Culture
Actor did St. Ignatius’ spiritual exercises to prepare for priest role
Andrew Garfield, whose ancestry is Jewish but who was raised in a nonreligious household, did the 30-day retreat as part of his preparation for playing a Jesuit priest in Martin Scorsese's new film, "Silence."
‘Monster Trucks’ takes kids on a raucous ride
The action sequences of this comedy contain an environmental message but little logic. But trucks are merrily racing around, so the target viewers who still pronounce the vehicles "twuks" are unlikely to mind.
‘Live by Night’ shines a light on gangster’s inner life
Director Ben Affleck navigates the moral rapids of 1930s gangland, only to get distracted by an overstuffed story while moving on to the next shootout. Morality, social commentary and Christianity get lost in a hail of bullets.
Unrelenting intensity of ‘A Monster Calls’ diverges from book’s pace
The film intends to be a faithful adaptation of the award-winning novel's observations on accepting the inevitability of life's passages. But the result is an uncompromisingly dark melodrama, somewhere beyond gothic.
Now in stores: Archbishop Charles Chaput’s new book
"Strangers in a Strange Land: Living the Catholic Faith in a Post Christian World" is a forthcoming book by Archbishop Charles Chaput on how Christians can reclaim the joy, the beauty and the grandeur of life in the world.
Despite flaws, book has much to offer parishes dealing with diversity
John Francis Burke in his book "Building Bridges, Not Walls" offers pastoral suggestions for how parishes can build inclusive communities where everyone is welcome and all gifts can be used.
Big-set Hollywood musicals get a revival in ‘La La Land’
This over-the-top fantasy sets its song-and-dance numbers in present-day Los Angeles where drivers exit their cars on a freeway overpass and burst into song, and lovers float in the air in a planetarium.
‘Hidden Figures’ reveals the courage of women in space race
Along with insights into the injustices in American society in the early 1960s, this fact-based drama centers on three gifted African-American mathematicians working for NASA in a field dominated by men in pre-integration Virginia.
Gently paced ‘Manchester by the Sea’ takes unflinching look at suffering
A naturalistic portrait of a shattered individual, flawlessly embodied by actor Casey Affleck, emerges against the backdrop of a lovely seaside town. The film's tremendous performances delve the struggle to recover from a grave mistake.
Theologically complex ‘Silence’ rewards viewers’ intellectual investment
Martin Scorsese has crafted a visually striking drama that's also deeply thought-provoking and emotionally gripping, with remarkable performances. But the paradoxes of the narrative demand careful sifting by moviegoers well-grounded in their beliefs.