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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Chronicles of Narnia Coverage Continues
The trailer for Prince Caspian, due out in May, has made its debut, and interest is building for its release. This month at HJ, we're happy to once again feature two articles about the Chronicles, both focusing on the first book in the series. Over the next month, we'll be moving on Caspian -- and then further up and further in! Be sure to check back every two week for more Narnia Features... And let Mark Sommer keep you up to date on Narnia News, too!
What Makes Lewis's First Fantasy a Classic
Regina Doman | 12/07/07
You have to wonder: was Lewis even thinking of writing a series when he wrote The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe? The book truly is a stand-alone work. If my memories from my juvenile years spent poring over A Companion to Narnia serve me right, there are quite a few things in this book that are contradicted in later books,
which to me underlines the impression that for Lewis, the first book
was written as a lark, followed by a series of larks, without any sort
of general overall plan in mind.
So it amuses me when self-styled Arch-Nemesis of Narnia, author Philip Pullman (of The Golden Compass, whose movie opens today) accuses Lewis of writing deliberate propaganda to indoctrinate innocent children into Christianity. But if Lewis was setting out to write a Christian tract, he certainly had a
very roundabout, meandering, and even sloppy way of doing it. If his
end goal was to get kids reading the Bible, why bother to drag in the
fauns and dryads? Read the full article...
Opening Doors to Other Worlds
Andrew Townsend | 11/15/07
If you had suggested to me thirty years ago that
teenagers in the Twenty-first Century would have Narnia film posters on
their bedroom walls and be reading books of fairy stories, I would not
have believed you. If I had foreseen this state of affairs, I might
even have been quite alarmed, from a Christian point of view, about an
apparent interest in the occult.Fantasy films were not very popular in the 1960s and
'70s but something changed with the first Indiana Jones film and the
re-emergence of the Sword and Sandal genre. There was also a trend
towards greater realism in horror films and, with the enabling
technology of computer-generated images (CGI), the way was open for
filming The Lord of the Rings.The success of the Rings and Potter
films also coincided with a growing interest in spirituality and the
supernatural. This seems to have affected which books are being read
and the films which people are paying to see-especially among the young.Read the full article... |
 Golden Compass Dead on Arrival?
Greg Wright, Managing Editor
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Other Movie Reviews and Interviews
Juno
Elisabeth Leitch | 12/09/07 | Movies, Interviews
Ellen Page says she will always remember
playing Juno as one of the best filmmaking experiences she's ever had.
"I am so grateful to be a part of this film," say Page. "To play this
character is an enormous gift, and I just feel extremely lucky."
Lust, Caution
Darrel Manson | 12/07/07 | Movies, Reviews
As in other Ang Lee films, Lust, Caution is
a visual work of art. But unlike his other films, the film doesn't have
the strength of story to make full use of his artistry.
Atonement
Matthew Kinne | 12/07/07 | Movies, Reviews
Atonement dares to raise the issue of
sacrifice, sin, and "making things right" into the public
consciousness. It's a discussion worth tackling because it's a
discussion of eternal, if not life-long, consequence. And the movie
does it in a beautiful, marvelous way.
National Treasure: Book of Secrets
Yo | 12/04/07 | Movies, News
Nicolas Cage, star of the upcoming National
Treasure: Book of Secrets, talks about why he hasn't done sequels in
the past, why he's in a second National Treasure film, and why he's
willing to reprise his role as Ghost Rider.
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New DVD, Music, Book, TV and Game Articles
Ed Travis | 12/04/07 | Movies, TV, Reviews, On DVD
As I watched and got accustomed to this
universe, the laughs really kept coming. This is a film that will grow
on a viewer after multiple watches, too; the humor comes through in
detailed, rich, on-screen visuals, vocal performances, plot devices,
you name it.
Bridge to Terabithia
Ken Priebe | 12/03/07 | Movies, On DVD
I wasn't alone in feeling sad and shocked
by the turn of events in this film, even though my wife told me in
advance what would happen. Even when "it's only a movie," you're never
really prepared for a sudden death, and I took it rather personally.
Hairspray
Ken Priebe | 12/03/07 | Movies, On DVD
Tracy Turnblad is, in a word, absolutely
fearless... whether it's openly dancing with the black students, publicly
announcing her passion for Negro Day on live TV, or inspiring her
reclusive mother to break out of her shell. Blonksy, as Tracy, is a
breakthrough. Cross Movement
Jacob Sahms | 12/08/07 | Music, ReviewsThese rap artists make no bones about their
allegiance to Yahweh and his son, Jesus Christ, and that alone will
turn plenty of folks off. The truth is that these men lay down beats
and rap more creatively than many of their "secular" counterparts, but
their subject matter also distinguishes them.
Barenaked Ladies
Jacob Sahms | 12/06/07 | Music, Reviews
Having wrapped up a review of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, I had to laugh that the next disc up was Barenaked Ladies' Are Me. Bands seem to go off after big hits, and we miss them, and then they all come back at once. I wonder, is that like the 4400?
Foo Fighters
Jacob Sahms | 12/04/07 | Music, Reviews
Once just the drummer-forms-a-band project
of Nirvana's drummer, Dave Grohl, the Foo Fighters have become fully
established as their own band. Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace is the latest installment, and it's pleasing to the ear.
Mark Schultz
Jacob Sahms | 12/03/07 | Music, Reviews
Mark Schultz's expanded edition Broken and Beautiful packs
extras like behind the scenes videos and stories, song-by-song
commentary for a few of the songs, alternate endings and interviews
with Schultz himself. While all of those additions are grand, when it
boils down to it, Schultz's songwriting and singing are still the
reason to go out and by the package. I Am America (And So Can You!)
J. Alan Sharrer | 12/07/07 | Books, Reviews
Colbert is the personification for the
beliefs we somehow hold deep inside ourselves but aren't willing to
publicly disclose-either for fear of retaliation, because we're in the
midst of hammering out what we truly believe, or because our views are
just plain wrong.The Meaning of Everything
Mark Sommer | 12/02/07 | Books, Blogs
Simon Winchester gives insight into what it
took to produce a massive Dictionary in The Story of the Oxford English
Dictionary. While the OED gives us "The Meaning of Everything," we
struggle with "What is the meaning of MY life?"
Xbox 360
Yo | 12/08/07 | Games, Reviews
This time it didn't take nearly as long.
That's right, my second Xbox 360 in less than a year has experienced a
"hardware failure". What does that mean for you, and what advice do I
have for Christmas shoppers thinking about buying an Xbox 360 this
year? Read on to find out.
Mass Effect
Yo | 12/06/07 | Games, Previews
Not only is Mass Effect one of the best
games released this year, if you take the time to explore the galaxy
and talk with the people who occupy it, you'll discover that even in
the distant future people still can't shake the feeling that God must
exist.
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Previous News
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Glad to be here,
The Staff
HollywoodJesus.com |
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Pastiche, Pullman, and Power
The Road to Narnia, and Beyond
