#mediareviews

Oct 17, 2018
3 min

Reflections on Gosnell: The Trial of America's Biggest Serial Killer

by Herb Geraghty -- Despite media silence and even censorship, a pro-life movie has made it into the Box Office top ten during its opening weekend. This film is proving to be more than what many of us expected -- including me. I’ll admit I’m often the first to roll my eyes at the overly sanctimonious religious dramas that hit the big screen every couple of years. So when I heard of the Gosnell movie, which was crowdfunded primarily by anti-abortion Christians, I didn’t have h

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Sep 19, 2017
4 min

What Every American Could Learn from a Korean War Movie

© 2004 Kang Je-Gyu Films. “No Korean can watch this movie without crying.” I can’t speak for others, but these words from a friend rang true for me, and I’m not Korean. Made in South Korea, Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War, follows two brothers in the Korean War. As an allegory of the North and South, it provides crucial insight for current events, especially to Americans. Tae Guk Gi begins with two brothers. They clearly care deeply for one another, as we see almost immedi

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Feb 6, 2016
4 min

On the Beauty of Each Wonderful Life

One of the most timeless Christmas stories of the past century is Frank Capra’s classic film It’s a Wonderful Life. Initially a box office disappointment in December 1946, it has become nearly as universally associated with the Christmas season as Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and is watched by millions of people every December. The story centers around George Bailey, an everyman living in the small town of Bedford Falls, whose father owns the local Bailey Building and

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Feb 6, 2016
9 min

Distorted Ethics: A Review of the China Mirage

The United States imposed an oil embargo in mid-1941 on Japan, then engaged in the military conquest of China and parts of Southeast Asia. As the United States was Japan’s leading oil supplier, this embargo threatened the future of Japan’s expansion, and the Japanese ultimately compensated for the loss by embarking on a comprehensive invasion of Southeast Asia and the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia) in order to seize the region’s oil and other resources. To protect

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Oct 30, 2015
7 min

"Many That Live Deserve Death" - But The Fellowship Suggests Taking Courage Instead of Tak

The legendary story of The Lord of the Rings begins with The Fellowship of the Ring, in which all of Hobbiton is preparing to celebrate the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins' 111st birthday. But after Bilbo disappears using the ring he acquired from Gollum in the novel The Hobbit and leaves it to Frodo, it becomes clear that there is something much more evil at work. After a few years, the wizard Gandalf returns to Bag End to examine the ring. He tells Frodo the story of its making and p

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Feb 13, 2014
10 min

Child Messiah: A Look at Ender's Game

Recently, a film titled Ender’s Game (a film adaptation of the science fiction best-seller with the same name) was released at the box office to a myriad of reviewers and fans alike arguing about the importance of the story’s focus on war, aggression, and passivism. Now there are many parallels one could make regarding the modern wars the USA has engaged in and the pre-emptive strike tactics used in the film, but I wanted to take a much more thematic look at the main characte

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Feb 13, 2014
3 min

Catching Fire and the Metaphysics of Hope

I must admit, I very much enjoyed The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. The film improved over its predecessor in almost every way, and the addition of Philip Seymour-Hoffman to the cast seems to have improved the acting of everyone around him, though their progress might just be due to aging. Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen is as much a treat now as in 2012, and though not a few of her colleagues still have a wooden disposition when it comes to their trade, it is easy enoug

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Nov 19, 2013
4 min

Don Jon can Teach a Thing or Two

WARNING: This film contains explicitly sexual scenes. Please watch responsibly. Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s first foray into directing, “Don Jon,” has received a mixed critical response. Some have found it inspiring; some believe it unfairly stereotypes men, women, or both; and some (entirely missing the intended point of the film) categorize it merely as a “funny sex comedy.” Gordon-Levitt’s swaggering, sexually charged character Don Jon begins the movie by bluntly describing his

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Jul 29, 2013
3 min

Star Trek Returns to Wrath

Among Star Trek fans – and I consider myself one – The Wrath of Khan is often hailed as the best film in the series. Driven by great villainy, great friendship, and great sacrifice, the 1982 classic remains the emotional powerhouse of the franchise. Star Trek Into Darkness is only our second foray into director J. J. Abrams’ rebooted Star Trek universe, but already we’re boldly going where Ricardo Montalban has gone before. Khan is back, once again seeking that dish best serv

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Apr 2, 2013
5 min

The Value of Mercy: Justice and Doctor Who

The television show Doctor Who receives an extremely intense devotion from many of its fans. Whovians discuss and dissect the show with an almost religious fervor. On the surface, it is, admittedly, an often goofy program that is sometimes more fantasy than science fiction. However, there is an important element of its storytelling that makes it unique. At its thematic core is the desire to affirm the dignity of the human person and the potential for good—and mercy—that we al

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Apr 1, 2013
4 min

What The Hunger Games Teaches Us About Violence

Fear, poverty, state power, violence as entertainment, moral dilemmas: these are among the chilling themes that have made The Hunger Games such a massively compelling story. Not only does this dystopian fantasy draw us in with a powerful, suspenseful plot, but more significantly, it offers a thought-provoking critique of violence and society’s participation in it. Set in the futuristic country of Panem in what was once North America, the premise of The Hunger Games centers ar

2,630 views