January (Web-only) 2001

ARTICLE TOOLS

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When Film Forum surveys the reactions of Christian films critics each week, the reviewers rarely find consensus. More often than not, the disagreements stem from different ideas of what movies are: Art? Entertainment? Education? In my conversations with eight critics last year, I asked them what distinctions they drew between each category; their answers offered a glimpse into the varied expectations a person might hold walking into a movie theater.

For Josh Spencerof StrangerThingsMagazine, the distinction between art, entertainment, and education is determined solely in "the eye of the beholder. It's all subjective. One person's entertainment is another's art is another's education." Michael Elliott of Crosswalk.com placed the distinction at the other end of the artist/consumer relationship: "It is a matter of intent. Education should instruct. Entertainment should please. Art should inspire." Elliott says filmmakers should try to integrate these ideals: "The film that encompasses all three categories is worthy of praise."

Jeffrey Overstreetof Looking Closeragrees with Elliott—to a point. While he likes to find all three components in a film, he believes that education and entertainment are more accurately labeled by-products of good art. "Art is primarily one person's exploration of something," says Overstreet. "It invites others to explore and to find the same insights, sometimes to discover greater or altogether different insights. Art doesn't aim to teach, but experiencing it can be educational. [Likewise,] entertainment is not a primary focus—it's a by-product. Something is entertaining because it is, in some way, good at something. Art can be entertainment. But so can sports. Circus performers. Magicians. ...