“I’m going to do something I’ve never done in my years of writing about films – urge everyone to see a film,” writes associate editor Gordon Houser in The Mennonite, July 18. “An Inconvenient Truth is a must-see documentary.” Hosted by Al Gore, the film is a sober warning about global warming, presented as a moral rather than political message. Says Houser, “This is a critical film for a critical time.” (Available on DVD in November.)
Coming to theatres in October is a controversial, independent release featuring Jesus as a black Jew. The first film to depict Jesus as black, Color of the Cross questions traditional images of Jesus as light-skinned and blue-eyed. Writer–director Jean Claude LaMarre, who also stars as Jesus, says the film is “not about dividing people” but “broadening their perspective.”
42% of respondents to a recent online poll of visitors to the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada’s website (Christianity.ca) believe mainstream movies can help start faith discussions; 39% believe movies are what most people talk about so Christians need to engage with them; 19% believe mainstream movies have so many “negatives” people need to find other ways to connect with people around them.
