Culture
Movie review: The Nut Job
NEW YORK (CNS) — The multilayered plot of “The Nut Job” (Open Road) might confuse smaller children. However, this animated feature’s continuous action and theme of the importance of living in community make it both splendidly entertaining and morally appealing. Not all the humor will please accompanying parents, though. Potty jokes seem to have become […]
Movie review: The Legend of Hercules
NEW YORK (CNS) -- An embarrassingly weak film about the personification of strength, the 3-D action adventure "The Legend of Hercules" (Summit) is nothing short of woeful.
Falling in love with ‘Her,’ when she doesn’t really exist
NEW YORK (CNS) -- Tech fans might casually declare their love for a cutting-edge gadget. But all would have to take a backseat to Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), the main character in the quirky romantic drama "Her" (Warner Bros.).
‘Mary of Nazareth’ gets inspiring, entertaining film close-up
NEW YORK (CNS) -- The story of the Gospels unfolds through the eyes of the mother of God in "Mary of Nazareth" (Ignatius Press Films), a beautiful, often moving depiction of the life of Mary from her childhood through the passion and resurrection of her son. Watch a video clip from the movie.
Gory details of war mark ‘Lone Survivor’
NEW YORK (CNS) -- Honoring the sacrifices made by the men and women of America's military is the major impetus behind the action movie "Lone Survivor" (Universal). In theory, paying tribute to troops is laudable. Yet it matters how one voices that appreciation. The film, which chronicles an ill-fated mission by Navy SEALs inside Afghanistan in 2005, does so bluntly and superficially.
Not a stitch of clothing on this vicious ‘Wolf’
NEW YORK (CNS) -- Like the animal of its title, "The Wolf of Wall Street" (Paramount) is a predatory piece of cinema that inculcates values directly antithetical to those of Scripture and sacred tradition.
Books recount how people opt for poor, following liberation theology
In the second half of the 20th century, liberation theology stood traditional Catholic social teaching on its head. Three new books retell how people made the "option for the poor" a part of their personal and professional lives by helping empower poor people to determine their own destinies as individuals and as members of a wider community facing common problems.
Is Keanu Reeves the One to save ’47 Ronin’?
A band of outcast samurai warriors tries to save the day in a film that might be beyond hope of comprehension.
‘Justin Bieber’s Believe’: Stop looking for meaning
Pop phenom Justin Bieber's concert documentary/self-promotion vehicle doesn't go very deep, so just sit back and enjoy the footage of singing and dancing.
Inside the vivid imagination of ‘Walter Mitty’
"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" is a strange blend of comedy, drama and travelogue. Early scenes in the film showcase humor about awkward workplace situations and executive bullies; later ones present a serious study in self-realization.