Art is one of the first tools of protesters. It appears in the form of protest tags, signs, and banners. It appears in clothing, philosophy, and in song. In 1987, Avram Finkelstein, Brian Howard, Oliver Johnston, Charles Kreloff, Chris Lione,… Read More ›
film festival
Director Kyra Sedgwick’s “Space Oddity” implores audiences not to travel in a tin can alone. [Tribeca Film Festival]
“For here Am I sitting in a tin can Far above the world Planet Earth is blue And there’s nothing I can do – David Bowie, “Space Oddity.” With all the arguments about what is or isn’t the natural order,… Read More ›
Dramedy “Pink Moon” may not grip you, but it’ll worm its way into your ear like a tune you can’t quite identify. [Tribeca Film Festival]
Astronomically speaking, a “Pink Moon” is the full moon of spring, appearing in April. The moon itself doesn’t change in color, but it gets its name from blooming phlox, a pinkish flower. Because of the period in which the Pink… Read More ›
Fantastical drama “Blaze” is the burning fire that rages at the audacity of humankind to take what isn’t theirs. [Tribeca Film Festival]
Trigger Warning: S/A is a central feature of the film, along with the trial and survival process. Additionally, those with photosensitivities should be aware of scenes with strobing. Every day, being a woman gets harder and harder. If their rights… Read More ›
Jennifer Lopez-focused documentary “Halftime” offers a surprising chastisement for the entertainment industry which devours celebrity. [Tribeca Film Festival]
To most folks, Super Bowl LIV, the San Francisco 49ers vs. the Kansas City Chiefs, was a game like any other, an opportunity to cheer on their favorite team, to denounce their enemy, or gather together with friends and eat… Read More ›
Director Laura Checkoway’s “The Cave of Adullam” highlights the power of emotional regulation to break generational trauma. [Tribeca Film Festival]
Transformation of any kind requires not confidence, but commitment. Anyone who’s observed small children as their minds develop will tell you that it’s a miracle that the majority of us survive into adulthood given the commitment to explore one’s surroundings…. Read More ›
When one realizes that there’s always a “Next Exit,” life becomes an unending journey, not a quest with a hard stop. [Tribeca Film Festival]
**Trigger Warning: Next Exit explores concepts of life and death, which involves discussion/examination of self-harm, suicidal ideation, and euthanasia.** “On this bridge,” Lorca warns, “life is not a dream. Beware. And beware. And beware.” And so many think because Then… Read More ›
Meditative drama “Montana Story” offers provocative material to chew on, even if not totally satisfying in the conclusion. [SFFILM Festival]
After a nine year break from directing, filmmaking partners Scott McGehee and David Seigel (What Maisie Knew) return with family drama Montana Story, screening during SFFILM Festival 2022 and releasing in select theaters on May 13th courtesy of Bleecker Street…. Read More ›
Be transported back to the bittersweet moments of adolescence in Sophia Silver’s “Over/Under.” [SFFILM Festival]
Summer 1996 — I was 15 and spent several days with a childhood friend, Glen, his sister and her friend, and his father at a beach house on the Outer Banks. To this day, I remember the days we spent… Read More ›
Creating a near-first person perspective places audiences in the experiences of director Reid Davenport in “I Didn’t See You There.” [SFFILM Festival]
After directing a series of shorts, filmmaker Reid Davenport jumps to features with documentary I Didn’t See You There, an experimental film exploring identity, visibility, and the continued consequences of the circus freak show from his perspective as an individual… Read More ›
Sarah Jones’s docu-drama “Sell/Buy/Date” effectively blends the stage with the screen to create a challenging exploration of sex work. [SFFILM Festival]
Tony Award-winning playwright Sarah Jones (Bridge & Tunnel) has developed and performed in several one-person shows over her career. They’ve explored immigrants, prejudice, community, feminism, sex work, and more, tackling complex topics with humor without losing insight. Inspired by people… Read More ›
Rita Moreno is the teacher you love to hate in Maureen Bharoocha’s “The Prank.” [SXSW Film Festival]
School days offer bored kids the opportunity to imagine wild scenarios about notable teachers. Students love to speculate on the personal lives of their instructors and wonder what goes on after the bell. What if the rumors turn out to… Read More ›
Addison Heimann’s “Hypochondriac” is horror as therapy. [SXSW Film Festival]
Addison Heimann deals with the ghosts in his past by bringing them to light, inviting scrutiny from whoever chooses to open the Pandora’s box that is Hypochondriac. While few directors probably choose to enter the game with an exposé into… Read More ›
Cooper Raiff continues to deliver strong crowd-pleasing stories in his second feature, “Cha Cha Real Smooth.” [SXSW Film Festival]
There’s always *that* Sundance film each year that comes out the festival the most triumphant one way or another, whether it be from the awards it won or the stars it has within it or the amount of money a… Read More ›
“The Cow” fails to deliver on an intriguing concept. [SXSW Film Festival]
There was a viral tweet going around a few days ago from E! News with some truly stunning pictures of Anne Hathaway and a caption that read “Did Anne Hathaway make a deal with the devil? She is literally aging… Read More ›
Drama “To Leslie” offers another powerful leading role for Andrea Riseborough. [SXSW Film Festival]
Every gay has their actress, or at least the one that we consider “our own” in a way the mainstream doesn’t fully. Sure, we all generally love Gaga and Meryl and Glenn, and so many other classic gay icons, but… Read More ›
The horror of “Soft & Quiet” is in the truth of it, for better or worse. [SXSW Film Festival]
It’s often said that money is the root of all evil, and while over the course of all human history that might be true, in the modern era, it’s becoming more clear that white supremacy is the root of all… Read More ›
Sam Green’s experimental documentary “32 Sounds” is something you listen with, not to. [SXSW Film Festival]
What does it mean to sit in a moment? For some, it means to be present, to actively engage in the “now.” It implies an action, a movement made in order to seize what’s before you. It’s the difference between… Read More ›
Pete Ohs’s “Jethica” offers an approach to forgiveness and grief we’d all be better to consider. [SXSW Film Festival]
Jethica is a film that wastes no time in laying its narrative out on the table with a refreshing efficiency. No padding, no filler, no three hour runtime, just a film that has a statement to make, makes it, and… Read More ›
Aisha Dee slays in Australian horror comedy “Sissy.” [SXSW Film Festival]
We’ve all had our experiences with bullies. Some more than others, certainly, but looking back on the pitfalls of adolescence in the light of adulthood, there’s always that nagging voice in the back of your head telling you “If you… Read More ›