What’s New and Streaming for Families This July
You’ve eaten your hot dogs, doused your sparklers and gobbled down a slice or two of apple pie. Now, what are you going to do for the rest of the month, hmmm? Well, streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu have some ideas about that. And while they certainly have plenty of offerings […]
Abraham Lincoln’s Entertainment: “It Gave Him an Hour or Two of Freedom.”
Americans celebrate our Independence Day tomorrow—a day full of hot dogs and fireworks and family and friends for many folks. But for history wonks like me, it can also be a bit of a time of reflection. When I’m not watching movies or television shows or writing blogs and stuff, I tend to be reading. […]
Fallen Kingdom Burns up the Box Office Again
Every dinosaur has its day, they say. Or, in the case of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, about 10 of ’em … and counting. Fallen Kingdom scored its second straight box-office win this weekend, collecting an estimated $60 million in North America and pushing its total domestic gross to $264.8 million. Count up the cash it […]
Jurassic World and Our Own Fallen Kingdom
It’s been said that people are made of stories, and I believe it’s true. So it’s telling that our own collective story begins with a tragedy. By Genesis’ second chapter, the tragedy is well underway. Everything seems just fine at first: Adam and Eve have been created and given a garden to take care of, […]
Culture Clips: The Kanye by Kanye West Edition
For years, faith-based films have been largely ignored in the secular entertainment establishment. They never— I’ma let you finish, faith-based film guy. But first, we have to talk a little about Kanye West. Love him or not, the influential rapper sure says some … interesting things. And with his new album, Ye, out, West is […]
Fallen Kingdom Rises to Top
We all know that dinosaurs died a long, long time ago. Except in Hollywood, that is. Do they thrive there because of the mild climate? Do they stave off extinction through languid respites by the beach? Or is it because they have easy access to their favorite green, leafy food: money? The dinosaurs of Jurassic […]
The Importance of Pops in Pixar
Incredibles 2 is officially out now, and just in time for Father’s Day. Great timing, really. Like a lot of Pixar movies, this one has a whole lot to say about fatherhood. Indeed, I think it’s film’s emotional core. It’s a bit ironic, given that the Incredibles 2 storyline focuses on Mama Incredible, aka Helen […]
Culture Clips: Pixar’s Incredible, Indelible Run
What do Christian movie reviewers do for fun? They match cinematic brands in a massive, statistical showdown to see which comes out on top. Well, maybe that’s just what this Christian movie reviewer does for fun. A few days ago, when I was stuck writing a review/story/blog/haiku, I thought I’d give my brain a little […]
Ocean’s 8 Pilfers the Prize
Just ask the Golden State Warriors: Sometimes it’s better to have a really strong team behind you than trying to win a title … solo. Ocean’s 8, an ensemble actioner that includes three Oscar winners (Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett and Anne Hathaway), toppled Solo: A Star Wars Story for the weekend’s box-office championship. Ocean’s 8, which […]
Culture Clips: Yeah, Being a Couch Potato is Bad For You
We’ve always known, deep down, that sittin’ on the couch to do nothin’ but watch TV probably isn’t the best way to spend one’s day. Or month. Or year. But now, thanks to Scientific American, we have some indication of how bad the sin of sloth can be for us. It’s not just that couch […]