it to see Up!  My only regret is that I forgot to bring Kleenex.  This is, after all, a Pixar movie, and I should always anticipate that There Will Be

On Movies & Media

Congratulations to Tyler Petty, Winner of the "Up" Review Contest!

It was a tough decision. I liked certain aspects of all three reviews that were submitted, but after some arguing with myself, I decided that Tyler Petty's review scored the most points with me. I liked his focus on how the film measures up to other family films;

Film Reviews

Munyurangabo (2009)

This review was originally published at Good Letters, the Image blog. • Sangwa’s family stands in a line, raising their picks, and striking the ground again, again, and again. In writing about director Lee Isaac Chung’s first feature film, Munyurangabo, it may seem strange that I’m singling out

On Movies & Media

An Elevating Contest: Looking Closer Readers Review "Up"

Okay, I'm going to pick the poster-winner  on Wednesday. But these are the three considerations of Up that came in. I present them warts and all!I'd love to hear from readers about which reviewer has earned the Up poster. If you pick a favorite,  please

On Movies & Media

Laura Bramon Good on "The Girlfriend Experience"

I've been following Laura Bramon Good's writing since she spent some time at SPU as the year's Milton Fellow, leading the Milton Center writers' group. She's an excellent writer with a big heart, and I love her contributions to the Good

On Movies & Media

Today at Filmwell: Meet Lee Isaac Chung! A 2-Part Conversation

I'm thrilled to share my interview with Lee Isaac Chung, director of Munyurangabo, today at Filmwell. Part One Part Two Chung also shared an essay, published at Filmwell, about his experiences and approach to filmmaking. You can bet his movie will be in my short list of favorites

On Movies & Media

What Movies Are in Your Top Ten List That Aren't in Anyone Else's? What Albums?

Looking Closer reader Tyler Petty just came up with a good idea for a discussion starter. I mentioned in my first installment of 140 Characters that the movie Midnight Run is on my list of personal, all-time top ten favorite films. I include that film for many reasons. Some of

On Movies & Media

The Song of Sparrows (2008)

[This review, which also covers the film Departures, was originally published at Christianity Today.] • Layoffs, bankruptcy, skyrocketing unemployment. Tough times, busy days for job hunters, and everybody's got an opinion about what went wrong and how to fix it. Movies about employment tend to give us rags-to-riches success

Film Reviews

Departures (2008)

[This review, which also covers the film The Song of Sparrows, was originally published at Christianity Today. For further exploration of this film, read Jeffrey's essay "Departures: Journeys with Asian Filmmakers," published in in Image.] • Layoffs, bankruptcy, skyrocketing unemployment. Tough times, busy days for job hunters,

On Movies & Media

Review contest: A Poster is "Up" for Grabs

Review contest! Send me your 600- to 1200-word review of Pixar's Up. My favorite entry wins an Up poster & publication here at Looking Closer. (I may publish more than one if I get some good ones.) Email joverstreet at gmail.com. Deadline: Monday at noon, Seattle time.

On Movies & Media

Yes, You Should See It

Film Reviews

Terminator Salvation (2009)

This review was originally published at Filmwell. * When Arnold Schwarzenegger first uttered the words "Ahl be bach!", people laughed and cheered. James Cameron's The Terminator was suspenseful,  exciting, and funny in a way that only the best B-movies can be. We loved the idea of an

Film Reviews

Lake Tahoe (2009)

This review was originally published at Filmwell. * [In Fernando Eimbcke's second feature, Lake Tahoe, a young man emerges from a car wreck and begins a long and maddening search for help. And it quickly becomes obvious that he's searching for something far more profound than a

On Movies & Media

Up, Up... and a Rave!

Hey, guess what! Looks like this new Pixar movie might be worth seeing! Yep, the latest film from the most consistently impressive filmmaking team at work in the world today is almost here. I'm so thrilled to be reviewing movies in the age of Pixar. What a joy

On Movies & Media

Flannery O'Connor in the Criterion Collection

Here's a new essay at Criterion about their latest release: Wise Blood. I've heard very mixed things about this film, insofar as it represents (or fails to) the story O'Connor wrote. Will you be picking up this DVD? Have you seen the film? I&

On Movies & Media

Star Trek (2009)

Let us consider the most prominent franchises that begin with the word "Star." Star Wars and Star Trek have been famously different in their storytelling and style. Some moviegoers enjoy both of the beloved series, but I grew up hearing heated debates about which was the better sci-fi

On Movies & Media

Earthshaking news for fantasy fans: George R. R. Martin's "The Game of Thrones"...

Tom McCarthy, director of The Station Agent and The Visitor, is going to direct HBO's series The Game of Thrones. And it will star Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister. Master Martin himself broke the news. Thanks to Beth Rambo for this link!

On Movies & Media

When you watch Benjamin Button, can you forget about Brad Pitt?

During a roundtable interview with Michael Caine, I watched the actor make a tent of his fingers, furrow his brow, and ponder this question: “Is there something that you wish moviegoers and filmcritics would learn to understand about movies, something we just don’t get?” Caine's reply intrigues

On Movies & Media

In Memory of Dom Deluise...

I have fond memories of Dom Deluise for his enthusiastic opening scene in one of the most influential films of my childhood. So, in memory of Dom Deluise, here's the opening scene of The Muppet Movie (followed by a program I've never seen before, that should

On Movies & Media

Casting Call: Two Satans, Two Adams, Two Eves...

If everything goes according to plan for director Scott Derrickson, he'll direct a feature film based on John Milton's Paradise Lost, and we'll see the war in heaven and the fall in the garden depicted more vividly than any film that has come before.

Film Reviews

Still Life (2006) and Up the Yangtze (2007)

[These reviews of Still Life and Up the Yangtze were originally published in the "Through a Screen Darkly" column at Christianity Today.] * Nothing here along the Yangtze River is what it seems. If we just look at the mountains, we'll be fine. They're breathtaking,

On Movies & Media

Kindling Discussion About Recent Films: "Knowing," "Coraline," "Sunshine Cleaning," and More

The latest Kindlings Muse podcast is up, featuring Dick Staub, Greg Wright, Jennie Spohr, and myself in conversation about: * Knowing; * Coraline; * Sunshine Cleaning; * Days and Clouds; * Rachel Getting Married; * Still Life; * Silent Light; * The Robe; * and * Jesus of Montreal.

On Movies & Media

To Watch or Not To Watch - A Cultural Conflict Among Christians in the Netherlands: Part 1

In the territory of art and culture, there is a lot of turmoil among Christians and conservatives in the Netherlands. My book Through a Screen Darkly was recently translated into Dutch, bringing my experiences and perspective to people who are seeking discernment in how they engage with movies, other forms

Interviews

Through the Eyes of Angels, Cowboys, and Christians: A tribute to Wim Wenders, and an appreciation of his films.

This interview was originally published at Looking Closer in 2006. An abridged version of this feature and interview was previously published at Christianity Today Movies. - A movie star is sitting on an old couch in the middle of the street in Butte, Montana. His name is Howard Spence, and