(ANALYSIS) “The Exorcist” is not a film about a successful exorcism, but about what we do in the face of uncertainty and the cynical grinning face of the demon doubt. It is not a film about a priest, but about a human being.
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(REVIEW) Now, Angel Studios is trying to stake its claim in the documentary space with this year’s “After Death” and its upcoming adaptation of the book “Live Not By Lies.” “After Death” is a rewarding — if imperfect — exploration of near-death experiences for the faithful and the curious, and a hopeful step forward for faith-based documentaries.
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(REVIEW) It’s deeply fitting and gratifying that the Catholic director’s career-long struggle with God would lead to possibly his best and most Christian film to date. Hopefully his work will inspire others to wrestle with God and imagine the world as well as he does.
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(ANALYSIS) Can the faith-based film industry shift from appealing to married women to single women? It’s highly doubtful. It would require a huge shift in talent and genre that I don’t see evidence for. Certainly, the happily-married, evangelical men who now run the faith-based film industry would be unlikely to do it.
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(REVIEW) The power of the original “The Exorcist” film was that it helped restore people to faith in an authentic way that existed before them and would exist long after they’re gone. Instead, “The Exorcist: Believer” tries to rewrite faith to fit modern sensibilities. In the end, it only makes itself a hollow thing that will be forgotten sooner rather than later.
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(REVIEW) The film follows two parallel stories: One of Mother Teresa’s mission from God to serve the poor and needy in India; the other a young Indian-British woman named Kavita with a secret connection to Mother Teresa whose life is turned upside down when she finds out she’s pregnant. Mother Teresa’s story is so powerful that there is still stuff of value for those who do watch it. This film fails, however, because it tries to make her more relevant to modern audiences, but is too burdened by a mountain of cliches and bad theology to truly succeed.
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(ANALYSIS) Often panned both by secular and Christian film critics, faith-based films have been criticized for many things, whether it’s for the writing, acting or for perceived problematic messages. And yet, with all of the criticism, much of it valid (including much of it by me), it can get lost what good things there are in what we call “faith-based films” — movies made by people of faith for people of faith — that cause them to resonate so strongly with so many people.
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(REVIEW) The movie is a fictionalized adaptation of the memoir of Carolyn Webber by the same name. It follows brilliant, but emotionally guarded, Caro Drake as she arrives in Oxford with the singular goal of attaining her PhD. Through a turbulent friendship with a charming young man, she begins to open herself up to love and God.
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(REVIEW) In the third season of “The Righteous Gemstones,” the fictional Gemstone family members — wealthy leaders of a prominent megachurch — are as outlandish and chaotic as ever. But this season, the challenges they face begin to feel trite and their redemption feels less genuine.
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Since his death in 1994, the gay Yale historian’s significance has continued to rise, both in academic and wider cultural circles. So it is not surprising that a documentary entitled “Not A Tame Lion” has been produced about his life and impact by filmmakers Craig Bettendorf and Kai Morgan.
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(REVIEW) “A Haunting In Venice” is fun for people who like whodunnits and Kenneth Branagh’s interpretation of Hercule Poirot — but it can’t pay off the themes of faith versus reason that it sets up. The film once again features Branagh’s return as both director and star in his third outing of movies based on Agatha Christie’s novels. The movies have had lukewarm reception from both critics and audiences, but have made enough money and been enjoyable enough for Branagh to make another one.
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(REVIEW) “The Nun II” has little to show for itself except for its repetitive jump scares — but could it also be a danger to your soul? Christians have a complicated relationship with the horror genre. On the one hand, horror films are one of the few types of Hollywood films that unapologetically treat Christianity (particularly Catholicism) as good.
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(REVIEW) Adam Sandler’s latest comedy starring his daughters has some incredible conversations around faith and family — but is crushed under the weight of a mountain of painfully unfunny jokes and a thoroughly unlikable protagonist. “You’re So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah” features Sandler’s daughter Sadie as Stacy Friedman, a teenager who wants to have the best bat mitzvah ever and to kiss the boy of her dreams.
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(REVIEW) Watching documentary films is never easy. Oftentimes, documentaries can be both intellectually challenging and culturally enriching — especially if they are about the church and faith. The majority of Orthodox Christian documentaries are produced in non-English speaking countries such as Russia, Greece and Serbia. With the growth of the Orthodox church around the globe, English-speaking countries are slowly catching up.
Read More(OPINION) The uncomfortable problem is that so many faith-based “true story films” turn out to be either totally made up or highly deceptive. For Christians, however, this poses some problems. The Bible is explicitly against lying and repeatedly warns against being deceived.
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(ANALYSIS) The issue of how the Bhagavad Gita, a 700-verse Hindu scripture, has been depicted for cinematic effect has been a subject of controversy since the film came out earlier this summer. In fact, an intimate scene has sparked public outrage in India.
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(REVIEW) The film tells the story of Ricky Hill, a preacher’s kid with degenerative spinal disease who nonetheless shows an incredible love and talent for baseball. The film has a lot to offer to faith-based families in the first half of the movie — but the second part is crushed under the weight of its cliches and terrible “dreams versus faith” message.
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(REVIEW) Netflix wastes its brilliant premise and ending twist with “The Chosen One” on a shallow treatment of religion that actually makes one grateful that the faith-based film industry alternative exists. The six-part series is based on the first graphic novel in the trilogy, titled “Chosen,” and follows a 12-year-old boy named Jodie.
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(REVIEW) “While We Watched” is a 94-minute tell-all documentary that shines a light on the sorry state of Indian media through the lens of a veteran independent journalist, Ravish Kumar, who now runs a YouTube channel with 6.73 million subscribers.
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(REVIEW) The film recounts the true story of Corrie ten Boom who, along with her sister, Betsie, and her father, helped over 800 Jews escape capture in Nazi Germany by hiding them in their home before being arrested by the Nazis themselves and put into a consecration camp.
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