“Don’t Think Twice” (2016). Cast: Keegan-Michael Key, Gillian Jacobs, Mike Birbiglia, Chris Gethard, Kate Micucci, Tami Sagher, Ben Stiller, Seth Barrish, Erin Darke, Sondra James, Maggie Kemper, Kati Rediger, Steve Waltien, Emily Skeggs, Gary Richardson. Director: Mike Birbiglia. Screenplay: Mike Birbiglia. Web site. Trailer.Striving for success in the world of entertainment is full of hopes, dreams, challenges and frustrations. When we pursue it on our own, it can be terrifying, bewildering, exhilarating and, above all, lonely. But, when we aspire to greatness as part of a group, we at least have the support of others to make the struggle more tolerable and, one would hope, creatively fulfilling. Of course, being part of a collective is also fraught with the competition [...]

Reviews of "Don't Think Twice" and "The Family Fang" and two podcast previews are all available in the latest Movies with Meaning post on the Blog Page of The Good Radio Network by clicking here.Members of the Commune improv comedy troupe (from left, Tami Sagher, Gillian Jacobs, Keegan-Michael Key, Mike Birbiglia, Chris Gethard, Kate Micucci) seek to make it big in “Don’t Think Twice.” Photo courtesy of Jon Pack/The Film Arcade.

“Captain Fantastic” (2016). Cast: Viggo Mortensen, George McKay, Frank Langella, Kathryn Hahn, Steve Zahn, Ann Dowd, Samantha Isler, Annalise Basso, Nicholas Hamilton, Shree Crooks, Charlie Shotwell, Trin Miller, Elijah Stevenson, Teddy Van Ee, Erin Moriarity, Missi Pyle. Director: Matt Ross. Screenplay: Matt Ross. Web site. Trailer.Getting away from the crush of the world’s worries undoubtedly holds tremendous appeal, particularly for those seeking to support and raise their families in a natural, healthy environment untainted by the corruption, perils and concerns of everyday life. But does this kind of retreat from mainstream society truly live up to the promise of paradise found? That’s the question examined in the new family drama, “Captain Fantastic.”Ben Cash (Viggo Mortensen) has rejected the evils of [...]

Join me and host Frankie Picasso today for this month's Movies with Meaning segment on the Frankiesense & More radio show! We'll discuss some of the summer season's inspiring new releases, among other topics. Tune in at 1 pm ET by clicking here.

“Life, Animated” (2016). Cast: Owen Suskind, Ron Suskind, Cornelia Suskind, Walt Suskind, Gilbert Gottfried, Jonathan Freeman, Emily Jathas. Director: Roger Ross Williams. Screenplay: Ron Suskind. Book: Ron Suskind, Life, Animated: A Story of Sidekicks, Heroes and Autism. Web site. Trailer.Finding our way in the world is difficult enough for most of us, but what if we were burdened by the challenges of autism? Would it be possible to make our way as independently functioning beings? Even more so, would it be possible to understand the fundamental nature of the world around us? As unlikely as those prospects might seem to some of us, there are always possibilities. Indeed, as the saying goes, “When there’s a will, there’s a way,” and [...]

“Hunt for the Wilderpeople” (2016). Cast: Sam Neil, Julian Dennison, Rima Te Wiata, Rachel House, Oscar Kightley, Rhys Darby, Stan Walker, Mike Minogue, Cohen Holloway, Taika Waititi, Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne, Troy Kingi, Hamish Parkinson. Director: Taika Waititi. Screenplay: Taika Waititi. Book: Barry Crump, Wild Pork and Watercress. Web site. Trailer.Life offers us options. Some are appealing, others aren’t. The most important point to remember in this, however, is that we have the power to choose which ones we want, despite the efforts of those who would deny us this. That’s one of the key concerns driven home in the hilarious new buddy/road trip movie from New Zealand, “Hunt for the Wilderpeople.”Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison), a troubled city teen, has led a [...]

Reviews of "Life, Animated" and "Shadows of Liberty" and a radio show preview are all available in the latest Movies with Meaning post on the Blog Page of The Good Radio Network, available by clicking here.

“Our Little Sister” (Original title: “Umimachi Diary”) (2015 production, 2016 release). Cast: Haruka Ayase, Masami Nagasawa, Kaho, Suzu Hirosu, Shinobu Otake, Kirin Kiki, Shinichi Tsutsumi, Jun Fubuki, Takafumi Ikeda, Oshiro Maeda, Ryô Kase, Lily Franky, Yuko Nakamura, Kentaro Sakahuchi, Midoriko Kimura. Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda. Screenplay: Hirokazu Kore-eda. Graphic Novel: Akimi Yoshida, Umimachi Diary. Web site. Trailer.How we define “family” need not follow traditional interpretations. Indeed, it can take a variety of inventive and novel forms, often working exceedingly well in meeting everyone’s needs. Such is the case in the heartwarming new family drama from Japan, “Our Little Sister” (originally titled “Umimachi Diary”).Based on a popular Japanese graphic novel, the film tells the story of three sisters in their 20s, Sachi [...]

Join me and host Cynthia Sue Larson this Wednesday, July 20, at 8 am ET for this week's edition of the Living the Quantum Dream Radio Show. We'll discuss conscious creation/law of attraction topics as reflected in the movies, their similarity to quantum physics principles and thoughts on the emerging "Mandela effect" concept. The show will be rebroadcast Wednesday evening at 8 pm ET and will be available for on-demand listening via the podcast thereafter. Tune in for some lively, thoughtful chat! Tune in by clicking here.

Reviews of "Hunt for the Wilderpeople," "Our Little Sister" and "Captain Fantastic" are all in the latest Movies with Meaning post on the Blog Page of The Good Radio Network, available by clicking here.Troubled teen Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison, left) and cantankerous bush farmer Hec Faulkner (Sam Neill, right) make an unlikely duo on the run in the offbeat new buddy/road trip comedy, “Hunt for the Wilderpeople.” Photo courtesy of The Orchard.A bike ride through the cherry blossoms with a friend (Oshiro Maeda, foreground) brings joy to Suzu Asano (Suzu Hirosu, background) in the new family drama, “Our Little Sister.” Photo by Akimi Yoshida, Shogakukan, Fuji Television Network Inc., Shogakukan Inc., courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.Ben Cash (Viggo Mortensen, right) [...]