Tune in for the latest Cinema Scribe segment on Bring Me 2 Life Radio, beginning Tuesday May 26, 2 pm ET, available by clicking here. You can also catch it later on demand on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Castbox, Podchaser, Audible, Deezer, Podcast Addict and Jiosaavn ...

“I Swear” (2025 production, 2026 release) (UK). Cast: Robert Aramayo, Maxine Peake, Peter Mullan, Scott Ellis Watson, Shirley Henderson, Steven Cree, Francesco Piacentini-Smith, Christina Ashford, David Carlyle, Ron Donachie, Adam McNamara, John Davidson (archive footage). Director: Kirk Jones. Screenplay: Kirk Jones. Web site. Trailer. They say “you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover,” because you just might be surprised by what’s inside. The content may readily defy observations and expectations in unanticipated ways. And the same, of course, can be said for people, especially those who exhibit traits or behavior that’s outside the mainstream. That’s precisely the point driven home by the excellent new award-winning, fact-based comedy-drama-biography, “I Swear.” John Davidson (Robert Aramayo) has lived a life that few have understood for many years (including himself). Born in 1971 in Galachiels, Scotland, he grew up in a middle class household with his parents, David (Steven Cree) and Heather (Shirley Henderson), and three younger siblings. All seemed fine until his teenage self (Scott Ellis Watson) entered high school, when he unexpectedly began exhibiting uncontrolled forms of unusual behavior, including a variety of tics; sudden and violent body movements; outbursts of foul language, racial slurs, and homophobic and misogynistic insults; and ...

The 42nd annual edition of the Chicago Latino Film Festival – the longest continuously running event of its kind in the US – is now in the books, having featured an array of narrative, documentary and short films. Sponsored by the International Latino Cultural Center in Chicago, the event was held at the Landmark Century Centre Cinemas in the city’s Lincoln Park/Lakeview neighborhood. In all, I screened 10 features and 4 shorts during the festival’s 11-day run, and, for the most part, I was pleased with what I watched. My congratulations to the event’s programmers and organizers. So, with that said, here’s my take on what I watched and what I thought. Enjoy! FEATURE FILMS “Homo Sapiens?” (“Homo Argentum”) (Argentina) (4/5) Chicago Premiere; Letterboxd (4.5/5), Imdb.com (9/10), TMDB.com (9/10), Imdb critics review Web site Trailer #BrentMarchant #clff42 #ChicagoLatinoFilmFestival #HomoSapiens? #HomoArgentum #Argentina #16shortfilms #comedy #satire #modernman #machismo #GuillermoFrancella It’s funny how things can turn out in life’s everyday scenarios. And, in this anthology of 16 short films from directors Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duplat, this inspired collection of comic vignettes reveals just how funny those funny situations can be. All of the offerings in this compilation feature performances by actor/comedian Guillermo ...

Tune in for the latest Cinema Scribe segment on Bring Me 2 Life Radio, beginning Tuesday April 28, 2 pm ET, available by clicking here. You can also catch it later on demand on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Castbox, Podchaser, Audible, Deezer, Podcast Addict and Jiosaavn ...

Reviews of “La Grazia” and “The Chaplain & the Doctor,” along with a film festival preview, are all in the latest Movies with Meaning post on the web site of The Good Radio Network, available by clicking here ...

“La Grazia” (“Grace”) (2025)(Italy). Cast: Toni Servillo, Anna Ferzetti, Massimo Venturiello, Milvia Marigliano, Giuseppe Gaiani, Linda Messerklinger, Vasco Mirandola, Rufin Doh Zeyenouin, Alexandra Gottschlich, Francesco Martino, Elisa Perolini, Giorgia Ligouri. Director: Paolo Sorrentino. Screenplay: Paolo Sorrentino. Web site. Trailer. As we approach the finish lines of our lives, we often take time to reflect on how we’ve spent the years of our existence. It’s a process that allows us to take stock of who we are and how we’ve lived, and it frequently provides a means to help us make decisions about any remaining unfinished business we may have. However, such soul-searching may also leave us with more questions than answers at a time when we need such clarity most, the alternative being pervasive indecisiveness that can be crippling. Such are the quandaries faced by an aging Italian politician in the engaging comedy-drama-character study, “La Grazia” (“Grace”). Presidente Mariano De Santis (Tony Servillo), a popular leader who’s nearing the end of his term, struggles to envision what his days will be like once he’s out of office in six months. Despite the ample respect and admiration he has earned as an accomplished jurist and head of state, he’s facing his ...