Superman (1978) – 2
Superman (1978). Directed by Richard Donner. Written by Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Mario Puzo, David Newman, Leslie Newman, Robert Benton, and Tom Mankiewicz. Music by John Williams. Starring Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Jackie Cooper, and Marlon Brando. PG, 143 min. Just when and where we least expect a significant something or Other is […]
A Man Called Ove (2015) – 1
Written and Directed by Hannes Holm (based on novel by Fredrik Bachman). Starring Rolf Lassgård, Filip Berg, Bahar Paris, and Ida Engvoll. 116 minutes. Rated PG-13. Ove is an ornery, rather embittered old so-and-so, or so it seems. Recently widowed, he lives alone in a small Swedish condo complex over which, as its one-time association […]
A Man Called Ove (2015) – 2
Written and Directed by Hannes Holm (based on novel by Fredrik Bachman). Starring Rolf Lassgård, Filip Berg, Bahar Paris, and Ida Engvoll. 116 minutes. Rated PG-13. Ove is 59 years old and, well, as mad as hell and not going to take it anymore. Life has smacked him hard, really hard, over and over, and […]
The Color of Paradise (1999)
[…] that comes in countless forms. There is a Lord of Song, as Leonard Cohen calls it in his now renown “Hallelujah,” and David the scoundrel also proclaims, and there is also, thanks be to God, a Lord of Light and color. Indeed, there is wonder enough for the wonder of belief. written by Roy Anker
Wonder Woman (2017)
Wonder Woman (2017). Directed by Patty Jenkins. Starring Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, and Robin Wright. 141 mins. Rated PG-13. Wonder Who? The wonder of Wonder Woman is that, indeed, the film is a wonder, the best commix-inspired flick since the original Superman all the way back in 1978, some four decades later and countless […]
Dark Knight (2008) & More
The Dark Knight (2008). Directed by Christopher Nolan. Starring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, and Aaron Eckhart. 152 minutes. Rated PG-13. Evil. We don’t hear much about it these days, at least from pulpits. Unless, of course, it is some sort of sexual something. The rest, like greed or idolatry, not so much as a peep. […]
Grand Canyon (1991) – 1
Grand Canyon (1991). Directed by Lawrence Kasdan. Co-written by Meg Kasdan and Lawrence Kasdan. Starring Kevin Kline, Danny Glover, Steve Martin, Mary McDonnell, Alfre Woodard, and Mary Louise Parker. Rated R; 134 minutes. Grand Canyon (1991) is one of those films that every clergy and parishioner, and everyone else too, for that matter, ought to […]
Grand Canyon (1991) – 2
Grand Canyon (1991). Directed by Lawrence Kasdan. Co-written by Meg Kasdan and Lawrence Kasdan. Starring Kevin Kline, Danny Glover, Steve Martin, Mary McDonnell, Alfre Woodard, and Mary Louise Parker. Rated R; 134 minutes. So when do we know it’s the real “real thing”? If we can know that for sure, that is. That, to be […]
Séraphine (2008)
Séraphine (2008). Written by Marc Abdelnour and Martin Provost. Directed by Martin Provost. Starring Yolande Moreau and Ulich Tukur. 125 mins. Unrated. Rotten Tomatoes 89%; Metacritic 84%. She certainly seems not to be the sort from whom one would expect religious wisdom of any sort, and that is true enough, at least at first glimpse. In […]
John Adams (2008)
John Adams (2008). HBO Mini-series. Episode VII: “Peacefield.” Directed by Tom Hooper. Starring Laura Linney and Paul Giamatti. 71 mins. Rated TV-14. Sometimes preaching choices are easy. In this instance, skip the sermon to play the following three times. Or maybe four. Old John Adams (Paul Giamatti) is pushing 90. Despite his distinguished career from […]
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