The Shawshank Redemption (1994) & The Mist (2007)
Despite their Stephen King pedigrees and the guiding hand of writer-director Frank Darabont, few films initially appear to have as little in common as The Shawshank Redemption and The Mist. Released in 1994 to critical acclaim but little fanfare, Shawshank…
The Battle for an Ugly World: Se7en (1995) & Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
It’s hard not to be cynical. Don’t believe me? Watch the news. Sit through a few commercials. Scroll Facebook… This can be an ugly little world. Turn on the news and you’re likely to hear stories of violence and tragedy,…
Keeping Watch on the Evil and the Good: Worshipping the State in Cool Hand Luke (1967) and Minority Report (2002)
For 13 years, my father was a corrections officer in a high security prison in Texas. Among his wards was the infamous Eyeball Killer, a man who murdered prostitutes and surgically removed their eyes. During routine searches of the man’s…
Star Wars (1977) & Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Editor’s Note: Welcome to the first in a new monthly series at Reel World Theology where contributors bring two films–often from different cinematic eras–into conversation with one another in order to investigate the elements (themes, technique, script, character, etc.) of…