This shocking Christian film about the power of forgiveness at all costs will stun you with its gripping plot twists and the hilarious Stephen Baldwin reveal (in prison at the 30min mark, covered in drawn-on white supremacist tattoos). LOVING THE BAD MAN is by director, producer, and writer Péter Engart, an extremely competent filmmaker with a few features under his belt, each featuring a faith-based celebrity cameo. Stephen Baldwin is a recurring presence in this genre, and he is extremely entertaining here as "the ethical Nazi" who leads a white gang in prison. But the real star is Cree Kelly as Julie, a beautiful and humble Christian girl who missions to juvenile delinquents while working at a grocery store. When her car breaks down late at night outside a dive bar, she goes inside for help and is raped by Mike Connor, a mechanic with rage issues. Julie's rape becomes an unexpected miracle when she becomes pregnant and decides to keep the baby, much to her family's chagrin as they beg her to end the pregnancy. She then commits to the ultimate Christian project of "loving the bad man," taking her baby to the prison for daily visits with her rapist so he can be part of his son's life. Mike is bewildered and angry at first, but Julie's persistent kindness slowly brings him to Christ, although violent racial tensions between black, white, and latino gangs threaten his newfound inner peace. LOVING THE BAD MAN works because the actors give their performances total commitment. The film stays surprisingly believable despite a plot that would feel unrealistic to most viewers, including many Christians. It often reads like a male fantasy of how an ideal Christian woman should respond to tragedy, rather than a sympathetic portrait of a woman's strength. Its approach to race relations also has to be seen to be believed. Overall, LOVING THE BAD MAN is one of the most entertaining films we have ever watched for this podcast, thanks to its fascinating and deeply insensitive portrayals of some of the darkest corners of human behavior.

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"In 1994, at age 40, Pastor Richard Gazowsky saw his first movie. Later that year, he received a vision from God." So begins the saga of AUDIENCE OF ONE, a brilliant documentary that serves as a cultural Rosetta stone for our podcast, an intimate portrait of where faith in God meets faith in movies. It's both a monument to the power of belief and a sobering testimony of how unchecked pride can poison spiritual authority. Director Michael Jacobs was given deep access to Gazowsky, his family, and his church (Voice of Pentecost, San Francisco). The film opens as the congregation-turned-film crew prepares their first feature. Having felt "called" by God to make a movie, Gazowsky appoints himself director and enlists family, parishioners, and a few hired outsiders despite no one having experience. Their ambitious project, GRAVITY: THE SHADOW OF JOSEPH, reimagines the biblical story of Joseph as a futuristic, Star Wars-inspired epic to be shot in Italy. Funded through church offerings, the production quickly spirals. Gazowsky secures favors and finances he can't repay, including a $17,000-per-month studio he's eventually evicted from. His leadership is strikingly confident, and he makes quick decisions and commands authority, but many are disastrous. He insists the film be shot on 70mm at 60 frames per second, a technically absurd and prohibitively expensive choice. In Italy, the crew manages to film only two incomplete, soundless scenes before the production collapses. Yet Gazowsky remains undeterred. In the film's haunting conclusion, he preaches that his next plan is to create a company producing 47 films a year, alongside resorts, airlines, and a space program. Gazowsky's faith seems consumed by ambition, though his audacity occasionally borders on genius. Still, his willingness to endanger and exploit his congregation, including children on unsafe sets, feels reckless and cruel. AUDIENCE OF ONE is an extreme but eye-opening look at faith-based film, where the movie is a powerful totem that allows the filmmaker to create an idol to both himself and God. In a roundabout way, it is an inspiring tale of faith, art, and the creative spirit.

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Christian imagery and biblical references abound in this violent early 1990s crime thriller, tonally similar to THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS is a lesser-known entry in the 1990s serial killer canon. Instead of a theatrical run, it premiered on HBO in 1993, which may have contributed to its obscurity. That's unfortunate, because the movie takes creative risks and deserves to be reevaluated as a cult classic. The film stars Scott Glenn as FBI Special Agent Stephen Broderick, a family man whose crime scene experience makes him a natural choice to investigate the Provo Canyon Massacre, a brutal child murder committed by someone calling himself "God." A man awaits execution for the crime, but Broderick believes the real killer is still at large. His son Jesse, played by Jesse Cameron-Glickenhaus (the real-life son of director James Glickenhaus), is a precocious 10-year-old computer whiz whose tech skills help his dad link the massacre to a recent abduction in the same Utah area. Jesse's inclusion is one of the film's funniest choices—it's bizarre to see a cheerful 10-year-old browsing crime scene photos and discussing grisly details of child violence. For us at Boys' Bible Study, SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS stands out for its Christian imagery. The "God" killer, Mordecai Booth (Zitto Kazann), is consumed by a biblical obsession so intense he even steals two giraffes from a zoo to honor Noah's Ark. The title itself comes from the biblical story of King Herod slaughtering infants to prevent Jesus's rise. The final scene is so strange and powerful that we won't spoil it, but it perfectly captures what we love to see as a Christian film review podcast. Though this is a secular movie, it features two actors familiar from faith-based cinema: Kevin Sorbo as FBI agent John Willison and Michael D. Weatherred (of THE BUTTERCREAM GANG) in a small role. We love when secular films engage with biblical imagery, even when it borders on blasphemy. The aura Christian symbolism lends to a story—its power to evoke awe, fear, and moral imagination—shows religion's lasting influence on culture's darkest corners.

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One of the most dramatic and exciting entries in David A.R. White's filmography is this tense, gritty end-times drama set in a world where monogamy is outlawed and bisexuality is encouraged (which is a bad thing, by the way). SIX: THE MARK UNLEASHED is a who's who of faith-based cinema, featuring Pure Flix kingpin David A.R. White, his prolific collaborator Kevin Downes, DIY acting mercenary Eric Roberts, pretty-boy Stephen Baldwin, and future WALKING DEAD star Jeffrey Dean Morgan. White and Downes play Brody and Jerry, two unchipped men scraping by through smuggling cars and "white hat hacking" in a society where every respectable citizen bears "the mark of the Beast" in the form of a computer chip implanted in the neck that makes its wearer beholden to a mysterious governing force known as The Community. Always hunted by The Community's law enforcement, Brody and Jerry struggle to stay off the grid. Meanwhile, another unchipped man, former cop Tom (Morgan), is captured and tortured until he agrees to go undercover to betray the renegades. Misadventures soon land all three men in prison, where they encounter charismatic convict-preacher Luke (Baldwin) and hear the teachings of Jesus Christ. They also learn of a mysterious figure, Elijah Cohen, who seems to be a "Jesus 2.0," wandering the fallen world and performing angelic miracles. The Community is determined to crush both Cohen and the Prodigal City settlement of Christians who refuse the chip and compulsory bisexuality. Will Brody and Jerry take the easy way out by surrendering to The Community's demands, or will they heed Luke's words and embrace Christ, even if it means execution by beheading? SIX stands out among rapture films for the brutal specificity with which it depicts the suffering of those who love God in a secular world.

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In 2020, a time of deep uncertainty for film releases as quarantine disrupted theatrical schedules, a certain comedy arrived lampooning the kinds of films we love here at Boys' Bible Study, and out of fear of being owned by its cutting satire we only decided to watch it now in 2025. FAITH BASED is a slacker comedy evoking the post-2000s wave of comedies such as ANCHORMAN and GET SMART, both of which co-star veteran comic actor David Koechner, who also makes a cameo in FAITH BASED. The real stars are Luke Barnett and Tanner Thomason, playing underachieving roommates in Reseda, Los Angeles, desperate for money and relevance. They discover how much certain Christian films make, referencing (in the film's fictional world) actual titles we've covered on Boys' Bible Study such as GOD'S NOT DEAD and WAR ROOM. Kevin Sorbo is singled out as a "D-list actor" whose attachment to low-budget Christian movies helps them reach a sheep-like audience eager for anything with a godly message. Armed with a perfect scam, Luke and Tanner set out to make a movie despite zero experience, immersing themselves in Luke's father's church to seem more legit. The plan unravels when Tanner falls for a hot Christian woman and begins embracing religion to impress her, threatening their bromance. Trouble also brews when aging exploitation star Butch Savage (Koechner) never responds to their casting offer, putting the project at risk. FAITH BASED sounds like a premise rich enough to mine for comedy, but we found the filmmakers' shallow research into Christian cinema leaves many joke opportunities on the table. The script leans on obvious critiques and swings wildly in tone, making it hard to tell whether the film aims to be cutting or heartwarming. We invite any future filmmakers critiquing Christian movies to hire Boys' Bible Study to "punch up" your scripts for a very modest consulting fee, most of which we promise to tithe!

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This new offering from perpetually busy Christian film auteur David A.R. White continues his "single dad action hero" era that began with 2020's BECKMAN. BECKMAN, LOVE ON THE ROCK (2021), and now A LINE OF FIRE are just a few of the many films White has made since the COVID era reshaped DIY filmmaking. Together, they show a man striking out on his own and reinventing himself, possibly influenced by his personal life, including a public divorce from actress Andrea Logan. Logan was a frequent artistic collaborator and business partner, and the two co-founded Pure Flix, the family-oriented streaming service intended as a wholesome competitor to Netflix. As prolific as he is, White inevitably draws inspiration from his own life, and it's no surprise that many of his recent films, including A LINE OF FIRE, portray him as a single dad juggling work responsibilities while navigating new love for the first time in years. In this film, former FBI agent Cash (played by White) is called back into service after his late wife's sister, also an agent, is assassinated by a crime boss's thugs. Supporting characters are played by notable celebrities such as Cuba Gooding Jr., whose recent fall from grace seems to have led him to the low-budget circuit, and Scott Baio, who alternately help and betray Cash. This repeated cycle of trust and mistrust becomes a tedious plot device, culminating in the reveal that one of White's own allies, Joan (a puzzling performance by Eve Richards), is a double agent operating under the name "Mr. X." A LINE OF FIRE is slickly produced and competently shot, with bursts of gory action that push the boundaries of wholesomeness, yet its plot is ultimately forgettable. Still, it's hard to fault White, who seems to be having a blast making five movies a year and rediscovering himself in the process.

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Another entry in the noble genre of "Christian one-man show," ST. JOHN IN EXILE stars career stage and screen actor Dean Jones as the exiled saint on the island of Patmos. We were excited to review this filmed stage production, since we're huge fans of other one-man pieces of Bible fanfiction and inspirational slop—like Curt Cloninger's WITNESSES (a true VHS classic) and Mike Adkins's A MAN CALLED NORMAN, a beloved sermon distributed by Focus on the Family. Both of those productions feature their leads absolutely killing it and drawing heavy laughter and applause from captive audiences. ST. JOHN IN EXILE is no exception. The late Dean Jones was clearly a trained actor, with a film career dating back to the late 1950s, including many classic family films such as THAT DARN CAT and THE COMPUTER WORE TENNIS SHOES. He kept acting well into his golden years, with his final performance in the 2009 Christian movie GOD PROVIDES. For the math-challenged, that's over 50 years of regular acting work, much of it devoted to uplifting the Word of God or making wholesome entertainment for families. These decades of experience pay off in a captivating performance as St. John. Jones is a huge asset to the material, which would be extremely boring without his investment in the role. Unfortunately, the script in ST. JOHN IN EXILE is a little too straight-laced to match the wild, wonderful turns of WITNESSES, which we love for its constantly shifting perspective and Curt Cloninger's 10+ voices and personalities. Still, the film raises some interesting questions about biblical history—insisting that the same St. John authored both the Gospel of John and Revelation, a belief once common but now challenged by contemporary scholarship. We only wish ST. JOHN IN EXILE had leaned into some insane end-times visionary type shit. Regardless, Dean Jones's performance and the film's enduring place in the Christian media video world make it a must-have for collectors and completists of the faith-based film genre.

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The long-awaited third film in the notorious anti-Catholic parkour LEAP trilogy follows its lo-fi predecessors LEAP (2010) and LEAP: RISE OF THE BEAST (2011), continuing to proselytize its staunch anti-Vatican message with an athletic twist. Director Christopher Tempel returns, now armed with a drone camera, and delivers a crisp, ambitious reboot to a series that clearly holds nostalgic value for him despite his open disappointment in the first two films, which he considers amateurish. Characters Blake, the handsome parkour-running college boy lead, and Liz, his hometown girlfriend who works at her grandmother's coffee shop, even watch LEAP: RISE OF THE BEAST within the movie, creating a truly meta moment. Blake remarks, "It's a little cheesy." Liz agrees but adds, "Better than the first one… the director spent like $200," prompting Blake's deadpan "Woof!" Ironically, the first two LEAP films feel more authentic and excited, with a scrappy auteur spirit that this reboot largely sacrifices in favor of Tempel's improved technical precision. Still, LEAP (2025) features striking special effects, including a chilling scene where blood runs from a tap until a "blessed" character touches it, suddenly turning the water clear. The "blessed" in this film are Seventh Day Adventist sabbath keepers like Blake and Liz, who resist Catholic programming that encourages Sunday worship over Saturday. Tempel doubles down on his outspoken belief that a literal reading of the Bible naturally leads to Seventh Day Adventism, portraying Christianity as having been "pranked" by the devil and his servant, the Vatican, into dishonoring God's true way—ensuring that many sincere Christians will end up in hell. It is one of the harshest, most legalistic interpretations of Protestantism, suggesting that God values paperwork over love. This uncompromising message, paired with the film's polished digital effects and fully AI-generated soundtrack, results in a cold, tedious viewing experience.

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We kick off football season with a review of a new film by prolific Christian director Jason Campbell. WE BELIEVE, which even features a cameo by former Superman actor Dean Cain, takes an impressionistic look at a real high school football community in St. Mary's, West Virginia, centering on the inspirational story of coach Jodi Mote. Grounded in fact, the film makes odd leaps into seemingly fictional storylines about St. Mary's students, an attempt to introduce conflict while staying inoffensive to the community. That tension becomes the film's biggest weakness. WE BELIEVE was cowritten by Campbell, Jodi Mote, and his wife Brandy, so the Motes clearly have a personal stake in telling the story of Jodi's sudden stroke, which left him unable to coach the St. Mary's Blue Devils during a crucial season. He was temporarily replaced by Bill Hanlin, a local legend remembered for coaching an undefeated season in 1963. The film's action drifts between Mote's recovery (as his team and special ed students miss him), Hanlin instilling Christian values in the Blue Devils, and contrived side plots: a Danish freshman exchange student turned field-goal kicker, and a troubled teen named Trey whose broken home pushes him into drinking and sexual temptation. The Danish subplot is especially bizarre, since actor Addison Dattilo, tattooed and visibly closer to 28 than 14, plays the role with the vibe of a California surfer instead of a homesick exchange student. In general, it is disappointing that the only conflicts (underage drinking, divorce, high school politics) are fictionalized; meanwhile the true story is flattened. The film would be far more compelling if it explored Mote's actual challenges. What did loneliness and frustration feel like for a devout Christian man whose body had failed him? To admit weakness, however, would cut against the film's purpose: flattering its collaborators.

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While most Roblox gamers are busy with worldly pursuits such as "dressing to impress" or "stealing a brainrot," MinisterMatt and his Robloxian Children of God Ministries are using the popular gaming platform to spread the word of God. We review an hour-long Christian narrative special created entirely in Roblox called STANDING WITH GOD, subdivided into three episodes: "Challenges," "Trials and Faith," and "I Believe." The story follows a college-aged protagonist named John as he navigates the conflicts between personal faith and a secular world. Filmed entirely on location in the popular Roblox RP server Brookhaven, John begins his first term at Brookhaven School and immediately struggles with self-doubt. His new friends accept his faith but treat it as a curiosity, accusing him of being "abnormal" for requesting wine-free drinks at parties instead of getting drunk like the rest. Teachers at the school target Christian students by "preaching" pro-evolution lectures that are explicitly anti-God, while the looming threat of LGBTQ acceptance encroaches on everyday life, as rainbow-haired men go on dates with each other in full public view. What's a Robloxian Christian to do? John seeks guidance from an older Christian mentor, a famous pastor whose program he follows on television. But more significant than the actual plot of STANDING WITH GOD (which is admittedly hard to follow thanks to the static Roblox animation and the unrelenting monotone of robot voices) is the sheer fact that a group of internet believers banded together to create a feature-length production using only the resources immediately available to them. The boundaries between film and performance, roleplay and acting, blur as the conventional movie set is digitized, and actors log into location (the RP server) in costume (avatar) to perform film ministry. STANDING WITH GOD proves that, just like "IRL" film production, it's not the size of your Robux budget but the urgency of your message that makes for truly passionate filmmaking.

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