Cultivating the Christian Imagination

Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part One (2023), not only met our high expectations but offered something that action films rarely do: thoughtful and affirming engagement with the Christian faith.  

The imagination is a tremendous faculty and Black Mirror emphasizes that, warning us about its capacity for evil (i.e., Robert Daly). Sure, Black Mirror highlights VR technology, but it’s a metaphor for the advanced technology image bearers have: the imagination. Human beings are sub-creators, as Tolkien said. 

Clint Eastwood’s latest film is a hidden gem. Hidden because it went straight to streaming with a limit release. A gem because, well, it is a really good film.

Today, I want to offer another reason why I review movies. I'll start with a story . . .

Four ways art dialogues with the Christian Faith.

Mildred Pierce (1945) captured my attention from the opening scene.

A film that illuminates money’s power over the human heart is Sam Raimi’s A Simple Plan (1998) based on the novel by the same title. This little known movie stars Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton, and Bridget Fonda. It is a hidden gem, for sure, especially if you enjoyed movies like Fargo or No Country Old Men.

BlackBerry (2023) probably flew under your radar. Here's a review of the Canadian film worth seeing!

Dane Bundy reviews the 2024 film Conclave.

Civil War (2024) thrusts viewers into a divided America, asking: can we find purpose in chaos? A haunting, thought-provoking dystopia.