Going to Comic Con International is like drinking from a fire hose. There is so much going on and you want to be part of all of it. But like drinking from that fire hose, you eventually end up being…
‘Inside Out’ asserts children are stronger than we think
There is a wonderful line in To Kill a Mockingbird. After Atticus and Jem return from a visit to the Robinson home, where Atticus is called an ugly name, Atticus looks at his son, Jem and says, “There’s a lot…
Tragedy of abuse is manifest in ‘Love & Mercy’
Brian Wilson has a tortured soul. Much of his life had abuse from one source or another. His greatest tormentor was his father, Murry. The backdrop of an abusive father informs Love & Mercy, a powerful biopic on the life…
It’s slow, but ‘ Tomorrowland’ offers antidote to doom and gloom
There was a time when the world believed the future would be better. That view held to the promise of better days within reach. But when that future arrived we found not a promise but what many saw as a…
‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ resonates with desire for hope and redemption
Mad Max: Fury Road is like much summer fare and looks to be a reboot of an old franchise. The first “Mad Max” movie was made in 1979. Many summer movies are just that: an old movie, an old story,…
Does the world need a savior? ‘Avengers: The Age of Ultron’ prompts the question
On the surface, this is nothing more than another comic book movie. But if you pull back that surface you will find something more. There is something deeper. Joss Whedon returns to write and direct this second movie based on…
Exploring the human condition in ‘Ex Machina’
Using the concept of artificial intelligence, Ex Machina speaks to the question of whether a robot can be human. Yet, beyond the robotic character there are questions about humans and how they relate to each other and how those relationships…
Timshel
This month I read “East of Eden” again as it was the selection for the Great Books KC April meeting. June also read it, and then before attending the April 25 discussion we watched (also for the second time) the…
What is truth? ‘Merchants of Doubt’ grapples with the question
When Jesus encounters Pilate, John’s Gospel tells us that Jesus declares he came into the world to testify to the truth. Pilate replies, “What is truth?” Merchants of Doubt poses this question to us. On the surface it may look…
‘90 Minutes in Heaven’ coming to big screen
By Bob Allen The best-selling story of a Southern Baptist minister declared dead in a car wreck who woke up 90 minutes later claiming he had been to heaven is coming to the big screen this fall. 90 Minutes in…
The real abuse at the heart of Fifty Shades of Grey
By this point, all of us have heard of E.L. James’ bestselling erotic novel, Fifty Shades of Grey. The book has sold over 100 million copies around the world, and the movie is set to open at $60 million.