Jim Gaffigan making a goofy excited face

Spotlight: Jim Gaffigan

Growing up Catholic in the small town of Chesterton, Indiana in the late 1960s and ’70s, Jim Gaffigan had a fascination with the famed Kennedy clan. After all, he recalls them as “the peak Catholic family,” thanks to the fact that they produced both a president in John F. Kennedy and an assassinated Democratic presidential… Continue Reading Spotlight: Jim Gaffigan

Operation Finale

Movie Review – Operation Finale

As summer winds down and the supply of mega-budget blockbusters trickles out, Hollywood often releases some of its most blasé duds of the year over the Labor Day weekend each year. This weekend’s new release “Operation Finale” offers a mix of good and bad qualities by presenting a strongly acted and good-looking historical thriller that unfortunately… Continue Reading Movie Review – Operation Finale

Searching the Movie starring John Cho

Movies: Searching

Looking at the trailers or commercials for the new movie “Searching” – about a father who’s forced to dive into a real-life crash course on the Internet, social media and all manner of high technology in order to find his suddenly-missing teen daughter – and it might seem that this is a movie that is… Continue Reading Movies: Searching

Crazy Rich Asians Review

Movies: Crazy Rich Asians

Truly funny romantic comedies that are also actually romantic have been a rare and dying breed since “When Harry Met Sally”  nearly 30 years ago. Think about it: “Pretty Woman” might have had a happy ending, but at its core it’s still a story of a wealthy guy paying $3000 to have a hooker for… Continue Reading Movies: Crazy Rich Asians

8th Grade Movie Review

Movie Reviews: “Eighth Grade” and “Blindspotting”

In the heat of the summer movie season, it is often tough to find movies that have something to say rather than just things to shoot at. Thankfully, there are a couple of thoughtful movies out now that offer fresh takes on life, if you’re willing to look at the world from a somewhat younger… Continue Reading Movie Reviews: “Eighth Grade” and “Blindspotting”

Ant-Man and the Wasp Poster

Ant-Man and The Wasp

One of the many refreshing qualities that have helped the Marvel superhero movies dominate the global box office over the past decade has been their strong sense of humor. Rather than merely being brooding and morose like the DC films such as “Man of Steel” and “Batman vs. Superman,” the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) from… Continue Reading Ant-Man and The Wasp

A Man of His Word Poster

Pope Francis – A Man of His Word

The world has regarded Pope Francis with fascination since his surprising ascendancy to pontifical power in 2013. As the first Jesuit ever elected, as well as the first Pope from the Americas and the first from the Southern Hemisphere, the former Jorge Mario Bergoglio was certain to bring a different perspective to the complex issues… Continue Reading Pope Francis – A Man of His Word

TCM Classic Film Festival

There are plenty of film fests that cater to the elite and famous, ranging from Sundance’s art film extravaganzas to Toronto’s, where each fall’s Oscar contenders are often unveiled for the first time. But for the past nine years, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) has been providing average film buffs a chance to see the greatest… Continue Reading TCM Classic Film Festival