Culture
German Catholics assess rise and fall of Nazism
Two new memoirs of German Catholics who both opposed the totalitarian menace of Nazism provide personal perspectives on their resistance.
‘The Matrix’ creators raise up a galactic ‘Wizard of Oz’
The co-directing Wachowskis may have strong opinions about industrial might, the abuse of power and the plight of the individual, but these all get lost in "Jupiter Ascending," a 3-D science-fiction romp through the cosmos.
‘Seventh Son’ bears old-school, sword-wielding adventure
A throwback to Saturday matinee serials and mid-20th-century action-adventure films, "Seventh Son" may please viewers lamenting the end of the "Harry Potter" and "Lord of the Ring" franchises.
SpongeBob washes up on big screen in typical good spirits
Children have grown up waiting more than 10 years for the sequel to the first SpongeBob SquarePants movie. The new "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water" is a fast-paced exercise in silliness.
Nintendo looks forward while going retro
The gaming giant is releasing a sleek, new hand-held console while bringing back Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong and others in a "remix."
Time-hopping in ‘Project Almanac’ may leave viewers queasy
The immoral antics of teens with a time machine gives responsible parents reason not to take their own teens along for the ride.
‘Black or White’ explores shadings in issues of race and addiction
The new drama starring Kevin Costner avoids stereotypes and easy answers, but its appealing characters are deployed mostly as stand-ins for recognizable social groups and tendencies.
‘Strange Magic’ strong on dance numbers, weak on romance
Disney's animated riff on Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is a pleasing jaunt but it's hobbled with a story by George Lucas.
Movie review: Mortdecai
The action comedy "Mortdecai" (Lionsgate) tries to evoke the genius of British novelist P.G. Wodehouse while also conjuring up the sort of movies parodied by the "Austin Powers" series.
Books explore what makes urban Catholic schools successful
The books "Putting Education to Work" and "Anointed Moments" tell the stories of Catholic schools that have had success in serving minority students in urban areas.