By James Powers Contains Mild Spoilers The South Korean film Parasite, this year’s winner of the Cannes Palme d’Or, is full of striking imagery. Unexpected but trenchant symbolism keeps cropping up in this film that might, at first glance, seem to be relatively grounded in realism. But one particular shot, about two-thirds of the way …
7 Great Films for Catholics To Watch This Halloween
– By Matthew Sawczyn – If you’re a horror junkie or lover of supernatural stories, October must be your hayday: blustering weather, leafless trees, dark dusks… So if you’re staying in tonight and are in the mood for something scary and substantial, here are seven Halloween movies with strong spiritual themes! Spirited Away (2001) A beautiful, …
Hobbes and Shaw’s Attempt at Equality, and Why It Comes Up Short
– By Marielle Cuccinelli – The Fast and the Furious franchise is home to some of the most epically misogynist films I’ve ever seen. The series started in the early 2000s – the merry old days when it was totally cool for filmmakers to be openly, blatantly, incredibly sexist and objectifying. Some of the most …
Nothing to Fear but Fear ITself
– By James Powers – Spoilers below for both It and It Chapter Two Many accusations can be leveled against Stephen King as a storyteller, but dullness is not one of them. Despite the very R-rated content of much of his work, there’s a certain childlike exuberance to the way he invents bonkers scenarios …
Up Close and Personal: Cinema as a Vehicle for Empathy
– By Sam Hendrian – “Sometimes, you have to look hard at a person and remember he’s doing the best he can. He’s just trying to find his way, that’s all. Just like you.” This touching advice given by Ethel Thayer (Katherine Hepburn) to Norman Thayer (Henry Fonda) in the 1981 classic movie On Golden …
You Can’t Find Yourself By Yourself: Reflections on a Decade of Bon Iver
– By James Powers – The winter of 2006 found young Wisconsinite Justin Vernon in a decidedly bad mood. His longtime band had fizzled out after a failed attempt to put down roots in Raleigh. He was recovering from a particularly painful breakup. He’d blown a bunch of money on online poker. And on top …
Overcorrecting: The Objectification of Men in Film
– By Marielle Cuccinelli – I saw Alita: Battle Angel with a couple of male friends when it came out in February. As someone who’s hyper-aware of the objectification of women on-screen, I was much more satisfied with this film than I expected – I definitely went in prepared for anime action heroine Alita to …
Catholic Filmmakers, LGBT Representation, and Bridging the Cultural Rift
– By James Powers – This weekend sees the conclusion of what is probably one of the largest niche film festivals in the nation. LA’s Outfest, which began last Thursday and continues through Sunday, showcases a panoply of films made by and about people across the LGBT spectrum, attracts around 40,000 attendees each year, and …