USCCB Movie Reviews The above link will connect you to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop's movie and video reviews. They contain a brief overview of many movies with the USCCB's classification and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) rating. They may have a comment on any inappropriate language or violence in the film. You may also want to check out the Catholic News Service capsule movie reviews. Edgewood College Arts Schedule Madison, Wis. Admission is free unless otherwise noted. Art exhibits take place in DeRicci Gallery, DeRicci Hall. Concerts take place in St. Joseph Chapel, Regina Hall, unless otherwise noted. The Edgewood College theatre is in Regina Hall. For theatre tickets, contact the Theatre Box Office, 608-663-6710 or TheatreBoxOffice@edgewood.edu December, 2003 ART Dec. 7-19 Laurie Poast, Sonja Wilson Senior exhibition January, 2004 ART Jan. 11-Feb. 6 Randy O "Custodian of the Arts" Reception, Feb. 5, 5 p.m.

Media/Arts Briefs

Theater Bus travels to Fireside

Madison Marimba Quartet: Holiday concert

MADISON -- The eighth annual holiday concert billed as Our Gift to You-2003 will be given by the Madison Marimba Quartet on Saturday, Dec. 27, at 2 p.m. at Mills Concert Hall, at 455 N. Park St. (corner of Park and University) on the UW-Madison campus.

"The concert is free," says founder Jim Latimer. "We like the idea of giving something back to the community and giving families something to do the weekend between holidays. It's an idea that seems to be appreciated judging by the past seven annual concerts."

Music for the concert will feature holiday selections including the classical "A Child Is Born" by Thad Jones, "Nursery Rhyme Medley" (for the young at heart) by local arranger Frank Ferriano, and the ever so popular "The Girl from Ipanema" with some beautiful improvisations.

The more classical part of the program that demonstrates the full range of the marimba quartet includes "The Lark" which is the finale (vivace) movement from Haydn's Quartet No. 35; "Andante" from Schubert's Quartet in D Minor (more commonly called "Death and the Maiden") and Edvard Grieg's Quartet in G Minor, Op. 27. Of the latter, quartet members say "Grieg must have had the marimba quartet in mind when he wrote it."

The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, call 608-835-9861.

TV Programs of Note

Following are some theatrical movies and television programs of note. This information is being provided to assist people in making viewing choices.

Monday-Friday, 2:30 p.m., Inspiration Channel (cable) -- Catholic Mass.

Monday-Sunday, 7 a.m., 11:10 a.m., 6 p.m., 11 p.m., EWTN (cable) -- Daily Mass. No 6 p.m. showing on Sunday.

Thursday, Dec. 18, 7 p.m., WHA (PBS) -- In Wisconsin. This program takes a look at various stories from around Wisconsin. Reporter Art Hackett looks at the history of ethanol plants in Wisconsin and arguments for and against building more facilities. The "Birds in Art" exhibit is an international show that brings the best in bird art to Wausau's Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum. In Wisconsin visits the 2003 exhibition. Milwaukee native Jean Driscoll won the wheelchair division of the Boston Marathon eight times. She now uses her life and athletic experiences to inspire and motivate physically challenged children.

Friday, Dec. 19, 10 p.m., WHA (PBS) -- Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Andreas Delfs leads 13 MSO musicians in a performance of A Siegfried Idyll, Richard Wagner's birthday present for his wife, Cosima. Then the orchestra presents pianistic fireworks, as Jean-Yves Thibaudet plays Franz Liszt's impassioned Concerto No. 2.

Friday, Dec. 19, 11 p.m., EWTN (cable) -- Jewish Roots of Catholicism. Many elements of Catholicism have their roots in Judaism. Bob Fishman, a Jewish convert himself, develops this theme through stories about the great Jewish saints, holidays, and practices which became integrated into Catholicism. Repeats 1 a.m. Dec. 20.

Sunday, Dec. 21, 7 a.m., WISC (CBS) -- Christmas Day Mass. Celebrated by Bishop George O. Wirz, sponsored by Apostolate to the Handicapped. Repeats 6 a.m. Dec. 25.

Sunday, Dec. 21, 8 p.m., EWTN (cable) -- Devotion to the Christ Child. Fr. Benedict Groeschel reflects upon the Messiah. Repeats 4 a.m. Dec. 23 and 10 a.m. Dec. 26.

Tuesday, Dec. 23, 9 p.m., WHA (PBS) -- Get the Fire! Young Mormon Missionaries Abroad. Follows three 19-year-olds who are sent to Germany for 22 months to spread their faith, typifying a Mormon tradition of expecting young men to put their lives on hold for two years and speak of God to everyone they meet.

Wednesday, Dec. 24, 7 p.m., WMSN (Fox) -- Anastasia (1997). Appealing animated musical about the czar's youngest daughter (voice of Meg Ryan) who survives the Bolshevik Revolution to grow up in an orphanage with only faint memories of her family, then meets a handsome con man (voice of John Cusack) who takes her to Paris where her one surviving relative lives. Directors Don Bluth and Gary Goldman turn history into a fairy tale with the enchantment of lush animation and spirited musical numbers. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification of the theatrical version was A-I - general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating was G - general audiences.

Friday, Dec. 26, 11 p.m., WHA (PBS) -- The Yearling. From the best-seller by Major Rawlings, the film tells the story of a young boy in Florida and his pet fawn that his father must destroy.

Saturday, Dec. 27, 7 p.m., WKOW (ABC) -- The Sound of Music (1965). Particularly fine screen version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical about the formative years of the Trapp Family Singers in Austria between the two world wars. Directed by Robert Wise, the movie has held up over the years as thoroughly refreshing family entertainment. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification of the theatrical version was A-I - general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating was G - general audiences.

Holiday programs on Catholic radio

The following holiday programs will be featured on WHFA (1240 AM) in Madison:

• Monday, Dec. 22, 1 p.m. -- Reasons for the Season. The third 30-minute segment of this three-part reflection series features Bishop Robert C. Morlino, who will talk about the true meaning of the holiday season. Repeats 11 p.m. Dec. 22 and 9 a.m. Dec. 23.

• Wednesday, Dec. 24, 5 p.m. -- Solemn Mass of Christmas Eve with Pope John Paul II live from St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

• Wednesday, Dec. 24, 9 p.m. -- Choral meditations and Solemn Mass of Christmas Eve live from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, D.C.

• Thursday, Dec. 25, 5 a.m. -- Urbi et Orbi. Live broadcast of the Holy Father's Christmas message.

• Thursday, Dec. 25, 11 a.m. -- Solemn Mass of Christmas Day live from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, D.C.