About Moviegoings: A Guide

Welcome to “Moviegoings.” This is a public platform from which to explore the vast, rich and ever-growing regions of quality cinema so often left uncharted and even unvisited by my fellow Christians. It also exists to describe and point out what can be found there in a manner that is conscious of the excellence that all people of faith are called to seek. What does it mean to be a Christian who enjoys going to the movies? That is the central question behind “Moviegoings.”

But this site is also about having fun. Many movies exist to educate and enlighten, but they will not be nearly as effective unless they also entertain. “Moviegoings” is all about sharing the enjoyment of a well-made movie in an environment that values both artistic quality and spiritual significance. I try to publish reviews of new movies premiering in American theaters on a weekly basis, as well as examine worthy classics from all decades and countries as the opportunity or desire arises.

On the sidebar to the right you will find ready access to everything this site has to offer, starting with a four-part introduction to the topic of Christians and the movies as I see it. Should Christians go to the movies? What should they watch? How should they go about watching? Why watch at all? These issues are very close to me, and the answers people give to them raise hackles on both sides of the debate.

Beneath that is the “Recurring Features” section (related posts, or series of posts, which are added to on a consistent basis). Most are self-explanatory. The “movielogue” is an index of my travels in the land of film. The list includes what I watched, when I watched it, and what I thought of it on a 100-point scale (think scholastic grades), as well as links to my top ten lists of favorite or outstanding films. Also, movies that I have discussed at greater length have links to the relevant posts located next to them.

Speaking of links, I have assembled (and continue to assemble) a collection of websites that I find to be of particular interest. The first, and largest, bunch is a group of Christian film critics to which I belong: the Faith and Film Critics Circle. They share my beliefs and goals about the movies (or, rather, I share theirs), and they are all excellent writers with much to offer on their websites. The others include sites full of information and news about all sorts of movies (past, present and future) and a collection of other critics that I find particularly insightful. Finally, I have a few sources that keep scrupulous tabs on movie content. I personally do not find them to be a useful source for film assessment when taken alone (although many do), but I certainly do not have a problem with being aware of their concerns and standards.

As for the category listings whose purposes may not be immediately obvious: “Film Roundup” contains brief reviews of random selections of movies that I never wrote about when I first watched them. “Referrals” are posts with links to content from an outside source that caught my interest. “Reflections” are commentaries on a movie (or movies) of a more personal nature. “Scholarship” contains my more academic examinations of various movies, including critical essays on particular themes and research projects into the historical background and cultural significance of various films.