Year: 2023

“The Swimmers” (2022). Cast: Nathalie Issa, Manal Issa, Ali Suliman, Ahmed Malek, James Krishna Floyd, Nahel Tzegai, Matthias Schweighöfer, Kinda Alloush. Director: Sally El Hosaini. Screenplay: Sally El Hosaini and Jack Thorne. Web site. Trailer. When the odds are stacked against us, it may be easy to turn our backs to the challenges confronting us. Such scenarios could readily be viewed as simply too daunting, not worth the expenditure of time, energy and commitment needed to overcome them. However, in considering the potential rewards available, it’s possible to have a change of heart, prompting us to take them on, regardless of the downsides involved. Some may see such undertakings as Quixotic tasks, but others may look upon them as an opportunity for personal growth, a chance to stretch and unearth capabilities we never knew we had. Such are the possibilities explored in the new, fact-based drama, “The Swimmers.” It’s 2011, and the teenage Mardini sisters, Yusra (Nathalie Issa) and Sara (Mana Issa), enjoy a comfortable life in the suburbs of Damascus, Syria. As avid competitive swimmers, they spend a lot of their time at a lavishly appointed local pool, a fun-filled setting that looks like something out of a California ...

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In this third and final installment of my best and worst films of 2022, I present my list of choices in the year’s documentary films. Thankfully, 2022 was an excellent year for this genre, with films covering a broad range of subjects that I watched in theaters, online and at film festivals. And, fortunately, 2022’s documentaries did not befall much of the overhyped “masterpiece” characterization attributed to some of the year’s vastly overrated narrative features. In the interest of full disclosure, I did not see every documentary released in 2022 (who realistically could?), but I have seen nearly all of the major contenders (although there are a few I’ve yet to screen given that they have not gone into widespread release as yet). However, based on what I have watched, here are my Top 10 documentaries of 2022, followed by my list of 10 honorable mentions and a list of a few noteworthy and disappointing offerings. Top 10 Countdown 10. “Wildcat” (USA) Web site Trailer Blog When one is spiraling downward and hopes for the future look dim, it may seem that there’s no coming back from one’s troubles. So it was for Harry Turner, a British soldier who was ...

“Wildcat” (2022). Cast: Harry Turner, Samantha Zwicker, Jayden Turner, Mark Turner, Colette Turner, Khan, Keanu. Directors: Trevor Frost and Melissa Lesh. Web site. Trailer. They say that, when one door closes, another one opens. That may be hard to envision, and even more difficult to see, at the time that predecessor portal slams shut. It can easily leave us disillusioned, bitter and hopeless. However, during these transitionary periods, it may take some time for that new entry way to open up. And we often may not realize we’ve walked through it until we find ourselves in vastly different – and often quite rewarding – circumstances. The trick, of course, is leaving ourselves open to the possibility and making the effort to recognize it when it occurs. Such is the scenario explored in the uplifting new documentary, “Wildcat.” When British soldier Harry Turner returned home from his tour of duty in Afghanistan, he was a changed person – and not in a good way. Having witnessed the unspeakable carnage of war firsthand, he came away from the experience severely distraught, afflicted with PTSD, depression and suicidal thoughts. He truly began to believe that there was nothing worth living for, and he ...

“To Leslie” (2022). Cast: Andrea Riseborough, Allison Janney, Stephen Root, Owen Teague, Marc Maron, Andre Royo, James Landry Hébert, Catfish Jean, Matt Laurian, Mac Brandt, Tom Virtue, Lauren Letherer, Kourtney Amanda, Arabella Grant, Sewell Whitney, Drew Youngblood. Director: Michael Morris. Screenplay: Ryan Binaco. Web site. Trailer. Getting back on one’s feet after a hard fall can be unbearably difficult. In addition to the strength and stamina required to stand back up, there are those poised to keep the downtrodden on the ground, their boots firmly and mercilessly planted on those making the valiant effort to lift themselves up. But recovery and redemption are possible with the right mix of affirmed beliefs and concerted followup actions, an outcome explored in the gripping new fact-based drama, “To Leslie.” There was a time when everybody thought Leslie Rowlands (Andrea Riseborough) was on top of the world. When she hauled in a windfall from a Texas lottery win, she became a local celebrity and was seen as having enough money to make her and her young son, James (Drew Youngblood), happy and contented for a long time, if not for the rest of their lives. If only things had turned out that way. Years ...

It’s that time of year again, the release of my lists of best and worst films of the year. In my previous blog entry, I looked at 2022’s finest. But now it’s time to turn the tables. Thankfully, 2022 was a better year for movies than either of 2020 or 2021 (pandemic considerations notwithstanding). I was pleased to have screened a wealth of fine pictures in theaters, at festivals and online. However, despite that, 2022 still had more than its share of overrated, overhyped releases that, in my opinion, were erroneously labeled “masterpieces.” And that’s part of what this blog entry examines (though some others were just plain bad in their own right). I know some readers will disagree with me on some of these choices, but please don’t throw anything at your computer or smart phone screens; it’s just my opinion, not the end of the world. In the interest of full disclosure, I did not see every movie released in 2022 (who realistically could?), but I have seen nearly all of the major contenders (although there are a few I’ve yet to see given that they have not gone into widespread release as yet). In addition, as per ...