CNA Columns: Movie Reviews

Les Misérables offers compelling message of hope

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0500

By Michelle Bauman

When it opens in theaters on Christmas Day, Les Misérables will evoke laughter, tears and applause from audiences while presenting a message of forgiveness and love that is desperately needed in our world.

Over two-and-a-half hours in length, the film is a faithful adaptation of the musical based on Victor Hugo’s acclaimed 19th century novel.

It stars Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, a French man who spends 19 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s starving child. When he is finally released, he has become a hardened, bitter man, swearing he will never forgive those who have harmed him. Driven out of society because of his criminal status, he is ridiculed and unable to find work.

Valjean steals the silver of a benevolent bishop who is kind enough to offer him food and shelter. But when he is caught and threatened with a return to prison, the bishop defends him, saying that the silver was a gift freely given, while later telling Valjean that he must use it to “become an honest man.”

This undeserved mercy shown by the bishop transforms Valjean. In a powerful conversion scene, he kneels before an altar, wrestling with his hatred for the world and the newfound forgiveness he has experienced, and eventually allowing the power of this mercy to make him a new man.

Years later, Valjean – now a respected mayor – finds that he inadvertently allowed a woman working in his factory to be cast out, forcing her into a life of prostitution. As she lays dying, he vows to care for her daughter, Cosette. He raises the girl, who comes of age during a period of social unrest in France, all the while running from his past crime.

In contrast to Valjean stands police inspector Javert, perhaps the most intriguing character in the story. Although he is the antagonist, he is not an embodiment of evil, but rather a personification of what happens when justice is completely divorced from mercy.

Javert is best summarized by his declaration, “I am the law, and the law is not mocked.” Obsessed with enforcing the law, he becomes consumed with the hunt for Valjean, who has broken his parole in leaving behind his tainted criminal identity.

Rather than the greed and self-interest that is often seen in modern villains, Javert’s commitment to justice leads him to willingly accept the possibility of punishment when he thinks he has mistakenly reported the wrong man. He believes that he is serving God by strictly enforcing the law and prays that he may find Valjean so that justice may be served.

However, this blind worship of justice renders Javert incapable of forgiving Valjean, whom he can only see as a fugitive “fallen from God, fallen from grace.” It is impossible for him to grasp the idea that Valjean may ever be able to change from his thieving ways.

When a twist of fate leaves his life in Valjean’s hands and the former convict frees him rather than killing him, the look on his face makes it clear that he cannot understand forgiveness, and he vows to continue hunting Valjean.

In their final confrontation, Javert is puzzled by his inability to pull the trigger on Valjean. Haunted by the forgiveness he was earlier shown, his failure to comprehend mercy ultimately leads to his ruin, a tragic depiction of the consequences of justice untempered by mercy.

Éponine is another fascinating character and a moving example of how real love demands self-sacrifice. The daughter of the unscrupulous innkeepers that provide the story’s comic relief, she falls in love with the young revolutionary Marius. When she discovers that his heart belongs to Cosette, she is devastated.

The key moment comes, however, when Éponine witnesses a gang preparing to attack the house where Cosette and Valjean are hiding. If she remains silent, Cosette may be taken away or even killed, and she may have a chance to win Marius. But despite the evident pain of her unrequited love, she chooses valor over vengeance, saving Cosette and Valjean by screaming to alert them.

Éponine later disguises herself as a young man to join Marius at the barricade, where she saves his life in a courageous display of sacrificial love. Although a minor character, her role is both heroic and deeply touching.

Anne Hathaway also delivers a tear-jerking performance in the role of Fantine, the factory worker who is cast out when her supervisor discovers the existence of her young daughter, Cosette. Desperate to support her child, she sells her belongings, hair and even teeth before being driven into prostitution.

Hathaway’s skeletal appearance is startling, albeit fitting for the role. Her performance of “I Dreamed a Dream” is absolutely chilling, as is the look in her eyes when Valjean promises that he will care for her child.

With palpable emotion from Valjean’s first paternal smile at Cosette to the final desperate battle at the barricade, Les Misérables delivers a powerful message of mercy and love.

Rated PG-13, the film deals with heavy themes including prostitution and the violent death of children, but it largely avoids graphic and gratuitous depictions, instead choosing more tastefully to show glimpses of these atrocities, which are enough to convey an idea of their horror.

Featuring an all-star cast including Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried and Helena Bonham Carter, the movie is sure to be a hit at the box office. It is a refreshing change from so many of the shallow films coming out of Hollywood.

With dazzling performances, bold visuals and heartfelt renditions of beloved songs, Les Misérables can be a tool for evangelization, telling a story of redemption and grace that is much-needed in the modern world and pointing to the ultimate discovery that “To love another person is to see the face of God.”

For Greater Glory

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0500

By Peter Zelasko

Forget the comic book characters because this summer’s must-see movie is “For Greater Glory.” A timeless and timely film, "For Greater Glory" is an artistic reminder of the true sacrifice of a martyr and the danger of taking religious freedom for granted.

The epic film delves into a history of Mexico and Catholicism that is not very well known, but is entirely capable of inspiring, educating and ennobling.

The film delves right into the story of the often brutal battle between the Catholic citizens of Mexico and the oppressive secularist regime of President Plutarco Elias Calles during the Cristero War.
The struggle began with the passage of anti-clerical laws in the Mexican constitution of 1917, but it wasn’t until Calles took office that the laws were enforced, often with deadly force.

Beginning in 1927, government troops were used to arrest priests and forcibly close all churches. Priests not born in Mexico were forced out of the country, and those who refused to abandon their flocks were often brutally martyred. Calles sought to extremely restrict – if not completely wipe out – Catholicism from Mexico.

The Cristeros, who earned their name because of their motto and war cry “Viva Cristo Rey!” (Long live Christ the King!), banded together to defend themselves and their religious freedom.

Early in the film, Father Christopher (played by Oscar winner Peter O’Toole) sets the stage by asking, “Who are you if you don't stand up for what you believe?” The young Blessed José Luis Sánchez del Rio (Mauricio Kuri) soon witnesses his friend — the foreign born Fr. Christopher — paraded out of his parish church and summarily executed in the town square.

The film does start a little slowly with the introduction of its large all-star, ensemble cast, but once it gets moving the story makes you forget this film is almost two and a half hours long.

The many characters and story lines soon come together with some of the more inspiring witnesses to the faith shining through.

The film focuses on Anacleto Gonzalez Flores (Eduardo Verastugui) who was a lay Catholic pacifist known as the “Mexican Gandhi,” and the thousands of brave women of the Feminine Brigades of St. Joan of Arc who provided logistical support and even smuggled bullets and guns to the more than 50,000 Mexicans who became Cristero fighters.

The two most interesting and important stories are of the retired General Enrique Gorostieta Velarde played by Academy Award-nominee Andy Garcia, and that of the 14-year-old Bl. José Luis Sánchez del Rio.

The atheist General Gorostieta believes in the freedom of religion, despite his world view, and decides to lead the Cristeros, leaving his wife (Golden Globe winner Eva Longoria) and two daughters at home. He soon meets José who has left his home to join the Cristeros even though he is only 14.

After witnessing his parish priest’s death, José knows that he must stand up for his faith and for the right to practice it freely — even as it leads him closer to his own martyrdom.

Some of the most powerful cinematic images in “For Greater Glory” are created by new director Dean Wright in the scenes depicting Bl. José’s martyrdom. Wright uses his vast experience as a Hollywood effects guru (Titanic, The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Chronicles of Narnia) to subtly and beautifully portray the real-life tale of Cristiada.

The film will certainly open your eyes to the struggle for religious freedom in a time and place not that far away, and the stories of men and women standing for what is right will help inspire a new generation of the faithful. If nothing else, the story of Bl. José will imprint the great dignity and courage of the Christian martyr in your mind and reveal the true beauty of having faith as a child (Mark 10:15).

“For Greater Glory” is rated R for violence and scenes of martyrdom. It is appropriate for mature teens and adults.

October Baby

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500

By Peter Zelasko

Opening to select theaters nationwide on March 23, “October Baby” blends the perfect amount of humor, honesty and hope into a beautiful story of love, life and the power of forgiveness.

The film begins with an introduction to 19-year-old college freshman Hannah (Rachel Hendrix), who suddenly loses consciousness out at the beginning of her college play. After a night in the hospital, she seeks answers from her physician and her parents Grace and Jacob (played by Jennifer Price and Hollywood veteran John Schneider).

Hannah soon discovers not only that she is adopted, but that her long history of health issues are all tied to her premature birth – a premature birth caused by a failed abortion.

Desperate for answers, Hannah accepts the help of her oldest friend Jason (Jason Burkey), and hitches a ride with a group of college students on their way to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Hannah hopes a side trip to Mobile, Alabama where she was born will reveal the answers she needs.

The spring break excursion leads Hannah on some interesting adventures with a little comic relief provided by chaperon and VW bus owner B-Mac (Chris Sligh of American Idol fame), and the story of her search for her biological mother helping her get out of some tight situations.

Hannah is eventually able to find Mary Rutledge (Jasmine Guy), the clinic nurse who assisted with her mother’s failed abortion and later helped her to get to the hospital where Hannah was born. Mary’s story is one of the more powerful moments of the film, as she reveals shocking news to Hannah during the young woman's quest to find her birth mother.

Through unexpected twists and turns, the film ultimately presents itself as an honest and charming story that reminds us that every life is beautiful, and that we can seek freedom through forgiveness, for ourselves and those we love.

With its strong themes and artistic portrayal, this film will be part of the pro-life discussion for a long time to come.

“October Baby” is rated PG-13 for “Mature Thematic Material.”

Movie review: 'There be Dragons' emphasizes virtue of forgiveness

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

By Peter Zelasko

Roland Joffe’s engaging story in “There be Dragons” highlights the early life of St. Josemaría Escriva, and examines the heart of Christian life through the need for both giving and receiving forgiveness.

The film examines the “dragons” in life – those things that cause suffering and lead us away from God, such as guilt, hatred, jealousy and betrayal. In this way, the movie explores the heart of Christianity, the need to forgive, and to ask for forgiveness.

It reminds us that we are all called to become saints, and though we may have different paths to take, and that by recognizing and overcoming the dragons in our everyday lives, we can find the true way to redemption.

Inspired by actual events, “There Be Dragons,” is set during the Spanish Civil War of the mid- to late 1930s, and tells a story of the Spanish Saint through the relationship of a father and son. Dougray Scott plays journalist Robert Torres who is assigned to write a book about Josemaría Escrivá (Charlie Cox), the founder of Opus Dei. Robert soon discovers that his own father, Menolo (played by Wes Bentley), not only grew up in the same town as Josemaría, but has his own story to share.

Through a series of long flashbacks, the film shows the intense conflict that arose in Spain between the Nationalists attempting to protect the establishment and Republican revolutionaries seeking regime change in the 1930s, as well as the smaller and less obvious conflicts within the lives of the characters.

The film highlights a young St. Josemaría Escriva, who survived the war and went on to found Opus Dei. The early history of Josemaría is artfully portrayed through the story Menolo reluctantly shares with his son.

Josemaría and Menolo grow up in two different families, where each experiences their own challenges. The two young men’s lives quickly diverge.

Josemaría’s faith leads him into the priesthood, dedicating himself to “God’s work,” while always remembering that suffering has meaning.

Menolo loses his father, takes over the family business, and eventually becomes a spy among the communist revolutionaries. It is during the war that he meets a beautiful young woman Ildiko (Olga Kurylenko), but all of his affections are rejected. Instead, she is drawn to the courageous communist leader, Oriol (Rodrigo Santoro). Soon Menolo discovers one of the biggest secrets of his life involving his father.

Menolo’s secret is painful, but as his son learns more about his father, an opportunity arises for true forgiveness and a healing of their broken relationship.

Writer and director Roland Joffe’s thoughtful story seeks to remind us that “When you forgive, you set someone free: yourself.” We may not all be saints, but we are all capable of becoming one.

Violence and sometimes explicit combat sequences along with some crass language and sexual themes and references give the film a PG-13 rating. This film is appropriate for mature teens and adults. “There Be Dragons” was released on DVD January 10, 2012.

A Princess for Christmas

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

By Peter Zelasko

“A Princess for Christmas,” is a fun, family film starring Katie McGrath (“Merlin”) as Jules Daly, a frenetic 20-something who becomes guardian to her young niece Maddie (newcomer Leilah De Meza) and nephew Milo (Travis Turner) when her sister and brother-in-law are tragically killed in an accident.

Jules loses both her job and her nanny, and the approach of Christmas only reminds the inexperienced “mom” and her two charges of the loved ones they lost around Christmas the previous year.

But all hope of a happy Christmas is not lost.

Enter Paisley Winterbottom (Miles Richardson, “Midsomer Murders”), with an invitation for a family reunion with the children’s paternal grandfather Edward, the Duke of Castlebury Hall played by Sir Roger Moore, and his lone surviving son Ashton, Prince of Castlebury (Sam Heughan).

The Hallmark Channel original movie “A Princess for Christmas,” is a great film for the entire family to watch together during the Advent season. The story of family healing reminds us that sometimes we just have to believe. That belief renews our hope, and allows us to find love once again.

Catholic husband and wife Michael and Janeen Damian (“Flicka 3”) co-wrote the script and produced the film with Michael also directing.

“A Princess for Christmas” airs Dec. 3 on the Hallmark Channel.

Warrior

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0500

By Peter Zelasko

Warrior is the story of an estranged family in need of forgiveness and healing and seeks it through a battle of wills inside and out of the ring.

Nick Nolte plays Paddy Conlon in a keen characterization of a Vietnam vet and boxer-turned-steel mill worker whose alcoholism tears his family apart.

Paddy sobered up, only to find that he had destroyed everything good around him. His wife has run off, taking his favorite son Tommy (an angsty Tom Hardy). His oldest son Brendan (Joel Edgerton) stays with his father for the love of his now wife, Tess (Jennifer Morrison), though he refuses to forgive or speak to his father for ripping his family apart.

In the opening scene Paddy’s youngest son Tommy shows up drunk on his father’s doorstep after a questionable departure from the Marines. Tommy wants to use his father as a trainer while refusing to speak about his murky past and exit from the military, nor acknowledging any existence of their relationship as father and son.

The reappearance of his youngest son renews Paddy's hopes for getting his family back together. He wants to renew his relationship with both of his sons, but is repeatedly rejected by both. Sober for over 1,000 days, Paddy inevitably falls off the wagon. The viewer never finds out if and how he heals his relationships with either of his sons.

Younger brother Tommy is selfish, narrow, loves little and fears much, even though he comes off as a tough-guy ex-marine.

Older brother Brendan falls constantly for his own pride, making decisions rooted in fear. Brendan did choose to stay with his father, but it was to hold onto the one real relationship he had in his life. He marries his high school sweetheart, Tess, and tries to make ends meet teaching high school physics. Upside down on his mortgage, he decides on his own initiative to start fighting for extra money to stay afloat. His principle finds out and suspends him, and when his wife discovers the truth, he ignores her honest fears for his safety and decides on his own to keep training and fighting. In his desperation he seeks the fights as a path to saving his family from financial problems, while ignoring the truly courageous act of telling the truth and working with his wife to find a solution.

The film eventually focuses on the main event—in which the fight scenes are explicitly believable. Both brothers end up battling their way into the final round of a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) prize fight called “Sparta” where they inevitably face off against each other for a $5 million purse. For the last half of the film the stakes are high inside and outside of the ring. If you are not paying attention you can miss the change in both brothers in their final battle. The director finally finds an opportunity for mercy, and some hope for forgiveness is finally revealed. But don't expect it all to be wrapped up in a nice package.

Director and co-writer Gavin O'Connor has created an interesting example of the dichotomies of pain: the physical and the mental, the pain caused by others and the self-inflicted. The three Conlon men constantly remind the viewer that life will always be unjust and unfair when we are the only reference point. Selfishness can compound spiritual and physical pain and leave us weak as individuals. That's the most interesting aspect of “Warrior,” that despite our failures and our ability to constantly fall, even to the most extreme limits as these three men show, there is still hope for redemption—to find freedom from the physical and spiritual wounds of life through forgiveness. Freedom after all is measured by love and not by choice.

Sequences of intense mixed martial arts fighting, crude and obscene language, profanity, mild innuendo, and a portrayal of drunkenness give it a PG-13 rating. The film is not suitable for children.

'Tree of Life' meditates on nature and grace

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 00:00:00 -0500

By Marianne Paluso

Unconventional, visually breathtaking, solemn, and thought provoking are just a few of the words that describe director Terrence Malick’s minimalistic and yet grandiose film “The Tree of Life.” Rather than employing a traditional plot driven narrative, “The Tree of Life” follows a modest Texas family’s lives- the intimate and simple moments of three young boys, their overbearing but ultimately loving father (Brad Pitt in some of his best work), and their angelic and graceful mother (ethereal Jessica Chastain). Utilizing very little dialogue, we watch the children grow and learn about life, for that is what the film is truly about. It is about Life and all it encompasses- the origins of creation, our faith and spiritually and our connection to the earth. Ultimately, Malick presents the concept of Nature versus Grace and how we all must choose between the two. Or must we?

Shifting back and forth in vastly different time periods, the film begins in a somewhat disjointed fashion as we see our family later on in life grieving the loss of one son, and then we go back, way back, to the creation of the earth. For nearly 20 minutes we are visually stimulated with images of nebulas, land formations, organisms, and even dinosaurs. A slow moving film, this section of “The Tree of Life” is ambitious, but a bit lethargic. It is the glimpse into the moments of our family’s lives and their relationship and contemplations to God (done in voiceover by mother and eldest son) that is most affecting.

Throughout “The Tree of Life” the concept of Nature versus Grace is only seemingly in conflict. Instead of choosing between the two, Malick truly displays how Nature and Grace are interconnected. The sounds of nature seem intensified wherever out characters wander, the leaves of the trees are greener, and the sky is bluer. When one son is just a baby, our mother holds the boy in her arms, points up to the azure, cloud filled sky and tells him, “That’s where God lives.” Mother and sons revel in God’s creations in Nature, such as a butterfly that lands on the mother’s hand, lingers for a moment, and then flutters away. It is a quiet and lovely moment of serenity and amazement at the wonders of the earth.

While Malick employs very little dialogue, that which is present, particularly the voiceovers, are deliberately profound, and often come at the film’s few plot points that inhabit the story. After a young boy drowns in a local swimming hole, our eldest son asks, “Lord, where were you? Why? Who are we to you?” His loss of innocence makes him question Life and what his purpose is. If a boy could so tragically drown, if a family’s home could burn down and permanently burn another young boy, he wonders if what he does on earth truly matters and starts treading down a path of bad behavior. And yet, he still wonders, “Are you still watching me?” He soon prays for guidance- to help him to not tell lies, and to be thankful for what he has. Like many a child, he wants to know and understand more. His relationship with God is entwined with his mother and all that she has taught him and he ponders, “You spoke to me through her. You spoke to me through the sky. Where were you before I believed in you? I want to know what you are. I want to see what you see.” This honest depiction of childhood wonderings of the ways of the Lord is not only poignant and affecting, but also refreshing in that Malick presents a child’s questions but does not attempt to challenge those of faith. Quite profound for a modern Hollywood film.

The ending of “The Tree of Life” is certain to be one of the most thought provoking and debated of the year. Images of character’s old and young selves, surrounded by hundreds of others are seen as they slowly walk through majestic cliffs and across a pristine beach. Is this the path to the Heaven and the afterlife? It feels as such, but the eldest son returns down (through an elevator) to earth in the end, the sun brightly shining back down on him. Was this a glimpse of what’s to come, where the brother he lost is heading? Although, it’s open to interpretation, this is surely Malicks’s representation of Heaven. Viewers will no doubt shed tears at this ethereal scene and the mother’s final prayer that embodies what “The Tree of Life” is truly about: “The only way to be happy is to love. Unless you love, your life will flash by. Wonder. Do good. Hope. Keep us. Guide us, until the end of time.”

The Beaver

Wed, 25 May 2011 00:00:00 -0500

By Conor Gilliland

“Everything’s going to be ok,” is a phrase you often hear in the midst of suffering. After a loved one dies, when a bone is broken, or in the middle of severe depression we obsessively look for the silver lining in situations – flailing attempts to mitigate the pain.

But, what if it’s not going to be ok? This is the question that Jodie Foster’s “The Beaver” asks without flinching.

“Walter Black has gone missing,” announces the trailer for the movie. Walter (Mel Gibson) was once a successful family and business man. These days, however, he is lucky if he can get out of bed. The problem is debilitating depression.

Anti-depressants, therapy, and all the rest have failed to “fix” Walter. Walter is sick, but there is no medicine. So his wife, Meredith (Jodie Foster), reluctantly has him move out of the house.

Following a near-death experience in his exile, Walter wakes up to find he has a new friend. The friend is a Cockney beaver hand-puppet on his left arm, also played by Gibson. The beaver is designed to create psychological distance between Walter and the “negative aspects of his personality” and hopefully cure his depression.

Having found a voice through the beaver Walter attempts to engage the world once again, and with some success. The Beaver, as the hand-puppet is called, is a shot of super-glue in Walter’s otherwise crumbling life. But as one might expect, any success based on a projection through a hand-puppet is volatile at best.

Meanwhile Walter’s oldest son, Porter (Anton Yelchin), is only pushed further away by his father’s unusual behavior (Walter will only talk through the puppet) in a compelling father-son plot.

Gibson delivers a brilliant performance as he masterfully manages complicated dialogues between the depressed Walter and the witty beaver come to save Walter’s life. It is, of course, Gibson dialoguing with himself and athletically jumping between characters and accents. Gibson’s ability to navigate the two characters with convincing emotional dynamism in uncut scenes is an original and Oscar-worthy acting achievement.

Other notable performances in the film include Jodie Foster’s character as she convincingly fights for the sanity and affections of her husband, and the Black’s youngest son Henry (Riley Thomas Stewart) as he innocently reconnects to his father through the beaver.

This film is not a comedy despite some lighter moments. It honestly asks the question, “What if everything isn’t going to be ok?” This question forces the viewer, along with Walter, to actually feel suffering, instead of glossing over it with tired clichés.

The film is as psychologically compelling as “Fight Club” was but much more personal and not as metaphysical. This is perhaps not surprising as David Fincher, the director of “Fight Club,” is one of Foster’s directing mentors.

Though not explicit, depictions of sexual encounters between husband and wife might be inappropriate for children. The film is rated PG-13.

Priest

Thu, 19 May 2011 00:00:00 -0500

By Conor Gilliland

“The Book of Eli,” “Firefly” (a TV series), and 2011's “Priest” all have something in common. They all portray a religious man who is an undercover ninja. However, only the latter fails to deliver an interesting or fair plot in a genre that practically writes itself.

Paul Bettany's second Christianity-meets-apocalypse movie in as many years, following “Legion” (2010), enters into a war-torn world between humans and vampires. Bettany's character, known only as Priest, was a champion for the movie's myopic version of the Catholic Church in the victorious war against vampires. However, his loyalty to the church is tested when his niece, Lucy (Lily Collins), is kidnapped by a new brood of vampires and the church prevents him from exacting justice.

Priest presents himself before the governing council of the church – the Monsignors – asking them to reinstate his powers as ninja-priest so he can pursue the animal-like vampires and rescue Lucy. Chief Monsignor Orelas (Christopher Plummer) tersely refuses Priest's request denying that vampires are still active.

In spite of the evidence, Orelas defiantly declares that the war between man and vampires is over – thanks to an army of priests … like Priest. Yet, despite Priest's great sacrifice for the church in the war, Orelas orders him to stay within the city walls or he will be excommunicated.

Priest defies the habitually obtuse judgment of the church in a bloody confrontation with the clergy's enforcers. Once outside the city walls, Priest joins forces with Hicks (Cam Gigandet) the sheriff of a nearby town and the imaginatively named Priestess (Maggie Q), a former sister-in-arms of Priest in the war against vampires.

Hicks leads Priest to one of the many “reservations” where the church placed the surviving “tribes” of vampires after the war – in a misguided reference to the Catholic Church's treatment of Native Americans.

As Priest's loyalties wane from the church to his own sense of justice Priestess tells him, “You do not get your power from the church, you get it from God.” This moment in the movie praises the rejection of corrupt religious authority, but implies a rejection of religious authority in general as Priest is personally liberated from the oppressive authority.

Pursuing the blood thirsty bandits the from the reservation leads Priest and his vagabond troop to an encounter with the arch-nemesis – Black Hat (Karl Urban).

Priest discovers that Lucy was kidnapped not by vampires, but by Black Hat, a super-powerful priest-vampire combination who is building an army of new vampires to infiltrate the city walls. He wears a black hat.

Once a compatriot of Priest, Black Hat brings the movie to a culmination when he confronts Priest with his plan to unleash a new order of crossbreed dominance.

The movie misrepresents the history, teaching, and purpose of the Catholic Church with a remarkably unambitious plot. Its superficial criticisms of the Church are unrealistic and recycled. In a genre ripe with potential for substance and meaningful metaphors this movie falls flat (along with the dimensionality of the characters) compared to a movie like “Book of Eli.”

Cheap-shots at the Church, sacrilege and a dearth of artistic merit prevent a favorable recommendation of this movie.

Thor

Thu, 12 May 2011 00:00:00 -0500

By Conor Gilliland

Kenneth Branagh has struck super-hero gold with his latest directing achievement – “Thor” – as he brings a touch of virtue and humor to the most entertaining comic-book-on-the-big-screen since “Iron Man.”

The movie begins with the coronation of the new All-king of Asgard, the young and rebellious Thor (Chris Hemsworth). However, the pomp is interrupted when frost giants break into Asgard to reclaim what Thor's elderly father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins), took from them – a frosty “casket” from which the frost people derive great power. The attempt is thwarted but not forgiven, at least not by Thor.

Thor, along with his friends, travel to the frost giants' home planet to teach them a lesson, against Odin's orders. When they get cornered by the frost giants Odin rescues them, but punishes Thor for his disobedience by stripping him of his power and his mighty hammer, and casting him into exile on Earth.

What follows is a fluid interplay of two story-lines, one terrestrial and one celestial. On Earth, Thor struggles to figure out who he is without his former power and purpose. Back on Asgard, Thor's brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) emerges as a jealous usurper of the throne.

The two narratives are weaved together through the bifrost – an inter-dimensional channel known as a worm-hole to earthlings like astro-physicist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman). Jane's interest in such phenomena lead her to Thor's landing site and, later, a youth-appropriate romance with the God of Thunder.

In addition to his son, Odin also casts Thor's mighty hammer to Earth. And by an enchantment, Odin secures it so firmly in a stone that only the “worthy” one would be able to remove it. In short order, a shanty-town of farmers and BBQ's develops around the hammer while would-be champions attempt to remove the hammer.

That is, until the feds show up and secure a perimeter around the hammer. Thor locates the hammer site and breaks through the perimeter. He makes an attempt to remove the hammer only to realize he is not worthy – at least not yet.

Meanwhile on Asgard, we learn that it was Loki who let the frost people through the bifrost to steal the casket, and has further plans to kill his father, Odin, and usurp the throne – leaving Thor in exile on Earth.

Thor's close warrior friends travel through the bifrost to Earth to tell Thor of Loki's plan.

In a story of maturity and redemption, Thor rediscovers his role as the God of Thunder and his purpose in the fight against evil.

Branagh, a British actor/director famous for his Shakespearean appropriations to the silver screen, brings a flavor of humor to the movie as well. The humor, suitably described as: Proper British royalty bumbles through crude American West culture, hits home and delivers several good laughs.

Some intense sequences of magical violence and one mild romantic scene might be inappropriate for some small children.