Edward McNulty's love of film and his belief that churches can harness cinema's contribution to contemporary culture come across very strongly in this book. His introduction gives some of the arguments that Christians use against modern films and he explains why he disagrees with these views and considers the importance medium for the church. He discusses different types of films and the ways in which the Christian message can be seen in them. He then provides a study guide for 27 films, many of which are popular (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, American Beauty, Shawshank Redemption, Dogma) and many of which were unknown to me. The study guides are 3-5 pages long and give points for discussion. Although a helpful book I wondered if the guides were detailed enough and the choice of films wouldn't work for every church group, however the introduction was a good read although some may not find his arguments for the validity of some 18-rated films entirely convincing. - Helen Hancox, Amazon.com Reviewer

Inviting Christians to "have a conversation with a movie's story, not an inquisition," Barsotti and Johnston add to the growing number of film study guides on the market for pastors, youth leaders and religious educators. By even mentioning an inquisition, Barsotti, a film reviewer for The Covenant Companion magazine, and her husband Johnston, a professor of theology and culture at Fuller Seminary, make it clear that their primary audience is evangelical Christians who see film as a guilty pleasure. For the guilt-free, some parts of the book will feel like unnecessary apologetics, and the language sometimes lapses into evangelical jargon. The heart of the book is its evocative, open-ended questions for each film—a study in how to approach visual texts in a postmodern world. Instead of telling readers what they should think of the popular films, the authors simply share their delight in each film, and then invite us to enter the stories with new eyes. Each film gets a synopsis and theological reflection, a few "dialogue texts" from scripture, discussion questions and suggested clips for viewing and analyzing. Anyone wanting to discuss Christian theology or spirituality found in film will enjoy exploring these 33 well-tested movies and will appreciate the well-articulated model for engaging spiritually with popular culture found in this study guide.  Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An award-winning Christian Hollywood scriptwriter offers this rather uneven book on how to watch movies discerningly as a faithful Christian. Godawa's purpose is not to help readers decide which films are worth seeing (for that he refers them to Christian Web sites), but rather how to "read" a film for its messages as opposed to absorbing it only as entertainment. One of his main arguments is that Christians should engage the world of popular culture in order to reform it. Unfortunately, it is not always clear who he expects his audience to be. Sometimes he writes very simplistically; he ends his definition of "worldview" with the phrase "it is our view of the world" and details elements of stories and myths that many high school graduates would be familiar with. But other sections use very academic prose about complex philosophies like existentialism and postmodernism. He reveals a clearly defined, even narrow, view of Christianity by asserting the "correct" way one should live or interpret the Bible. "Rare is the movie that paints an accurate portrait of heaven and hell," he tells us. (Just what, exactly, would an "accurate" portrayal look like?) The fact that each chapter ends with assignments and discussion questions gives it a strong pedantic twist. Despite these flaws, in the hands of the right audience conservative Christians willing to approach it as a textbook and who don't mind having a few movie plots betrayed this guide will encourage more thoughtful film consumption without killing the fun of moviegoing.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Are movies just mind candy or can they be vehicles for theological inquiry? Jesuit film critic and writer Leonard clearly believes the latter. He examines 50 films and extracts their theological themes with a direct and engaging prose style. Some of the film selections might surprise readers—Leonard is not afraid to tackle gloomy and often graphically violent films, such as The Exorcist, Unforgiven and The Godfather. He is quick to point out that, while some movies contain lurid content, this should not detract from their critical messages about God, human nature and relationships. Leonard also includes more lighthearted fare, such as Groundhog Day and Chocolat, thus illustrating that no film genre is completely devoid of theological possibilities. The central point for readers who are followers of Jesus is found in the essay on Billy Elliot: "Christianity, rooted in the Incarnation, must be embodied." Leonard's insights about films being opportunities for theological reflection are refreshing, and his questions at the end of each essay are excellent resources for teachers, retreat directors and religious educators who desire to use film in their ministry. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Increasingly, thinking Christians are examining the influential role that movies play in our cultural dialogue. Reel Spirituality successfully heightens readers' sensitivity to the theological truths and statements about the human condition expressed through modern cinema. This second edition cites 200 new movies and encourages readers to ponder movie themes that permeate our culture as well as motion pictures that have demonstrated power to shape our perceptions of everything from relationships and careers to good and evil. Reel Spirituality is the perfect catalyst for dialogue and discipleship among moviegoers, church-based study groups, and religious film and arts groups. The second edition cites an additional 200 movies and includes new film photos.