Fixing Matt’s movie knowledge

data-original

As noted in recent episodes of “The Eagle and Child”, my co-host Matt has a pretty dire knowledge of movies. For example, he has only recently been introduced to the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises. This Christmas was his first time watching It’s a wonderful life (or “Winter Wonderland” as he insisted on calling it…). Put simply, Matt has had some major flaws in his education…

Since one of the great Spiritual Works of Mercy is “Instructing the ignorant”, I could hardly call myself a good Christian if I didn’t attempt to remedy these serious deficiencies. So, with that, these are my “must-see” movies. The basic rule of thumb I’ve used is: would I judge someone if I found out they hadn’t seen these movies?

Aliens
Anchorman (if you live in San Diego)
Back to the Future trilogy

Batman trilogy
Blade Runner
Braveheart
Bruce Almighty
Casablanca
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Dances with Wolves
Die Hard trilogy
Dirty Dancing
Disney: Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Finding NemoLion KingToy Story
Dumb & Dumber
ET
Elf
Ever After: A Cinderella Story
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Fiddler on the roof
Forrest Gump
Gattaca
Ghostbusters (1984)
Gladiator
Good Will Hunting
Goodfellas
Grease
Hitch
Inception
The Mission
Jaws
James Bond: Goldfinger, Golden Eye, Casino Royale, Skyfall
Jurassic Park
Leon: The Professional
Life is beautiful
Lord of the Rings
Monty Python & the Holy Grail
Mary Poppins
Marvel: Iron Man, Captain America, The Avengers
Memento
Mrs Doubtfire
My Fair Lady
Patriot Games
Psycho
Rocky
Roman Holiday
Rudy
Saving Private Ryan
Schindler’s List
Space Balls
The Exorcist
The good, the bad and the ugly
The Matrix
The Bourne Identity
The Breakfast Club
The Big Lebowski
The Princess Bride
The Shining
The Dead Poets Society
The Passion of the Christ
The Shawshank Redemption
The Silence of the Lambs
The Sound of Music
The Truman Show
The Terminator and Terminator 2
The Wizard of Oz
Top Gun
Zoolander

So…what do you think I’ve missed? 

PWJ: Inaugural Episode

Eagle and Child

Today I’m very pleased to announce the launch of my latest podcast, “The Eagle and Child”.

If you live in San Diego, California, you may know that I’m part of a C.S. Lewis reading group called “The Eagle and Child”, named after the pub in which Lewis and “The Inklings” would regularly meet.

When I started the group, I had lots of messages from friends outside of San Diego asking how they could be part of this group. This podcast is, in part, my response to that.

Each week, my friend Matt and I will be working our way through a chapter of a C.S. Lewis book, beginning with “Mere Christianity”. So, if you’ve ever wanted to read this classic book, please pick up a copy from Amazon and join us in cyberspace for a thoughtful discussion and a beer!

More information available at PintsWithJack.com

Reading “Mere Christianity” at The Eagle And Child

LewisAs you may have noticed, I have not been posting much on the blog recently. I have been far from idle, but I haven’t found time to sit down and write. Two main projects are occupying my time at the moment.

The first is a podcast which I hope to launch next month.

The second item consuming my time is a new CS Lewis reading group which is starting next month. This group, “The Eagle and Child”, named after the pub in which CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien met with The Inklings, will be a monthly meeting to discuss the works of CS Lewis.

The first book we will be reading is Lewis’ classic “Mere Christianity”. This book grew out of talks Lewis gave on the radio during World War II, in which he outlines, with his usual charm and humour, his case for Christianity.

Rather than having the blog go completely quiet, I will be posting my notes for “Mere Christianity” as I read through it in preparation for each of our meetings. You’re invited to read along with me 🙂

Preface (Podcast)

Book I – “Right and wrong as a clue to the meaning of the universe” (Summary)
Chapter 1 – “The Law of Human Nature” (Podcast)
Chapter 2 – “Some Objections” (Podcast)
Chapter 3 – “The Reality of the Law” (Podcast)
Chapter 4 – “What lies behind the Law” (Podcast)
Chapter 5 – “We have cause to be uneasy” (Podcast)

Book II – “What Christians believe” (Summary)
Chapter 1 – “Rival Conceptions of God” (Podcast)
Chapter 2 – “The Invasion” (Podcast)
Chapter 3 – “The Shocking Alternative” (Podcast)
Chapter 4 – “The Perfect Penitent” (Podcast)
Chapter 5 – “The Practical Conclusion” (Podcast)

Book III – “Christianity Morality” (Summary)
Chapter 1 – “The Three Parts of Morality” (Podcast)
Chapter 2 – “The ‘Cardinal Virtues'” (Podcast)
Chapter 3 – “Social Morality” (Podcast)
Chapter 4 – “Morality and Psychoanalysis” (Podcast)
Chapter 5 – “Sexual Morality” (Podcast)
Chapter 6 – “Christian Marriage” (Podcast)
Chapter 7 – “Forgiveness” (Podcast)
Chapter 8 – “The Great Sin” (Podcast)
Chapter 9 – “Charity” (Podcast)
Chapter 10 – “Hope” (Podcast)
Chapter 11 – “Faith” (Podcast)
Chapter 12 – “Faith” (Podcast)

BOOK IV – “Beyond personality: Or first steps into the doctrine of the Trinity” (Summary)
Chapter 1 – “Making and begetting” (Podcast)
Chapter 2 – “The Three-Personal God” (Podcast)
Chapter 3 – “Time and beyond time” (Podcast)
Chapter 4 – “Good infection” (Podcast)
Chapter 5 – “The obstinate toy soldiers” (Podcast)
Chapter 6 – “Two notes” (Podcast)
Chapter 7 – “Let’s pretend” (Podcast)
Chapter 8 – “Is Christianity hard or easy?” (Podcast)
Chapter 9 – “Counting the cost” (Podcast)
Chapter 10 – “Nice People or new men?” (Podcast)
Chapter 11 – “The new man” (Podcast)