Catherine M. Barsotti - God in the Movies: A Guide for Exploring Four Decades of Film

God in the Movies is an essential text for courageous moviegoers. Paying attention to forty years of cinematic excellence and leading us into the questions raised by arts provocative ambiguities, Barsotti, Johnston, and their community of cinephiles celebrate an incarnational vision. They show us that the Spirit moves in mysterious ways throughout the world of cinemain movies popular and obscure, commercial and foreign, inspiring and disturbing. With prophetic understanding, they coax us to become wise interpreters of the worlds big-screen dreams. They give us eyes to see.

Jeffrey Overstreet , Seattle Pacific University, author of Through a Screen Darkly and Auralias Colors and senior film critic at Christianity Today and lookingcloser.org

Spirituality in movies? You bet! With their book God in the Movies , Barsotti and Johnston present a host of insightful essays. Each gives us eyes to see the subtle but powerful nuggets of spiritual wisdom tucked into mainstream Hollywood films. Youve seen most of these movies; now take a second look. Youll be amazed at what youll find!

David C . McFadzean , writer, producer, partner, Wind Dancer Films ( Bernie and TVs Home Improvement )

Catherine Barsotti and Rob Johnston, experts in expressing the profound connections between faith and culture, have opened up the conversation even further in their newest book together, God in the Movies . They have drawn together brilliant authors, prophetic films, and fabulous insight into the importance of moviestheir messages, their meaning, and their influence on our hearts, minds, and spirits. Christians today must be culturally engaged, and this book challenges us and guides us to connect our appetites for entertainment with our hunger for discussing divine truth.

Karen Covell , film producer and founding director of the Hollywood Prayer Network

At their best, films help people engage with the most profound questions of human life. Christianityand all religiondoes this in a much more comprehensive way. In God in the Movies , Barsotti and Johnston do a wonderful job of showing how film can stimulate religious discussion and how those discussions can inform our viewing of films.

George Nolfi , screenwriter, producer, and director ( Oceans Twelve , The Bourne Ultimatum , and The Adjustment Bureau )

Praise for Barsotti and Johnstons previous book, Finding God in the Movies

Robert Johnston and Catherine Barsotti have done a wonderful service in creating a book that teaches believers how to analyze films. They provide excellent examples of thoughtful criticism and great discussion questions to engage our minds. Use it alone, with your family, or, better yet, invite the neighborhood.

Charles W. Colson , founder, Prison Fellowship

To read God into movies is not difficult. To find God there waiting for usnow, that is something else altogether. Finding God in the Movies peels back Gods presence in thirty-three compelling films, leading us from superficial analysis and utilitarian agendas to deep, personal engagement. Bravo!

Sally Morgenthaler , founder, Sacramentis.com and Digital Glass Videos

Written with humility, grace, and sensitivity, Finding God in the Movies will be a tremendous resource for those seeking light inside the cinema. More than just a guide to great films, this book is a window into how to engage with them and find on the other side a deeper understanding of the Lord.

Todd Komarnicki , filmmaker and producer

An important and insightful book that held me spellbound. Once again, Barsotti and Johnston demonstrate their incredible ability to dialogue with both Hollywood and the community of faith. They offer rich spiritual insights and astute observations on thirty-three films. Unlike other film review books, they appropriate each films vision of life and invite the reader to interact with it. Here is an invitation to enhance your journey of faith via the silver screen.

David Bruce , host of HollywoodJesus.com

In every arena of youth ministry today, we are seeing that movies are providing students many of their takes on life. Those of us seeking to minister to youth need effective resources to help them engage in dialogue between faith and film. Finding God in the Movies can help you use movies more authentically in your teaching and outreach. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Cliff Anderson , vice president of training and strategic resources, Young Life, Colorado Springs, Colorado