Modern Films

A Serious Man (2009)

/ jrambrose / Leave a comment

a-serious-man

There are many ‘serious’ questions that arise from Joel and Ethan Coen’s film A Serious Man. Like the biblical text it is most compared with, the questions are huge, concerning justice, the meaning of suffering and God’s relationship to humanity. I would like to focus on the one question, potentially smaller in scope, that finds its basis in the title of the film, and that is: What does it mean to be ‘a serious man’?

Read the full essay, Divine Seriousness & The Trouble With Being ‘A Serious Man’ by Jeremy Ambrose

Silence (2016)

/ jrambrose / Leave a comment

silence-face of Jesus

Martin Scorsese’s Silence is an incredible film, no matter how you look at it. It is beautifully made and strives for authenticity, historically and spiritually. It is a film that takes faith seriously, and understands the tensions therein, the doubts, the testing, and ultimately the presence of the divine. The story is challenging and leaves its audience to uncomfortably wrestle over the events depicted, struggling to interpret what has been witnessed. In the midst of this wrestling, we find that we are slowly being stretched and that the film has the ability to do something to us; to bring us to an even deeper understanding of who we are and who God is.

To break the film open in even greater detail, we have invited two of our best writers to offer their reflections on this magnificent film.

Read Entering The Heart of Silence by Mary Joseph

Tomasz Juszczak’s Reflection Coming Soon…

Two Days, One Night (2014)

/ jrambrose / Leave a comment

two_days_one_night

In the Dardenne Brothers’ 2014 film “Two Days One Night” (Deux jours, une nuit), we are treated to a very personal, gritty drama which speaks to some of the challenges working families face in the world of today. Sandra, played by Marion Cotillard is a wife and mother who works at Solwal, a solar energy company in Belgium. She suffers from depression and after recently enduring a nervous breakdown is about to return to work. During Sandra’s absence, there were discussions amongst management about her ongoing role at the firm. It was decided that her co-workers would vote whether the protagonist should remain employed or made redundant. The twist being that if the vote is in favour of Sandra staying, they lose an attractive financial bonus. The vote is to be taken on the coming Monday, Sandra’s first day back to work.

To Read The Full Reflection by Pablo Vila, Click Here…

A Merciful Spotlight on a Shocking Crisis

/ jrambrose / Leave a comment

spotlight-2015-

By Tomasz Juszczak

Tom McCarthy’s Oscar nominated film Spotlight has no doubt triggered both uncomfortable silences and fiery debates around the world. Set in Boston in 2001 and based on true events, the film offers a harrowing view of the extent of the child sex abuse crisis within the Archdiocese of Boston and the broader Catholic Church. Having spent the better half of two hours shrunken back into my seat, I will admit, Spotlight is not easy to watch. But maybe sometimes a bit of discomfort is exactly what we need.

Click Here To Read Full Article