Pastor Toller’s spiritual anguish, I think, is an exaggeration of a malaise that afflicts much of the church and society. It is not a lack of faith (either for Toller or the church at large). We become so overwhelmed by the griefs and pains of life that we feel paralyzed to address the deep needs of the world around us.
When Film Confronts Faith: 1on1 with Paul Schrader (FIRST REFORMED)
Written and directed by the legendary Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, The Last Temptation of Christ), First Reformedtells the story of Reverend Toller (Ethan Hawke), a pastor of a small church in upstate New York. After an encounter with an unstable congregant and his pregnant wife leaves him shaken, Toller finds himself embroiled in an environmental… [Read More]
mother!: A Metaphor for Creation
Directed by Darren Aronofsky, mother! brings us into the heart of the fractured marriage of Mother (Jennifer Lawrence) and Man (Javier Bardem). A poet who suffers from writer’s block, Bardem is distant and cold as he sweats over his pages, praying for inspiration. Meanwhile, as her husband focuses his energy on his work, Lawrence’s Mother… [Read More]
4.02 The Heart of the mother!
When director Darren Aronofsky releases a film, it’s often bound to court controversy. Blending an environmental message and Biblical metaphor, mother! instantly divided audiences between those that loathed its excessiveness and those that loved and respected its ambition. This week, Steve welcomes ScreenFish guppies Ben Dower and Andrew Eaton as they tackle Aronofsky’s complicated vision… [Read More]
Company Town – Irresponsible Capitalism
Crossett, Arkansas bills itself as the “Forestry Capital of the South”. It’s a small community, but it is home to a Georgia-Pacific paper mill…. Company Town is an exposé of not only the company’s practices, but also of the impotence of the government agencies we rely on to prevent such problems.
First Reformed: Is Church Relevant?
“Will God forgive us?” — Toller (Ethan Hawke, First Reformed) First Reformed tells the story of Toller (Ethan Hawke), a former military veteran and pastor of the First Reformed Church. Preparing to celebrate their 250th anniversary, the church has become largely ceremonial, with most parishioners having moved over to the local megachurch, led by charismatic Pastor… [Read More]
The Red Turtle – Mythic, Poetic Story of Humanity
It is rare that a film can seem to be poetry, and that may be even more difficult when the film has no dialogue. Yet The Red Turtle manages to be just that.
Pete’s Dragon – A World of Wonder
Finally, the film is about wonder and faith. When Meacham tells Grace the non-tall tale version of his encounter so many years before, he says he didn’t experience fear, but rather awe at the magic in the world. He says, “It changed the way I see the world.”
