POST PUBLISHED INSeptember, 2009
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  • Cinema in Focus - THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM - 3 Stars

    September 30th, 200912:59 AM ET
    By Denny Wayman
    Denny Wayman and Hal Conklin Using the same quasi-documentary style as Al Gore in "An Inconvenient Truth," Frederic A. Larson presents his research on the star that led the magi to the presence of Jesus long ago. Filmed before a live audience, using biblical text and scientific projections, Larson presents a compelling case for the birth of ...

  • Cinema in Focus - PANDORUM - 3 Stars

    September 29th, 200911:30 PM ET
    By Denny Wayman
    Denny Wayman and Hal Conklin In apocalyptic fiction the end of the world often includes a remnant hope. Perhaps such a hope is included because we cannot imagine the total annihilation of humanity, regardless of the fact that in most such fiction it is our own behaviors that cause our destruction. Although this remnant hope comes in various ...

  • Cinema in Focus - LOVE HAPPENS - 3 Stars

    September 23rd, 200911:53 AM ET
    By Denny Wayman
    Denny Wayman and Hal Conklin Denial is a helpful defense against the overwhelming pain of unexpected tragedy and loss. But when the denial continues for too long, it ceases being beneficial and instead becomes an obstacle to healing. This reality is the theme of Brandon Camp's film "Love Happens." Directed by Camp and co-written with Mike...

  • Telling Half the Story in THE INFORMANT!

    September 20th, 200912:19 AM ET
    By Marc Newman
    Hollywood likes to traffic in the seedy. Redemption stories only seem to appear when "redemption" means pulling oneself up by one's bootstraps. Studios have had a couple of great chances to talk about real redemption through biographies lately, but they are unwilling to rise to the occasion. In Walk the Line, the filmmakers focus on Johnny Cash as ...

  • Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs – A Quick Take from MovieMinistry

    September 18th, 200905:26 AM ET
    By Marc Newman
    Don't let the spectacular 3-D imagery in Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs fool you. Over the past few months I have become leery of movies in 3-D because touting that technology was always a tip-off that the story was going to take a back seat. Not here. Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, adapting the children's story by Judi and Ron Barrett,...

  • Cinema in Focus - MY ONE AND ONLY - 2 Stars

    September 16th, 200901:51 PM ET
    By Denny Wayman
    Denny Wayman and Hal Conklin The unusual childhood of actor George Hamilton is the basis for Richard Loncraine's film "My One and Only." As executive producer of the film, Hamilton is said to have been emotionally moved upon seeing the film as he remembered his close, yet conflicted relationship with his beautiful mother Ann Stevens and his ...

  • Cinema in Focus - EXTRACT - 1 Star

    September 09th, 200907:41 PM ET
    By Denny Wayman
    Denny Wayman and Hal Conklin The title of the film "Extract" is appropriate on all levels. Written and directed by Mike Judge, he has extracted from this story virtually all morality, wisdom, spiritual values, character development and empathy. The end product is a "comedy" that is far more disturbing than humorous and an experience that is ...
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About this blog
Reviews, discussions, articles, and opinions on films and faith.
Contributors
  • Cinema In Focus is a social and spiritual movie commentary. Hal Conklin is former mayor of Santa Barbara and Denny Wayman leads the Santa Barbara Free Methodist Church.
  • Dr. Marc T. Newman, president of MovieMinistry.com, helps Christians use film to reach others with the Gospel. He also teaches in the School of Communication and the Arts at Regent University.