Creative, thought-provoking analyses of various films and how they relate to different parts of the church calendar. The author's interpretations are sometimes unique (she finds more hope in "Annihilation" than any other critic I've ever read!) but she makes a strong case for them. An enjoyable and inspiring read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Films are often influenced by the culture around us. After all, moviemakers are familiar with the need for relevance. This is necessary to reach popular appeal. In the same way, Christians living in this world ought to be aware of the cultural appeal happening in their realms of influence. Yet, culture does not stand still. It changes rapidly with various fads, fashion, and trends. How do we interpret culture from a Christian perspective? One avenue is through films. Author Abby Olcese is an avid observer of film and popular culture. She believes we can better understand the mood of the times just by noticing the messages and stories behind the movies. Believing that "stories rule our lives," just like how stories in the Bible communicate central biblical themes, the stories in movies can reveal cultural trends that we can be aware of.

Without intentionality, understanding culture is like asking a fish to explain what water is. The author's underlying conviction is that Christians should influence the world and not the other way around. By learning to engage people through understanding the things that matter to people in our community, we can better communicate the gospel in ways that they can understand. Instead of choosing films at random, the author follows the Western Church calendar according to the different seasons that Christians follow. These are:

- Advent (With themes of Hope, Faith, Joy, and Peace)
- Christmas (With themes of humility, lowliness, salvation, and love)
- Epiphany (With themes of healing, self-sacrifice, love in ministry)
- Lent (With themes of abstention, Christ's presence, and gratitude)
- Holy Week (With themes of struggle and victory)
- Easter (With themes of resurrection)
- Ascension Day (With themes of the Great Commission and promise)
- Pentecost (With themes of Holy Spirit and Community)
- All Saints Day (With themes of perseverance, faithfulness, and legacy)

Olcese draws a parallel using the Lectio Divina steps to direct the way for us to watch films, specifically from a Christian perspective.
- Slow Reading | (Viewing)
- Meditation | (Meditating)
- Contemplation | (Contemplating)

My Thoughts
==============
Let me give three thoughts about this book.

First, it enlarges our understanding of the movie itself. Each chapter gives us an overview of the key characters and the outline of the movie. For those of us who have seen the movie, we have a fresh outlook about the meaning of the movie. In some cases, the re-telling of the story fills in the gaps readers might have about the movie itself. For example, in the Advent chapter about Hope, we learn that hope for the Star Wars resistance fighters is not simply winning the war. It's overcoming the ills of human nature. It's about taking the first step in the right direction. It's about modeling for others what hope means for future generations. I find myself able to fill in the gaps in my viewing of the movies. At the same time, I learn about other movies that I have not seen, which will enlarge my own repertoire of movies. The suggestions for further viewing segment gives us even more choices for movie selection.

Second, we get to see common themes in both the Bible as well as the movie. In every chapter, there is a narrative from the Bible to show us that the movie narratives are not necessarily new. The movie SHAZAM! focuses on an unlikely hero, something similar to how Jesus came to this earth as an ordinary person. Just like how Jesus was both human and divine, the movie's protagonist, Thaddeus Sivana was both normal as well as superhero. The difference however was the way of the Kingdom of God against the kingdom of the empire. Those of us familiar with the Bible narratives will have an immediate template to discern the similarities and differences between the Bible and the movie. It is also an opportunity for readers to sharpen their reading (or re-reading) of the Bible.

Third, we get to exercise our spiritual discernment. There are 26 movies that we can learn from the author. Each chapter begins with a brief overview of the movie, the key messages, and the characters. This is usually followed by a connection with relevant Bible passages that also reflect the themes promoted by the movies. At the end of the chapter, there are discussion questions to dig deeper into the messages. This presents an opportunity for reflection and application. As readers go through each chapter, they will become familiar with the steps and after a while, be able to discern other movies not mentioned in this book. This is best done via a discussion group.

Robert Johnston's "Reel Spirituality" is one of the first books to remind us that messages of spirituality are evident in many movies. Josh Larsen's "Movies are Prayers" shows us how films can voice our deepest longings. Mike Cosper's "The Stories We Tell" helps us connect the dots between storytelling and human longing. In "God in the Movies," Catherine M. Barsotti and Robert K. Johnston comb through four decades of film to show us that movies are actually about people searching for God. Subtly, Abby Olcese rides on the coattails of wisdom from these predecessors to introduce a fresh Christian season perspective to themes. Moreover, she hints that perhaps, the movies can also be evidence of God searching for us.

Abby Olcese writes about film, popular culture and faith. Her work has appeared at Think Christian, Sojourners, Paste and other outlets. She is also the film editor for The Pitch, a magazine and website serving the Kansas City, Missouri, area. She lives in Kansas City.

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of InterVarsity Press via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

In her book, Olcese has placed the cinematic calendar in its rightful place beneath the Church Year. It’s enthralling for critics to think of the year through cinematic moments: Festival seasons, summer blockbusters, holiday releases, and the much-lauded awards seasons come with unique glimmers of the beauty of filmmaking, but Olcese places movies under God’s dominion, and shows that the Christian’s mind should be “set on things above,” even when pondering things below (Col. 3:2).

Olcese has crafted a work of “silver screen liturgies,” which was the working title of the book. While there may be points that seem a little too stretched, or underdeveloped theological concepts, Films for All Seasons is a much-needed work in both Christian publishing and film criticism. Olcese displays keen thoughtfulness in summarizing and analyzing a variety of films, and presents them in a theological light with the goal of inviting Christians into the wondrous world of movies. In a world oversaturated with voices on every movie, Olcese offers a distinctly refreshing take on the interweaving of cinema and Christian belief.

You’re going to want to write this title down, not just because you’re going to want a copy for yourself but because if you’re like me, you’re going to have a hard time remembering the exact words.

Films for All Seasons by Abby Olcese is an excellent resource, one that I’m looking forward to using for many years to come. This book was born from an article that she wrote during the pandemic to encourage people to explore films during a specific liturgical season. That article grew into this book that shares films for every liturgical season.

Here’s the nice thing about this book, it’s not just a list that sends you on your way. It’s a critique of films and a companion that helps point out some themes that are in modern films and scripture. Olcese does an excellent job of pointing out storylines within films that the casual viewer may miss. And when I say casual viewer, I mean me. I missed a lot of these connections she’s pointed out. And it’s not like she’s stretching to find these things, it’s that I just enjoyed my flicks with a bowl of popcorn and little thought.

There is a large variety of films discussed, from Children of Men to Paddington to Star Wars. I immediately wanted to move from Ordinary time into Advent so that I could watch the films with others and discuss the ideas that are rooted out in Olcese’s chapters. In addition to the careful critique of the films, comparison to scripture, there are also discussion questions with each one. I was also pleased to find a treasure trove of additional film and season combinations at the end of the book.

If you are something that follows the liturgical calendar or even someone that has no idea what that is but is curious, this book is an excellent resource to add to your arsenal. It has changed the way that I think about films and how they can be incorporated into my celebrations of the church year.



I received a copy of this book from IVP for the purpose of review through NetGalley. I’m never required to say good things about the books I review, but I’m always thankful when I can.

Films for All Seasons is a unique guide that brings together film critique and the church calendar. Each chapter contains a brief synopsis of a film, connections to the gospel story and/or the season of the church calendar, and questions for reflection. I really loved the wide variety of movies covered in this guide, which range from Barbie to Paddington, from Rogue One to more obscure titles to add to your watch list. I think the most valuable part of reading this is that it models how we can train our eyes to look for echoes of the biblical narrative in each piece of media that we consume. The story of Christ is truly the best story we can ever hear, and intentionally looking for its themes in other stories is a helpful practice.
I didn't necessarily agree with every connection that was made by the author, but I really love the idea and the overall execution as well. So, I would not hesitate to recommend Films for All Seasons, especially if you are someone who enjoys film or wants to be more intentional in your media consumption.
Thank you to Netgalley and Intervarsity Press for the advanced review copy. All opinions are my own. Films for All Seasons by Abby Olcese releases on October 15.

Unfortunately I cannot in good conscience recommend this book. The collection of essays are based upon opinions of the writers and themes of faith, hope, peace etc. seem faith based. Most people love films for differing reasons. However, I found the selections featured to be anything but faith based, even offensive and counter to family values. I won't be recommending the book.

Two things that I would have never thought could be paired together, much less done so in such a profound way: Fast & Furious 6 and The Pentecost. This is just one of the many examples of pairings in this book. It creates such a unique perspective on film and how it can be interpreted. Although I love the easy access of using a lot of blockbuster and franchise films, I'd also like to see a more personal feeling set of films.

My sister is a film editor and producer for a Catholic studio, and we often speak of the power of media to communicate the transcendentals of truth, goodness, and beauty to us. It is clear that this book is written in that same spirit. I found the essays/commentary to be very insightful and well-thought out, with just enough of a synopsis of each overarching plot to grasp its central story and themes. I did think that a few of the analyses were grasping for connection to the stated liturgical season, but they still provided a good starting point for more contemplation. The discussion questions are simple and straightforward, and wouldn’t necessitate that the audience read the commentary beforehand. Overall would be a good book for small groups, families, or even individuals looking to be more mindful about their media! Thank you to NetGalley and InterVarsity Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of 'Films for All Seasons' All opinions are my own.

I really enjoy watching films and reading about it. It is interesting to explore how the church and religion are featured and influence different films.

Thank you, NetGalley and InterVarsity Press. I am so glad I had an opportunity to review this ARC! Definitely recommend as a resource for families, friends, and ministries/faith community groups. This book is accessible for all; you don’t need to be familiar with the church’s liturgical calendar or a movie buff as the author includes synopses of each season and movie throughout. I especially loved the discussion questions at the end of each movie, good for self-reflection and journaling or discussion with friends and families. In the spirit of ‘teach a man to fish,’ the author also teaches us how to apply the lecto divina spiritual discipline to any film-viewing experience. Excellent book grounded on spiritual truth.