DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 26, 2019

Giant from the Unknown (1958) Revived conquistador runs rampant in California. Well, as rampant as its minuscule budget will allow. TIL: Not that the conquistadors cared, but priests threatened to excommunicate whole dioceses if they didn’t cease exploitation of Native Americans.

Still Voices - Meet The Feebles (1989) “Golf: A plague invented by the Calvinistic Scots as a punishment for man’s sins.” - James Barrett Reston

Dad Rock Daily: Justin Hayward and John Lodge - Blue Jays (1975) Not quite the Moody Blues, but close enough so that you'll barely notice the difference. Laudable Lyrics: I could live a lie for you, but truth is the road I choose.

And finally, for Aleteia this week I take a look at Love and Mercy, the new docudrama on St. Faustina and her vision of the Divine Mercy image.

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 23, 2019

Saint Bernard (2013) Composer carries severed dog's head through one surreal metaphor after another. Requires a high tolerance for artsiness for full enjoyment. TIL: As what God is cannot be fully comprehended, scripture often relies on metaphor and anthropomorphism to help out.

Still Voices - Howard The Duck (1986) "If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we have at least to consider the possibility that we have a small aquatic bird of the family anatidae on our hands." - Douglas Adams

Dad Rock Daily: Ultravox - Vienna (1980) Look, a seven minute synth opus opens the album, so don't act like you don't know exactly what you're getting. Laudable Lyrics: Moments caught across an empty room quickly passes. Time goes, time goes by too soon.

And finally, while I gave Joker a positive review, Alexi Sargeant over at First Things has a somewhat different take. His advice, don’t go see it. Obviously I disagree, but arguing has always been part of the fun of the moviegoing experience hasn’t it?  Read’em both and then let’s squabble.

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 8, 2019

Pure (2019) Sloppy attempt at savaging evangelical purity culture. Just because you find the Duggars scary doesn't grant you carte blanche to make something this stupid. TIL: Pope JPII's Theology of the Body respects chastity while also acknowledging that sex is a good thing.

Still Voices - Underworld: Evolution (2006) "There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face." - Bernard Williams

Dad Rock Daily: Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel (1973) Austin City Limits debuted shortly after this album's release. Coincidence? I think not. Laudable Lyrics: In my hour of darkness, in my time of need, Oh, Lord grant me vision, Oh, Lord grant me speed.

And finally, if my review of Joker was a bit too brief, then be sure to pop by Catholic Skywalker’s place for his much more detailed take on the film.

DAILY CALL SHEET: OCTOBER 4, 2019

Hotel Artemis (2018) One really bad night at a secret hospital for criminals. So-so soft sci-fi thriller, but nice to see the elderly Foster and Goldblum spar. TIL: According to the rules of St. Benedict, the care of the sick is to be placed above and before every other duty.

Still Voices - Monster Trucks (2016) “Taking a lot of selfies doesn’t mean you live an examined life.” - Gina Barreca

Dad Rock Daily: Olivia Newton-John - Totally Hot (1978) Transition from sweet songbird to post-Grease pop powerhouse begins. Not to worry, the angelic pipes remain the same. Laudable Lyrics: Why must we want so much more than we have? Will we never be satisfied?

And finally, for Aleteia this week, I toss around my initial thoughts on Joker, the controversy surrounding it and what the film is actually trying to say.

DAILY CALL SHEET: SEPTEMBER 29, 2019

Bird Box (2018) Before the omnipresent memes there was this (let's be honest) pretty average thriller about monsters which are deadly to look at. TIL: Fr. Ed Bloom suggests envy, bitter anger, and impurity are the three leading causes of spiritual blindness. Now you know...

Still Voices - John Carpenter's Vampires (1998) "Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." - Matthew 16:24

Dad Rock Daily: Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath (1970) Heavy metal starts proper with plenty of songs about the Devil, mostly regarding what a jerk he is. Laudable Lyrics: Satan's sitting there, he's smiling, watches those flames get higher and higher. Oh no, no, please God help me.

And finally, over at The Catholic World Report, Nick Olszyk has a few thoughts on The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance and the lessons it contains regarding the destructive consequences of negotiating with evil.

DAILY CALL SHEET: AUGUST 18, 2019

The Horror of Party Beach (1964) Satisfying schlock has sausage tongued sea monsters terrorizing teens while The Del-Airs rock. TIL: Rabid anti-Catholics claim the beast from the sea in Revelation is the Church; most sane people realize it's a symbol for the ancient Roman empire.

Still Voices - Female Trouble (1974) "It is better to dwell in a wilderness than with a quarrelsome wife and trouble." - Proverbs 21:19

Dad Rock Daily: The Amboy Dukes - The Amboy Dukes (1967) Serviceable garage psych slightly elevated due to The Nuge's excellent guitar work. Laudable Lyrics: Where's goodness and mercy on which life is based? Has hatred and envy taken place?

And finally, Catholic Skywalker offers his suggestions for the Top Ten Arnold Schwarzenegger movies.

DAILY CALL SHEET: AUGUST 3, 2019

Indestructible Man (1956) Chaney plays a resurrected killer seeking vengeance on his double-crossers. Pretty standard B-stuff. TIL: There's actually numerous instances of resurrection in Scripture; a mini-preview of the promised future bodily resurrection of all the Saints.

Still Voices - StageFright (1987) “What good is a palace if it’s inhabited by owls. Better a straw hut inhabited by humans.” – Filipino Proverb

Dad Rock Daily: David Bowie - Low (1977) Side one is desert island David Bowie. Side two must have accidentally fallen in from a Brian Eno album. Not that anything's wrong with that. Laudable Lyrics: Oh, what you going to say? Oh, what you going to do? Ah, what you going to be?

And finally, Mark C. McCann has a few things to say over at The Catholic Stand about Richard Kimble and Jesus: The Fugitive and Our Freedom.

DAILY CALL SHEET: JULY 28, 2019

Dredd (2012) The city's toughest judge/jury/executioner fights his way up a skyscraper. Again, Karl Urban proves he's priceless. TIL: Wonder if Dredd ever said the popular policeman's prayer to St. Michael which exhorts, "Give us cool heads, stout hearts, and wise judgement."

Still Voices - Monstroid (1980) "Surprise is the greatest gift which life can grant us." - Boris Pasternak

Dad Rock Daily: The Jam - In The City (1977) Paul Weller and pals take 60's mod-rock and pump it full of punk adrenaline. Things only get better from here. Laudable Lyrics: Gonna break away and gain control. You free your mind, you free your soul.

And finally, Catholic Skywalker pays tribute to the dearly departed with his list of the Top 5 Rutger Hauer Movies. Number one is not what you think.

DAILY CALL SHEET: JULY 13, 2019

Solarbabies (1986) Post-apocalyptic rollerblading teens fight for the right to free water. Aggressively ridiculous in almost every way imaginable. TIL: Jesus always said whoever drinks the water he provides will never thirst, rad rollerblader or otherwise.

Still Voices - Killers From Space (1954) "Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth." - John F. Kennedy

Dad Rock Daily: Cheap Trick - Cheap Trick (1977) Boys from Illinois provide party time power pop with definite emphasis on the power. Laudable Lyrics: Whatcha gonna do when you got religion? 'ello kiddies! 'ello kiddies! Hope you didn't get it on the television.

DAILY CALL SHEET: JULY 2, 2019

Boar (2017) Doesn't top Russell Mulcahy's Razorback, but an overall decent entry in the giant killer pig sub-genre. Yes, that exists. TIL: Scripture compares those who willingly keep doing the same wrong thing over and over to a bathed sow returning to wallowing in the mire.

Still Voices - Mindwarp (1992) "Virtual reality is a denial of reality. We need to be open to the powers of imagination, which brings something useful to reality." - Hayao Miyazaki

Dad Rock Daily: Nick Drake - Pink Moon (1972) Guy with guitar stripped bare. Even when the words don't apply, you'll swear you've lived every mood this tries to convey. Laudable Lyrics: Take your time and you’ll be fine, and say a prayer for people there who live on the floor.

And finally, over at The Catholic World Report, Nathanael Blake has some common sense things to say about the Amazon adaptation of Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.

DAILY CALL SHEET: JUNE 21, 2019

Zaat (1971) Dr Z's plans to rule the world somehow involve turning himself into a man/catfish hybrid. For fans of the truly awful; you know who you are. TIL: God made the world with an end purpose. Bad things happen when we ignore his instructions and try to rule it on our own.

Still Voices - Superman IV The Quest for Peace (1987) "Diplomacy is the art of telling people to go to hell in such a way that they ask for directions." - Winston Churchill

Dad Rock Daily: The Meters - Rejuvenation (1974) Better known for their back-up work, this proves it's better to have the Neville Bros and buds on the New Orleans funk front line. Laudable Lyrics: Powers of today, so pretty darn confused, giving everybody in the world the blues.

And finally, in honor of his birthday, The Anchoress has a few observations on the biting religious commentary of Sir Paul McCartney.

DAILY CALL SHEET: JUNE 12, 2019

Empire of Ash (1988) Canada gives the Mad Max recipe a try to middling results. Kudos to whoever came up with the rocket launcher hat though. TIL: The pope's big hat goes all the way back to the Aaronic priesthood, though it did get noticeably bigger during the baroque period.

Still Voices - Robot Monster (1953) "The Lord replied, My precious, precious child. I love you, and I would never, never leave you during your times of trial and suffering. When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you." - Author Disputed

Dad Rock Daily: Foreigner - Head Games (1979) Fine enough, but a slight step down from what came before. Nothing you'll hate yourself for listening to, or not for that matter. Laudable Lyrics: I can't believe we're here for no reason, there must be something we can believe in.

And finally, CatholicSkywalker asks the important question of our age, why do we Love Keanu Reeves?

DAILY CALL SHEET: MAY 18, 2019

Swamp Thing (1982) Wes Craven tries valiantly, but even he can only do so much with a $10 budget. Be honest, though, you still love it. TIL: In dreams, swamps supposedly represent impossible to escape situations. Dreaming of swamps? We suggest the Novena to Mary, Undoer of Knots.

Still Voices - Animal House (1978) “The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer someone else up.” - Mark Twain

Dad Rock Daily: Todd Rundgren's Utopia - Utopia (1974) "Can you name what time signature this song is in?" "Tom, I can name that time signature in three... wait, never mind, I don't have a clue." Laudable Lyrics: We live and we die. You don't have to be afraid to know why.

And finally, while I unfortunately had to skip John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Titus Techera has seen it and has penned some interesting ideas about the series over at Catholic World Report.