– By Sam Hendrian – “The concept is absurd. The idea that we can only be complete with another person is evil. Right?” This fascinating question proposed by Celine (Julie Delpy) to Jesse (Ethan Hawke) in the second film of Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy succinctly captures the central theme at play in all three films. Is the idea of “soul …
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, soaring reflection on themes of …
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 memorable elements of the first …
It’s Weird, but Joker Is the Anti-Hero We Want – And Maybe the One We Deserve
– By James Powers – Spoilers below for Joker There was much blood and thunder in the world of pop-culture commentary preceding the release of Joker, with many a critic who had already seen the film at Venice or TIFF proclaiming either that it was a) a trenchant social commentary in the guise of a comic book movie, or …
Blindness of the Heart in ‘Bride of Frankenstein’
– By Sam Hendrian – “But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” – 1 John 2:11 Blindness is not limited to the eyes. There are many people who force their hearts to read braille, and even then, …
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 to inflict upon his all-too …
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 Pond is a beautiful plea …
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 of everything, he had come …
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 be a fetish girl, but …
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 is apparently the oldest film …