Focus: The Art and Soul of Cinema - Softcover

Watkins, Tony

3.62

8 ratings by Goodreads

9781904753155: Focus: The Art and Soul of Cinema

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1904753159 ISBN 13: 9781904753155

Publisher: Damaris Publishing, 2007

View all copies of this ISBN edition:

People love films. Whether it is going out for an evening to the cinema or curling up at home with a DVD, movies are one of our favourite forms of entertainment. It is important for our Christian growth that we learn to watch films thoughtfully rather than just seeing them as entertainment. It's important that we understand the messages which films communicate and how they relate to the good news of Jesus Christ. There are also important sections on 'questions to consider when watching a film' and 'the problem of content - sex and violence'.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

Review:

All of us know the influence of film in contemporary society but
we often lack the necessary equipment to both understand and engage with
the medium. With no reliable compass, Christians can often stray into the
territories of Irrational Avoidance, Dangerous Assimilation or Embarrassing
'Christianizing'. Tony Watkins knows about films and film making, but more
importantly he has developed an all-encompassing Christian worldview
through which he can faithfully analyse the medium. In this book, he gives
us a map of biblical reality that will enable Christians to penetrate
deeply into The Art and Soul of Cinema. For our own holiness, for those we
seek to evangelise, and for Christ's Lordship over all of culture
(including film) this book is a welcome help and guide. -- Daniel Strange, Lecturer in Culture, Religion and Public Theology, Oak Hill Theological College, London

Focus is a breath of fresh air - an enthusiastic, thorough and
profoundly practical exploration of the relationship between films and
worldviews. Anyone who wants to engage with films from a Christian
perspective will be helped immeasurably in this careful, comprehensive and
insightful book.
-- Lars Dahle, Academic Dean, Gimlekollen School of Journalism and Communication, Norway

Nothing shapes the imagination of this generation more than the
movies. There is no better channel for engaging with the ideas of the
culture nor a more pressing area for Christian discernment. Tony Watkins
has produced an excellent introduction to the whole subject -
comprehensive, balanced, readable and immanently useful. Focus: The Art and
Soul of Cinema will help orient you to both the opportunities and the
challenges of our media-saturated culture.
-- Jock McGregor, L'Abri Fellowship, Rochester, Massachusetts

Students of film or mere enthusiasts will find great value in Tony
Watkins's Focus: The Art and Soul of Cinema. Here is a fine book by an
engaging cultural critic who is enthusiastic that Christians use film
analysis as a tool to influence the culture for Christ. Watkins offers a
helpful interpretive grid through which we in our 'movie-made culture' can
find the essential questions: what is a film saying about the world in
which we live, about the nature of man, about ethics, about the means to
happiness and salvation? He is concise and coherent, even when introducing
complex philosophical and aesthetic concepts, which he skillfully
illustrates through a wide range of classic and contemporary films. -- Peter Fraser, author (with Vernon Edwin Neal) of ReViewing the Movies: A Christian Response to Contemporary Film (Crossway, 2000)

This is an extremely insightful guide to the movies. It will help
anyone engage thoughtfully with what films are trying to say in our
contemporary culture. Covering a wide range of film, classic and modern,
Tony Watkins demonstrates the importance of understanding the worldviews
that have influenced them. I highly recommend reading this book before your
next trip to the multiplex! -- Chris Sinkinson, Pastor and lecturer in apologetics, Moorlands College

About the Author:

Tony Watkins is a speaker, trainer and workshop leader for the Damaris Trust, an organization that helps people relate contemporary culture and Christian faith. He serves as managing editor for Damaris's CultureWatch website and frequently reviews and writes about film, music, books and other media. He is based in Southampton, England.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.