November 30, 2007 Archives

In what is Hallmark Hall of Fame's 231st presentation, "Pictures of Hollis Woods" is sure to inspire.

The movie, which is based on the Newberry Honor award-winning book of the same name, tells the story of a young girl, Hollis Woods, who has been in foster care most of her life. After leaving a family under mysterious circumstances, she is placed with a retired art teacher Josie, who has a fading memory. Being a talented artist herself, Hollis begins drawing pictures of her life story.

The film stars the wonderful veteran actress Sissy Spacek, as Josie, and the amazing Jodelle Ferland--who at 13-years-old, already has an incredible resume under her belt.

You can check out the movie this Sunday, December 2nd at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

Siblings putting their father in a nursing home may hardly seem like the stuff of great movies, but thanks to a couple of amazing performances and a large dose of humor mixed into its drama, "The Savages" is touching, funny, and engaging.

Those great performances come from two of my favorite actors, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney, playing brother and sister (their last name is Savage, hence the movie title), two immature, self-absorbed adults long estranged from their mean SOB of a father. And he was the better of their parents, having raised them, however abusively, after their mother walked out on the family. Hoffman's Jon is a professor of drama plugging away in Buffalo, N.Y., on his scholarly treatment of Brecht, his Polish girlfriend facing deportation while he insists he's not ready for marriage. Linney's Wendy is a struggling New York playwright who temps as her day job and is sleeping with her married neighbor.

Then the phone rings, and the siblings must come face to face with a reality so many of today's Boomers are facing: Their father needs full-time care. He's suffering from Parkinson's disease and the dementia that comes with it. And so the children become the parents, however reluctantly at first. As they process this news and assess the situation, they cycle through the familiar emotions--grief, fear, self-pity, and guilt. Unsure of what to do, how much responsibility they must take for a father who was not much of a father, and they argue with one another frequently about the best course of action.

Philip Pullman and 'The Golden Compass' movie, opening Dec. 7, are sparking sharp emotions from both friends and foes of his fantasy trilogy. To many Christians, the story is an anti-religious fable aimed at instilling atheism in children, while the book's many dedicated fans see a rich epic filled with spiritually meaningful themes.

But whether you love him or loathe him, we invite you to sound off on Pullman and the movie by joining this online group in the Beliefnet community. Join now to learn more about the movie and discuss your feelings about 'The Golden Compass.' Click here to join.

Congratulations to our friends at Religion News Service for launching a new religion news blog to suplement their superb news-wire offerings. Idol Chatter is particularly happy to see a healthy dose of pop-culture commentary on the blog, with entries on Philip Seymour Hoffman and, of course, "The Golden Compass." Check it out here.