Author Archives: davetcourt

With my recent shift in jobs, I’m still driving a school bus, and still driving for a private school (which, for my American friends, means religious/faith based school here in Manitoba). These things are the same. I have seen a very real shifts though in location and the students. I have shifted from a ruralContinue reading “Students, buses, religion and philosophy: Finding Fresh Context to Consider Finiteness and the Infinite”

Film Journal 2024: Late Night With The Devil Directed by Cameron and Colin Cairnes The irony of the present controversy regarding the filmmaker’s public admission over using AI, which is seen as an issue because of the way the question of AI has shaped the most recent strikes in Hollywood, is that this controversy existsContinue reading “Film Journal 2024: Late Night With The Devil”

Film Journal 2024: ProblemistaDirected by Julio Torres Impressive for the ways it celebrates the simple virtues of authenticity and creativity. It defies categories, telling its story in a way only it can. What makes this work as well as it does though is the ways the filmmaker actively invites us as viewers into the process.Continue reading “Film Journal 2024: Problemista”

Reading Journal 2024: The Wood Between The Worlds: A Poetic Theology of the Cross Author: Brian Zahnd Beauty Will Save The World might still be where one should begin when diving into Zahnd. I contend it is his strongest and most important effort, and captures the essential conviction and thesis that runs through his largerContinue reading “Film Journal 2024: The Wood Between The Worlds: A Poetic Theology of the Cross”

Film Journal 2024: King Arthur Directed by Simon Cellan Jones Simple, straightforward, perhaps a bit safe. When the formula works though, it works. And this true story ultimately manages to hit the right notes when it comes to its feel good, inspiring tale.

Film Journal 2024: Ghostbusters: Frozen EmpireDirected by Gil Kenan The follow up to Afterlife, and this is not something I thought I would be saying a few years ago, has big shoes to fill. One of the great, unexpected delights of Afterlife was its minimalist and intimate approach. It allowed the film to take someContinue reading “Film Journal 2024: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire”

Film Journal 2024: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Directed by Adam Wingard This is a long ways from where we started. Takes all of about 5 seconds for this thing to hit the ground running, not to mention some bizarre tonal shifts that yank the viewer left and right in the first 5 minutes.Continue reading “Film Journal 2024: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire”

Reading Journal 2024: The Book Woman of Troublesome CreekAuthor: Kim Michele Richardson I became aware of this book on a recent trip to the American south. One of the places I spent some time in was Louisville, Kentucky, and while there I visited one of their famed local bookstores named Carmichaels. I asked the shopContinue reading “Reading Journal 2024: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek”

Been thinking more about the film, The Book of Clarence, a film that has really been sticking with me this year, and which has a real, thematic interest in the resurrection. The journey that the film goes on wonders about how it is that a conviction in the truth of the resurrection might reshape theContinue reading “Embracing the Tension of the Empty Tomb: A Transformed Hope”

Coming into 2024, I wondered about three things- how an over abundance of sequels would be recieved, how we would navigate a reigning culture of cynicism, and the impact of balancing a still uncertain release schedule due to the strike, The first quarter would suggest that sequels have fared well, originals have succumbed to theContinue reading “First Quarter Check In: Favorite Films of 2024 Thus Far”