The story of US Airways flight 1549, landed by Captain Sullenberger on the Hudson River in 2009 seems straightforward, and it is. Director Clint Eastwood has intuited that the power of the story of a man's character over that of an airplane crash might make a better movie, and for my money, it does. But put them together and you get a hero's story of epic proportions.

“The Light Between Oceans” takes place as Tom Sherbourne (Michael Fassbender) returns to Western Australia after World War I. Having lost many friends, he wants a job that allows him peace, quiet, and time to reflect. Accepting temporary employment as a lighthouse keeper on remote Janus Island, he welcomes the solitude.

Set in some small towns of West Texas that modern society seems to have forgotten, “Hell or High Water” offers a commentary on how harmful our profit-driven economy can be and to what lengths people will go to make sure their families have a secure financial future.

Meryl Streep once again captivates audiences in her newest film, “Florence Foster Jenkins.” Based on the real life New York socialite’s life and singing, um (cough), career, the film, while charming and fascinating, raises some serious questions about honesty and tough love.

How bad do you want it? This question drove Brandon Burlsworth (Christopher Severio) to something Greater. Despite no natural talent on the football field, Brandon wanted more than anything to play for the Arkansas Razorbacks. Coach after coach told him he would never make it but Brandon proved them all wrong and became known as the greatest walk-on in college football history.

The 1880 novel by Lew Wallace, gets re-told for a new generation in "Ben-Hur." Did I mention that the chariot race is completely awesome?

In "Captain Fantastic," Ben Cash (Viggo Mortensen) lives off the grid in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. He and his wife decided to raise their six children away from the influences of the world, providing a physical, moral, and intellectual education rarely seen today. Ben and Leslie (Trin Miller) want their kids to be philosopher kings. Intellectual debate happens around the campfire at night after daytime hours filled with rigorous physical training and hunting.

Back in 1991, I spent one week in Charleston, SC, on loan from my community in Alexandria, VA, to help out in the Pauline Book & Media Center there while other Sisters were away on vacation. Having always been a history buff, I took the opportunity to visit Fort Sumter on the weekend.  The narrative provided during the boat trip  mentioned the 1989 film, Glory, the story of which took place on nearby Morris Island. That night, I rented Glory and loved the film so much that it launc...

Louisa, caretaker and companion to the the embittered and sarcastic Will (a young quadriplegic), eventually gets under his skin with her perpetually cheery, optimistic and endearing demeanor, coupled with her highly original fashion choices. The dialogue and gentle sparring is genuinely witty and charming. The plot machinations are funny. At one point, while the "superior" Will is trying to school Lou about life, Lou comes back at him with a knowing description of how the type of upwardly mobile...

Writer-director Rodrigo Garcia imagines one possible scenario that might have happened to Jesus as he wandered at the tail end of his 40 days of fasting and praying. And wander he does, and then more wandering, and even more wandering. The landscape is bare, rocky, dusty, hot, and seemingly endless, not a nice place to get stuck in. It is here that Yeshua (Ewan McGregor) kneels in the dirt and mutters, “Father, where are you?” We see a broken Jesus. His ratty robes and grungy face do little to...