A Phoenix Rises: Walden Family Theater
On April 16, 2010, the family-friendly film Secrets of the Mountain debuted on NBC, a milestone event. It was groundbreaking not because network TV had never aired a family film before (though they do seem rare!), but because of how it came about. Rather than NBC working Secrets into their production schedule, two companies better known […]
Website Racing
If it were possible for websites to arrange themselves on the starting line of a track, react to the starting gun, and then muscle their way around the turns and jockey for position along the straightaways, it might make for some interesting viewing. Of course, websites can’t run (although those of us who write for […]
Why Mess Up a Great Film?
Because I wear a “film critic” hat here at Plugged In, last year I watched 147 movies. In 2011, I caught 151; in 2010 it was 137. Walking out of a film screening can, at times, be as interesting as the film itself. As you know, people like to talk about the flicks they’ve seen—especially […]
They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?
Last Wednesday, a 93-year-old Kansas City man was arrested for murdering his 95-year-old wife. According to the account I read (CBS St. Louis/AP), Harry Irwin and his wife Grace had been married 70 years. Despite the longevity, Harry is quoted as saying he “couldn’t take it anymore” because Grace, who had health issues, had been […]
‘No Animals Were Harmed …’
My wife and I own two dogs. One’s a golden retriever. The other’s a golden doodle. I like these critters a lot. They add much to our family. Jogging companions. Pseudo-watchdogs. Always glad to see us! Still, I’m a people-person first—a trait I happen to believe most of us share. But I’ve noticed (and maybe […]
A Not So PSY-lent Night of Apologizing
I don’t know about you, but if a YouTube video garners a million views, I’m impressed. If it gets 10 million, I’m rather stunned. Perhaps it’s because I know just how hard this is. Focus on the Family regularly posts videos of my movie reviews on YouTube. Just minutes ago, I zipped over to YouTube, […]
Who Goes To the Movies These Days?
Earlier this year, a Rasmussen study found that 56% of us rarely go to movies. An additional 32% of us say we only “occasionally” go. Doing the math, that’s a whopping 88% of us who either rarely or just occasionally go to the local movie theater. That’s not to say that the 88% are holed […]
Rape Scene Re-Violates
Can the media influence our attitudes and behaviors? A lot of young people today don’t think so. I spent a great deal of time writing the book Plugged-In Parenting to present the other side of the coin. I compiled “cause and effect” stories related to the power of entertainment, and I quoted several in the […]
Watch Film, Will Travel
When I travel by plane, I often board with up to a week’s worth of newspapers. Yes, I still enjoy getting my news the old-fashioned way. In fact, I subscribe to both the Denver and the Colorado Springs dailies, so sometimes that means walking down the aisle pulling my wheelie-suitcase, juggling a cup of java […]
In League With Those Incredible Vegetables
I once heard Phil Vischer, the man who launched VeggieTales, say that his original idea for characters involved talking candy bars. I can fully understand his reasoning. Phil was looking to develop relatable “somethings” and figured that every child could connect with scrumptious sugary treats. But when he ran the idea by his wife Lisa, […]