Reviews of "The Big Sick," "Letters from Baghdad" and "Embrace of the Serpent," as well as a radio show preview, are all in the latest Movies with Meaning post on the web site of The Good Radio Network, available by clicking here.
“Maudie” (2016 production, 2017 release). Cast: Sally Hawkins, Ethan Hawke, Gabrielle Rose, Zachary Bennett, Kari Matchett, Billy MacLellan. Director: Aisling Walsh. Screenplay: Sherry White. Web site. Trailer.When life seemingly sidelines us due to various limitations – be they personal, physical, economic or otherwise – we may easily become discouraged, reconciling ourselves to our circumstances. But need we be saddled with such hindering conditions? Can we lead a meaningful existence in spite of those obstacles? Might we be able to successfully draw upon impulses that lead us to believe to the contrary? Such is the experience of a challenged young woman who manages to build a creative and fulfilling life for herself in the thoughtful new biopic, “Maudie.”Canadian folk artist Maud [...]
“Beatriz at Dinner” (2017). Cast: Salma Hayek, John Lithgow, Connie Britton, David Warshofsky, Amy Landecker, Jay Duplass, Chloë Sevigny, John Early, Enrique Castillo. Director: Miguel Arteta. Screenplay: Mike White. Web site. Trailer.Some say that, fundamentally, we’re all connected, even if we don’t realize it. In an age and in a society in which seemingly inherent division and separation are taken for the norm, we may not be aware of our interrelatedness, perhaps even denying it when others attempt to point it out to us. But, if we’re ever to resolve this misguided sense of disconnectedness, we need to be reminded – perhaps even cajoled – about our innate linkage. Examples of such reminders surface in highly pointed ways in the [...]
Reviews of "Beatriz at Dinner," "Maudie" and "The Family Fang" are all in the latest Movies with Meaning post on the web site of The Good Radio Network, available by clicking here.
“Tanna” (2015 production, 2016 release). Cast: Mungau Dain, Marie Wawa, Marceline Rofit, Charlie Kahla, Albi Nagia, Lingai Kowia, Dadwa Mungau, Linette Yowayin, Kapan Cook, Mungau Yokay, Mikum Tainakou. Directors: Martin Butler and Bentley Dean. Screenplay: Martin Butler, John Collee and Bentley Dean. Web site. Trailer.Who we love is something we should be able to decide for ourselves, but it hasn’t always been that way, especially in many of the world’s traditions-based cultures. With arranged marriages the norm – relationships frequently driven by considerations having nothing to do with love – those who choose to step outside that custom engage in what’s looked upon as radical or even taboo. But, given the power of love, sometimes even tradition can’t withstand such [...]
“Logan Noir” (2017) Cast: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen, Boyd Holbrook, Stephen Merchant, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Richard E. Grant, Eriq La Salle, Elise Neal, Quincy Fouse. Director: James Mangold. Screenplay: Scott Frank, James Mangold and Michael Green. Story: James Mangold. Source Material: John Romita Sr., Len Wein, Herb Trimpe, Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost. Trailer.What a difference cinematography can make. Thanks to a single production change, a good movie has been elevated to a great one, a film that carries far more meaning and impact than what was conveyed in its original incarnation. Such is the case with a new, limited edition, black-and-white version of the latest offering in the Wolverine films in the wildly popular X-men franchise, “Logan Noir,” [...]
Reviews of "Logan Noir" and "Florence Foster Jenkins" and a magazine article preview are all in the latest Movies with Meaning post on the web site of The Good Radio Network, available by clicking here.
Ever feel like you were completely on your own, isolated and disconnected from everyone and everything? Yet, often within a short time after the onset of those feelings, we find ourselves comfortably connected to others. Movies help to remind us of this in those times of doubt. Find out more about our inherent sense of connection in "The Ties That Bind Us," my latest article in New Consciousness Review's Conscious Cinema series, available by clicking here and in the summer edition of the HAPI Guide, available by clicking here.
Reviews of "I, Daniel Blake" and "Mia Madre" and a new movie book preview are all in the latest Movies with Meaning post on the web site of The Good Radio Network, available by clicking here.
“I, Daniel Blake” (2016 production, 2017 release). Cast: Dave Johns, Hayley Squires, Brianna Shann, Dylan McKiernan, Kate Rutter, Sharon Percy, Stephen Clegg, Kema Sikazwe, Steven Richens, Micky McGregor. Director: Ken Loach. Screenplay: Paul Laverty. Web site. Trailer.When the chips are down, it’s comforting to know that there are those who have your back. That’s especially true for the residents of countries that have social services systems in place to provide needed support in times of crisis, like unemployment and health emergencies. It’s truly reassuring that those structures will be there when they’re needed. But will they? Do the agencies responsible for administering these services live up to their obligations? And what happens if someone in need fails to properly comply [...]
