When I saw previews for the movie version of Paranoia a couple weeks ago, I thought, “I believe I read that book last winter. Something about a self-centered jerk who got caught in the middle of corporate espionage between even bigger self-centered jerks, and I didn't really care what happened to him or anyone else at the end.” Yep, that was the one. I am apparently an … [Read more...]
Unstoppable
When a young friend died at the tender age of 15, Kirk Cameron was left wrestling with the perennial faith-breaking questions, Why does God allow suffering? Why do bad things happen to good people? Matt had lived a full 2/3 of his young life with cancer. His parents were good people. They loved God, even as they had to watch their son slip away. Kirk loved God too, but he had a … [Read more...]
Sympathy for the Devilish: A Review of Joe Hill's "Horns"
Most people believe that Ignatius Martin Perrish raped and killed his girlfriend, Merrin. Ig didn’t do this, but since that tragedy he has steadily spiraled into chaos. He wakes up one morning after a drunken binge to discover horns growing out of his head. It makes a twisted kind of sense. The horns are just a visible reminder of what is arising deep inside. He has the power … [Read more...]
The Wolverine: Dark Roads, Monsters, and Men
"The great battle, I always thought with Wolverine, is the battle within himself." - Hugh Jackman, aka Wolverine _____________________________________________________________________________ Since the disastrous events at the end of the last X-Men film, Logan (aka Wolverine) has retreated into the woods, living a life of solitude among the another animals. His past haunts him … [Read more...]
The Raven Boys
"You're looking for a god...watch for the devil. When there's a god, there's always a legion of devils." Blue, her mother Marua, and her aunt Neeve have a strong affinity for the supernatural, an awareness of the darker forces lurking behind the veil, and a pretty keen desire to explore realms best left hidden. As part of her magical heritage, Blue is under something of a … [Read more...]
Biblical Epic: Escapist Fantasy or Private Interpretation?
In addition to music, I am a huge movie buff. All types of movie genres are in my collection. One genre I despise, however, is the genre of the Biblical Epic. Why do you hate Biblical Epics when you love to study the Word? You might ask. The answer boils down to man’s basic spiritual problem, the integrity of the Word. Mankind simply doesn’t believe the Word to be true. This … [Read more...]
"The Da Vinci Code" Critique – Final
Conclusion to my series of blog about "The Da Vinci Code". (Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3) The last area to focus on is Brown’s claims that attack the orthodox understanding of Christianity’s origins, specifically surrounding Constantine and the Council at Nicaea. Brown’s character, Teabing, professes that Constantine “was a lifelong pagan who was baptized on his deathbed”[1] and … [Read more...]
Warm Bodies: Exhuming Ourselves
“Once you’ve arrived at the end of the world, it hardly matters which route you took.” Isaac Marion's Warm Bodies has been a surprise hit. Though this zombie romance book (?) was originally written for an adult audience, the recent movie targets a YA crowd. If you are tempted to dismiss the story as yet another sign that we are staggering toward cultural annihilation, you … [Read more...]
Kill Thy Neighbor
Theologian and Christian apologist Francis Schaeffer believed that the arts (music, paintings, drama, movies, etc.) reflected the true inner philosophy and beliefs of a society. This being the case, it was not uncommon to find him lecturing in his Swiss L’Abri community not only on the teachings of Christ but on topics such as the metaphysics of the rock group Led … [Read more...]
World War Z
"The monsters that rose from the dead, they are nothing compared to the ones we carry in our hearts.” Patient Zero, a 12-year-old Chinese boy, was bitten by an animal. That much is pretty clear. The how and why of the spread of the virus that reanimated the dead is a story of human ineptitude, greed, misinformation, and tragedy. In the aftermath of the war, the UN … [Read more...]