In this week’s TRT movie review, Jodie and Matthew discuss Evan Almighty (2007) starring Steve Carell, Morgan Freeman, John Goodman, and Lauren Graham. On the heels of Bruce Almighty (see TRT episode #55), Evan Almighty imagines if God asked a modern person to build an ark for a flood, just as God did in Genesis 6. But with these biblical themes, is this enough to make this a religious film, or does it push for vague western spirituality? Jodie and Matthew discuss this and more, so listen along and share with us your comments, questions, and concerns!

Matthew Rating: 3/5

Jodie Rating: 5/5

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Looking at the Vile of the Bible, Jodie and Matthew discuss one of the famous villains in the Bible: Goliath. Found primarily in 1 Samuel 17, the Goliath story acts as one of the introductions of David to the biblical narrative. Jodie and Matthew discuss some text critical issues examining how multiple sources were combined together to introduce David: One of which has David as a musician, and the other has David as a shepherd and warrior. Without getting too much into the weeds of the David narrative, Jodie and Matthew also look at verses in 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles that may have different answers about who killed Goliath. Let us know any thoughts you have about Goliath and our episode!

Works Referenced and Recommended Readings:

The Historical David: The Real Life of an Invented Hero by Joel Baden

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Bluesky: @TheRELTreehouse

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Email: TheReligiousTreehouse@gmail.com

Woah, woah, woah. Has TRT switched it up and started watching TV instead of movies? Yes!!! (at least for this week’s episode). Jodie and Matthew review Season 1 of “We Are Lady Parts” created by Nida Manzoor, which explores a feminist, Muslim, punk band and their interpersonal dramas as they search for their identity and their place in the world. This show was hilarious and poignant, and brought up questions of the portrayal of muslims in western culture, the portrayal of women in media, and highlighting the many ways people can practice Islam around the world and in Britain. Watch the show and let us know your thoughts!

Matthew Rating: 4.5/5

Jodie Rating: 5/5

Works Referenced and Recommended Readings:

Rahman, M. (2024). Indigestible performances: Women, punk, and the limits of British multiculturalism in Nida Mazoor’s We Are Lady Parts. Journal of Postcolonial Writing, 60(2), 199–214.

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Bluesky: @TheRELTreehouse

Instagram: @TheReligiousTreehouse

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Email: TheReligiousTreehouse@gmail.com

Jodie and Matthew return to Biblical Studies to discuss Psalm 104. Often described as a psalm of praise, creation psalm, or perhaps even an historical psalm or wisdom psalm, Psalm 104 is one of the most well-known and beautifully written psalms in the Bible. Jodie and Matthew discuss everything from redactional criticism to potential connection to Ancient Egyptian poetry such as the Hymn of Aten to fact checking Wikipedia’s claims about Psalm 104. Let us know what you think about Psalm 104!

Works Referenced and Recommended Readings:

Baltzer, Klaus, ed. Psalms 3 : A Commentary on Psalms 101-150. Trans. by Linda M. Maloney, Erich Zenger, and Frank-Lothar Hossfeld. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2011. Print.

Dahood, M., S.J. (1970). Psalms III 101–150: Introduction, Translation, and Notes with an Appendix the Grammar of the Psalter. New York, New York: The Anchor Yale Bible.

Hoffmeier, James K., Akhenaten and the Origins of Monotheism (2015; online edn, Oxford Academic, 19 Mar. 2015).

Movie March Part 4 is a 2004 film called “Saved!” featuring Macaulay Culkin, Mandy Moore, and Jena Malone. While both enjoyed it, Jodie and Matthew disagreed on the extent to which they thought they should enjoy it. Was it an amazing movie that accurately critiqued early 2000’s Evangelical Christianity, or did it create a caricature of Christianity from this era? Let us know your thoughts on both the movie and our interpretation of it!

Matthew Rating: 3.5/5

Jodie Rating: 5/5

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Bluesky: @TheRELTreehouse

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Email: TheReligiousTreehouse@gmail.com

Movie March continues with the cult classic 1922 film Häxan, written and directed by Benjamin Christensen. Jodie and Matthew discuss the film’s portrayal of medieval witchcraft and its successes and pitfalls by addressing witchcraft through lenses of feminism, psychoanalysis, and filmmaking of the early 1900s. While the costuming and filmmaking was superb, the content may have fallen short in a few places, and for our modern attention spans, may have been a bit slow, but it shouldn’t be a surprise that this is a hit to many viewers. Please watch Häxan and let us know your thoughts on the film and where you may or may not agree with us!

Works Referenced and Recommended Readings:

Baxstrom, Richard, and Todd Meyers (2016). Realizing the Witch: Science, Cinema, and the Mastery of the Invisible. Fordham University Press.

Luhrmann, T. M. (1989). Persuasions of the Witch's Craft: Ritual Magic in Contemporary England. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Matthew Rating: 3.5/5

Jodie Rating: 3/5

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Bluesky: @TheRELTreehouse

Instagram: @TheReligiousTreehouse

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Email: TheReligiousTreehouse@gmail.com

Movie March Part 3 treats us to Ryan Coogler’s SInners. Note this was recorded before the Oscars, so let us know if the Academy thinks this was as good as we did. Jodie and Matthew analyze the various themes put forth in this film and discuss the consequences of assimilation, African American spirituality, Christianity, colonization, music, community, and other topics that this film tackles. By using vampires and the Delta Blues, Coogler created a masterpiece that was captivating, innovative, and poignant. Let us know your thoughts on this movie and any important details that we missed!

Matthew Rating: 4.5/5

Jodie Rating: 5/5

Follow our socials and reach out to us with thoughts or questions!

Bluesky: @TheRELTreehouse

Instagram: @TheReligiousTreehouse

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Email: TheReligiousTreehouse@gmail.com

Movie March part 2 gifts us with the presence of Jack Black in the pop culture phenomenon that is Nacho Libre (2006). Or maybe it curses us. Jodie and Matthew disagree on the quality of this movie but agree that it acted as an interesting portrayal of Catholicism. They consider the ways that Christianity influenced the reception and creation of the film and ask questions regarding the potential connections with the book of Exodus and how it presents the ever popular fetishization of Catholic priests and nuns. Listen along and let us know your thoughts! Do you think Nacho Libre is a religious movie?

Works Referenced and Recommended Readings:

Lindvall, T., Bounds, J. D., & Lindvall, C. (2016). 4 Romantic Comedy. In Divine film comedies: Biblical narratives, film sub-genres, and the comic spirit. Taylor & Francis Group.

Matthew Rating: 2.5/5

Jodie Rating: 1/5

Follow our socials and reach out to us with thoughts or questions!

Bluesky: @TheRELTreehouse

Instagram: @TheReligiousTreehouse

TikTok: @thereligioustreehouse

Facebook: TRT

Email: TheReligiousTreehouse@gmail.com