Faithspotting

Kenny and Mike are joined for this special Oscars episodes by friends Julie Fisk and Ryan Parker for a discussion of the 2022 Academy Awards. Julie Fisk is a member of the Dallas-Ft. Worth Film Critics Association and has two podcasts, Haunted AF https://www.hauntedaf.com and Julie Says So Movie Minute. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/julie-says-so-movie-minute/id1569654170   .  Ryan Parker...

Kenny and Mike discuss and spot faith reflected in the multiple Oscar nominated Kenneth Branagh film and love letter to childhood and his home of Belfast. Faith Spotted: The incompatibility of the violence between Protestants and Roman Catholics In Northern Ireland, and the harm inflicted on the Gospel, ministry and person of Jesus. The call of Christ to love neighbors regardless of differences in...

Kenny and Mike discuss, and spot faith issues reflected in Academy Award nominated film about the lives of Lucille Ball and Ricky Ricardo.  Faith Reflected: The temptation of coveting power, influence, and attention to bear false witness and other aspects living lives of righteousness. The power fear has to lead persons to forsake foundational principles of God's righteousness and personal, instit...

Mike and Kenny discuss Nightmare Alley and spot faith elements reflected in the Academy Award Best Picture nominee directed by Guillermo del Toro.    Faith Reflected: Confusing you is the nature of my game" Jaggar & Richards.  The nature of sin Satan, and or evil is to puzzle and confuse one(s) into rationalizing to act counter to righteousness, law, and even one's best interest. Such confusion ex...

Kenny and Mike discuss the Tragedy of Macbeth and spot faith elements reflected in the Joel Coen film starring Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand. Faith Elements: God's warning against coveting power, influence, wealth etc. vs. contentment in one's position in life.   Living into Paul's teaching of the importance of every part of the body and the Body of Christ. Every function of the body is...

Mike and Kenny discuss writer/director Rebecca Hall's Passing and spot faith issues in the film starring Ruth Negga and Tessa Thompson. Faith Reflections Spotted: Identity of all people as Children of God, as expressed in the creation accounts of humans in Genesis 1 and 2. Paul's teaching in Galatians that in Christ there is no segregation of people on gender, nation, and other cultural status.  ...

Mike and Kenny discuss the The Power of the Dog and spot faith issues reflected in Academy Award winning director Jane Campion's latest film. Faith Issues Spotted: Living in and holding on to one's "glory days" and idolizing people, places and things in one's past rather than moving on in life and growth. The Transfiguration of Jesus story, (Matthew 17, Mark 9, Luke 9,) refutes this when Jesus bri...

In this the third episode of the Peter Jackson documentary on the making of The Beatles' album Let it Be and the iconic rooftop concert, Eric Folkerth, Kenny and Mike discuss the faith reflections spotted in The Beatles: Get Back. Faith Reflections: Worship Process:  Planning and conducting to enhance the experience and conversation between congregations and God. Living with greater expectations,...

Mike and Kenny and guest Rev. Eric Folkerth continue their discussion of the Peter Jackson film Get Back documenting The Beatles writing and recording of the Let It Be album and rooftop concert.  This episode focuses on the eyewitness to the creative moments of iconic songs such as "Get Back", "Let it Be", and "Something". One of the fascinating elements is watching and knowing history is being ma...

Kenny and Mike are joined by Rev. Eric Folkerth to discuss the three part Disney+ series Get Back by director Peter Jackson. In this, the first of three Faithspotting episodes Kenny, Mike and Eric discuss the film that uses restored footage shot while The Beatles were preparing an album, live show, and television program. Get Back offers a different look at this pivitol time in the history of The...

Mike and Kenny discuss King Richard and faith issues spotted in the Will Smith film about Richard Williams, the father of tennis champions Venus and Serina Williams.  Faith Notes: The purpose, power, and possibilities of community , rather than the magnatism of one person, working together, doing their jobs, using gifts and talents and making contributions for a unifying purpose.   Romans 12:4-8,...

Hosts Kenny Dickson and Mike Hatch discuss the Netflix production and faith elements spotted in Lin-Manuel Miranda's film version of the Jonathon Larson musical t ick, tick...Boom. Co-stars include Alexandra Shipp, Vanessa Hudgens, Robin de Jesus, Bradley Whitford, Judith Light, and Joshua Henry. Andrew Garfield / Netflix   Faith Issues Discussed: God's calling, through the gift of talents, skills...

Kenny and Mike offer their thoughts on the power-packed new western, The Harder They Fall as well as spot and discuss the faith elements reflected in the Netflix film. Faith Reflected: The cost revenge exacts in body, mind, and spirit. Also, given the  consuming wages of retribution the purpose behind Christ's, Paul's and other Biblical teaching about, grace and forgiveness and love of neighbor in...

Kenny and Mike discuss and spot faith elements presented in the ultra-popular Netflix series Squid Game . Since teens and young adults account for a large percentage of the audience, Mike's kids, Maddie and Mitchell offer their thoughts on the most viewed Netflix series of all time.  Faith Elements Spotted: The presence and power of temptation to solve life problems and satisfy desires with earthl...

In addition to discussing the film and spotting faith elements in the film MASS, Kenny and Mike also had a meaningful zoom interview with writer, director Fran Kranz and one of the four co-stars, Ann Dowd. The audio is included in the episode. MASS is a fictitional the story a meeting between two sets of parents whose sons were were involved in a mass, school shooting, the parents of a victim and...

Following interviews with film directors Edson Oda, and Stephen Chbosky who both said that Dead Poets Society was one of the films that helped make them as individuals, Kenny and Mike discuss and spot faith in the Academy Award winning film directed by Peter Weir. Robin Willams and costars Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, Josh Charles, Norman Lloyd, and Kurtwood Smith. Faith Reflections: The plac...

In addition to reviewing and discussing faith issues spotted in the film, Dear Evan Hansen , Kenny and Mike interviewed director Stephen Chbosky. Included in the interview is a meaningful discussion regarding the faith and mental health issues presented in the film which are currently impacting children and teenagers.  Joining Mike and Kenny in the interview were several students from Mike's high...

Mike and Kenny discuss and spot faith reflections in biographical film about Tammy Faye Bakker, The Eyes of Tammy Faye. The film stars Jessica Chastain, Andrew Garfield as Jim Bakker. Kenny and Mike interviewed director Michael Showalter the day the film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. Faith Reflections: All people have fallen short of the Glory of God (Romans 3:23-26) and the righteous de...

Kenny and Mike discuss their favorite television programs that are up for Emmy Awards.  While there is some discussion of the awards the sheer number of categories and programs makes it much more challenging to cover than the Academy Awards. That said, there are many very well done programs on TV that deserve attention. Kenny and Mike discuss and faithspot, Ted Lasso and The Queen's Gambit and dis...

Mike and Kenny discuss the film C.O.D.A. (Children of Deaf Adults) and spot faith reflected in the Sundance Film Festival Award winning film directed by Sian Heder. Emilia Johnes, Marlee Matlin, and Eugenio Derbev star in C.O.D.A. which is available for streaming on AppleTV+.   Faith Elements: Jesus's Parable of the Talents Matthew 25: 14-30 . Having the faith to risk and use one's talents rather...

  Kenny and Mike discuss the Amazon Prime film VAL and spot faith reflected in the 2021 documentary autobiographical film on Val Kilmer. Faith Notes : Below are additional thoughts on the faith elements discussed in the episode.  This film shows that joy and peace are possible after devestating loss. While not showing the entire process Val Kilmer used to overcome the many losses in his life, it d...

Kenny and Mike discuss the Hulu film Summer of Soul and spot faith elements presented in the documentary of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. Summer of Soul is a documentary of the Harlem Cultural Festival held over 6 weekends at Mount Morris Park during the Summer of 1969. Using 40 hours of footage and interviews with participants and attendees Ahmir Khalib Questlove Thompson directed and produc...

Kenny and Mike discuss the new theatrical film Nine Days , written and directed by first time filmmaker Edson Oda, who joins Mike and Kenny on the episode. Edson is of Japanese decent and was raised in Brazil.  A transcript of the interview portion is available on the Faithspotting website. Note: The story deals with the issue of suicide and Edson discusses the suicide of a family member and his j...

Kenny and Mike continue their look at the 1994 film classic, Pulp Fiction and discuss the faith elements spotted in the Quentin Tarantino breakout film.  Faith Reflctions Spotted:             John Travolta    Samuel Jackson                              Miramax  The most direct and significant faith issue is the film's representation of repentance and redemption following an experience of God, as d...

Mike and Kenny discuss one of their favorite films in the first of a two part series examining the 1994 Academy Award winning film (Best Original Screenplay) Pulp Fiction. Part two will spot faitn reflected in the iconic Quentin Tarantino film.  Included in part 1 is their discussion about the place of the film and Tarantino in modern film history as well as their favorite scenes and elements. Pul...