conventional thinking

‘Viva Verdi!’ celebrates the joy and power of creation

One of the most inspiring messages I’ve run across in my life maintains that “The greatest joy is in creation,” a message that, ironically, came my way via a Chinese fortune cookie just as I had begun work on my first book. The timing couldn’t have been better, as this sentiment fed directly and abundantly into my writing. It proved to me at the time – and ever since – that creativity is essential to help keep us feeling young, fulfilled, prolific and vital. And, not surprisingly, that notion has also been crucial in the lives and well-being of a remarkable group of seniors who reside in a truly special retirement community in Milan, Italy, one that celebrates the joy and power of creation.

Brent Marchant2026-03-12T10:07:58-05:00February 9th, 2026|Conscious Creation, Documentary, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘Eternity’ wrestles with the perils of hard choices

Life can sometimes present us with hard choices. However, strange as it might sound, death might actually hand us some even bigger ones. That might throw us for a huge, unexpected loop, especially if we go into the afterlife envisioning it as a stress-free experience, one assumed to be characterized by unending happiness and bliss. Such is the dilemma posed to a recently deceased woman who now faces a decision that’s not at all what she anticipated, a choice far greater and more difficult than anything she experienced while alive.

Brent Marchant2026-01-26T14:37:52-05:00November 24th, 2025|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews, Romance|

‘Skál’ celebrates the virtues of personal freedom

Where would we be without personal freedom? The prospect is rather daunting, especially once we consider what we’d lose. Its absence can prove particularly detrimental during certain times in our lives, such as adolescence and young adulthood, when we’re just beginning to grasp the possibilities that the world can offer us.

Brent Marchant2022-02-25T00:39:31-05:00January 25th, 2022|Conscious Creation, Documentary, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘Extra Ordinary’ urges us to broaden our horizons

“Extra Ordinary” (2019 production, 2020 release). Cast: Maeve Higgins, Barry Ward, Will Forte, Claudia O’Doherty, Jamie Beamish, Terri Chandler, Risteard Cooper, Emma Coleman, Mary McEvoy, Jon Cheung, Jed Murray, Aggie Ellis. Directors: Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman. Screenplay: Mike Ahern, Demian Fox, Maeve Higgins and Ena Loughman. Web site. Trailer. At times, it feels like the world around us is shrinking (especially these days). But, if anything, it would be to our benefit in many ways to explore and embrace a broader view, one that expands our horizons and helps us to consider a wider range of possibilities. After all, we might never know what could come from such an effort unless we try, including in areas of our lives [...]

Brent Marchant2020-05-19T05:19:27-05:00April 9th, 2020|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Movie Reviews|

‘Breathe’ inspires us to vanquish our limitations

“Breathe” (2017). Cast: Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Hugh Bonneville, Diana Rigg, Penny Downie, David Wilmot, Stephen Mangan, Edward Speleers, Tom Hollander, Amit Shah, Jonathan Hyde, Emily Bevan, Harry Marcus, Dean-Charles Chapman, Sylvester Groth. Director: Andy Serkis. Screenplay: William Nicholson. Web site. Trailer. Imagine being confronted by a life of bed-ridden confinement, unable to move or even to inhale your own life-sustaining breath. Add to that the frustration and despondency brought on by an unfeeling health care system that insists upon regimented institutionalization as the only way to address your condition. And, to make matters worse, you’re young and just beginning what’s supposed to be a happy and fulfilling time with the love of your life. If you can picture that, [...]

Brent Marchant2017-12-12T06:59:22-05:00October 24th, 2017|Drama, Movie Reviews, Romance|