From the time the Harry Potter books first crossed the pond from England there has been both praise and disparagement of the books. Most of the criticism came from Christian voices raising concerns about the glorification of magic and the dangers of the occult. Now that the final book has been around for some time and before we see the arrival of the final two movies (the last book is being split into two films because of the density of content as well as Hollywood squeezing every last dime it can from the franchise) we can take a step back and think a little more critically about these ...

Craig Detweiler walks us through the 10 films nominated for Best Picture from 2009 and explores how they are built upon the foundations of drama—characters, stakes, and story arcs — and how you may catch a glimpse of Eden. CHARACTERS: The most memorable films revolve around fascinating characters. The Hurt Locker rises above all other movies about Iraq because of its focus on the soldiers. It takes us inside the experience of an Army bomb squad, especially Staff Sergeant William James. We walk a nail-biting mile in his shoes. How haunting to be drawn into the volatile battlefield of ...

~ by Margot Starbuck ~ About twelve minutes after enthusiastically posting “GOOD HAIR ROCKS!” on my Facebook page, I came to my senses and quickly deleted. I’d just enjoyed Chris Rock’s HBO documentary about the African-American hair product industry, Good Hair, and wanted to get the word out. As the comments started coming in, though, I realized that it wasn’t entirely clear, in cyberspace, whether I was announcing that Rock’s film rocked—which was my clever intention—or I that was touting the fact that smooth shiny bouncy hair sprung effortlessly out of my own ...

Lars and the Real Girl 2007 • Rated PG-13 Directed by Craig Gillespie Review by Craig Detweiler Take a lonely, conflicted young man in a frozen Midwest setting. Add an anatomically correct, blow-up doll named Bianca. Put them both in a chaste church setting. And somehow, the creators of Lars and The Real Girl produce one of the sweetest, most transcendent films of 2007. Lars and the Real Girl is a sheer delight. Like the gentle character Lars Lindstrom, it is ...

Precious 2009 • Rated R Directed by Lee Daniels Review by Craig Detweiler Precious is the most basic, extraordinary and humane film of 2009. After a summer of silliness, Precious arrives as a bracing alternative, powered by jolting performances from Mo’Nique and newcomer Gabourey Sidibe. It takes viewers inside the tragic life of a teen mother. It puts a face on poverty, abuse, and perseverance. Precious offers hard-earned hope amidst overwhelming odds. I had the privilege of seeing Precious on the night it won the Grand Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Director Lee ...

Ron Reed is a new contributor to viaRenovo. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge on film (far exceeding my own) and the worldview of an artist who seeks to live out his faith in all that he does. This is his first post here. Thanks for joining us Ron! ~ Travis Another edition of the Arts & Faith list of 100 spiritually significant films is gearing up and we'll announce the new hundred right around the time of the Academy Awards. Much fun! I put the ...