Culture
New Frankenstein motif of ‘Replicas’ dead on arrival
Emotions are shallow and moral themes underdeveloped as the plot of this sci-fi misfire -- in which a scientist tries to reanimate his dead family -- plods toward a ridiculous, conspiracy-tinged climax.
Take a spin on ‘Spider-Man’ videogame
As Spider-Man battles villains, game players also see him trying to balance his duties as an adult, including his personal troubles. One character assists the player in a tutorial mission before the main story launches.
‘A Dog’s Way Home’ trots out a bone to pick
The cute story of a healing, tail wagging dog out to be suitable for all ages, but it obviously advances the relentless Hollywood drive to mainstream homosexuality among impressionable young moviegoers.
Landmark case, landmark woman, told ‘On the Basis of Sex’
The story of how a young Ruth Bader Ginsburg took on a case to argue equal rights for women is inspirational in this telling, though its stodginess feels like cramming for a final exam.
Priest-author tells story of Catholicism in the American heartland
The story of the historic day that St. Pope John Paul II visited a small Iowa diocese is told with verve and clarity in a new book that will be of interest to Catholics across the country. It traces an overlooked story of Catholics on the American prairie.
Two books unpack religious stereotypes in difficult times
One book offers a quiet rebuttal to the current demonization of Muslims, while another looks at the experience of interreligious blended families. Together they counter a culture of growing sectarianism and tribalism.
More underlies ‘The Upside,’ than just two guys having fun
Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston have great on-screen charisma and generate lots of laughs, but the film reinforces old stereotypes of race and class that still have the power to hurt deeply.
‘The Favourite’: Women behaving badly, but in great costumes
The comedy-drama about a royal love triangle in 18th-century England shocks and offends at every turn, doing a disservice to lavish production values and three actresses at the top of their game.
Rough language might prompt early exit from ‘Escape Room’
Besides violating the Second Commandment, the mayhem is nongraphic in this film about a seemingly unrelated group seeking a reward for escaping a room but struggling for survival instead.
‘Vice’ does a gleeful, nuance-free hatchet job on Dick Cheney
In this take on the Bush-Cheney administration, the generally fine cast, particularly Amy Adams, does what it can with the film's stick figure characters in a prevailing atmosphere of inky-black cynicism.