‘Primetime’ gives us an easy target for our disgust so we can ignore the finger pointing back at us.
John Dougherty
John Dougherty is the director of mission ministry at St. Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia, Pa., moderator of America's Catholic Movie Club, and author of Finding God in All Films: A Contemplative Approach to Watching Movies. You can find more of his work on his Substack, Roll Credits.
Posted inCatholic Movie Club
Searching for yourself in medieval times: Lena Dunham’s ‘Catherine Called Birdy’
We may have running water and better hygiene, but “Catherine Called Birdy” reminds us that we have plenty in common with our medieval ancestors.
Posted inFilm
‘The Uprising’ review: Religion and politics, circa 1381
“The Uprising” is most effective as a tragedy about putting your faith in the wrong things.
Posted inFilm
‘Coyote vs. Acme’: Family film or existential fable?
It’s a testament to the movie that it can provoke this much intellectual meandering in a parent while also being wildly entertaining to children.
Posted inCatholic Movie Club
Peter Weir’s ‘Witness’: thriller, romance, story of faith
‘Witness’ is a taut crime thriller and a heart-racing romance. But it is also a portrayal of a community of faith.
Posted inCatholic Movie Club
Cherishing truth amid lies: Peter Bogdanovich’s ‘Paper Moon’
Nearly everyone we meet in “Paper Moon” is running some sort of scam. With the truth so clouded in uncertainty, our protagonists (and the audience) have to choose who and what to believe.
Posted inCatholic Movie Club
Catholic Movie Club: Longing for a different world in Wes Anderson’s ‘Moonrise Kingdom’
In ‘Moonrise Kingdom,’ children know: Our place is not in this world. We were meant for somewhere else.
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Sam Neill was one of Hollywood’s great father figures
Some actors leave behind a legacy of artistic achievement. Others, a legacy of love and service. Sam Neill gave us both.
Posted inCatholic Movie Club
‘1776’: the other American musical about the founding fathers is still worth watching
“1776” is a much more lively and complicated work than its latter-day reputation suggests.
Posted inCatholic Movie Club
Watch ‘Big Fish’ and come to terms with your father
‘Big Fish’ is a story about stories, particularly the stories we tell our children about ourselves.