Our Values
Engage thoughtfully. Write charitably. Read widely. Admire curiously.
Engage Thoughtfully
To paraphrase Ron Swanson, never half-ass multiple things–whole-ass one thing. Sometimes film is a way to escape the world for a while, as pure entertainment. And that is a-okay! But when it comes time to analyze, put your mind to it. Engage with the film. Chew it over. Sit with your reactions for a bit. Even use the pause button if needed. Interact with the film, and any piece of art, as if you are in a conversation with it, and wonderful insights will follow swiftly!
Write Charitably
As Christians, we are called to live at peace with everyone, as much as it depends on us (Romans 12:18). With this in mind, we seek to uplift and encourage rather than belittle or dismiss one another’s opinion. Listen in order to understand rather than to respond. When it comes to film opinions, too, it’s just more fun to like movies than it is to dislike movies. 🙂 Cinemawins > Cinemasins.
Read Widely
Taking influence from Preston Sprinkle’s podcast Theology in the Raw, we hope Lights, Camera, AGAPE can provide Christians with a diverse range of opinions from people who choose to engage in potentially secular media while still affirming Christ as Lord. We are not meant for this world, but we are a part of it, so let’s be the Church in all areas of life!
Admire Curiously
You do not have to be in absolute-head-over-heels-love with every film you watch. Nor should you. But you can still respect a film for its craftsmanship and find ways to admire. When engaging with a text that is somewhat challenging or even frustrating, try not to be judgmental. Be curious (thank you, Ted Lasso). If you ask questions and listen, you more likely than not find ways to admire than you otherwise would.
Our Reviewers
Jake Harvey
Jake Harvey grew up in beautiful Sarasota, FL, and it wasn’t long before he developed a deep love for movies. From sheer obsession, there was a point in his life when he and his three sisters could reproduce the entire script from The Emperor’s New Groove (2000) from memory. Jake’s love for film continued on, reaching a pinnacle during his studies at Wheaton College (B.S. Environmental Science and B.A. Biblical and Theological Studies, 2022 grad). When not watching movies, you might be able to catch Jake reading (BIG fan of the Bible!), identifying native plants, playing disc golf/soccer/ultimate frisbee, or traveling – most likely all with his best friend and lovely girlfriend Abby!
Top 4 Movies:
A Hidden Life (Terrence Malick, 2019)
Blue Planet II (Alastair Fothergill, 2017)
Emperor’s New Groove (Mark Dindal, 2000)
Moonlight (Barry Jenkins, 2016)
Favorite Bible Passage:
Psalm 92:12-15
“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the court of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”
Grant Dutro
Grant is a senior at Wheaton College studying media, economics, and English. He grew up just north of the Ohio River in the lovely suburbs of Cincinnati. Movies entered his life at an early age; at heart, his favorite film will always be Disney’s Robin Hood (1973), which he used to watch when he was home sick from school. In addition to writing film reviews, you might find him rowing on your local body of water, reading classic literature while sipping pour-over coffee, covering a news story about Wheaton’s campus, or spending problematic amounts of time in a used vinyl shop. As a co-founder of Lights, Camera, AGAPE, Grant hopes to foster thoughtful critical analysis and creativity that exalts Christ and His Kingdom while still engaging with secular media texts.
Top 4 Movies (as of right now):
To Kill a Mockingbird (Robert Mulligan, 1962)
Sorcerer (William Friedkin, 1977)
The Tree of Life (Terrence Malick, 2011)
The Iron Claw (Sean Durkin, 2023)
Favorite Bible Passage:
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
“The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.”
Lights, Camera, AGAPE 