tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125825392011-07-28T04:57:45.075-07:00Faith and Film in DialogueChris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.comBlogger311100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-91070313991152477012011-04-20T19:49:00.000-07:002011-04-20T19:49:51.992-07:00

April  29 - Hoodwinked Too! (Even funnier than the Shrek franchise) May 6 - Thor (Kenneth Branagh directs a super-hero movie - awesome!) May 13 - Priest (Finally, someone is killing vampires instead of falling in love with them) June 3 - X-Men First Class (Mutant Rights - 1963 style) June 10 - Super 8 (Buzzworthy) June 17 - Green Lantern (One of my favorite heroes as a child - don't mess it up!)

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-44168391653048809202010-02-07T04:47:00.000-08:002010-02-07T04:48:12.965-08:00

For now I will just say, go see it. We can talk about it later, okay?

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-73849307150329036822008-07-11T20:29:00.000-07:002008-12-10T05:26:47.137-08:00

This is truly a comic book on the screen. Hellboy 2 is imaginative and fanciful and it makes no apologies for being so bizarre and fantastic. I appreciate that.I have always despised the comic-book adaptations that strive to make characters more realistic because the viewing audience will have a hard time accepting the ludicrous nature of the material. Too often directors and producers back away

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-15666459839237115682008-06-30T20:28:00.000-07:002008-12-10T05:26:47.321-08:00

Why is Angelina Jolie so big on this poster? The movie isn't really about her. Her character isn't even that interesting. Ah, but she's the big star and there is a scene of her tattooed backside in the movie.James McAvoy's character, Wesley Gibson, is the main character. His character is interesting and I was impressed with his performance.Wesley is the meek who finds out that he is inheritor of

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-35628947072621991372008-05-22T20:25:00.000-07:002008-12-10T05:26:47.767-08:00

One of my fondest movie-going memories was the time I went to see Star Trek II in the theatre (not the drive-in as my family often did) with my father and my grandfather. I recall my grandfather joking afterward that the next movie will have to be called "The Quest for Geritol." He was of course commenting on the advancing age of the actors from the 1960's TV series.I kept replaying my

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-84993216138191975602008-05-02T22:00:00.000-07:002008-12-10T05:26:48.760-08:00

The Tin Man needed a heart. So does the Iron Man. He finds it not from a wizard, but in moral responsibility and repentance.Anyone remember the theme song from the 1966 Marvel Super-Heroes animated series?: “Tony Stark makes you feel,he’s a cool exec with a heart of steel.” Bonus points to Favreau and company for inserting the tune into the movie (even as a ring tone for one character’s phone).

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-88676906693536037712007-12-24T08:30:00.000-08:002008-12-10T05:26:49.590-08:00

There is no shortage of Christmas films. From "It's a Wonderful Life" to "Elf" there is a Christmas film that ought to suit everyone. But what if one is looking for an Advent film? I think I have found one in I Am Legend.On the traditional church calendar, Advent is the season that leads up to Christmas. As the name suggests, Advent anticipates the arrival of Christ. It looks back to the birth of

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-90241144984571456652007-08-21T23:08:00.000-07:002008-12-10T05:26:49.763-08:00

More than one reviewer has portrayed Stardust as this generation's Princess Bride. It's an unfair comparison that is more likely the result of lazy reviewers paying more attention to promotional materials than the film. From what I know, the only connection between Stardust and the Princess Bride is that they could both fit into the genre of fairy tale. Beyond that, Stardust has no more

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-90282704763389971802007-08-05T14:49:00.000-07:002008-12-10T05:26:49.942-08:00

Government must have a conscience. When government loses its soul people become materials to be used. They can be "liquidated." People can be trained to kill without guilt thus becoming "assets." It is a tidy, antiseptic, orderly world. But if anyone develops a conscience, then it all falls apart. These themes play out very well in the final installment of the Bourne trilogy. Jason Bourne's quest

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-9857020851912969412007-07-05T23:30:00.000-07:002008-12-10T05:26:50.444-08:00

Transformers! Robots in disguise! Transformers! More than meets the eye! I am not surprised that the filmmakers chose not to use the goofy little theme song from the cartoon. They did use one of its lines more than once; that is, “more than meets the eye.” Indeed, Transformers is a movie that truly is more than meets the eye.I was looking forward to the movie for the simplest of reasons: giant

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-46503269494634678752007-06-18T20:18:00.000-07:002008-12-10T05:26:50.835-08:00

I dig the Silver Surfer. Always have. Always will. He is an outsider. He is a stranger in a strange land. He is a philosopher and prophet. And how many super-heroes ride a surf board through space? That’s just ultra-cool.I was concerned then when my all-time favorite comic-book hero was slated to appear in the next Fantastic Four movie. The first movie was lacking and Doctor Doom, one of the

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-53671347823439266232007-06-03T18:34:00.000-07:002008-12-10T05:26:51.988-08:00

Spider-Man 3 is a tangled web of revenge: Harry Osburn blames Peter Parker for the death of his father. Eddie Brock hates Peter Parker for causing him to lose his job. Flint Marko is to blame for the death of Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben . . . and when Peter finds out surely he too will want revenge.The complicated and broken relationships of the characters attract the attention of the black, oozing

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-70443133856983056562007-05-27T23:20:00.000-07:002008-12-10T05:26:52.309-08:00

I admit that I did not watch the first Pirates movie very closely. I cannot recall any of the second film. So, one-quarter of the way through the latest Pirates film, particularly in the scenes with Johnny Depp and the ship in the desert, I turned to my wife and friends and asked, “What am I missing? I don’t get this.” Sadly, they couldn’t help me and it wasn’t their fault.Pirates of the

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-29217244434050079292007-02-21T11:37:00.000-08:002008-12-10T05:26:52.899-08:00

This is just a movie about a dude with a burning skull dressed in black leather and riding a wicked chopper with the wheels on fire, right? Not quite. Underlying the comic-book veneer is a message about second chances, redemption, and grace.The spiritual elements of this film are overt. Young Johnny Blaze is tricked into a pact with the devil to save his father's life. Deals with the devil always

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-1150556912630834182006-06-18T07:52:00.000-07:002006-06-17T08:25:38.816-07:00

"I am speed!" So goes Lightning McQueen's pre-race mantra. Lightning is on the fast lane to success and he doesn't have time to slow down for anybody.However, Lightning doesn't have much of a choice when he lands in the sleepy burg of Radiator Springs. He is forced to repair the road he demolished and during his labor he learns to slow down long enough to make friends with the other cars.I noted

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-1150553506582738532006-06-17T06:34:00.000-07:002006-06-17T07:44:07.366-07:00

Sometimes inspiration comes from the strangest of places. Just a few weeks ago I made the decision to join meet my family at the movies. It was a decision, not a whim, because I was in the thick of a seriously overactive schedule and I had to decide that spending 90 minutes of my time at a "kids movie" like Over The Hedge was not unimportant. The 90 minutes would have been important simply

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-1149095800724232592006-05-31T08:57:00.000-07:002006-05-31T10:22:08.906-07:00

It makes me somewhat unpopular to admit that I thought that Dan Brown's novel was weak and poorly written. My problem with the novel is not with the religious controversy, but with the fact that the characters are flat, unsympathetic, and the dialogue is stiff. If you enjoyed the book I am happy for you, but I just felt differently.When I heard that Ron Howard and Tom Hanks were involved in the

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-1148743053461427322006-05-27T08:11:00.000-07:002006-05-27T08:17:33.883-07:00

No, I still haven't seen DaVinci Code and it is already so five minutes ago. In the meantime, just so you'll know that the Lantern's Light has not gone out, I invite you to read this very interesting article from Thom Parham in Godspy. This article recognizes what the Magic Lantern Show is searching for in contemporary films.This also gives me a chance to say that the same sort of religious

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-1148059639566605492006-05-19T10:21:00.000-07:002006-05-19T10:27:19.583-07:00

The movie is released! The most-anticipated blockbuster of the summer is here. Will it be all it is hyped to be or must we wait until June and hope that Superman can save the summer? (The X-Men will be busy with their own problems next weekend).I probably won't see the film until next week. But if you saw it, leave a comment and let me know what you thought. Don't worry - you can't spoil the

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-1147277113400632122006-05-10T09:00:00.000-07:002006-05-15T08:44:17.160-07:00

So what movie are you eager to see this summer?Today I am meeting with Scott Smith of the Southwest Times Record. He is doing an article on The DaVinci Code and spirituality in pop culture. I am excited by the fact that after decades of trying to form a secular state and secular culture we are finding that it is impossible to avoid spirituality.So what movie are you eager to see this summer? Can

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-1123615657870629582005-08-09T11:40:00.000-07:002006-05-19T13:21:06.370-07:00

Willy Wonka: But, Charlie, don't forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted.Charlie Bucket: What happened?Willy Wonka: He lived happily ever after.So goes the closing dialogue of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971). This was one of my favorite movies as a child. My cousins and I constructed our very own Wonka-esque "chocolate factory" out of junk and

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-1121126766190658602005-07-11T16:20:00.000-07:002005-08-17T05:25:21.900-07:00

A look at the previous post list for The Magic Lantern Show reads more like an inventory list from a comic book shop than a blog about films: Fantastic Four, Batman, Sharkboy, Star Wars. Fanboys unite! Nevertheless, these films are the hits of the summer. Why the attraction to tales about super-heroes? Is it just an opportunity to impress the kids with "gee whiz" effects and ultra-cool CGI? Or

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-1120084069180094712005-06-22T15:27:00.000-07:002005-08-17T05:29:07.580-07:00

Forget all you remember about the previous four Batman films. Eradicate from all conscious and subconscious thought the existence of the 1960’s TV series. This is a serious treatment of the story of Bruce Wayne, perhaps the most serious ever. Batman Begins is set apart from the earlier treatments not simply because it focuses on the characters, but it also places them in a larger framework of

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-1119112320653232832005-06-18T09:09:00.000-07:002005-08-17T05:32:47.490-07:00

I desperately want to see Cinderella Man. I want to see Batman Begins. I fear Crash will leave the theatre before I get to see it. These are some of the movies that I want to see, but being a parent means you sometimes go to the movies with your children. That means you sometimes have to go to a film like The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lava Girl in 3-D.I had no intention of writing about this

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-1116980361785368312005-05-24T17:17:00.000-07:002005-08-17T05:38:46.763-07:00

In the 16th Century, Doctor John Faustus sold his soul to the Devil in order to gain special powers and secret knowledge. There in a nutshell is the legend told many times by the likes of Christopher Marlowe, Goethe, and most recently George Lucas. How could the considerate and clever little chap who just wanted to help in Episode I devolve into the emperor’s enforcer with the remote control

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-1116517816071197502005-05-19T07:53:00.000-07:002005-08-22T08:19:59.106-07:00

No, I didn't stumble into the wrong theatre. I know that Episode III: Revenge of the Sith premiers today. Of course if you are among the loyal fans you've already seen the third episode twice. It has been playing somewhere since midnight. I drove by the Malco 12 last night and waved at our representatives from the Jedi Order who have been waiting in line since days ago. I have been watching the

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-1115315942896652952005-05-18T13:37:00.000-07:002005-05-18T13:50:20.806-07:00

A question that no one in particular asks is: "What does the title Magic Lantern Show mean?" This is a very different question than "What is a Magic Lantern Show?" For the answer to that question, I urge you to do a Google search or take a look at this rather informative website from the Magic Lantern Society. (Yes, I know it sounds like something from a comic book).I chose the name The Magic

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-1115997997875878042005-05-13T07:58:00.000-07:002005-05-13T08:30:48.960-07:00

The third dimension of the Magic Lantern Show (the "show" part) focuses on the public and cultural aspects of "going to the movies." That is what interests me the most about the releases this week. It is certainly more interesting than the individual releases.Have you noticed how movies are strategically released? Much of the strategy has to do with economics; but the studios are also paying

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-1115600487927446722005-05-08T18:01:00.000-07:002005-08-22T08:27:12.350-07:00

Ridley Scott’s latest epic will attract the crowds who are lured by the thrill of a historical action flick or, in the case of some, the presence of heart throb Orlando Bloom. Those seeking an action picture will not be disappointed, and I gladly confess I am not an expert on Orlando Bloom’s “hotness quotient” so you will have to figure that out for yourself. There is much more to this film than

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-1114999753563776682005-04-30T22:40:00.000-07:002005-08-22T08:31:57.950-07:00

What is the answer to the question of life, the universe, and everything? This simple little question is easily answered by the film The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The answer is 42. Okay, that may be easy, but not much to go on is it?I enjoyed watching this movie with my oldest son, age 11. I was probably a few years older than my son when I first read the book and watched the BBC series

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12582539.post-1114995360444694172005-04-29T20:24:00.000-07:002005-05-01T18:26:42.613-07:00

I have always enjoyed the movies. For most of my life I thought they were just a diversion. I went to the movies to waste time, enjoy a laugh, or thrill at adventure. Then I began to notice how some films are discussions of serious subjects. I discovered that some films made me think. At times, they even disturbed me. The more I started to notice this, the more I realized that more was going on

Chris Benjaminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440961427939589181noreply@blogger.com0