Faithspotting

Hosts Kenny and Mike are joined by two guests for this edition of Faithspotting. Rev. Eric Folkerth and Rev. Melissa Hatch are clergy colleagues of Kenny and Melissa is Mike's marrital colleague. This is Eric's third appearance and we welcome Melissa for her first time as a guest. Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets is a four part series on Amazon Prime. While the Duggars are the hub around...

Kenny and Mike discuss and spotfaith in the film and stage adaptations of Harper Lee's classic novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. The film version was released in 1962 and stars Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch and Mary Badham as Scout. The stage production, written by Aaron Sorkin starred Jeff Daniels as Atticus opened on Broadway in 2018. The 2023 touring production stars Richard Thomas with Mary Badham...

Kenny and Mike discuss and spot faith reflected in the popular HBO Series The Last of Us. Based on the popular Playstation Video Game, The Last of Us follows Joel and Ellie as they journey through a post-apocolyptic United States and world that is divided into zombies, persons who were infected with an aggressive mold that takes control of the hosts, and tribes or bands of scavenging, non-infected...

Mike and Kenny discuss the 2023 film based on the 1970 novel by Judy Blume. Written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig and starring Rachel McAdams, Abby Ryder Fortson, Kathy Bates and Benny Safdie, Are You There God? It's Me Margaret. chronicles coming of age and awareness of maturity and faith of Margaret Simon. Faith Spotted: Faith when God seems silent. Margaret joins persons of faith throughou...

Originally recorded during the initial theatrical release, Kenny and Mike discuss and spot faith elements in the multi award winning and multiple Oscar nominated film by directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Schneinert.  Faith Notes: All creation is interconnected.  We have freedom to make choices and those choices impact others. In the midst of this reality, power, and privilege, God desires us to lov...

Mike ard Kenny set aside spotting faith and discuss the 95th Academy Award nominations and discuss their picks and predictions for the Oscars.  Films and performances featured in previous Faithspotting episodes include: All Quiet on the Western Front; The Banshees of Inisherin; Elvis, Everything Everywhere, All at Once; The Fablemans; Tar; and Triangle of Sadness. Overall we thought it was a good...

Co-hosts Kenny and Mike discuss and spot faith issues reflected in the Best Film Oscar nominee Triangle of Sadness directed by Ruben Ostlund. The film stars Charlbi Dean, Harris Dickinson, Dolly De Leon,Zlatko Buric, Vicki Berlin, and Woody Harrelson Faith Issues Spotted: Identity of all persons as children of God and should be treated with dignity and respect regardless of social status, wealth,...

Kenny and Mike discuss and spot faith elementes reflected in the Maria Schrader film "She Said." Carey Mulligan (Megan Twohey) and Zoe Kazan (Jodi Kantor) star as New York TImes investigative reporters who broke the story of Mira Max producer Harvey Weinstein's decades long history of sexual abuse of actresses and Mira Max employees. Their expose started the #Metoo movement.   Faith Issues Spotted...

Kenny and Mike discuss the and spot faith reflected in the Todd Field film Tar s tarring Best Actress nominee Cate Blanchett. Tar received an five Oscar Nominations for Best Picture, Actress, Director, Original Screenplay, Cinematography, and Editing.  Lydia Tar is the first Music Director of the Berlin Philharmonic and a force in the Classical music universe whose ego and appetite for power and c...

Mike and Kenny discuss and spot faith reflected in the latest Darren Arononfsky film, The Whale , starring Brendan Frazier. The film tells the story of Charlie, a 600 lb man who teaches virtul writing classes. Struggling with the health challenges caused by his weight, Charlie decides to attempt to reconnect with his High School aged daughter, (Sadie Sink) eight years after leaving her and his wif...

Mike and Kenny discuss and spot faith reflected in the latest film from Academy Award winning Writer / Director Martin McDonagh that reunites him with Colin Farrell and Brendan Glessan. Set in 1923 on an island of the coast of Ireland, The Banshees of Inisherin is a dark comdedy that examines the impact on two men and the isolated community when one man suddenly decides to end a life-long friendsh...

Kenny and Mike review and discuss the faith elements reflected in the new Apple tv + film starring Will Smith.  Among the subjects discussed are the need for another film featuring the struggle to escape from slavery (amidst recent attempts to soften the experience and history of slavery,) the shock and impact of seeing individuals and an entire race being dehumanized, specifically being "owned an...

Mike and Kenny discuss and spot faith elements reflected in the Steven Spielberg's latest, semi-autobiographical film The Fablemans. The film depicts the future director's initial attraction to making films as a child as well as his continued interest and development in filmmaking through his youth.  Thge film stars Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, and Gabriel LaBelle. Faith Notes: The im...

Kenny and Mike open the 5th season of Faithspotting by discussing the film and faith issues spotted in the latest film version of Erich Maria Remarque's 1928 novel All Quiet on the Western Front . The 1930 film won the Best Picture and Best Director Oscar for Lewis Milestone.  the 2022 film, directed by Edward Berger and staring Felix Kammerer as Paul Baumer and Albrecht Schuch as veteran Stanisla...

Part two of the faithspotting conversation with the writer / director of the a24 film, Funny Pages , Owen Kline.  Owen is a promising young filmmaker who has extensive knowledge of film in general and within a variety of film genres. Viewing Funny Pages and listening to his process and thoughts offers a glimpse into the art of making a film, what goes into the writing, production, and editing.  Ow...

In the first of two episodes, writer/director Owen Kline joined Kenny and Mike for an extended Zoom interview discussing his new A24 film Funny Pages as well as faith as reflected in film, story, comics and video store experiences.  Owen first came to prominence in the 2005 film The Squid and the Whale where he played Frank Berkman, the youngest son of Bernard (Jeff Daniels) and Joan (Laura Linney...

Kenny and Mike had the pleasure to interview actor and screenwriter Carl Gottlieb, best known for being the screenwriter for the 1975 film Jaws , one of the most influential and important films in the history of cinema. In addition to being the film that skyrocketed the young Steven Spielberg's career, it was the first Summer blockbuster film. Jaws is also one of Kenny's favorite films and is Mike...

Mike and Kenny are "Talking Saul, Talking Bad, and Talking Faith as the popular and critically acclaimed AMC series concludes. There is much to discuss as the second series in the "Breaking Bad Universe" concludes what is arguably the best and most successful original and prequal series to appear on television.  SPOILERS in show notes and Spoiler Zone in Podcast Episode. Faith Elements Spotted: Ea...

Kenny and Mike discuss and faithspot the latest thriller from director extraordinaire Jordon Peele and spot faith elements in Nope . The film stars Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, and Michael Wincott. Faith Spotted: As the film begins with a quote from the Biblical Prophet and Book Nahum, and with the apocolyptic images and grandeur, much of the faith conversation centers around prophecy...

Kenny and Mike discuss Elvis and spot faith elements and concepts reflected in the Baz Luhrmann biopic staring Ausin Butler as Elivs Presley and Tom Hanks as Col. Tom Parker. Faith Spotted:   The presentation and nature of temptation. Tom Parker as the serpent temptor knowing and preying on the vulnerabilities, fear, grief, and guilt) of Elvis and his parents. The guilt and fear of losing his twin...

Kenny and Mike discuss Don't Make Me Go and the faith issues spotted in Amazon Studios film starring John Cho, Mia Isaac and directed by Hannah Marks. Faith Issues: Enjoy and rejoice every day as each day is a gift from God.    Psalm 118:24      Christians are called to rejoice always, even in the midst of Struggles and suffering.  Philippians 4 Do not let negative life  events define or control o...

Mike and Kenny conclude the first Faithspotting, Christ Figure Series with the 2014, John Michael McDonagh film Calvary, starring Brendan Gleeson as Father James. In the opening scene, as he is hearing confession, Fr James's life is threatened by a parishioner in retribution for years of sexual abuse committed by another priest and covered up by the Church.  Father James then goes about ministerin...

Kenny and Mike continue a series looking at Christ Figures in Film with the 2006 Film Little Miss Sunshine. The film won 2 Oscars, Alan Arkin for supporting actor and Michael Arndt for Screenplay. Ten-year-old Abigail Breslin also received a Supporting Actress nomination for her portrayal of Olive.  Faith Spotted: The ten-year-old daughter in a very dysfunctional family, Olive (Peace Bringer) serv...

In the first of three episodes looking at Christ Figures in film, Kenny and Mike look at the multiple Academy Award winning film based on Ken Kesey's 1962 novel.  One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was the second film (It Happened One Night 1934) to sweep the major Academy Awards by winning Best Picture, Best Director for Milos Forman, Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher winning Best Acting Oscars and...

Mike and Kenny discuss the 94th Academy Award telecast, Will Smith's slapping Chris Rock, and the subsequent responses and reactions. Also discussed was the impact on the program and award winners and films. In the second half of the episode Kenny and Mike review and spot faith elements in The Batman. Faith Discussion: The immediate statement and apology of Smith reflect a lack of ability and expe...