Meaning at the Movies

Just finished "Meaning at the Movies: Becoming a Discerning Viewer" by Grant Horner.  It's an interesting look at movies from a Christian perspective, in particular, looking at worldviews that movies present. The author is a professor of film studies, so he naturally thinks that movie are the ultimate reflection of our culture, and the most powerful artistic means of expression... Maybe.

Anyway, the point of the book is to encourage you to really engage with what you're watching and consider what the writer, director, cinematographer, and characters want you to think about the world, the nature of man, etc. He sums it up well with a quick question: "Who believes what about what, and why?"  Looking at some of the movies I have seen recently, it's an interesting diagnostic question.

After walking through some examples of answers for this question, he breaks down some movies of various genres and talks through some of the ideas that are being presented. This was the most interesting part of the book for me.

I think if you're interested in movies, and especially in thinking about movies, you'd enjoy this book. It's good stuff to think about with any kind of art you interact with - even commercials!