M. Leary

New Book Featuring a Few Filmwell Writers

A quick glance at the cover for this new volume on theology and film indicates that two Filmwell writers are involved. I read the proof during one of the editing phases and really enjoyed it. In hindsight, my essay is not so much about discovering theology in film as it is about exploring a way […]

M. Leary

Five Rules for Theology and Film Courses

I recently saw an advertisement for an intensive film and theology course at a local seminary, and it jogged loose a few thoughts about how these courses are typically conducted. It is not my intention to lampoon this upcoming event, as I am happy to see any hint of good cinema becoming part of the […]

M. Leary

Tree of Life as Biblical Theology

The Tree of Life is not my favorite Malick film. It is a great experience, and it is saturated with great thoughts about fatherhood, sonship, and the cosmic significance of what happens to us as children. But it lacks the continental vigor that gave birth to Days of Heaven and decades later, The New World, which […]

M. Leary

Brand Managing the Church: The New Christian Film Industry

(Ed. Note: Originally published at Film-Think.)   “Christian filmmaking is coming of age. Christian filmmaking is coming of age!” (Doug Phillips, SAICFF organizer) “…not all things are profitable.” (1 Cor. 6:12) So I was sitting there in my car early on Saturday morning listening to NPR and all these Christians start talking. It was disorienting to […]

M. Leary

What is Redemptive Cinema?

(Ed. Note: Originally published at Film-Think.)   Parallel to a different Top Ten of 2008 films, Christianity Today has posted a 10 Most Redeeming Films of 2008 list. Intrigued by the idea that I could also create two lists this year, I have gone ahead and written one as well: my 10 Most Redeeming Films of […]

M. Leary

Ten Alternating Theses on Art

(Ed. Note: Originally published at Film-Think.) Posted on December 16th, 2008 A few days ago Ben Meyers posted 10 Theological Theses On Art, which were then creatively responded to at This Blog, which posted 10 Alternative Theses on Art. I would like to respond to both, as I find it difficult to fully identify with each […]

M. Leary

Son of Rambow (Jennings, 2008)

    “Let those who like society better have it.” (J.N. Darby, a Brethren founder) “There are no friendly civilians!” (Rambo) Son of Rambow is a film I have personal connections to in three ways. I was raised in a far less conservative branch of the religious community its main character belongs to (the Plymouth […]

M. Leary

Mary (Ferrara, 2005)

(Ed. Note: Originally published at Film-Think.) I am baffled that Mary was not distributed in conjunction to either The Passion of the Christ or The Da Vinci Code hysteria after it played to acclaim at the Venice 2005 festival, even taking the SIGNIS award there. It would have been a helpful point of reference for either […]

M. Leary

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Spielberg, 1977)

(Ed. Note: Originally published at Film-Think) The thrill of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and what ultimately makes it a seminal film of modern American spirituality, is the way it drills down through religious experience and finds a character both mythic and contemporary. He is mythic in the sense that his experience is common – […]