Toy Story 4 REVIEW

Toy Story 4 (2019)

Toy Story 4 does not continue the story of the first three films, but casts about for new things to do in this world with the sprawling cast of characters in Bonnie’s orbit, most of whom once revolved around the now-absent figure of Andy.

 <em>Emanuel</em>: Racial violence and Christian forgiveness ARTICLE

Emanuel: Racial violence and Christian forgiveness

Forgiveness in the face of murderous violence is a radical act that remains as shocking and controversial today as it was when a Second Temple–era Palestinian prophet commanded his disciples to love and to pray for those who persecuted them and ended his mortal life praying for divine forgiveness for his own executioners.

 The secular apocalypse: Irreligion, pop culture, and the end of the world ARTICLE

The secular apocalypse: Irreligion, pop culture, and the end of the world

All art — even pop art, even bad or offensive art — is in some way a mirror to the soul of the culture that created it. Whether we embrace them, condemn them, or are indifferent to them, these secular apocalypses reveal something about who we are as a culture.

 Amazing Grace [video] POST

Amazing Grace [video]

How can you watch a movie when you keep wanting to close your eyes in prayer?

 Dark Phoenix [video] POST

Dark Phoenix [video]

The best X-Men movies, by my lights, are about hope. Dark Phoenix doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be about.

 Godzilla: King of the Monsters REVIEW

Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)

It’s the classic movie monster’s dilemma: You either die a villain or live long enough to see yourself become the hero.

 A Dog&#8217;s Journey [video] POST

A Dog’s Journey [video]

Who is the target audience for Precious Moments from hell, or at least from a bad country song?

 Pok&eacute;mon Detective Pikachu [video] POST

Pokémon Detective Pikachu [video]

When they announced The Lego Movie, this is basically the movie I thought we were going to get.

 Aladdin REVIEW

Aladdin (2019)

It’s the story you know already, almost exactly. They say the lines and sing the songs, the same songs, almost exactly. It’s a good story and they’re good songs. There are no spoilers in this review because how could there be?

 Tolkien REVIEW

Tolkien (2019)

“One of my strongest opinions,” J.R.R. Tolkien wrote in a 1971 letter, “is that investigation of an author’s biography … is an entirely vain and false approach to his works.”