The anti-popcorn agenda

Between NBC’s Today Show and the Los Angeles Times on November 19,  it seemed like a concerted effort to scare us away from concessional popcorn.

Here’s a link to my blog posting at NCReporter: the Anti-popcorn agenda.

Enjoy!

I

 

Screen Memories by A. O. Scott (or ten most influential films of the last decade)

llustrations by Cristiana Couceiro; clockwise from top left: “The Best of Youth,” Miramax Films/Photofest. “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” Universal Pictures/Photofest. “Million Dollar Baby,” Warner Brothers/Photofest. “Wall-E,” Disney/Photofest (2).

 

Take a look at this interesting article by New York Times film critic A.O. Scott. I found his Top Ten most influential films of interest as well, though he left out The Matrix which to me remains the most defining film of the last decade. Still, the article is worth the read : Screen Memories by A. O. Scott

 

 

Amelia: Free to roam among the clouds

My review for AMELIA is up on my NCR blog AMELIA: Free to roam among the clouds

Vatican conference discusses extraterrestrial life and its implications for Catholic theology

Here is a link to a couple of stories about the Vatican’s interest in extraterrestrial life (catching up with literature and cinema?) :

Vatican conference discusses extraterrestrial life and its implications for Catholic theology

Celebrate the fall of the wall through movies

With all the coverage of the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, I tried to think of a way to commemorate this historic, history-changing event that happened 20 years ago. A generation ago. Anyone 30 years old and younger probably has no emotional link with images of a bunch of young people dancing while they tore down a far away wall covered in graffiti.

Continue reading my blog post Celebrate the fall of the wall

Approaching Eden: Adam & Eve in Popular Culture

This theologically rich book is now available; I have read it and wrote a blurb for the cover:

“Approaching Eden is a gift to anyone attempting to bring faith and life closer in a world filled with mediated stories: in this case, tales and images influenced by the Biblical creation narrative of Genesis 1-3. Sanders is fearless in her critical analysis but never cavalier. Her prose is energetic and accessible; her surveys broad and her insights bold. Sanders makes theology a pleasure while enticing the reader to deeper theological scrutiny of accepted widely-held interpretations of Genesis through representations of Adam and Eve from movies to museums. Approaching Eden is an intellectual and spiritual delight.”—Sr. Rose Pacatte, FSP, founding director, Pauline Center for Media Studies; St. Anthony Messenger film and television columnist

Approaching Eden: Adam and Eve in Popular Culture
 

Back in 2000 I reviewed Celluloid Saints: Images of Sanctity in Film; wonderful. I would read anything Sanders writes.

 

Singers, Architects, Painters to Gather in Sistine Chapel with Pope

On the 10th Anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s Letter to Artists, Pope Benedict is meeting with artists: Singers, Architects, Painters to Gather in Sistine Chapel

 

Pianist Pope to Meet With Artists 

I look forward to reading what transpires!

 

 

Bones TV Show last night: The Tough Man in the Tender Chicken

Last night’s episode of Bones (Fox), though on the light side, packed a serious message. Here’s a recap from www.TV.com:

“Remains of a chicken farmer are found on the bank of a nearby river, and Booth and Brennan are called in to investigate. The farmer, who was an animal right activist, was about to inherit a chicken factory and had many enemies with motive to kill him — leaving the team with a lot of murder suspects to sort through.”

A film released earlier this year, Food, Inc., was a documentary that has almost turned me into a vegetarian – and even then, as the film points out, watch out for bioengineered corn and soy. The October 20 episode of CSI Miami, Bad Seed CSI Miami, dealt with this theme and challenged viewers to question where our food comes from – and who has the power to mess with it.

Now Bones is dealing with animal rights but also on the mass production of chicken meat ; true it’s a murder mystery played on the light side, but it carries through the theme of Food, Inc. Big corporations are producing food for profit, not for health.

Here is my review of  Food, Inc.; if you missed it in theaters be sure to see it on DVD.

You can watch the episode here Tough man in the Tender Chicken

Rare Austen letters cause excitement

There are times when I wish I could be in New York – like to see this exhibition of Jane Austin’s letters and the handwritten manuscript Lady Susan.

Article by Claire Prentice
BBC News, New York

A major Jane Austen exhibition, which has opened in New York, is creating a huge stir among fans and cultural commentators.

Rare Austin Letters on Display in New York

Popular TV does have values – media literacy workshop in Singapore

 

Here are links to two articles about the media literacy workshops I gave in Singapore in October:

Popular TV Does Have Values by Daniel Tay: The Catholic News Singapore 

and

Catechists Learn to Use Media to Communicate to Students