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Movie Reviews by
the U.S. Bishops'
Office for Film & Broadcasting
The Stoning of Soraya M.
NEW YORK (CNS) -- Just last year, a Pakistani couple was stoned for adultery, a Somali woman met a similar fate on the same charge, and two Iranian men were executed in this excruciating manner. Five of the world's predominantly Muslim countries, as well as about one-third of Nigeria's 36 states, still include stoning among the penalties in their criminal codes.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
NEW YORK (CNS) -- Overlong at a full two and a half hours, and mindlessly violent, director Michael Bay's action adventure sequel "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" (DreamWorks/Paramount) offers only a modicum of human interest amid an endless succession of thunderous special effects.
Whatever Works
NEW YORK (CNS) -- Though undeniably clever at times, writer-director Woody Allen's latest project, "Whatever Works" (Sony Pictures Classics), a comedy of contrasting manners, heavy-handedly reinforces his long-standing claim that the universe is meaningless.
Year One
NEW YORK (CNS) -- "Year One" (Columbia) is a ramshackle road comedy that sees its two main characters, prehistoric misfits Zed (Jack Black) and Oh (Michael Cera), embark on an anachronistic and -- far more significantly -- smugly irreverent ramble through Old Testament times.
The Proposal
NEW YORK (CNS) -- The romantic comedy "The Proposal" (Touchstone) overcomes a predictable plot and some questionable humor on the strength of adept performances, positive underlying values and a hefty dose of charm.
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
NEW YORK (CNS) -- Coming on the heels of an FBI report that again ranked New York the safest big city in the country, a remake of the 1974 film "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" (Columbia/MGM) -- about the hijacking of a Gotham subway train -- may seem an anachronism.
Imagine That
NEW YORK (CNS) -- Given the current economic turmoil, stories that elevate family bonds over the paper kind may be more valuable than ever. So, as the conversion story of a work-obsessed financier and emotionally neglectful dad, Eddie Murphy's latest project, "Imagine That" (Paramount/Nickelodeon), proves a timely as well as charming comic fantasy.
My Life in Ruins
NEW YORK (CNS) -- If hearing "Nia Vardalos has done it again!" puts a song in your heart, you'll adore "My Life in Ruins" (Fox Searchlight).
The Hangover
NEW YORK (CNS) -- "The Hangover" (Warner Bros.), one of this summer's "guy comedies," is a 100-minute assault of loutish behavior, violence, racial stereotypes and male nudity strung along a thin plot.
Land of the Lost
NEW YORK (CNS) -- "Land of the Lost" (Universal), the innocent, mildly cheesy Saturday morning TV show from the 1970s, has morphed into an overblown, special-effects-laden, but plot-thin star vehicle for comedian Will Farrell.
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