comedy
The Worldview of an ELF (via Will Ferrell)
December 17th, 2010
A special son raised in a Christmas paradise is sent south to a much harsher world where he sees the darkness in the world and overcomes it with a light in his eyes that refuses to be extinguished… the story of Buddy the Elf is an atypical type of Christmas cheer that feels like modern-day [...]
Read More...Going UP?
April 26th, 2010
In Pixar’s UP, an undeniably delicious treat for the senses, Carl Frederickson is chafing against the age-old aging process lamented in Ecclesiastes 12, and sets out to recapture the “spirit of adventure” and honor his late wife Ellie. We find, however, that his motives are mixed, and his mission is missing the mark. This literally [...]
Read More...Does this movie KICK-ASS?
April 23rd, 2010
If someone told me it was possible to make a movie that was part Watchmen, part Superbad, and part Tarantino film, I’d have said they were more deranged than Rorschach. However, although the most tonally-eclectic film I have ever seen, Kick-Ass works artistically… and despite the controversial R-rated content, the film (written by Catholic comic [...]
Read More...How to Train your Content
April 21st, 2010
Things have really taken off with Cinemagogue, from increasing emails to a a few interviews culminating in articles to more connections with writers, pastors and filmmakers. The Mars Hill blog began promoting film and theology events where we capture the audio, and I started blogging for The Resurgence using video. The embedded review of How [...]
Read More...Bottle Rocket ain’t no trip to Cleveland
November 29th, 2008
review of BOTTLE ROCKET by Zach Malm starring Owen Wilson and Luke Wilson directed by Wes Anderson Rated R Bottle Rocket, the first film from Wes Anderson, of Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums fame, is my favorite film of all-time. I’ve seen it close to 100 times, but still have a hard time putting my [...]
Read More...Cooking up Hope with Chef Ratatouille
September 26th, 2008
A rat named Remy dreams of becoming a great French chef despite his family’s wishes and the obvious problem of being a rat in a decidedly rodent-phobic profession. When fate places Remy in the sewers of Paris, he finds himself ideally situated beneath a restaurant made famous by his culinary hero, Auguste Gusteau. As Remy enters, [...]
Read More...Rent The Apartment
August 8th, 2008
A Review of The Apartment by Zach Malm Directed by Billy Wilder Starring Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, and Fred MacMurray A writer-director before that hyphen became commonplace, Billy Wilder is responsible for some of the best and most well-loved American films in history, including Some Like it Hot, Double Indemnity, Sabrina, and my personal favorite, [...]
Read More...The Dude Abides: Cult Classic for Our Times
July 22nd, 2008
A review of THE BIG LEBOWSKI by Elliot Strong starring Jeff Bridges and John Goodman directed by Joel Coen Rated R His words are quoted, books have been written about him, gatherings are arranged in his honor, and the image of his long hair and flowing robes are legendary. Welcome to the modern cult of [...]
Read More...Juno What You Want to Hear…
July 11th, 2008
Audio Review of JUNO by Pastor James Harleman “I need to know that it’s possible that two people can stay happy together forever…” Jason Reitman, the brilliant Director that gave us Thank You for Smoking, shot Juno in just 31 days. It was the highest-grossing film of all five Best Picture Oscar nominees (2008). Writer [...]
Read More...We ALL want Happily Ever After…
April 16th, 2008
Fairy Tales: Folly or Faith? An audio exploration of Enchanted by Pastor James Harleman Enchanted intrigued me as it hit squarely on one of my favorite narrative dichotomies in Hollywood storytelling… what I affectionately call “Life Under the Sun” and “Life Beyond the Sun” films. These worlds collide in Enchanted in what I think is [...]
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