Here’s a rip-snorter of a South Texas murder mystery, with a Presbyterian flavor, a Presbyparson’s first book. Mark Stoub, pastor in Bay City, Texas, weaves a yarn of murder, conniving and the dark (and lighter) sides of human nature among small-town Presbyterians in Shoestring, Texas.
The premise of “Wanderlust” is fairly believable, on the face of it: not-so-young-anymore couple, George and Linda (Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston), suddenly finds themselves jobless, and now they can’t afford to pay their bills.
“Silent House” is of interest because of style points. The whole 85 minutes was done in one “take.” No cuts, no editing, no “tightening” of the scenes, no excess footage on the cutting-room floor.
“Friends With Kids” is one of those ensemble comedies that follow the awkward antics of a set of four couple-friends through marriage and early childhood.
Here’s an unguarded generalization: one of the issues in every man’s life is the relationship with his father. And, of course, every man’s relationship with his father is different from every other man’s, so there are few rules, and every man’s relationship with his father evolves over time, so the way is fraught with unseen perils.
As a documentary, "Undefeated" is compelling because it seems so honest and down-to-earth. Bill Courtney, a successful small-business owner in North Memphis, has a wife and four kids and lives in an affluent (white) suburb. Nothing unusual there.
This one was nominated for an Academy Award for best foreign film. It’s “Schindler’s List” in the sewer. Literally. A Polish sewer maintenance man hides some Jews in the sewer underneath the city of Lvov while it was occupied by the Nazis during World War II.
The Other 80 Percent: Turning Your Church’s Spectators Into Active Participants
by Scott Thumma and Warren Bird
Jossey-Bass (a Leadership Network publication). 256 pages
reviewed by ANDREW PLOUCHER
What about the inactive members? Where’d they go? If you’ve ever asked this question, deflected it during a tense session meeting or been frustrated with the challenges of developing a more active church membership, “The Other 80 Percent” is a must read.
