This Week in Movies with Meaning
Reviews of "Dream Scenario," "Rustin" and "El Conde" are all in the latest Movies with Meaning post on the web site of The Good Media Network.
‘El Conde’ metaphorically skewers a dictator’s life
In the wake of the recent 50th anniversary of the 1973 Chilean coup d’etat that resulted in the overthrow of democratically elected President Salvador Allende, an effort led by the country’s military and backed by the US government, a number of film projects (both documentary and narrative features) have been released looking back on this event. These projects have taken a variety of forms, and one of the most unusual (and creative) among them has been a production that takes a metaphorical and wickedly satirical look at the life of Allende’s successor, dictator Augusto Pinochet (1915-2006), portraying him in a surreal but fitting milieu, as seen in the hilarious but insightful allegorical biography, “El Conde” (“The Count”).
Wrapping Up the 2023 Chicago Film Festival
As this year’s edition of the Chicago International Film Festival winds down, I’ve completed my screenings for 2023. I viewed seven films in all, which is considerably fewer than in recent years, for a variety of reasons (cost, venues, programming), and I must admit I’m coming away from the event somewhat disappointed.
Wrapping Up Reeling 2023
The 41st annual edition of Chicago’s Reeling International LGBTQ+ Film Festival is now in the books, having featured an array of narrative, documentary and short films in theaters and online. Here’s my take on what I watched and what I thought.
Haunts of the Past on The Cinema Scribe
Tune in for the latest Cinema Scribe segment on Bring Me 2 Life Radio, beginning Tuesday September 26.
This Week in Movies with Meaning
Reviews of "Our Father, the Devil," "Concerned Citizen" and "On the Bridge" are all in the latest Movies with Meaning post on the web site of The Good Media Network.
Overcoming Prejudice on The Cinema Scribe
Tune in for the latest Cinema Scribe segment on Bring Me 2 Life Radio, beginning Tuesday September 12.
‘Concerned Citizen’ urges us to seriously consider our social values
Do we always believe what we think we believe? That’s a good question, especially when we consider all of the implications involved. It certainly affects who we are, how we see ourselves and how we live our lives. But the ramifications carry wider considerations, too, such as our social values and how authentically we live up to them.
‘On the Bridge’ explores the transition from life to death and beyond
What happens after we die? Indeed, as we transition from this world to whatever comes next, what can we truly expect? That’s arguably the most profound – and most mysterious – question that we ask ourselves during our lifetimes. And the only definitive way to know for sure is to actually go through the experience. Nevertheless, that’s not to stop us from speculating about what could occur.
‘Our Father, the Devil’ asks, ‘When is it too late to do the right thing?’
It’s truly astounding how mankind is capable of both tremendous greatness and despicable savagery. How can one species lay claim to both? What’s more, how can both traits be found within a single individual? Yet, in a surprisingly large number of instances, that ends up being the case.