"ItÕs really fun to review a really bad movie." These words out of the mouth of Professor Diane Postlethwaite might at first conjure up the image of a conservative who revels in shredding a Hollywood blockbuster into a few belittling words. In fact, itÕs quite the opposite. Postlethwaite, whom many students might recognize as a senior member of the St. Olaf English Department, simply loves movies. And sheÕs not exclusive. "I love Henry James and Jane Austin films, but I also thoroughly enjoy Bruce Willis and ÔDie HardÕ," she admits.

Every Thursday at 8:40 AM, WCAL listeners enjoy PostlethwaiteÕs humorous and insightful reviews. How did she get started? "I walked into WCAL headquarters and asked for a chance to review a movie, no pay, just a chance," Ten years later sheÕs still reviewing and getting paid. Not only that, but Postlethwaite can be heard on the international public radio show "Fifty-one Percent."

At a conference entitled "Worship, Theology and the Arts," held here at St. Olaf this summer, Postlethwaite headed a workshop for pastors and church workers. Her goal was to convey the undeniable influence of film as a visual media. She also urged church members not to ignore pop culture movies but to discuss them in a church setting, citing such movies as ÔContactÕ and more recently ÔThe MatrixÕ as secular films that had a number of Christian themes underlying their plots.

This week you can tune in and hear Postlethwaite review the "Tao of Steve." Already she has a review for "Nurse Betty" in the works. To find out which movie to take your date to, check out WCALÕs website at wcal.org for recent and archived reviews from previous years. Worst movie ever reviewed? "Definitely ÔThe Scarlet LetterÕ with Demi Moore as an awful Hester Prynne," she said.