– By Sam Hendrian – “But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” – 1 John 2:11 Blindness is not limited to the eyes. There are many people who force their hearts to …
Up Close and Personal: Cinema as a Vehicle for Empathy
– By Sam Hendrian – “Sometimes, you have to look hard at a person and remember he’s doing the best he can. He’s just trying to find his way, that’s all. Just like you.” This touching advice given by Ethel Thayer (Katherine Hepburn) to Norman Thayer (Henry Fonda) in the 1981 classic movie On Golden …
What ‘Taxi Driver’ Has to Say About Finding Purpose in the Wrong Places
– By Sam Hendrian – This article is part of our Classic Film Throwback Series “You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to ME?” These words have been parodied so many times in films over the years that it is easy to forget where they originated from: Martin Scorsese’s 1976 film Taxi Driver. Controversial for its graphically …
Spiritual Blindness and the Sanctity of Life in Disney’s ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’
– By Sam Hendrian – This article is part of our Classic Film Throwback Series “I ask for nothing/I can get by/But I know so many/Less lucky than I” -Esmeralda, “God Help the Outcasts” This haunting prayer uttered by the gypsy Esmeralda partway through Disney’s animated classic The Hunchback of Notre Dame succinctly captures the beautifully …
Embracing Our Greater Calling in ‘The Lion King’
This article is part of our Classic Film Throwback Series – By Sam Hendrian – 25 years ago, Walt Disney Animation Studios released its own take on the classic story of Hamlet called The Lion King. Featuring a thematically-rich story padded with fun, sometimes soul-stirring songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, it arguably remains …
The Effects of Personal Experience on Art in ‘The Souvenir’
– By Sam Hendrian – When an artist creates art, it is undoubtable that she shares a little bit of her soul with the world. But which aspects of her soul does she predominantly share? Personal experience? Lofty ideals? This question is hauntingly and thought-provokingly explored in the 2019 Sundance film The Souvenir, which will …
Field of Dreams: A Poignant Reflection on Father-Son Relationships
This article is part of our Classic Film Throwback series. – By Sam Hendrian – There is an old saying that we do not fully appreciate people or things until they are gone. This is often true for parent-child relationships, a theme which the 1989 sports/fantasy film Field of Dreams explores beautifully. The story of …
The Emptiness of Success in ‘Fosse/Verdon’
– By Sam Hendrian – “You happy now?” These words are spoken by the perceptive writer Paddy Chayefsky (Norbert Leo Butz) to his troubled best friend Bob Fosse (Sam Rockwell) as he sits with a lap-full of awards in the backseat of a limo, and they brilliantly summarize the thematic core of FX’s biographical mini-series …
The Dangers of Nostalgia in ‘The Incredibles’
This article is part of our Classic Film Throwback series – By Sam Hendrian – “Ah, those were the days.” Whether these words are uttered by a wistful grandparent, a midlife crisis-plagued adult looking through an old yearbook, or a bunch of high schoolers reminiscing about the ease of elementary school, they ring with a mixture …