Happy Catholic*: Best of 2020

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Tuesday, January 5, 2021

Best of 2020 — Podcasts — updated

My top picks from podcasts I discovered last year. As always, they may be old, but my listening was brand new in 2020. In no particular order. Links are mostly in the podcast name.

The Burrowshire Podcast

Brandon Vogt and Fr. Blake Britton are best friends, two Millennial Catholics living near Orlando, FL. “The Burrowshire Podcast” is an extension of their friendship, sharing conversation about faith, culture, books, and the spiritual life.

I was turned onto this by my podcasting partner, Scott Danielson, who has really enjoyed it. I soon saw why. I already liked Brandon through his prolific blogging and work with Word on Fire. His conversations with Father Blake are really fun and inspiring. Their friendship comes through clearly and I love the way they view the world as they discuss topics ranging from Chesterton to faith and politics to leisure to the liturgy of the hours. The podcast is aimed at millennials but you don't have to be that age group, as Scott and I can attest.

Morning Glory — updated

An hour-long Catholic morning show hosted by Gloria Purvis and Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, this ranges far and wide in topics from traditional Catholic devotions to current events and the Catholic response.

I've become a daily listener even though I don't always agree with some of the takes on current events. But there is always a Catholic focus with which I can agree and my point in listening isn't to be agreed with, but to be informed. Sometimes being challenged is part of being informed. If nothing else, it makes me think through my own views more thoroughly. (Links and my review here.)

UPDATE: I was very sorry to hear today that EWTN cancelled Morning Glory. I'm going to miss it from my daily schedule, especially since I don't think there was anything else like it out there. It was the only EWTN show I listened to, which testifies to its uniqueness since Catholic radio is not my thing.

Episodic Table of Elements

A science-history podcast exploring the culture and chemistry behind every element on the periodic table. Each episode stands on its own, but the show does provide a basic chemistry education that builds on itself over time.

I enjoy the way the podcaster finds unusual stories or links to the elements.

Shelf Wear

Scott Danielson (my partner in crime from the A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast) invites friends to participate in book and story discussions. No particular theme except that each friend picks a book they love. It has provided an eclectic set of books for consideration.

American Catholic History

American Catholic History finds the hidden gems and compelling stories of Catholic Americans who have contributed to their nation by virtue of their faith over the past three centuries.

The topics range from people (Frank Capra, James Longstreet, Babe Ruth) to places (Loretto Staircase, St. Mary's in Galveston) to events (Annie Moore as the first immigrant to pass through the gates of Ellis Island). At about 10 minutes per episode it is short enough to fit into any schedule and I look forward to it each week.

Novel Conversations

Frank Lavallo hosts two readers and the three of them summarize the world’s greatest works of classic literature, giving their reactions along the way. If SparkNotes had an audio best friend, it would be us!

This is wonderful for listening to if you don't ever plan to read the book but want a good overview. Conversely it has lured me into interest in books I wouldn't have otherwise considered. For example Cannery Row is on my 2021 To Read list because of listening to this podcast.

Classic Movie Musts

A weekly movie podcast that aims to provide artistic and historical context to classic films. So whether you’re seeing our featured movie for the first time, the 10th time, or sometime in between, this podcast is meant to be a fun and helpful companion guide to classic movies.

This is one of my favorites. The only caveat is that the description covers the whole movie plot so if you don't want spoilers then skip that episode until you've watched it.

Catholic Answers Live

A daily, two-hour radio Q&A program dedicated to Catholic apologetics and evangelization.

This is the sort of thing I usually don't like. However, Rose has become very knowledgeable about the faith after regularly listening to it to help her RCIA small group. So I thought — hey, what can it hurt? I mostly listen to Jimmy Akin's episodes but they've got something for everyone.

Soundtrack Podcasts

I did a feature on these earlier this year. Read about them here.

From the Great Library of Dreams

Mr. Jim Moon reads classic tales of the weird and the wonderful! Here you will find stories of the magical, the mysterious, the marvelous, and the macabre!

This used to be a feature of the Hypnogoria podcast which has now been pulled into a different spot in order to just feature the stories. I really like the readings of these weird tales.

Monday, January 4, 2021

Best of 2020 — Movies

My top 10 picks from the over 130 movies we watched last year. PLUS the movies I'm proudest of watching.

As always, the movies may be old, but my viewing was brand new in 2020. In no particular order.

PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT

Don

1978, starring Amitabh Bachchan

I loved this, though it would never go on my "best of" list. The accomplishment was in watching a 1970's Hindi movie and loving it. That's something I thought I'd never be able to do. But I've seen so many now that it just seemed to come naturally.

2020 BEST MOVIES

War

If you want an action thriller with a lot of over the top lines, big in Bollywood acting, and two top male stars in exotic locations doing impossible stunts ... then this is your movie. We really enjoyed it, including my 85 year old mother who laughed through a lot of it (as we did too - over the top, remember?) and said she never needed to watch another action movie. "This one captured the essence of all of them," she said. (My review here.)

Kumbalangi Nights

Four brothers, a sleepy fishing village, and very unexpected twists. As the story goes on it is clear the director is telling us about families, how they are formed, and how they grow. The movie's twists were truly unexpected and there is a clear religious element that interested us as Kumbalangi is about 40% Christian. (My review here.)

The Warrior

A warrior renounces violence only to become prey himself. This is the movie that persuaded Irrfan Khan to continue acting and was pitched to him as almost being a silent film. That may not mean much to those who don't know Khan but the Indian film world owes this a great debt. It is a movie with spare dialogue, gorgeous settings, and the acting done with great subtlety, even as many of the actions show the brutality that accompanies being a warrior. It is hard to describe this but the rewards are great. (More reviews here.)

Gaslight

If you only know the term "gaslight" but not where it came from, then you need to watch this movie. After the murder of her aunt, Paula Alquist (Ingrid Bergman) leaves London for Italy to start a new life. While there, she falls in love with the charming Gregory Anton (Charles Boyer). They marry and return to London where Paula begins to notice strange goings-on: missing pictures, strange footsteps in the night, and gaslights that dim without being touched. As she fights to retain her sanity, her new husband's intentions come into question.(My review here.)

Mughal-E-Azam

A classic 1960 Hindi epic — Prince Saleem chooses love over throne. This perpetrates a war between the prince and his father the great Mughal Emperor Akbar, and threatens to bring an empire to its knees.

We watched this as part of our education in the great Indian films and to see some of the great actors of Bollywood fame. I liked the acting and the poetic nature of the dialogue. I especially loved the classical Hindi dancing and singing. It really made me think of some of the big old Hollywood movies and on that basis I could understand it even better.(My review here.)

Ford v Ferrari

American car designer Carroll Shelby and the British-born driver Ken Miles work together to battle corporate interference, the laws of physics, and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company and take on the dominating race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966. This is more of a character study of friendship than of following the story of the car development in a strictly truthful way. Nonetheless we all enjoyed it a lot.

Billu

This was really charming. A barber's claim to be friends with a mega-star is put to the test when a movie is shot in his small village featuring, of course, that star. We are left wondering if the barber is telling the truth and what will happen if he can manage to meet the star face-to-face.

I am hard put to think of another movie that successfully blends big movie glitz with thoughtful small village reality, or in other words Shah Rukh Khan's style with Irrfan Khan's. But this one pulls it off.
(My review here.)

Karan Arjun

What fun it is with Salman and Shah Rukh being murdered and reincarnated and coming home to avenge the landlord's crimes against the family. Just as mummy wanted!

I especially enjoy the mother and the goddess Kali's involvement - two mothers knowing what's right, even is one of them is a bloodthirsty goddess holding a human head. Definitely for advanced Bollywood viewers. Otherwise it is just going to seem like one of those old, weird Indian movies.

Johnny Gaddaar

Vikram decides to elope with his girlfriend Mini for a better life. For this purpose he decides to steal the money collected by his business partners for a drug deal. Everything goes horribly wrong.

An homage to French neo-noir while being a wonderful example of that very thing. Definitely recommended and you don't have to be a Bollywood fan to appreciate this film. It is Hollywood quality, despite coming from India. (My review here.)

Sarvam Thaala

This is the tale of a young man struggling to overcome the hurdles of low caste and shallowness (and possibly his Christianity if I read some of the derogatory comments from the villain correctly) to learn classical Indian drum playing from a master artist.

We all know the familiar beats of such a story but this movie hit them so well and enjoyably that this was a real crowd pleaser for our family. It's an engaging movie that an adventurous American viewer would like. (My review here.)

Friday, January 1, 2021

Best of 2020 — Books

My top 10 picks from the over 190 books I read last year. PLUS the books I'm proudest of having read.

You may find old books here but if they're on this list, then they were new to me! In no particular order.

PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT

Crime and Punishment

by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

I got through this with the help of the Close Reads Patreon episodes. Generally riveting but not my favorite. However, it was something I thought I'd never read so I'm happy I read it.

2020 BEST BOOKS

For the Life of the World

by Alexander Schmemann

Any Christian can get a great deal of insight and inspiration from this wonderful book. He looks at the connection between daily life and the sacraments and liturgy of the church. As a result, we are repeatedly drawn into fresh realizations about how present God is in everyday life ... and how connected that is with the liturgy.One of the most inspirational books I've ever read.

(Full review here.)

So You Want to Be a Wizard

Diane Duane

Nita and Kit find a book that unlocks their power to be wizards. They wind up on a dangerous quest to defend good against the evil Lone Power. This is a book for kids and those parts are standard. However, Duane's world-building is stellar and that is what elevates these to the level adults can enjoy. The second half blew my mind.

(Read reviews here.)

Lincoln's Battle with God

by Stephen Mansfield

Throughout his life, Lincoln fought with God. ... On the day he was shot, Lincoln said he longed to go to Jerusalem to walk in the Savior’s steps.What was the journey that took Abraham Lincoln from outspoken atheist to a man who yearned to walk in the footsteps of Christ?

An even-handed telling of Lincoln's faith journey. Yes, he had one.

(My full review here.)

Miss Buncle's Book

by D.E. Stevenson

A light and delightful story about Miss Buncle who is greatly in need of money and so writes a book about the people in her village. This book causes a great uproar as people see themselves in the mirror and react with outrage or thoughtfulness, often in ways that mimic the book and changes people's lives ... including Miss Buncle's.

The Splendid and the Vile

(A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz)
by Erik Larson

Erik Larson looks at Churchill's ability to lead and inspire when things seemed hopeless, which is to say during the time before the Americans finally entered the war. He does a fantastic job of making you feel you understood those struggles, those times, and those people. By the last third of the book I was fully invested in the people and the story. In fact, I had tears of joy about the victory celebrations.

When Books Went to War

by Molly Guptill Manning

I am used to the image (probably from movies) of a WWII soldier pulling out a book to read in a spare moment, any time, anywhere. However, I didn't realize the huge effort that went into helping our soldiers' morale stay high by providing those very books. This book tells that story.

(My full review.)

Chicken Every Sunday

(My Life with Mother's Boarders)

by Rosemary Taylor

One of the boarders who ate Mother's chicken every Sunday summed it up when he said, "I was told that in your house I'd have good food and some fun." They all had fun, and they all became part of the family.

When Books Went to War kept mentioning this as one of the top books the troops liked and read aloud to each other in gales of laughter. I can see why. It kind of feels like Cheaper by the Dozen but is funny in a different way. It also touches on more adult themes, albeit in completely acceptable, subtle ways because this being told through the author's childhood memories and understanding. It makes you feel as if you are in on the jokes from an adult's view.

(My review here.)

Tuyo

by Rachel Neumeier

Ryo has been left as a sacrifice in the hopes that their enemy will allow the rest of the warband to escape into the wilds of the forest. So we start with Ryo waiting for his fate and wishing he could take back his angry words to his older brother, who’d made the painful decision to leave him. While also hoping that he doesn’t disgrace himself by buckling in the face of torture and trying to prepare himself for the upcoming encounter. However, in the event, he isn’t remotely ready for who he ends up facing…— Good Reads review

I loved this old school fantasy set in a wonderfully imagined world. It was fresh, imaginative, and original.

The Square Emerald

by Edgar Wallace

At one point Edgar Wallace was one of the top-selling mystery authors in England. His books often have ridiculously complicated plots and big twists.

What a delight this was. Edgar Wallace often writes strong, intelligent women as side characters or, in the case of a favorite of mine - Angel of Terror - villainesses, but here we have a true female detective driving the story. In fact, this was very female-centric because the villain is also a woman.