Watching Theology

WT02.06 Citizen Kane (1941)

Joe and Melissa Johnson - http://www.watchingtheology.com — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:06:33 +0000

Considered by numerous critics and film organizations to be the greatest film ever made, Citizen Kane is large in legend even without our brief examination of the movie. But even Orson Welles – as Charles Foster Kane and director – is not beyond our arrogant ramblings about life and meaning. On this episode, we look at the masterwork and talk about innocence, childhood, nostalgia and giving. We also spend some time talking about technique and whether Citizen Kane may have more in common with Nabokov's Lolita than Capra's It's a Wonderful Life.
(Note: "We" is used liberally here since only Joe is on this episode due to Melissa's workload on other projects. So if you don't listen, it won't hurt our/my feelings.)
Watching The Directors next edition: June 3 - The Archers: Powell & Pressburger.
Next WT edition: May 27 - Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

WT02.05: A Scanner Darkly (2006)

Joe and Melissa Johnson - http://www.watchingtheology.com — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:11:55 +0000

[NOTE: Explicit Content] Whether or not there's a huge government/corporate conspiracy to take over every liberty – to enslave and control us – there's always time to think about reality. Fortunately, in Philip K. Dick's and Richard Linklater's vision of the near future, we're provided with ample examples of how one might go about losing his or her identity. And though drugs are a huge part of that, they're not the whole story. On this episode, we look through the lens of the scanner, trying to find clues on how to distinguish between illusion and reality – between Bob, Fred and Bruce.
Watching The Directors next edition: May 13 - Steven Soderbergh
Next WT edition: May 13 - Citizen Kane (1941)

WT02.04 The Wicker Man (1973)

Joe and Melissa Johnson - http://www.watchingtheology.com — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 05:10:00 +0000

Somewhere on an island outside Scotland, Christopher Lee has built the perfect neo-Pagan civilization. There you will find fertility rites, folk music and a frolicking Britt Ekland (and her body double). You will also witness a clash of civilizations that hasn't been seen since St. Patrick brought Christianity to the heathens in Ireland. On this episode, we'll explore Summerisle and its devotion to the old gods and how that may affect the life of a Christian police officer investigating the disappearance of a young girl.
Watching The Directors next edition: April 22 - Woody Allen (1966-85)
Next WT edition: April 29 - A Scanner Darkly)

Casino Royale (2006)

Joe and Melissa Johnson - http://www.watchingtheology.com — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 15:49:56 +0000

[NOTE: Explicit Content] It may never have occurred to you before, but James Bond is a troubled old man. Being a glossy hit man may have some drawbacks, such as the inability to keep a conscience and a slightly troubled Freudian nightmare of a view on women. We put Casino Royale and Daniel Craig's Bond on the couch for thirty good minutes of free psychotherapy and ask whether the need for "realism" is killing comic book heroes.

Watching The Directors next edition: April 1 - Mira Nair
April 22 - Woody Allen (1966-85)

Next WT edition: April 15 - The Wicker Man (1973)

Bond fan? You must join the Hollywood Saloon for their comprehensive 3-part Bond movie series. Part 1 (1962-71), Part 2 (1973-89), Part 3 (1995-2006)

Pinocchio (1940)

Joe and Melissa Johnson - http://www.watchingtheology.com — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:24:43 +0000

What do the frontier revival evangelists have in common with pre-War, classic Disney animation? Perhaps a lot more than many of us may have considered. It seems that Pinocchio has more to say about good behavior and the problem of succumbing to the devil's devices - gambling, drinking, smoking, etc. - than many of today's pulpits. But there was a time when the American common religion and the ethics of kiddie culture could be summed up in one simple phrase: "Now, remember… be a good boy. And always let your conscience be your guide."

Watching The Directors next edition: April 1 - Mira Nair

Next WT edition: April 1 - Casino Royale (2006)

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Joe and Melissa Johnson - http://www.watchingtheology.com — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 06:03:01 +0000

You don't see a zombie every day, but if you did, would it change your life forever? On this episode - the first of season two - we spend time with some nobody named Shaun, who is having a very bad day. It seems that everyone around the poor guy is turning into the undead, and we're supposed to laugh about it. Join us for our discussion on the nature of life and other family values.
Next edition: Pinocchio (1940)

Watching Theology: Season 2

Joe and Melissa Johnson - http://www.watchingtheology.com — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 18:13:00 +0000

Despite our attempts to keep an occasional show posted - our best laid plans to keep Watching Theology alive - we've failed miserably. Quite a few opportunities have come and gone.

So, left with the reality of seeing the show disappear altogether, we've decided to salvage it from the littered heap of podcast debris and bring it back for, what we affectionately call, "Season 2".

Beginning March 4, WT will return as a bi-weekly podcast covering the thematic, philosophical and religious components of movies. Join us as we look at zombie flicks, animated classics, war films and a bunch of other cinematic wonder.

We also would like to thank those of you who have commented on your enjoyment of the show. We appreciate your encouragement to keep it going.

Children of Men (2006)

Joe and Melissa Johnson - http://www.watchingtheology.com — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 17:45:40 +0000

[NOTE: Explicit Content] Since Huxley's Brave New World, novels and films have flowed with a bleak view of the not-too-distant future. Alfonso Cuaron's adaptation of P.D. James' Children of Men doesn't depart too far from this perspective. But it does offer some new thoughts to the genre. Join us as we look at what the film says about the basics of human sexuality and the idea of a world without a future.
Also, we announce, sadly, that Watching Theology is going through some changes.
Watching The Directors next edition: October 30 - James Whale
Next WT edition: tba

Forbidden Planet (1956)

Joe and Melissa Johnson - http://www.watchingtheology.com — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 18:42:08 +0000

1950's science fiction is a wonderful place for finding heavy-handed propaganda. The stories are often parables and metaphors with shiny gadgets and planet-size catastrophes. 1956's Forbidden Planet is an example of great moral lessons buried in the luster of special effects and lasers. Forbidden Planet also has the distinction of being the finest blending of Shakespeare and Freud ever put onto celluloid. So join us as we travel back fifty years and explore the secrets of the id.
Watching The Directors next edition: October 16 - Alfonso CuarÃ³n
Next WT edition: October 23 - Alfonso CuarÃ³n's Children of Men (2006)

Barton Fink (1991)

Joe and Melissa Johnson - http://www.watchingtheology.com — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:20:47 +0000

Some films are clear - you know exactly what you're getting and exactly what you're supposed to learn. Then there's Barton Fink. In the midst of a bad case of writer's block, the Coen Brothers scripted this tale of a talented playwright with his own unusual case of writer's block. Barton leaves the promise and glory of the New York elite for the heartless, business world of Hollywood. Along the way, he checks into the Hotel Earle, meets Charlie and has probably sold his soul.
On this edition, we take a few glances at this metaphor-rich story about a man's self-delusion and the unfortunate fellow residents of, what may be, Hell.
Watching The Directors next edition: Sept 18 - John Hughes
Next WT edition: September 25 - Fred Wilcox's Forbidden Planet (1956)

Dogma (1999)

Joe and Melissa Johnson - http://www.watchingtheology.com — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 04:16:13 +0000

[NOTE: Explicit Content] Religious movies sure have a way of making religious people angry. Kevin Smith's 1999 film, Dogma, is no exception. Fearing death threats - from the "Thou Shall Not Kill" folks who ought to know better - Smith went as far as putting a disclaimer at the beginning of the movie to let people know he's just having some fun (the disclaimer thing didn't work for Scorsese either). In the midst of Smith's fun is a film that is a bit long on exposition, a bit indulgent in profanity and a lot smarter than given credit. Dogma may be one of the most original films of recent years, and the perspectives it offers are more than enough material for a little half-hour show.
Join us as we talk about a few of the primary players and wonder if God is really a Canadian pop star.
Watching The Directors next edition: Sept 4 - Coen Brothers
Next WT edition: September 11 - Coen Brother's Barton Fink (1991)

Grizzly Man (2005)

Joe and Melissa Johnson - http://www.watchingtheology.com — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 02:58:23 +0000

A few summers ago, while most of us were out camping or having a bar-b-q, Timothy Treadwell and his girlfriend were being killed and eaten by a starving grizzly bear in Alaska. One of our most significant working directors, Werner Herzog, picked up his video footage and compiled a documentary about the severity of nature and Treadwell's death. In this episode, we look at the tragic life of "the Grizzly Man" as interpreted and remembered by Herzog and his cynicism. Is nature neutral, sinister or - as Treadwell believed - the Disney-like world of compassion and sentiment?
Watching The Directors next edition: Sept 4 - Coen Brothers
Next WT edition: August 28 - Kevin Smith's Dogma (1999)

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Joe and Melissa Johnson - http://www.watchingtheology.com — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 05:03:30 +0000

Somehow, Stanley Kubrick managed to entrance two generations of movie-goers with his adaptation of an Arthur C. Clarke short story. From the famous defensive appeals of a computer named HAL to the birth of some cosmic star child, 2001: A Space Odyssey created more interpretations and questions than any kind of special answers. Still, there's nothing wrong with looking at the structure of the movie, the notes of Clarke and our own best guesses. On this episode, we follow the mysterious monolith, the human race and the lost evolutionary links that were all defeated by the ascent of humanity.
Watching The Directors next edition: August 7 - Barbara Kopple and Michael Moore
Next WT edition: August 14 - Werner Herzog's Grizzly Man (2005)

Constantine (2005)

Joe and Melissa Johnson - http://www.watchingtheology.com — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 21:17:57 +0000

Keanu Reeves is no stranger to roles with significant theological and philosophical impact: Neo, Buddha, Ted "Theo-dore" Logan. In this edition, we look at him as he fights the forces of good and evil, once again coming face-to-face (remember The Devil's Advocate?) with Satan. On this episode, we follow Reeves as the incarnation of the Hellblazer comics anti-hero in Francis Lawrence's Constantine. Join us as we explore the power of quasi-Catholic dogma, the fight for redemption and the attempt to gain God's favor. Along the way, we'll encounter the angel Gabriel and ask whether God really does have a plan.
Watching The Directors next edition: July 24 - Stanley Kubrick
Next WT edition: July 31 - Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Die Hard (1988)

Joe and Melissa Johnson - http://www.watchingtheology.com — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 02:47:06 +0000

[NOTE: Explicit Content] With the release of Die Hard 4, theologians all over the world are asking, "What is it about John McClane that causes bad things to happen?" In this edition, we focus on the film that started it all, with John McTiernan's new-classic action film, Die Hard. Along the way we ask questions about fate and the reluctant hero. Is McClane a savior of biblical proportions - or at least biblical tradition? How does that overweight, twinkie-eating cop fit into the divine plan? Plus, we listen to our favorite sound bites and attempt to talk philosophy without destroying a perfectly good movie.
Watching The Directors next edition: July 24 - Stanley Kubrick
Next WT edition: July 17 - Francis Lawrence's Constantine (2005)