Tune in for the latest Cinema Scribe segment on Bring Me 2 Life Radio, beginning Tuesday November 26, 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 ...

“The Wild Robot” (2024). Cast (voices): Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Ving Rhames, Mark Hamill, Catherine O’Hara, Matt Berry, Boone Storm. Director: Chris Sanders. Screenplay: Chris Sanders. Book: Peter Brown, The Wild Robot. Web site. Trailer. There are times in our lives when nearly all of us exceed the limits of our capabilities (and often quite unexpectedly at that). But that can be a tremendous blessing, especially when we’re confronted by circumstances where such enhanced aptitudes are called for. When this happens, we might well surprise ourselves and those who know us, but such amazing revelations can produce miraculous results that benefit many in need. Such is the case in the delightful and insightful new animated feature, “The Wild Robot.” When a freighter loses a portion of its cargo during shipment, the items wash up on shore on a remote island. The sudden appearance of these mysterious goods, in turn, captures the attention of the island’s residents, an array of curious woodland animals who wonder what has suddenly materialized in their midst. They approach the cargo tentatively, quickly becoming stunned when they inadvertently manage to activate something in the debris. Amidst a flurry of flashing ...

The 30th annual edition of the Gene Siskel Film Center’s Black Harvest Film Festival is now in the books, having featured an array of narrative, documentary and short films. The event featured a strong lineup of offerings this year, perhaps the best I’ve ever seen at this festival. In all, I managed to catch six films during the festival’s two-week run. So, with that said, here’s my take on what I watched and what I thought. “Color Book” (USA) (9/10); Letterboxd (4.5/5), Imdb.com (9/10), TMDB.com (9/10); Web site I always find it amazing when a movie comes along that’s effectively able to warm and break one’s heart at the same time, but that’s precisely the feat accomplished by writer-director David Fritz Fortune’s impressive debut feature. This simple but powerful, moving tale tells the touching story of a recently widowed single father (William Catlett) who goes to tremendous lengths to take his Down Syndrome-affected son (Jeremiah Alexander Daniels) to his first baseball game in hopes that it will help cheer him up in the wake of the untimely death of his mother (Brandee Evans). Beautifully filmed in black and white, the picture follows the adventures and misadventures of a devoted Atlanta ...

Tune in for the latest Cinema Scribe segment on Bring Me 2 Life Radio, beginning Tuesday November 12, 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 ...

“Will & Harper” (2024). Cast: Will Ferrell, Harper Steele, Tina Fey, Tim Meadows, Kristin Wiig, Lorne Michaels, Will Forte, Molly Shannon, Gov. Eric Holcomb. Director: Josh Greenbaum. Web site. Trailer. Friendship is one of those subjects that doesn’t receive nearly enough meaningful attention in the movies. Yet, when we look at its prevalence in life and the many forms it can take, it certainly provides plenty of fodder for engaging storytelling, given that it’s a topic we can all ultimately relate to – and in myriad ways at that. Films that explore unusual and fascinating expressions of this concept are among the most engaging, as seen in a new documentary that examines what it’s like for old friends to get to know one another all over again in a new context. Such is the case in the enlightening and entertaining road trip/buddy movie, “Will & Harper.” In 1995, an aspiring actor and comedian named Will Ferrell joined the cast of the late night sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live. During the same week Ferrell started, the show hired comedy writer Andrew Steele to join its staff. In no time, Ferrell and Steele became one of SNL’s most dynamic duos. Recognizing ...

With this year’s 60th edition of the Chicago International Film Festival in the books, I’ve completed my screenings for 2024. I viewed seven films in all, which is considerably fewer than in recent years, for a variety of reasons (ballooning ticket costs, venue choices, programming selections and the inclusion of a wealth of films going into general release in the near future). However, unlike last year’s disappointing event with its less than satisfying staging and filmography, I must admit that I’m coming away from this year’s festival very pleasantly surprised. I apparently chose my movie selections well. The organizers still have some work cut out for them on pricing and logistics, but, on balance, this edition was a marked improvement over the 2023 event. With that said, then, here’s what I screened and what I thought of those films: “The Missile” (“Ohjus”) (Finland/Estonia) (4/5); Letterboxd (4/5), Imdb.com (8/10), TMDB.com (8/10); Web site, Trailer Who would have thought that a reserved, homespun single mother of two married to an abusive imprisoned husband could turn her life around by writing about the dangers of nuclear proliferation? But, if you’re Niina Kuittinen (Oona Airola), a young housewife living in rural Lapland, that’s precisely ...