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A Eulogy for Bullfighting
Growing up, I had always felt that I was “too sensitive” for bullfighting, and thus opposed it. I nevertheless visited La Plaza México—the world’s largest bullfighting arena—for the opening...

The God of Wes Anderson
The God of Francis Thompson is a stubborn God. In his seminal poem “The Hound of Heaven,” a soul is on the run from God: “I fled Him, down...

The Gospel Cinematic Universe
As I walked through Times Square and Jesus stared down at me from a giant illuminated billboard, I couldn’t help thinking of Marshall McLuhan. The Catholic father of media...

A Guide to the Oscars
Who even watches the Oscars?” said First Things editor R. R. Reno when I proposed to write this article. Around twenty million people, it turns out. Although it’s true...

Seeing Sacred Scripture
Is there a visual language to Sacred Scripture? Some passages of the Bible have become inextricably entwined with certain visual representations. Who can read of Saul’s encounter with Christ...

Make Villains Wicked Again
In recent years, Hollywood has produced movies that cast once irredeemable villains, such as Maleficent, Cruella de Vil, and the Joker, in a sympathetic light. The 2003 Broadway musical...