aftermath

Wrapping Up the 2024 Chicago Latino Film Festival

With the 40th (and my first-ever) Chicago Latino Film Festival now in the books, it’s time to take a look at what I screened. The event featured films from 28 countries in the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Europe, along with a number of other nations that provided financial and production support. Regrettably, however, based on what I saw, I was largely disappointed with this event, which has given me pause to think about whether I will attend again next year.

Brent Marchant2024-05-23T07:43:31-05:00April 21st, 2024|Comedy, Drama, Film Festivals, Foreign, Movie Reviews, Smart Horror|

‘The Zone of Interest’ weighs the cost of indifference

Given humanity’s tremendous capacity for compassion and benevolence, it’s somewhat hard to believe that we’re also capable of qualities at the opposite end of the spectrum. When we consider the magnanimity we often exhibit in times of crisis, it’s difficult to fathom how we can also demonstrate troubling degrees of callous, uncaring indifference toward our fellow man. Yet, if we examine the scope of human history, we can’t willfully ignore the many instances of cruel disregard and unspeakable atrocities we’ve inflicted on others.

Brent Marchant2024-03-06T02:02:26-05:00February 9th, 2024|Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘Memory’ examines what we believe we recall

How we remember our past is something we can all bank on, right? Or is it? For instance, what happens when mitigating influences impact our memory, potentially causing it to become fallible and untrustworthy? Can we truly rely on our recall then?

Brent Marchant2024-03-04T12:10:06-05:00February 1st, 2024|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews, Romance|

‘Monster’ seeks to arrive at the whole truth

Is it possible to know the real truth behind a particular situation? It’s often been said that, as outside onlookers, we only see a fraction of what’s involved in the unfolding of a specific scenario. And, because of that, we might well piece together an incomplete view of things, based primarily on what we believe about them, given that they shape our perspective and, subsequently, the materialized existence that emerges.

Brent Marchant2024-01-30T11:24:33-05:00December 28th, 2023|Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, LGBTQ+, Movie Reviews|

‘The Moon & Back’ wrestles with grief, creativity, adolescence

Where do we turn when the bottom falls out? That’s difficult enough at any age, but what is one to do when going through an impressionable time of life, such as adolescence? The coming of age considerations that teens face are often burdensome enough in themselves. However, when they’re compounded by a significant loss, starting over may seem impossible.

Brent Marchant2023-05-30T18:03:30-05:00April 27th, 2023|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘She Said’ offers a profile in courage and determination

The David and Goliath narrative is a common template in literature and screenwriting. And, all too often, it’s a recurring theme in many real world events. One hopes that the outcome in those everyday instances mirrors that of their literary counterpart, though circumstances don’t always shake out that way. The chances of success are far greater, however, when addressed from a standpoint of courage and determination

Brent Marchant2023-01-09T10:29:28-05:00November 29th, 2022|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Triangle of Sadness’ asks whether turnabout is fair play

We like to think that we’re fundamentally all equal, and, in idealistic terms, it’s hard to take issue with that notion. However, from a practical, realistic standpoint, inequality is unfortunately alive and well in so many contexts. It’s undoubtedly unfair that such differences have been allowed to continue to hold sway and that there are those who must endure such inequities. But can the situation be rectified?

Brent Marchant2022-12-11T04:32:32-05:00November 11th, 2022|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Movie Reviews|

‘Cicada’ chronicles the path to healing

“Cicada” (2020). Cast: Matthew Fifer, Sheldon D. Brown, Sandra Bauleo, Cobie Smulders, Jazmin Green Grimaldi, Scott Adsit, Michael Potts, David Burtka, Jason “Freckles” Greene, Beau Curran, Bowen Yang. Directors: Matthew Fifer and Kieran Mulcare. Screenplay: Matthew Fifer and Sheldon D. Brown. Web site. Trailer. Healing old wounds can be a long and painful process, especially if we’re unclear about the nature or source of the hurt. When we are, though, the path to overcoming trauma can be a seemingly unending one in which the anguish never goes away, leaving us feeling as if there’s no hope for recovery or a future worth looking forward to. But, many times, and often quite unexpectedly, something happens that sets us off in a [...]

Brent Marchant2020-11-23T19:28:27-05:00October 10th, 2020|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews, Romance|