Stranded (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)The story of the 1972 plane crash in the Andes and the struggles of the men aboard to survive seems to pop into the public awareness periodically over the three decades since it happened. "Stranded" is the latest documentary on the subject, and it's the best I've seen. All 16 survivors participated. Director Gonzalo Arijon incorporates grainy, impressionistic, silent reenactments of the scenes the men describe. This enhances the audience's picture of the events without usurping the gripping commentary of the survivors. The combination of interviews, some archival footage, and the dreamlike reenactments, which seem like memories, make this retelling of the story more engrossing than any narrative adaptation.
On Friday, October 13, 1972, a college rugby team from Montevideo, Uruguay set out on Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 to Santiago, Chile, where they were to compete in a match. Having changed its route to avoid inclement weather, the plane descended too early over the mountains, severed both wings, and crash-landed high in the snow-covered Andes. Of the 45 people aboard, 29 survived the crash, 23 uninjured. They didn't have adequate clothing for the freezing conditions. Many had never seen snow before. And, even strictly rationed, food would only last a few days. They hoped to be rescued but could hear on the radio that the aerial search was called off due to heavy snow. And yet 16 of the young men spent 72 days on the mountain and lived to talk about it.
All survivors participated, but some say more than others. Fernando "Nando" Parrado, who wrote a book about his experiences, seems to have been a leader after the group lost its team captain. Roberto Canessa, who, with Nando, was responsible for the rescue, is the most pensive and analytical of the experience. Gustavo Zerbina is vibrant and opinionated. Those who had the strongest voices on the mountain have the most to say today. The film places no more emphasis on the men's cannibalism than on any other element of their story, for which I am grateful. I've never understood the fascination with the cannibalism. It's the least interesting aspect of the ordeal. This is an incredible story of survival and escape against all odds and against the indifference and supremacy of Nature. In Spanish with optional English subtitles.
The DVD (Zeitgeist 2009): Bonus features are a US trailer (2 min) and a featurette, "The Making of Stranded" (52 min). This is a loosely organized mix of interviews with survivors that were cut from the final edit of the film, some brief interviews with the director on location, in which he emphasizes that this film is about the experiences of the men, not about action, and we spend time with some of the survivors as they relate more details of their experiences to the young actors who will portray them. Both the film and featurette are in Spanish with optional English subtitles.

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On October 13, 1972, a young rugby team called "The Old Christians" from Montevideo, Uruguay, boarded a plane for a match in Chile--and then vanished into thin air. Two days before Christmas, 16 of the 45 passengers miraculously resurfaced. They had managed to survive for 72 days after their plane crashed on a remote Andean glacier. Thirty-five years later, the survivors returned to the crash site--known as the Valley of Tears--to recount in their own words their harrowing story of defiant endurance, intense spirituality, and indestructible friendship. Previously documented in the worldwide bestseller Alive (and the film adaptation starring Ethan Hawke), this shocking true story finally gets the cinematic treatment it deserves. Visually breathtaking and crafted with riveting detail by documentary filmmaker (and childhood friend of the survivors) Gonzalo Arijon with a masterful combination of on-location interviews, archival footage and reenactments, Stranded is a hauntingly powerful and spiritually moving celebration of humanity.SPECIAL FEATURES- 16:9 anamorphic transfer, formatted for widescreen televisions- "The Making of Stranded": A 52-minute featurette with behind-the-scenes footage of the cast and crew, and additional interviews with the crash survivors- U.S. theatrical trailer- Optional English subtitles- Director's statement

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Henry Hill (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)Now in adulthood the amazing talents of a musical prodigy, Henry Hill (JAMIE HARROLD - Sum of All Fears, Hannibal, Erin Brockovich), has not lived up to his lofty expectations despite retaining his considerable talent. Following a suicide attempt, Henry returns home to Maine to recover. His downfall creates an air of mystery around him which others find difficult to penetrate until he meets a beautiful woman (MOIRA KELLY - The West Wing, With Honors, Little Odessa) who, distraught, seeks directions. As their feelings towards each other grow more intense, Henry continues to grapple with his unfulfilled dream. Cynthia wants to continue her journey to New York and she wants Henry to go with her. Has Henry given up on his music? And himself?... CAST: Moira Kelly as Cynthia, Eden Riegel as Nicole Hill, Jamie Harrold as Henry Hill, Susan Blommaert as Gertrude Cox Hill, Io Tillett Wright, Andy Bowser as Young Henry Hill, John Griesemer as Charles Casper Hill, James Villemaire as Ward Hill, Michael Kimbal as Owen Cox, Mary Diveny as Tabitha Cox.... "First rate performances and a terrific musical score... a film worthy of admiration!" --The Boston Globe ... AWARDS: WINNER! AUDIENCE AWARD - Wine Country Film Festival; WINNER! GRAND JURY AWARD - Florida Film Festival

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ER: The Complete Seventh Season (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)Season seven of NBC's long-running medical drama ER was an impressive collection of episodes that featured the introduction of one of the best guest star performances in the history of the show.
While she is not a regular cast member, Sally Field stole the show in season seven, guest starring as Maggie, nurse Abby Lockhart's (Maura Tierney) bipolar mother. Field earned an Emmy for her incredible turn as Maggie, a woman desparately trying to reconnect with her daughter and turn her life around, all the while dealing with a disease that can turn her into a totally different person. Most of Abby's story lines in this season revolved around her mother, and through that, viewers got a chance to learn just where Abby came from and how tough things were for her as a youngster. Abby is the only character in this season that is returning for the 14th season as a regular cast member, so it is nice to see just where the character got her start.
Abby began the year as a med student, but her ex-husband's failure to pay a bill puts her back in nurse scrubs for the season, however, as the year draws to a close she is thinking about heading back to med school again. Viewers also get a chance to see Abby's budding relationship with Dr. Luka Kovac (Goran Visnjic), a relationship that has resulted in them having a baby and getting married in season 13. In this season, the relationship is still in its new stage and viewers got a chance to see just what Luka went through in Croatia, losing his wife and children in a bombing. It is through his relationship with a dying bishop (guest star James Cromwell) that Luka finally learns to deal with his past and move on with his life.
At the end of season six, Dr. John Carter (Noah Wyle) was heading to rehab after becoming addicted to pain pills. Season seven finds him out of rehab and looking for his job back. With conditions, he is accepted back to County General and for the most part, is able to blend back in with his fellow doctors. A close call with some pain medication sends him back to square one in his return to work, however. His close friendship with Abby, herself a recovering alcoholic, helps him through the tough times and we get to see the great side of Dr. Carter when he travels with Abby to bring a messed up Maggie back from a hotel room where she was holed up in Oklahoma.
Dr. Peter Benton (Eriq LaSalle) continues his relationship with pediatrician Cleo Finch (Michael Michele) and also has to deal with the fact that he loses his job in the surgery department after a tiff with Dr. Robert Romano (Paul McCrane). Forced to accept a position with no benefits and no stature, Benton is incredibly disappointed, but stays in Chicago to be near his son Reese, who splits time with he and his ex, Carla (guest star Lisa Nicole Carson). Eventually, Benton is hired as the director of diversity at the hospital in what would be he and Cleo's final full season at County General. Both doctors departed near the end of season eight.
Jing-Mei Chen (Ming Na) opens the season finding out that she is pregnant. She hides her pregnancy well for a while, keeping her parents in the dark until it is almost time to deliver. She agrees to give the baby up for adoption after realizing that the time was not right for her and the fact that her parents couldn't handle the fact that the baby's father was black. The pregnancy was Chen's main story line, though she does apply for chief resident at the end of the season, a position Carter also wants, but can't have because of the conditions placed on him after his rehab stint.
Dr. Dave Mallucci (Erik Palladino) has very few large story lines in the season, serving mainly as a character in other people's story lines. It is obvious in this season that the writers were dealing with a lot of main characters, which gave them almost too many stories to tell in each episode and Dr. Dave was one of the people that seemed to fall by the wayside.
Dr. Kerry Weaver (Laura Innes), the head of the ER, confronts her own sexuality, as she enters a relationship with Dr. Kim Legaspi (guest star Elizabeth Mitchell, Juliet from Lost). She hides their relationship well, but when Dr. Legaspi's career is on the line, Weaver steps up and comes out of the closet to her boss, Dr. Romano. This story line was one of the big stories during the season, one that opened Dr. Weaver up to many relationships, including the one that led to her departure from the show in the middle of the 13th season.
But, the biggest story of the year was that of Dr. Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards). The longtime ER doc finds out that he has a tumor in his brain the same day he finds out that his girlfriend Dr. Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston) is pregnant. The two set out on a course to find a way to treat the tumor and the removal is successful, but Greene has a hard time returning to work, still dealing with the effects of the surgery and the tumor. The two doctors get married (after a slight delay) and welcome Ella to the world and in the final episode, Greene fears for the life of his wife and baby when a distraught father goes on a killing spree after Greene places his son in a foster home. This tumor marked the beginning of the end for Dr. Greene, as its return in season eight eventually led to the good doctor's death in the penultimate episode, one of the toughest moments in ER history.
This set features a number of deleted scenes and a great gag reel that shows just how much things can get screwed up on the set of a tense show like ER.
While there could've been more extras, this has been the norm the last few seasons and the episodes themselves make for great television, with or without the extras. If for no other reason, by this set to watch "The Visit," the episode that introduces viewers to Sally Field's Maggie, truly one of the best episodes of the show's 14-year run.

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A busload of fume-sickened school kids...a gunman whose shooting spree claimed 19 victims...a guy in an opossum outfit who bit a man dressed as a kangaroo. They and so many others all converge at ER. The gurneys keep rolling in a superlative Season 7 that includes Abby's reunion with her mother, a turbulent woman who suffers from bipolar disorder. Also making the rounds in the 22 episodes: Carter returns from detox, Abby goes back to square one in med training, Benton struggles to emerge from Romano's doghouse, Kovac confronts a mugger, Weaver reveals her sexual orientation and Chen refuses to reveal the father of her child. Meanwhile, Greene and Corday marry...and live under the shadow of Greene's health crisis. Excitement, drama, suspense - the doctors are on call. DVD Features:Deleted ScenesGag Reel

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The Passion of the Christ (Full Screen Edition) (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)One of the most talked about films in decades; thought I would add my 2 cents as a late entry.
I think the root controversy about the film has to do with the question of whether or not it has artistic merit for a viewer without faith. I think this is a fair question, as I never really understood the idea that religion offers, so to speak, an excuse for ugly artwork. Arguably there is no such excuse, unless one of the points of religious art is to repel people who don't already share the faith.
The film has been labeled violent, which it is; but unfair here has been the label that it is in some sense unusually violent. It is not. There are hundreds of films that are far more violent. Perhaps this film is even less violent than average. It is perhaps even less violent than the blockbuster version of Gandhi of some years back, billing Candice Bergen and Ben Kingsley, of which the Passion has reminded me somewhat; at any rate they are at least in the same ball park. Rather, the distinctive mark of the Passion is that it invites us to keep the humanity of the victim of violence in full view; not to distance ourselves by, say, feeling contempt or anger towards the victim as a bump-off-able bad guy, or seeing the victim as a replaceable curiosity, a dispensable nitwit. In the Gandhi movie, for example, the majority of the acts of violence are against victims who are more or less, cinematically speaking, dispensable nitwits. All we see Gandhi suffer is being shot at the end (and even that, at the beginning also, setting up a flashback)-and a few blows to the head (from which he recovers).
Yet the character to suffer the violence in this film is not only the main character, it is a character who is anything but a dispensable nitwit. He is unambiguously portrayed as is in the Gospels--a perfect human being-and more: a Divine Person. No doubt faith is helpful here, but if the viewer can so much as entertain the premise as a possibility, then I would say that the movie is as beautiful as it is emotionally powerful. Yet even apart from that premise, the film also powerfully portrays deep love and friendships between human beings, which has surely a beauty of its own even under heart wrenching circumstances. Moreover, in what is surely one of, if not the most violent sequences in the film-the scourging (the soldiers carrying out the order, one in particular, wind up going over the top in enthusiasm)-we only see the victim about half the time; the rest of the time we see shots of peoples' faces, notably his friends, mostly of the face of his mother. The film does show us the anatomical side of the violence enough so that we really understand what is happening-but no more; the point is what it MEANS for it to be happening. In this film suffering is given a human face.
It is quite a unique experience. First, breaking out of the package of being "mere cinema," there are two points of honesty of the film even apart from any faith claim. (1) by all serious accounts, Jesus of Nazareth was at the least an exceptional human being; yet death by crucifixion was no walk in the park. (2) by all serious reflections, in one way or another-regardless of how you slice it (whether from the point of view of any religion or from the point of view of atheism)-humanity really hasn't treated God any better than the main character gets treated in this film. This is a film which portrays God as staying with humanity despite the way it has treated him (and the way human beings have treated each other). The violence is not for it own sake; still less is it for the sake either of sadism--or of a narrator stepping off the screen to address the audience with guilt trips (shaming and flagellating the viewer)--; it is for the sake of thoughtfully presenting this possibility in an artistic way. Second, rather that allowing the audience the space to distance themselves from characters undergoing violence, this film actually does the opposite: it prods the audience to see NONE of the characters as dispensable nitwits, not even those who are committing the violence. The anti-Semitism charge is simply a non-sequitur. It's not anti-anybody.
The film visually portrays what I have described without being artificial or saccharine, invoking a remarkable depth for symbolism and a good sense of timing; it plainly succeeds in telling a story blending sight and sound. I will give two examples which I found especially powerful; they are even related. One is where the film shifts back and forth from shots of the feet of the roman soldiers standing in pools of his blood as they scourge him, to shots of the feet of the Apostles as he was symbolically washing them. The other is a subtle, nonverbal portrayal of the conversion of a roman soldier which spans in a sense the entire film. This conversion story is visually framed from the film's opening scenes when a temple guard has his ear miraculously restored after it is sliced off in a struggle by one of the Apostles. The guard remains for some time on his knees, as if so overcome by the experience he cannot move. The roman solider to be converted is subtly introduced in the next scenes (he is one of the soldiers Mary Magdalene complains to about the arrest), but we see him from time to time throughout the movie, witnessing and being influenced by various events; in a final scene, blood and water falls upon his eyes, flowing from the side of the deceased victim that he pierces with a lance (though first non-verbally apologizing to the mother; he does it merely to confirm he is dead), and he falls to his knees in a way which resonates with the action of the temple guard. The temple guard, so to speak, had his hearing restored; the roman soldier, so to speak, his sight. On the side of deep friendships, notable are the relationships between Jesus, his mother, Mary Magdalene and the youngest Apostle, John. One moment uniting this dimension to the above examples is when John stumbles and falls on his knees before the two Marys (running to them to tell them of Jesus' arrest)-to be followed by John later seeing Mary's agony as she watches her son fall to his knees as he carries the cross. The kneeling image in general is itself also framed by beautiful opening and closing scenes invoking a folding together of earth and sky (the first providing the backdrop of Jesus falling to his knees in his agony in the garden; the second entailing powerful from-the-ground-up and from-the-sky-down shots of the moment of his death on the cross). Here resonating throughout is the film's awesome musical score. I would add that the use of Aramaic in the film punctuated with subtitles was nothing less than masterful; I am not even aware of the film being in a "foreign language."
Acting was good but special mention needs to go to Maia Morgenstern, who played the mother. In interviews she said she played the character from the point of view of a mother who loved her son; the result is one of the most moving and beautiful character portrayals in all of cinema.
If you are looking for popcorn-eating entertainment, this is not the film to watch. (Even during gladiatorial times at the Colosseum this movie would have gotten thumbs down.) But if you are in the mood for a thought-provoking treatment of religious themes in a serious, sensitive and artistic way, then by all means see the film.


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The Passion of the Christ focuses on the last twelve hours of Jesus of Nazareth's life. The film begins in the Garden of Olives where Jesus has gone to pray after the Last Supper. Jesus must resist the temptations of Satan. Betrayed by Judas Iscariot, Jesus is then arrested and taken within the city walls of Jerusalem where leaders of the Pharisees confront him with accusations of blasphemy and his trial results in a condemnation to death.

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The Last Templar (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)I agree wholly with John's review. The Last Templar will delight and entertain as long as you take it for what it is - an interesting story in the vein of The DaVinci Code that will provide both laughs and adventure. If you have an open mind, it may even get you thinking.
Compared to the novel on which the movie was based, the character of Tess is funnier, wittier, and more enchanting on screen than on page. This is due in part to the wonderful portrayal of the character by Mira Sorvino who more than "surprises as a credible intellectual", as fellow reviewer Scott expressed - Sorvino is a Harvard alum who graduated magna cum laude and speaks fluent Chinese and French. She IS a credible intellectual cast in a part that allows her to show that side of her personality. Scott Foley, who portrays Agent Sean Reilly and of whom I've seen less work, was more of a surprise to me, playing the devout Catholic with humor and a touch of whimsy.
Having been raised Catholic but no longer practicing, I found the debates between Tess and Sean about religion to be very interesting and reminiscent of those between my mother and I. The overall theme of exactly what the Templar treasure is will garner your attention, but play second fiddle to the chemistry between Foley and Sorvino.
(Major plot spoiler warning) The one criticism I have is that the film version doesn't explain the treasure as successfully as the novel does. In the novel it is very clear that the treasure is a faked version of the gospel of Jesus, with the intent that it be used to unite all religions. In the film, the ending Templar scenes make the viewer aware the document was falsified, but the reasoning for doing so is never made clear, nor will the viewer necessarily catch this fact the first time through.
For those who criticize the film as being just more of the same Catholic bashing that appears to permeate the media, I ask that you really look at the character of Sean and what his beliefs say, the character of Tess and how her beliefs change over the course of the film, and the character of DeAngelis, who is shown to be operating by himself with no support of the Church or Vatican. As Sean intones in a conversation with Tess, there's nothing wrong with doubt - it's dismissal that's the problem. Give this movie a chance. Watch it with an open mind. You'll be glad you did.

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An ancient decoder has been stolen from a collection of Vatican art. When an archaeologist discovers its connection to the history of the Knights Templar she enlists the help of a NYC detective to find it before it falls into the wrong hands. Clue by clue, continent by continent, the quest is on to discover a secret that could change the course of history. Based on the #1 international best-selling novel.

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RFK (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)I first caught this movie on FX when it premiered, and I hoped that more people will see it now that it's on DVD. The movie is concerned with Bobby Kennedy's evolution after his brother's death in 1963, and Linus Roache does a convincing job of playing the late man (He and the actor who played RFK in Thirteen Days are the two best I've seen at this difficult acting job). Being something of a RFK buff, I found this film moving and worth watching. In this time of politicians who cater to the lowest common denominator (on both sides of the aisle), we need to look back on men like Bobby Kennedy, who genuinely cared about the underdogs of American society and was killed in the midst of his greatest act of compassion. One of these days, people will recognize RFK as the best man who was never elected President. This movie is a good start for anyone wondering "what all the fuss was about". I recommend it

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RFK focuses on the final five years of Robert F. Kennedy's life beginning with President John F. Kennedy's untimely death in 1963 to his own tragic death in 1968.From the transformation of the younger Kennedy as he moved out of the shadows of JFK to establish and define his own political persona. Golden Globe nominee Linus Roache (The Gathering Storm, Wings of the Dove, Hart's War) is riveting in his portrayal of the young Kennedy. Also starring James Cromwell (L.A. Confidential, The Green Mile) as Lyndon Johnson, David Paymer (State and Main), Martin Donovan (Insomnia), Ving Rhames (Pulp Fiction, Mission Impossible). Written by Hank Steinberg (*61, Without A Trace) and Directed by Robert Dornhelm (Sins of the Father, Anne Frank).

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The Princess and the Barrio Boy (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)My wife rented this, but unlike some of her other choices, I actually watched to the end. The broad outlines of the story are a typical girl meets boy-from-wrong-side-of-the-tracks love story, but there are a few surprises and a few laughs along the way. Other than a few absurdly over-the-top performances (Sirena's friends, and Pauly Shore) the cast is competent and enjoyable to watch. So if you're thinking of renting, it's worth seeing once. Cute story.
If you're thinking of buying the DVD, though, note that it's probably overpriced. There's no main title screen. The DVD starts with ads for other films that you can fast forward through but can't skip entirely, and there's no main title screen at all; the movie just starts right in after the ads are done. In addition, while the movie is full-frame, fitting for a made-for-TV movie, there's an annoying line of artifacts at the top of the screen through the whole thing.
To sum up: A decent rent, but a terrible buy.

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PRINCESS AND THE BARRIO BOY - DVD Movie

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God or the Girl (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)What do you get when a writer from the Da Ali G Show, Weakest Link, Survivor and The Apprentice takes on the Catholic Church and the question of celibacy for priests? God or the Girl (GOTG).
Yet the question of what happened behind the scenes is one that is even more interesting. The show filmed over 5 weeks and the men who aired on TV had been discerning this decision from between three and ten years. It followed 4 men between 21 and 28 years of age. How can 5 weeks of filming capture years of internal debate, praying, and questioning if God has a specific will for one's life?
The original ads for the show said it would follow 6 men on their journey, the IMDB.com site says 5, yet the actual show only followed 4 men. What happened to the other two men? Where did they disappear to? The four men examined in the series are: Joe Adair, 28, a campus counselor at John Carroll University; Dan DeMatte, 21, is a second-year student at Ohio Dominican University; Steve Horvath, 25, who left his job as a high-paid consultant to become a campus missionary at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln; and Mike Lechniak, 24, who must choose between a teaching career and girlfriend Aly and the priesthood.
All the hype on TV prior to the airing and the men being interviewed on CNN, by Dianne Sawyer, Larry King, and many, many others created a circus air around the series.
The show traveled the world as most reality shows do these days. Filmed mostly in the United States, our men traveled to Germany for World Youth Day, and to Latin America for a missions trip. Even Canada makes a small appearance as Joe goes on a pilgrimage to Niagara Falls, Canada, to Mount Carmel Spiritual Centre.
Recently Imprint had the chance to interview Daniel DeMatte. Here's what he had to say about his experience with the series.
Imprint: How long was filming for GOTG?
Daniel: 5 Weeks.
Imprint: How long have you been in this discernment process?
Daniel: 3 Years.
Imprint: If someone were approached for a GOTG2 would you recommend it?
Daniel: Definitely. It's a great way to evangelize a national audience.
Imprint: What was the best experience of GOTG?
Daniel: The cross carrying really drew me into the mystery of Christ's passion. It has been a constant reminder and aid in my prayer life. It taught me so much about discernment and God's love and mercy.
Imprint: What was the worst part of GOTG?
Daniel: The stress of the time commitment.
Imprint: With the cameras around all the time, did you find you modified or changed your behavior? If so, how? Was it harder to have personal time with God, or prayer time?
Daniel: As Socrates says, "I am the same man always, both in private and in public". No, it didn't change my behavior at all, but it did take away from personal time with God. Sometimes it would be hard to get my prayer in during the filming process.
Imprint: If you were I charge of GOTG what would you have done differently?
Daniel: Shown more of the broadness of discernment. How it is a call between celibacy and married life, and how you take smaller steps, like first discern should I enter seminary or start a dating relationship. Also, it would have been God or the girl, I would have liked to have shown the beauty of sacramental marriage more.
Imprint: Do you pray the rosary daily? If not, how frequently? How important is Mary to your faith?
Daniel: I did the deMontfort total consecration to Mary. "I am all thine, all I have is thine, o most loving Jesus, thru thy most loving mother". Mary is very important to me, yet I rotate praying the rosary and the chaplet of divine mercy.
Imprint: When you made and carried the cross, could you have chosen lighter wood?
Daniel: I could have...I wanted to enter into the mystery of Christ's suffering. The heavy wood was needed for me to fulfill God's plan for me
Imprint: Looking back from the distance of time, do you regret carrying the cross? Would you ever recommend it to a young man you are working with?
Daniel: Not to just any young man...it could be a source of pride for some. But I was very blest by doing it. I would let people know that when they carry a cross like that, God can speak to you for your vocation. See, our life as vocation is linked to the cross. If I am a priest, I am called to lay down my life for my congregation. If I am married, my life is laid down for my wife and kids. When I was carrying the cross, I was thinking more about sacrificing myself for a wife and kids. This is the way my heart desires to lay down my life. This has been very significant in my discernment.
Imprint: How many people attend your campus ministry meeting at Fort Zion?
Daniel: We have 217 high schoolers in our youth group. We meet at the church, St Agatha's now. We average about 60 youth per week. We also have monthly events open to the diocese now, at which we average about 350-400 teens. Praise God!
Imprint: What would be the single piece of advice you would give to a person who wants to grow in their faith?
Daniel: Read 1 John 3:1-5 (See ye what love the Father hath given to us, that children of God we may be called; because of this the world doth not know us, because it did not know Him; beloved, now, children of God are we, and it was not yet manifested what we shall be, and we have known that if he may be manifested, like him we shall be, because we shall see him as he is; and every one who is having this hope on him, doth purify himself, even as he is pure. Every one who is doing the sin, the lawlessness also he doth do, and the sin is the lawlessness, and ye have known that he was manifested that our sins he may take away, and sin is not in him.) Learn who you are, and then respond to this knowledge.
Imprint: What books, or authors do you read to nourish your faith?
Daniel: Scripture, Therese, deSales, Pope John Paul II, Scott Hahn, St. John of the Cross.
This series, which many thought would be a joke, turned out to be a fair and balanced approach. Though it had many short-fallings; first in that it only spanned 5 weeks for a process that takes many years. Second, the variety in background for the 4 men was not very diverse. The show shows some of the struggles that men must face in making this life- altering decision. Here at the University of Waterloo we have students at St. Jerome's who are deciding this as well as seminarians who have made the decision at Resurrection College. If you are Catholic or know Catholics, this series will give you a glimpse into some of the men who consider serving the church, God and mankind in this way.
The show had 5 episodes that aired over a number of weeks leading up to Easter weekend this spring. The series is being released on DVD by A&E TV in June 2006. The DVDs have 10 hours of special features and behind the scenes footage.

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They are young, bright, and ambitious young men searching for fulfillment. Yet they share an uncommon struggle and have arrived at a crucial crossroads.Will their destiny involve a walk down the aisle--or a journey into the Catholic priesthood?In this eye-opening five-part series, GOD OR THE GIRL chronicles the final emotional weeks leading up to their decision. As the deadline nears, difficulties grow and tensions mount: friends and family are insensitive to this profound struggle, girlfriends object to issues of sexuality and temptations seem to come from all directions. Joe reconnects with the love of his life. Dan accepts a challenge to carry an 80-pound cross 22 miles. Steve faces the harsh realities of missionary work. Mike receives a surprise job offer that raises the stakes.GOD OR THE GIRL relates an unforgettable journey that many never experience. In a world accused of Godlessness, these young men take us into the very heart of their personal spirituality to arrive at their life-changing decisions. Can these twenty-somethings reconcile their doubts and fears and become true "Men of God"?DVD Features: Mini-episode with an Additional Cast Member; Deleted Scenes; Priestly Wisdom from Father Mark; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

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