American Film Institute

‘A Real Pain’ chronicles the search for self

The search for self is a process that many of us believe we complete when we come of age. However, as we often later discover, it’s something we need to revisit as the circumstances of our lives evolve. In fact, we might find that this is an ongoing, life-long process that requires continual vigilance and assessment. That can be confusing, if not disconcerting, particularly if we assume we’ve arrived at all the answers we need at an earlier stage of life.

Brent Marchant2025-02-18T18:12:01-05:00December 12th, 2024|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Macbeth’ chronicles the perils of unchecked ambition

Getting ahead in life is certainly admirable, but what happens when that drive gets seriously out of hand? Can we stifle the mayhem that’s sure to result? That’s especially problematic when the fate of a nation and its leadership are at stake.

Brent Marchant2022-02-20T23:17:46-05:00January 19th, 2022|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Don’t Look Up’ skewers willful ignorance, complacency

When faced with difficult situations, it may be tempting to want to turn a blind eye, willingly choosing to remain oblivious and ignorant. By tuning out and wallowing in our own complacency, we have an opportunity to lull ourselves into distraction and denial, hoping that the wishful thinking spawned from such practices will somehow materialize into a bona fide reality. But what do we do when we realize that’s not going to happen, when we understand that we’ve squandered opportunities to solve the issues facing us?

Brent Marchant2022-01-28T14:51:58-05:00January 3rd, 2022|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Movie Reviews, Sci-Fi|

‘Belfast’ chronicles a childhood under fire

Navigating the ways of the world during our youth can be quite the challenge. When surrounded by the unfamiliar and new, virtually everything can present an opportunity for learning, a process that is sometimes confusing and bewildering. But it can also be a time of wondrous eye-opening revelation

Brent Marchant2022-01-18T00:28:35-05:00December 14th, 2021|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Minari’ charts the quest for a better life

The American Dream – a life brimming with optimism for opportunity and personal and economic success – is something most of us aspire to, especially those of immigrant families.

Brent Marchant2021-04-14T16:19:42-05:00March 14th, 2021|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘One Night in Miami…” explores multiple paths to success

When we commit to achieving a certain goal, we often believe we need to follow a particular path, doing so with unwavering fidelity. In fact, we may become convinced that it’s the only path to be pursued and that it’s the one that everyone similarly committed must follow. But is that really the case?

Brent Marchant2021-04-01T14:17:49-05:00March 3rd, 2021|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Sound of Metal’ walks the path of redemption

When we stumble in life, getting back on track can be difficult, but, when we do, the feeling can be quite gratifying. However, if that reawakening is intruded upon by some kind of new setback, we may be left discouraged and disheartened. All that work may have seemingly gone for naught.

Brent Marchant2021-03-23T08:31:29-05:00February 20th, 2021|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Mary Poppins’ affirms the power of magic

“Mary Poppins Returns” (2018). Cast: Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Colin Firth, Julie Walters, Meryl Streep, Dick Van Dyke, Angela Lansbury, David Warner, Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh, Joel Dawson, Jeremy Swift, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Jim Norton, Noma Dumezweni, Tarik Frimpong, Suda Bhuchar, Steve Nicolson, Christian Dixon, Chris O’Dowd (voice), Edward Hibbert (voice). Director: Rob Marshall. Screenplay: David Magee. Story: David Magee, Rob Marshall and John DeLuca. Source Material: P.L. Travers. Web site. Trailer. Children frequently delight in the power of magic. They appreciate the wonder it engenders, and they often look on in wide-eyed awe at what it can produce. But, somewhere along the line, many of us lose that sense of amazement as we age, believing that [...]

Brent Marchant2019-02-01T09:50:55-05:00January 11th, 2019|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Movie Reviews|

‘The Post’ examines what it takes to do the right thing

“The Post” (2017). Cast: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk, Tracy Letts, Bradley Whitford, Bruce Greenwood, Matthew Rhys, Alison Brie, Carrie Coon, Jesse Plemons, Michael Stuhlbarg, Justin Swain, Curzon Dobell. Director: Steven Spielberg. Screenplay: Liz Hannah and Josh Singer. Web site. Trailer. When faced with hard choices, we may not know which way to turn. That’s especially true when all of our options appear problematic. Deciding which of the seemingly troublesome outcomes will prove least onerous can try our patience and test our resolve. At the same time, though, such scenarios can sharpen our scrutiny skills, especially when it comes to drawing upon our intuition and integrity to arrive at an amenable solution. So it was for a [...]

Brent Marchant2018-02-23T19:26:22-05:00January 29th, 2018|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘The Shape of Water’ floats new possibilities for consideration

“The Shape of Water” (2017). Cast: Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Octavia Spencer, Richard Jenkins, Michael Stuhlbarg, Doug Jones, Nick Searcy, Stewart Arnott, Nigel Bennett, Lauren Lee Smith, Martin Roach, Allegra Fulton, John Kapelos, Morgan Kelly, Marvin Kaye, Wendy Lyon. Director: Guillermo del Toro. Screenplay: Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor. Story: Guillermo del Toro. Web site. Trailer. We all think we know what it means to fall in love, but do we really? Sometimes the reality differs markedly from what we expect, perhaps taking us in some highly unconventional directions. But, when we find that true love, no matter what form it takes, we’re generally willing to do whatever it takes to nurture and protect it, regardless of what we’re up against. Such [...]

Brent Marchant2018-01-03T10:31:19-05:00December 12th, 2017|Movie Reviews, Romance, Sci-Fi|