Oh! The Horror… | of the People Around Us
David Fincher’s Zodiac (2007) still stands as an example of cinema that succeeds at balancing the visceral thrills and exploitation of true crime narratives with a sensitivity towards those victims, investigators, and involved bystanders who actually lived in the Zodiac’s…
Oh! The Horror… | of the Last Church on the Left
The tension between the sadistic and masochistic appeals of horror was reflected in the divide between Cunningham and Craven. The producer saw LAST HOUSE as an escape, an outlet for some dormant pain. As it happens, he also knew that…
Review| Free Fire
There are those action films that manage to kill thousands without the audience acknowledging any of their deaths. Think the back end of the Die Hard franchise or just about any Michael Bay film. The lives get lost in the…
#115 – Hacksaw Ridge and More Than Pacifism
On this episode of the Reel World Theology Podcast: After ten years of living in scrutiny from his Hollywood peers and the public at large, Mel Gibson is back in 2016 with his latest directorial debut, Hacksaw Ridge. For the…
Review| ‘Hacksaw Ridge’, Pacifism, and Mel Gibson’s Surrender
With the mere mention of a new creative endeavor by Mel Gibson, the public memory once again recalls the man’s actions ten years ago as he drunkenly accosted police with anti-Semitic and misogynistic language. It was an ugly scene and…
#112 – The Magnificent Seven and God’s Justice
On this episode of the Reel World Theology Podcast: Fall kicks off with a movie that tries to bridge the gap between Summer blockbuster and the better-produced films of the Fall, The Magnificent Seven. Sure, this is a remake of…
Game of Thrones: S0607 The Broken Man
Mark is on assignment this week and this space is being temporarily filled by Mikey Fissel, managing editor at Reel World Theology, in an attempt to make sure no white walkers slip past… Another week of Game of Thrones, another…
Review| Hardcore Henry
Billed as a wildly-innovative, first-person shooter film, Hardcore Henry is a film that certainly lives up to its title. It is hardcore in almost every sense of the word. The action is nonstop and pulse-pounding; the violence is gratuitous and over-the-top; The…
#093 – Deadpool and Delicate Discernment
On this episode of the Reel World Theology Podcast: The current reigning champion of the “Most Controversial Film of 2016” so far, Deadpool has given rise to much heated debate. Like many, many, many movies and shows before it, Deadpool…
Review | Chappie
Neill Blomkamp certainly blew me away with his first directorial effort, 2009’s Sci-Fi smash District 9. Boasting some incredible CGI aliens, as well as a breakout performance by fellow South African Sharlto Copley, it hit all the right Sci-Fi notes and…