Culture
‘Vice’ does a gleeful, nuance-free hatchet job on Dick Cheney
In this take on the Bush-Cheney administration, the generally fine cast, particularly Amy Adams, does what it can with the film's stick figure characters in a prevailing atmosphere of inky-black cynicism.
Historian provides riveting account of WWII chaplains from Notre Dame
Expert storytelling and rigorous research reveal the little-studied perspective of some three dozen priests who brought Christ to the battlefields.
Book shows human faces of IS victims, atrocities of Islamic caliphate
Two researchers on genocide describe the horrors endured by the Yazidi, a non-Muslim minority targeted by extremists, whose practice of Islam is based on "sex, money and power."
‘Holmes & Watson’ is all too elementary
Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly spoof Victorian manners in this take on the legendary detective and his sidekick, where crude humor trumps reason.
Religion historian appreciated Colorado Cistercians after tragedy struck
Elaine Pagels, a religion historian for whom the personal became professional and vice versa over the past 60 years, said she appreciated the Cistercian monks at Snowmass, Colorado, when tragedy struck her twice in a year's time.
No spoonful of sugar needed as ‘Mary Poppins Returns’
Families will enjoy the title character's return to Depression-era London (with some notable cameos) as she helps solve a family crisis with whimsy and song -- in the most delightful way.
WWI’s flower of youth comes alive in ‘They Shall Not Grow Old’
Director Peter Jackson, best known for helming "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, restores archival footage of soldiers of the First World War, recapturing the humanity and suffering of the mostly teen soldiers.
Video game roundup: Some are naughty, others are nice
Video games involving harmless brawls, combat on the battlefields of World War II, an adventure in ancient Greece and a tale of revenge are all in high demand this shopping season. Whether these products make appropriate Christmas gifts varies considerably from title to title.
New children’s books help little ones know Jesus with prayer, Bible
A number of new releases make the saints, church history and Mass accessible to kids, and one title even tackles loss of a pet.
Special effects stall ‘Mortal Engines’ weak plot
The film's look into a bleak future world is visually stunning, but falls flat in a drama that never shifts into high gear.