Cinema is a modern-day pulpit. Movie theaters are modern day pulpits; people flock to their local multiplexes, group together, and find themselves moved by a worldview revealed in story form, allowing themselves to be emotionally led by directors and screenwriters who influence how we feel, think, and even act. Film & Theology features monthly film viewings at the MHC | Lake City Campus, followed by an expository exploration of narrative themes and spiritual parallels. The popular Film & Theology series heads to the Mars Hill Downtown campus this Friday, March 5^th at 7 pm, for an encore screening and commentary by Pastor James Harleman on Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino (2008). The film follows Korean War vet Walt Kowalski (Eastwood), dealing with the death of his wife, a persistent priest, distant adult children, and grandchildren who only seem interested in inheriting his prized 1972 Gran Torino coupe.  Paint in a declining neighborhood in present-day Detroit outskirts, Hmong neighbors Kowalski initially resents, plus violent gangs, and you have a striking canvas for a film. The film is rated R for language and some violence. The film was nominated as one of the ten best of 2008 by the American Film Festival and it won Best Foreign Film at the Caesar Awards in France. Watch the film’s official preview: The Downtown campus is located at 2333 Western Avenue. The event, as always, is free. On March 19, Pastor James will bring the series back to the Lake City campus for a screening of last year’s sci-fi thriller, District 9. Pastor James has been Mars Hill Church’s resident film reviewer for eight years.  He hosts Film & Theology events on the third Friday of every month at the Lake City Campus, where he is the campus pastor. For more of Pastor James, check out the Film & Theology video archives here.  He publishes additional film commentary on his blog, cinemagogue.