Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Religious Music & Entertainment

2012-12-21T06:32:12-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Reaching for Justice

Last updated on: December 21, 2012 at 6:32 am By Coyle Neal

Review of Jack Reacher, Directed by Christopher McQuarrie By COYLE NEAL Tom Cruise’s latest movie is both unfortunately and fortunately timed. It is unfortunately timed because of how it opens—with a sniper randomly shooting people in Pittsburgh. Suspect James Barr is quickly caught, and before being put in a coma by a brutal prison beating, he tells the authorities to “get Jack Reacher.” Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) promptly shows up, punches everyone in Pittsburgh, delivers a slew of one-liners, and... Read more

Action

Films

Christopher McQuarrie

Tom Cruise

2012-12-20T06:58:37-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Grace Accepted; Grace Rejected—A Review of Les Misérables

Last updated on: December 20, 2012 at 6:58 am By Alexis Neal

Review of Les Misérables, Directed by Tom Hooper By ALEXIS NEAL After years of imprisonment and hard labor, one-time thief Jean Valjean is finally released from prison, only to discover that, for an ex-con life on the outside is harder than he expected. When the Bishop of Digne unexpectedly takes pity on him, Valjean promptly repays the Bishop’s kindness by making off with all the silver he can carry. Valjean is apprehended by the authorities, of course, but the Bishop... Read more

2012-12-19T06:51:51-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

This Is 40: Hollywood on Aging

Last updated on: December 19, 2012 at 6:51 am By Kendrick Kuo

Review of This Is 40, Directed by Judd Apatow By KENDRICK KUO Pete (Paul Rudd) got Debbie (Leslie Mann) pregnant, got married, and a few years later, they have two kids and they are 40 years old. Well…Debbie thinks she is 38, but later we discover she is actually 40. This Is 40 is a spinoff of Knocked Up, where Pete and Debbie were supporting characters. First off, as an evangelical, let me say that This Is 40 is not... Read more

Comedy

Films

Judd Apatow

2012-12-18T06:25:06-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Faith, Reason, and the Man in the Big Red Suit

Last updated on: December 18, 2012 at 6:25 am By Alexis Neal

Review of Miracle on 34th Street, Directed by George Seaton By ALEXIS NEAL Young Susan Walker is an intensely practical child. Her mother Doris has only ever told her the truth—her childhood has been uniformly free of such frivolous and fictitious nonsense as fairy stories, happily-ever-afters, make believe, and most importantly (for our purposes, anyway): Santa Claus. And Doris is quite satisfied with this state of affairs. It’s best to be realistic, after all—saves wear and tear on the emotions.... Read more

Classics

Films

George Seaton

2012-12-17T06:21:53-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Shakespeare’s Enchanting Dream

Last updated on: December 17, 2012 at 6:21 am By Paul D. Miller

A Review of Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare By PAUL D. MILLER I played a bit part in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in my sixth-grade English class (I was Peter Quince). My freshman year of high school I saw a full production—the first live Shakespeare play I ever saw—and fell completely in love with the theater. I had the joy of revisiting this play at the Shakespeare Theater in Washington, D.C., over Thanksgiving weekend. Midsummer (c. 1596) is one... Read more

Books

Poetry

William Shakespeare

2012-12-14T06:39:19-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Seeking a Better Country Than Middle Earth

Last updated on: December 14, 2012 at 6:39 am By Paul D. Miller

A Review of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Directed by Peter Jackson By PAUL D. MILLER I previouslyblogged about the surprising darkness and pessimism in J.R.R. Tolkien’s book The Hobbit. That book is often mistakenly called a children’s book, and even though there is nothing childlike about its tales of genocidal war and cynical realpolitik, it will continue to be considered beloved work of fiction no matter how it is labeled. However on second reading I found it to be... Read more

2012-12-13T06:41:42-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Lord of the Rings: A Timeless Trilogy

Last updated on: December 13, 2012 at 6:41 am By Paul D. Miller

Review of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Directed by Peter Jackson By PAUL D. MILLER It is hard to remember how firmly entrenched the conventional wisdom was that The Lord of the Rings was unfilmable. A disastrous animated attempt in 1978, stuffed full of 70’s cheese, covered just half the story. The film only made $30 million, studio executives refused to fund the planned sequel, and a generation of children were condemned to confusion when the film ends and... Read more

2012-12-12T06:31:17-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Hopeless Innocence of Amelie

Last updated on: December 12, 2012 at 6:31 am By Kendrick Kuo

Review of Amélie, Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet By KENDRICK KUO I’ve known about Amélie (2001) for a long time, but only recently decided to sit down and watch it after a co-worker of mine said it was one of her favorite movies. This French film follows a woman named Amélie Poulain from her mother’s tragic (if rather darkly comedic) death in her youth to her adult life coping with her reclusive father and waiting tables at the Two Windmills café.... Read more

2012-12-11T07:28:56-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I’m Dreaming of a Selflessly Sacrificial Christmas

Last updated on: December 11, 2012 at 7:28 am By Alexis Neal

Review of White Christmas, Directed by Michael Curtiz By ALEXIS NEAL Once upon a time, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis were in the Army together. On Christmas Eve in 1944, Davis (an aspiring performer) saved the life of Wallace (an established Broadway star) and the rest, as they say, is history. After the war, the two embark on a highly successful career culminating in the production of their own musical. Along the way, Wallace and Davis meet the charming Haynes... Read more

2012-12-10T06:34:46-07:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Smug Seuss Cinema Sells Story Short

Last updated on: December 10, 2012 at 6:34 am By Paul D. Miller

Review of The Lorax, Directed by Chris Renaud and Kyle Balda By PAUL D. MILLER I am torn by movies like The Lorax (2012). It is a nicely-animated, moderately-fun kid’s movie with a pro-environment message. It is also horribly preachy. Why does environmentalism seem stuck in a stance of permanent sanctimony? Sneed-ville is a walled city so artificial that the trees are made of plastic. A boy decides he must find out what happened to the trees (to impress a... Read more

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof" but asked Jesus to heal his servant?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A scribe Peter A Pharisee A Roman centurion

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Action AFI Top 100 Animation Best Picture Winner BFI Top 250 Biography Biopic Books Childrens Christian Classics Classics Comedy Crime Documentary Drama Editor's Choice Family Fantasy Fantasy Films Foreign Historical Historical Fiction History Horror Horror IMDB Top 250 Indie Memoir Modern Novel Musical Mystery Non-Fiction Oscars Philosophy Poetry Popular Literature Reading and Writing Reality Romance Science Fiction Science Fiction Silent Sports Thriller TV Show Uncategorized Western Westerns Young Adult

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 June 2017 January 2017 December 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012

TRENDING AT PATHEOS Religious Music & Entertainment