Reel World Theology

On this episode of the podcast: It's that time again! Steven Spielberg has teamed up with Tom Hanks to bring us another historical drama. Both masters of their craft, it is always interesting to see if the final product delivers. While many critics seemed to enjoy the film overall, many also point out the two very different narratives found in this script from the Coen brothers. We try to tackle to time period in which we get to explore this one along with what we had hoped this movie had tried to do with its message. We hope you enjoy it! This week’s panel included Blaine Grimes and Clay Morgan (StoryMen).

On this minisode: We take the time to look back on the Star Wars films that we begged for, but maybe didn't really want. The Phantom Menace is the first of George Lucas' prequels that universally let people down. But, let down or no, The Phantom Menace still holds a place in many people's hearts-- for good or not. Let's see what impact it had on our panel. We hope you enjoy it! This week’s panel included Josh Crabb and Alexis Johnson.

On this episode of the podcast: Collect all your Apple products and tune into our chat about one of the most iconic men of the last quarter century, Steve Jobs. In this iteration of the Jobs biopic, Michael Fassbender teams up with director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin to provide a fast-paced, intense, and structured look at "the man who saved Apple." While most of the reviews have been positive, there are some who didn't care for its mostly negative portrayal of Jobs or had issues with the non-tradition storytelling by Sorkin. We have tons of opinions and even more ideas than time to explore in this thematically rich painting of the life of an icon. We hope you enjoy it! This week’s panel included Jason Myers and Joe Darnell (Top Brew, TechTonic).

On this episode of the podcast: Another special Halloween episode! This time we talk about a film marketed as a stereotypical horror film but what we get is something quite different. Our panel discusses if it really should fit into the horror genre or not. We also talk about the history Guillermo del Toro has with the fantastical and how it seems to influence this film. And, as we do most Halloween episodes, we talk about the very nature of the horror genre; specifically, we talk about how storytellers use all types of ghosts, zombies, vampires, and more, to show us things about humanity that we might not explore otherwise. This is a good one! We hope you enjoy it! This week’s panel included James Harleman (Cinemagogue) and JR Forasteros (Storymen, Don’t Split Up, Bible Bites).

On this episode of the podcast: We bring in a Canadian to help us chat about a Canadian directed film that deals with the complete opposite side of America's borders. If that isn't enough, this film has left audiences stunned-- or at least deeply contemplative-- when leaving the theater. It's weighty themes of good v evil and right v wrong have made us stop and consider human nature in ways that few films this year have. We dive in while not forsaking conversations about some incredible performances and some unforgettable cinematography. We hope you enjoy it! This week’s panel included Laura Fissel and Steve Norton (Screen Fish).

On this episode of the podcast: We have been eagerly awaiting the Fall movie season so we can begin sitting back and enjoying what has become the best season for film each year. The Martian plants that flag in a way that we hope signals the beginning of the best. The film itself is a lot of fun while still maintaining a solid level of suspense. This becomes our yearly “space film” but finds a way to carve out a more hopeful and less introspective tone than its predecessors while sporting an incredible ensemble cast. Is that ok? Does it work? We have a great time determining just that! We hope you enjoy it! This week’s panel included Elijah Lovejoy and Wade Bearden (Seeing and Believing).

On this episode of the podcast: Black Mass, based on the book Black Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob recounts the infamous life of James "Whitey" Bulger. The film sports an incredible cast and has drawn much buzz as a "return to form" for it's lead, Johnny Depp. While we feel we're treated to quite the performance by Depp, was that enough for this biopic to really get at the heart of Bulger more than previous takes on the story? We take a look at the difference in a series of events and telling an interesting story as well as comparing our goodness to that of others. We hope you enjoy it! This week’s panel included Josh Crabb and Tyler Smith (More Than One Lesson, Battleship Pretension).

On this episode of the podcast: We are taking a look at a genre of film that we rarely get to address on the podcast; Horror. With most of the offerings from the horror genre being shallow, jump bait, or what some people would refer to as "gore porn," we rarely get to see what the genre has to offer. In It Follows, we get to see the horror genre shine by taking a look at something that truly scares us; sex. The stigma of a sexual encounter can have far reaching effects regardless of your beliefs or theology. We take a look at how It Follows plays on our fears, insecurities, and judgements behind sex and also how it is often used in the genre. Another great discussion and we hope you enjoy! This week’s panel included Josh Crabb and Blaine Grimes.

On this episode of the podcast: It's one of those magic times during the year when our schedule opens up and we get to take a look at films past. I have been wanting to have a conversation about Batman Begins since I first saw it. Over the past decade, Batman has become one of the most popular comic heroes in the world. A lot of that is in part to his intrinsically tormented storyline, his over-the-top adversaries, his lack of super powers, and, of course, Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy. I gather some huge comic book fans-- one of whom may be the biggest Batman fan of all time-- to join me in discussing why Batman is so well-loved and why Batman Begins is a cinematic milestone. Enjoy! This week’s panel included Rick Lee James (Voices In My Head) and JR Forasteros (Storymen, Don’t Split Up, Origami Elephants, Bible Bites).

On this episode of the podcast: Sometimes limited release films fly under the radar until they just get enough buzz that they can no longer stay there. This is the case with Ex Machina. We thought about talking about this on the podcast when it was in limited release earlier in the year but enough of us simply could not catch it while in theaters. With its release on streaming, it has finally developed a wider audience and deservedly so. A thrilling sci-fi story about AI and man's relation to it unfold in what ends up being a very simple, yet very beautiful smaller film. This film gives us plenty to try chat about-- especially the ending. This week’s panel included Blaine Grimes and Josh Larsen (Filmspotting).