Boys' Bible Study – Details, episodes & analysis

Just when you thought you had meditated enough on the true meaning of Christmas, Santa's favorite aged former elf reminds you that you still have so much to learn. Hank returns in the sequel to the popular, at least to us, HANK'S CHRISTMAS WISH, directed by West Virginia film icon Jason Campbell, bringing back many of the familiar faces from the first film for another round of holiday magic. Remember Tippee and Toes, the elves? No? You don't? Well, too bad, because they're back. Bella has been recast and is largely absent, as she and her husband Kevin are away on a mission trip to Africa, but her brother Liam is still working in Hank's independently contracted toy workshop. Mayor Dean, played by actor and ICE agent Dean Cain, continues his agreeable stewardship of the town's Christmas festivities. Now openly known as a real elf and former custodian of Santa, Hank has more influence than before and uses it to push for a town production of The Nutcracker, choreographed by local dance teacher Heather. Mayor Dean quickly agrees, motivated by the fact that Heather is single and he is looking for love. The holiday peace is disrupted by Frosty, a Christmas comedian hired by the town council whose jealousy over The Nutcracker leads him to spread the common cold throughout the town. Frosty is revealed to be the son of Jack Frost, a former North Pole intern alienated by the elves, a grudge he still holds. It's a creative and contemporary take on familiar Christmas cultural tropes, and Jason Campbell succeeds at what seems to be his goal of making a family-friendly Christmas film that pays lip service to Jesus without hitting you over the head with religious themes, allowing you to relax and enjoy your hot cocoa. It's honestly refreshing that the film isn't so serious, though its greatest flaw may be its characterization of Frosty, who is a genuinely annoying screen presence largely because his entire thing is being the brunt of fat jokes. Lesson learned: never hire a Christmas comedian to do an elf's job!

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Is a heart transplant also a soul transplant? A real-life news story from 2008 concerns Sonny Graham, a heart transplant recipient who married his donor's wife and ultimately committed suicide in the exact same method as his donor. Likely inspired by this bizarre event is ECHO RHYME, a Christian thriller with far too many plot points, but mostly about a career criminal who receives a Christian's heart transplant and gets saved. ECHO RHYME is by director Caleb Johnson and his son and frequent writing collaborator Jeff Johnson, who also made 2 TO TANGLE, a film we absolutely love that is also about shared souls and tangled identity, in this case involving the lives of two identical twins separated at birth. The Johnsons have clearly built up their skill set for the ambitious ECHO RHYME, but in growing have bitten off more than they can chew with the film's concept. ECHO RHYME protagonist Frank is a gallery artist and jewel thief who practices martial arts, but when he does a hit on a devout Christian man on behalf of his jealous ex–business partner, he sets off a chain of events that leads to him inheriting the heart. Confused yet? It does not stop there, as the heart begins influencing his own Christian thought, inspiring a mission trip to Central America, where another rival gang targets him and he learns a secret that links every character in the movie in a bizarre web. It is too much to handle, and the first 20 minutes of the movie's exposition are impossible to parse on first watch. The artistic spirit of the genuinely talented Johnson family comes through in this enthusiastic feature, but ultimately ECHO RHYME would have been stronger with some serious editing.

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We kick off football season with a review of a new film by prolific Christian director Jason Campbell. WE BELIEVE, which even features a cameo by former Superman actor Dean Cain, takes an impressionistic look at a real high school football community in St. Mary's, West Virginia, centering on the inspirational story of coach Jodi Mote. Grounded in fact, the film makes odd leaps into seemingly fictional storylines about St. Mary's students, an attempt to introduce conflict while staying inoffensive to the community. That tension becomes the film's biggest weakness. WE BELIEVE was cowritten by Campbell, Jodi Mote, and his wife Brandy, so the Motes clearly have a personal stake in telling the story of Jodi's sudden stroke, which left him unable to coach the St. Mary's Blue Devils during a crucial season. He was temporarily replaced by Bill Hanlin, a local legend remembered for coaching an undefeated season in 1963. The film's action drifts between Mote's recovery (as his team and special ed students miss him), Hanlin instilling Christian values in the Blue Devils, and contrived side plots: a Danish freshman exchange student turned field-goal kicker, and a troubled teen named Trey whose broken home pushes him into drinking and sexual temptation. The Danish subplot is especially bizarre, since actor Addison Dattilo, tattooed and visibly closer to 28 than 14, plays the role with the vibe of a California surfer instead of a homesick exchange student. In general, it is disappointing that the only conflicts (underage drinking, divorce, high school politics) are fictionalized; meanwhile the true story is flattened. The film would be far more compelling if it explored Mote's actual challenges. What did loneliness and frustration feel like for a devout Christian man whose body had failed him? To admit weakness, however, would cut against the film's purpose: flattering its collaborators.

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We return with our long-awaited review of the hotly anticipated sequel to Unequally Yoked, the feature film comprised of slice-of-life vignettes about relationships in which one person's lack of seriousness about Christ threatens to drag the other behind. UNEQUALLY YOKED, PART II does something we frequently see from DIY filmmakers making their sophomore effort, which is to assume that their audience is deeply invested in the characters they've created and push their stories further than necessary in a way that doesn't really fit the mission statement of the first film. In this case, however… the plan worked! We at Boys' Bible Study found ourselves asking — whatever happened to the Bell Family? How will Ce Ce and Jeremiah adapted to newlywed life? Is Marcus leaving the path of the hustler behind? And, gentle listeners: we simply could simply not have predicted what goes on between Dante and Candy. Once again set in a predominantly black Baptist congregation in Indianapolis, IN, and once again featuring the catchiest theme song we've ever heard in a DIY Christian film franchise, UNEQUALLY YOKED, PART II is a low budget sensation that already has us itching to review its spin-off film THE BELL FAMILY CHRISTMAS once the holiday season comes around later this year. 

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This over-the-top yet underrated Christian boxing film is a who's who of some of our favorite creators in the faith-based genre. The ever-present Kevin Sorbo co-stars as a burned out boxing coach. TC Stallings, who stars in the Kendrick Brothers' high-grossing relationship drama WAR ROOM (2015), is in the ONE MORE ROUND ensemble as a hulking rival boxer. However, the names we're most excited to see on the credits are director Chip Rossetti and co-writer and co-star Donald James Parker, the duo behind the incredibly grating yet wonderful GRAMPS GOES TO COLLEGE (2014) about an old guy who enrolls in an undergrad program to debunk the lies of Biology 101. Donald James Parker's writerly touch is all over what could otherwise be a straightforwardly inspirational tale about a lapsed Christian boxer (Jake Taylor, played by Tommy Lee Thomas) who needs a miracle to be able to provide for his family. Parker's insane turns of phrase and trademark toxic female characters elevate the drama of ONE MORE ROUND to surreal territory. However, there's one more shining star in the cast who we should mention — Franco Columbu, the bodybuilder, actor, and frequent associate of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who made his final film appearance in ONE MORE ROUND shortly before he passed away in 2019. With such a glittering list of names associated with this film, we wonder, why isn't ONE MORE ROUND more well known in the Christian film world? We attempt to answer this question during our discussion with a little help from a new "Good Art/Bad Art" chart that made the rounds on Twitter this week, which has finally removed the subjectivity from art criticism and rendered our jobs useless from this point forward.

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Join us live in Los Angeles as Boys' Bible Study and American Cinematheque present... LET THERE BE LIGHT (2017) on Sun., Aug 27 at 10pm. Advance tickets on sale now!

Every so often, God calls upon you to watch a movie that makes you reexamine the big milestones of decision-making in your life, such as, "What if… I never hosted a Christian film podcast?" WHAT IF… is a Christian romantic drama about guardian angels and alternate timelines that would feel right at home in the 1990s trend of secular/faith-based crossover media such as TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL. However, WHAT IF… was made two decades after this angelic era, and by a very consequential team of directors, writers and producers who would soon go on to achieve great success in the faith-based film genre. Director Dallas Jenkins (son of LEFT BEHIND co-creator Jerry B. Jenkins) would go on to direct THE CHOSEN, the hugely popular contemporary Christian TV series about the ministry of Jesus. Writers Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon would go on to create the consequential GOD'S NOT DEAD series just a few years after the release of WHAT IF…. Finally, WHAT IF… co-producer David A.R. White (already a famous name in the genre) and star Kevin Sorbo would soon be the lead actors in GOD'S NOT DEAD, cementing their respective statuses as the contemporary titans of Christian film. WHAT IF… stars Kevin Sorbo perfectly in his favorite typecast role of a ruthless, worldly atheist. In this case, his character Ben Walker leaves his relationship with his devoutly Christian high school sweetheart Wendy (Kristy Swanson) to start a new life in the big city as a rich and successful investment banker. Sounds great, but something must be missing… right? Right? Right!? Guardian angel "Mike the Angel" (John Ratzenberger) is sent by God to dispatch Ben to a more wholesome realm, where he never left Wendy and he gets to experience the richness of family life. Through Ben's eyes, we learn that love is more important than money… but money definitely helps a lot!

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It's been about two years since the bizarre death of Gwen Shamblin Lara and her husband Joe Lara in a private plane crash in June 2021, but media coverage of the two charismatic Christians is only just now coming to a climax with the release of dueling films profiling the pair. HBO has a new documentary, but we focus on Lifetime's GWEN SHAMBLIN: STARVING FOR SALVATION, which stars Jennifer Grey (DIRTY DANCING, FERRIS BUELER'S DAY OFF) in the lead role as Gwen, covering her life's journey from housewife to cult leader. We at Boys' Bible Study previously covered Gwen ourselves back in 2021, learning about her extensive and specific theories on how you can replace gluttonous urges with prayer. Her most famous theory is that one must wait for "The Growl", a stomach growl which sometimes requires fasting as long as 36 hours at a time to truly experience. STARVING FOR SALVATION doesn't get too deeply into the content of Gwen's teachings, but the film is impressively researched and entertaining as it recreates the harrowing atmosphere of a southern belle cult leader who exerts total control over the dogma (and diets) of her congregation. Watch as Gwen and Joe go shopping for a private plane to add to their tacky, opulent estate — the same plane that would later come crashing down in a Tennessee lake, bringing an abrupt end to Gwen's reign over Remnant Fellowship. The Church lives on, and has even issued a harsh press statement denouncing Lifetime's biopic, but they should be grateful! GWEN SHAMBLIN: STARVING FOR SALVATION is not a flattering portrait, but we think Gwen would enjoy seeing her legacy live on in such an entertaining and, dare we say, "iconic" way.

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Buy advance tickets here: https://www.americancinematheque.com/now-showing/boys-bible-study-presents-let-there-be-light-8-27-23/

Boys' Bible Study podcast presents LET THERE BE LIGHT (2017, dir. Kevin Sorbo) with in-person introduction by Ash and Julian and remote introduction by Scott. Los Feliz 3 theater in Los Angeles. Sunday, Aug. 27 at 10pm, as a part of American Cinematheque's FRIEND OF THE FEST 2023.

We're thrilled to present a very rare repertory screening of a faith-based film and LET THERE BE LIGHT will be an amazing one to watch with a crowd. We hope to see you there!

This grim yet colorful gem from the prolific Mark IV Pictures is one of the most revered and feared Christian movies of all time, for good reason. For many millennials who grew up Christian, A THIEF IN THE NIGHT was a foundational movie shown in church that introduced them to the terrifying immediacy of the apocalypse. Its snappy vignettes and powerful messaging that targets children left a strong impression and a sense of impending doom in young viewers. A THIEF IN THE NIGHT opens with a scene of a worship band covering the famous Larry Norman song "I Wish We'd All Been Ready", taken from Norman's 1969 album Upon This Rock, which is often credited as being the first Christian rock album of all time. "Children died, the days grew cold/A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold" the band sings, viewed by our teen protagonists, who take its message with varying levels of seriousness or bored amusement. As the film unfolds, the teens who don't take this message seriously are faced with the scariest punishment available to a wannabe Christian — they are "left behind" in the rapture as America descends into a fascist state run by the antichrist. A THIEF IN THE NIGHT's message is clear: doing good works is not enough to save you. A truly good Christian believes the apocalypse is deadly serious and coming soon, and deviance from this worldview is a mortal sin. Joining us on the pod today is our friend Wormy, aka Jacob, who we met online through doing the show and has provided some key research that built up a few of our episodes over the past few months. He joins us today using his past as a student of Biblical Studies to fill in some key details about the history of dispensationalism in American Christianity. Wormy has his own show of pop cultural history and criticism on YouTube as Sludge Surfer. Check it out! And look forward to a special Boys' Bible Study live event announcement dropping tomorrow morning.

Watch Sludge Surfer's videos on YouTube

Follow Wormy on Letterboxd

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Good Christian girl Sandy falls in love with Jack, an atheist "motorcycle freak", after Jack intentionally lets the air out of Sandy's car tires in order to start a conversation with her. This is the beginning of a tumultuous relationship that leads to an "unequally yoked" marriage, where Jack pretends to be saved by Christ in order to convince Sandy to tie the knot. It doesn't take long before the couple are screaming, fighting, and neglecting their kids. Jack flees the house by entering motorcycle competitions around the country, and Sandy pops sleeping pills like candy. Can God bless this nightmare relationship with a fairytale ending? From the makers of the legendary A THIEF IN THE NIGHT comes ALL THE KING'S HORSES, a classic of 1970s Christian cinema about how divorce is simply not an option, even in instances of physical and mental abuse. The couple consults a series of pastors, family members, and even a divorce attorney, who mysteriously all oppose the dissolution of this sacred vow made before God. Shockingly, Sandy's own mother encourages her daughter to adjust her attitude, even as Sandy is standing before her with a black eye. But ALL THE KING'S HORSES is not merely a depressing relationship drama — prepare to be delighted by multiple musical numbers sung by the fabulous Lowell Lundstrom and his band, and enjoy a compelling performance by lead actress Dee Wallace, who would go on to star in Hollywood blockbusters such as E.T., CUJO, THE HOWLING, and more. To all the young lovers out there: marriage is the greatest decision you'll ever make, divorce is the worst, and watching ALL THE KING'S HORSES is somewhere in between.

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