“The Young Karl Marx” a congenial biopic of the founder of communism

Last updated on: February 16, 2018 at 6:01 pm By Sister Rose

The movie opens in the midst of Europe’s Industrial Revolution around 1840. The German and French underground intelligentsia writes and publishes furiously about social and governmental ills. Karl Marx (August Diehl) is a liberal who supports the working class and Friedrich Engels (Stefan Konarske) is the son of a rich factory owner in Manchester, England. The film chronicles their first rather antagonistic meeting and their lifelong friendship, Marx’s marriage and family (his wife is played by Vicky Krieps who stars... Read more

“Hostiles” a revisionist Western that doesn’t quite work

Last updated on: January 11, 2018 at 4:18 pm By Sister Rose

Click here then scroll down to see my review at St. Anthony Messenger. Christian Bale is, as usual, very good. Wes Studi is always good as is Rosalind Pike. More than a revisionist Western this shows white people having remorse and angst (that’s the revisionist part) for the violent white westward expansion that decimated the Indian peoples – but Indians still do not have much of a voice here. At first I was surprised that Wes Studi took this role... Read more

Paddington 2 is the movie to see this weekend

Last updated on: January 11, 2018 at 3:58 pm By Sister Rose

Please click here for my review of “Paddington 2” at St. Anthony Messenger. I just loved it (and I don’t gush over movies!) This IS a real family movie except for maybe the very, very young. You’ll also find a shorter review of “The Post” and “Hostiles” Read more

‘In the Fade’ justice and vengeance in conflict

Last updated on: January 4, 2018 at 9:56 am By Sister Rose

In the Fade (Aus dem Nichts) -SPOILER ALERT- Katja (Diane Kruger) is married to Nuri Sekerci (Numan Acar), a Kurdish man she bought hashish from when she was in college and who has done time in prison for drug trafficking. They live in Hamburg, Germany. Both sets of parents were against the marriage but they went ahead anyway. They now have a beautiful young son, Rocco (Rafael Santana) and Nuri has quit the drug trade and owns his own... Read more

‘The Sultan and the Saint’ premiers tonight on PBS

Last updated on: December 26, 2017 at 2:40 pm By Sister Rose

After more than a century of fighting, the crusades reached their height in the year 1220 A.D. The crusaders were now trapped and dying on a field in Egypt and the Muslim army blocking their escape. In order for the crusaders to reach Jerusalem they would have to take the port city of Dalmietta located at the mouth of the Nile River. The conflict between European Christians and Muslims seemed to be unending. Was there any way to resolve the... Read more

Sr. Jaguar’s Journey Takes a Healing Odyssey Through the Amazon Rainforest

Last updated on: August 3, 2017 at 10:09 am By Sister Rose

Sister Jaguar’s Journey is both a film and a book about the life of Sr. Judy Bisognano. My review was published today over at the Global Sister’s Report Blog. It begins: Judy Bisignano grew up in an abusive home in Des Moines, Iowa. Her father was a good provider, but an alcoholic. Judy’s deepest secret was that her mother beat her, almost every day. When her mother hit her, she would strike back in some way. Her misery led her straight... Read more

‘The Star’ new animated Christmas feature coming November 2017

Last updated on: July 27, 2017 at 11:26 am By Sister Rose

I interviewed the director Timothy Reckart yesterday and I am writing a feature article about him and his new film for St. Anthony Messenger in November. I also saw a partial storyboard for the film and a moment of the Annunciation – beautifully done. The film features the voices of Patricia Heaton, Oprah Winfrey, Gina Rodriguez and a host of other actors. Here is the just released trailer; enjoy! Read more

Ribald and Irreverent, ‘The Little Hours’ has Nothing to Recommend it

Last updated on: July 13, 2017 at 9:54 am By Sister Rose

It’s been more than a month since I have posted a review here on Patheos! I’ve been on retreat, attended community meetings in Boston and then participated in the SIGNIS World Congress and the Catholic Media Conference in Quebec with Sr. Nancy Usselmann and Sr Marie Paul Curley. But I’m back and will try to post more regularly. Here’s my review of “The Little Hours” that I wrote for the NCReporter. Don’t let those habits fool you. “The Little... Read more

Red Nose Day – Celebrities, Organizations – All Of Us Can Help End Child Poverty

Last updated on: May 26, 2017 at 1:50 pm By Sister Rose

Red Nose Day – Celebrities, Organizations – All Of Us Can Help End Child Poverty I am pleased to share this good news with you for Red Nose Day! A big thank you to Grace Hill Media and all the work they are doing to promote this good cause: to held end child poverty. Read on…. Some of the biggest names in both film and television, including the cast of the beloved holiday film “Love Actually” are all putting on... Read more

‘Polina’ – so you think you can dance?

Last updated on: May 12, 2017 at 2:11 pm By Sister Rose

Polina (French title: Polina, danser sa vie) Somewhere in Russia, Polina (Veronika Zhovnytska and Anastasia Shevtsova) studies ballet with a strict teacher, Bojinski (Aleksei Guskov) from a very young age. She grows up near the cooling towers of a nuclear power plant, in stark contrast to the art she is learning. Her parents, especially her father, works very hard so that Polina may some day dance her way into the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow. As a teenager Polina auditions... Read more