Is there another show on television right now that’s remained as consistently good, surprising and relevant as Ron Moore’s reimagined Battlestar Galactica? If there is, I haven’t seen it. Science fiction though it may be, week after week, Battlestar continues to earn its place among the very best dramatic series TV has ever delivered. Digital Bits Season 3 is coming on DVD March 18th. There is an hour of deleted scenes on the set including nearly a half hour more... Read more

I am very happy to note that I will be doing a regular podcast and print interview for Salvo Magazine which editor Bobby Maddex proposed to me as, “How about I just call you up every quarter and you can talk about whatever it is you are thinking about pop-culturewise?” This is an irresistible offer to me because I just can’t seem to find the time, discipline and favorable conditions lately to write a proper article. And also, I really... Read more

Several people have written to me asking me to comment on the Oscar ceremony this year. My opinion is that there is nothing wrong with a dull Oscar telecast that a few wonderful mainstream movies won’t solve. In a couple of decades, people are going to look at the movies that have been added to the Best Picture list in the last few years and break into that great musical summary of Aristotle’s Categories from Sesame Street: “One of these... Read more

I was recently at a small gathering with two of the people on the planet who make me feel very good about the state of the Church, and the future of the human race. As long as we have people on the team like Dana Gioia and Christoph Cardinal Schonborn, I think we will be okay. Dana Gioia is the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, a Catholic, a poet, and one of the most impressive men I... Read more

For two hours, The Other Boleyn Girl is about nothing but sex. And I think I am going to recommend it. I found it to be a horrifying (in a good way) morality tale. (Karen – your kind of cinematic romp?) Because of it’s subject matter, it’s for grownups, although with a PG-13 rating, it doesn’t have nudity or graphic sex. Based on the novel by Philippa Gregory, the movie tells a mostly unknown story of the family of Henry... Read more

So, I had one of those “Hollywood” days today and it was kind of a thrill, so I am going to name-drop all over the blog here. I was at a luncheon and ended up sitting between the immortal, Jon Voight – who passed me the sugar for my coffee – and the lovely and gracious, Angie Harmon (I-forget-her-last-name-but-her- husband -is-some-kind-of-athlete-and-together-they-could-win-most-beautiful- couple-on -the-planet). And then, at the end, Gary Sinise kissed me. You know, on the cheek. But still. So,... Read more

Sorry… I just couldn’t resist. Here is an announcement for an event coming up from the Magis Institute, of which I am a Board member. Our mission is “Healing the Culture Through Spirituality,” and we will be holding a lot of retreats and conferences and one-off events, particularly to deepen Catholic artists in the entertainment industry. Eric Hansen, the speaker for this event, knows more about sacred art than any body I have ever come across. I always learn from... Read more

Go Juno. Oh, and the song from Once. Read more

Once again, BSG provides the inspiration to sum up pretty much how I feel about everything from geopolitics to presidential primaries to the Superbowl these days. Somebody tell me how to put this in my sidebar template. (I got it here.) Read more

Saturday, March 8, 2008 1:30p.m. – 5:00p.m. Family Theater Productions 7201 Sunset Boulevard Hollywood, California Dr. Daniel McInerny, associate director of the Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Culture, and Dr. Michael P. Foley, assistant professor in the Great Texts Program at Baylor University will be moderating a lively afternoon’s discussion on the promises and the perils of telling stories in the entertainment industry. In particular, we will be exploring questions such as the following— · What is the special... Read more