~ Craig Detweiler ~Is it just me or has American Idol lost its mojo? Maybe the altering of the judges booth tipped a rather fragile balance. For all her loopiness, perhaps Paula Abdul was the perfect foil for Simon Cowell’s scowl. Despite her alleged expertise, Karla Diogardi has never struck my fancy. (And isn’t a bit too early in the celebrity cycle to already sell herself out by posing naked for Allure?) While Ellen DeGeneres is a delightful person, as a judge, ...

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 Craig Detweiler ~ How strange to see the battle over a comedy show devolve into tragedy. Yet the Leno versus Conan debate reflects an underexplored generation gap. One more baby boomer refusing to retire, blocking the path to a patient (but ultimately frustrated) Gen Xer. NBC’s late night talk show drama has echoes of royal succession plans (with all the accompanying skullduggery). Only five hosts have occupied The Tonight Show throne. When Johnny Carson was tapped to replace Jack Paar, he was under contract with ABC. It took a couple of months to make room for Carson, who ...

The Book of Eli Alcon Entertainment 2010 • Rated R Directed by Albert & Allen Hughes ~ by Craig Detweiler A man with no name wanders across a barren desert. He forages for food and supplies. He doesn’t pick fights, but he certainly settles them. We’ve seen these vistas before, but not with as much punch or panache. The Book of Eli is stylish and smart, a post-apocalyptic western perfectly suited for our era of economic reassessment. It offers a heroic version ...

Craig Detweiler is a filmmaker of faith; he is a producer, screenwriter, author, lecturer, and Assistant Professor of Communications at Pepperdine University. He recently had the opportunity to preview 30 minutes of James Cameron's highly anticipated film Avatar: Last night, I saw thirty minutes of the most anticipated movie in years. It is reportedly the most expensive feature film ever. James Cameron has wanted to make it for a decade, but had to wait for the technology to catch up to his vision. I thought it had so much potential to revolutionize entertainment that I entitled my ...