Writing about Popular Culture, Literature, Philosophy, and Theology
New Episode of Renewed Mind Movie Talk! After the season 3 finale of FX Network's Fargo series, we'll look back at the 1996 film that inspired the show. Fargo is famous for its portrayal of "Minnesota Nice," a system of manners that demands politeness, even to the point of absurdity. And things do get absurd, … Continue reading Fargo – Nice People or New Creation? (Renewed Mind Movie Talk, Episode 06)
A little later than I wanted, but here's the newest episode of Renewed Mind Movie Talk! In this episode, we're looking at the 2016 historical drama Hidden Figures. Hidden Figures uses mathematics as a metaphor for imagining a different world, creating new math to advance the new science of space travel helps us think about … Continue reading “Hidden Figures – Imagine a New World” (Renewed Mind Movie Talk, Episode 05)
New episode of Renewed Mind Movie Talk! In this episode, I look at the way Jordan Peele's 2017 film Get Out imagines community and isolation, and what the American church (particularly the white American church) can learn from this portrayal. Check it out!
Because I'm a nerd who writes things on the internet, I am legally required to write something about Twin Peaks. So I did. For ThinkChristian, "Twin Peaks' Spiritual Warfare." Here's a little bit of it! Given Lynch’s signature use of dream logic, it’s neither useful nor satisfying to attempt a coherent statement about the metaphysics … Continue reading Twin Peaks’ Spiritual Warfare
New episode of Renewed Mind Movie Talk! In this episode, I look at the way the Disney/Pixar film Inside Out imagines the necessity of despair. Although nearly every children's movie tells viewers to believe in themselves if they want to find happiness, the 2015 Disney/Pixar Film Inside Out shifts this message. It not only offers … Continue reading Renewed Mind Movie Talk Episode 03 – Inside Out: Sanctified Sadness
WARNING: This video contains SPOILERS for the movie Arrival! The 2016 film Arrival offers a different take on the alien invasion story, imagining exposure to an unknown and potentially harmful other as a necessary step toward creating an identity. The bravery in which these characters engage with an alien presence helps Christians think about the … Continue reading RMMT Episode 2 – Arrival: Against Security
Today, I have a new post up at the blog for the excellent Partially Examined Life podcast. Here's a bit from the piece: In a radio interview with the BBC, Moonlight director Barry Jenkins attributed the movie’s overwhelmingly positive reception to the fact that it showed filmgoers something new. Crediting cowriter Tarell Alvin McCraney, whose … Continue reading “Who is You?”: Moonlight and the Social Scriptorium
