Paterson

by Peter J. Leithart

A cinematic poem in seven stanzas, Paterson proves a man in himself is a city. Continue Reading »

14 Jul 2017

Wendell Berry Redux

by John Murdock

Wendell Berry's work reminds us to approach rural life as something more than a prison to be escaped. Continue Reading »

13 Jun 2017

What Should Boys Watch?

by Mark Bauerlein

The old virtues of manhood are missing from youth culture. Here is a list of films and TV shows for 10-to-13-year-old boys to rediscover them. Continue Reading »

9 Jun 2017

Disincarnate Christ

by Gabriel Torretta

Silence by shūsaku endōforeword by martin scorsesepicador, 256 pages, $16 Silencea film directed by martin scorseseparamount, 161 minutes, $19.99 Vincent Shiozuka’s life was a failure. Raised Christian in Japan, he fled to Manila in 1614 to avoid the growing Christian persecution in his native . . . . Continue Reading »

1 May 2017

Paterson: A Film to Remember

by William Doino Jr.

In Paterson, there are no explosions, betrayals, tragedies, or graphic depictions of violence or sex—just enchanting scenes that celebrate the beauties of everyday life. Continue Reading »

24 Apr 2017

Mullahs at the Movies

by Sohrab Ahmari

Iranian Cinema Uncensored: Contemporary Film-makers Since the Iranian Revolution by shiva rahbaran i. b. tauris, 336 pages, $35 In July 1988, the Ayatollah Khomeini accepted the cease-fire that brought the Iran-Iraq War to a close. He likened it to downing a “poisoned chalice.” Iranian and Iraqi . . . . Continue Reading »

1 Apr 2017

Faith and Fatherhood on Film

by The Editors

The First Things Podcast, Episode 25. Featuring: Reviews of current theatrical releases The Shack and Logan. Continue Reading »

16 Mar 2017

God as Therapy in The Shack

by Connor Grubaugh

There is neither sin nor suffering in The Shack—only the psychotherapeutic notion of “pain,” which encapsulates them both. Continue Reading »

16 Mar 2017

Silence for Silence

by John Murdock

In the end, Silence was too Christian for Hollywood and too Hollywood for Christians. Continue Reading »

24 Feb 2017

Rogue One and the Return of Reverence

by Marc Barnes

The Star Wars prequels irreverently secularized the Force, making it a controllable entity, measurable and understandable, infinitely use-able. In Rogue One, the Force becomes spiritual once again. Continue Reading »

3 Jan 2017