Strangers and Aliens: Science Fiction & Fantasy from a Christian Perspective
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THE FRANKENSTEIN BOOK OF PRAYER – Interview with Author Steve Case – SA410
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSYou can buy The Frankenstein Book of Prayer here: https://amzn.to/3RDUm86 (an affiliate link – we receive compensation if you use the link, but it will not affect the price of your order) What if the monster of Frankenstein began a spiritual journey of self-discovery? And what if he…
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Star Trek and the Transfiguration: SCI-FI DEVOS (Weak Connections) – SA409
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSWhen Star Trek Strange New Worlds had its crossover with Star Trek Lower Decks it got Ben thinking about other Star Trek actors appearing in their sibling shows. And THAT got Ben thinking about a Bible story: Jesus’ transfiguration. There’s a connection . . . albeit a WEAK…
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INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY (and the Rest of the Franchise) – SA408
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSIs it the end of a franchise? And it is a GOOD end to the franchise? Does Indy finally get the sendoff he deserves? Or does this franchise simply belong in a museum? Ben is joined by an old friend and super-Indiana-Jones-fan Eddie Medina to talk about the…
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THE FLASH vs. SPIDER-MAN ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE – SA407
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSBen and Evan talk about two big comic book multiverse movies featuring multiple versions of superhero characters and packed with nostalgia. It’s not really a fight – they definitely thought one was “better” than the other – but the two movies, released so closely in time with such…
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Asking “Is It Worth Reading?” about Two Book Series: JEWEL OF THE STARS and FLIGHT OF THE ANGELS – SA406
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSThis episode post has LOTS of links! Links to the books Ben talks about (Amazon affiliate links – it doesn’t change the price for you, but it does give us a little kick back – VERY little); links to the videos on Youtube that Ben recorded that this…
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THE DARK TOWER (C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy Part 4) – SA405
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSIt’s a mystery in the canon of C.S. Lewis’ library. The unfinished manuscript that may or may not have been written by C.S. Lewis. It’s created controversy. It’s created confusion. And it’s a possible glimpse into a path not taken. This would have been the sequel to OUT…
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SUPER MARIO BROS. and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Road Trip Double Feature – S&A 404
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSBen takes a road trip to see Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, but also takes the opportunity to talk about another gaming movie (albeit a different kind of gaming): The Super Mario Bros. Movie! Which one gets a thumbs up? Which one gets a thumbs down? Does…
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Picard Season 3 w/ Special Guest Adam David Collings – SA403
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSPicard season 3 has come and gone . . . and if you’ve seen it you probably have opinions! So does Ben and his guest host, sci-fi writer Adam David Collings. Join them as they explore season three’s ups and downs and ups and more ups . .…
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Streaming Sci-Fi on Peacock & Review of The Ark – SA402
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSA few years ago, Ben subscribed to Peacock but it wasn’t until a few months ago that he discovered that the streaming service is actually a pretty strong source for old Sci-Fi TV . . . and when he started watching the OLD stuff, he found a new…
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STAR TREK II: The Wrath of Khan and William Shatner Live – SA401
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSRecently, Ben joined his friends William and Nathan Marchand to see a theatrical showing of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, which also had William Shatner do a live stage performance that was sort of a Q&A session. But it was really just an excuse for Shatner…
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“Sci-Fi Vs. Fantasy”: Revisiting Episode 7 – SA400
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSEpisode 400 is here, and to celebrate this milestone we’re taking a look backwards at an early episode featuring Ben, Steve, and Dr. Jayce! It’s a fun conversation that serves as a nice time capsule to a time before the MCU dominated everything. A conversation just exploring the…
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AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER Road Trip Review – SA399
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSIt’s a ROAD TRIP! Ben thought he would have a chance to talk to Evan about AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, but things didn’t go their way. Evan got sick . . . and then went on vacation. But on a lark, Ben decided to record his solo…
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2022 in Review – SA398
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSit’s that time again! Time to talk about last year’s pop culture releases! Taking our cues from Evan’s ranked list of movies from the year, we talk about our viewing experiences from 2022 as we step into the year 2023! The first half of 2022 was covered in…
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SHADOW and SUBSTANCE 3 – A TWILIGHT ZONE CHRISTMAS QUARTET: “The Night of the Meek”, “Five Characters in Search of an Exit”, “The Changing of the Guard”, and A CAROL FOR ANOTHER CHRISTMAS – SA397
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSWe continue our series about THE TWILIGHT ZONE (which only has two episodes, but that’s actually not too shabby) by covering three Christmas themed episodes of the show (“The Night of the Meek”, “Five Characters in Search of an Exit”, and “The Changing of the Guard”), plus A…
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A CHRISTMAS CAROL – SA396
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSInspired by re-reading the book and watching the new movie on Netflix, Ben, Stephen, and Evan take to the microphones to appreciate the spiritual themes and fantastical ideas of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. From time travel to redeemed lives, from movies to radio to books, from…
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THE FORCE OF STAR WARS: Is It Worth Reading? – SA395
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSTwo options for this episode: You can listen to the audio above OR watch the video below! Ben takes a look at a book that has been in his library for over forty years: Frank Allnutt’s THE FORCE OF STAR WARS. This book is special to him for…
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Interview w/ BLACK BLOSSOM Creator Evan David – SA394
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSEvan’s new comic book BLACK BLOSSOM is now part of a KickStarter campaign to collect and publish the first 6 issues (plus an annual) into a graphic novel. Ben interviews Evan about the superhero sci-fi tale. The links mentioned in the episode: KICKSTARTER: inked.pub/blackblossomPATREON: patreon.com/evandavidcomicsINSTRAGRAM: instagram.com/blackblossomcomic And here…
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DICK TRACY: Post-Batman Pulp Hero Movies Pt. 1 – SA393
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSBen is joined by John Harju for the first part of a multi-part series rewatching some superhero movies that came in the wake of 1989’s Batman! We are starting with DICK TRACY, which entered production before Batman hit theaters, but it was still influenced by the superhero juggernaut…
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BLACK ADAM – SA392
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSBen and Evan went to see BLACK ADAM! This episode opens with a spoiler-free discussion of the movie and then, after the spoiler warning, they talk about spoiler-y things. Things like:The big thing everyone is talking aboutHow Ben liked almost all the superheroes who are not The Rock…
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Watching SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES with John Harju – SA391
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSBen and John Harju team up again for an October spooky movie! The movie: SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES! Along the way they talk about:Ben’s love for Ray BradburyJohn’s dislike for Ray BradburyBoth of their like for this movieArt and messagingGood and evilTwo Stephen King books they were…
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Currently Streaming – Fall 2022 – SA390
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSTelevision is dead . . . long live television! But long live it on our smart TVs! And devices! And computers! Add to that we have had a long string of high profile (and low profile, really) science fiction and fantasy television series, with short seasons, continuing stories,…
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PREY – SA389
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSBen and Steve review PREY, which is not about prayer but they joke about it anyway. This episode features:* Thoughts about PREY* Thoughts about PREDATOR* Thoughts about the franchise* Thoughts about Walt Simonson’s run on the THOR comic Our Youtube channel can be found here: http://youtube.com/strangersandaliens – subscribe…
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THE DARK TOWER by C.S. Lewis: Is It Worth Reading? (Exploring Christian Sci-Fi)
Buy THE DARK TOWER here via Amazon: amzn.to/3jd0wwK (As an Amazon Affiliate we earn from qualifying purchases.) Ben takes a look at a controversial chapter in C.S. Lewis’ writings: the post-humous novel fragment, THE DARK TOWER. Found in the volume THE DARK TOWER AND OTHER STORIES, this is the book that could have been the…
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“Fear Is the Mind Killer”: Biblical Focus in the Midst of Fear – SA387
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSWhat do Frank Herbert, Dune, the Fear Litany, Jesus calming the storm, Ben’s all time favorite verse, and 80s Christian pop music icon Carmen all have in common? They are all used by Ben to point to where our focus should be in the midst of tough situations.…
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THAT HIDEOUS STRENGTH (C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy Part 3) – SA386
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSBuy THAT HIDEOUS STRENGTH here via Amazon: amzn.to/3YtMYxg (As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.) Steve and Ben return to Earth with Ransom and a large cast of characters in the third book in C.S. Lewis’ celebrated “Space Trilogy,” THAT HIDEOUS STRENGTH. Published in 1945, THAT…
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Watching NOPE with John Harju – SA385
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSJordan Peele has two highly successful suspense/horror movies under his belt, and NOPE hit the public conscience with a vague trailer that revealed next to nothing. A second trailer revealed something that looked like a modern spin on Close Encounters . . . and while it’s potentially true…
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The First Half of 2022 in Review – SA384
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSEvan, Steve, and Ben are together again! For this episode, we take a look at some of the movies and TV series we’ve been watching in 2022! Using Evan’s LETTERBOXD account (he’s found here: https://letterboxd.com/moviemanev/– you should follow him) we take a look back at some movies and…
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Words of Encouragement from DOCTOR STRANGE AND THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS – SA383
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSThere are a lot of opinions about the latest Marvel movie, DOCTOR STRANGE AND THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS. Most of them are valid and understandable, whether extremely positive or extremely negative. Case in point: Ben really liked the movie, and Evan really did not. That’s NOT the reason…
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Reflections on Easter – SA382
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSThis is the weekend we celebrate Easter, and in this episode we release an episode that is meant to encourage us to take the time to reflect on Easter, Good Friday, and the Last Supper. Ben is joined by his family in a series of readings and writings…
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MORBIUS – SA381
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSMORBIUS has arrived! Finally! Ben goes solo on a spoiler-free review . . . Sort of a preview of his thoughts on the movie, Evan and Steve told Ben they couldn’t get to this movie, and Ben told them that it was ok. There wasn’t the same kind…
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SAMWISE GAMGEE & SIMON OF CYRENE – SA380
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSWhat happens when . . . Ben, Steve, and Evan have a hard time getting together to record? Ben’s been rewatching Lord of the Rings? Ben’s been studying Simon of Cyrene? Ben wants to get some episodes out? Ben has a huge editing job with his and Evan’s…
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Watching MOONFALL with John Harju – SA379
Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSThe moon is falling . . . and they made a movie. Was it worth seeing? Was it worth making? Ben, Evan, and John Harju went to see this disaster flick. They were all surprised. John was surprised it wasn’t a comedy…Evan was surprised that he loved it…
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NEW CONTEST! Enter to win a copy of C.S. Lewis’s SPACE TRILOGY!
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“Thanos, Bison, and God’s Words to Moses (and You!)”: SCI-FI DEVOS (Weak Connections)
So what in the WORLD could Street Fighter (the movie) have to do with Moses? So what does Thanos have to do with God’s message from the burning bush? Probably not much . . . BUT they did get Ben thinking. Thinking about his own thoughts. Thinking about God’s words. And thinking about God’s thoughts.…
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You Should Follow These Christian/Geeky Youtubers and Podcasters!
Here are SIX podcasters/Youtubers who engage Christianity and pop culture! Their work is fun, encouraging, and full of a love for pop culture, Jesus, and their viewers/listeners. These people are not part of this list because I’m trading promotional time with them – I genuinely like them and their content, and I genuinely think you…
Got any book recommendations?