This week, Film Fresh brings you ANGELS & DEMONS, the prequel to the 2006 blockbuster THE DA VINCI CODE. Based upon the best-selling book by Dan Brown, ANGELS & DEMONS is directed by Ron Howard and stars Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor and Ayelet Zurer.

This story of Catholic conspiracy grossed $46 million when it opened last May, and it went on to make nearly $500 million in total ticket sales.  (more)

The release of the film generated a bit of controversy due to its representation of the Catholic Church. President of the Catholic League Bill Donohue accused both the film and book it was based upon of being anti-Catholic. Donohue’s wanted to ensure that audiences saw the film as a fable “based on malicious myths.” (more)

In David Denby's review published in THE NEW YORKER, he argues that, “Brown and now Ron Howard have added an incendiary element to trash—open hostility toward the Catholic Church.” (more)

Richard Corliss of TIME, however, came to the film’s defense. In his positive review, Corliss writes, “[ANGELS & DEMONS] portrays the Catholic hierarchy as the victim, not the perpetrator, of a grandly evil plot.” (more)

In an interview with the TELEGRAPH, director Ron Howard explained what he ultimately believes the film says about the church. (more)

Give ANGELS & DEMONS a view and decide for yourself.

After making a name for himself with the documentary THE KING OF KONG: A FISTFUL OF QUARTERS, filmmaker Seth Gordon returned with the holiday comedy FOUR CHRISTMASES. Starring Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon, the film tells the story of a couple who are forced to spend the holidays with their extended family.

In an interview published in the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Gordon discusses how he went from an indie documentarian to big-budget Hollywood director. (more)

Writer/director Robert Rodriguez seems to alternate between doing exploitation gore fests and family friendly kids movies. SHORTS is one of the filmmaker’s latter endeavors. SHORTS tells multiple interweaving stories surrounding a colorful rock that grants wishes. While the film only earned $6.4 million in the U.S., it received favorable reviews from some top critics. Claudia Puig of USA TODAY called it, “Fast-paced, imaginative and often cute” (more) and Amy Biancolli of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE says the film is “a wild kinetic jumble of images, ideas and flying-candy-bar product placement that would offend if it weren't so forthright.” (more)

New to our Indie section is THE MAIDEN HEIST. Starring Christopher Walken, Morgan Freeman, William H. Macy and Marcia Gay Harden, the film premiered at the Edinurgh International Film Festival in May of last year, but lost its distribution deal after the Yari Film Group declared bankruptcy. (more) Now this comedy of three museum security guards who plot to steal valuable artworks finally comes to audiences on DVD and DivX download.