Culture

Books use different approaches to offer valuable lessons to youths

A great deal of study has gone into trying to understand the development that takes place during adolescence, the period that runs roughly through the teen years but may begin earlier and often continues into the early 20s.

Movie review — Mad Max: Fury Road

A brutal assault on all the senses is the best way to describe "Mad Max: Fury Road" (Warner Bros).

Ladies go on the lam in ‘Hot Pursuit’ of laughs

Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara make a distinctly lukewarm road trip film, with impractical footwear for their journey.

‘Far from the Madding Crowd’ tells of England’s quiet, unsettled lives

In this fourth film adaptation of the classic work, director Thomas Vinterberg aims squarely at the "Downton Abbey" fan base while remaining faithful to his source.

New documentary on Thomas Merton celebrates centennial of monk’s birth

Morgan Atkinson's new documentary on Thomas Merton, the famed Trappist monk from the Cistercian abbey in Gethsemani, Kentucky, was "40 years in the making," he joked.

Mad scientist goes awry in exploitative ‘Ex Machina’

The crass misogyny of the film overwhelms any thoughtful considerations it might have to offer on the development of artificial intelligence.

‘Avengers’: Muddled, morally ambiguous, but great effects

The seemingly ever-expanding media universe centered on Marvel Comics spawns yet another property with the arrival of the so-so sequel "Avengers: Age of Ultron."

‘Marie’s Story’ tells inspiring tale of a French Helen Keller

This joyous film sends two important messages missing from most movies: respect for human life at all stages and a positive portrayal of women religious.

Mystery novel deals with church’s foibles but entertains, inspires too

Most Catholics are sick and tired of news about priests who abused children and bishops who covered up for them. This, however, is no fictional attempt to rehash decades of old news. Rather, "Master of Ceremonies" is at once informative, entertaining and inspirational.

In cable world, market forces continue to shape an a la carte menu

The typical U.S. household spends the bulk of their TV viewing time watching 17 channels on average. So why do cable companies foist dozens upon dozens -- not to mention the hundreds upon hundreds offered by the satellite TV industry?