Author Archives: davetcourt

Reading Journal 2024: My Selma: True Stories of a Southern Childhood at the Height of the Civil Rights Movement Author: Willie Mae Brown There are qualities that make this book compelling, and qualities that act as a deterrent. Beginning, perhaps, with the choice of perspective. This is a Memoir, and it is mostly told throughContinue reading “Reading Journal 2024: My Selma: True Stories of a Southern Childhood at the Height of the Civil Rights Movement”

Reading Journal 2024: The Beatitudes: Living In Sync With The Reign of GodAuthor: Darrell Johnson “On first reading [the Sermon on the Mount] you feel that it turns everything upside down, but the second time you read it you discover that it turns everything right side up. The first time you read it you feelContinue reading “Reading Journal 2024: The Beatitudes: Living In Sync With The Reign of God”

Film Journal 2024: Ordinary Angels Directed by Jon Gunn A perfectly good, above average faith-based movie based on a true story and boasting an advertising campaign that had it showing up everywhere for what feels like a solid six month period, is barely able to find an audience on its opening weekend. Meanwhile, no stoneContinue reading “Film Journal 2024: Ordinary Angels”

Film Journal 2024: Drive-Away DollsDirected by Ethan Coen Definitely missing the other half of the Coen brothers. Seems like there’s an intriguing vision here that doesn’t quite translate beyond the film’s extremely surface appeal. This is basic plot point stuff, taking its story from point A to point B, without much I the way ofContinue reading “Film Journal 2024: Drive-Away Dolls”

Film Journal 2024: The Taste of Things Director Tran Ahn Hung  The camera work in this film is nothing short of stunning. It not only soaks in every minute detail of its set design, it captures every nuance of the unfolding drama, seamlessly traversing the spiritual nature that exists between human connection and our connectionContinue reading “Film Journal 2024: The Taste of Things”

Film Journal 2024: SuzeDirected by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart Anyone looking for an alternative to the behemoth that is Dune Part 2, this charming, good humored, big hearted drama is definitely worth checking out. It features an unlikely friendship between a middle aged single mother with early menopause and her daughters ex-boyfriend, explored throughContinue reading “Film Journal 2024: Suze”

Film Journal 2024: Dune Part 2Directed by Denis Villeneuve I’m not sure it says much to state Dune Part Two is a very good, and even exceptional film. Much more relevant to call it an event. The science fiction nature of the story might not be your thing, and you may have certain thoughts andContinue reading “Film Journal 2024: Dune Part 2”

Reading Journal 2024: The God of Endings Author: Jacqueline Holland Didn’t love the non-linear approach, but for every moment I found myself wavering there was an encounter with a page, a plot turn, a section, a conversation that grabbed me and pulled me right back in. It is those moments of beautiful and inspired proseContinue reading “Reading Journal 2024: The God of Endings”

Film Journal 2024: Suncoast Directed by Laura Chinn Totally my descriptive, not the films, but dang it if this thing didn’t quietly stake its claim for me as one of the best “faith” based films I’ve seen in a long while. Raw, vulnerable, uncensored, and real. Unafraid to bring nuance and empathy to a complex Continue reading “Film Journal 2024: Suncoast”

Film Journal 2024: Sometimes I Think About Dying Directed by Rachel Lambert “Its tough, you know, being a person.” “The more I think about the movie, the more I like it.” If the overall execution of this film is uneven and disjointed at times, which is definitely felt in the films deliberate pacing early on,Continue reading “Film Journal 2024: Sometimes I Think About Dying”