Culture
Ricki and the Flash: A character study that fails to set
Not even the storied talent of Meryl Streep can hold together the scattershot elements of the character study "Ricki and the Flash" (TriStar).
British composer’s music chosen for official Year of Mercy hymn
Paul Inwood and 89 other composers around the world had two months to submit their compositions of the music for the official hymn of Year of Mercy.
Author explores how art, architecture lead us to prayer
Msgr. Timothy Verdon, author of "Art & Prayer," presents great works of art capable of evoking creative responses to the divine.
Madcap ‘Shaun the Sheep Movie’ is fun for the family
The clever comedy romp through pasture and city features Chaplinesque sight gags and routines in what is essentially a silent movie -- free of dialogue.
Sure, the mission is impossible, but it’s still fun
"Mission: Impossible -- Rogue Nation" delivers a steady but stylized parade of action. The result is a nifty but not very profound espionage adventure.
Want to get away from it all? Start by running from ‘Vacation’
There's no summertime relief in the film reboot of the 1983 original as viewers get dragged along on a forced march through a landscape of tastelessness unrelieved by laughs.
‘Pixels’ proves those all arcade quarters weren’t wasted
The manic comedy about Pac Man, Donkey Kong and other gaming bad guys invading earth might make viewers wish it were "game over" before the film ends.
Thought-provoking almanac will delight Catholic gardeners
Any Catholic who enjoys gardening will find spiritual and practical inspiration in this book by a master gardener, retreat leader and Catholic blogger.
Adulthood nears, but not before the prom, in ‘Paper Towns’
In a faithful adaptation of a young-adult novel, kids talk, talk and talk about their anxieties for nearly two hours. Seldom does enlightenment dawn, but they gamely plug away.
‘Southpaw’: Boxing as at once repellent and alluring
The visceral boxing drama is not for the squeamish as it jabs at moral dilemmas. A wily trainer convinces a broken-down fighter to use his head as well as his hands.