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Catholic News Service
In the end, Roger Ebert’s doubts about his Catholic faith may not have been what really mattered. Chicago’s Holy Name Cathedral was, after all, the chosen venue for his April 8 funeral Mass, and it was packed to the rafters. Read more »
Catholic News Service
Dynamite and decibels are the real stars of the explosion-laden, ear-splitting 3-D extravaganza “G.I. Joe: Retaliation.”
Director Jon M. Chu (“Step Up 3D”) clearly enjoys using every toy in the special effects box to craft elaborate blasts, gunfights, and kung-fu combat. Fortunately, the violence is more cartoonish than graphic (toymaker Hasbro co-produced the film), and frequent interludes of buddy-bonding talk provide welcome relief to the eyes and ears.
The film picks up where its predecessor, 2009’s “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” left off. With the help of shape-shifting nanotechnology (think cyborg mosquitoes), the wicked Zartan (Arnold Vosloo) has kidnapped the president (Jonathan Pryce) and assumed his identity. Zartan’s mission is world domination (of course) via a monster space-based weapon, code-named Zeus. Read more »
Catholic News Service
Derived from a novel by “Twilight” author Stephenie Meyer, the ponderous, dramatically inept science fiction tale “The Host” is clearly aimed at teen viewers. But the murky circumstances of its central love affair make it too morally obscure for most adolescents.
As for those in a more mature demographic, while they may be better equipped to discern an ethically acceptable path through it all, they may not want to bother.
This ill-conceived dystopian project rests on the premise that alien spirits have taken over the bodies of most human beings. Read more »
Catholic News Service
Every so often, Hollywood seems to feel the need to blow a familiar landmark to smithereens. In the frequently bloody action flick “Olympus Has Fallen,” it’s the White House’s turn.
Invading this civic holy of holies is a band of North Korean no-goodniks led by an internationally wanted terrorist named Kang (Rick Yune). Ruthless, fanatical and perfectly trained, Kang’s followers require only 13 minutes to take control of the world’s most recognizable residence, whose security code name, it seems, is that of the mountain dwelling of the ancient Greek gods.
The military response time for protecting the White House is, alas, 15 minutes. Read more »
Music festival benefits Ministry of Caring
WILMINGTON – Voices of Caring, the annual music festival to benefit the childcare programs provided by the Ministry of Caring, will be held Dec. 8 from noon-4 p.m. at World Café Live at the Queen.
This year’s event, the 21st, will feature local choirs and performers, including the Festival Choir, comprised of students from Salesianum, Padua and Ursuline, and the Sacred Heart Village Choir. Portraits with Santa will be available, and the Voices of Caring marketplace will be open for holiday gift needs such as ornaments, wreaths, miniature Christmas trees and sweet treats. Beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres will be available.
Tickets are $40 for adults and $18 for children under 18 and are available at queentickets.worldcafelive.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=582. They are also available by calling (302) 994-1400 and at the door.
Archmere concert to feature prominent alumni
CLAYMONT – Archmere Academy will welcome home several alumni to perform the family opera “Amahl and the Night Visitors” at the Patio on Dec. 16 at 4 p.m. The Patio is located on the Archmere campus, 3600 Philadelphia Pike, Claymont. This is the first of the 2012-13 Concert Green Series, which is sponsored by the Friends of the Patio, dedicated to the restoration and preservation of the building.
“Amahl and the Night Visitors” tells the story of the Christ child as experienced in the life of a crippled boy, played by Anthony Penna, and his mother, played by Megan Wozniak Ede (class of 1990). Mother and son are visited by the three kings, who are on the way to see the newborn king.
Graduates who will perform include Christian Ryan (1987) of New York, Antonio Sacre (1986) of Los Angeles, Brian Gilmore (1988) of Philadelphia, and Sean Filliben (1986) of Wilmington. Oboist Susan Nowaczyk, class of 1989, will perform in the 50-minute opera, which is sung in English.
A guest choir from St. Joseph on the Brandywine Church in Greenville will sing, and the production is being directed by former Archmere faculty member Mary Ellen Schauber, a local soprano and teacher.
Tickets are $35 for adults and $20 for students and are available at www.archmereacademy.com/friendsofthepatio.
