Culture
Beneath the filthy exterior shines a positive tale, just barely
There's a kernel of goodness at the heart of this mother-daughter comedy but viewers will need to wade through a veritable cesspool of bad taste to approach it.
Study of saints, saint-making combines scholarly with popular
Simon Yarrow's book is an academically informed popular historical study of the phenomenon of saints. He guides the reader on a walk through the world of saints from the crucifixion of Jesus down to the present.
Entree of morality in ‘The Dinner’ proves too tough to cut through
This tale about the nature of evil and mankind's savage underpinnings, starring Richard Gere, may be infuriatingly dense and labyrinthine, but neither is it escapist or comfortable.
Author traces path that led Maryknoll nun to martyrdom in El Salvador
Author Eileen Markey retraces the steps that led Sister Maura Clarke, a Maryknoll nun, through 20 years of missionary service that led to her 1980 martyrdom in El Salvador.
‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ is beyond the orbit of younger viewers
Disney's latest film in the Marvel sci-fi series is grounded in solid values, but vague imagery, harsh language, and violence may leave kids seeing stars.
In ‘The Circle,’ social media titan demands loyalty and truth
In this cautionary tale, Big Brother is a cult-like tech company seeking control of everyone with slogans like "Secrets are lies." It raises issues about privacy and the power of big business.
‘How to Be a Latin Lover’ quickly goes from spicy to dull
Long stretches of exposition slow down this scattershot comedy, even though it's weighted toward a moral lesson about the value of work for its protagonist.
‘Phoenix Forgotten’ reminds the truth is still out there
The sci-fi horror tale based on the aftermath of the real-life, and widely reported, UFO sighting in Arizona follows a filmmaker's quest for her missing brother, and his found video.
‘LA 92,’ 9-11 p.m. EDT, April 30, National Geographic channel
"LA 92's" release coincides with the 25th anniversary of the civil unrest that rocked South Central Los Angeles following the controversial acquittal of the four white LAPD officers involved in the beating of African-American motorist Rodney King.
Author recalls era when women fought Europe’s ‘glass ceiling’
Between the years 1474, when Isabella became the regnant of Castile, until the death of the English queen Elizabeth Tudor in 1603 is a remarkable era for many reasons, one of which is the number of women -- 16 in total -- who played significant roles in their countries.