The midrashiest midrash that ever was midrashed. . . . . [a spoiler-free “Noah” review] | Denny Burk

Shall I tread where angels fear to tread and give an evaluation of Darren Aronofsky’s Noah movie? Well, I guess it depends on what you mean by angels. In the movie Noah, the frilly feminine harp-stroking caricatures have given way to a cross between Ben Grimm, Peter Jackson’s Ents, and Gumby. I guess we can chalk that one up to the mystery of the Nephilim. But I digress. What about the movie? Is it any good? Should Christians go and see it? Should anyone go and see it?



Before offering my opinion, I should warn you that I think Jackie Gleason’s role in Smokey and the Bandit may be the finest performance in the history of cinema. I don’t think that tells you much about Smokey and the Bandit, but it does tell you something about me and my aesthetic sensibilities. So I can’t blame you if you take these reflections with a healthy grain of salt. Caveat lector!

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The midrashiest midrash that ever was midrashed. . . . . [a spoiler-free “Noah” review] | Denny Burk

Why People of Faith Can Embrace the 'Noah' Movie

There has been no shortage of headlines in recent weeks about Paramount Pictures' upcoming feature film Noah – with a fair amount of the coverage speculating about how closely or loosely the movie adheres to the story of the title character as found in the Bible.

Unfortunately, those who have felt compelled to criticize the film in these stories haven't actually seen it – so it's difficult to understand what exactly they're criticizing. I have seen Noah – in fact, I've been working on it for the last two years as the filmmakers' biblical adviser.  MORE:

Why People of Faith Can Embrace the 'Noah' Movie

Baptist Press -FIRST-PERSON: Kirk Cameron's 'Unstoppable' faith - News with a Christian Perspective

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (BP) -- I'm not sure I could take the slings and arrows Kirk Cameron has had to dodge or endure.

Cameron is famous and talented but add devotion to your Christian walk and there’s a huge target on your back. The star of the sitcom "Growing Pains," the "Left Behind" apocalyptic series, the breakthrough faith-based drama "Fireproof" and the insightful documentary "Monumental" is paying a price for his gifts and resolve.
MORE: Baptist Press -FIRST-PERSON: Kirk Cameron's 'Unstoppable' faith - News with a Christian Perspective

Courageous: A Movie, A Movement

(Thom Rainer)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- I had the opportunity to view the movie "Courageous" a few times before it opened in theaters across the country. I was not alone in sensing that this movie was special, that it might very well become the beginning of a movement to restore and bring health to millions of families.
The movie premiered last weekend. I waited with anticipation to hear early results and feedback. My expectations were greatly exceeded.  MORE

God, Freedom and the Adjustment Bureau (Russell Moore)

"If you view the trailer for new film “The Adjustment Bureau,” you might wonder if you’ve seen this movie before. You have, kind of. The thriller follows the same narrative pathways as such previous films as “The Matrix,” “The Truman Show,” and “Inception.” Of course, Hollywood never makes the same movie only once, if that movie makes money, so this is hardly surprising. The question is why do movies about escaping from an illusory universe, of recapturing the humanity of free will, seem to resonate with filmmakers and moviegoers?..."

Opinion on Toy Story 3 (Ben Witherington). "It is always difficult to top a classic film like Toy Story, but when you have some of the most talented writers and illustrators at Pixar and some of the most familiar voices (i.e. Tom Hanks, Joan Cusack etc.) in the business, lots of things are possible. I am on record as saying I would watch a movie about ice melting if Pixar made it, and of course..."

50 Movies that have a Christian Worldview (Touchstone). "Over at the blogsite Aggie Catholics, they've run a list of the top fifty Catholic movies, by which they do not necessarily mean movies that are explicitly about Catholics, but rather movies that somehow reflect a Catholic view of the world and man's place in it. Most of the movies listed are rather recent for my taste -- "recent" being anything later than The Godfather. I was struck by the absence of a single movie directed by John Ford, for my money the greatest English-language director ever, and a man whose imagination was profoundly Christian and Catholic (and, I might add, anti-modernist), and only one movie by Frank Capra, the one to be expected -- It's a Wonderful Life."

'Blind Side'

‘Blind Side’ movie one of the best of the year (Baptist Press). "...Actress Sandra Bullock, director John Lee Hancock and a family from Memphis have done just that in the film "The Blind Side," which opens in theaters this weekend, and tells the true story of a homeless black youth (Michael Oher) who is taken in by a white family. He goes on to play college and pro football."