Film theorists help Christians follow the plot
ADRIAN DRAYTON speaks to authors Robert Johnston and Catherine Barsotti about how important it is to connect our faith to life using pop culture as a framework.

The movie magic is gone
Hollywood, which once captured the nerve center of American life, doesn't matter much anymore.
By Neal Gabler, Neal Gabler is the author of many books, including "Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination" and "Life the Movie: How Entertainment Conquered Reality."

Hollywood set to honour faith-based movies
By Randee Dawn

This is a list of websites with helpful information about faith and film.

• www.reeldialogue.com has resources set up to help individuals and church or home groups Biblically reflect, engage and interact with films. Find out about how you can begin you own Reel Dialogue group.

• www.beliefnet.com has interesting articles on religious aspects of films and media.

• www.hollywoodjesus.com has commentary on most current release movies and their religious merit.

• www.sensesofcinema.com.au an Australian online film journal devoted to the serious and eclectic discussion of cinema.

• www.michaelmedved.com/ The author of Hollywood Versus America, Medved is an outspoken critic of lack of decency in films and an advocate of decent films.

• www.christianitytoday.com/ctmag/ Jeffrey Overstreet's weekly column provides a roundup of Christian and mainstream critics's responses to the latest Hollywood releases as well as analysis of issues touching on faith and film.

• www.unomaha.edu/jrf/ An excellent source of academic articles on film and faith with reviews.

• www.metaphilm.com/pheatures/cinemacathedral.html Cinema: The New Cathedral

• www.metaphilm.com/ Articles on cinema, latest reviews etc.

• www.pcusa.org/ega/more/spiritualityfilm.htm Spirituality and Film: An Essay by Ed McNulty

• www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/film-xn.html Film and the Christian: The Convergence of High and Low Culture

• individual.utoronto.ca/johnbowen/dare/simpsons.html God and the Simpsons: The Spirituality of Springfield

• www.domlife.org/moviereviews/index.html USA Dominican Life Today's film review page

• www.resourcescentreonline.co.uk/filmandfaith.html The Film and Faith section of this website is designed to give those that wish to study film in the context of faith a set of tools to do so.

• www.refuel.org.uk/curric/xphase/filmfaith/ These notes, intended for both primary and secondary teachers, explore the use of film as a resource in RE, providing background information, useful examples, and practical advice.

Adrian Drayton is available to talk to churches about how they can use pop culture as a way of engaging more effectively with society.