Kenny and Mike review and spot faith elements presented in the powerful A24 film Sing Sing, The film is based on the true story of John Divine G Whitfield (Colman Domingo) who was falsely convicted and spent 25 years in Sing Sing prison. While there he co-founded the Rehabilitation Through Arts program where persons who are incarcerated stage theatrical programs. The episode includes interviews Mike and Kenny had with Divine G and director Greg Kwedar.

Faith Elements:

The transformative power of story,

Redemption, Rehabiliation, Repentance and Community.

Kenny and Mike and Faithspotting is hosting a free screening of the film on July 24th at &pm at the AMC Northpark Theaters. Sign up below

https://www.eventcreate.com/e/singsingdallas

John Divine G Whitfield

Greg Kwedar

Hosts Mike and Kenny celebrate 7 seasons, 4 years and 100 episodes of talking film and spotting faith on the Faithspotting podcast. Listen as they discuss and reflect on their favorite moments, episodes, and play some of their favorite interviews.

Kenny and Mike recording the Nope Episode at the Faithspotting "Studio" at Button Memorial UMC.

Mike and Kenny with Director Fran Kranz and Ann Dowd from MASS

Mike, Kevin Von Erich, and Kenny at The Iron Claw premiere party.

Kenny and Mike begin the seventh season of Faithspotting by discussing and spotting faith reflected in the newest Pixar film, Inside Out 2. Considering how much Mike and Kenny enjoyed the film and thought the message of Inside Out, that all emotions have purpose and value, both entered the theater with high expectations and hopes Inside Out 2 would be a worthy sequal.

Faith Spotted:

The teaching in Psalm 139, and other places, that we are children of God and are wonderfully made even when considering our imperfections and brokenness. How living this teaching allows for true joy and a rich and joyfilled life.

Justification by Christ through faith rather than one's deeds.

While not possible, the drive to justify oneself reflects a lack of faith in God's assurance of grace and love.

The place and purpose of confession and the possibility of repentance and redemption.

Kenny and Mike are joined by our good friend and regular Faithspotting contributor Dr. Ryan Parker for the annual Oscars preview episode where we predict winners and share our choices for who wins the Oscars. Ryan works in public relations and marketing for independent films, and is also the Executive Director for the Misssissippi Film Society.

We agreed that this was a solid year for films and nominations. We were grateful that folks had a reason to get excited again as was experienced in the "Barbenheimer" moment, we also were happy that folks are discussing cinema thoughout various genres. While we agreed on many of the awards, there were a few differences of opinions.

Faith Spotted:

In addition to picking and justifying winners we also discussed which films most effectively and powerfully reflected faith lived and experienced in life. Subjects included the temptation and corrosive power of evil as experienced at communal and individual levels in the past as well as seems to be recurring now before our eyes and ears. The most significant question that emerges from several of the nominated films is, reminded now of the past sins of commission and omission by society, nations, and faith traditions, how will we respond as individuals and communities of faith? Will we be taken by, or stand against, the tide that seems set to pull many away from the rightsouness God desires as presented in Scripture and the life and ministry of Jesus?

Mike and Kenny discuss and spot faith reflected in the biopic about civil rights leader Bayard Rustin. Starring Best Actor nominee Colman Domingo, Rustin, directed by George C. Wolfe and co-staring Chris Rock, GlynnTurman, and fellow 2024 Academy Award acting nominees Jeffery Wright and Da 'Vine Joy Randolph, tells the story of Bayard Rustin, the organizer and driving force behind the 1963 March on Washington. The March is best known for Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech and is considered not only one of the seminal moments in the Civil Rights movement, but in modern American history.

Faith Notes:

The nature of servant leadership, that leaders are to serve and not be served as demonstrated by Jesus' life and ministry, and His washing the feet of the disciples.

As seen in the film and lives of Bayard Rustin, MLK, and Medgar Evers, the need of and call to prophetic speech and action and the accompanying risks, suffering and sacrifice.

God using those who are imperfect to accomplish God's righteousness.

The temptation to allow ego and pride to damage or sabatage God's calling and mission.

The seeds or racism that are blooming again and that they are incompatible with the teaching and life example of Jesus.

Hosts Mike and Kenny review and spot faith elements reflected in the Academy Award nominated film by Celine Song. Past Lives stars Greta Lee (Nora) and Teo Yoo (Hae Sung) who were childhood friends and first loves, separated suddenly when Nora's family immigrated from South Korea to Canada. The film co-stars John Magaro (Arthur) who meets and marries Nora after she moved to New York. Nora and Hae Sung reconnect via social media after 12 years. Following another 12 year gap Hae Sung travels to New York to see Nora and meets Arthur.

Faith Reflected:

The importance of pursuing one's passion and perhaps one's life calling. Then the importance of accepting the life you have and are blessed with rather than sacrificing the life you should have for the life you had and or did not have. Mark 1:35-39

Paul's teaching in 1st Corinthians 13 that one puts away the things of childhood when one becomes an adult. One can easily covet the past life or the life that might have been rather than accepting and embracing the life one has been blessed with.

Understanding that the persons, relationships and experience in our loved one's past life has made them the person one now loves.

Kenny and Mike discuss and spot faith issues reflected in the Academy Award Best Picture nominated and Palme d' Or winning film by writer/director Justine Triet. Anatomy of a Fall is a French legal drama surrounding the suspicious death of a husband and father (Samuel Theis) and his wife and prime suspect Sandra (Sandra Huller) and the impact on their son Daniel (Milo Machado Graner.)

Faith and Life Issues Spotted:

What do we value in life and how does that impact one's life and the life we share with others? To what extent do we value ourselves and others by what they accomplish professionally and the notoriety or material success and stature achieved? How do we value work and accomplishments and that are less public or profitable but yet still impactful in one's life or the lives of others in one's family or community?

To what is one called and equipped to do in and with their life? While some persons achieve fame and notoriety in their professions and lives, all persons have a calling and purpose, and have gifts to lead meaninful lives of impact and import for their life and the lives and of others. Proverbs 19:22-24 1 Corinthians 12

Seek first the Kingdom of God. The less one seeks to please one's ego, and the more one seeks to bring joy to and receive approval from God in making the most of the life, gifts, and calling God has offered, the less emphasis one places on pleasing and gaining respect and notice of others. In measuring success in life by living into God's calling rather than by worldly definitions of fame, one is more likely to be aware of the quiet, yet great impact one has on the lives of those in one's community or life circles. Such is part of the teachings of Jesus regarding earthly and Kingdom treasures. Matthew 6

Additional Connections and thoughts:

Consider the film through the lens of the fall of Adam and Eve as described in Genesis 2, and visa versa. What was the motivation behind their actions that led to their fallsIn ?

What do we do with dreams we had as children and young adults that are not fullfilled? Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 13 that there comes a time when we put away the language and perspective one has of the world as a child and takes on the language, perspective and responsibilites, and we could add dreams and pursuits.

Hosts Kenny and Mike discuss and spot faith reflected in Alxander Payne's and Paul Giamatti's latest collaboration (Sideways). Set in a northeastern boarding school in 1970, the film portrays a dishovled and grumpy classics teacher Paul Hunham (Giamatti) at Barton Academny who is assigned the unpopular duty of supervising the boys who are heldover the Christmas break at the school. Da Vine Joy Randolph (Mary Lamb) and Dominic Sessa (Angus Tully) join Giamatti in delivering strong, memorable performances worthy Academy Award and Oscar consideration.

Faith Spotted:

As there was no rooms for Joseph and Mary in Bethlehem, for Paul and Angus, there is no room for them in the lives of family nor friends.

Paul is a Christ Figure in his sacrificial act for Angus. The need to address and work through pain, loss and anger through grief, and the consequenses of letting those feelings linger, grow, and shape an individual. The nature of grace that community of broken persons can restore hope and wholeness through their care and love for one another.