The best of the culture, with a Catholic eye. We review films, books, blogs, vlogs and podcasts, alw
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A fine trilogy of whimsical mid-20th century novels centring on a single mother and her child
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/03/09/the-l-shaped-room-book-trilogy-unobtrusive-fiction-classics/
A fine trilogy of whimsical mid-20th century novels centring on a single mother and her child
EC Bentely's golden age detective fiction classic doesn't meet expectations, but remains a diverting read. One for detective fiction aficionados to look out for
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/03/02/trents-last-case-by-ec-bentley-detective-fictions-first-satire/
EC Bentely’s classic doesn’t meet expectations, while remaining a diverting read
Godden peels back the veil of childhood innocence through attention to character, subtle humour and an ability to create a mood without describing it
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/02/26/the-greengage-summer-by-rumer-godden-innocence-and-experience/
Godden peels back the veil of childhood innocence through attention to character, subtle humour and an ability to create a mood without describing it
The Little Things is a knock-off nineties noir, with little to add to the flooded detective genre
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/02/23/the-little-things-tedious-and-flat-detective-film/
The Little Things is a knock-off nineties noir, with little to add to the flooded detective genre
Frank Duff was a thoroughly modern Catholic rooted in Church's ancient mysteries, with an especial love for Mary
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/02/19/the-works-of-frank-duff-marian-theology-for-the-modern-man/
Duff was a thoroughly modern Catholic rooted in Church’s ancient mysteries, with an especial love for Mary
Fr Twomey's provocative and ambitious cultural study packs an awful lot into a small book. Worth reading for any youth Irish Catholics.
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/02/16/the-end-of-irish-catholicism-an-incisive-cultural-history/
Fr Twomey’s provocative and ambitious cultural study packs an awful lot into a small book.
The Rise of Skywalker is a tedious film to watch, devoid of the smallest example of human interest
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/02/12/the-rise-of-skywalker-a-bland-failure/
The Rise of Skywalker is a tedious film to watch, devoid of the smallest example of human interest
Sentimental, trite, tiresome - Wonder Woman 1984 is just no good at all
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/02/09/wonder-woman-1984/
Sentimental, trite, tiresome – Wonder Woman 1984 is just no good at all
The master of suspense turns a hokey mystery into a humourous, suspense-filled drama
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/02/06/rear-window-the-master-at-work/
The master of suspense turns a hokey mystery into a humourous, suspense-filled drama
Made with Paul Schrader's typical intensity, The Card Counter is a slow-burn with a big payoff, slowly unraveling the plot - and the main character's motivations
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/02/02/the-card-counter-schraders-redemption-revenge-thriller/
Made with Schrader’s typical intensity, The Card Counter is a slow-burn with a big payoff
A patient audience will receive its reward, as this film's climax is worth the wait. Reuniting Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard of 'Brief Encounters' fame adds to the interest.
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/01/30/staying-on-a-fitting-sequel-to-jewel-in-the-crown/
A patient audience will receive its reward, as this film’s climax is worth the wait
A worthy biopic, it falls to easily into accepted Hollywood banalities
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/01/28/a-beautiful-mind-a-beautiful-film/
A worthy biopic, it falls to easily into accepted Hollywood banalities
A political thriller that boils over into melodrama, Borgen keeps you watching... just...
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/01/26/borgen-season-1-more-scandi-noir/
A political thriller that boils over into melodrama, Borgen keeps you watching… just
Encanto shows promise, but reverts to Disney's typical utopian fairytale in the end
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/01/24/encanto-disney-needs-a-new-metaphysics/
Encanto shows promise, but reverts to Disney’s typical utopian fairytale in the end
Both films are incredibly shallow, but the first is surprisingly funny - the second is better ignored.
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/01/17/the-princess-diaries-1-2/
Both films are incredibly shallow, but the first is surprisingly funny – the second is better ignored.
The Chosen is inoffensive, occasionally enjoyable, but too often falls short of a complete human drama
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/01/15/the-chosen-season-two-an-incomplete-human-drama/
The Chosen is inoffensive, occasionally enjoyable, but too often falls short of a complete human drama
The first season of Jesus-show 'The Chosen' was enjoyable, if a little cheesy, translating the Gospels into a modern format
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/01/12/the-chosen-season-1-global-sensation/
The first season of Jesus-show ‘The Chosen’ was enjoyable, if a little cheesy, translating the Gospels into a modern format
Pocahontas has a forgettable plot, but some memorable moments of Disney song and animation
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/01/10/disney-special-3-pocahontas/
Pocahontas has a forgettable plot, but some memorable moments of Disney song and animation
What you will find below is a pleasant mix of fact and fiction; loquacity and punchy prose; light reading and heavy. We have it all
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/01/07/ruadhan-and-seanans-favourite-books-of-2021/
What you will find below is a pleasant mix of fact and fiction; loquacity and punchy prose; light reading and heavy.
Aladdin is a film constantly off-balance, with two of Disney’s weakest leads and some of its strongest support characters
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/01/05/disney-special-2-aladdin/
Aladdin is a film constantly off-balance, with two of Disney’s weakest leads and some of its strongest support characters
The memoirs of Irish Doctor Aidan MacCarthy of his service in World War II make for remarkable reading
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/01/03/a-doctors-war-by-aidan-maccarthy/
The memoirs of Irish Doctor Aidan MacCarthy of his service in World War II make for remarkable reading
With a great villain and a charming heroine, The Little Mermaid is a Disney classic
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2022/01/02/disney-special-part-1-the-little-mermaid/
With a great villain and a charming heroine, The Little Mermaid is a Disney classic
In this wonderful book, Fr Wilfrid Stinissen leads us through the Bible in all its complexity, calling us to a personal relationship with the Word
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2021/12/29/the-word-is-very-near-you-by-fr-wilfrid-stinissen-ocd/
In this eminently readable book, Fr Stinissen leads us through the Bible in all its complexity, calling us to a personal relationship with the Word
Ferrante's flashes of brilliance are undermined by long and tedious sections in this modern classic
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2021/12/27/the-neapolitan-novels-by-elena-ferrante/
Ferrante’s flashes of brilliance are undermined by long and tedious sections in this modern classic
Doctor Strange is refreshingly low-key for a Marvel movie, silly and light, never overplaying its hand
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2021/12/26/marvellous-movies-doctor-strange/
Doctor Strange is refreshingly low-key for a Marvel movie, silly and light, never overplaying its hand.
There is something indisputably cool about the way carried himself, loose limbed and slightly vague about his surroundings, just cruising through the world
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2021/12/23/belmondos-best-that-man-from-rio/
There is something indisputably cool about the way Jean Paul Belmondo carried himself, loose limbed and slightly vague about his surroundings, just cruising through the world
Henry James' ability to dramatise the interior lives of a small group of people in such detail, and yet with beauty and pathos, is a marvel
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2021/12/21/the-golden-bowl-a-divisive-american-classic/
James’ ability to dramatise the interior lives of a small group of people in such detail, and yet with beauty and pathos, is a marvel
Rudd maintains an everyman quality, a natural affability and dead-pan humour as Marvel's pint-sized hero
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2021/12/18/the-ant-man-movies/
Rudd maintains an everyman quality, a natural affability and dead-pan humour as Marvel’s pint-sized hero
The end of the year is a wonderful excuse to cast an eye over the fayre of the last 12 months.
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2021/12/17/ruadhan-and-seanans-top-10-films-2021-edition/
The end of the year is a wonderful excuse to cast an eye over the fayre of the last 12 months.
A Winter Light is a lacerating inspection of a Lutheran pastor losing faith in God over the course of an afternoon
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2021/12/02/a-winter-light-a-world-without-god/
A Winter Light is a lacerating inspection of a Lutheran pastor losing faith in God over the course of an afternoon
And following on from the podcast, here is a short review of the film itself by . He calls it the most searching modern examination of the question of divine providence given the existence of evil
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2021/12/01/the-seventh-seal-1957/
The Seventh Seal (1957) is the most searching modern examination of the question of divine providence given the existence of evil
gave our own the chance to wax lyrical about Ingmar Bergman's famous existential drama set during a plague... how appropriate to our times
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2021/12/01/the-seventh-seal-a-catholic-culture-podcast/
Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal. I was lucky enough to be invited onto Catholic Culture’s film podcast, Criteria, to review The Seventh Seal. Catholic Culture is an American media org…
More than 300 years of enlightenment rationality has led to the de-feminising and de-humanising of man
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2021/11/21/flight-from-woman-how-we-abandoned-the-feminine/
More than 300 years of enlightenment rationality has led to the de-feminising and de-humanising of man
Chesterton gets behind the common sense that either dismisses or sentimentalises St Francis, unveiling the saint in all his complexity
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2021/11/16/st-francis-of-assissi-by-gk-chesterton/
Chesterton gets behind the common sense that either dismisses or sentimentalises St Francis, unveiling the saint in all his complexity
Renowned historian Dom Cuthebert Butler renders in fluid prose and engaging narrative the oft forgotten First Vatican Council
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2021/11/15/the-vatican-council-1930-the-definitive-account/
Renowned historian Dom Cuthebert Butler renders in fluid prose and engaging narrative the oft forgotten First Vatican Council
'No Time to Die' was not the film I expected but still had me shedding a tear or two
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2021/10/20/no-time-to-die-james-bond-family-man/
‘No Time to Die’ was not the film I expected, but still had me shedding a tear or two
A film about Christ has to have its hook, and it's fair to say The Young Messiah's one is unique
https://thecatholicindex.wordpress.com/2021/10/11/the-young-messiah-2016/
A film about Christ has to have its hook, and it’s fair to say The Young Messiah’s one is unique
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