Boys' Bible Study

This amateur but ambitious work of CGI animation has developed a cult following online for its bizarre aesthetics. JOSHUA AND THE PROMISED LAND is the passion project of animator Jim Lion. Coincidentally (or not?) all of the heroic characters in the film are anthropomorphic lions. The film centers around Joshua, a young lion living in modern times. His bickering parents ask him to get out of the way as they prepare dinner, so Joshua goes to his room and uses his vivid childlike imagination and the powers of his imaginary best friend Chris (a floating dog made out of TV static) to warp back in time to the Old Testament era. Joshua and Chris meet Moses and join his wandering band of Israelites in the desert hunting for the Promised Land, and protagonist Joshua becomes the Joshua of the Bible, mentored by Moses to take over leadership of the Israelites after Moses’s death. Joshua rises to the challenge and prepares for battle with the walled city of Jericho, one of the most famous Old Testament stories from Joshua 6. Jim Lion built a legitimately fascinating visual world of CGI for these famous bible characters to inhabit. The smooth, simple polygons and bright colors of Lion’s visual language are a powerful tool for communicating the surreal awe of Old Testament stories. The Old Testament is very hard to depict visually because the huge scope of its supernatural stories of death and destruction don’t get a lot of breathing room within the Bible’s terse, compact prose. It’s obvious that JOSHUA AND THE PROMISED LAND is not an “accurate” depiction of these happenings, but the film does faithfully translate how seeing these events unfold with your own eyes would completely break your brain.

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Forget French body horror or the return of Francis Ford Coppola: real heads know the cinematic event of 2024 was this star-studded retelling of the life of REAGAN. With experienced director Sean McNamara at the helm (ON A WING AND A PRAYER, BRATZ, THE EVEN STEVENS MOVIE) we at Boys’ Bible Study were confident this film’s depiction of Ronald Reagan would be respectful and thorough. Besides, many Americans are gearing up to vote in the most consequential election of our lifetimes, so it felt only right to review REAGAN and look back at the political values we cherish from our recent past as inspiration for casting our ballots. Dennis Quaid stars as Reagan using what appears to be a combination of prosthetics and digital de-aging (for Reagan’s younger years) that creates an otherworldly effect. He’s joined by other “who’s whos” of conservative Hollywood (Jon Voight, Robert Davi, Kevin Sorbo, Marshall Teague, and more) as well as some other surprising cameos. We were particularly excited to see Scott Stapp (former lead singer of Creed) in a quick cameo as Frank Sinatra. Much of REAGAN is re-told through grating narration of Jon Voight doing a bad Russian accent, representing the Soviet agents and politicians who the film claims monitored Reagan’s every move during his life, disturbed by his crusade against communism. REAGAN takes a nonstop glowing tone in its framing of the conservative president’s life and actions; everything Reagan done is perfect and in deliberate service to his master plan to fight the Soviets. Even the big bowls of jellybeans Reagan was known for keeping in the White House were a clever personality test for evaluating his cabinet, by seeing which flavors they chose. It seems clear that the REAGAN film is a piece of cultural warfare trying to inject some positive reviews of conservatism into the popular mindset, made by Hollywood conservatives who might relate to Reagan’s own background as an actor. Ultimately, this choice to uplift Reagan’s career at all costs makes the film a laughably ridiculous puff piece. Whatever your political values, t’s simply not serious to reduce the life of a consequential politician to the level of complication of a YA novel.

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In Bible verse Matthew 18:20, Jesus says, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am with them.” To which we ask: two or what? G-g-g-ghosts? This Christian horror film featuring a predominantly black cast gets a touch of celebrity from notable costars Luenell and Faizon Love. It’s the only feature film directed by Roy Belfrey, and although it’s competently shot with some genuinely scary special effects, it suffers from narrative weakness by not coherently connecting the film’s haunting to its overtly Christian message. The film centers around a recent high school graduate named Michelle who has perfect grades and a hardworking drive that gets her a full ride scholarship to a pre-med program at a college in Minneapolis, MN. Although her tight-knit Christian family has trepidations about letting their baby stray so far from the nest, they relent because the family happens to own property in the city. Unfortunately, this property has a problem: a ghost problem. It appears to be haunted by the spirits of Russian women who were killed on the property 100 years or so ago after refusing to cell their house to greedy businessmen. The haunting of the Wilshire house escalates the tensions explored in the film between the natural world and the spiritual world; Michelle is always trying to convince her superstitious family that there is a rational explanation for everything, but even Michelle can’t explain the terrifying things happening to her. Finally, the haunting drives Michelle back with her loving family, although it’s unclear to us what Michelle learned from the experience, and how anything the film showed us has to do with the Bible verse Matthew 18:20, which was supposed to be the focal point. We at Boys’ Bible Study are still in search for a Christian horror film that threads the needle of its messaging instead of choosing style over substance.

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Christian filmmaking auteur Kenya Cagle consistently stuns us with his ambitious, surreal features that stretch the possibilities of narrative. We at Boys’ Bible Study are addicted to reviewing his films; this is our fifth selection of Cagle’s, including FATHER DAD, MY KING, THIRTEEN MONTHS, and arguably his magnum opus THE BOY WHO SAW CHRIST. All of these films will surprise you with riveting plot twists and cryptic dialogue. SIN APPLE was perfectly suited to our month spotlighting Christian horror because it portrayed a malicious “obeah” witch named Madam Latasha and her evil love curses that work so well, their victims will do anything to break them. Protagonist Richard is obsessed with a woman named Lola so much that he asks Latasha to cast an unbreakable obsession spell. He then follows Latasha’s instructions by taking a selfie with Lola after the curse is in effect, disposing of the phone afterwards. But Richard messes up and his auntie Rhonda unknowingly retrieves the enchanted smartphone. Hell literally breaks loose as Richard gets devil eyes and goes on a murder spree around both Las Vegas and New York City. Sin City… and the Big Apple? Sin… apple… it’s all coming together.

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This stylish Christian horror film, possibly inspired by the SILENT HILL franchise, is based on a novel co-authored by the two titans of Christian supernatural fiction: Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker. These writers each sold millions of copies of their respective books throughout the 2000s, identifying and filling a niche for Christian supernatural thriller literature with exciting stories that still promoted a wholesome message. HOUSE is a collaboration between Peretti and Dekker, adapted into a feature film by director Robby Henson (THR3E) in a very lurid, saturated way that nowadays feels dated to the late 2000s, and could have been influenced by the burgeoning video game adaptation genre of cinema at the time. HOUSE as a film has interesting ideas but is barely held together with no narrative follow through. A couple experiencing domestic issues gets into literally three or four car crashes within the first ten minutes of the film, then stumble upon a remote cabin hotel with eccentric hosts who try to kill the couple before telling them the legend of the Tin Man, a psycho wearing a wooden mask who claims to have killed God. Weird southern gothic set dressing and video game-style quests hurtle the plot toward a disappointing climax where (spoiler alert) the Tin Man is defeated by light. It’s barely coherent and barely Christian, and doesn’t compare to other Peretti film adaptations we enjoyed such as HANGMAN’S CURSE (2003), but at least it’s weird and funny with bold, bright colors that remind us how Christian cinema tried to merge with the secular in the chaotic and very silly decade of the 2000s.

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This Christian domestic horror begins with happy newlyweds Grant and Christie planning their new life together in the small Virginia town of Courtland, not knowing that their inability to understand each other will soon be the catalyst to disturbing supernatural events that will tear their relationship apart forever. Grant seems excited to provide for Christie at his new job fixing up foreclosed and abandoned houses, but is much less enthusiastic to fix up their own home with tons of problems, including a hole in the ceiling and a snake infestation. Grant’s inaction has effectively made Christie a prisoner in her own home;  when her car breaks down and Grant gets mad at her for nagging him to fix it, Christie is left unable to go job hunting or even to the grocery store. But is this by Grant’s design? Meanwhile, Grant’s Bible study group is having discussions on the “curse of Eve” and Christie is beginning to see ghostly apparitions around their property. THE CURSE OF EVE is one of the most interesting Christian films we’ve watched for our podcast because it’s not just meant to flatter its Christian audience, but offers a feminist critique of Christian social groups. This is rare for a genre of movies that thrives on its own persecution within secular pop culture, feeling like it’s always under attack from the world, so why point out its own insular problems? We at BBS consider Jasmine Deanne Andrews one of the most intriguing and talented DIY filmmakers in the faith-based genre right now not only for her compelling storytelling but also for her creative and sometimes truly bizarre take on digital cinematography. 

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The newest film by the legendary Kendrick brothers, currently playing in theaters, feels impeccably focus-grouped for maximum impact of a Christian movie in 2024. We’re not surprised that director Alex Kendrick and producer Stephen Kendrick were able to create another competent and successful Christian film. They have a history of huge box office success stories on relatively low budgets, including WAR ROOM (2015) which notably became the #1 film in America during its second week of release. On a reported budget of $5 million, THE FORGE has already grossed $26 million in its first month, which is huge in the faith-based genre. THE FORGE seems like a spiritual sequel to WAR ROOM; it casts a lot of the same actors from WAR ROOM in extremely similar roles, including Priscilla Shirer (daughter of mega-church pastor Tony Evans) as a strong but exasperated mother struggling with family issues. In THE FORGE, newcomer Aspen Kennedy plays recent high school graduate Isaiah Wright, a directionless 19-year-old without a father who is unemployed and seems to have no passions in life beyond video games and basketball. When he gets a part time job at local business Moore Fitness, CEO Joshua Moore (played by Cameron Arnett) takes Isaiah under his wing and becomes the father he never had. With the help of an exclusive Christian men’s club called “The Forge”, Isaiah finally feels motivation to become the man he has always wanted to be. But unspoken in the film’s plot is how the setting of THE FORGE, Moore Fitness, is meant to resemble an Amazon fulfillment warehouse. THE FORGE attempts to bring dignity and motivation to fulfillment center employees through an unimaginable plot line where Isaiah and his coworkers volunteer to work a 24 hour shift to save the company. Sadly, this feels laughably out of touch for a film that otherwise does an eerily good job of elevating the mundane of an everyday Christian’s life in today’s fallen world.

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Body swapping is a time-honored film trope, especially in family-friendly inspirational comedies, where a character might “wish upon a star” to switch lives with someone who makes them jealous. Since God can make anything possible through prayer, Christian genre films are a perfect fit for this concept. SWITCHED lulls its audience into a false sense of security by beginning as one might expect a Christian teen body swap movie to go: a socially anxious Christian girl named Cassandra prays her school bully, the famous social media influencer Katie, could experience a day in the lives of her bullying victims. The two girls awaken the next morning in each others’ bodies, and the high jinks begin in school as both must train each other to carry out their their day-to-day lives without being able to explain their unbelievable circumstances. Katie must learn how to play folk guitar for a Julliard audition; Cassandra is now interviewing for a prestigious influencer position on “The Glam Slam”. It’s cute in theory, but SWITCHED ultimately fails because of some bizarre plot choices. Although aiming for originality is admirable, why would Cassandra (who is now inhabited by Katie’s soul) flirt with her own biological brother? Why would Katie’s parents (portrayed in celebrity cameo roles by John Schneider and Denise Richards) be so lackadaisical about Katie’s influencer career, even though they quit their jobs to support her work? SWITCHED is full of delightfully campy moments, like the UI of fictitious social media network The Social, but its desire to be perceived as easily watchable family fare that is light on the Christian message is thwarted by a confusing story that doesn’t stick the landing.

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The collaborations between Baptist preacher Estus Pirkle and the Ormond family of filmmakers are considered some of the most legendary Christian genre films ever for their shocking imagery and urgent sermonizing. With our review this week of THE BELIEVER’S HEAVEN, we here at Boys’ Bible Study have now reviewed the entire trilogy, which also includes IF FOOTMEN TIRE YOU, WHAT WILL HORSES DO? and THE BURNING HELL. All three films feature fiery narration by Estus Pirkle intercut with colorful, dramatic vignettes by the Ormonds. THE BELIEVER’S HEAVEN is unique in the trilogy for focusing on the pleasure of heaven rather than the tragedy of earth or the horrors of hell (but don’t worry — we still get enough of those in this piece to keep our interest piqued.) “In My Father’s House there are many mansions,” says Estus Pirkle quoting John 14:2. He then proceeds to take us on a tour through a real mansion to hype us up for the delights of heaven. This gleeful literalness drives the rest of the film, which includes lots of time spent filming Christians with physical disabilities to prove to non-disabled viewers that they should be excited to take on “glorified bodies” in heaven. However, the close-up shots on the deformities of disabled people remind the viewer that the Ormond family first made their mark in vaudeville and carnival entertainment, where the disabled were frequently displayed as sideshow “freaks”. By titillating the viewer at the expense of the disabled and in the name of religious education, the Ormonds show their talent as “mondo” genre filmmakers, a style marked by a moralizing tone that barely disguises the actual purpose of selling the audience on morbid or lurid imagery. The contrast between the exploitative tone of the Pirkle/Ormond films and their seemingly sincere moral message makes THE BELIEVER’S HEAVEN, and the rest of the trilogy, one of the most fascinating watches in all of faith-based film.

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This silent movie that graphically depicts the famous epic poem Inferno by Dante Alighieri was a box office success in its day, grossing $2 million worldwide due to its longer-than-usual runtime for the era (about 70 minutes) and its titillating imagery, including hundreds of nude actors. L’INFERNO’s aura is still creepy more than 110 years later because the practical effects and camera techniques deployed by the filmmakers are extremely creative and sophisticated. We at Boys’ Bible Study found L’INFERNO a fascinating watch because it caused us to ponder some of the same questions we ask of Christian genre films from the 2020s, including: is this film truly Christian or hiding behind the claim of a wholesome message to sell graphic scenes of sex and violence? Is a shocking depiction of hell on film an effective missioning tool, or does it simply arouse the senses? We suspect in this case the filmmakers simply thought Dante’s Inferno was thrilling source material to explore using the burgeoning medium of film, but perhaps L’INFERNO sold some tickets to curious Christians who wanted a moral excuse to enjoy risqué entertainment. We also theorize that Dante’s Inferno completely changed society’s idea of hell as a concept — perhaps contemporary Christianity’s idea of fire and damnation doesn’t come directly from the Bible, but instead from Dante’s impressive Bible fan-fiction. Either way, this film inspired us to avoid being “simonists”, who Dante depicts as being buried upside down in hell with their feet above ground and tortured for eternity. Nasty stuff!

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