More Than One Lesson

In this episode, Tyler is joined by Jeff Newburg to discuss David Robert Mitchell’s It Follows and Gore Verbinski’s The Ring.

EPISODE BREAKDOWN
00:00:40- Intro, Halloweentimes
00:03:15- Horror movies, Jeff Newburg
00:24:20- It Follows
01:22:21- The Ring
01:45:25- Episode wrap-up

In this episode, Tyler and Robert discuss Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash and James Bridges’ The Paper Chase.

EPISODE BREAKDOWN
00:00:44- Intro, Alpha Omega Con
00:06:49- Online Film Critics Society, Jimmy Pardo
00:18:45- Whiplash
01:24:30- The Paper Chase
02:06:45- Episode wrap-up

In this minisode, Tyler and Josh discuss the Best Picture of 1976, John G. Avildsen’s Rocky.

If you haven’t seen this video yet, it was only a matter of time before you did. BuzzFeed’s recent video features self-identified Christians talking about themselves. They talk about what they are, but more importantly (so the video makers think) about what they are not. The socio-political aim of the video is obvious from the things they abjure: homophobia, ignorance, conservatism, etc. While many Christian opponents to gay marriage are offended at the implicit suggestion that they are the “really terrible people” in Christianity, others saw the video as a refreshing, positive spin on Christianity. To the question of why BuzzFeed would create this video, the answer is probably that it’s an attempt to re-engineer their social image after Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith claimed there were “not two sides” to the gay marriage debate. The deeper questions begin to blossom when we examine the culture’s perspective on Christianity, the Christian response to cultural morality, and the church’s desire for relevance and acceptance.

Whether intentionally or not, BuzzFeed’s video starts with an implied description of how the United States culture at large sees Christians. If the culture didn’t see Christians as “closed-minded, ignorant, judgmental ” for example, there would be no reason for these Christians to specify that they are not. And why are Christians seen this way? Perhaps there’s a hint in the video itself, as these same individuals assure us they are not “homophobic” or “conservative.” It’s not a big leap to say that culturally, all of these things are seen to go hand-in-hand.

[…]

In this minisode, Tyler and Josh discuss Woody Allen’s Annie Hall, Best Picture of 1977.

Let’s get right down to business. The movie is called Queen Crab. Its plot involves the daughter of a scientist studying growth chemicals in plant life feeding her father’s experiments to her pet crab, causing it to become gigantic. How could anything possibly go wrong?

[…]

In this episode, Tyler and Josh discuss Alex Kendrick’s War Room and Ang Lee’s The Ice Storm.

EPISODE BREAKDOWN
00:00:44- Episode intro, Alpha Omega Con, Lavalantula
00:09:45- Christian film fatigue, War Room
01:25:10- The Ice Storm
01:33:30- Marriage and prayer
01:57:30- Episode wrap-up, Wes Craven tribute

I was up late one night while we were visiting family out of town. I was alone, flipping through channels to find a movie to watch, when I stumbled across a sequence of images of a person sharpening knives and hammering metal brackets. A haunting lullaby ominously underscored the project and once the contraption was complete, a hand spread its fingers and revealed a terrifying knife-fingered glove. The title card read A Nightmare on Elm Street. I was eight years old.

[…]

In this episode, Tyler is joined by voice actor Wally Wingert to discuss his faith and career.

In this minisode, Tyler and Josh discuss Michael Cimino’s The Deer Hunter, the Best Picture of 1978.