The King of Kings
Directed by Seong-ho Jang
101 minutes
Director seong-ho jang combines an aspect of lectio divina — imagining oneself within a scene from scripture — with the chaos of family life in this animated feature based on a story Charles Dickens wrote for his children, The Life of Our Lord.
In the film, Dickens (voiced by Kenneth Branagh) is a beleaguered father just trying to get work done. He snaps after being disrupted by his kids one evening, lashing out especially at young Walter, whose obsession with King Arthur caused the disruption. A few hours later, after his wife, Catherine (Uma Thurman), prods him to reconcile with their son, Dickens offers to tell Walter a king story far superior to the Camelot legend. Naturally, his consummate narration skills draw Walter (and his annoying cat, Willa) directly into the stable, the Temple, the Sea of Galilee, the streets of Jerusalem, Golgotha, the open tomb, and many key points in between.
Other big names beside Branagh and Thurman lend their voice talents to this production, including Oscar Isaac (Jesus), Mark Hamill (King Herod), Pierce Brosnan (Pontius Pilate), Forest Whitaker (Peter), and Ben Kingsley (Caiaphas). It’s worthwhile viewing for those new to Christianity as well as those who know Jesus’ story by heart.
Carlo Acutis
Roadmap to Reality
Directed by Tim Moriarty
95 minutes
Released just months before the September canonization of Carlo Acutis, this documentary introduces viewers to the first millennial saint – nicknamed “God’s influencer – through interviews with Acutis’ parents, a cousin, his babysitter, and a childhood friend. At the same time, it follows a group of teens from North Dakota as they make a pilgrimage to Italy. They’ve agreed to be “tech-free” for the trip, leaving their phones and other devices at home. On pilgrimage, they learn about Acutis, reflect on the influence of tech on their lives, and deepen their Catholic faith.
Acutis was born in 1991 to non-churchgoing parents, but his mother describes him as “naturally religious.” Family members say he was a regular kid who happened to combine school, friends, and soccer with daily Mass attendance. He taught himself to code so he could build a website about Eucharistic miracles.
In 2006, at the age of 15, he succumbed to leukemia.
The film also includes interviews with scholars and clergy, but the most engaging material is from Acutis’ family and friends, and from the teenage pilgrims. “It’s nice to know that there are saints that struggled with the same things we’re struggling with now,” one said.
