The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) is a story about a man (Walter Mitty, played by actor-director Ben Stiller) who shows steady faithfulness in often-thankless roles. He’s the “negative assets manager” for Life magazine, which has just been acquired and is going through a merger. He has also provided for his mother and sister …
Why The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Is My Favorite Film Read More »
In the social media-saturated culture we live in today, everything is shared. I think this has put needless pressure on creative people: artists, writers, musicians, etc. We think that the purpose of creation is to share so others can consume what we’ve made. Then we wonder if what we’ve made is worth consuming. Is it …
The Two Questions Every Creative Should Ask Themselves Read More »
Have you ever earnestly longed for a more simple life? Have you longed to cut away the red tape of our 21st century lives? Have you yearned for less drama and more simple, straightforward relationships? The desire for simplicity in life is admirable. But we must be careful not to let our hunger for simplicity …
Even those with a home sometimes find themselves wandering. Tyler and Maggie Heath, more commonly known as the Oh Hellos, know this firsthand. They even wrote and produced an album in 2012 about this very concept. Through the Deep, Dark Valley was the result of the Heath’s pondering and was their first full-length album. The album …
Bind My Wandering Heart: “Through the Deep, Dark Valley” Album Review Read More »
It’s amazing how magical, how fantastical, the world around you looks when seen through the lens of a camera. A reminder: Beauty surrounds us.
In recent years, artists, musicians and filmmakers who follow Jesus have moved away from the phrase “Christian artist”. The reason seems clear enough. The label of “Christian artist” brings with it a perceived shallowness and mediocrity. This is perhaps nowhere more striking than in the medium of film. Christian films are notoriously mediocre and half-baked. …
This is the first installment in a series of pieces analyzing and critiquing individual works of art, whether music, literature, or fine art. The name of the series is “Analysis & Critique”. I love art. I love art because it is an incarnation of our souls’ conflicts, victories and yearnings. To be honest in one’s art …
“I’ve been chasing God.” That’s how John Mark McMillan introduces his latest album Mercury and Lightning. It is, in one sense, a dramatic step away from his previous work, both musically and thematically. Ever since the beginning, John Mark McMillan has been known for his honest, faith-themed lyrics (sloppy wet kiss, anybody?). I’ve long appreciated his …
Grace For the Searcher: Mercury and Lightning Album Review Read More »
I think I don’t think about God as much as I certainly ought. When I do it’s very compartmentalized study and meditation. I think about him during the designated times for theology and worship, namely Sunday mornings and half-hour (at most) “devotional times”. But I’ve come to realize that God demands the entirety of my …
I was first introduced to the music of Sufjan Stevens in 2015 with the release of his album Carrie and Lowell. My first taste of this man’s exceptional talent was his song Fourth of July, written about the death of his mother. In fact, all of Carrie and Lowell is about his relationship with his parents, especially his …
Is Sufjan Stevens a Christian Artist? Or, Kindling the Art of Interpretation Read More »
