How To Ruin A Zombie Movie

October 20, 2015November 8, 2015 / Alex Doriot / Leave a comment

Zombies are hot right now.

Whereas it seemed a few years ago that every horror movie wanted to focus on vampires in the shadow of “Twilight”, now we’re being bombarded with zombie movies and tv shows in the wake of “The Walking Dead”. Chances are this Halloween as you’re counting up your candy you’ll be watching some sort of zombie-tainment.

Every form of zombie-tainment follows a pretty simple formula: some sort of infestation has devastated the world’s population. The infected become some sort of half-dead lumbering creatures whose sole mission is to feast on human flesh and brains in order to survive. Those who are still living do their best to run and survive.

That’s all well and good if you want to have a hit in Hollywood right now. Just cut and paste that synopsis, toss in some sort of romantic plot amongst the group of survivors, and boom – you’ll be $100 million richer in no time.

There is, however, a way you can ruin the seemingly foolproof formula of a zombie movie: instead of attacking others, have the zombies start serving others.
Continue reading →

What Would Jesus Watch – 8: Blue Like Jazz

October 9, 2015October 22, 2015 / Alex Doriot / Leave a comment

Welcome to “What Would Jesus Watch?”, our summer podcast series overanalyzing the over looked genre of Christian Cinema.

This week we let the listener’s pick our next film – the loosely based true story of author Donald Miller’s search for God and meaning amidst the chaos of Reed College in “Blue Like Jazz”!

Join Alex and Kate on this all-new episode as they break down the 2012 film which Alex has a very personal connection with. There’s so much to talk about here and we try to cover it all including a comparison of the ways this movie speaks to a Christian’s experience in college as opposed to a movie like God’s Not Dead. We share our favorite quirks about the movie’s version of Reed College, highlight the some of the movie’s truly unique characters and conversations and discuss what it really feels like to be in the minority when it comes to being a believer. Plus we offer our dream cast for the movie with Hollywood stars and open up a session of K8-Tracks on this week’s “What Would Jesus Watch”! Continue reading →

What Would Jesus Watch – 5: Marriage Retreat

July 29, 2015 / Alex Doriot / Leave a comment

Welcome to “What Would Jesus Watch?”, our summer exploration into the overlooked and underexplored genre of Christian Cinema.

Ever want to spend a weekend camping with the 3 worst couples on Earth? Then have we got the movie for you. We review “Marriage Retreat” on this week’s episode!

Join Alex and Kate on the latest episode as they try to counsel the all-star cast of couples who really seem to hate each other including “SNL” alum Victoria Jackson, Tommy Blaze, David A.R. White and Carl Winslow himself Reginald VelJohnson. Along the way they cover every bizarre feature of the “Marriage Retreat” including sweaty foosball games, uncomfortable janitors, confusing sleeping arrangements and the utter disregard for pregnant women. All that plus Prayer Requests, Listener Mail and a list of every plot point that didn’t get resolved on an all new “What Would Jesus Watch”!

If you haven’t seen “Marriage Retreat” before you’ll definitely still be able to enjoy the podcast. But if you’d like to prepare before watching you can check out the trailer below and find the movie on Netflix and other streaming services:

Follow along on Twitter and on Facebook to see what movie we’ll be watching next

Search for Pop God Podcasts on the iPhone Podcast app or in iTunes and Subscribe or listen on Stitcher or listen on Podbean

Share and leave a comment and let us know what you think. Tell us what movies you’d like to see us discuss on future episodes of What Would Jesus Watch!

What Would Jesus Watch – 3: Christian Mingle – The Movie

June 30, 2015 / Alex Doriot / 1 Comment

(Click Here if you can’t get the link above to work)

Welcome to “What Would Jesus Watch?”, our summer exploration into the overlooked and underexplored genre of Christian Cinema.

Have you wanted to watch a 90 minute infomercial for a Christian Dating website? Then have we got the movie for you!

On this week’s episode Alex and Kate break down “Christian Mingle – The Movie” and the “click, marry, die, done” dating culture it revolves around. We talk about the film’s bizarre view of Christianity, say a prayer for poor Lacey Chabert, discuss the movie’s hilarious prayer habits and dream about visiting the greatest fictional restaurant of all time.

Plus we share our theories about the purpose of the movie and if the leading man is actually an 8-year-old. And to truly understand the movie Kate goes undercover to create her own Christian Mingle account! All that and more on this episode of Christianity for Dummies…er we mean What Would Jesus Watch!

If you haven’t seen “Christian Mingle – The Movie” before you’ll definitely still be able to enjoy the podcast. But if you’d like to prepare before watching you can check out the trailer below and find the movie on iTunes:

Follow along on Twitter and on Facebook to see what movie we’ll be watching next

Search for What Would Jesus Watch on the iPhone Podcast app or in iTunes and Subscribe or listen on Stitcher

Share and leave a comment and let us know what you think. Tell us what movies you’d like to see us discuss on future episodes of What Would Jesus Watch!

What It Takes To Win An Oscar

February 20, 2015March 9, 2015 / Alex Doriot / Leave a comment

mashable.com

This Sunday night hundreds of nominees will sit inside a Hollywood theater anxiously awaiting to hear their name read. For if a presenter opens an envelope and does shout out their name it means they’ll be taking home the most important prize in the movie business – an Oscar.

For weeks and weeks the actors and writers and producers and directors nominated have been endlessly campaigning to win the golden statue.

Ads have been taken out in magazines and papers. Billboards have been plastered across Hollywood. Talk shows have been littered with performers on their best behavior trying to impress the voting audience.

But when the Academy Awards begin this Sunday there will be nothing anyone can do to alter their fate. Continue reading →

POP GOD POPcast: Episode 26 – Left Behind With Kate Doriot

January 12, 2015January 26, 2015 / Alex Doriot / 1 Comment

Welcome to Episode 26 of the POP GOD POPcast – a podcast interview series exploring the presence of God in the present tense.

Left Behind: It’s one of the most bizarre movies of the year. Nicolas Cage starring in a remake of a Kirk Cameron movie based on a Christian book series based on the Rapture? My wife Kate Doriot and I watched all 105 minutes of it and had to talk about on this very special edition of the Popcast. We cover everything from the crazy casting of Jordin Sparks and Chad Michael Murray to the importance of “investigative journalism” to no one in the movie understanding how the Rapture works. Plus we break down how Nicolas Cage might be the best part of this movie and what we think would really happen if 2/3 of the world got Left Behind. Whether you’ve seen the movie or not, listen to find out what really goes down in this controversial “Christian” film.

Listen to the podcast here:

Or Download on iTunes Or Listen on Podbean

Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, rate it, leave a comment, listen to all the other episodes, share it on Twitter and Facebook and anywhere else. I’d really appreciate it. Thanks.

I love sharing stories of people seeking God in the present tense. Let me hear your feedback. Leave me a comment and let me know how to improve things, what you’d like to hear discussed, and give me your ideas as to who you’d like to see on the next episode of the POPcast.

Do You Think Like A Loser?

September 12, 2014September 26, 2014 / Alex Doriot / Leave a comment

The Boston Red Sox used to be a bunch of losers.

Look – I know my team The Braves aren’t lighting up the world right now. And this year’s Boston team is stinking up the joint. But nothing compares to The Red Sox epic streak of futility.

For 86 years losing was their identity. The Curse Of The Bambino kept them out of the World Series year after year after year.

Yet, despite their pitiful postseason record, the Red Sox developed a legendary fanbase, possibly the best in all of baseball. In fact, the Boston fan culture was so legendary Hollywood made a movie about it.
Continue reading →

Are You Called To Be Controversial?

June 30, 2014July 30, 2014 / Alex Doriot / Leave a comment

Did you hear the one about the actors who ignited an international incident with their movie trailer?

No kidding – the teaser for the new Seth Rogen/James Franco comedy “The Interview” sparked a firestorm of controversy after it premiered last week. The movie is about a pair of talk show hosts hired by the CIA to go undercover and kill North Korean leader kill Kim Jong-un.

Needless to see, the Korean leader didn’t see the movie as a laughing matter, labeling it an “act of terror and an act of war”.

It’s hard to say how serious Kim Jong-un’s threats are. But there’s no question “The Interview” trailer got people talking.

I wonder why Rogen and Franco decided to make such a controversial movie. Certainly a comedy doesn’t need to invoke terroristic actions to be funny. Why bother? Continue reading →

Kicking The Tommy Boy Mentality

May 29, 2014June 9, 2014 / Alex Doriot / Leave a comment

It’s never our fault.

From a young age we’re trained to pass the blame onto others – no matter how big the mistakes.

The natural instinct is to find someone else who can take the fault for our fumbles. From pointing fingers in grade school to passing the buck onto a coworker, the blame game is ingrained in us.

How many times have we looked like Tommy Boy, trying to fix things up and then asking others, “What’d you do?!”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3xWOriHqwU Continue reading →

POP GOD POPcast: Episode 21 – Mayor Bob Young

May 22, 2014May 21, 2014 / Alex Doriot / Leave a comment

Welcome to the POP GOD POPcast – an exploration into the lives of people seeking God in the present tense.

This week’s guest is Former Mayor of Augusta Bob Young. Mayor Young has an incredible story of confident faith which has led him all across the world. From working as a janitor in a movie theater to broadcasting for the Armed Forces to anchoring the 6 o’clock news to serving as Mayor to working for the President, Bob shares how his faith anchored him along the way. Plus we talk about his friendship with James Brown, helping clean up the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and so much more. Enjoy this deeper look inside the life of a leader truly seeking God in the present tense.

Listen to the podcast here:

[audio http://adoriot.podbean.com/mf/web/h4bcgj/Popcast21.m4a]

Or Download on iTunes Or Listen on Podbean

Check out Bob’s book The Treasure Train on Amazon and follow him on Twitter

Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, rate it, leave a comment, listen to all the other episodes, share it on Twitter and Facebook and anywhere else. I’d really appreciate it. Thanks.