By John Mulderig Rin Tin Tin, one of the earliest canine stars in Hollywood, was a real-life survivor of World War I. In an interesting parallel, a dog called Odin, one of the two fictional protagonists of the adventure drama Heart of the Beast (Paramount), is shown to have emerged - badly scarred - from a much more recent conflict. Like his predecessor in the days of silent cinema, more...

By Courtney Mares Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller said he spent an entire day on the film set of Mel Gibson's The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One, discussing the theology of the Resurrection with the Catholic filmmaker. The film, a sequel to Gibson's 2004 blockbuster The Passion of the Christ, is scheduled for release on 6 May 2027 - the feast of the Ascension of the Lord. "We spo...

By Kurt Jensen Although its plot centres on a family of friendly witches, the romantic drama Practical Magic 2 (Warner Bros.) involves no advocacy for the dark arts. They simply exist as part of the fanciful premise. Instead, the film's appeal, like that of its 1998 predecessor, is meant to lie in its portrayal of strong female bonding amid adversity. One hint that the occult element is ...

By Kurt Jensen As its title suggests, the comedy Coyote vs. Acme (Ketchup Entertainment), which blends live action with animation, concerns a legal case. Namely, a tort suit brought by Looney Tunes character Wile E. Coyote against the Acme Corporation alleging that the company has repeatedly sold him dangerously defective products. Adapted from Ian Frazier’s eponymous 1990 article in The...

Christ the King and His Sacred Heart explores the biblical roots and theological foundations of Christ’s kingship and the close connection between Christ the King and the Heart of Jesus. Photo: Supplied/HM Television. A new documentary entitled Christ the King and His Sacred Heart has been released by HM Television to mark the 100th anniversary of the proclamation of the feast of Chris...

By John Mulderig There's not much cinematic bounty to be derived from Mutiny (Lionsgate). A star vehicle for the ever-brooding Jason Statham, director Jean-François Richet's action flick is dreary from the start and eventually deteriorates into an explicitly revenge-driven bloodbath. To unravel the conspiracy that led to the gunning down of his beloved employer, Thai shipping magnate Tib...

Even before their bizarrely dangerous situation arises, life for the Platts is not exactly idyllic.

By John Mulderig Peter Parker and his titular alter ego (Tom Holland) face challenges both emotional and physical in Spider-Man: Brand New Day (Sony), an engaging extension of the long-lived franchise. While the film’s underlying values are sound, however, an excess of vulgar dialogue makes it questionable fare even for older teens. Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland) is pictured in...

The Chosen is a groundbreaking historical drama based on the life of Jesus, seen through the eyes of those who knew him. Photo: Prime Video/5&2 Studios. The official teaser for Season Six of the global hit TV series The Chosen has been released, offering a first glimpse of the season ahead that premieres on 15 November on Prime Video. Three episodes will be released at launch with ne...

By John Mulderig Place one of Western civilisation's foundational texts in the hands of one of the entertainment industry's greatest living auteurs and the results are likely to be impressive. And so it proves with The Odyssey (Universal), writer-director Christopher Nolan's lavish and absorbing adaptation of Homer's epic poem. While taking some liberties with his source material, Nolan ...