Year: 2024

Reviews of “Problemista,” “The Eternal Memory” and “Beyond Utopia,” along with my Oscar scorecard and a film festival wrap-up, all in the latest Movies with Meaning post on the web site of The Good Media Network, available by clicking here ...

“Beyond Utopia” (2023). Cast: Pastor Seungeun Kim, Hyeonseo Lee, Barbara Demick, Sue Mi Terry, Soyeon Lee, Hyukchang Woo, Yeongbok Woo, Yonggil Roh, Jinhae Roh, Jinpyeong Roh, Sunok Park. Archive Footage: Kim Il-Sung, Kim Jong-Il, Kim Jong-Un, Douglas MacArthur, Nikita Khruschev. Director: Madeleine Gavin. Web site. Trailer. Imagine living in a country where citizens are effectively not allowed to think for themselves, where their beliefs are determined for them. And the dogma used to drill those thoughts into their minds is so formidable and so pervasive that most residents readily capitulate, even reaching a point where they gladly and willingly comply with the dictates planted in their consciousness. They accept conditions for what they are and even celebrate them, readily buying into the notion that they’re living in some kind of paradise, deplorable circumstances to the contrary notwithstanding. However, when individuals are coerced into a situation where it’s impossible to know – or even believe – any differently, it’s not surprising that they comply. Nevertheless, there are those who can see through the relentless propaganda and willingly seek other options for themselves and their families, their courageous stories providing the basis for the mesmerizing documentary, “Beyond Utopia.” In today’s world, it’s ...

“Problemista” (2023 production, 2024 release). Cast: Julio Torres, Tilda Swinton, RZA, Catalina Saavedra, Laith Nakli, James Scully, Greta Lee, Larry Owens, Logan J. Alarcon-Poucel, Kelly McCormack, Greta Titelman, Theo Maltz, James Seol, Miles G. Jackson, Jason Furlani, River L. Ramirez, Ronald Peet, Carlos E. Navedo, Isabella Rossellini (narrator). Director: Julio Torres. Screenplay: Julio Torres. Web site. Trailer. Isn’t it amazing how failures can often lead to unexpected successes? Those missteps frequently have a way of opening meaningful doors, even if it doesn’t seem that way at the time they occur. An allegedly wrong turn, for instance, may lead us to a fortuitous synchronicity that pays off handsomely at some point – an outcome that may not have occurred were it not for that supposed error. But how readily aware are we that such developments can occur? That’s one of the uplifting insights to come out of the new absurdist comedy, “Problemista.” While growing up in El Salvador, young Alejandro Martinez (Logan J. Alarcon-Poucel) lived a special life. Under the watchful care of his attentive and loving mother, Dolores (Catalina Saavedra), the imaginative youngster was nurtured in the development of his innate creativity, particularly his ability to devise ideas for inventive ...

“The Eternal Memory” (“La memoria infinita”) (2023). Cast: Augusto Góngora, Paulina Urrutia, Javiera Góngora. Archive Footage: Raúl Ruiz, Cristobal Góngora. Director: Maite Alberdi. Screenplay: Maite Alberdi. Web site. Trailer. It’s been said that one of the most cherished hopes for a loving relationship is that its partners inevitably have someone with whom they can grow old together, a time when they can warmly look back on their time as a couple with fondness and treasured memories. Invariably, it’s an earnest, heartfelt exercise in diligently seeking to preserve as much as possible for as long as possible. But what happens when something occurs that threatens the viability of such a meaningful personal endeavor? How are the parties to such a profoundly momentous venture supposed to react when faced with the prospect of losing that connection, particularly the precious recollections of so many loving years together? Those are among the issues raised in the moving documentary/love story, “The Eternal Memory” (“La memoria infinita”). Renowned Chilean author/journalist Augusto Góngora and his wife, Paulina Urrutia, spent many happy years together. In that time, they built a solid, adoring relationship with one another, a tender, affectionate bond that almost took on storybook proportions. They were ...

In case you missed the March movie edition of the Frankiesense & More video podcast with yours truly and show host Frankie Picasso, you can now find it on Facebook by clicking here and YouTube by clicking here. Tune in for looks at four new films, one of 2024’s first film festivals and our Oscar predictions, which you can read more about here (and my post-Oscar scorecard here). Join us for all the fun and lively discussion! ...

So how did I do? I had a perfect six-for-six on this year’s predicted winners (and was happy with the results in each case). Here are the details: Best Picture The Field: “American Fiction,” “Anatomy of a Fall” (“Anatomie d’une chute”), “Barbie,” “The Holdovers,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Maestro,” “Oppenheimer,” “Past Lives,” “Poor Things,” “The Zone of Interest” Projected Winner:  “Oppenheimer” Actual Winner:  “Oppenheimer” Result: Correct call “Oppenheimer” was handily the best film of 2023, and it won virtually everything in the competitions in the run-up to the Oscars. Consequently, its victory on awards night came as no surprise – a deserving win for a deserving film whose juggernaut momentum simply could not be stopped. In all, the picture took home seven statues – best picture, actor (see below), supporting actor (see below), director (see below), cinematography, film editing and original score – on 13 total nominations, the most of any film in the running this year. The other nine nominees didn’t stand much of a chance. Best Actor The Field:  Bradley Cooper, “Maestro”; Colman Domingo, “Rustin”; Paul Giamatti, “The Holdovers”; Cillian Murphy, “Oppenheimer”; Jeffrey Wright, “American Fiction” Projected Winner:  Cillian Murphy, “Oppenheimer” Actual Winner:  Cillian Murphy, “Oppenheimer” Result: ...