Nature docs thrive on firsts, though, and Oceans has some eye-poppers. The unprecedented spectacle of a blue whale feeding on krill, its ventral pouch inflated with water, is breathtaking (you never see blue whales in these things; humpbacks get all the glory). The colorful silken splendor of the blanket octopus and the ribbon eel were a surprise to me (nicely complemented by the Spanish dancer sea slug). And my new favorite freaky thing, supplanting the anatomical absurdity of the leafy seadragon, is the wack-eyed mantis shrimp, a testy little fellow who gets violently territorial with crabs loitering around his front door — as one learns to its grief. Get off my lawn, punk.
October Baby is at its most thoughtful contemplating Hannah’s unresolved feelings about her biological mother and the tragic way that her life began.
Of Animals and Men tells a story of light shining in the darkness — but the preciousness of the light depends in a way on the prevalence of the darkness, and, in that connection, it must not be forgotten that the Nazis were not the sole agents of darkness.
By rights, pulp heroes like Batman and James Bond belong to this world of escapism, not the world of The Godfather. Bond was even one of the original inspirations for Indiana Jones. (“I’ve got something better than James Bond” was how Lucas pitched the character to Steven Spielberg.) Now, though, the boundaries are becoming less clear.
Xavier Beauvois’ sublime Of Gods and Men is that almost unheard-of film that you do not judge—it judges you. To one degree or another it defies every attempt to put it in a box, to reduce its challenge to a political or pious ideological stance to be affirmed or critiqued.
Silence, reflection, the search for meaning, the interior life: These are among the hallmarks of Paul Harrill’s work.
Out of a few topics I was considering blogging about today, none captured my attention quite like this impassioned email from a young reader who strongly disagrees with my review of Alice in Wonderland, and the issues suggested by the email, at least in my mind.
Oklahoma! was the first of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s musical collaborations, and it changed the face of musical theater.
"It’s not just a dog story," writes Annie Dingus in Texas Monthly, "it’s a rite of passage for American children." She is right. "Who saw Old Yeller?" Bill Murray asks a bunch of American soldiers in Stripes, trying to define our national spirit. "Who cried when Old Yeller got shot at the end? Nobody cried when Old Yeller got shot? I’m sure. I cried my eyes out!" And on NBC’s "Friends," ditsy Phoebe had a sudden unpleasant revelation as she realized that all her life her parents had always turned off the film before the climax, sparing her the film’s heartbreak — but also its life-affirming wisdom.
The last gasp of Disney Animation’s post-Walt malaise before the 1990s Disney renaissance, Oliver & Company borrows names and vague situations from Oliver Twist, but in place of Dickens’s sentiment and Victorian moralizing Oliver has only a misguided stab at “attitude.”
This week I’m making a foray from my diaconal semi-hiatus from film reviewing, with new written and material and broadcast appearances — including the return of “Reel Faith”!
Tune into the second hour of “Catholic Answers Live!” tonight as Patrick Coffin and I discuss the best movies of 2012 and take your calls. Then come back in a week for our annual one-hour “Reel Faith!&8221; Oscar special!
Tune into EWTN this Thursday, May 31, when I'll be on “The World Over Live” with Raymond Arroyo (8:00pm EDT). Raymond and I will be discussing the new Cristero war drama For Greater Glory, how the film's theme of religious freedom relates to current events, the state of faith-based film productions and much more.
This week I’ll be all over Catholic media talking about The Dark Knight Rises: EWTN’s “The World Over Live” with Raymond Arroyo, “Catholic Answers Live” with Patrick Coffin, and our own “Reel Faith” with my co-host David DiCerto.
This week I’ll be all over Catholic media talking about The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: EWTN’s “The World Over Live” with Raymond Arroyo, “Catholic Answers Live” with Patrick Coffin, and our own “Reel Faith” with my co-host David DiCerto. (Pay attention and you may catch me on “Kresta in the Afternoon” at some point too.)
This evening, Friday, May 17, I'll be appearing on the first hour of “Catholic Answers Live” (6pm–7pm EDT). Next week, tune in for the summer season premiere of Reel Faith!
Friday, January 20, I’ll be on the first hour of Catholic Answers Live! (6pm–7pm EST). Patrick Coffin and I will be talking about the best and worst films of 2011 and much much more. Listen live!
This evening, Friday, October 18, I'll be appearing on the first hour of “Catholic Answers Live” (6pm–7pm EDT).
This Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, I’ll be on the first hour of “Catholic Answers Live!” with Patrick Coffin. We’ll be discussing The Muppets, Twilight: Breaking Dawn, Part 1, Happy Feet Two, Arthur Christmas, J. Edgar, A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, Tower Heist, In Time and more. Listen live!
This Friday, February 10 I'll be appearing on the first hour of “Catholic Answers Live” (6pm–7pm EDT).
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