Faith and Film
Wild, Into the Woods

“Wild” is based on the real-life experiences of Cheryl Strayed, who travels from Minnesota to Southern California to hike the 1,100 mile Pacific Coast Trail. This film is about the redemptive power of life, nature, and community. I loved “Into the Woods” on stage, with its wonderful score and story line. I don’t think it works as well on film, but there is enough good to make it still worth seeing. Reviews by Tom Condon, OP.

Faith and Film
The Imitation Game, Whiplash, Selma

“The Imitation Game” tells the true story of Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) who successfully breaks the Nazi Enigma Code, contributing greatly to the defeat of Germany in World War II. The independent film “Whiplash,” the story of a first-year jazz student in a prestigious music conservatory, is one of the most intense movies I’ve ever experienced.
“Selma” provides us with a snapshot of a pivotal moment in American history. It is masterful in every way. I appreciated the fact that “Selma” shows the support King received from priests, ministers, and religious in Selma. One of my earliest memories of the Civil Rights Movement was watching priests and sisters crossing the bridge in Selma, along with Martin Luther King and his supporters. Reviews by Tom Condon, OP

Faith and Film
The Theory of Everything

“The Theory of Everything” tells the story of the marriage between the brilliant British physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne), and his wife, Jane (Felicity Jones). The film is a testament to the strength of the love between Stephen and Jane. The screenplay, written by Anthony McCarten, is based on Jane Hawking’s memoir. Read review by Tom Condon, OP

Faith and Film
Birdman

“Birdman” is a wildly inventive film by Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. In “Birdman,” a washed-up actor named Riggan Thomas (Michael Keaton) tries for a comeback as the director and star of a Broadway play with the pretentious title “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love.” “Birdman” deals with many themes, from the meaning of fame and celebrity, to family dynamics, to self-doubt and second chances, in the high-pressure world of show business. Read review by Tom Condon, OP

Faith and Film
St. Vincent

Vincent (Bill Murray) is a retired Vietnam veteran who is about as misanthropic as they come. The film’s plot seems familiar: grumpy old man mentors boy who both grow in the process. But writer/director Theodore Melfi does not turn Vincent into a loveable geezer. Pope Francis proclaims “Even if the life of a person has been a disaster, even if it destroyed by vices, drugs, or anything else—God is in this person’s life. You can, you must, try to seek God in every human life.” Despite all of Vincent’s flaws, Oliver is able to find God in him. Read review by Tom Condon, OP

Faith and Film
Gone Girl

David Fincher is a talented director who has made good movies about unlikable people (“The Social Network”). He also directed some episodes of a good TV series about unlikable people (“House of Cards”). Now Fincher directs another story about unlikable people, “Gone Girl.” These may be the worst yet. You wouldn’t want this couple moving into your neighborhood! Read review by Tom Condon, OP

Faith and Film
Calvary, Guardians of the Galaxy

“Calvary” is an intense and disturbing film. A priest in a small Irish town (well played by Brendan Gleeson) has his life threatened during a confession. Writer-director John Michael McDonagh shows a good feel for the joys and strains of pastoral ministry. Even though the question of Fr. James’ potential killer is always before us, the movie does not play out like an ordinary whodunit. “Guardians of the Galaxy,” reminiscent of Star Wars, is good-natured but lacking in substance. Reviews by Tom Condon, OP

Boyhood

“Boyhood” is the highly acclaimed new film from writer-director Richard Linklater. This is the coming-of-age story of Mason, a Texas boy who we see grow from the age of 6 to going away to college. What makes “Boyhood” unique is that it was actually filmed over a 12-year period using the same actors. In this way, actor Ellar Coltrane, who plays Mason, actually does grow up on camera. Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke play the parents of Mason and Samantha. Read review by Tom Condon, OP

Faith and Film
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Begin Again

“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” is a worthy successor to 2011’s “Rise of the Planet of the Apes.” “Begin Again” is a memorable independent movie about street musicians in New York, starring Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo. Reviews by Tom Condon, OP

Faith and Film
How to Train Your Dragon 2

Four years ago, we were introduced to young dragon-tamer Hiccup and his companion Toothless. The first Dragon was an enormously entertaining animated film, full of fantastic soaring rides in the sky, swooning and dipping in 3-D. Dragon 1 also told a beautiful story about learning to deal with one’s fears and reach out to that which is different. Dragon 2 takes up the action five years later. Read review by Tom Condon, OP

Heaven Is for Real

“Heaven Is for Real,” based on the best-selling book of the same name, tells the story of Colton Burpo, son of a Protestant minister, Todd, and his wife, Sonja. This small movie has become a surprise hit. It appeals to both Protestant and Catholic Christians. The movie has the feel of a cable TV movie, made on a modest budget. In a way, this works in the film’s favor: it’s simple and straightforward, without dazzling sets or special effects. Read review by Tom Condon, OP

Faith and Film
Noah

“Noah” is one of the more bizarre movies I’ve seen in a long time. The Transformer-like creatures that appear in “Noah” are apparently Aronofsky’s interpretation of the obscure passage Genesis 6:1-4, which immediately precedes the story of Noah and the ark. If you’ve ever wondered how Noah and his small family built such a large ark, Aronofsky suggests that these creatures did a good bit of the work. Read review by Tom Condon, OP

The Grand Budapest Hotel

American filmmaker Wes Anderson has successfully made a series of movies over the last two decades that bear his distinctive style, along with a cast of actors that has become his stock company. Among the best known are: “The Royal Tenenbaums,” “The Fantastic Mr. Fox,” and “Moonrise Kingdom.” Anderson’s films are quirky comedies filled with eccentric characters. Read review by Tom Condon, OP

Son of God

Last year, TV’s History Channel aired “The Bible,” a highly successful miniseries, produced by the team of Roma Downey (from “Touched by an Angel”) and her husband, Mark Burnett (“Survivor.”) The current film, “Son of God,” was originally shown as part of “The Bible,” with additional scenes added in order to flesh it out into a feature length movie. Perhaps that’s why so much of “Son of God” feels like a cut and paste project. Read review by Tom Condon, OP

The Lego Movie

The cleverest, funniest, animated movie in years has arrived with the most unlikely title of “The Lego Movie.” It sounds like a feature-length commercial for those building blocks we all used to enjoy playing with as kids. But it’s much more than that. “The Lego Movie” is a clever satire of modern culture, while at the same time an old-fashioned appeal for teamwork, imagination, and belief in oneself. The movie reminds us that what we learned in kindergarten is still relevant in the adult world. Read review by Tom Condon, OP