Category Archives: Movies

“A Budget is Always a Moral Document”

Posted on April 19, 2010 by wallwritings

Revised and Updated By James M. Wall The Chicago Hearing, a “mock Congressional Hearing” sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee, attracted a standing room only crowd to the campus of the University of Chicago this past weekend. In addition … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East Politics, Movies | 7 Comments

Finding Shared Communities In The Academy’s Final Ten Films

Posted on March 9, 2010 by wallwritings

by James M.  Wall The smartest thing the Motion Picture Academy did in its 82nd annual Academy Awards voting this year was to return to a practice it last used in 1943. That was the year the Academy named Casablanca … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East Politics, Movies | 5 Comments

Israel Goes to War Using Anti-BDS Warriors and Smiling Tourists

Posted on February 27, 2010 by wallwritings

by James M. Wall Coming soon to your US tourist sites and church conferences: Israel’s two new campaign armies: Anti-BDS Warriors and Smiling Tourists. Israel wants you to forget about the grief and suffering that continues in Gaza. They are telling … Continue reading →

Posted in -Movies and Religion, Middle East Politics, Religion and politics | 11 Comments

A Teachable Moment: Linking AVATAR To Gaza and Af-Pak

Posted on January 3, 2010 by wallwritings

by James M. Wall At a special morning New Year’s Eve screening in Hawaii, President Obama took his family to the mall to see the new 3-D movie, Avatar. Whose idea was that? Did the leader of the Free World realize … Continue reading →

Posted in -Movies and politics | 13 Comments

“Heute Morgen ist Ron Holloway Gestorben” 1933-2009

Posted on December 18, 2009 by wallwritings

by James M. Wall   The email brought the sad news: “Heute morgen ist Ron Holloway gestorben”. Even without my limited grad school German, the news was clear, “Ron Holloway died this morning”. Ron, friend to all, mentor and teacher … Continue reading →

Posted in -Movies and Religion | 5 Comments

Leipzig 10/9/89: The Day Prayers and Candles Ended an Occupation

Posted on October 11, 2009 by wallwritings

By James M. Wall Twenty years ago, October 9, 1989, East German citizens marched to a prayer service at Leipzig’s St. Nicholas (Lutheran) Church. In a ritual they had repeated many nights before, they marched  to the church holding lighted … Continue reading →

Posted in -Movies and politics, -Movies and Religion, Middle East Politics | 4 Comments

At the Montreal World Film Festival: A 24-Hour “Ceasefire” in Fallajuh

Posted on September 2, 2009 by wallwritings

(Tuesday Update: Ceasefire was honored with the Ecumenical Jury prize as the best competition film in the Montreal World Festival at ceremonies, Monday, September 7.   The prize was presented to Director Lancelot von Naso by Jury chair Julia Laggner, … Continue reading →

Posted in -Movies and politics, Movies | 4 Comments

After 31 Years Jack Shaheen Still Helps Us See “Reel Bad Arabs”

Posted on July 17, 2009 by wallwritings

By James M. Wall My first encounter with Jack G. Shaheen came in the summer of 1978. He was a professor of communications at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. I was the editor of the Christian Century magazine in Chicago, Illinois. … Continue reading →

Posted in -Movies and politics, Middle East, Middle East Politics, Movies | 4 Comments

Thomas More: “I’d give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety’s sake”

Posted on April 30, 2009 by wallwritings

by James M. Wall In his press conference Wednesday night, President Obama was asked two questions about torture. In his first answer he referred to an article he read recently. His staff did not initially provide the source, but Huffington … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Politics and Elections | 4 Comments

Ron Holloway Finds “Political Movies” at the 2009 Berlin Festival

Posted on March 20, 2009 by wallwritings

By James M. Wall Ron Holloway was one of my earliest mentors in relating film to religion.  We met during the 1960s, the peak era for art movies when European imports were arriving in the US from directors like Ingmar … Continue reading →

Posted in -Movies and politics, -Movies and Religion, Movies | 1 Comment