Between the crime and the punishment comes the judgment. In Ancient Egyptian mythology, Anubis weighed the heart of the deceased against a feather. Ancient China maintained an underworld bureaucracy overseen by the Ten Magistrates of Hell. In Christian theology, the quick and the dead assemble Read More …
“I guess they had it coming…”“We all got it coming…” In Christian circles, that exchange probably rivals “make my day” or “do you feel lucky, punk?” as the most iconic piece of Eastwood dialogue. The irony of its status is that the doctrine that it Read More …
The Coen Brothers often gravitate toward stories about folks that are in over theirheads in situations spiraling from one single decision. Actions have consequences, andwhat is intended as merely passive involvement ultimately results in very activeparticipation. In the case of Fargo (1996), Jerry Lundegaard’s (William Read More …
Pride. Greed. Wrath. Lust. Envy. Gluttony. Sloth. The Seven Deadly Sins. It has been almost thirty years since David Fincher’s Se7en was released in movie theatersaround the globe, and yet it is still reigns supreme as one of the greatest serial killer movies of all Read More …
The first thing that strikes you while watching Mass is the setup and location. A church staffmember named Judy arrives at a house of worship and sets right to the task of preparing aroom for a very important meeting. It’s clear she wants everything to Read More …
Stanley Kramer’s 1961 film, Judgment at Nuremberg, focuses on the trial of Ernst Janning, a fictional German jurist accused of crimes against humanity in one of the Nuremberg Military Tribunals that occurred following World War II. But the film isn’t just interested in examining Ernst Read More …
True Grit skillfully and thoughtfully intertwines two common conflicts in Crime and Punishment films. The thin line between vengeance and justice is given a fresh look by making the ambiguously motivated champion of justice a child: Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld). The belief in the intrinsic Read More …
Often held up as heroes in pop culture, the FBI spent much of its history as the private police of FBI director J. Edgar Hoover. While it may be morbidly fun to talk about the time Hoover tried to use the FBI to frame Charlie Read More …
Dear Elmer Gantry, meet me at the revival meeting. Do not sit in the preacher’s seat and do not sit in the front row where everyone can see you. Try to be as invisible as you can, and try not to say anything. Try instead Read More …
At the most basic level, Heat deserves its place on a “Crime and Punishment” list as a cop and robber heist film, told through a riveting cat-and-mouse chase by director Michael Mann. On a much more fascinating level, the importance of its inclusion here reflects a broader Read More …