Stoning of Soraya M.

Thanks, Celina, for this info.

Denver, Colo., Jun 10, 2009 / 09:02 pm (CNA).- As the movie industry prepares to roll out its summer blockbusters, a sobering film from Steve McEveety explores the gripping story of an Iranian woman who is victimized by her husband. After seeing the movie, Archbishop Charles Chaput gave it his seal of approval and said it should remind people "how vigilant over our own hearts each of us needs to remain if we want to be human."

"The Stoning of Soraya M." is the work of Steve McEveety, perhaps best known among Catholics for the movies "The Passion of the Christ" and "Braveheart." He also co-founded Mpower Pictures, which in 2007 released the extraordinary portrait of a young man's conversion, "Bella."Read the rest here.

Movie Review by Lori McGovern: Lorenzo's Oil

Lori has another great idea!
"What would you think of having folks submit movie reviews or suggestions for the blog? We are always looking for quality entertainment and there is so much garbage out there to weed through..."

If you have seen a great movie recently or have some to recommend, Please email ellenconnolly@gmail.com and I will post them as they come. (great idea, Lori)

First one: Lorenzo's Oil.

I just saw an older (I think it was done in the early 90s) movie the other night called Lorenzo's Oil. It is the true story of Lorenzo Michael Murphy Odone and his parents struggle with diagnosis of ALD. It is an amazing story and total testament to the dignity of human life. Although there is no overtly religious component to the movie there is one scene when Augusto Odone (Lorenzo's father) says to his wife," Perhaps this struggle has been for some other little boy..." (Not a direct quote). When life is approached with a supernatural perspective, we are able to say this of all of our trials. They are not for us alone, especially when we directly offer them to our Lord. The other component of the story that really struck me was the total sacrifice Lorenzo's mother made for him. She refused to put him in hospice and instead cared for him in her own home, reading to him, doing physical therapy- even after there was no response. (ALD is a devastating disease. It corrodes the myalin in the brain until all function goes and the victim eventually dies). It is not a fast paced movie but worth the time it takes to watch it (I actually watched it in parts over a few days while folding laundry and taking care of other chores.) I was so moved by the story that I looked up Lorenzo Odone and found this obituary: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/2062622/Obituary-Lorenzo-Odone.html.

- Lori