Reel World Theology

On this Christmas episode of the podcast: Merry Christmas from the gang here at Reel World Theology! As usual, we roll out a special Christmas episode highlighting one of our favorite Christmas films. This time, it is our legitimate favorite Christmas movie, Die Hard. While there is some debate about whether Die Hard is actually a Christmas movie, we dive into the debate and not only show why Die Hard deserves the category, but what it takes for any movie to make it. Not only that, but Die Hard was genre defining, filled with lots of thematic allusions, and is honestly a lot of fun! Yippie kayak other buckets! Enjoy! This episode’s panel included JR Forasteros (The Storymen, Don’t Split Up!) and Laura Fissel.

On this episode of the podcast: Audiences always seem to love a new PIXAR film. In fact, it has been since A Bug's Life that PIXAR has struggled to turn a healthy profit from any of their productions. Well, that is until now. The Good Dinosaur is in danger of doing just that-- flopping! In a year that brought us one of the best PIXAR films to date, Inside Out, we get possibly the toughest-to-love to date. Although the photorealism of the scenery is undeniably some of the best animation that has ever been created, the story has not connected with audiences. We explore our reactions and why we think it hasn't been the hit the studio hoped. Enjoy! This episode’s panel included Alexis Johnson and Griffin Kale.

On this minisode: The end is near! Our first ever minisode series comes to an end as do our currently released Star Wars films. Return of the Jedi capped the original trilogy with an incredibly satisfying ending while also making us wrestle with all types of themes. How did the film that had to follow Empire fair? Where would it fall in the cannon for you? for us? Does this film deserve some of the negativity it often spurs? Is it possible for a special edition to ruin an original? Join us as we finish our Star Wars minisodes! We hope you enjoy it! This episode’s panel included Ryan Kildoo and Josh Crabb.

On this episode of the podcast: Creed does two things we have already seen done this year (and we'll see again!); it breathes life into a long established franchise (ie. Mad Max, Jurassic Park, Star Wars) and is also the seventh film in a franchise (Fast & Furious, Star Wars). It is hard to believe that going to the well that many times could produce something good-- much less necessary-- but Ryan Coogler gives us a boxing movie that hits us in the heart as much as it does anywhere else. Find out how a boxing film can be one of the more satisfying films of the year. Enjoy! This episode’s panel included Reed Lackey (More Than One Lesson) and JR Forasteros (The Storymen, Don’t Split Up!).

On this minisode: Likely the episode everyone has been waiting for (though, if you skipped the prequels you may have missed some comedy gold). The Empire Strikes Back is a landmark film– a film other films will be compared to for all of cinematic history, similarly to Star Trek‘s Wrath of Kahn. How could this sequel outshine the original film that launched the entire franchise? What is it that people just love so much about this dark and unresolved tale? We hope you enjoy it! This episode’s panel included Laura Fissel and Blaine Grimes.

On this episode of the podcast: Years after The Hunger Games began taking popular culture by storm, we now arrive at a place where we get to see the story come to a conclusion cinematically. Would the films stay true to the source material considering so many were divided on the ending of this wildly popular series-- or would there be changes? Can the emotion and social questions really be presented on screen in a way that have the same impact as in the books? Well, we have enjoyed the ride so far, and our panel is ready to dive back in for one final romp through Panem. Enjoy! This episode’s panel included Erienne Jones and Matt Anderson (The Sci-fi Christian).

On this minisode: After making it through the prequels, we finally get to the original trilogy. A New Hope marks the launch of one of the greatest and most influential franchises in entertainment history. After its introduction, “lightsaber” would be a term synonymous with science fiction and “the force” would be something that kids of all ages would run around trying to harness. What impact did it have for panel and the cultures we grew up in? We hope you enjoy it! This episode’s panel included Joe Darnell (TechTonic, Top Brew) and JR Forasteros (Don’t Split Up, The Storymen).

On this minisode: We round out the prequel trilogy by talking about many people’s favorite of the prequels, Revenge of the Sith. Anakin and Obiwan finally have their fated showdown and we decide whether the entire affair lives up to our hopes. In fact, we get to reminisce about what excited us about this film so many years ago. Do those feelings outweigh the critical disappointment this film ended up being? What is its place in history? We hope you enjoy it! This week’s panel included Josh Crabb and JR Forasteros (Don’t Split Up, The Storymen).

On this episode of the podcast: Spectre is the 24th film in the James Bond franchise and easily the most hyped to date. Through his many iterations, James Bond has delighted and thrilled audiences across multiple generations-- though his persona has changed significantly. We take a look at those changes and try to determine if there are some things that just have to be in a Bond film, regardless of actor. Which have we enjoyed? How does the post-9/11 Bond stack up and satisfy comparatively. All that on this episode! This week’s panel included Mark Wingerter and Joel Mayward.

On this minisode: We look at the impact that the Star Wars prequels had on us, both culturally and personally. With Attack of the Clones, we learn a lot about story– but maybe not the things we’d hope to. George Lucas continues to lead by an example of how not to do things. Regardless, the film is hugely popular and has influenced a generation. We hope you enjoy it! This week’s panel included Matt Anderson (Sci-fi Christian) and Alexis Johnson.