blind eye

‘All Shall Be Well’ grapples with fairness, inclusion

They say that “blood is thicker than water,” an observation that can make its presence apparent in many ways. This often becomes most obvious during times of crisis, when major decisions are called for, such as when a death occurs or an inheritance is involved (money being on the line frequently speaks volumes). And, in conjunction with those conditions, differences and disagreements frequently arise, making difficult situations more tense, perhaps even combative. So what accounts for this?

Brent Marchant2025-04-25T04:10:54-05:00April 25th, 2025|Conscious Creation, Drama, Featured Post, Foreign, LGBTQ+, Movie Reviews|

‘Argentina, 1985’ shows us how to exceed ourselves

All too often, we set limits for ourselves that come to define us, sometimes in a far too restrictive way. But are we enduringly confined to such constraints, or can we surpass them and achieve more than we thought we’re capable of? The answer may surprise us

Brent Marchant2023-02-01T01:19:16-05:00December 24th, 2022|Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘Tár’ seeks to unscramble one’s motivations

Understanding what drives us is crucial to our success in life’s endeavors. But, if we truly wish to attain the goals we seek for ourselves, we need to grasp what impels us and the beliefs that underlie our ambitions. Should we fail on this point, we could end up with a mixed bag of results.

Brent Marchant2022-12-07T19:45:05-05:00November 10th, 2022|Character Study, Conscious Creation, Drama, LGBTQ+, Movie Reviews|

‘Cyrano’ plumbs the depths of unrequited love

Trite as it may sound, love is like food, something we need to live. It nourishes and sustains us, and it often makes life worth living. So, when we end up going without it, we generally feel starved.

Brent Marchant2022-04-21T10:33:14-05:00April 12th, 2022|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews, Romance|

‘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|

‘Alice’ colorfully examines the process of starting over

“Alice” (2019 production, 2020 release). Cast: Emilie Piponnier, Martin Swabey, Jules Milo Levy Mackerras, Chlöé Boreham, Ariana Rodriguez Giraldo, Juliette Tresanini, Christophe Favre, Philippe de Monts, David Coburn. Robert Burns, Marie-Laure Dougnac, Marie Coulonjou, Marine Blake (voice). Director: Josephine Mackerras. Screenplay: Josephine Mackerras. Web site. Trailer. Life sure seems unfair at times. We may think we’ve got it made when, all of a sudden, everything evaporates before our very eyes. We might be shattered (and rightfully so), unsure of where to turn next. However, such a turning point could be one of the best things to ever befall us, a scenario explored in the new French domestic drama, “Alice.” From all appearances, Alice Ferrand (Emilie Piponnier) leads a stable, contented, reasonably [...]

Brent Marchant2020-06-17T13:32:53-05:00June 6th, 2020|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Clemency’ pushes us to look at our personal morality

“Clemency” (2019). Cast: Alfre Woodard, Aldis Hodge, Wendell Pierce, Richard Schiff, Richard Gunn, Michael O’Neill, Vernee Watson, Dennis Haskins, LaMonica Garrett, Danielle Brooks, Michelle C. Bonilla, Alex Castillo, Alma Martinez. Director: Chinonye Chukwu. Screenplay: Chinonye Chukwu. Web site. Trailer. Life and death matters generally give us pause to reflect upon our outlook on life, especially from a moral standpoint. But what happens when we’re conflicted? Can we sort out our feelings to come up with beliefs that lead to the right decisions about such issues? Such is the dilemma faced by a high-ranking prison official in the intense new drama, “Clemency.” Bernadine Williams (Alfre Woodard) has spent many years as the warden of a maximum security prison, and, from the [...]

Brent Marchant2020-02-26T12:37:19-05:00February 3rd, 2020|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Official Secrets’ extols the virtues of integrity

“Official Secrets” (2019). Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Matt Smith, Matthew Goode, Rhys Ifan, Adam Bakri, Jeremy Northam, Conleth Hill, John Heffernan, Indira Varma, Niccy Lin, Monica Dolan, Shaun Dooley, Katherine Kelly, Hattie Morahan, Clive Francis, Kenneth Cranham, Tamsin Greig, Peter Guinness, Ray Panthaki, Raad Rawi. Archives: George W. Bush, Tony Blair, Colin Powell, Ari Fleischer, Peter Goldsmith. Director: Gavin Hood. Screenplay: Gregory Bernstein, Sara Bernstein and Gavin Hood. Book: Marcia Mitchell and Thomas Mitchell, The Spy Who Tried to Stop a War: Katharine Gun and the Secret Plot to Sanction the Iraq Invasion. Web site. Trailer. It's been said that one of the most valuable currencies we possess is our personal integrity. It’s a measure of who we are as [...]

Brent Marchant2019-11-08T15:55:04-05:00September 16th, 2019|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘The Wife’ compels the scrutiny of our motivations

“The Wife” (2017 production, 2018 release). Cast: Glenn Close, Jonathan Pryce, Christian Slater, Max Irons, Elizabeth McGovern, Harry Lloyd, Annie Starke, Alix Wilton Regan, Karin Franz Körlof, Nick Fletcher. Director: Björn Runge. Screenplay: Jane Anderson. Book: Meg Wolitzer, The Wife. Web site. Trailer. When we wonder why our reality turns out as it does, if we want an honest answer to that question, we have to ask ourselves what motivates us. All too often we drift through life not taking stock of our intentions, letting life unfold seemingly on its own, as if we’re oblivious to the part we play in its manifestation. But, even if we believe we have no hand in the process or are afraid to see [...]

Brent Marchant2018-10-27T19:51:42-05:00September 9th, 2018|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Sorry to Bother You’ wrestles with destiny, integrity

“Sorry to Bother You” (2018). Cast: Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Omari Hardwick, Terry Crews, Danny Glover, Armie Hammer, Kate Berlant, Michael X. Sommers, Steven Yeun, Robert Longstreet, Forest Whitaker, Indigo Jackson, Elaine Clark, Patton Oswalt (voice), David Cross (voice), Lily James (voice), Rosario Dawson (voice). Director: Boots Riley. Screenplay: Boots Riley. Web site. Trailer. What does it mean to be in charge of your own destiny? Do you have a handle on what you want and what you’ve created for yourself? Or have you been swept up with the current, unwittingly fulfilling others’ agendas, bringing you material success but prompting you to compromise your values and integrity? And, if so, how do you proceed? Those are some of [...]

Brent Marchant2018-08-20T12:15:16-05:00July 10th, 2018|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Movie Reviews|