Water, breath, fire, wind. Ice, snow, cold, wet. Pain and more pain. Violence, so much violence. Heartbreak, loneliness. Beauty and cruelty. Betrayal and treachery. Death, so much death. Whispers from beyond yet near and signs of hope. Body and soul, love and sacrifice. The natural and unnatural in a tension that hemorrhages blood and life. This is just a sample of what Alejandro G. Iñárritu's "The Revenant" is about.

Classic filmmaking has returned in "Brooklyn," an immigrant love story set in 1950’s Brooklyn and Ireland. Saoirse Ronan brings a quiet, yet strong presence to the character of Eilis Lacey, a twenty-something woman trying to find her own way in a new country. Forced to leave her home in Ireland for a job in Brooklyn, shy Eilis finds herself and a home.

"The Lady in the Van" showcases what living the Golden Rule can look like in today’s society. Miss Shepherd (Maggie Smith) lives in her van parked on a street in Camden Town in North London. To stay within the law, she moves up and down the street at regular intervals and annoys the residents on a consistent basis. They tolerate her and even show her small kindnesses for which she offers no thanks. Then one person, Alan Bennett (Alex Jennings), against the advice of his neighbors, allows her to...

What would life on Earth be like if the asteroid that destroyed the dinosaurs missed? "The Good Dinosaur" offers one answer. Set in the dawn of the age this latest offering from Pixar Animation Studios glitters with photorealistic animation and a sweet family of Apatosauruses on their corn farm.

I’m sure you’ve heard the cliché, “If life hands you lemons, make lemonade.” Well, this saying perfectly describes the new Jennifer Lawrence film, "Joy."

"Concussion", starring Will Smith and Alec Baldwin, gives us a glimpse into the life and work of Dr. Bennet Omalu, a Nigerian-born forensic neuropathologist, whose research into a condition called CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) will make you think twice about how much you enjoy your Sunday NFL football game. It’s all about awareness.

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!