Film Reviews

Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP

Sister Rose is a Daughter of St. Paul and the founding director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies. She has been the award-winning film columnist for St. Anthony Messenger since 2003 and is the author of several books on Scripture and film, as well as media literacy education.

Sister Rose’s FAVORITE FILMS about the Digital World

The Social Network (2010) The Net (1995) Her (2013) Catfish (2010) I Am Jane Doe (2017)

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SCREENED OUT

Director Jon Hyatt’s new documentary asks a very big question: Are we addicted to our screens? He starts out by turning off his devices and traveling across Canada and the United States to discover the answer. This can be a touchy question in this day and age, as parents manage their children’s schooling via computers, tablets, and other devices throughout the stay-at-home mandates. Screened Out’s focus is on how social media and online gaming industries know how to get us hooked on our screens, which they build into their software. Once they have us, they sell our information to advertisers.

According to Sean Parker, Facebook’s original president, when the social media giant launched, they knew that the dopamine loop, or “a social validation feedback loop,” is what ultimately sells the users to advertisers. This loop is the pleasure reward our brains experience when someone responds to something we post.

Do we have the strength to turn off notifications? Do we have the courage to limit our screen time? Knowing that Facebook and others sell our information to advertisers—and that these advertisers pay for every click we make online—should make us think.

Social media and gaming platforms create deep psychological needs for us that, when fulfilled, make us feel good. And lurking behind these social platforms and video games are consumer advertising and political ads from unknown sources. This is now an established science that the film adequately explores. The next big question is: What is the long-term effect of “screen addiction by design” on the developing brains of children? We simply do not know.

The downside is, of course, when users get negative feedback. The film shows one young teen girl who was saved from suicide because her father rescued her just in time. She got help through a screen rehab program. South Korea has 400 Internet and gaming rehabilitation centers, and these are a growing reality in this country, too, such as reSTART (NetAddictionRecovery.com). The ethics of what these technology companies are doing have yet to be explored in any meaningful way. But this film is a start.

Screened Out offers ideas for parents and adults to change how they model their relationships with their devices and give their children the attention they deserve. The film’s scope is focused on Canada and the United States. It does not address the screen time issues of other ethnic groups or low-income families. This is for the next film. Once I started watching Screened Out, I couldn’t stop. It is available on most streaming services.

Not yet rated • Suicide, bullying, addiction references.

THE STAND AT PAXTON COUNTY

Janna Connelly (Jacqueline Toboni) is a medic on active duty in Afghanistan when she receives news that her father, Dell (Michael O’Neill), has heart problems. She must return to their North Dakota ranch to care for him. She soon discovers that he and other ranchers are being harassed by the local sheriff, Roger (Christopher McDonald), who cites the farmers for animal cruelty based on a new law pushed through by an animal rights organization. A reporter for the local newspaper, Vin (Sean O’Bryan), reports on this, but only goes deeper when Janna confronts him.

When the ranch hand, Brock (Greg Parrow), disappears, Janna hires Matt (Tyler Jacob Moore) as the new foreman. Little by little, they discover that Brock had been giving information to the sheriff, who was working with a stateappointed veterinarian to sabotage the fencing and feed so that the horses and livestock would be confiscated for their own safety. This would eventually force the Connelly’s ranch into bankruptcy. When Vin reveals to Janna that he witnessed wrongdoing by the sheriff, she and her father are able to defend themselves legally.

The Stand at Paxton County is based on a true story that took place in Gladstone, North Dakota, in 2017. Both the case and the dramatized film have convoluted plots. Toboni’s solid performance carries this very watchable drama. Brett Hedlund creates a film that touches on drama and romance, but with a social justice edge. It is available on Netflix.

Not yet rated, R • Violence, lying, greed, language, some sexuality, brief nudity. JUDY & PUNCH

What I like about Australian cinema is that it is always just a little quirky. In writer/director Mirrah Foulkes’ dramatic comedy, we find the husband and wife puppeteer team of Judy (Mia Wasikowska) and Punch (Damon Herriman), a deliberate inversion of the original “Punch and Judy” traveling puppet shows of 17th-century England. Here the couple returns home to Seaside because they are broke. At first it seems that they, with their baby, are happy. But Punch is an alcoholic, while Judy is the brains and talent of their act. The town is entertained by Judy and Punch, but executions of suspected witches and sorcerers draw a big crowd as well.

Punch cannot be trusted. He accidently tosses the baby out the window, beats Judy, and buries her in the forest where a motley crew of female heretics live. They save Judy, and together they all save the lives of a newly accused couple while our heroine gets her revenge.

The film’s production qualities are high, and Wasikowska is always good. There is an obvious theme of respect for women running through the narrative, but despite a few chuckles, I am not sure that is enough to save the film from itself.

Catholic News Service Media Review Office gives these ratings.

A-1 A-2 A-3 L O

General Adults and Adults Limited adult Morally patronage adolescents audience offensive Source: USCCB.org/movies

Not yet rated • Violence, language, alcoholism.

Susan Hines-Brigger

Susan has worked at St. Anthony Messenger for 26 years and is an executive editor. She and her husband, Mark, are the proud parents of four kids—Maddie, Alex, Riley, and Kacey. Aside from her family, her loves are Disney, traveling, and sports.

Susan welcomes your comments and suggestions!

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Time to Stop Talking and Start Listening

Isat with this column for quite a while before I started writing. I thought about it. I prayed about it. I even started to take the easy way out and pick a different topic. But I knew in my heart that I needed to say something.

And what I have to say something about is the topic of racial issues and injustice that have been on full display because of the horrific death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

PAY ATTENTION

Every parent knows that when a child wants to get your attention, he or she will repeat your name over and over again—“Mom, Mom, Mom”—in the hopes that you’ll respond. If you don’t, the child might pull on your pant leg. Finally, when he or she remains unnoticed, the child will often act out in any way that will make you stop whatever you are doing and pay attention. And, guess what? It usually works.

Sometimes it’s just to tell you something they think is important and that you need to know. Other times they want to show you something. But what they really want is just for you to pay attention.

I thought about this as I read and watched reports about the protests and, in some cases, riots that were taking place across the country following Floyd’s death. It occurred to me that, for far too long, our African American brothers and sisters have been calling our names, pulling on our country’s pant leg—or taking a knee—in an attempt to get our attention about the suffering and pain they endure on a daily basis. We haven’t paid attention.

Oh, we pay attention for a minute or two, express our outrage and post our support on social media—until the news cycle changes. Then we move on, leaving the hurt and anger in the rearview mirror. We can do that. We have that luxury. In fact, we’ve done it so many times that I’m not sure we are even aware of it or how much a part of the problem we are.

And when I say “we,” I mean me. I mean my family, because we are fortunate to not have to worry about being mistaken for a criminal when we walk on the street. We can go to the park to have a picnic or go birdwatching and not have the cops called on us for doing normal, everyday activities. My son has the good fortune to worry more about what his parents will do when he tells them he got pulled over than what the cop will do when he or she pulls him over.

But this also goes much deeper than those issues. Racism has become ingrained in so many facets of our country—education, jobs, health care, housing, and the list goes on—that I can see why many have reached a boiling point, yelling “Listen to me” with their actions. We shouldn’t be surprised.

A TEACHING MOMENT

In one of my previous columns, I wrote about how I needed to learn to stop talking sometimes and just listen to what my kids have to say—not give them answers, not try to explain things, just keep quiet and let them lead the conversation. I continually have to remind myself that they have a voice that needs to be heard and things that they can teach me. So I’m going to stop talking now.

Growing up, one of the lessons my parents taught my sisters and me was that we shouldn’t comment on anything until we knew what we were talking about. I don’t know what it’s like to be an African American or the struggles that come with it. I never will. That’s exactly why I’m going to remember that lesson right now and keep my mouth shut but my ears open, ready to listen and learn. I suggest we all do the same thing.

LIGHTEN Up! WORD FIND

Y R S S I I U Z C O O N R N A E A R N Z F E D N G T R R E P A Z S Y G K B I P A F S S T J T E N I O T A L A

WINNING CAPTION!

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PETE&REPEAT

I N I T Y B T N R G S N L R A Y E A R C S Y K S E Y E T E E E V V T D F U N Z D J T V X A E N T E E A D E T I N U U S U U E U K S N S N R A Y E R F A I J P R Q E A X P O

MANHATTAN MASTERCLASS METANOIA NEVADA ORDER POPE PRAYER QUEENSHIP RETREAT

C H O O L U X L M W T Z L M A E I F R I E N D S H I P E X L Y V R A A T T A H N A M M Y R A E K I S Q E A C H I N G H D T B J R A E P D E R I F D L I W B G O Z Z I R T C

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