Culture
‘Oz,’ the sequel: Nice movie; not memorable, but nice
NEW YORK (CNS) -- The animated musical adventure "Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return" is a pleasant, family-friendly outing, though one likely to be forgotten not long after its closing credits roll. But stacked up against the 1939 movie -- and small-screen fixture -- "The Wizard of Oz," its inferiority is glaring.
Gripping account tells past, present of monks kidnapped in Algeria
On the night of March 26-27, 1996, seven of the monks were kidnapped during the Algerian civil war.
‘Boxers & Saints’: Faith and rebellion in China
NEW YORK (CNS) -- "Boxers & Saints" (First Second Books), a two-volume graphic novel written and drawn by Gene Luen Yang, is an example of comic art at its best.
Hero of ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ really is a good guy
NEW YORK (CNS) -- Patrons will feel they've gotten their money's worth from the overstuffed but diverting 3-D comic-book sequel "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" (Columbia). In the fast-paced and clean language film, Spider-man not only battles evil but encourages goodness as well.
Moviemaking style makes ‘The Quiet Ones’ a disquieting thriller
NEW YORK (CNS) -- The "found-footage" technique adds suspense to the mental illness/possession theme of the film. Restrained depiction of blood makes it unlike the typical slasher film, but the religious themes present can be confusing to viewers.
A challenging but worthwhile read on U.S. church and how it changes
Peter McDonough, professor emeritus at Arizona State University and twice a Fulbright fellow, begins his book "The Catholic Labyrinth" with these words, "The argument of this book is not that Catholicism changes ...
A dilemma for TV watchers: more news but less content
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- At the end of March, the Federal Communications Commission took action to quash the growing monopolization of local TV airwaves by just a handful of broadcasting conglomerates.
Movie review: The Other Woman
NEW YORK (CNS) -- When a screenwriter's armory of jokes is so depleted that a large dog having a very visible accident qualifies as a sight gag, moviegoers of taste will want to steer clear. And so they should in the case of the crass comedy "The Other Woman" (Fox).
Movie review: Brick Mansions
NEW YORK (CNS) -- Combat, albeit of a stylized kind, is the whole point of the action picture "Brick Mansions" (Relativity). Though gore is kept to a minimum, some of the mayhem registers as vicious, if only by implication.
‘Moon Knight:’ Marvel comic book tackles mental illness
NEW YORK (CNS) -- One of the best comics to have been published in the last few years was a 2011 reboot of "Moon Knight," created in the 1970s. A new version suffers a dropoff in the quality of writing and art.