The local priest or pastor might not like being upstaged by Keanu Reeves. But to teenagers, films and television programs such as The Matrix: Reloaded, Harry Potter, and the recently-concluded Buffy the Vampire Slayer series may offer deeper opportunities for spiritual reflection than conventional churches, according to Lynn Schofield Clark, author of "From Angels to Aliens: Teenagers, the Media, and the Supernatural".

Television programs and films that raise intriguing questions about the realm beyond - especially things that remain unexplained by science - become particularly interesting in the current situation, when an increasing number of young people grow up with little or no experience with formal religion. Research grounded in in-depth interviews with teens and their families enables Clark to offer insights into how the entertainment media are playing a role in shaping contemporary ideas that in turn shape cultural practices and institutions