Author Archives: davetcourt

Reaing Journal 2023: DO NOT DETONATE Without Presidential Approval: A Portfolio on the Subjects of Mid-century Cinema, the Broadway Stage and the American WestEdited by Wes Anderson and Pushkin Press Do Not Detonate is a collection of Essays written by different voices about the different films that inspire Wes Anderson’s recent film Asteroid City. ThisContinue reading “Reading Journal 2023: DO NOT DETONATE Without Presidential Approval: A Portfolio on the Subjects of Mid-century Cinema, the Broadway Stage and the American West”

Chicago film critic Josh Larsen notes in his review of the recent Indiana Jones movie, Dial of Destiny, Mangold’s interest in demythologizing Indiana Jones He strips away the hero’s storied past and creates the necessary space for exploring who this figure is and what he is all about in light of his story seemingly comingContinue reading “Growing Older: Reflections on Birthdays, Dial of Destiny, and Past Lives”

Film Journal 2023: Theater CampDirected by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman The aim of this mocumentary is so pure it almost dares you to not want these characters to be real. And certainly the power of its depictmemt of “theater kids” comes from the fact that this subset of culture is in fact very real.Continue reading “Film Journal 2023: Theater Camp”

Film Journal 2023: The Beanie BubbleDirected by Kristin Gore and Damian Kulash The whole “product origins” trend in film this year is admittedly getting a bit tired at this point. There is little doubt The Beanie Bubble falls prey to this exhaustion, made all the more relevant by the fact that its predecessors are simplyContinue reading “Film Journal 2023: The Beanie Bubble”

Reading Journal 2023: Why the Gospel: Living the Good News of King Jesus with PurposeAuthor: Matthew W. Bates If you haven’t yet read Bates’ Salvation By Allegiance Alone, I would highly recommend reading that, along with The Gospel Precisely, before you pick up this most recent work. Not because this can’t be read on itsContinue reading “Reading Journal 2023: Why the Gospel: Living the Good News of King Jesus with Purpose”

Reading Journal 2023: Palo Alto: A History of California, Capitalism, and the WorldAuthor: Malcolm Harris Heavy on information and academically detailed, Harris’ massive book on Palo Alto proves to be Silicon Valley’s definitive history. And subsequently, given the nature of this history, a commentary on the development of American capitalism from its western roots toContinue reading “Reading Journal 2023: Palo Alto: A History of California, Capitalism, and the World”

I’m around 8 years old. It’s late December, which for a Winnipeger means cold and snow. My parents have entered my room to get me out of bed, a 4 A.M. wake up call my young body is not yet accustumed to. Still half asleep, they usher me into a packed van, ready to makeContinue reading “A Trip Down Memory Lane to Mackinac Island: Retreading Old Paths to New Places”

Not always a fan of the stuff that comes out of Christianity Today, but they do have some decent stuff littered in the mix. This take on Barbie is particularly interesting to me given that it touches on some issues I have with certain forms of Christianity while also bringing to light the tensions thatContinue reading “Barbie and Original Sin: Reflecting on the Role of Idealism in Shaping Our Response To Existential Crisis”

Lengthy car rides tend to translate into plenty of time getting lost in thought Inspired by consecutive podcasts weighing in the mess that is the present day American Film Industry, I started to think back to the 2010’s, which was really when the whole streaming thing started to become a thing. Initially I was allContinue reading “Reflecting on the Writers Strike, The State of the Industry, and The Value of Art”

Film Journal 2023: Cobweb Directed by Samuel Bodin Such a fascinating film to unpack on both a technical and experiential level. Full disclosure: I don’t think I fully appreciated the ending. Given the journey this film takes us on (and it’s a journey), it doesn’t really bring that to a satisfying conclusion. At least onContinue reading “Film Journal 2023: Cobweb”