“Whiplash” (2014). Cast: Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Paul Reiser, Melissa Benoist, Nate Lang, Austin Stowell, Damon Gupton, April Grace. Director: Damien Chazelle. Screenplay: Damien Chazelle. Web site. Trailer. When do we cross the line between ambition and fixation? That can be a difficult call, especially for those of us who are decidedly motivated to achieve highly prized aspirations. It’s a struggle rife with challenges, most notably finding out what’s behind those aims. Those dicey issues are among the key considerations that get played out with gripping intensity in the compelling new drama, “Whiplash.” Jazz drummer Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) wants to be one of the greats. As a freshman at a fictional New York conservatory, Andrew may be just starting out, but he envisions himself one day joining the ranks of drumming legends like Buddy Rich (1917-1987). And the opportunity to scale those daunting heights comes along surprisingly fast when he captures the attention of Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), leader of the school’s premier studio band, who invites him to join the ensemble. Almost overnight, Andrew seems to be on his way. But Andrew’s big break comes at a cost. Being a member of Fletcher’s band is far more demanding ...

“Pride” (2014), Cast: Ben Schnetzer, Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Joseph Gilgun, George MacKay, Andrew Scott, Dominic West, Faye Marsay, Paddy Considine, Jessica Gunning, Menna Trussler, Lisa Palfrey, Liz White, Nia Gwynne, Russell Tovey, Rodri Meilir, Karina Fernandez, Jessie Cave, Jack Baggs, Kyle Rees, Freddie Fox. Director: Matthew Warchus. Screenplay: Stephen Beresford. Web site. Trailer. Are we truly pleased with the lives we lead? Or do we let self-doubt, the expectations of others or the pressures of authority figures get in the way? How we answer those questions depends on how much we value our efforts – and ourselves – in the creation of our realities, no matter who we are or where we come from. These are among the issues brought to light in the new, fact-based inspirational comedy, “Pride.” In 1984, the United Kingdom was embroiled in a nasty labor dispute in which striking coal miners locked heads with the Conservative Party government of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013). With both sides at loggerheads with one another, the strike wore on for months, circumstances that took quite an economic toll on the miners. And, with Thatcher intractably clinging to her uncompromising stance, the PM effectively sought to starve the ...

Please tune in this Thursday, October 2 at 12 pm Eastern, when I’ll be a guest on the “Full Power Living” radio show with host Ilene Dillon. Tune in for a lively conversation about conscious creation in the movies and my writings about the subject. The broadcast is available by clicking here. And, for further information about the show, visit the program’s home page by clicking here ...

“The Skeleton Twins” (2014). Cast: Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Joanna Gleason, Luke Wilson, Ty Burrell, Boyd Holbrook, Sydney Lucas, Eddie Schweighart. Director: Craig Johnson. Screenplay: Mark Heyman and Craig Johnson. Web site. Trailer. When life doesn’t work out as hoped for, disappointment is sure to set in. But, when that disappointment gets to be more than we can bear, it can easily turn into despair. How we respond to those circumstances, however, is what ultimately matters most, as a pair of confused siblings discover for themselves in the quirky new comedy-drama, “The Skeleton Twins.” What choices do we have when we believe our lives suck and we can’t fathom why? That’s a question a disillusioned brother and sister have been asking themselves for years. And, with no suitable answers readily forthcoming, they’re about to take drastic action to address their personal dissatisfaction. For Milo Dean (Bill Hader), a single gay man living in Los Angeles who works as a waiter while struggling to build an acting career, life is tedious, boring and unfulfilling, and he’s sick of it. His sister Maggie (Kristen Wiig), a married dental hygienist living in New York’s Hudson Valley where she and her brother grew up, ...

Please tune in this Thursday, September 25 at 8 pm Eastern, when I’ll be a guest on the VividLife Internet radio show “It’s All About Relationships.” Join me and host Edie Weinstein for a lively conversation about conscious creation in the movies, especially as it relates to the relationships we have with ourselves. To hear the broadcast, click here ...

Anyone who’s an artist—regardless of the medium in which one works—knows that getting into the flow of one’s consciousness is essential to successfully create finished works. Tapping into this rich resource of inspiration and knowledge provides access to the makings of all sorts of completed materializations. To find out more, read “The Flow of Consciousness,” my latest Smart Women’s Empowerment blog, available by clicking here ...