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‘Story Ave’ seeks to stave off tragedy for at-risk youth

For many at-risk youth, there comes a turning point where they can head off in one direction or another, each with vastly different long-term outcomes. The results couldn’t be more opposed to one another as far as what ultimately transpires, either a promising future or a destiny full of tragedy and heartache. Steering those individuals in the right direction can be exasperating, too, especially when they can’t envision the consequences of their actions.

Brent Marchant2024-06-23T21:48:57-05:00June 4th, 2024|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘El Houb’ fights for recognition and acceptance

Imagine being forced to live your life completely on others’ terms, never doing what you want, no matter how strong your desire. Sounds pretty dismal, right? Yet, for those in certain communities, that kind of coercion can be an everyday circumstance. The isolation can be positively crushing, removed from what suits you and being forced to pursue your dreams in secret, if at all, for fear of the repercussions. And, in the meantime, you’re likely to find yourself behaving in uncomfortable, unnatural ways, tantamount to living a lie.

Brent Marchant2023-08-02T00:26:14-05:00June 21st, 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|

‘Black Box’ shows hearing is believing

We all have that little voice in our heads that we call “intuition.” We know it’s there, and sometimes its messages can be quite insistent. But how often do we actually listen to what it has to say? We frequently treat it dismissively, not taking it seriously. However, there are ways to give it more credibility

Brent Marchant2023-05-14T22:57:41-05:00April 7th, 2023|Action-Adventure, Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘The Whale’ offers lessons in radical compassion

Compassion is something we could all use more of these days. That’s especially true for those who are trying to resolve difficult personal challenges. They need backing when it comes to helping them sort out the issues they face. But how do we offer support, particularly when we see others engaging in what we believe to be self-destructive behavior?

Brent Marchant2023-02-03T08:33:11-05:00January 9th, 2023|Character Study, Conscious Creation, Drama, LGBTQ+, Movie Reviews|

‘Emily the Criminal’ examines hard choices for hard times

Life is full of hard choices and, fittingly enough, they nearly always materialize during periods of hard times. Still, despite the uncannily synchronous nature and timing of such matters, that doesn’t make them any less challenging to address. And, as much as many of us would rather not deal with such issues, they must be handled, lest we be saddled with even bigger problems

Brent Marchant2022-09-20T23:41:41-05:00August 25th, 2022|Character Study, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Hail Satan?’ charts the quest for protecting personal freedoms

“Hail Satan?” (2019). Cast: Interview Footage: Lucien Greaves, Jex Blackmore, Malcolm Jarry, Michael Wiener, Jason Rapert. Archive Footage: Megyn Kelly. Director: Penny Lane. Web site. Trailer. Advocates for causes may sometimes be surprised where their support comes from. That’s particularly true when such unexpected backing is notably vocal and passionate. So it is for the champions of several high-profile, hot-button initiatives as seen in the snicker-filled new documentary, “Hail Satan?” Those behind such issues as separation of church and state, women’s reproductive rights, and same-sex marriage often face an uphill battle, especially in light of the zealous, well-organized efforts of right-wing religious fundamentalists. The proponents of these measures can use all of the encouragement they can muster. But who would [...]

Brent Marchant2019-06-14T00:07:03-05:00May 19th, 2019|Conscious Creation, Documentary, Movie Reviews|

‘Birds of Passage’ cautions us to consider what we create

“Birds of Passage” (“Pájaros de verano”) (2018 production, 2019 release). Cast: José Acosta, Natalia Reyes, Carmiña Martínez, Jhon Narváez, Greider Meza, José Vicente Cotes, Juan Bautista Martínez, Sergio Coen, Aslenis Márquez, José Naider, Yanker Díaz, Joaquín Ramón, Luisa Alfaro, Natalia Pinzón, Sebastián Celis, Alice Lebadie, Dennis Klein, Gabriel Mangones, Rosario Epieyú. Directors: Cristina Gallego and Ciro Guerra. Screenplay: Maria Camila Arias and Jacques Toulemonde Vidal. Story: Cristina Gallego and Ciro Guerra. Web site. Trailer. We all love it when we come up with what we think of as a great idea. We envision possibilities for success that meet, if not exceed, our expectations. But how often do we think through such notions thoroughly? Failing to do so can carry significant [...]

Brent Marchant2019-04-01T10:01:58-05:00March 11th, 2019|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|