The 2016 Oscar nominees have been announced, and it's all fairly predictable stuff. The only real surprises might be the snubs--no Best Picture or Best Director for Carol, no Best Screenplay for Aaron Sorkin or Quentin Tarantino, no acting nominations for non-white actors, … [Read more...] about The Mayward Oscars 2016
Essays
A Liturgical Year in Cinema – Epiphany
I've begun a new series at Christianity Today called A Liturgical Year in Cinema (or, The Year in Liturgical Cinema). I'm exploring the themes of each feast and season throughout the Christian liturgical calendar and writing a theological reflection about those themes as I see … [Read more...] about A Liturgical Year in Cinema – Epiphany
Guns, Youth, and Justice: The Armor of Light and 3 ½ Minutes, 10 Bullets
Two well-crafted documentaries from 2015, The Armor of Light and 3 ½ Minutes, 10 Bullets explore the same story from different angles: the murder of teenager Jordan Davis in Florida. Jordan was gunned down in a gas station parking lot by Michael Dunn, who was annoyed by the black … [Read more...] about Guns, Youth, and Justice: The Armor of Light and 3 ½ Minutes, 10 Bullets
Zeal For Justice: On Sicario, Immigration, and Deuteronomy
I'm enrolled in seminary at George Fox Evangelical Seminary in Portland, OR. For a recent Old Testament class, my professor asked us to write a 750-word op-ed piece on a portion of the Old Testament, connecting it with a recent world event or something in culture. Here is my … [Read more...] about Zeal For Justice: On Sicario, Immigration, and Deuteronomy
The “Faith” of Faith-Based Films: On Moralistic Therapeutic Deism in Christian Movies
In light of the recent box office success of War Room, the Kendrick brothers' (Fireproof, Facing the Giants) latest faith-based film, I have a question I've been pondering. The vast majority of film critics, both Christian and non-Christian alike, have been quite negative … [Read more...] about The “Faith” of Faith-Based Films: On Moralistic Therapeutic Deism in Christian Movies