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"A spiritual spin on this week’s box office hits "-ABC World News Tonight
"A web site devoted to spirituality in movies" -The Wall Street Journal
"Examines movies' spiritual content" -The Christian Science Monitor
"The popularity of Hollywood Jesus has been a pleasant surprise" -Christianity Today
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About
Everyone@HJ |
EDITORIAL STAFF |
 Meet
DAVID BRUCE BLOG
Webmaster, Hollywood Jesus
E-mail
I would like to thank all those who have helped to make Hollywood Jesus the unique site that it is. I really appreciate each and everyone. On this page I want to honor them.
Hollywood Jesus began in 1997 out of my interest in movies, theology and culture. It started out as a hobby and grew into what it is today. It has been a fun adventure.
If you wish to know more about me:
Overview of my life (page 2)
My Spiritual background (page 3)
My Media background (page 4)
|
 Meet
SARAH HEATH
Web Page Designer and Photo Editor
Sarah is a movie and internet enthusiast who loves artistic expression. She is involed in arts, crafts and design. Still in high school, she is looking forward to a career in the arts. |
 Meet
MIKE GUNN
Contributing Editor
Mike is a pastor at Harambee Church in Tukwila, Washington, and was cofounder of Mars Hill Church in Seattle.
His contributions are found in: After Eden, |
 Meet
MICHAEL SMITH BLOG
Reviewer and Forum Administrator.
E-mail Michael Smith
Mike works in the shipping container industry, and serves as Prayer Deacon
and liturgy coordinator with his wife Sandy at Harambee Church in Tukwila,
Washington. His reviews include: America's
Heart and Soul, Raise Your Voice, Because
of Winn Dixie, Kingdom of Heaven, The
Perfect Man, The
Greatest Game Ever Played, Elizabethtown, Dreamer, Zathura, The
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Glory
Road, Last Holiday, Nanny
McPhee, Love's
Long Journey, Basic Instinct 2,
RV, Hard Candy, |
| REVIEWERS (Alpha order) |
 Meet
KATHY BLEDSOE BLOG
Kathy Bledsoe is an Office Manager for the Highline School District south of Seattle, and has a background in business administration. She's a mother and catlover, and teaches at Highline Christian Church. She has a degree in theology from Puget Sound Christian College, where she shared academic honors with her best friend, Jenn Wright. Her reviews include:
SpongeBob SquarePants the Movie, In
Good Company, Elizabethtown, Walk
the Line, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Bambi
2, Aquamarine, Interviews
with the young divas of AQUAMARINE, The
Davinci Code (paperback), Slither, |
 Meet
MAURICE BROADDUS BLOG
Website: www.MauriceBroaddus.com Email: maurice@mauricebroaddus.com
Holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biology (with an undeclared
major in English) from Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis.
He works as an environmental toxicologist by day and is a horror
writer by night. Obviously his areas of interests includes religious
studies, folklore, and myths. He is a notorious egotist who, in
anticipation of a successful writing career, is practicing speaking
of himself in the third person. Oh yeah, he’s married to the
lovely Sally Jo and has two boys: Maurice Gerald Broaddus II (thus,
retroactively declaring himself "Maurice the Great") and Malcolm
Xavier Broaddus. His contributions include: The
West Wing, Joan of Acadia,
Paradise Hotel, Kill
Bill Vol 2, Smallville, Wonderfalls,
Nip and Tuck, Angel:
The Series, The Shield,, A
Shark Tale, Boston Legal, Lost,
Desperate Housewives, Deadwood,
Third Watch, Saw,
Spongebob Squarepants, Blade:
Trinity, Elektra, Buffy
the Vampire Killer, 24, Hotlel
Rwanda, The Wire, Constantine,
Be Cool, Sin City,
Green Lantern: Rebirth,
Identity Crisis, Legion
of Super-Heroes, Batman Year
One,
Crash, The
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Star
Wars Ep III, House, NYPD
Blue, CSI, Batman
Begins, War of the Worlds,
The Fantastic Four, Rize, Medium, The
Incredible Hulk, Black Panther, Rising
Stars, Preacher, Hellboy:
The Island, Serenity, The
Gospel and The Black Church, The
Gospel, Get Rich or Die Tryin, Just
Friends, Hoodwinked, Glory
Road, Final Destination 3,
V for Vendetta, Slither,
Take the Lead, ATL,
RV, Mission Impossible 3,
X-Men: The Last Stand, |
 Meet
PETER "PapaBear" CRUIKSHANK BLOG
Peter has a Master of Science in Information Technology, and while
he has held many diverse jobs throughout his life, he is currently
masquerading as a Chief Scientist in the IT field while he dreams of
becoming a novelist someday (yet another manuscript recently started).
His greatest pleasure is in the love of his family, working as a volunteer
with high schoolers at church (for the last 8 years), writing movie
reviews and trying to write a novel, and running a fun loving monthly
on-line Christian magazine for adults and teens www.PapaBearAndFriends.com.
PapaBear is not a supporter of religiosity, but instead believes the
most important aspect of a spiritual life is to develop a personal
relationship with God. PapaBear came to know Jesus late in life and
while he alternates attendance between a Methodist and a Lutheran church
in Southern California , he didn’t really understand the meaning
of God’s love and discipleship until reading Roaring Lambs by
Bob Briner and Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning. Since
then he has tried to find ways to share this philosophy with everyone,
whether Christian or not – and even teenagers. His reviews include: A
Lot Like Love, Fever Pitch, Star
Wars Ep III, Sisterhood of the Traveling
Pants, Mr and Mrs Smith, Plan
B: Further Thoughts on Faith, Bad
News Bears, Sky High, Must
Love Dogs, Wedding Crashers, 40
Year Old Virgin, Serenity, Yours,
Mine & Ours, Just Friends, The
Chronicles of Narnia, Fun with Dick
and Jane, Glory Road, Take
the Lead,
She's the Man, RV,
Da Vinci Code, |
|
  Meet
MIKE FURCHES BLOG
mike@furches.org
Web site www.furches.org
Mike is the Senior Pastor at United at the Cross Community Church in
Wichita Kansas. Mike also speaks nationally on various topics and is
a freelance writer. Mike has had a ministry to those often called The
Last, The Lost, and The Least. He is as comfortable sharing with a gang
member or prostitute, as he is a banker or a lawyer. To learn more about
Mike and his ministry link onto www.furches.org. In the arts, Mike has
worked with top music artists such as Steppenwolf, Marshall Tucker Band,
and Kansas and has an active interest in film. His reviews include: The
Mummy Returns. Amistad, The
Apostle, Armageddon, The
Cell, Hurricane, Dr
Dolittle 2, ELO -Zoom, Frequency, The
Patriot, Me, Myself and Irene, Pearl
Harbor, Rush Hour 2, Shrek, Extreme
Days, The Last Castle, Serendipity, Ali, Reversal, Harry
Potter, Lord of the Rings, Jimmy
Neutron, Mothman, Black
Hawk Down, Scorpion King, Spider-Man, Men
in Black II, Lilo and Stitch, Red
Dragon, Transporter, Ghost
Ship, The Santa Claus 2, The
Two Towers, Catch Me If You Can, The
Core, The House of 1000 Corpses, X-2, Daddy
Day Care, Matrix Reloaded, The
Hulk, 28 Days Later, Pirates
of the Caribbean, Terminator 3, League
of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Spy Kids 3, Open
Range, Luther, Fighting
Temptations. Radio, Cheaper
by the Dozen, Dawn of the Dead, Hellboy, Walking
Tall, The Punisher, Van
Helsing, Troy, Shrek
2, The Day After Tomorrow, Around
the World in 80 Days, Dodgeball, Fahrenheit
9/11, Spider-Man 2, Interview
with Ted Dekker, WestBow Press, Bright,
Brave New Wave of Christian Writers, I, Robot, Suspect
Zero, To End All Wars, Sky
Captain and the World of Tomorrow, The Grudge, Cellular, The
Incredibles, Saw, Polar
Express, High Tension, Batman
Begins, The Devil's Rejects, The
Dukes of Hazzard, Gospel, The
Legend of Zorro, North Country, Walk
the Line, Ice Harvest, King
Kong, Brokeback Mountain, Glory
Road, Hostel, The
Benchwarmers, Silent Hill, RV,
An American Haunting, United
93, X-Men III The Last Stand, |
 Meet
JAMES HARLEMAN BLOG
I consider myself blessed to be a pastor at one of the fastest growing
churches in the United States, in charge of communications and administration.
I'm also a rabid film buff - definitely my object of worship before
I met Jesus in 1998 and traded up. I have a Bachelor's in Biblical
Studies but, like most of us, accrued most of my mad skills through
experience, trial and error. I have a lovely wife named Kat, a lovely
cat named Victor, and quite a collection of comics and Transformers.
We reside in beautifully wet, gray and overly caffeinated North Seattle.
His reviews include: Final Destination
3, Memoirs of a Geisha, Brokeback
Mountain, Ultraviolet,
Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont,
V for Vendetta, |
 Meet
MATTHEW HILL BLOG
Matthew teaches 7th-8th grade Reading at North Saginaw Charter Academy in Michigan, where he lives with his wife and daughter (Laura and Grace). Besides torturing adolescents, Matt's i00nto reading, writing, playing in his church's praise band, pursuing his MA in Communications and Multimedia, trying to get his novel published, "working on his screenplay" (fooling around online), and living out/thinking about the Christian life-particularly as it connects to popular culture. His reviews include:
Collateral, Friday Night Lights, Chicago, Extreme Makeover, Finding Neverland, The Phantom of the Opera, Hitch, Sin City, Kung Fu Hustle, Star Wars Ep III, Wedding Crashers, White Stripes' Get Behind Me Satan, Weezwe: Make Believe, System of a Down: Mezmerize, The 40 Year-Old Virgin, Walk the Line,
V for Vendetta,
|
 Meet
MATT KINNE BLOG
Web site:
www.matthewkinne.com
Matthew Kinne, a graduate of Wheaton College and Regent University,
writes, speaks, hosts radio shows and produces film and video projects.
Matt worked as development director for Messenger Films, an evangelistic
film production company. From 1995 - 2000, he edited Movieguide Magazine.
A screnwriter, he also speaks nationally on "A Christian Approach
to the Movies." He is also the author of the nationally distributed
book REFLECTIONS FOR MOVIE LOVERS, and produces two radio shows AT
THE MOVIES WITH MATTHEW KINNE and DAILY REFLECTIONS FOR MOVIE LOVERS.
Matt enjoys social gatherings, good conversation, being oudoors,
reading, watching movies, and creating tasty treats. His reviews
include: Two for the Money, Domino, Shopgirl, King
Kong, Memoirs of a Geisha, End
of the Spear, The Pink Panther, The
Matador, Aquamarine, The
Shaggy Dog, Bench Warmers, United
93, Poseidon, |
 Meet
MELINDA LEDMAN BLOG
Also, The Desperate Housewives Blog
HJMLedman@yahoo.com.
Melinda Ledman is a graduate of
Baylor University with a Bachelor’s degree in English. During college,
she worked on the film Letter From Waco (director Don Howard), which
won the award for best documentary feature in the 1997 South by Southwest
Film Festival. After she and her husband Rob had their first child in
September 2002, she began free-lance writing full time. In addition to
writing reviews, she most enjoys writing original screenplays. She gratefully
serves God after 12 years of alcoholism, and appreciates grace and freedom
on a whole new level. Her reviews include: Alex
and Emma, League of Extraordinary
Gentlemen, Sinbad, How
to Deal, Matchstick Men, Station
Agent, Master and Commander, The
Last Samurai, Cheaper by the Dozen, In
America, Miracle, 50
First Dates, The Passion of the Christ, Touching
the Void, Jersey Girl, The
Punisher, Ella Enchanted, Man
on Fire, Breakin All The Rules, 13
Going on 30, Love Me if You Dare, Sider-Man
2, Little Black Book, Sky
Captain and the World Tomorrow, Finding
Neverland, After the Sunset, Desperate
Housewives, Super Nanny, Beyond
the Gates of Splendor, Miss Congeniality
2, The
Desperate Housewives Blog, Yours,
Mine and Ours, Walk the Line, Just
Friends, Something New, Goal!,
X-Men 3: The Final Stand, |
 Meet
ELISABETH LEITCH BLOG
Elisabeth Leitch is a graduate of the University of California San Diego with a BA in Literature-Writing. A person who has always loved movies, she never ceases to be amazed with the way movies impact viewers by both reflecting and asking questions about the culture and world in which we live. Currently, Elisabeth spends her days working in a local bookstore and seeking what God has in store for her future. She has also worked as a reporter/writer for the Los Alamos Monitor and the New Mexico Business Journal.
Her reviews incude: Without a Trace, Shall
We Dance, Around the Bend, I
Heart the Huckabees, Alfie, One
Tree Hill, Closer, Spanglish. Meet
the Fockers, In Good Company, Assault
on Precinct 13, Hostage, The
Interprepter, Crash, Wedding
Date, Batman Begins, Heights, Broken
Flowers, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Just
Like Heaven, A History of
Violence, In Her Shoes, The
Weatherman, Shopgirl, Derailed, Rent, Brokeback
Mountain, Tristan & Isolde, Match
Point, A
Million Little Pieces, PostSecret, Firewall, The
Da Vinci Code, Art School Confidential, |
 Meet
DARREL MANSON BLOG
Pastor, Artesia Christian Church, Artesia, CA
http://netministries.org/see/churches/ch01198
Darrel has an incredible love and interest in the cinematic arts. His
reviews usually include independent and significantly important film.
Some of his reviews: Chocolat, Dancer
in the Dark, Faithless, Finding
Forrester, Memento, O
Brother Where art Thou, Pollock, Quills, Shadow
of a Vampire, Widow of St Pierre, Jump
Tomorrow, Tortilla Soup, Go
Tiger, Life As a House, The
Business of Strangers, The Man Who Wasn't
There, A Beautiful Mind, In
the Bedroom, Shipping News, Amelie, I
Am Sam, Rollerball, Monster's
Ball, Iris, Kissing
Jessica Stein, Changing Lanes, Windtalkers, 13
Conversations About One Thing, Sunshine
State, Road to Perdition, The
Good Girl, Possession, One
Hour Photo, Spirited Away, Bowling
for Columbine, El Crimen del Padre
Amaro, Far From Heaven, Frida, Adaptation, Antwone
Fisher, Evelyn, Rabbit
Proof Fence, Hours, Max, Talk
to Her, Pianist, The
Quiet American, About Schmidt, City
of God, He Loves Me, H Loves Me Not, The
Safety of Objects, Rivers and Tides, Divine
Intervention, Nowhere in Africa, Identity, The
Man Without A Past, Raising Victor Vargas, The
Dancer Upstairs, Blue Car, Man
On The Train, Whale Rider, Northfork, Seabiscuit, Pretty
Dirty Things, Our Town, Secret
Lives of Dentists, The Magdalene
Sisters, Thirteen, Lost
in Translation, Casa de Los Babys, Mystic
River, Station Agent, Shattered
Glass, Elephant, 21
Grams, In America, Big Fish, House
of Sand and Fog, The Passion of the Christ, Monster, The
Fog of War, Eternal Sunshine of a
Spotless Mind, Dogville, Gatekeeper, Spring,
Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring, Van
Helsing, I'm Not Scared, Saddest
Music in the World, Baadasssss!, Fahrenheit
9/11, Coffee and Cigarettes, A
Day Without a Mexican, Six Feet Under, Control
Room, The Clearing, A
Door in the Floor, Maria Full of Grace, De-Lovely, Ju-On, Intimate
Strangers, Witness, Hero, Mean
Creek, What the Bleep Do We Know?, Friday
Night Lights, Tae Guk Gi: the Brotherhood
of War, Bright Young Things, Silver
City, Motorcycle Diaries, Around
the Bend, Veronica Mars, Jack & Bobby, Vera
Drake, Finding Neverland, Sideways, Kinsey, House
of Flying Daggers, The Machinist, Notre
Musique, A Very Long Engagement, Bad
Education, The Aviator, Hotel
Rwanda, The Sea Inside, The
Woodsman, Up and Down, Born
in the Brothels, Wild Parrots of Telepraph
Road, Millions, Nobody
Knows, The Upside of Anger, Ballad
of Jack and Rose, Crash, Cinderella
Man, Howl's Moving Castle, Heights, Enron:
The Smartest Guys in the Room, Me You and
Everyone We Know, Murderball, Happy
Endings, The Aristocrats, Aimee
Simple McPherson, The Beautiful Country, Hustle
and Flow, Junebug, Lord
of War, Thumbsucker, Dear
Wendy, Elizabethtown, Capote, Saint
Ralph, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, Touch
the Sound, Good Night and Goog Luck, Paradise
Now, The Chumscrubber, Bee
Season, Shopgirl, Brokeback
Mountain, Munich, Memoirs
of a Geisha, Match Point, Manderlay, Why
We Fight, Transamerica, Searchers,
The World's Fastest Indian, Tsotsi,
Joyeux Noel, The
Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, Sophie
Scholl -The Final Days, Find Me Guilty, Inside
Man, Thank You For Smoking, |
 Meet
KEVIN MILLER BLOG
Kevin Miller is a freelance writer, editor, and educator who has written, co-written, and edited over 30 books, both fiction and non-fiction. A film reviewer for the past two years, Kevin is very excited to join hollywoodjesus.com. He currently resides in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada with his wife, Heidi, and their children Huw and Gretchen (and one more on the way). They attend Fresh Wind Christian Fellowship, a non-denominational church that focuses on reaching the disabled, children, and people who've been "burnt by the church." To learn more about Kevin, visit www.kevinwrites.com
His reviews include: Home on the Range, Alamo,, Man
on Fire, Troy, Raising
Helen, The Chronicles of Riddick, Around
the World in 80 Days, Fahrenheit 9/11, Bourne
Supremacy, Manchurian Candiddate, The
Village, Open Water, Vanity
Fair, The Forgotten, Ladder
49, Friday Night Lights, Team
America, Ray, Spanglish, Lemony
Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, Hotel
Rwanda, Coach Carter, Million
Dollar Baby, The Jacket, Constantine, Robots, Guess
Who, Sin City, The
Interpreter, Hitchhiker's Guide
to the Galaxy, Star
Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (graphic novel), Who
Needs a Superhero?, Star Wars Ep III, Holy
Superheros (book), Madagascar, Dreamer, Reflextions
for Movie Lovers, Cinderella Man, Batman
Begins, Green Latern Corps: Recharge, War
of the Worlds, Fantastic Four , Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory, Movies
and the Meaning of Life, "The Insiders" (Teen
Titans/Outsiders mini-series), Prelude
to Infinite Crisis, The Devil's Rejects, The
Island, The Great Raid, Behind
the Screen: Hollywood Insiders on Faith, Film and Culture, Brothers
Grimm, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, The
Constant Gardener, Flightplan, A
History of Violence, Story: Recapture
the Mystery, The Gospel According
to Oprah, Inside Narnia:
A Guide to Exploring the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The
Chronicles of Narnia, King Kong, Hostel,
The
Ten Commandments: 50th Anniversary Collection, |
|
 Meet
TOM PRICE BLOG
Recipient of several national
honors for writing about spiritual themes, Tom Price lives in South
Bend, Ind., with his wife and two daughters. A native of Chicago, he
served more than a decade as a secular journalist, and later traveled
to more than 15 countries to report on Christian mission activity.
His articles have been published by The Christian Century, Christianity
Today, the National Catholic Reporter and Religion News Service. He
now serves as marketing director for Mennonite Mission Network. With
a master's degree in journalism from Indiana University in Bloomington,
Price has pursued graduate-level studies in theology at the University
of Notre Dame. He also reviews films for Third Way Café, www.thirdway.com/mm
. His reviews include: Born into Brothels, The
Apostle, Hotel Rwanda, Super
Size Me, Eternal Sunshine of the
Spotless Mind, Vanity Fair, Million
Dollar Baby, Lemony Snicket’s
A Series of Unfortunate Events, Star
Wars Ep III, Kingdom of Heaven, Herbie:
Fully Loaded, War of the Wars, Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory, A
History of Violence, Chicken Little, Good
Night, and Good Luck, Harry
Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Pride
and Prejudice, The Chronicles of Narnia, King
Kong, The Producers, The
Ringer, Munich, Hoodwinked, Nanny
McPhee, Curious George, United
93, Akeelah and the Bee, |
 Meet
KEN PRIEBE BLOG
Ken's Web Site: Web site: www.prie-believing.com
Ken earned his BFA from University of Michigan School of Art and Design, where he majored in film and animation. He has a Classical Animation Certificate from VanArts, where he currently works as a manager and instructor. Ken lives near Vancouver, British Columbia with his wife Janet, who is also an artist. They are working on an animated short film, and are involved with graphic arts, drama and Bible studies at their church. His reviews include: ET The Extra-Terrestrial, Harry Potter, It All Started with A Mouse, Snow White, Pinocchio, Home on the Range, Garden State, March of the Penguins, American Idol, Corpes Bride, Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Little, King Kong, Narnia, |
|
 Meet
JACOB SAHMS BLOG
Jacob is the Director of Youth Ministries at Bon
Air United Methodist Church and serves as the volunteer campus
minister for the non-denominational Fellowship of Christian Athletes
at his alma mater, the University of Richmond (VA). His reviews
include:
The 4400: Season One, Athlete:
Tourist , Copeland: In Motion,
Waking Ashland: Composure,
Mat Kearney: Bullet , House
of Heroes, Yellowcard:
Ocean Avenue, Will Smith: Lost
and Found, The Afters: Wish
We All Could Win, Bright
Eyes: I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning, Anberlin:
Never Take Friendship Personal, Relient
K: Mmhmm, Tim McGraw: Live
Like You Were Dying, Alter
Bridge: One Day Remains, Further
Seems Forever: Hide Nothing, Switchfoot:
Legend of Chin, Switchfoot:
New Way to Be Human, Switchfoot:
Learning to Breathe, Switchfoot:
The Beautiful Letdown, Coldplay:
X & Y,
MXPX: Panic, Audioslave:
self titled, Audioslave:
Out of Exile, The 4400, Wallflowers:
Rebel Sweetheart, The Fantastic
Four, Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory, The 4400: Life, Interrupted, Rebound, The
4400: The Weight of the World, The 4400:
Suffer the Children, The Island, Sisterhood
of the Traveling Pants, Foo
Fighters: In Your Honor, The
Myriad: You Can't Trust A Ladder, Ben
Lee: Awake Is the New Sleep, Bad
News Bears, In My Country, Must
Love Dogs, Sky High, Stealth, Dukes
of Hazard, Flight Plan, Serenity, Into
the Blue, North Country, The
Legend of Zorro, Walk the Line, Harry
Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Yours,
Mine & Ours, Aeon Flux, The
Chronicles of Narnia, King
Kong, The Ringer, Glory
Road, The New World, Underworld:
Evolution, End of the Spear, 16
Blocks, Date Movie, Running
Scared, Firewall, |
 Meet
JOHANN "Yo" SNYDER BLOG
Johann Snyder, who also goes by the nickname “Yo”,
was born in Canada. He traveled the world with his parents
while his dad was a chaplain in the Air Force. In 1997 settled
down in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he finished school,
started a family, and currently works as a DJ and writer for
the Christian Rock and Hip Hop station M88. More about “Yo” is
available here.
His reviews include: The Island, Batman
Begins, War of the Worlds, Serenity, Harry
Potter and the Goblet of Fire, The
Chronicles of Narnia, King Kong, Hoodwinked, The
Pink Panther,
V for Vendetta, United
93, Mission: Impossible III, Poseidon,
The Da Vinci Code, X-Men
3, |
 Meet
TIM SPANBURG BLOG
Tim is an Intern for Christian Student Fellowship,
a campus ministry at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN. He is currently
finishing up his undergraduate degree in Christian Ministry and will
soon by starting graduate work. Other than work, Tim enjoys patiently
waiting for two things: the second coming of Jesus, and the Cubs first
World Series Championship since 1908. His reviews include: The
Island, Flightplan, Waiting, The
Fog, Saw 2, Jarhead, Rent, Syriana, Munich, Top
10 Movies in 2005, Underworld:
Evolutuion, 16 Blocks, Take
the Lead,
Inside Man, RV, The
Da Vinci Code, |
 Meet
MARK EZRA STOKES BLOG
Mark Ezra Stokes lives in Mt. Vernon – a tiny, peaceful town in southeast
Georgia -- where he serves as drama instructor at Brewton-Parker College. He
is also a film critic for HIS Voice, a Christian newspaper in central
Georgia. Mark recently received an M.A. in Screenwriting and Film Studies at
Hollins University in Roanoke, Va.
His reviews include: Big Fish, Scooby
Doo 2, The Chronicles of Riddick, To
End All Wars,
Spider-man 2,
The Village, Finding
Neverland, Ray, Robots, Hotel
Rwanda,
Kingdom of Heaven,
Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Batman
Begins,
Charlie and the Chocolate ,Factory,
The Skeleton Key, Crash/Serenity, Chicken
Little/Zathura, King
Kong/The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Hoodwinked, Bubble,
V for Vendetta, Just
My Luck, |
 Meet
ED TRAVIS BLOG
Email Ed Travis here
A Film Geek and graduate of Eastern University and
assistant Youth Director at Gaithersburg Presbyterian Church in
Gaithersburg, MD. His reviews include:
The Ring, Four
Feathers, Shaun of the Dead, Team
America, The Grudge, House
of Flying Daggers, A
Very Long Engagement, Assault
on Precinct 13, Sin City, Unleased,
Star Wars Ep III, Land
of the Dead, The
Constant Gardener, Walk the Line,
Night Watch, Tsotsi, Poseidon,
|
 Meet
CHRIS UTLEY BLOG
Film Reviewer
Chris received his BA in Theatre from Grambling State University in Louisiana. He is an IT Techie by day and armchair film critic/analyst/lover by night. Upon coming to the Lord in 1994 and learning the Word, Chris began to notice Biblical principles and attributes displayed in Hollywood movies and began to apply them to his own life. It's his passion and mission to show the world (Christians and non-Christians) how to apply these principles to their own lives as well. His reviews include: Matrix Revolutions, Walking Tall, Johnson Family Vacation, Shrek 2, Friends, Saved, She Hate Me, Collateral, Open Water, Napoleon Dynamite, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Garden State, Mr 3000, Woman Thou Art Loosed, Team America, Ray, In Good Company, Fat Albert, Are We There Yet?, Guess Who, Beauty Shop, Kicking and Screaming, Get Rich, or Die Tryin, Rent, Brokeback Moutain, Last Holiday, Glory Road, Something New, Madea's Family Reunion, |
 Meet
GREG WRIGHT BLOG
Pastor and Tolkien Scholar.
hjpastorgreg@hotmail.com
Writer in Residence at Puget Sound Christian College in Everett, WA, Greg is
also an ordained minister of the dramatic arts. He is a contributing editor for
Hollywood Jesus, and is author of Tolkien
in Perspective: Sifting the Gold from the Glitter, and Peter
Jackson in Perspective. Greg heads up the entire Lord
of the Rings section at Hollywood Jesus (one of the largest LOTR features
on the web) as well as the After Eden journal and
HJ's Narnia coverage.
His reviews include: The Lord of The Rings, 1.
Introduction and News Page, 2.
The Fellowship of the Ring, Book I, 3.
The Fellowship of the Ring, Book II, 4.
The Two Towers, Book III, 5. The
Two Towers, Book IV, 6. The Return
of the King, Book V, 7. The Return
of the King, Book VI , 8. Essay:
The Mythology of J.R.R. Tolkien, 9.
Essay Notes: Response to Comments, 10.
Review: Hildebrandt Art Book ,Bulletin
Board, Secondhand Lions, After
Eden, LOTR Return of the King, Raising
Helen, Notebook, Two
Brothers, Raise Your Voice, Christmas
with the Kranks, Hotel Rwanda, Constantine, Kingdom
of Heaven, Cinderella Man, The
Perfect Man, Serenity, The
Greatest Game Ever Played, Yours, Mine & Ours, Norman
Stone: Beyond Shadowlands, The Lion, the Witch and the
Wardrobe, A Talk with the Cast of Glory Road, End
of the Spear, Curious George, God
Help Me, Akeelah and the Bee, |
 Meet
JENN WRIGHT BLOG
Contributing Editor
Jenn is a writer with degrees
in literature and theology. She is co-writing the Narnia coverage
for Hollywood Jesus, which debuted the summer of 2005 in anticipation
of the first movie's 2005 release. Her contributions include: After
Eden, Fighting Temptations, Radio, Elf, Harry
Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Narnia, Kicking
and Screaming, Dreamer, Just
Friends, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The
New World, Nanny McPhee, C.S.
Lewis: Beyond Narnia (DVD), Ice Age 2: Thr
Melt Down, |
 Meet
PATRICK "CoachZ" ZALAMEA BLOG
I was born in Hollywood, CA eightdays before 1970 ended. I'm married to the love of my life Linda Christine. We have two sons, Joshua Patrick and Jason Travis. I am an elder and overseer of the Men's Ministry at Calvary Chapel San Luis Obispo. I have a BS in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and an MS in Technology Management from Pepperdine University. I currently work for a Non-Profit Foster Agency as an Info Systems & Quality Analyst. His reviews include: Narnia - Part I, Narnia - Part 11, Narnia - Part 11I, Band of Brothers, |
 Meet
DAVID A. ZIMMERMAN
David A. Zimmerman lives in the western suburbs of Chicago. He
works as an editor for InterVarsity Press and is the author of Comic Book Character: Unleashing the Hero in Us All. His blog "Strangely Dim" can be read at www.ivpress.com/campus/sd. His reviews include: Thirty Days,
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| INACTIVE & OCCASIONAL CONTRIBUTORS (Random order) |
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 Meet
DON EMMERICH
Don Emmerich Jr. received a degree in Philosophy from Colorado University. He currently lives in Denver, where he works at a bank and teaches Sunday school at his local church. A bit of an insomniac, Don spends his nights watching movies, reading novels, and writing fiction of his own. His reviews include: Connie and Carla, |
 Meet
BENN BECKER
Benn has an undergradute degree in Finance from the University of Nebraska and is working towards a masters in both Business and English. He owns some farmland and is currently writing a novel. He lives in Lincoln, NE. His reviews include: The Rules of Attraction, Gerry, Hulk, Bruce Almighty, All the Real Girls, The Man from Elysian Fields, Tully, The Girl Next Door, Bobby Jones, Lost Boys of Sedan, Super Size Me, Spider-Man 2, |
 Meet
JIM DAVIS BLOG
Jim is the Director/Program Administrator of a Christian organization called “God’s
Havens For Children”, San Luis Obispo, California. GHFC currently operates
a licensed Foster Family Agency and a youth mentoring program. He received
degrees in Organizational Communication (B.A.) and Public Administration (M.P.A.)
from California State University, Stanislaus (Turlock, CA). A native San Franciscan,
he now lives on the California Central Coast with his wife Eileen (employed
as a teaching assistant for autistic children) and their 4 children. Jim appreciates
an eclectic variety of music styles, and says that, “music has a considerable
amount of influence on people of all ages and popular culture in general.” His
record reviews include “A Ghost Is Born” by
Wilco, “Van Lear Rose” by Loretta
Lynn. Genius Loves Company -Ray Charles,
Dave Chappelle's Block Party, United
93, |
 Meet
LYN MELLONE
Review Editor
Lyn found the Hollywood Jesus site through her renewed interest in The Lord of
the Rings. After sending some comments to Greg and offering some editorial feedback
to David, she was asked if she'd like to apply her professional editing expertise
to help with new reviews. |
 Meet
MICHAEL RAY BLOG
man23@yahoo.com
Web site: Beyond Film
Mike is a film reviewer with a background
in community theatre directing and acting. He is working on his Masters degree
at Denver Seminary and has a B.A. in English and a minor in Theatre from Colorado
Christian University. He is a musician, preacher, artist, puppeteer, editor,
and writer. His reviews imclude: Mean Girls, Harry
Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Stepford
Wives, Finding Neverland, U2
-How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, The Life Aquatic
with Steve Zissou, The Aviator, The
Sentinel, |
 Meet
SIMON REMARK
simon_remark@hotmail.com
Film Reviewer
Simon graduated from Trinity Western University where he studied film under prolific screenwriter Ned Vankevich. He prefers independent and lower-budget films. His reviews include: You Can Count On Me, Bad Lieutenant, Brooklyn Babylon, Maelstrom, Training Day, In the Company of Men, Waking Life. Vanilla Sky, The Royal Tenenbaums, Ocean's Eleven, Requiem for a Dream, Monster's Ball, 40 Days and 40 Nights, Last Temptation of Christ, About A Boy, Insomnia, Signs, Lovely and Amazing, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Punch Drunk Love, Brown Sugar, 8 Mile, Solaris, 25th Hour |
 Meet
WHITEWAVE BLOG
Her given name means "White" or "Wave." She has always been fascinated by Humans, Theology, Hermeneutics, Philosophy, Epistemology, Culture and Psychology with a special interest in how Postmodern ideas have changed everything. She lives in Northern California, a mother of two, and is a free lance writer. Life goal: To Love people and make this world a better place.
Her reviews include: House of Sand and Fog, The Incredibles, Vera Drake, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, |
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 Meet
SILKE FORCE
Former Editor
A doctoral student in Religious Studies at Concordia University, Montreal. She has edited many of the reviews in HJ. I am very grateful to her. Her reviews include:
Memento, Moulin Rouge (additions) |
 Meet
BETTY HAMM
Movie Reviewer, Arts Director
Betty is happily married and has served as the Arts Director at the Evangelical Free Church, in Naperville. IL. She occasionally has a Chic Flic Night at her home (see Fried Green Tomatoes). She has an active interest in film. Some of her reviews include:
Best in Show, Brothers, Enemy at the Gates, Save the Last Dance, See Spot Run, Sweet November, Just Visiting, Mummy Returns, The Tailor of Panama, The Others Harry Potter, Score, Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood, Windtalkers |
 Meet
ANNETTE WIERSTRA Email Me
Reporter, Writer
Annette is a writer and reporter living in Canada. Check out her in-depth interviews in Left Behind. Her reviews include Hollow Man, Chicken Run, Final Fantasy, What Lies Beneath, A Beautiful Mind, The Sweetest Thing, Spider-Man, About A Boy, The Importance of Being Earnest, Bourne Identity, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason,
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 Meet
NICK ALEXANDER
The "Catholic Weird Al"
Reviews include Family Man
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Meet
NICHOLAS KLESZCZEWSKI
Reviews include PI |
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Meet
SCOTT CRIPPS
Youth Minister
Scott is married, has a little one on the way, and is a youth pastor for Westview Baptist Church here Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Movies are a large part of his life which he enjoys with his wife. His reviews include: Traffic, Vertical Limits, and What Women Want |
Meet
BOB HEPBURN
Inner City Minister who has a Hip Hop web site
HIP HOP FROM A SPIRITUAL POINT OF VIEW
YUBM \ ' yueb-em \ pr.n.: an African American male youth-directed tribe (and its attendant vibe), found in and around urban centers.
He reviewed Finding Forrester. |
Meet
RACHEL HOSTETTER SMITH, Ph. D.
Gilikison Famiy Chair in Art History
Taylor University
I met Dr. Smith at the 1998 City of Angels Film Festival in Hollywood. She presented a paper on this film and on Kieslowski's Three Colours Trilogy. I was very impressed with her work. With her permission, I present it here for you to enjoy. Her reviews can be found here: Blue, Kolya |
 Meet
JOHN SCHUURMAN
Pastor Wheaton Christian Reformed Church
John is a family man, (one church, one wife, two kids). Born and reared in Denver, Colorado. Life-long Bronco fan. Education: A.B. English/Speech/Education M.A. Theater Arts M.Div Biblical Studies Career experience: High School teacher, Actor/director for legitimate theater, raconteur. His reviews include: The Black Robe, Shadowlands, Shawshank Redemption, Spitfire Grill.
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Meet
JOHN MADVIG
Seminary Friend
John is a very special friend. We attended seminary together. He is a great lover of film and is a student of the word. His reviews include: Saving Private Ryan, The Perfect Storm |
Meet
SCOTT BERRY
Australian Youth Leader
Mr. Berry is a youth leader in Australia. He uses movies as a connecting point in his work among young people. His contributions are not so much reviews as they are talks. The Truman Show, Star Wars
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ARE YOU A REVIEWER?
IT YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE REVIEWS TO HOLLYWOOD JESUS, PLEASE EMAIL ME WITH A BRIEF HISTORY OF YOURSELF AND, IF POSSIBLE, AN EXAMPLE OF A REVIEW. |
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