It was so nice to see this article pop up on my Facebook newsfeed this morning. I remember the first time I saw Kevin Sullivan’s 1985 television movie about the red-haired Canadian orphan. I was immediately captivated by Megan Follow’s performance – she was Anne. And Richard Farnsworth’s Matthew – he reminded me so much of my grandfather that when he died I thought I had lost my grandpa all over again – and I admit it, I cried. ... Read more
Football coach Bob Ladouceur (Jim Caviezel) leads the De La Salle High School team of Concord, California, that has had an 11- season, 151-game winning streak (1992– 2003). As the team prepares to go up against a formidable opposing team, Coach Ladouceur deals with a heart attack and the growing unhappiness of his wife, Bev (Laura Dern), who says he doesn’t spend enough time with the family. The players face their own family and school challenges as they learn... Read more
The word “dystopian” has always intrigued me. The easy definition is that it means “anti-utopian,” but it sets up too facile a dichotomy because life never reaches the utopian ideal except in dreams, books and movies. If anything, dystopian means post-apocalyptic, which most often brings us into the realm of science fiction. A once acceptable world, however imperfect, has self-destructed or suffered destruction from outside forces, or a combination of the two. Whatever is left is supposedly “dystopian.” The... Read more
There’s a meme going around Facebook with Robin Williams in what looks like a hoodie that says: “You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.” The 63-year-old Oscar-winning actor and comedian died Monday of an “apparent suicide.” He is said to have been suffering from a deep depression and has long battled alcohol and drug addiction. As recently as last month, he entered rehab to “fine-tune” his sobriety. Williams was also a husband and father. He... Read more
It’s present day in County Sligo, Ireland, and Fr. James Lavelle (Brendan Gleeson) is sitting in the confessional waiting for penitents. A man begins speaking, telling about the horrific sexual abuse by a priest that he endured over several years. Lavelle asks him if he’s reported the priest. No, he’s dead. Are you getting help? You mean therapy so I can move forward with my life? No. Then the man tells Lavelle that he is going to kill him, because... Read more
Gabrielle (Gabrielle Marion-Rivard) is a 22-year old woman who lives in a group home for cognitively disabled adults in Montreal. She has Williams Syndrome, a genetic disorder whose symptoms include hyper-socialization, heightened musical skills, and intellectual disability. Gabrielle is very close to her older sister, Sophie (Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin) who has her own apartment and longs to go to India to be with her fiancé but feels responsible for Gabrielle. Their mother, (Isabelle Vincent), doesn’t understand Sophie, and is busy... Read more
Horror-meister Scott Derrickson’s newest film, “Deliver Us From Evil,” begins with three U.S. Marines in Iraq who come across some strange writing on a wall in an underground cave. What they don’t realize is that the writing is from the devil and that when they return home, they bring darkness and evil with them. New York police sergeant Ralph Sarchie (Eric Bana) is one tough cop with his own inner darkness. He is married to Jen (Olivia Munn) with one... Read more
Just before Memorial Day, a friend who teaches in a Catholic high school wrote to me on Facebook that he and his daughter had just watched “Black Hawk Down,” Ridley Scott’s 2001 war film about the Battle of Mogadishu because she was studying Somalia. They really liked it. He then suggested that I ask my Facebook followers to share their favorite war movie and why. I was stymied. Favorite war film? How can you have a favorite war film? These... Read more
The news that Pixar and Disney are creating a story with an average (white) girl really captured my attention. “Inside Out” is to be a story about an 11-year old girl named Riley who is becoming an adolescent. The film will deal with five key emotions, especially Joy (voice of Amy Poehler) that work to keep Riley in balance. The “emotions” (according to a studio presentation) are not made out of “flesh and blood” but “energy”. Please give this article... Read more
Here is my interview with filmmaker Lydia B. Smith about her revealing and inspiring documentary about the Camino de Santiago de Campostela. Find out why six people (and more really) from different parts of the world, and different ages, walk this ancient pilgrimage route and why and how Smith, a non-Catholic, made such a Catholic film. Here’s my online review of the film from “The INNdustry with Sister Rose“: Read more
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