Christ, Culture, and Cinema

In our season finale we consider a classic movie from the 1980's...a movie so ahead of its time that it ushered in PG-13! Adventure, masculinity, violence, and a hero beyond compare. Many say this movie couldn't be made today...but we are sure glad they did as we wrap up season 11!

This week we take a look at a "based on a true story" of a Neil Diamond tribute artist, his wife, and their blended family. Sing-a-long music, beautiful acting, and a heart-warming story, - join us as we explore themes of love, devotion, and how we are better together!

in 1986 Oliver Stone brought to the big screen a movie that showed the emotional, psychological, and spiritual challenges that the soldier faced in Vietnam. This movie is course, harsh, and gritty. What happens when those who are supposed to lead are at odds with each other? How do you fight an unknown and unseen enemy? What keeps your moral compass pointing "north" and your soul in tact...

So "Hollywood" came calling again and introduced us to an incredible Independent Film Maker, Jaron Lockridge. Police officer by day, film maker by night - Jaron moved from gritty film making to gritty films with a story of faith "lived out." In his soon to be released episodic production, "House for the Broken," Jaron takes on real life and how it is complicated and m...

Today we revisit the era of classic comedy - Wedding Crashers. It's raunchy, funny, sometimes way over the top - but in the midst of the laughs is a story for the pursuit of authentic, genuine love. We are designed to have that loving connection and relationship with another person and this movie explores the highs, lows, and highs again of that pursuit. Join us as we consider love in the mids...

This week we look at a classic sports movie from the 80's - An aging minor league catcher, a hot shot young pitcher, and a woman who sees herself as part of the minor league experience. Mentoring the young pitcher, Crash Davis discovers he is more than a baseball player - he is a mentor and coach. Join us as we explore why mentoring and experience matter and how this movie captures all of this...

This week we look at a classic western directed by Clint Eastwood. The lines of "right" and "wrong" are blurred, the "romantic view" of the old West is tossed out for a more "earthy" and realistic view of what people truly had to face. And in the midst of it all, a writer trying to capture and maintain the "romance" of the West instead of the reali...

In this episode we look back at a 2003 Pixar classic, Finding Nemo. This is when Disney made movies movies that entertained Adults and children - at two different levels - at the same time. A heart-warming tale of searching for a lost "child" while also a tale of a child on a wild adventure. Join as we consider the search for the "lost sheep" and the rich characters that captiv...

"Return" or "Revenge?" This week we revisit our walk through the Star Wars Galaxy. The return of the Jedi was originally named "Revenge" of the Jedi...was it revenge? Is this a movie about the final redemption of Annikan Skywalker? We are joined in the studio with our resident expert, Dillon Briggs as we look at the closing chapter of the original trilogy

Baseball season is upon us and this week we look at a legendary comedy movie about America's pastime. What happens when a team is built to fail but succeeds? What does the manager and players figure out to make them so successful? Do we have similar challenges in our workplaces, social organizations, and even our churches? Join us as we delve into the belief that we are better together.

Sometimes relationships end messy - and maybe you were unaware that the relational collapse was about to occur. How do you move on? How do you "forget?" Maybe a better question: Can you forget? This week we look at a wonderful romantic comedy that looks at deceit, cheating, broken-heartedness, loss, and...recovery.

A classic comedy with soulful undertones, Legally Blonde challenges the audience to see beyond what the eyes see - beyond the beauty, blonde hair, over-feminized dress...to see the heart, soul, and brains that lurks behind the facade. Join us as we consider where the depth the real person can be found!

So what happens when a Science Fiction Movie rubs eerily close to our contemporary context? What was "out there" is now "right here." in a span of 21 years the movie I, Robot went from thrilling science fiction a drama about the technological edge of which we stand. What does faith have say about it? How do we address technology that is moving faster than our morality and laws...

Before listening to this podcast make sure you watch the movie first! With twists and turns, characters with personal flaws and ambitions, a murder takes place and a fortune from the past remains missing. Join Benoit Blanc as he takes us on a journey of sin and grace, penance and mercy, death and restoration.

This week we delve into the hot new streaming show on Apple TV, The Studio, With a core cast that interacts with real life Hollywood actors, actresses, directors, and producers, we get a glimpse in to the chaos that leads to our entertainment. Often times the situations make us cringe, yet we can't look away. Do our lives, vocations, and occupations lead us into similar moments? Can we, as Chr...

Do the sins of the father resist upon the son? This week we look at one of the greatest sequel movies ever made - Godfather 2. By paralleling Vito Corleone with his son Michael, Director Francis For Coppalla gives us a picture of generational sin, moral decay, and fractured morality. Join us as we examine how these two characters are separate and yet intertwined.

With the Winter Olympics upon us, we visit a true story about a British man who learned how to ski jump in order to make the British Olympic Team...but there was one problem, he wasn't very good. But that's not the point! Eddie Edwards had a simple goal: Make the Team; and playing by the rules that were set before him, he was able to do exactly that! When looking back at the 1988 Olympics...

We open season 11 with a hockey movie in honor of the upcoming Winter Olympics . considered one of the best hockey movies ever made, we take a slightly different turn with this movie as we consider a minor league hockey team that is valued by the player/coach and his team; is valued by their hometown fans when they begin to win...but is NOT valued by the owner who is set to shut down the team for...

In our final Winter Break offering, we revisit the movie You People. This is a challenging look at racism and the inherent challenges of a multi-cultural society. Starring Eddie Murphy and Jonah Hill, join us for some laughs and insightful commentary on this important film.

Is there such a thing as a "perfect trilogy" of movies? Well, our guest Jarod Skopak contends that there is - AND the Hangover Trilogy is it! Join us as we revisit one of our most popular podcasts of season 9.

I discovered this movie on a flight from Athens to Atlanta. Based on a true story, this movie engages relationships, value, and what we can ultimately learn...from a penguin!

Join us as we revisit this important and well done movie staring Pamela Anderson. Looking at the struggles of career, age, family, and friends!

As we conclude our Tenth Season we have tried to find, yet again, a New Year's Eve movie...and what we continue to find are movies that are not very good! However, this movie caused Michael and Jeffrey to take a good hard look at culture and the intersecting point of faith for Christians. How does a Christian "live and interact" with "Samaria?" How do we demonstrate Christi...

Our favorite week of the year - the time when we determine "IF" a movie "IS" a Christmas movie or not. This year season we take on Goodfellas, a brilliant movie that is based on a true story. Directed by Martin Scorcese, we find elements of Christmas - Christmas trees and a bar decorated for Christmas. The infamous Lufthansa Heist (that takes place on December 11,1978)...BUT......

On our journey to Christmas today we stop at a movie that exams family, dysfunction, communication, and laughter as we arrive on the "other side." As we look through the lenses of laughter we begin to understand that all families have the quirks, trials, and chaos. The question is where does love, faith, and forgiveness fit in. This is a "worth the watch" kind of movie as we ge...