Every now and then, I come across a film of such unexpected charm and emotional power that I find myself compelled to recommend it to anyone and everyone who will listen. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made … Read more
It would be difficult to find a man who has had a more dramatic impact on his nation’s recent cinematic reputation than Danish writer and director Anders Thomas Jensen. From his early days writing for Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg’s Dogme 95 movement of the 1990s (founded to rectify the perceived stagnation in modern … Read more
Filmmaker Andrew Niccol, probably best known for his role as the writer of The Truman Show, likes to describe his stories as “films set about five minutes in the future.” And while some movies claim to have been snatched from today’s headlines, few would suggest that they are the headlines of tomorrow. Â Consider God’s … Read more
For years my parents have had a standing order with their local second-hand bookseller to set aside Sigrid Undset’s Kristin Lavransdatter whenever a copy comes in. They give it to friends, students, acquaintances — anyone who might read it. My father was introduced to Kristin just before his conversion by a Catholic friend, who summed … Read more
There have been so many books about Thomas Jefferson that it’s hard to see what more can be said about him. But Alan Pell Crawford, in this elegant, elegiac book, suggests that looking at Jefferson’s last years will help us understand his greatness as a Founder and as a president. Twilight at Monticello: The Final … Read more
Russian film director Pavel Lungin is perhaps most famous for his bleak, gritty dramas about the despair of post-Communist Russia, earning him a reputation as a fan favorite at film festivals around the world. His most recent film, Ostrov (The Island), was named the closing picture at the 2006 Venice Film Festival, nominated for a Grand Jury … Read more
Fewer films than expected sold this year at Sundance, but there were plenty of highlights in the ten-day festival. What’s likely coming to a theater near you? Fewer films than expected sold this year at Sundance, but there were plenty of highlights in a ten-day festival marked by picturesque snowfalls, strong documentaries, and unlikely sequels. … Read more
2007 saw a flurry of secular films that were unabashedly pro-life in their outlook, even when they were far from family fare. Movies such as Waitress; the raunchy, R-rated Knocked Up; Bella; and Juno all achieved measures of success with mainstream moviegoers, from the little independent surprise Bella (which was marketed to church-goers) to the … Read more
God’s Continent: Christianity, Islam, and Europe’s Religious Crisis is a rather scary book if you happen to be reading it on the island where I live, off the coast of North West Europe. Â Â God’s Continent: Christianity, Islam, and Europe’s Religious Crisis By Philip Jenkins Oxford University Press, 2007 $28.00 Â Â God’s Continent: … Read more
In case you have some last minute Christmas shopping to do, the InsideCatholic.com staff and writers put together our own list of recommended gifts. Enjoy! In case you have some last minute Christmas shopping to do, and you’re out of ideas, the InsideCatholic.com staff, writers and columnists have put together our own list of … Read more
For some years, I have set aside time during Advent to read Hilaire Belloc’s short essay, “A Remaining Christmas.” First published 80 years ago next year, it has been worth my annual rereading. It is an extended reflection on the mystery of the Incarnation and of each person’s earthly journey. Even now, Belloc (1870-1953) arouses … Read more
You may find Bill Donohue of the Catholic League a bit loud at times, but you have to admire his forthrightness in pointing out something so bleeding obvious that only a functionary for the USCCB film review office or a highly trained theologian could miss it. He writes: In the current Newsweek, Pullman lashes out … Read more
Five years and $180 million later, The Golden Compass is at last opening in movie theaters across the country today. So what’s the verdict? Â Five years and $180 million later, The Golden Compass is at last opening in movie theaters across the country today. While Philip Pullman — the author of the His Dark … Read more
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Le Scaphandre et le papillon) opens to fuzzy images and confusion as the camera — and the audience — tries to focus itself. As the images become clearer, it appears that the camera has embodied a patient in a hospital bed. PG-13, 112 minutes The Diving Bell … Read more
There was a lot of buzz on the Internet recently about rumors of a possible sequel to the 2005 film Serenity. The news even made it to the Catholic world: I blogged on it, as did Mark Shea and even Fr. John Zuhlsdorf. That a mere rumor could kick up such a stir — the … Read more
Human life appears most precious when it is under the gun. At such times, we affirm the greatness of one soul by acting decisively to protect it. Or do we? Modern life produces a multitude of justifications for moral disengagement from our own dark choices and those of friends and strangers. Â In Bella, a … Read more
Ben Affleck’s career may be floundering onscreen, but the Boston native has proven surprisingly adept behind the camera. His directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone, is an engrossing detective thriller that displays a nuance he lacks as an actor. Â Â R, 114 minutes Ben Affleck’s career may be floundering onscreen, but the Boston native has … Read more
Amid the footage of protestors, zealots, and activists featured in Tony Kaye’s documentary Lake of Fire, it is linguist and political provocateur Noam Chomsky who best outlines Kaye’s approach to the subject matter of his abortion film: “Choice is legitimate,” he says. “Preserving life is legitimate. And sometimes they come into conflict.” Unrated, 152 minutes … Read more
Anthony Esolen’s Ironies of Faith is a very dated kind of book. There is nothing of the first-person narrative that adorns modern books, where the author tells us why something matters to him. Â Ironies of Faith: The Laughter at the Heart of Christian Literature Anthony Esolen, ISI Books, 412 pages, $18 Â Anthony Esolen’s … Read more
Joseph Pearce’s Small Is Still Beautiful is one part commentary on and one part updated application of E. F. Schumacher’s famous Small Is Beautiful. The constant reference to a book that many consider a minor classic is both a strength and a weakness of Pearce’s own book. Imitating Schumacher, Pearce wants to return us to … Read more