Customer Reviews

Finding Meaning at the Movies

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Vaux presents an excellent study book for groups or individuals, focusing on themes from life which can influence getting more from movies than simply entertainment. Each chapter focuses on a single theme, with several related films (and many more listed in an appendix). Faith reflections come from the author's knowledge of the Bible and experience as a professor of theology. At the end of each chapter are questions for group discussion. Dr. Vaux gives brief synopses without giving anything away. Although she inspires thinking about a film's spiritual meaning and life values, she wants viewers to find this in ordinary or extraordinary street stories, not religious films where we might expect it. I found this book awakened me to a new appreciation of films I had seen, and also to films new to me, foreign as well as American, from the 'sixties and 'seventies, as well as the 'nineties.

Vaux' thoughtful commentary on a number of popular and award-winning films is refreshing in its heavy emphasis on "values" and critical "issues" (and its avoidance of preaching and dogma).

Typical of the entire book is her handling of Riddley Scott's BLADE RUNNER: she's not afraid to tackle this excellent and boxoffice-drawing (but also "mature") science fiction film head on, guiding readers point-by-point through its highlights in pursuit of key subject matter and possible discussion topics. Actually, the result is a better/deeper appreciation of the film itself, whether or not the reader originally was only looking for dramatic illustrations of values!

Liberal-to-moderate and/or "mainstream" Christians should enjoy and benefit from this intelligent, well-reasoned guidebook -- and should be pleased by its freedom from religious doctrine and dogma. Protestants and Catholics alike should be able to make good use of the stimulating, conversation-starting notions she shares, while enjoying the subject films themselves as both art and entertainment. (Nor is there any reason that Jews or Muslims, or persons of other or no religious orientation, should not benefit, as well.)

More conservative/fundamentalist readers, however, may find Vaux's book personally disturbing in its tolerance of several "pop" movies (including adult themes, language, partial nudity and at least suggested sexual behavior and sometimes graphic violence), and dissapointed in its lack of direct one-to-one correlations with openly "religious" subject matter. Those readers wishing to be "preached at" or to find a guide to so-called "religious movies" will need to look elsewhere.

Personally, I found Vaux' approach both refreshing and enlightening, and I thank her for this step forward in recognizing the deep commitment to critical values that runs through the majority of modern art -- including The Movies!