James Harleman's Blog, page 9
February 28, 2016
THE WITCH: Agency for Eating Babies
While many Christians heard about the Satanic Temple’s supportof Robert Eggers’ creepy 1630 horror flick “The Witch“and ran the other way,Ihad the alternate instinct: the devilish endorsementmade me want tocheck it out and give an informed review. I’m glad I did…the absurdity of the Satanic Temple’s pronouncementis as laughable as the notion that this film […]
December 21, 2015
The Gospel for Han Solo
(this review only speaks to the old films and the trailer for The Force Awakens: no spoilers.) I’ve written quite a bit about Star Wars… on this site, and in my book. I’ve made many a comment about how I identified with Han Solo…butwhen I’ve talked about the spiritual parallels in the films, I’ve stuck […]
November 23, 2015
SPECTREs and Siblings Shaken on Screenfish
I had the opportunity to team up with my friends at Screenfish and weigh in on the latest entry in the Bond franchise, SPECTRE. I make a new friend in Steven Norton, but also find I now have an arch-nemesis… Check out the podcast review on Screenfish.net, or on their iTunes podcast. (You can also […]
November 17, 2015
Getting Personal with Popcorn Theology
I hope it never ceases to feel weird when people say “you inspired me” or “you changed my life”. After more than a decade of expressing myself in regard to film and theology, I’ve reached that point where people I barely know tell me that something I’ve said or donehas had significant impact on their […]
November 15, 2015
CRIMSON PEAK & Reel World Theology
I joined in with my friend Mikey and others at Reel World Theology for a joint review of Del Toro’sCrimson Peak with commentary on the horror genre. We have some livelydiscussion about J.J. Abrams, Star Wars, the new influential directors in Hollywood, and what truly makes a film a horror film. I also find a […]
November 13, 2015
The Ins and Outs of INSIDE OUT
Enjoy our video review or written review below: “After young Riley is uprooted from her Midwest life and moved to San Francisco, her emotions – Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness – conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house, and school.” – Wikipedia Much has been said about the film Inside Out… […]
July 9, 2015
The REAL Hero of BIG HERO 6
I must have been in the wrong mood when I saw Big Hero 6 in the theater. My recollection was “meh” but when I viewed it again for a Film and Theology event for a room full of junior high and high school students, it blew my mind…visually, narratively, and with all the obvious parallels […]
February 10, 2015
Guardians of the Galaxy Review: part 2
Life and death, frustration and loss..for a fun family film, Guardians of the Galaxy starts off with a a heavy tone that’s quite the contrast to the otherwiserollickingsoundtrack. Are the young PeterQuill’s headphones and upbeat classic rock a metaphor for modern entertainment, as it medicates us and mutes some of the harsh realities of life? […]
February 6, 2015
Guardians of the Galaxy Review: Part 1
It’s rare that we have a guest reviewer for Cinemagogue, let alone one as insightful and discerning as this fella. He also hasa unique insider’sview on The Guardians of the Galaxy, and it’s obvious he’s well rooted in philosophy and meta-narrative. I’d say more, but I think this one speaks for itself. I am Groot […]
January 23, 2015
14 movies for 2014: The Cinemagogue Lineup
Once again, it’s that time of year whenHollywood’s snobbery surfaces with Oscar-sized pats on the back for pretentious cinematic achievements that didn’t make much money… Okay, that’s harsh, but I have an annual sized cinematic migraine every time the Academy looks down their nose atmovies that matter simply because they’re blockbusters, or apparently have too […]
