How to Ruin a Movie in 45 Minutes
I talked in my last article about the bedrock principle behind what Reel World Theology does: figuring out the core of a story, and pointing out the resonance (or the dissonance) with God’s story. But what is the core of…
How to Watch Star Wars the Right Way: The Flashback Order
The One True Way™ to watch Star Wars is a hotly debated topic in many circles. With the completion of the Skywalker Saga last December and today’s release of the final film to Disney+, there’s no better day to watch…
The Force is Strong In My Family: A Look Back at the Star Wars Saga
The saga that created the modern blockbuster is “over.” And while The Mandalorian, a plethora of upcoming Disney+ shows, and a still-rumored Rian Johnson trilogy will keep the Far, Far Away galaxy on our screens until the heat death of…
The Mandalorian Chapters 7 and 8: Failure's Favor
It was almost impossible to review and comment on “The Reckoning” without seeing “The Redemption.” Chapters 7 and 8 are the show’s first true two-part episode; they’re truly and completely entwined and inextricable from one another, and with Deborah Chow…
Starting 2020 Right: 21 Midnight Moments
A new year is coming. Maybe a new decade too, but at least a new year. We can all agree on that, right? If you use a different calendar consider this extreme pre-planning, or bookmark this article and read it…
S07 E05 – The Rise of Skywalker and Choosing Our Family
On this episode of the Reel World Theology Podcast: What more appropriate way to end an up and down 2019 than with what will likely be one of the most disagreed-upon films of the year, The Rise of Skywalker. Leave…
The Mandalorian Chapter 6: Old Prison, New Accusations
The Mandalorian has done a lot of work toward making a lot of things frightening that have frankly been jokes in the past. In a previous article, we talked about how “Sanctuary” did that with the AT-ST; but the Sandcrawler…
The Mandalorian Chapter 5: A Reputation to Keep
Coming back to Luke’s hometown is like coming home at last. The Mandalorian as a whole lives on nostalgia; while other parts of the Star Wars canon are advancing the story of the Force and the universe it balances, this…
The Mandalorian Chapter 4: No Escape from Sanctuary
If the second episode of The Mandalorian felt like A New Hope, this Star Wars take on Seven Samurai felt like an homage to Return of the Jedi. From the lush setting to the saturated color palette and music that…
The Mandalorian Chapter 3: Family Battle
Okay, so everybody’s calling him “Mando” now. No, no, I’m not bitter, Greef Carga. I just want the record to show that I called him that way back in Chapter 1. And honestly, if this is the sort of story…