Culture
For a warmhearted film with seamy underside, you be ‘The Judge’
The movie's most troubling element is treated so nonchalantly that ethically acute moviegoers are likely to shake their heads even as they squirm.
A cleaner Dracula story that still raises red flags
If viewers dig beneath "Dracula Untold's" special effects-driven mowing down of Islamic extremists -- perhaps sending a message -- they might discover the movie's moral and spiritual ambiguities.
Readers get a thrill with book’s unique plot and spiritual message
The novel "The Rising" tells of the power of a 9-year-old boy who, after whispering three words to a deceased woman at her wake, causes her to rise from the dead. It examines the good and bad motives of people surrounding him.
Movie review: Left Behind
Catholic viewers will likely feel left out by "Left Behind" (Freestyle).
Movie review: Gone Girl
A jaundiced view of marriage permeates the abrasive drama "Gone Girl" (Fox).
Books probe past and future of Christianity in China
Two new books help readers understand how different the Chinese experience with religion and the state is from the traditional Western view, and how it affects cultural expression and evangelization in China.
Doll keeps popping up with devil-may-care attitude
"Annabelle" delivers a reliable series of horror-genre frights in this demon-themed film that puts the Catholic faith in the background, not the center.
Cold War CounterSpy
Take one part James Bond, one part arcade-game shooting gallery, mix in some Pixar-style animation from "The Incredibles," and you've got "CounterSpy" (Dynamighty), the new video game for Sony consoles.
Book on women religious deserves wide, respectful readership
"New Generations of Catholic Sisters" is an important and sober study that examines the future of religious sisters in an honest and courageous way. How communities deal with the millennial generation will be the key.
Hard to root for the good guy when he’s very bad
Vigilante figures can be compelling because it's natural to root against evildoers. But when the vigilante in question -- including the likeable Denzel Washington in "The Equalizer" -- becomes hyperviolent, cheering for him is perverse.