Joseph Holmes

Writer | Film Critic | Book Reviewer

New York Times, Relevant, Christianity Today, Forbes, EWTN, World Magazine, The Dispatch, and Religion Unplugged

[Joseph Holmes @NormalGuy8]

Want to help more people "Jim vs the Future"? Give the film a five star review on Amazon or IMDB! It really helps it rise in the rankings. Be a part of spreading the film's message of thoughtful hope!

Prime: https://t.co/jYj69lPFf2

Imdb: https://t.co/zycBepEg2J

[Religion Unplugged @ReligionMag]

Religion Unplugged’s culture writers @NormalGuy8 and @_jilliancheney sat down before Halloween to explore how Gen Z thinking is changing the horror genre. https://t.co/knicKUjyNN

[Joseph Holmes @NormalGuy8]

Regularly changing the environment in which you're doomscrolling is vital to prevent you from noticing your steadily declining metal health.

[Drew @drewdyck]

Really feeling the need for a vacation. It's so important to just get away and look at your phone somewhere new.

[Joseph Holmes @NormalGuy8]

This is how ideology can create blindspots that function as barriers to understanding each other. The Dune films are great. But they make a weak objective or factual case for the idea that Paul makes the wrong choice. They instead rely heavily emotionally on a bias in favor of seeing the poor, women, and minorities as having the default moral high ground. The problem is, many people reject that default. So those moments where Chani is judging Paul don't make them see Paul badly, but Chani badly. I personally think both interpretations work for the Dune films. (That's one of the reasons it's so good!) But it's important for everyone to recognize the very valid reasons why people see it so differently.

[Lon Harris @Lons]

There should be a name for this phenomenon, when a female character provides important context for the male protagonist and his downfall, but she gets recontextualized as a "wet blanket" or spoilsport by fans who prefer superficiality. I propose "Skyler Whitewashing."

[Joseph Holmes @NormalGuy8]

Oh no. Things that came out when I was a kid that became iconic for my generation are now being shamelessly milked for nostalgia! https://t.co/IvO0badKLj

[Joseph Holmes @NormalGuy8]

This year has been a big one for horror films. Particularly ones for Gen Z. @_jilliancheney and I break down what these movies say about Gen Z spirituality for the @ReligionMag podcast.

https://t.co/SObTFCF423

[Joseph Holmes @NormalGuy8]

Immigration is one of the most contentious issues facing our country. And especially in Christian circles. A movie wrestling with that from a Christian perspective would be great. Unfortunately not this one. My latest for @ReligionMag https://t.co/Gz54f5kXRU

[Joseph Holmes @NormalGuy8]

Easily the best movie I've seen about the conflict between religious conservative minorities and a secular society majority is this year's #Fjord. Christians should definitely make an effort to watch this if it's available in their area. Read my review in @ReligionMag to see why. https://t.co/IrdZtAFuKo

[Joseph Holmes @NormalGuy8]

This is what it looks like when studios realize the faith-based film market is shifting to dads instead of moms. (Even though this is not a faith film.)

[DiscussingFilm @DiscussingFilm]

First trailer for ‘WAY OF THE WARRIOR KID’, starring Chris Pratt and Jude Hill.

The film follows a decorated Navy SEAL who trains his nephew to stand up to his bullies.

Releasing November 20 on Apple TV.

[Joseph Holmes @NormalGuy8]

Doesn't surprise me. Most of the evening showtimes of this movie have been sold out at my theater. Word of mouth is making THE must-see movie of the year.

[DiscussingFilm @DiscussingFilm]

‘YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING’ earned $19.5M in its second weekend, a 25% increase from its opening weekend.

It is tracking to become one of the highest grossing non-music documentaries of the century.

[Joseph Holmes @NormalGuy8]

This is the correct question. The problem is I suspect most of Hollywood has one answer, and most of James Bond's fans have a different one.

[Aatif Rashid @Aatif_Rashid]

The best Bond movie was made in 2006, so I'm not sure he has to be 20th century. The franchise has always used Bond to reflect the current idea of masculinity--Sean Connery's dapper man in a suit, Daniel Craig's more rugged ruthlessness. So what does 2020s masculinity look like?

[Joseph Holmes @NormalGuy8]

Worst kept secret

[Chaos Crave @ChaosCrave_]

Sebastian Stan admits he's jealous of Robert Downey Jr. ahead of 'AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY':

"He's not only loved in the MCU but his character is going to last forever, from Iron Man to Dr. Doom and back to Iron Man, he's the face of the MCU."

[Joseph Holmes @NormalGuy8]

#seated for #IPlayRocky

[Joseph Holmes @NormalGuy8]

This has been coming a long time-- based on my own experience and people I've talked to. But still very sad. Still, the way it's framed as "its the fault of the right wing Evangelicals" is bad framing. As @bonniekristian notes in her own substack.

@nytimes piece: https://t.co/5PdIL72Hi5

@bonniekristian's take:
https://t.co/IVAPqcUCOU

[Joseph Holmes @NormalGuy8]

What’s wrong with evangelicals? Are they as bad as what their critics--on both the left and the right--say? Why or why not? NEW episode of The Overthinkers with journalist and author @bonniekristian.

I had the pleasure of writing for her at @CTmagazine back in the day and once again showcases in this interview all her great qualities as a thinker and a person. Now that more people are discovering her through the recent @nytimes piece, people should listen to this episode and like her even more.

Also, @NathanJClarkson and I talk in relative depth about our relative Evangelical and Evangelical-adjacent upbringings in this one. So that's a bonus for those who are all about the #lore.

Listen here:  https://t.co/zvCPpp5dXH

[Joseph Holmes @NormalGuy8]

I'm not sure if I agree that most people who watch horror lean too hard into watching it in an unhealthy manner or not. Certainly, they might. But even if they do, this response doesn't help us engage with the issue better. It doesn't help us discern the difference between engaging with horror in a healthy or unhealthy way. https://t.co/yM2Beqmqh2

[Joseph Holmes @NormalGuy8]

Not true @conservmillen. You become courageous by experiencing fear and overcoming it. You become more fearful by avoiding scary things. This is exactly why @JonHaidt calls out "safetyism" for contributing to the mental health crisis. Horror films therefore can make you become courageous by giving you a safe place to experience scary things and make them lose their power over you. Obviously not all Horror films are the same. "Friday the 13th" and "Saw" make evil seem cool. "Halloween" and "The Exorcist" make overcoming evil seem cool. But rejecting horror films because they make you fearful is the wrong solution to the wrong problem.

[Joseph Holmes @NormalGuy8]

Not true @conservmillen. You become courageous by experiencing fear and overcoming it. You become more fearful by avoiding scary things. This is exactly why @JonHaidt calls out "safetyism" for contributing to the mental health crisis. Horror films therefore can make you become courageous by giving you a safe place to experience scary things and make them lose their power over you. Obviously not all Horror films are the same. "Friday the 13th" and "Saw" make evil seem cool. "Halloween" and "The Exorcist" make overcoming evil seem cool. But rejecting horror films because they make you fearful is the wrong solution to the wrong problem.

[Joseph Holmes @NormalGuy8]

Love to see it

[Film Updates @FilmUpdates]

‘YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING’ will be submitted for Oscar consideration in the following categories:

• Best Picture
• Best Director
• Best Supporting Actress
• Best Documentary Feature
• Best Production Design
• Best Cinematography
• Best Costume Design
• Best Film Editing
• Best Makeup and Hairstyling
• Best Sound
• Best Original Score