Year: 2015

“Land Ho!” (2014). Cast: Earl Lynn Nelson, Paul Eenhoorn, Karrie Crouse, Elizabeth McKee, Alice Olivia Clarke, Benjamin Kasulke, Christina Jennings, Emmsjé Gauti, Amy Yoder, Halldóra Guðjónsdóttir. Directors: Aaron Katz and Martha Stephens. Screenplay: Aaron Katz and Martha Stephens. Web site. Trailer. Keeping life interesting is something we’d all like to pursue. But that can become challenging, especially if we allow impediments and limitations to get in our way. It’s under those sorts of circumstances, then, that we must make a concerted effort to maintain the excitement and enthusiasm. So it is for a pair of retirees in the delightful, award-winning independent comedy, “Land Ho!” Life is rather lonely for Mitch (Earl Lynn Nelson), a divorced, retired surgeon who’s having some trouble adjusting to being on his own with too much time on his hands. He finds he can spend only so much time on housework and cooking and looks desperately for some kind of diversion to bring a little excitement into a life whose days are, for what it’s worth, beginning to wane. Ironically enough, upon receiving some sad news, he gets an idea. When Mitch learns of the passing of his ex-wife’s sister, he gets in touch with her ...

“Testament of Youth (2015 release, 2014 production). Cast: Alicia Vikander, Taron Egerton, Colin Morgan, Kit Harington, Dominic West, Emily Watson, Miranda Richardson, Joanna Scanlan, Hayley Atwell, Anna Chancellor, Nicholas Le Prevost, Daisy Waterstone, Jonathan Bailey, Henry Garrett, Alexandra Roach, Niamh Cusack, Laura Elsworthy, Naomi Everson. Director: James Kent. Screenplay: Juliette Towhidi. Book: Vera Brittain, Testament of Youth. Web site. Trailer. Fewer things are more potent than an idea. It may take some time and effort for it to take hold, but the impact it may ultimately have can be considerable, often far greater than anything initially imagined. This can be especially true when it comes to the birth of new social movements, notions that can affect society – and even the world – at large. A fine example of how this plays out can now be seen in the emotive new historical memoir, “Testament of Youth.” During a time of shifts in public opinion and social values, it can be difficult to maintain the status quo, especially among those who are helping to drive those forces of change. So it was in 1914 England with Vera Brittain (Alicia Vikander), a headstrong, self-assured, independent thinker with aspirations far different from those ...

I’m thrilled to announce that my second book, Consciously Created Cinema: The Movie Lover’s Guide to the Law of Attraction, has been reviewed in the latest edition of Nexus magazine! To find out more, click here ...

Find out the latest about some great new books and movies by checking out the summer edition of Reviewers Roundtable on New Consciousness Review radio, featuring Miriam Knight, Cynthia Sue Larson and yours truly. The one-hour broadcast includes looks at eight new books and my reviews of three terrific films, “Selma,” “She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry” and “Pride.” Tune in by clicking here ...

“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” (2015). Cast: Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler, Olivia Cooke, Nick Offerman, Connie Britton, Molly Shannon, Jon Bernthal, Katherine C. Hughes, Matt Bennett, Masam Holden, Bobb’e J. Thompson, Gavin Dietz, Edward DeBruce III. Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon. Screenplay: Jesse Andrews. Book: Jesse Andrews, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. Web site. Trailer. Finding one’s place in the world can be a daunting challenge, especially when ideas of how to do so are elusive. But sometimes our inspiration comes from the unlikeliest of circumstances. That’s the scenario that unfolds in the engaging new comedy-drama, “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.” High school senior Greg Gaines (Thomas Mann) desperately wants to fit in with his classmates. But, given the many diverse subcultures that make up the student body at Pittsburgh’s Schenley High, he can’t decide which group to call his tribe. As a consequence, he spends most of his time hiding out in a sort of social anonymity, developing only superficial associations with his peers. In fact, about the only person he considers a friend is his longtime buddy Earl Jackson (RJ Cyler), a childhood pal with whom he clandestinely makes short films parodying classic works ...

“Love & Mercy” (2014 production, 2015 release). Cast: Paul Dano, John Cusack, Elizabeth Banks, Paul Giamatti, Jake Abel, Kenny Wormald, Brett Davern, Graham Rogers, Max Schneider, Erin Darke, Bill Camp, Johnny Sneed, Diana Maria Riva, Fred Cross, Oliver Pohlad. Director: Bill Pohlad. Screenplay: Oren Moverman and Michael Alan Lerner. Story: The life story of Brian Wilson. Web site. Trailer. Learning selectivity can be challenging in almost any undertaking. That’s especially true if we lack the means to effectively sort through the many options available to us. In fact, without such a filter, we may quickly find ourselves overwhelmed, circumstances that can have devastating consequences, as seen in the engaging new biopic, “Love & Mercy.” In the early 1960s, the Beach Boys made a huge splash on the American pop music scene with their distinctive California sound and catchy surfer tunes. The driving force behind the group was founder Brian Wilson (Paul Dano), who assembled the band with his brothers Dennis (Kenny Wormald) and Carl (Brett Davern), cousin Mike Love (Jake Abel), and friend Al Jardine (Graham Rogers). Within a short time, the group’s popularity exploded, quickly becoming a national, and then global, phenomenon. By 1965, however, things began to change ...