The Men Who Stare at Goats–Movie Review

Is It More Than a Feeling?:
A Review of The Men Who Stare at Goats
by S. Randall Toms, Ph. D.
The Men Who Stare at Goats begins with the onscreen caption, “More of this is true than you would believe.”  Having been fooled by “mockumentaries” of the past few years,  viewers may be worried that they are [...]

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The Politically Charged “Astro Boy” – Movie Review

Red States vs. Blue States:
The Politically Charged Astro Boy
by S. Randall Toms, Ph.D.
Warning:  This review contains spoilers.
I suppose that all films are political to some extent, but I must confess that when I went to see Astro Boy I did not expect to be hammered with such an overt political message.  Astro Boy [...]

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Where the Wild Things Are – Movie Review

If Only I Were King:
A Review of Where the Wild Things Are
by S. Randall Toms, Ph.D.

In 1963 Maurice Sendak wrote and illustrated a 338-word, ten-sentence children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are.  It was hailed as a groundbreaking work in children’s literature  because it seriously explored  a child’s deep feelings of anger, rejection, and [...]

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Drag Me to Hell–Movie Review

Hell Hath Opened Her Mouth:
A Review of Drag Me to Hell
by Rev. S. Randall Toms, Ph.D.
Warning:  This review contains spoilers.
I am a huge fan of the Universal horror films of the 1930s and 1940s (Dracula, 1931; Frankenstein, 1931; The Wolfman, 1941, etc.) and the Hammer Horror of the late 1950s through the early 1970s (The [...]

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Bright Star – Movie Review

Diving into Poetry:

A Review of Bright Star
by S. Randall Toms, Ph. D.
Since my Ph.D. is in English literature, and John Keats is my favorite poet, I have been anxiously awaiting the release of Bright Star, a film about the romance between Keats and Fanny Brawne.   Keats, one of the most famous of the Romantic poets, [...]

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Surrogates: Movie Review

Living through Our Machines: A Review of Surrogates
By Rev. S. Randall Toms, Ph.D.
Warning: This review contains spoilers.
What if you could always be young, strong, attractive, and have any experience you wish without the possibility of personal injury? Considering our obsession, particularly in the United States, with health and beauty, most people would jump at the [...]

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The Invention of Lying: Review

Is Religion the Greatest Hoax?
A Review of The Invention of Lying
by Rev. S. Randall Toms, Ph.D.
 Warning:  This review contains spoilers
If you are looking for a film that would help you generate theological and philosophical discussions with both believers and nonbelievers, perhaps the best choice from among the movies that came out this week would be [...]

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Stitchpunk Saviors: A Review of “9″

Stitchpunk Saviors: A Review of Shane Acker’s 9
by Rev. S. Randall Toms, Ph.D.
Warning:  This review contains spoilers.
One of the most popular film genres of the last 30 years has been the dystopia, those movies that depict apocalyptic disasters and nightmarish societies of the future.  Though religions, politicians, and various philosophies promise that adherence to their [...]

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Inglorious Basterds

Saved by Cinema: 
A Review of Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds
             When we watch films or read accounts of the atrocities the Jews suffered at the hands of the Nazis, we are filled with outrage and experience a kind of helplessness, wishing that somehow, someone would have been able to have helped them or prevented the events [...]

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The Strait Gate

Preached on January 18, 2009, by the Rev. Dr. S. Randall Toms
At St. Paul’s Reformed Episcopal Church, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:   Because strait is the gate, and narrow is [...]

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