Year: 2023

Reviews of “The Creator,” “A Million Miles Away” and “Kenyatta,” as well as a podcast preview and two film festival wrap-ups, are all in the latest Movies with Meaning post on the web site of The Good Media Network, available by clicking here ...

“Kenyatta: Do Not Wait Your Turn” (2023). Cast: Malcolm Kenyatta, Matthew Jordan-Miller Kenyatta, John Fetterman, Conor Lamb, Lee Daniels, Holly Otterbein, Mary Kenyatta, Chardae Jones. Archive Footage: Muhammed Kenyatta. Director: Timothy Harris. Web site. Trailer. Regrettably, convincing idealism is an increasingly rare commodity in political circles these days. With so many politicians looking out for themselves and their cronies, it’s become difficult to find those we can genuinely trust. Indeed, how are we supposed to put our faith in what they say? Every so often, though, there are those who come along who appear to defy such low expectations. These charismatic individuals tend to exude authenticity, usually because they’ve emerged out of circumstances comparable to those being experienced by their constituents. And that relatability, in turn, generates believability among voters and the hope that these figures can accomplish in office what they profess to do during their campaigns. That’s the kind of credibility to come out of the new film biography of a possible rising star in the political world, “Kenyatta: Do Not Wait Your Turn.” State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D-PA) may not be a household name as yet, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be at some point. The ...

Tune in for the latest Cinema Scribe segment on Bring Me 2 Life Radio, beginning Tuesday October 24, available by clicking here. You can also catch it later on demand on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Podchaser, Audible, Deezer, Podcast Addict and Jiosaavn ...

“A Million Miles Away” (2023). Cast: Michael Peña, Rosa Salazar, Julio Cesar Cedillo, Veronica Falcón, Bobby Soto, Juan Pablo Monterrubio, Michelle Krusiec, Garret Dilahunt, Jordan Dean, Eric Johnson, Sarayu Blue, Emma Fassler, Leonardo Granados. Director: Alejandra Márquez Abella. Screenplay: Bettina Gilois, Hernán Jiménez and Alejandra Márquez Abella. Book: José Hernández, Reaching for the Stars: The Inspiring Story of a Migrant Farmworker Turned Astronaut. Web site. Trailer. We all have aspirations we’d love to see fulfilled. Much depends, of course, on how diligent, committed and enthusiastic we are at putting in the legwork to see things through. But perhaps even more important is how strongly we believe in the dream’s realization. If that’s not in place, the rest of this effort may fade away over time or not fall into place at all. So how determined are we when it comes to the strength of our faith and conviction? That’s the question raised in an inspiring new fact-based biopic about an ambitious young boy who strives to overcome the formidable odds seemingly stacked against him, “A Million Miles Away.” Young José Hernández (Juan Pablo Monterrubio) underwent a difficult childhood. As a Mexican-American migrant farm worker harvesting crops in California, he travelled ...

As this year’s edition of the Chicago International Film Festival winds down, I’ve completed my screenings for 2023. I viewed seven films in all, which is considerably fewer than in recent years, for a variety of reasons (cost, venues, programming), and I must admit I’m coming away from the event somewhat disappointed. This was not one of CIFF’s better efforts, both for the foregoing reasons and for some staging and logistical issues that left much to be desired, especially given a hefty increase in ticket prices. And, as for the films I watched, with two exceptions, I was somewhat underwhelmed by them (somewhat ironic given that the ones I liked most were the first two screenings I attended – what a letdown considering what followed). With that said, then, here’s what I watched and what I thought of those films: “All Happy Families” (USA) (5/5); Letterboxd (4.5/5), Imdb.com (9/10), TMDB.com (4.5/5); Web site Movie portrayals of family life often leave much to be desired when it comes to authenticity (especially for offerings on the Hallmark Channel). So it’s genuinely refreshing when a film comes along that depicts these stories with honesty while being eminently entertaining at the same time. Such ...

The 41st annual edition of Chicago’s Reeling International LGBTQ+ Film Festival is now in the books, having featured an array of narrative, documentary and short films in theaters and online. The event featured a strong lineup of offerings, even though I didn’t screen as many films as I have in past years. In all, I managed to catch nine films during the festival’s two-week run. So, with that said, here’s my take on what I watched and what I thought. “Kenyatta: Do Not Wait Your Turn” (USA) (5/5); Letterboxd (5/5), Imdb.com (10/10), TMDB.com (5/5); Web site Trailer In an age when politicians on both sides of the aisle are increasingly being seen as incompetent, self-serving and inauthentic, it’s refreshing to learn about one who apparently defies all of those traits. And viewers can now learn more about this inspiring individual in director Timothy Harris’s excellent debut documentary feature, a profile of Pennsylvania State Representative Malcolm Kenyatta (D), the first openly gay person of color to serve in the Commonwealth’s statehouse. The film focuses on Kenyatta’s 2022 run for the US Senate, a campaign fraught with financial difficulties, exaggerated questions of electability, biased punditry and media coverage, and a lack of ...