• Entertainment

    The poignant truth about Andy’s dad from “Toy Story”

    If you pay close attention to Pixar movies, you may notice that filmmakers are intentional about what goes on in the background of their stories. They seem to be dropping hints that imply a backstory to the main story that you are watching. Speculating on the backstory has become somewhat of a parlor game for some. Jon Negroni has devoted a whole website to it. But the fascinating thing is that some of the observations he’s made are not wholly fanciful but are quite compelling.

  • Book Reviews,  Christianity,  Entertainment

    Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

    Laura Hillenbrand’s book Unbroken is easily one of the best books I’ve ever experienced. I love biographies, but this one is a stand-out. I first heard about this book years ago but only recently took the time to go through it myself. I just finished it Friday evening. If you are unfamiliar with the story, the book is about the life and times of Louie Zamperini, a 1936 Olympian and hero of World War II. His story is larger than life, painted on a global canvas, encompassing the heights of human triumph and the depths of human degradation. In short, Zamperini went from juvenile delinquent to Olympian (who met Hitler!)…

  • Entertainment,  Politics

    A movie that makes abortion funny

    Louise Melling describes the new movie “Obvious Child” as a romantic comedy that tries to make abortion sympathetic and funny (view trailer here). Melling writes: In it, main character Donna has an abortion after a drunken one-night stand. But unlike most other characters who grapple with this question, Donna doesn’t torture herself. She makes the decision without angst, guilt, or extenuating circumstances. And like millions of American women, Donna follows through, then moves on with her life. A movie about an experience this common – nearly one in three American women will have an abortion in their lifetime — shouldn’t feel so revolutionary. But it does. Melling goes on to…

  • Entertainment,  News

    The cast of the new “Star Wars” announced

    The cast of the new Star Wars film has been announced, and it includes some of the old favorites from the original trilogy. From The Daily Beast: On Tuesday afternoon, the world took one step closer to that galaxy far, far away as Disney and Lucasfilm announced the cast for filmmaker J.J. Abrams’ upcoming sequel, Star Wars: Episode VII—a film reportedly set 30 years after the events of the 1983 flick Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi. Actors John Boyega (Attack the Block), Daisy Ridley (Mr. Selfridge), Adam Driver (Girls), Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis), Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings), Domhnall Gleeson (Anna Karenina), and screen legend Max von Sydow are…

  • Christianity,  Entertainment

    The midrashiest midrash that ever was midrashed. . . . . [a spoiler-free “Noah” review]

    Shall I tread where angels fear to tread and give an evaluation of Darren Aronofsky’s Noah movie? Well, I guess it depends on what you mean by angels. In the movie Noah, the frilly feminine harp-stroking caricatures have given way to a cross between Ben Grimm, Peter Jackson’s Ents, and Gumby. I guess we can chalk that one up to the mystery of the Nephilim. But I digress. What about the movie? Is it any good? Should Christians go and see it? Should anyone go and see it?

  • Christianity,  Entertainment

    More on the gospel and Macklemore’s “Same Love”

    Frank Sontag hosts a talk radio program on KKLA FM in Los Angeles, California. Last night, I had a discussion with Frank about the gospel and Macklemore’s performance of “Same Love” at the Grammys. I’ve been under the weather, so I apologize in advance for the froggy voice. Nevertheless, here it is. You can listen to it below or download it here. [audio:http://media.kkla.com/Podcasts/2709/2014012701.mp3]

  • Christianity,  Entertainment

    What Macklemore got wrong…and right

    Last night on the Grammy’s, hip-hop artist Macklemore performed his song “Same Love” as Queen Latifah presided over a “wedding” ceremony for about thirty couples. Many of the couples being married were same-sex, and that was the point of the entire event—to show that there is no moral distinction between same-sex marriage and conjugal marriage. It’s all just the “same love.” The lyrics to Macklemore’s song took aim at Christians and their views on marriage. To be more precise, it takes aim at the God that Christians worship and offers another god in His place—a god that bears no resemblance to the God of the Bible. Nevertheless, these performers were…

  • Christianity,  Culture,  Entertainment

    What Phil Robertson Got Wrong…and Right

    I have an article over at the ERLC blog explaining “What Phil Robertson Got Wrong…and Right.” Among the main things that he got wrong were his expressions about race. While I disagree with what Robertson says on this point, I am inclined to think that the generous interpretation of Rod Dreher and Joe Carter are nearer the mark on this matter than others have been. In any case no matter what our quibbles are with some of the things he said, Robertson was right on point in his assessment of the moral status of homosexuality. That’s the issue that caused A&E to let him go, and it is still the…