Tripp York

What “Wood” Jesus Do? (Thanks, Kellie P.)

I have little to add to this one. It speaks volumes without my inane commentary. It is an advertisement for an inclusive church that addresses the needs of gay Christians. Read that first line carefully. Even if “Christ is spirituality” the services appear to be quite physical. [Many thanks for the title to West Coast […]

Lauren Wilford

Buck (Meehl, 2011)

              Not knowing a lot about Buck before I walked into the theater, I sat down assuming I was about to witness the inspirational tale of a “horse whisperer.” The story of Buck Brannaman is one that lends itself to such Hollywood sensationalism, ripe for reimagining as a feel-good […]

Tripp York

Supergods (Mythology de-mythologized? Nope. Probably just crap.)

One should never review a book they have yet to read–as I tell my students, that’s immoral. Of course, my students don’t care and I like to fail them anyway, so no loss. This, however, is not a review; it’s just my inability to get beyond an endorsement of a book I was once interested […]

Peter M. Candler Jr.

The Tree of Life and the Lamb of God

In one of the most astonishing passages in the book of Genesis, in the book’s second creation narrative, the Lord God is depicted as a gardener, out for a leisurely evening stroll in the garden he has just made, clearly pleased with his creation. In fact, there is almost a sense in the text that […]

M. Leary

A New Film Criticism?

Will Osterweil has posted a description of a New Film Criticism over at The New Inquiry. It is full of such doozies as: “For most major film releases, marketing costs a quarter to a third of the production budget; this money goes to establishing a film’s ubiquity and “cultural relevance” while masking its inadequacies, inviting critics […]

Jeffrey Overstreet

Winnie the Pooh (2011)

This is the third review from Filmwell’s guest contributor Lauren Wilford, who blogs at Midas and the Movies. We are pleased to announce that Wilford has agreed to join the Filmwell team as a regular contributor, so you will see more of her reviews in the coming months. • The advertising campaign for Disney’s new Winnie […]

M. Leary

Submarine (Ayoade, 2011)

The first impulse while watching Submarine is to start thinking about Wes Anderson. It soon becomes clear that this analogy doesn’t quite fit, so you move onto Hal Ashby. This fits a little bit better, but leaves too much wiggle room, so you start thinking about Truffaut. When the san-serifed intertitles, freeze-frames, and Anna Karina […]

Caleb Hendrickson

The Food Abides

Among the slogans of the recent food movement is the admonition, “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food.” This slogan makes a surprising assumption: that the eaters being addressed don’t know what their food is. You can imagine this shift in consciousness and may have undergone it yourself—while considering your Hostess cupcake or energy drink, you […]