My 2024 Oscar Scorecard
So how did I do? I had a perfect sic-for-six on this year’s predicted winners (and was happy with the results in each case). Here are the details.
Who Will Win the 2024 Oscars?
It’s that time of year again – time for my predictions of the winners at the upcoming annual Academy Awards.
‘Oppenheimer’ wrestles with the torment of moral dilemmas
Working through conflicted feelings can be difficult, if not unfathomable. And the greater the stakes involved, the more maddening the process can be. It may be so daunting, in fact, that it might not be overstating things to liken it to psychological and emotional torture. So how does one live with oneself under conditions like these?
‘Minor Premise’ examines the many within the one
“Minor Premise” (2020). Cast: Sathya Sridharan, Paton Ashbrook, Dana Ashbrook, Nikolas Kontomanolis. Director: Eric Schultz. Screenplay: Justin Moretto, Eric Schultz and Thomas Torrey. Web site. Trailer. It’s long been suspected that there’s much more going on inside our brains, minds and consciousness than most of us typically realize. What’s more, it’s become apparent that the complexities involved are far more involved than we generally understand. Learning how to harness this power could prove beneficial if tapped properly. But, if mishandled, we might also be opening a Pandora’s Box that we would have trouble once again closing. So it is in the insightful new sci-fi/smart horror thriller, “Minor Premise.” Wouldn’t it be something if we could figure out a way to record [...]
Wrapping Up the 2020 St. Louis Film Festival
The Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival recently completed its 2020 edition in its first-ever all-virtual format. With the future of theatrical screenings in limbo due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this alternative approach made it possible for the Festival to go forward, and it worked remarkably well, enabling viewers to screen a variety of films while remaining safe at home. As has been the case with other such events this year, this is a viable approach well worth considering for future programs, even without the threat of a pandemic. It makes it possible to offer the Festival’s films to a wider audience and provides flexible viewing conditions, benefits not necessarily available when presented exclusively in theatrical venues. Because of this [...]
‘Apples’ examines the selectivity of memory
“Apples” (“Mila”) (2020). Cast: Aris Servetalis, Sofia Georgovassilli, Anna Kalaitzidou, Argiris Bakirtzis, Kostas Laskos, Babis Makridis. Director: Christos Nikou. Screenplay: Christos Nikou and Stavros Raptis. Web site. Trailer. Memory is a funny thing. Some recollections are recalled with the greatest of ease, while others may become fuzzy or even seem to disappear completely. Then there’s the matter of total memory loss (i.e., amnesia), whose effects can be devastating and pervasive. So it is for a growing number of residents of a major city in the quirky new Greek comedy-drama, “Apples” (“Mila”). When a middle-aged Greek man (Aris Servetalis) wakes up on an Athens bus, he has no idea where he is or who he is. When questioned about where he [...]
Wrapping Up the 2020 Chicago Film Festival
The Chicago International Film Festival recently completed its 2020 edition in its first-ever all-virtual format. With moviehouses just now beginning to reopen due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this alternative approach made it possible for the Festival to go forward, and it worked remarkably well, enabling viewers to screen a variety of films while remaining safe at home or in the comfort of their vehicles at its drive-in performances. As has been the case with other such events this year, this is a viable approach well worth considering for future programs, even without the threat of a pandemic. It makes it possible to offer the Festival’s films to a wider audience and provides flexible viewing conditions, benefits not necessarily available when presented [...]