Faith and Film
Thumbs up for True Grit, The King’s Speech

True Grit: Why remake a largely forgotten Western? To my surprise, the eccentric Cohens (No Country for Old Men) have made a rather traditional, highly entertaining movie. The King’s Speech successfully combines history with a story of personal struggle… I suspect it will be a contender for many Oscars next month, including best picture and Colin Firth as best actor. Reviews by Tom Condon, OP

Faith and Film
The Fighter ‘entertaining’; Black Swan ‘bizarre’

“Black Swan” tells the story of promising young ballerina Nina (Natalie Portman), who is cast in her first leading performance, “Swan Lake.” Nina begins to become unhinged by all the pressures in her life, physical and emotional. “The Fighter,” based on the true story of Micky Ward and his half-brother Dicky Eklund of Lowell, Massachusetts, is much more than a boxing movie: it tells a story of family, reconciliation, truth telling, and redemption. Reviews by Tom Condon, OP

Faith and Film
Fair Game

“Fair Game” tells the true story of Valerie Plame, who was an actual covert CIA agent. Her true occupation was known only to her husband, Joe Wilson, and to her parents. All this changed when Valerie was “outed” by her own government. The headline-grabbing story took place in June 2003, a few months after the outbreak of the Iraq war. Review by Tom Condon, OP. READ MORE

Faith and Film
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I

If you have followed the adventures of the Boy Wizard at all, you know by now that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final book of J.K. Rowling’s extraordinarily successful series, has been made into two films. The bad news is that you will have to wait until next summer to see the final episode. The good news is that there is more of Harry and his friends, and more of the story, to enjoy. Review by Tom Condon, OP. READ MORE

Faith and Film
The Social Network

The Social Network chronicles the inception of Facebook, the enormously influential social networking site. The film tells the story of Mark Zuckerberg, a Harvard undergrad, who came up with the original idea behind Facebook as a way for Harvard students to connect with each other. The great irony exposed by the film is that Zuckerberg, the man behind social networking, has very limited social skills himself. Review by Tom Condon, OP. READ MORE

Faith and Film
Get Low

Get Low is a surprisingly moving film about the power of confession and reconciliation. It stars Robert Duvall as Felix Bush, a mysterious, reclusive man who has lived for many years in a cabin outside a small Tennessee town in the 1930s. Review by Tom Condon, OP. READ MORE

Faith and Film
The Kids Are Alright

The Kids Are Alright is a film about an unconventional family. Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) are a lesbian couple in a long term committed relationship. They have two teenage children by artificial insemination. The film explores what happens when the children decide to discover the identity of their biological father. Review by Tom Condon, OP.

Faith and Film
Inception, Winter's Bone

Inception is the new hit movie from acclaimed writer-director Christopher Nolan, director of The Dark Knight. It’s a mixed bag of a movie, technically brilliant, with many clever touches, but overly long and dramatically confusing. Based on a novel by Daniel Woodrell, Winter’s Bone is directed by Debra Granik, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Anne Rosellini. They get all the details right in this harrowing tale, especially the haunting faces of the mountain people. Reviews by Tom Condon, OP.

Faith and Film
Toy Story, City Island

Pixar is back with Woody, Buzz, and the gang in Toy Story 3. In this funny, touching, and poignant film, Andy, owner of the toys, is preparing to leave home to go to college. City Island is a wonderful family “dramedy” starring Andy Garcia as Vince Rizzo, a New York correctional officer who longs to be an actor. Reviews by Tom Condon, OP.

Faith and Film
One Came Home; The Secret in Their Eyes

“One Came Home” is a small, independent film that will probably receive little attention and a very limited release. While not a great film, it is a story of grace and redemption that’s worth seeing. This year’s Oscar winner for best foreign language film from Argentina, “The Secret in Their Eyes,” is an intriguing film centered on the investigation of the brutal rape and murder of a young woman in the 1970s. Reviews by Tom Condon, OP.

Faith and Film
How to Train Your Dragon

It’s been a pretty dismal spring at the movies. Nothing has looked intriguing enough to spend my time and $10+ in months. Over the course of the last few weeks, I began to hear some good things about an animated 3-D movie called How to Train Your Dragon. If you’ve been reading my reviews, you know I have enjoyed the resurgence of animated movies over the last few years. So I decided to check it out. READ THE REVIEW by Tom Condon, OP

Faith and Film
The Ghost Writer

The Ghost Writer is a suspense thriller about a young writer, simply referred to as “the Ghost” (Ewan McGregor), who is hired to be the ghost writer for Adam Lang, a retired British Prime Minister (Pierce Brosnan). Directed by Roman Polanski.
READ THE REVIEW by Tom Condon, OP.

Gospel in Action

In a departure from reviewing mainstream movies from Hollywood and beyond, film critic, Tom Condon, OP, recommends a production from the Dominican Order, Gospel in Action. READ MORE

The Princess and the Frog

A fairy tale set in Jazz Age-era New Orleans and centered on a young girl named Princess Tiana and her fateful kiss with a frog prince who desperately wants to be human again. READ MORE