The weekend that an adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ much beloved book “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” was released in theaters, a heavy snowstorm convinced this Christian dad to stay home rather than “tread” the treacherous roads. And considering the lackluster performance of “The Dawn Treader” at the box office, many other moviegoers must have... Continue Reading

The new “True Grit” is that rare thing — a truly religious movie. In the John Wayne version religiosity is just an occasional flourish not to be taken seriously. In this movie it is everything, not despite but because of its refusal to resolve or soften the dilemmas the narrative delivers up. Movie critic Dan... Continue Reading

The novels—and yes the film—are great examples of how moral and philosophical ideas can be conveyed in fantasy literature—including tales of a noble lion, a gallant mouse, and a little boy named Eustace Scrubb, who almost deserved his name. C. S. Lewis never missed a chance to teach a moral lesson. And the Voyage of... Continue Reading

“The whole Narnian story is about Christ,” Lewis once wrote. He said he “pictured him becoming a lion” because it’s the king of beasts and because Christ is called “The Lion of Judah” in the Bible. The studios behind the new “Narnia” movie are walking a tightrope in their quest to promote the third film... Continue Reading

The New Testament warns about trying to serve two masters. But Hollywood moviemakers would prefer to have it both ways. And so multiplexes have been crowded with films that wrestle with spiritual questions even while battling for box-office attention. These aren’t tiny indies, like the evangelical films that sprang up after “The Passion of the... Continue Reading

If you are in a funk over the current state of political and economic affairs, you will come away feeling better after seeing Secretariat. In 1977, things were similarly gloomy. The misery index under President Jimmy Carter reflected the mood of many Americans. The president would come to speak of an America that had seen... Continue Reading

In an often animalistic culture, it reminds us that even the Gentiles know that guilt is real, and that it burns. It also reminds us that, no matter how deep the exile, where there is still a conscience there is still the God who put it there. On Sunday afternoons, typically, the adrenaline of the... Continue Reading

Howie Klausner, a self-described “modern evangelical” who co-wrote Clint Eastwood’s “Space Cowboys,” was brought on as a producer and screenwriter to revise Evans’ original script. A Cordova, Tennessee church and an entertainment giant are now partners in an effort to make a dent in sin as well as in the box office through the modern-day... Continue Reading

Watching Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is a little like the dreams you might have if you fell asleep playing Nintendo and reading comic books on the couch next to your high-school girlfriend. It’s about young love, video games, finding a job, comic books, genuine maturity, and cartoons. And it’s funny. Director Edgar Wright has... Continue Reading

So, why the hatred? There’s really only one answer. The movie’s message of salvation is decidedly Christian Earlier this year I was blessed with the opportunity to co-star in the film “To Save a Life.” It turned out to be one of the most successful faith-based films of all time. Aimed squarely at teenagers facing... Continue Reading