“Fireworks Wednesday” (“Chaharshanbe-soori”) (2006 production, 2016 release). Cast: Hamid Farakhnezhad, Hediyeh Tehrani, Taraneh Alidoosti, Pantea Bahram, Matin Heydaria, Sahar Dolatshahi. Director: Asghar Farhadi. Screenplay: Asghar Farhadi and Mani Haghighi. Web site. Trailer.What does it mean to be married? Does it live up to the hopes and expectations associated with it? Or is the reality destined to fall short of the mark? And what impressions does it leave on those considering it as an option? Those are among the issues raised in the Iranian drama, “Fireworks Wednesday” (“Chaharshanbe-soori”), a 2006 production recently released in North American theaters for the first time.Mojhde (Hediyeh Tehrani) and Morteza (Hamid Farakhnezhad), an upscale Tehran couple with a young son (Matin Heydaria), have a troubled marriage. [...]

“The Man Who Knew Infinity” (2015 production, 2016 release). Cast: Jeremy Irons, Dev Patel, Devika Bhise, Toby Jones, Stephen Fry, Jeremy Northam, Anthony Calf, Kevin McNally, Dhritiman Chatterjee, Arundathi Nag. Director: Matthew Brown. Screenplay: Matthew Brown. Book: Robert Kanigel, The Man Who Knew Infinity. Web site. Trailer.Imagine that you know your destiny. Now imagine that you know what you need to do to fulfill it. But is that vision enough? Is it truly possible to translate those intangible insights into tangible outcomes? And what of any obstacles that appear in your path – what purpose do they serve? Those are the questions raised in the thoughtful new biopic, “The Man Who Knew Infinity.”The film tells the life story of Srinivasa [...]

Reviews of "The Man Who Knew Infinity" and "Viva" and an award-winning book announcement are all in the latest Movies with Meaning post on the Blog Page of The Good Radio Network, available by clicking here.Photo courtesy of Richard Blanshard, IFC Films.Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.Cover design by Paul L. Clark, Inspirtainment.

Tune in to this month’s Movies with Meaning segment on Frankiesense & More radio when host Frankie Picasso and I will preview several new film releases and take a peek at the upcoming summer blockbuster movie season. Click here today at 1 pm ET or listen to the on-demand podcast for some lively movie talk!

“Sing Street” (2016). Cast: Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Lucy Boynton, Aiden Gillen, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Jack Reynor, Kelly Thornton, Ben Carolan, Mark McKenna, Percy Chamburuka, Conor Hamilton, Karl Rice, Ian Kenny, Don Wycherley, Lydia McGuinness. Director: John Carney. Screenplay: John Carney. Trailer.When life seems to be falling apart, it helps to have something to latch onto to stay afloat. But whatever one reaches for, no matter how satisfying it may be, could lead to even bigger and better things, and much of it unexpected. Such is the case for an Irish teen seeking to find himself during deteriorating circumstances in the charming new musical romantic comedy, “Sing Street.”In the mid 1980s, with the Irish economy in the doldrums, residents of the Emerald [...]

Reviews of "Sing Street" and "Fireworks Wednesday" and a radio show preview are all in the latest Movies with Meaning post on The Good Radio Network Blog Page available by clicking here.Photo courtesy of The Weinstein Co.Photo courtesy of Grasshopper Film.

A review of "A Will for the Woods," another look at "The Way, Way Back" and a radio schedule change are all featured in the latest Movies with Meaning post on The Good Radio Network blog page, available by clicking here.Terminally ill lymphoma patient Dr. Clark Wang (left) and life partner Jane Ezzard (right) inspect the site of his eventual green burial in “A Will for the Woods.”Fourteen-year-old Duncan (Liam James) dreads his upcoming summer vacation in the hilarious coming of age comedy, “The Way, Way Back.” Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures.