Category Archives: Uncategorized

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light… everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.” – Ephesians 5:8-14 What is the meaning of the darkness? At the core of this question in A Hidden Life, Terrence Malick’s latest film, isContinue reading “A Hidden Life and Making Sense of the Darkness”

The best that can be said of Irish cinema today is that it certainly exists. Even with its strata of ‘worthy’ and ‘unworthy’ films, its commercial entertainments and its dark dramas, Irish film at least now produces enough films for there to be such divisions in the first place. – The identity of an IrishContinue reading “Film Travels 2020: Ireland”

It’s that time again. A chance to reflect on what landed for me in February, the stories that stood out and what I am anticipating in March: WHAT LANDED The RHYTHM SECTION, a late January holdover, turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Suffering from a lack of advertising, poor critical reception and breaking theContinue reading “Cinema in Retrospect- My Month In Film, February 2020”

After 4 full seasons of contemplating the afterlife using a good blend of humor, emotion and chemistry, the much beloved series The Good Place came to a close this past week. Known for its ability to take deep philosophical and theological ideas and break them down into bite size questions and relevant conversation that anyoneContinue reading “The Good Place Finale: Exchanging Mystery for Finality”

Say what you will about the Oscars, and to be clear, every year around this time cinephiles (like me) do seem to have a good deal to say (it’s easy to be cynical about the idea of Hollywood celebrating Hollywood after all), but these two things are almost always guaranteed- they are hard to ignore,Continue reading “OSCARS 2020: My Thoughts and Predictions”

The month of January is notorious in the world of cinema for two things- being a dumping ground for forgettable films and filling empty screens with rereleases of Oscar hopefuls. Of course there are always exceptions to this rule (see Paddington 2 and Patriots Day), but by and large this tends to hold true. OnContinue reading “Cinema in Retrospect- Looking Back at January 2020”

In my review of Roberto Rossellini’s wonderful love letter to Italian culture and countryside, 1954’s Journey to Italy, I reflect on what this film’s highly romanticized depiction of an Italian way of life meant to me. Having had the opportunity to travel to Italy and experience the culture first hand I know the power itContinue reading “Travelling the World Through Film 2020- ITALY”

This morning at Church our reflection was on Matthew Chapter 8:1-17. This is what the chapter division looks like (NRSV): Matthew 8:1-4- Jesus Cleanses a leper Matthew 8:5-13- Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant Matthew 8:14-17- Jesus Heals Many at Peter’s House Our pastor went on to reflect on how understanding the structure of this passageContinue reading “What is it that we desire? Reflections on Matthew 8:1-17”

Just to be clear, favorite movie “experiences” is different than my favorite films of 2019. These are the films that represent specific memories, events, moments, or inspiration. It could be a theater experience or something different. I could be something I saw with others or something I saw myself. It can be a film IContinue reading “2019 In Review: Favorite Movie Experiences”

If its fair to say, as a number of cinephiles would maintain, that 2019 got off to a rocky start for film releases, it would be hard to dispute that it also went out with a bang, even going so far as to make this one of the strongest years for film releases in recentContinue reading “Year in Review (2019): Top 12 Films of 2019”