Culture
‘Blinded by the Light’ shines as a sunny mix of comedy and drama
The music of Bruce Springsteen inspires a working-class teen in London to defy the odds and get the girl of his dreams (without losing his family and friends) in this lively tale based on a true story.
‘Angel Has Fallen’ milks bad guys’ deaths for laughs
Good personal values vie with relentless gory combat in this third installment of the action film series. Viewers are encouraged to chuckle at the many ways villains meet their doom.
New books outline history, modern realities of religious liberty
New works by Robert Louis Wilken and Steven Waldman offer insight to a debate that is often dominated by passion and emotion. Analyzing philosophy, history, theology and political science, each scholar asserts that tolerance ensures freedom of religion.
‘Angry Birds Movie 2’ spreads its wings and flies high
The flightless fowl of the beloved app soar in a sequel that's funnier and more heartwarming than their 2016 film debut. The feathery fun, which includes a solid moral lesson, will appeal to fans of all ages.
‘Good Boys’ are anything but
The R-rated buddy movie exploits a trio of tween actors for attempted laughs over wildly age-inappropriate subjects, including promiscuity, pornography and drug use.
Explore the virtues of ‘Dora and the Lost City of Gold’
The live action film based on the popular children's animated show is a Hollywood rarity: a sunny, fun-filled movie with valuable lessons about kindness, friendship and tolerance, with only a few rough edges.
Filmmaker’s documentary less on immigration than the ‘human story’
The documentary follows director Marialuisa Ernst and her journey with a Caravan of Mothers of Missing Migrants, who are Central American women desperately searching for sons and daughters who vanished en route to the U.S.
Author shines needed light on dark chapter in U.S. Catholic history
"Desegregating Dixie" tells the story of the slow, hesitant desegregation of Catholic parishes and schools in the American South, a process that continues today among Catholic and Protestant churches.
‘Once Upon a Time’ evokes the good, bad and ugly of Hollywood
The cumulative effect of complex characters achieves a powerful aesthetic that explores friendship and the link between fiction and reality. But director Quentin Tarantino dials up his trademark morally offensive violent visuals.
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
In keeping with a tested formula, barbs are traded, vehicles are raced and both fists and bullets fly in "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw" (Universal), director David Leitch's stand-alone addition to the popular action franchise that started in 2001.