“The shaping of our character is, to a great extent, the effect of stories that have captivated us, that have sunk into our bones.” -James K.A. Smith
Guardians of Our Galaxy: Worldview and the Power of Story
Hollywood and Higher Education: Worldview and the Stories We Live By
Raised in a culture dominated by Hollywood storytelling—from Disney to Tarantino—my students often know Hollywood’s stories better than they know their own.
Casablanca and the Four Levels of Worldview: Why Everyone Meets at Rick’s
By changing the foundational story of Rick’s life from that of a “self-centered love-betrayed” to the story of a “other-centered love renewed” Ilsa transforms Rick’s values and rule of life as well.
Fiddler on the Roof: Worldview Change and the Foundational Power of Story
Like Tevye, the stories of Scripture provide not only fertile soil for nurturing reinterpretations of our philosophy and culture for a new generation, but also irresistible bedrock for grounding the story of our own life in the mind of God.
Why are ‘Deep Culture Impact’ Films so Rare?
In the past 40 years only three Academy Award-winning films managed to break into the coveted top 60 all-time box office earners. Here’s Why.
The Oscar “Huh?!” Factor: Why Academy Voters Usually Pick the Wrong Film
The Hollywood Reporter’s Scott Feinberg recently opined: “I try to vote in a way so that, in 50 years, people aren’t going to go, ‘Huh?!’” Sadly, history reveals that, when it comes to picking a film audiences will recognize as truly great 50 years from now, Oscar voters nearly always miss the mark. Here’s why.
Why Achieving ‘Deep Culture’ Impact is so Elusive
In the past 25 years only THREE Academy Award-winning films have managed to break into the coveted top 50 all-time box office earners.
Joel and Ethan Coen Spill Their Screenwriting Secrets to the Hollywood Reporter
The Oscar winners’ unorthodox, but highly effective approach to screenwriting by Tim Appelo in The Hollywood Reporter.
Using Worldview to Create Academy Award-winning Films (Series Introduction)
Striving to attain mastery as a Two Handed Warrior occasionally results in some very enjoyable if unintended consequences. Learning to “reverse engineer” Academy Award-winning films in order to teach worldview (see Teaching Worldview Through Film) somehow led to my inadvertently…