Kenny and Mike review and spot faith reflected in the Sony Classic film East of Wall. The episode includes Mike and Kenny's interview with director Kate Beecroft and the film's stars and subjects, Tabatha (Tabby) and Portia Zimiga. 

While not a documentary, East of Wall is a "docu-fiction" drama based on the lives of the Zimigas, the wayward teens who have found a place and home on her ranch, as well as other women in the area. Tabby rescues and trains horses from slaughter pens and sales them in sale barns in and around Wall South Dakota. Portia is a gifted rider and rodeo barrell racer. The Zimiga's and the teens are still working through the death of Tabatha's husband and stepfather to Portia as well as stuggling financially to keep the 3000 acre ranch going and provide refuge for the teens. In addition to Tabby and Portia, the vast majority of the cast are persons playing themselves. The two non-actors in starring roles are Scoot McNairy who plays Roy Waters, a Texas rancher who is interested in purchasing the ranch, and Jennifer Ehle who plays Tabby's mom, Tracey.

Althought it echoes Nomadland in both look and feel as well as using non-professional actors, East of Wall is grittier and goes deeper into the lives of the persons portraying themselves. The film has an even stronger kinship with the neo-realism style of the post-war Italian cinema.

In the midst of the struggle there is beauty in the love and trust of the community that includes the Zimigas, the teens, as well as other women friends and family who have experienced struggles life in "the new west."

The film is set against the backdrop of the South Dakota Badlands which not only provides beautiful cinematography but is also a visual symbol of the desolate looking but also rich life on the ranch and throughout the area.

The story behind the making of the film echoes much of the film's themes and adds to the experience of watching or reflecting on the film. Kate Beecroft and her director of photography were driving throughout the country looking for stories that could be made into a short film. They literally stumble across Tabby. This story is included in the interview. 

Faith Spotted:

The transformative nature and power of story, trust and commitment within community. Such is depicted in both the film as well as the relationships between the director and cast. 

As the film reflects the "new west" in the age of changing demographics and greater financial pressures on farming and ranching, the film also reflects what is likely to be the "new Church," where the focus is more on being in relationship and community with persons outside the walls and rolls of the church than maintaining such walls. Though most churches and members acknowledge that the Church "is not a building or steeple, but people," churches too often struggle to actually get out from behind the walls, get, and be in ministry, with persons in the community. The mission of the Church is north, south, wast and east of it's walls. The church needs to be more like, as Kate described the teens, "fierce and feral in the best way possible." 

Kate would not have been able to make the film had she not been fully invested in the people and their stories. This reflects the incarnational purpose and nature of Jesus, God with us, as us. 

Mike and Kenny review and spot faith reflected in the HBO Documentary My Mom Jayne, directed by and starring Jayne's daughter and star of Law and Order: SVU, Mariska Hargitay. The film not only tells the story of Jayne, it also tells the story of Mariska coming to know, accept, and reclaim her'sand her mother's story, and their relationship almost 60 years after Jayne's death. The film effectively utilizes video and photos of Jayne as well as interviews with her siblings, friends and those who knew and worked with Jayne. 

Faith Spotted

The importance and place and power of knowing the truth of one's story of origin. Knowing and accepting the truth of one's life and family story is critical in changing the arc of not just one's story but more importantly, the arc of one's life. One can reclaim, or change, one's life when one begins from a place of honesty and works through the pain and shame exerienced in their life. Often, one finds amidst the challenges and difficulties, there is another better side or narrative that has been overlooked and forgotten. 

The possibility of new life and peace. The Good News, (Gospel) of Christ is the promise and assurance of becoming a new creation and experiencing a new life that is free from the brokenness experienced in one's life. While this new life is fulfilled through resurrection and eternal life in God's Kingdom, the promise that all pain or shame experienced and lived with througout one's earthly life will not endure allows one to begin to face, change and experience the hope and peace of new life now. 

The corrosive power of secrets. Secrets within a family put pressure and stress on everyone who is forced to live within and maintain the secret and required illusion the secret projects. Whenever there are secrets or skeletons in one's life or family history /system, there will be dysfunction that will grow rather than recede over time. The feeling that something is not right will almost always be experienced by those living within the family as well as those occassionally interacting with the family system. Secrets establish and maintain a DNA of stress, dishonesty, and dysfunction within a family that is passed down through generations if not aknowledged and dealth with. 

Mike and Kenny review the Summer action blockbuster F1: The Movie starring Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, Damson Idris, and Kerry Condon and directed by Joseph Kosinski. Pitt stars as race car driver Sonny Hayes, who is invited to join an F1 team despite a 30 year absence from the F1 circuit following a traumatic crash. The team's owner, Ruben Cervantes (Bardem) drove with Hayes when he was a rookie and is desperate for his team to show success or else he will lose it. Part of Hayes's impact on the team needs to be mentoring the team's rookie sensation but yet to be successful driver, Joshua Pearce (Idris.) Produced by Jerry Bruckeimer and Apple Studios, F1 The Movie included scenes shot during F1 on location at several Grand Prixs, the British, Italian, Las Vegas, Japan and Abu Dhabi.

Faith Spotted:

The place and necessity of Community: I Corinthians 12, the Body of Christ consists of many parts, all of which are vital and dependent on one another. Such dependency requires trust and faith in each other. As Christ had total faith in God, discisples of Jesus must also have faith in the God's redemptive power and in the new life promised in Christ. This is reflected in F1 in all the members of the team, from the owner, drivers, and all crew members. Without everyone working together the team fails.

Living in Community requires Humility. As Paul teaches in Philippians 2 all persons of faith are called to imitate the humility of Christ. As Jesus did not use his position as God to gain attention, power, and to be served, but rather to serve God and others, discipleship of Christ calls for persons to be humble and use talents and other blessings of God in the service of God and others. Hayes, Pearce, and others in the film are challenged to reign in their ego's and desires for personal fame and glory in order for the team to win and all to be successful.

Over coming Adversity, Failure and Fear: Faith in God's love, grace, and the promise of new life, allows us the freedom to struggle against adversity and the fear of failure. The teaching and life example of Jesus calls us to live out of faith rather than in the midst fear because God cherishes all people for who they are, God's children, not for what they accomplish.

Calling, Purpose, and Passion:  Sonny Hayes was born to race. It doesn't matter if he was racing in the glamorous world of the F1 circuit or isolated Baja races. In contrast Joshua Pearce saw racing as a means to an end, glory, wealth, popularity. Pursuing his purpose and passion rather than the perks of success enabled Hayes to find joy in all circumstances. Children of God are called to discover their purpose and use the gifts and blessings that God offers that drive that purpose. 

Mike and Kenny review and spot faith elements reflected in the film The Life of Chuck. Written and Directed by Mike Flannigan (Dr. Sleep) and starring Tom Hiddleston (The Avengers) as the adult Chuck Krantz. Based on the Stephen King novella of the same name, The Life of Chuck examines the life of Chuck through formative moments of his life.as a child, youth and adult. Benjamin Pajak and Jacob Tremblay (Room) portay Chuck as a child and a older teenager.  The film co-stars Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years  Slave), Mia Sara (Ferris Bueller's Day Off), Mark Hamill (Star Wars) and Karen Gillan (Avengers: Endgame).

The film is presented in three acts that go backwards and forwards in time unveiling the person and life of a man, Chuck Krantz, amdist natural disasters and disruptions facing the world. 

Faith Notes:

In the midst of tragedy and personal and societal loss, joy and peace can still be experienced. Two psalms speak to the theme of The Life of Chuck, Psalm 8, given the wonders of creation, the vastness of the stars and the heavens, God still knows and treasures every person intimately. The film also calls for rejoicing in every day as it is a gift of God, Psalm 118:24, and there is no guarantee of tomorrow. These themes also reflect the teachings from Ecclesiastes 3, that there are seasons of life and living. These themes also reflect the teaching of Christ in Matthew 6 not to worry about tomorrow, but focus on the joy in/and of challenges today. 

The freedom that comes when we release control of our lives and the world to God.

The implications of the reality that all creation belongs to God. 

Mike and Kenny review and spot faith reflected in the latest film from writer / director Ryan Coogler which stars Michael B. Jordon in dual roles as Elijah "Smoke" and Elias "Stack" Moore, twin brothers returning from a mysterious time Chicago to their Mississippi Delta home town to start again. Set in the 1930's "Smoke" and "Stack," flush with cash and mystery on how they made it, seek to start again by opening a Juke Joint for the black community in their town.  Amidst the challenges they were expecting such as from the Klan, their biggest threat is supernatural evil. 

Faith Spotted:

The destructive power of temptation and greed, whether for riches, power, influence, or eternal life. Although sin and the brokenness of the world impact all of creation, people have freedom and choose to invite or let sin and unrighteousness into their lives. As taught in Scripture, God offers people the freedom to accept relationship with, and righteousness of, God. Likewise people choose to accept or invite sin/the Devil into their lives, rather than it invading or taking over. 

Life outside the grace and love of God is not a blessing but a burden that imprisons the body and destroys one's spirit. 

The film depicts the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 10:28 that one should not fear that which can kill only the body, but fear that which kills the soul. 

The vampire /Dracula mythology and symbolism that dates back thousands of years depicts the struggle of evil against good. 

The place and role of music in black culture and the black church. 

Kenny and Mike discuss discuss and spot faith elements in the film Eric LaRue. Included in this epispose is an interview with Director Michael Shannon and the film's star Judy Greer. 

The film, based on the play by Brett Neveu who also was the screenwriter, presents the parents of a school shooter and the challenges that they face in their lives, their relationships with each other, and with their community. The film also portrays how the faith communities of each parent respond to the needs of the parents as well as the faith and extended communities.

Faith Elements: 

The film depicts how faith communities and leaders should NOT respond to persons involved or impacted by tragedy. Faith leaders, members, and communities should not be focused on solving the issue and removing the pain but should offer a ministry of presence, allowing the victims to share their pain without a rush to "get through" things. 

While faith and faith communities are places to find and receive comfort, they first are places that are willing to step into and be in the midst of the uncomfortable spaces, including pain and anger. 

Judy's character responds to her husband's trying to convince her to seek solace in his non-denominal and "giver her burden's to Jesus" by saying she does not want to because they are "my burdens." The incident has become a part of her, and to seek immediate comfort would be forget and deny the incident has happened and is to deny and erase such an important part of their life. Such desire for immediate relief comes through denying the pain and what work that needs to be done.

Kenny and Mike review, spot faith elements, and interview Natalie Dormer who stars as pioneering pediatric oncologist Audrey Evans in the biopic film Audrey's Children. Audrey Evans became Director of the Pediatric Oncology department at the renowned Children's Hospital of Philidelphia (CHOP) in 1969, and was a trailblazer as both the first department chief and one who introduced new methods for tracking and treating pediatric cancer.  As a hospital with a strong national reputation, parents brought their children from all over the region and country. Out of concern for the parents who were often forced to sleep on the floor of the Oncology ward, Audrey purchased a home that could be used to offer free housing for parents.  This home and program grew into the Ronald McDonald House Charities. 

Clancy Brown Co-stars as Dr. C. Everett Koop who served as chief of pediatric surgery at CHOP and was responsible for recriting Dr. Evans. Koop who would later serve as U.S. Surgeon General supported Dr. Evans in the early years of her career including her development of the Evans Staging System which charted Neuroblastoma disease progression and allowed for the most effective treatments. 

Faith Spotted:

Faith grounded Audrey and inspired her to confront successfully the challenges and roadblocks she encountered as a trailblazing female department chair with new diagnostic and treament procedures. 

The film speaks to the purpose and power of calling and the transformative impact it can have in the lives of others. Audrey's calling was to serve children and families in the midst the most difficult circumstances.

The film lifts up the importance of children echoing the teaching of Jesus to remove any barriers to children fully living into the life of their community and deserving of the attention of God.

Audrey's story reflects the call to live one's life to the fullest, utilizing the gifts and talents God has given. Life is not to be wasted.   

Mike and Kenny review the animated adventure film Flow, spot and discuss the faith themes reflected in the Latvian film that won the 2025 Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film. Directed by Gints Zilbalodis, and taking over 5 years to make, Flow was made by using the free and open source software Blender. 

Flow follows a cat, a capybara, a ring-tailed lemur, a secretary bird and a labrador retriever who find refuge together in a small boat following a massive flood that covers most of the land around them. 

Praised for its wonderful and unique visuals and aninmation, Flow is able to communicate the story through the visuals and animal as well as other sound effects. 

Flow is streaming on HBO Max.

Faith Spotted:

The use of a boat to usher animals safely through a sudden flood echoes that story of Noah and the Ark. In addition the story uses the road narrative to present a community gathered and working together despite differences to  survive amids great challenges and dangers. The different instincts and abilities of the animals serve to help them and the community survive. As with people of differeing nationalities, faiths, and cultures, the Christian faith calls for care of and for one another, and living into what unites, all peopel are children of God, rather than separates persons, nations, and faiths and communities. 

All of the animals showed faith in taking the chance to get in the boat and leave their home and native areas. The cat shows the faith necessary to make changes that go against it's instinct to swim so as to catch fish for itself and provide for the other animals. 

The boat is an early symbol for the work of the Church. Jesus often taught from or used boats in his ministry. Likewise the church is sent into the chaotic waters of a broken world to offer refuge, new hope, new life.

Not mentioned in the episode but certainly a faith element is the presenation of the whale. Several times a whale appeared to save the cat, and later the other animals when their boat got caught up in trees. The Whale (great fish) was used as an insturment of God to rescue and deliver Jonah to the city of Nineveh, where his message of judgement inspired the city to repent, receive grace, and not be destroyed by God. 

Depending on how one reads or interprets the film, there is a presenation of eternal, resurrection life, as well as an act of sacraficial love by two of the animals.

Freguent Faithspotting contributor and friend Ryan Parker join Mike and Kenny to discuss the 2025 Academy Awards. Ryan works in public relations in the film industry and is the founder and director of the Mississippi Film Society. 

We thought this year had a solid slate of nominees, especially in the Best Actor and Best Director categories. 

Faithspotting covered 8 films with a total of 50 nominations including 6 of the 10 for Best Picture, 12 Acting, and 4 Directing nominations. Checkout our reviews and the faith we spotted in Sing Sing, The Substance, Conclave, Wicked, The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Emilia Perez, and Inside Out 2.

Kenny and Mike are joined by friend and regular guest Rev. Eric Folkerth to discuss the biopic film of Bob Dylan, A Complete Unkown. Directed by James Mangold, the film stars Timothee Chalamet as Dylan, Ed Norton as Pete Seeger, Elle Fanning as Sylvie Russo, and Monica Babaro as Joan Baez.

Based on the book Dylan Goes Electric by Elijah Wood, A Complete Unknown opens as Bob Dylan arrives in New York City and begins his rise in the world of folk music, and the reaction after he became a folk music star when he decides to expand into folk rock music by "going electric." This new direction was introduced and decidedly rejected by the audience at the 1965 Newport Folk Music Festival, and is the climax of the film.

As the film moves toward the Newport clash, it documents Dylan's struggle againstbeing labeled, boxed in, and controlled by the music industry as well as his initial fans. The film also shows Dylan's relationships with Sylvie Russo and folk legends Joan Baez, as well as with Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie. 

Episode Guest Eric Folkerth is Sr. Pastor of Kessler Park United Methodist Church in Dallas and is a singer/songwriter and blogger.  Eric's website is ericfolkerth.com

Faith Reflected:

Expansive vs. restricted worship, experiences, and understanding of God.

Worship Wars happen when individuals and groups get comfortable and set in their ways of worship and deny the validity of other expressions and languages of worship that may speak better to others. 

The benefit of a variety of ways of worship that lead to enriched understanding and experiences of God.

Declaring and accepting purity of worship is a means to control the experience, theological understanding, and faith development of others.

Luke 4 and the resistance to Jesus demonstrating God's love of and working for other people and nations.

The early Church in the Book of Acts also faced this struggle of expansive experiences of worship and understanding of God.