But until that time comes, here is my take on the current evangelical reaction. I am truly perplexed at the evangelical response to these two recent (or about to be recent) theatrical film releases. The current response to these films actually seems almost topsy-turvy.

On the one hand, we have a live-action version of Beauty and the Beast that, according to the director, has a “delicious,” “exclusively gay” moment. And so naturally, very prominent evangelical leaders are calling for a boycott of the film. When I first head about this “moment” I was initially wondering if it was similar to the “moment” in Finding Dory when there’s a split-second scene of two women with a stroller - which obviously means they are “clearly” a homosexual couple (while two mothers at the aquarium while the fathers are at work is not just as plausible is still beyond me).

But as for the movie Old Fashioned itself: What was the story? What did it teach? What did it glorify? In essence, is it worth watching?

And now comes the hard part of trying to review a wonderful movie without giving any spoilers. But try I will!

Of course, there are times indeed where mothers desperately need a night out away from the very busy and difficult world of being a homemaker (I believe it is truly one of the most difficult jobs in the world).(2)

And as husbands are supposed to support their wives in those times (Col. 3:19; 1 Pet. 3:7), it certainly follows that they can (and should) provide such a night out for their wives at times (I'll not get into the frequency in this review). ;)

But thus begins the plot and my corresponding review of this wonderful movie....but don't worry, I won't have any SPOILERS in the review.

Each book is summarized briefly, followed by an analysis on the trilogy as a whole.
WARNING: SPOILER ALERTS THROUGHOUT!

"But this book says nothing about Jesus..."

You're absolutely correct. The author does not bring this point up explicitly in the books (and for my part I really don't know what the author's worldview is or her understanding of who Jesus Christ is). But it comes out nonetheless, like it would in any dystopian work; and it would be good to point this out when reading it with others (especially your children).

Whether it was intentional or not, I think it is very telling that Jesus Christ is not mentioned at all, or even anything resembling the idea of Christ's church. It is in this Christless world of Panem, where the Hunger Games take place, that we get a very good picture of what society truly is like when there is no restraining force of God on earth.

Let's consider the story then...

Is God's Not Dead a movie worth seeing?

No...not really.

The acting wasn't that great. I mean, there were one or two who could make it as Hallmark movie actors; but other than that it was pretty terrible. The characters were mostly absurd caricatures. From the "feel-good" aspect, there were various sub-stories within the film that they tried to bring together for a big "Awe..." moment. But the characters were so flat that it doesn't really make you feel anything, other than the wonderment of why you watched this film in the first place.

The film was way over dramatic at points (many points), appealed drastically more to feelings than to reason (pretty annoying given that the thrust of the movie was supposed to be rational debate in a philosophy class), and very weak even in its evangelistic moments.