Watching Theology

WT02.09 Star Trek - The Motion Picture (1979)

Joe and Melissa Johnson - http://www.watchingtheology.com — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 06:26:55 +0000

God, evolution, the rise of a living machine, theology, humanism and a Vulcan named Spock. It's all in Robert Wise's adaptation of Star Trek mythology. On this episode, Joe does a solo take on what might be the real meaning of the players and ideas behind the first feature of television's most celebrated crew.
(Note: the sound quality is a little shakier than usual. We blame the Klingons.)
[#02.09]
Next WT edition: Aug 1 - Rear Window (1954)

WT02.08 Lars and the Real Girl (2007)

Joe and Melissa Johnson - http://www.watchingtheology.com — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 07:56:31 +0000

Nothing says caring like a close community of Christian believers, compassionate co-workers and a life-like "love doll." Lars and the Real Girl is the story of a lonely man who becomes so gripped by the contrary forces of fear and love that he suffers from the delusion of believing that an internet-ordered mannequin is a girl friend. And in this insanity, he finds that there is no shortage of love – real love – in his life.
On this episode we spend some time with Lars, his family, his co-workers and his church to talk about the need to love and the cost of it all. Is fear a protector or destroyer of the human heart? Is love safe?
Next WT edition: July 18 - Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

WT Update

Joe and Melissa Johnson - http://www.watchingtheology.com — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:25:23 +0000

Yes, the podcast still exists. And it will return soon.

Here's the quick rundown on some adjusted program dates (and listen to the audio for a preview of some other upcoming shows):

Lars and the Real Girl (July 11), Star Trek: The Motion Picture (July 18), Rear Window (Aug 1)

WT02.07 Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Joe and Melissa Johnson - http://www.watchingtheology.com — Fri, 23 May 2008 17:13:35 +0000

With the long awaited fourth movie in the Indiana Jones series hitting theaters, it seemed to be a good time to revisit our childhood and our collective social consciousness with an adventure. On this episode we go back to the beginning with Harrison Ford, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg to a surprising little homage film called Raiders of the Lost Ark. As we follow Dr. Jones, we are confronted by the nature of God - or what God might do if let out of a box - and the battle of good versus evil in an attempt to stop world domination. Can Indiana save the girl? Will the Nazis capture the ark and control the world?
Watching The Directors next edition: June 3 - The Archers: Powell & Pressburger.
Next WT edition: June 13 - Lars and the Real Girl (2007)

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)