Based on the book by Nathaniel Philbrick and directed by Ron Howard, "In the Heart of the Sea" recounts the true story of The Essex, a whaling ship out of Nantucket that was sunk by a huge sperm whale in 1820. The story became the inspiration for Melville’s Moby Dick.

The great delight of "The Force Awakens" is the melding of old and new seamlessly. We meet Rey (Daisy Ridley), a poor scavenger girl on a planet that seems to be full of nothing but sand and junk. She’s definitely more than meets the eye. We meet Finn (John Boyega), the stormtrooper with a conscience. Throughout the story, it’s obvious that these are the characters that will carry Star Wars into the next generation.

Disaster tends to bring people together. When there is a major earthquake or tsunami, the world rallies to the aid of those affected with donations of money, food, and supplies. Volunteers travel to help with clean-up or in makeshift medical facilities. Sometimes government policies and red tape get in the way of a timely response but dedicated people find ways to reach out. The same happened when 33 men got trapped in a Chilean mine in 2010. Their story is told in "The 33."

The Letters is a moving and powerful portrayal of the life of one of the greatest saints of the twentieth century--a woman who truly lived the spirit of mercy. Going to the theaters and watching her life this weekend would make a great start to living the Jubilee Year of Mercy!

Spotlight is a tribute to the nobility of investigative journalism, and a powerful film about tragic events.

It might be stating the obvious to say that Steven Spielberg is a great filmmaker but his latest stint in the director’s chair, "Bridge of Spies," just goes to show that it’s still true no matter how many times you say it.

Matt Damon becomes "The Martian" when a severe storm hits the crew of the Ares III on Mars and Mark Watney (Damon) gets left behind, presumed dead. The story of his fight to survive and the triumph of the human spirit in the face of impossible odds is not a new story, but director Ridley Scott tells it like no other.

Although many critics panned The Intern, I believe the film has much to say, especially in a society where the elderly are often mocked or ignored just because they seem old-fashioned or have a hard time with technology. Writer-director Nancy Meyers, known for her female-driven romantic comedies such as What Women Want and It’s Complicated, knocks it out of the warehouse in this quirky comedy starring Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro.

This second installment in The Maze Runner series begins right where the first film ends off. Having escaped the Maze, Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) and his fellow Gladers get picked up by Janson (Aidan Gillen) and escorted to hot showers and hot meals together with other teens who have escaped their own mazes. Confusion reigns.

When I saw the trailer for "A Walk in the Woods," my inner-outdoors woman got really excited. These people-in-nature films usually held some lesson to be learned through the protagonists communing with the great outdoors. Alas, even the great Robert Redford could not save A Walk in the Woods from being as shallow as the water in my kitchen sink.