The less you know about Predators going in, the better. That’s assuming interest—and you know who you are. Fans of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1987 sci-fi/action hit have been hoping for a worthwhile sequel since, well, that disappointing 1990 sequel with Danny Glover. And the two disappointing Alien vs. Predator films don’t really count, failing to do justice to either franchise.

Now, almost 25 years after the original, comes Predators. Surprisingly enough, it’s not terrible; it should generally please fans. That’s not to say it’s perfect, or that it’ll appeal to many outside of that fan base. It is still a sequel, after all.

Predators begins with a mixed group of warriors who are literally dropped from the sky into a jungle. It’s a veritable who’s who of multi-cultural killers… Continue reading

With ‘Toy Story 3′ now in theaters, it’s a good time to reflect on two of the greatest virtues found in Pixar’s films.

Abridged from The Wisdom of Pixar, new from InterVarsity Press.

Pixar movies and their themes resonate with us not just because of the attention-grabbing animation, but also because of their stories and characters. Whether it’s toys or cars brought to life, or monsters or even rats, these characters contain a quality of reality to which we can relate. Moreover, in our often dark world, Pixar films offer hope, imagination, beauty, and a degree of purity and innocence that is countercultural in our age.

Bruce Marchiano, who played the Son of God in 1993’s Matthew, now wants to make a film based on the Gospel of John. But he needs a few dollars—45 million, in fact.

In 1993, Bruce Marchiano starred as Jesus in The Visual Bible: Matthew, bringing lightness and humor to a role that many viewers embraced, saying they’d never seen the Lord portrayed in so human a manner in film.

Matthew was supposed to be the first of many films covering all 66 books of the Bible, each using dialogue taken verbatim from Scripture. Acts came a year later, also with Marchiano playing Jesus (and James Brolin as Simon Peter).

Then. Things. Stalled.

Marchiano says that one of the original investors—a group of eight South Africans who put… Continue reading

Documentary explores the question, “What is a megachurch?”

It shouldn’t surprise that the documentary The Alpha and the Mega (Clothespin Films) is more introductory than groundbreaking.

The film, available on DVD, explores the question, “What is a megachurch?” Director Morgan Mead, a small-town Indiana boy, attended his first megachurch a few years ago, and was so intrigued that he went looking for more, camera in tow.

When someone invokes the label megachurch, it’s usually not meant as a compliment. Alpha strikes a balanced tone, though, in part because its lead source—Hartford Institute sociology of religion professor Scott Thumma—is relatively sympathetic. As Mead visits churches both mega and mini, he… Continue reading

Documentary ‘Sold’ shows rescuers from three faiths—Hindu, Muslim, and Christian—fighting slavery and bringing hope to children around the world.

There are no limits to the cruelties that humans inflict on one another, and slavery—particularly the trafficking of children—may be at the apex of depravity. An estimated 27 million are enslaved worldwide. Jody Hassett Sanchez’s documentary Sold (Pointy Shoe Productions) profiles three rescuers—a Hindu, a Christian, and a Muslim—who are trying to make a dent in that number.

“When we do prostitution, we see only hell,” says Manisha, a sex slave rescued by Sunitha Krishnan, a former Hindu nun. Trapped indoors for two years, Manisha is one of many women and girls rescued from brothels in India by Krishnan, who helps the girls find fulfilling work and dignity. Though she’s… Continue reading