The Media Czar Speaks

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Tune in to Archangel Radio 1410 am in the archdiocese of Mobile, AL to hear "The Live Hour" hosted by our dear friend Todd Sylvester.  Airs every weekday morning from 7-8 a.m.  Tom joins Todd on Fridays to discuss the latest in movies and pop culture, viewed through the lens of faith.

You can listen online at www.wngl1410am.com.     OR:
Listen on your mobile devices by downloading this free app:  www.tunein.com
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Prometheus

 Got a chance to see the Alien "prequel" Prometheus last night with my Archangel Radio compadres, Todd Sylvester and David Renshaw.  I have long been an admirer of director Ridley Scott and (some of) the Alien films.  I had high hopes for this film, especially since it was co-written by Damon Lindelof, the mastermind behind the television series Lost, my favorite series of all time.
I was not disappointed.  The film was well-written, well-paced, suspenseful, smart, and puzzling in all the right ways.  This movie is not for folks who like everything spelled out in black and white.
The film is rated R primarily for some icky sci-fi violence, and would be appropriate for older teens.

Caroline's take:
(Hey - I am the Czarina, right?)  By "older teens" Tom means that he didn't bring Christopher (14) and Peter (12) along.  And y'all know I love to see anything and am not squeamish, but I am NOT seeing this one ... unless Tom bribes me with dinner out beforehand, popcorn during, and Starbucks after.  Heck, I'd even see a dang Sponge Bob movie under those conditions!  But that original Alien film scared the tuna salad out of me as a kid -- right up there with Omen -- and I can't bring myself to go there again!  Don't you remember that spooky trailer:  In Space No One Can Hear You Scream?  The Great Movie Ride at Disney Studios didn't help things ... a nice little boat ride through the Wizard of Oz and then all of a sudden you're in the guts of the spaceship with that alien screeching and spitting goo at you ... no thanks.  I'm saving my money for Brave, coming later in the summer.  Pixar has never let me down.  

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The First One 

OK, so since this is my first post to the McDonald family blog, I'd like to make a few things clear.  If you have been a reader of our Catholic Week column, be warned that like any blog, these posts will be a whole lot less "formal" than our column was.  Since this is a family blog, the topics will range considerably far and wide; likewise, posts will vary wildly in length.

You may have noticed the "Media Czar" designation when you clicked here. If you are a regular listener of Archangel Radio's Live Hour on Friday mornings, you know already that Todd Sylvester slapped that label on me a few months ago, and it has stuck like a piece of sidewalk gum on the bottom of a shoe.  It originates from the fact that my appearances on the radio typically revolve around bringing a Catholic perspective to the latest movies, TV shows, etc.  So, expect posts of that nature here often.

So why not begin now?  This morning, we discussed "For Greater Glory" at length on the show.  Bottom line: while the film has numerous technical/filmmaking flaws, the story is so critically important in our current culture that you really ought to go see it.  While rated R, in my judgement it is appropriate for adolescents and up.  (A good indicator if it's ok for your kids:  if you're fine with them seeing Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, then your kids could definitely handle this.)  Religious freedom is being threatened in our nation today, and this sobering look back to the not-so-distant past in our own backyard (Mexico) serves as a wake-up call for Catholic and believers of any stripe.

I think Steven Greydanus's review is spot on.  (In fact, I agree with him 99% of the time, so add Decent Films to your list of must-reads.) 

¡Viva Cristo Rey!