crime

‘We Grown Now’ explores the joys and perils of growing up

Childhood is the time of life when we form our views about how the world works and what it potentially has in store for us. It presents us with a variety of options for how we come to regard it, either positively or negatively or somewhere in between, a perspective often determined by the circumstances to which we’re exposed. But what matters most in all this is what we end up doing with our beliefs about these conditions and experiences, as they ultimately shape what unfolds going forward.

Brent Marchant2024-05-30T17:57:18-05:00May 1st, 2024|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘The Teachers’ Lounge’ charts a molehill’s evolution

We’ve all no doubt heard about the proverbial molehill unwittingly being made into a mountain. The inconsequential somehow manages to become overly (and unnecessarily) inflated, taking on undeserved significance. This usually comes about as a result of undue attention paid to it by those who have self-serving agendas that they want to see escalated and addressed to resolve petty or trumped-up grievances. And the result is a chaotic maelstrom characterized by overhyped shrieking and misplaced ridicule, often directed at the wrong parties or the wrong issues.

Brent Marchant2024-03-13T08:46:27-05:00February 18th, 2024|Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘Concerned Citizen’ urges us to seriously consider our social values

Do we always believe what we think we believe? That’s a good question, especially when we consider all of the implications involved. It certainly affects who we are, how we see ourselves and how we live our lives. But the ramifications carry wider considerations, too, such as our social values and how authentically we live up to them.

Brent Marchant2023-11-05T05:04:52-05:00September 10th, 2023|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, LGBTQ+, Movie Reviews, Romance|

‘Just Mercy’ chronicles the quest for justice

“Just Mercy” (2019). Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Brie Larson, Jamie Foxx, Rafe Spall, Tim Blake Nelson, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Rob Morgan, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Karan Kendrick, Michael Harding, Lindsay Ayliffe, Dominic Bogart, C.J. LeBlanc, Andrene Ward-Hammond, Rhoda Griffis. Director: Destin Daniel Cretton. Screenplay: Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Lanham. Book: Bryan Stevenson, Just Mercy. Web site. Trailer. One would like to hope that justice is served every time a legal matter arises, but, fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately), most of us are wise enough to realize that’s not the case. That’s especially troubling in proceedings where capital punishment is concerned, given the ramifications involved. We can only hope that matters turn out as they should and that the truth is not sacrificed [...]

Brent Marchant2020-02-22T05:47:32-05:00January 29th, 2020|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Dogman’ unleashes one’s wont of personal power

“Dogman” (2018 production, 2019 release). Cast: Marcello Fonte, Edoardo Pesce, Nunzia Schiano, Adamo Dionisi, Alida Baldari Calabria, Laura Pizzirani, Aniello Arena. Director: Matteo Garrone. Screenplay: Ugo Chiti, Matteo Garrone, Massimo Gaudioso, Marco Perfetti, Giulio Troli and Fratelli D’Innocenzo. Story: Ugo Chiti, Matteo Garrone and Massimo Gaudioso. Web site. Trailer. Few among us would deny the attraction we feel for a sense of personal power. It enables us to direct our destiny and shape the existence we want for ourselves. But it also comes with a temptation, one that can easily get out of hand if left unchecked. And it carries consequences, especially if we misuse it in our dealings with others or our community. It’s an issue that the residents [...]

Brent Marchant2019-06-04T16:22:09-05:00May 7th, 2019|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Pig’ asks, ‘What’s the price of popularity?’

“Pig” (“Khook”) (2018 production, 2019 release). Cast: Hassan Majooni, Leila Hatami, Leili Rashidi, Parinaz Izadyar, Siamak Ansari, Ainaz Azarhoush, Ali Bagheri, Mina Jafarzadeh, Ali Masaffa. Director: Mani Haghighi, Screenplay: Mani Haghighi. Web site. Trailer. What does it mean to be liked? That can be a loaded question, depending on the context. But, in an age of omnipresent social media (and the social ostracism that often accompanies it, which can take myriad forms, again depending on the context), that question can become even more precarious. And, on top of all that, our responses to those circumstances can be truly mind-boggling. These are just some of the issues faced by an insecure citizen in an insecure society in the offbeat new Iranian [...]

Brent Marchant2019-03-20T09:24:13-05:00February 28th, 2019|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Movie Reviews|

‘The Old Man & the Gun’ celebrates life, vitality

“The Old Man & the Gun” (2018). Cast: Robert Redford, Casey Affleck, Sissy Spacek, Danny Glover, Tom Waits, Tika Sumpter, Ari Elizabeth Johnson, Teagan Johnson, Gene Jones, John David Washington, Elisabeth Moss, Keith Carradine, Robert Longstreet. Director: David Lowery. Screenplay: David Lowery. Story Source: David Grann, “The Old Man and the Gun,” New Yorker magazine. Web site. Trailer. What gives us personal satisfaction? That’s something many of us chase down throughout our lives, and some of us are fortunate enough to find it. But is this a quest we should pursue at any cost, especially if the goals are dubious? That’s a question posed in the new, fact-based biopic, “The Old Man & the Gun.” Septuagenarian Forrest Tucker (not the [...]

Brent Marchant2018-11-24T14:20:35-05:00October 26th, 2018|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Crown Heights’ seeks justice in its absence

“Crown Heights” (2017). Cast: Lakeith Stanfield, Nnamdi Asomugha, Natalie Paul, Bill Camp, Luke Forbes, Adriane Lenox, Zach Grenier, Josh Pais, Skylan Brooks, Nestor Carbonell, Armand Schultz. Director: Matt Ruskin. Screenplay: Matt Ruskin. Web site. Trailer. Seeking justice is sometimes an unbelievably slow and difficult process. Bureaucratic procedures, sloppy investigative work and officials unwilling to admit making mistakes all contribute to needlessly complicating matters. The frustration can be exasperating for everyone involved, especially those who have been wrongfully convicted. Such is the case in the fact-based biographical drama “Crown Heights,” now available on DVD and video on demand. In 1980, 18-year-old Colin Warner (Lakeith Stanfield) was arrested, convicted and incarcerated for a murder he did not commit in the Crown Heights [...]

Brent Marchant2018-05-27T18:51:55-05:00May 8th, 2018|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|