Catholic Diocese of Spokane, Washington


From the

Official News Magazine of the Diocese of Spokane

Deacon Eric Meisfjord, Editor
P.O. Box 48, Spokane WA 99210
(509) 358-7340; FAX: (509) 358-7302

Media Watch

Reviews of movies, books, theater, and television

by Father Tom Caswell, for the Inland Register

  • May 1, 2008
    At the movies: ‘The Diving Bell and the Butterfly’; fiction and leadership share the bookshelf

  • April 10, 2008
     ‘Pray All Ways’ available in new edition; ‘Lunch with the Saints’ cards a happy addition to brown-bag meals

  • March 20, 2008
    The 10 best films of 2007; on the bookshelf, ‘Eat, Pray, Love’

  • February 28, 2008
    New books detail life and history in Eastern Washington

  • February 7, 2008
    A plethora of media choices in the midst of winter

  • January 17, 2008
    ‘Great Debaters’ is ‘food for the soul,’ ‘Juno’ is ‘one of the best films’

  • December 20, 2007
    Blessed Mother Teresa's ‘dark night,’ ‘Golden Compass’

  • December 6, 2007
    ‘Bella’ is unique among autumn’s movie offerings

  • November 15, 2007
    ‘White Cascade’ tells of the courage of ordinary people; movie choices offer youthful idealism, personal heroism

  • October 25, 2007
    New books from James Lee Burke, Nancy Horan; ‘Frontline’ documentary offers themes of life, death, sacrament

  • October 4, 2007
    Jesuit’s new book recounts ‘Judas’ theater experience; at the cineplex, ‘3:10 to Yuma’

  • September 13, 2007
    Four movies to consider as the summer blockbuster season winds down

  • August 23, 2007
    Movie guide a great resource for parents, film buffs alike

  • August 2, 2007
    ‘A Mighty Heart’: ‘great acting ... impressive storytelling’

  • July 5, 2007
    Independent film offers fine performances, insights

  • June 14, 2007
    A novel idea: faith provides theme for mystery writers

  • May 24, 2007
    'My Life with the Saints,' 'Home of the Brave'

  • May 3, 2007
    New book provides discussion starters for movie fans

  • April 12, 2007
    Life and death: ‘The Lives of Others,’ ‘The Year of Magical Thinking’

  • March 22, 2007
    Movies from A to Z: 'Amazing Grace,' 'Breach,' 'Zodiac'

  • March 1, 2007
    Books tell tales of African-American priest, life in St. Paul, Occupied Berlin

  • February 8, 2007
    At the multiplex: the 10 best (and nearly best 5) of 2006

  • January 18, 2007
    ‘The Good Shepherd,’ ‘The Pursuit of Happyness,’ and a new novel from Alice McDermott

  • December 21, 2006
    Just in time for Christmas: 'The Nativity Story'

  • December 7, 2006
    At the movies: Bond’s back; Eastwood’s ‘passionate’ war film; Mirren triumphs

  • November 16, 2006
    'Flicka' remake 'a wonderful family film'

  • October 26, 2006
    Scorsese fills ‘The Departed’ with Catholic imagery; at the bookstores, ‘The Kite Runner,’ ‘The Theocons’

  • October 5, 2006
    ‘Hollywoodland,’ ‘The Illusionist,’ and a few short takes

  • September 14, 2006
    Books chronicle family relationships, Molokai’s captives

  • August 24, 2006
    ‘Lady in the Water,’ ‘Scoop,’ and an ‘ideal’ volume on Church history

  • August 3, 2006
    'Betrayed' American nuns; at the movies, 'Pirates,' 'Prada'

  • July 6, 2006
    A delightful ‘Prairie Home Companion,’ and a ‘memoir of faith’ from Barbara Brown Taylor

  • June 8, 2006
    ‘Da Vinci Code,’ Opus Dei, and choice summer reading

  • May 18, 2006
    Spokane on the big screen; ‘Blink’ examines the science of snap decisions

  • April 27, 2006
    Spring sees new books and Spike Lee’s ‘most commercial Hollywood movie’

  • April 6, 2006
    ‘World's Fastest Indian,’ ‘A Church in Search of Itself’

  • March 16, 2006
    Jones’s ‘Three Burials’ is ‘a deeply religious movie’

  • February 23, 2006
    Media Watch revisits the best movies of 2005

  • February 2, 2006
    ‘Munich’ is dark and difficult, ‘Narnia’ a ‘very good family film,’ and ‘Glory Road’ a ‘feel-good movie that makes a difference’

  • January 12, 2006
    ‘The Ninth Day,’ ‘The Family Stone,’ ‘Syriana’

  • December 15, 2005
    Jane Austen, Johnny Cash, Truman Capote, and books old and new

  • December 1, 2005
    'Good Night and Good Luck,' 'Jarhead,' 'Shopgirl'

  • November 10, 2005
    'Elizabethtown,' 'North Country,' 'The Rosary'

  • October 20, 2005
    This week: movies, books, and a Catholic children’s magazine

  • September 29, 2005
    ‘Constant Gardener’ in theaters; ‘Fumbling’ at bookstores

  • September 8, 2005
    ‘Broken Flowers’ is ‘one of the best movies of the year’

  • August 18, 2005
    ‘March of the Penguins’ processes against Hollywood’s slide

  • July 28, 2005
    Ian McEwan's 'Saturday'; Stephen Spielberg's 'War of the Worlds'

  • July 7, 2005
    Dramatic, uplifting boxing tale stands out among summer's comic book movies

  • June 9, 2005
    An American Protestant novel filled with Catholic themes; ‘Crash’ takes on ‘key questions of life and death’

  • May 19, 2005
    'The Coming Catholic Church,' 'Millions'

  • April 28, 2005
    'Dear Frankie,' 'The Upside of Anger'

  • April 7, 2005
    'Ice Princess' at the multiplex; a Hitchcock classic enlivened by Robert Benchley

  • March 17, 2005
    'Because of Winn-Dixie'; a roundup of 2004's best films

  • February 24, 2005
    Three films offer thought-provoking reflections on profound themes

  • February 3, 2005
    Scorcese directs DiCaprio in 'The Aviator'; Bill Murray in Wes Anderson's 'Steve Zissou'

  • January 13, 2005
    'Spanglish' 'Phantom of the Opera' among movie offerings

  • December 16, 2004
    'National Treasure' less than stellar, thoroughly enjoyable

  • December 2, 2004
    Great viewing at the movies: 'The Incredibles,' 'Ray'

  • November 11, 2004
    'The Motorcycle Diaries,' 'I (Heart) Huckabees'

  • October 21, 2004
    'Friday Night Lights' rises above sports movie clichés

  • September 30, 2004
    From a stranger on a train to 'Vanity Fair'

  • September 9, 2004
    At the movies: 'Garden State,' 'The Village'

  • August 19, 2004
    'Bourne Supremacy' provides lively international thriller

  • July 29, 2004
    High praise for 'The Terminal,' 'Spider-Man 2'

  • July 1, 2004
    ‘Stepford’ a ‘$90 million trifle,’ but new, darker Potter ‘stands out’

  • June 10, 2004
    New novel from Kent Haruf; 'Perfect Storm' director delivers 'Troy'

  • May 20, 2004
    Two popular movies reviewed: 'Man on Fire,' 'Mean Girls'

  • April 29, 2004
    Tales of family at the movies, on the bookshelves

  • April 8, 2004
    New book analyzes abuse crisis; in theaters, ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’

  • March 18, 2004
    Extreme violence distances audience of ‘The Passion of the Christ’

  • February 26, 2004
    From the book shelf: nonfiction from Peter Steinfels, Philip Yancey

  • February 5, 2004
    Part Three of 'Lord of the Rings'; 2003's Top 10 movie list

  • January 15, 2004
    Comedy and tragedy at the movies: 'Something's Gotta Give,' 'House of Sand and Fog'

  • December 18, 2003
    Movies: Ron Howard's 'The Missing,' Edward Zwick's 'The Last Samurai'

  • December 4, 2003
    Movies: 'Love Actually,' 'Master and Commander'

  • November 13, 2003
    'Joan of Arcadia' on CBS; Eastwood's 'Mystic River'

  • October 23, 2003
    Movies: 'Lost in Translation,' 'Luther'

  • October 2, 2003
    From comic books to Nicholas Cage: 'American Splendor,' 'Matchstick Men'

  • September 11, 2003
    At the movies: ‘Open Range,’ ‘The Magdalene Sisters’

  • August 21, 2003
    Theaters feature movies for people who have given up on movies: 'Finding Nemo,' 'Seabiscuit'

  • July 31, 2003
    Summer reading: ‘Images of Jesus,’ ‘Office of Innocence’

  • July 3, 2003
    Summer’s new books, fiction and biography, explore personal, global impact of Church

  • June 12, 2003
    Movie time: ‘Matrix Reloaded,’ ‘Diary of a City Priest’

  • May 22, 2003
    Summer movie season breaks open early with ‘X-2,’ ‘Bend It Like Beckham’

  • May 1, 2003
    New movies include family fare, Adam Sandler

  • April 10, 2003
    Spring brings flowering of books for young and old: "Seven Lonely Places-Seven Warm Places: The Vices and Virtues for Children," "Letter to a Priest"; plus, 'Romeo and Juliet' on stage in Seattle

  • March 20, 2003
    Our critic lists the 10 best movies of 2002

  • February 27, 2003
    Two films have multiple Oscar nods: 'Chicago,' 'Adaptation

  • February 6, 2003
    ‘The Courage to be Catholic,’ ‘About Schmidt’

  • January 16, 2003
    New Spielberg at the movies ('Catch Me If You Can'); children’s words gathered in touching book ('Well Said: Children’s Words of Wisdom')

  • December 19, 2002
    Book recounts World War I’s informal Christmas Eve truce of 1914; ‘Harry Potter’ back in theaters

  • December 5, 2002
    Novel: ‘In the River Sweet’; Film: ‘Frida’

  • November 14, 2002
    'The New Rabbi': Synagogue’s search resounds with many faith communities; at the movies: 'Monsoon Wedding'

  • October 24, 2002
    In bookstores: ‘The Emperor of Ocean Park’; at the movies: ‘Barbershop’

  • October 3, 2002
    Movie time: ‘The Good Girl,’ ‘The Four Feathers’

  • September 12, 2002
    'The Spiritual Exercises Reclaimed': Holy Names Sisters’ effort to ‘reclaim’ St. Ignatius’s spiritual exercises is a ‘tremendous gift’; on video: 'Last Orders'

  • August 22, 2002
    New book by Joyce Rupp celebrates God’s gift of creation; At the movies: ‘Signs’ not for the faint of heart

  • August 1, 2002
    A little ‘Godfather,’ a little Edward Hopper combine to produce visually stunning ‘Road to Perdition’; and, 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding'

  • July 4, 2002
    News coverage of abuse scandal varies widely by region; at the movies: 'The Bourne Identity'

  • June 13, 2002
    Ramifications of misconduct examined in film ('Unfaithful'), novel ('Atonement')

  • May 23, 2002
    Two movies: ‘Hollywood Ending,’ ‘Italian for Beginners’

  • May 2, 2002
    'The Rookie’ is a genuinely enjoyable family film; ‘Changing Lanes’ asks ‘the ultimate human questions’

  • April 11, 2002
    Movie reviews: ‘Ice Age,’ ‘We Were Soldiers’

  • March 21, 2002
    French director’s influence apparent in two new releases: 'Gosford Park,' 'Black Hawk Down'

  • February 28, 2002
    Movie reviews: ‘Amelie,’ ‘In the Bedroom’

  • February 7, 2002
    A peek into ‘A Beautiful Mind’; 2001’s 10 best films

  • January 17, 2002
    Sci-fi and fantasy stand out at the box office: 'Vanilla Sky,' 'Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'

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