Faith and Film
War Horse, Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol

In its best scenes amidst the trenches and barbed wire, War Horse is a powerful witness to friendship and a testament to the horror of war. I was intrigued when I heard about the fourth installment of the Mission: Impossible movie series because it is the first live action feature directed by Brad Bird, the great director of animated movies (The Incredibles, Ratatouille). This latest film is more in tune with the TV series. Reviews by Tom Condon, OP.

Faith and Film
The Descendants, Hugo

“The Descendants” is the acclaimed new film from writer-director Alexander Payne, who gave us “Sideways” and “About Schmidt” several years ago. Like those previous films, “The Descendants” pulls off the neat trick of being both funny and sad. Based on the book “The Invention of Hugo Cabret” by Brian Selznick, “Hugo” tells the story of an orphan who lives in Paris’ train station in the 1930s. Hugo was taught by his father and grandfather to keep all the clocks running on time in the enormous station. The film, directed by Martin Scorsese, is visually stunning. Reviews by Tom Condon, OP.

Faith and Film
The Way

Written and directed by Emilio Estevez, “The Way” is a reflective movie which takes spirituality seriously… a rarity these days. “The Way” is a very Catholic movie, with its emphasis on pilgrimage. Conversion happens gradually, even imperceptibly, along the way of life. As Tom (Martin Sheen) discovers, the pilgrims who share our journey are not accidental to our spiritual growth, they are absolutely necessary; even (perhaps especially) the ones who annoy us the most. Read review by Tom Condon, OP

Faith and Film
Moneyball

Moneyball is a baseball movie with very few scenes of baseball. This may sound odd, even a turnoff. But it actually works very well. Read review by Tom Condon, OP

Faith and Film
Contagion

Bring your hand sanitizer: “Contagion” is a reminder that we are a global village. With jets crisscrossing the globe every day, a virus can indeed move undetected from continent to continent, infecting millions by casual contact. The film is not perfect, but it is entertaining. Read review by Tom Condon, OP.

Faith and Film
Rise of the Planet of the Apes

I still remember seeing the original “Planet of the Apes” with Charlton Heston on a summer day many years ago when I was young. I haven’t seen any of the sequels, or the Tim Burton remake. However, I had heard good things about this “prequel,” and thought it might be a good way to spend a couple of hours on a hot summer afternoon. I’m glad I did. “Rise of the Planet of the Apes is great fun.” Read review by Tom Condon, OP.

Faith and Film
También la lluvia (Even the Rain)

As we celebrate the 500th anniversary of the first friars going to the New World in 2011, this film is a strong reminder of the powerful preaching of Antonio Montestinos and the relevance of it even today. “También la lluvia” (Even the Rain), was selected as the Spanish entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards. It really is a film within a film so cleverly done and worth watching. Read review by Prakash Anthony Lohale, OP.

Faith and Film
Harry Potter, The Help

Deathly Hallows II has been the best reviewed film of the series, opening to unanimous acclaim. However, I found it a little disappointing. This final episode is so dark that it seems to have lost its charm… Based on the best selling novel by Kathryn Stockett, The Help is one of the most anticipated movies of the summer. Reviews by Tom Condon, OP.

Faith and Film
Beginners, The Tree of Life

“Beginners” is an entertaining look at the complexity of relationships. Terrence Malick’s new film “The Tree of Life” takes us from the dawn of creation (including dinosaurs!) to the afterlife, with the story of a 1950s Texas family in the center of the film. Reviews by Tom Condon, OP.

Faith and Film
Midnight in Paris

Midnight in Paris is turning out to be Woody Allen’s most popular movie in decades. It’s not hard to see why. It’s engaging, surprising, and has many beautiful scenes of Paris. What’s not to like? Review by Tom Condon, OP. Read more

Faith and Film
Win Win

Win Win is a new film written and directed by Thomas McCarthy, who gave us the excellent 2008 film The Visitor. McCarthy’s latest isn’t as good as his previous effort. However, like The Visitor, it presents characters which are flawed, but basically good and likeable, facing unexpected dilemmas in their lives. Read review by Tom Condon, OP.

Faith and Film
‘Of Gods and Men’ excellent, ‘Source Code’ disappointing

I usually cringe when I hear about a new movie about religious life or priesthood. How will the filmmakers make us look either like idiots or predators or totally irrelevant people this time? I am very pleased to announce that the makers of “Of Gods and Men” have gotten religious life right… The movie tells the remarkable true story of a small Trappist monastery of French monks in Algeria in 1996. “Source Code” is what I call a “high concept” movie, like last year’s “Inception.” …The viewer has to be able to understand and accept an implausible, difficult to understand, concept. In this case, the concept is far-fetched and confusing. Reviews by Tom Condon, OP.

Faith and Film
The Grace Card

“The Grace Card” is one of a new breed of Christian movies. Encouraged by the popularity of the 2008 film “Fireproof,” a steady stream of movies aimed at Christian audiences has emerged. “The Grace Card” was filmed in Memphis, Tennessee, with some local churches taking an active part in funding the movie. Review by Tom Condon, OP. Read more