PG | 1h 53min | Drama, Crime, Mystery, Thriller | 7 April 1974 (USA) Produced and released in between the first two installments of “The Godfather,” director Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Conversation” is arguably one of his finest efforts and easily his most overlooked and underappreciated. Although lacking the epic sweep and operatic grandeur of the movies that bookended it, “The Conversation”…
Firebrand for Independence: Dr. Joseph Warren
During the First Continental Congress, the delegates universally approved a document read before them which opened with the audacious claim that, “there are certain rights, to which we are entitled, in common with all mankind.” This document went on to list offenses of the British Crown and Parliament, admonishing the American colonies to “withhold all…
Oscar Wilde’s Short Story, ‘The Happy Prince’
Over the centuries, humans have adorned themselves with gold and precious stones. Yet this decoration brings no happiness unless we also gild our souls with virtue. In his short story “The Happy Prince,” Oscar Wilde shows us that, when we adorn our souls with virtue and selflessness, we not only inherit redemption, but we also…
When Materialism Infringes on Religion’s Domain
What happens when our understanding of the world is split into the competing camps of science and religion? In the first part of this article series, we talked about the difference between logos and mythos, and said that both were forms of knowledge that were necessary for our human survival. In the modern world, though,…
Rewind, Review, and Re-Rate: ‘Lion’
2016 | PG-13 | 1h 58m | Biography, Drama “Lion,” which made its U.S. debut in 2017, is a deeply moving film about the trials and tribulations of a young Indian boy who gets lost, and the various challenges he faces later as he searches for his original family. That boy is Saroo (played by…
Book Review: ‘March to the Majority’
As a boy growing up in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Mr. Newt Gingrich was very fond of animals. When he was able, he enjoyed visiting the Philadelphia Zoo. At age 11, he decided that Harrisburg needed its own zoo. Wildwood Park in Harrisburg was a natural location for a zoo and the State of Pennsylvania could build and…
Popcorn and Inspiration: ‘Strike up the Band’ From 1940
Nothing puts one in a patriotic mood like hearing a brass band play a rousing march. There’s nothing quite as American as that proud, militaristic sound with perfectly synchronized musicians. A movie which celebrates the many forms of American music is the 1940 “Strike up the Band.” Starring young Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland in…
Theater Review: ‘The 39 Steps’: Full of Suspense and Laughs
OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill.—It’s no easy thing to adapt a movie into a stage play. A movie can use lavish background sets and fascinating locations that are unavailable to the theater. In a film, everything can be stopped, re-filmed, and edited post production, while in theater you can’t just stop the action and try again if…
Book Review: ‘Naval Battle of Crete 1941′
In much the same way as Dunkirk, the Battle of Crete was an event of heroism during a retreat. Angus Konstam has presented a battle that took place on the Eastern Front of World War II in 1941, but delves into the details of all that surrounded the British defeat. In his new book by…
Fame and Sacrifice: Lieutenant Audie Murphy
The date: January 26, 1945. The place: Riedwihr Woods, Alsace, France. Lt. Audie Murphy was the newly assigned commander of Company B. When the Germans attacked with over 200 soldiers and six tanks, Murphy ordered his men to withdraw into the forest. Nearby sat an American tank destroyer, knocked out of action and blazing with…
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