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‘Hard Truths’ seeks the quest to cope

Many of us these days are experiencing a certain inexplicable unsettledness with our lives, a constant sense of frustration and restlessness that seems to defy explanation – or resolution. Because of those conditions, we may also find ourselves becoming increasingly aggravated, with our fuses growing progressively shorter. And, no matter what we might do to try and address these circumstances, it often feels like nothing works, that the irritation is perpetual and unrelenting.

Brent Marchant2025-03-10T04:18:18-05:00March 10th, 2025|Character Study, Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Featured Post, Movie Reviews|

‘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?

Brent Marchant2023-09-10T04:56:49-05:00July 27th, 2023|Biography, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Leonor Will Never Die’ explores reclaiming one’s power

When we feel like we’ve lost something, we often wonder if we’ll ever get it back. Those who innately see the glass as half full generally have the requisite optimism needed to reclaim it. But those whose worldview is less enthusiastic frequently treat their loss as permanent and irretrievable. But need things be that way?

Brent Marchant2023-01-29T03:01:03-05:00December 22nd, 2022|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘The Ice King’ fuses vision and perseverance

When faced with a seemingly insurmountable challenge, it would be easy to throw in the towel. At the same time, though, when we also know that what we wish to bring into being is something we must do, such awareness compels us to strive ever forward, regardless of the effort and cost involved. But how can that be accomplished?

Brent Marchant2021-10-28T14:13:41-05:00September 29th, 2021|Conscious Creation, Documentary, Movie Reviews|

‘Shang-Chi’ charts the search for self

Who we are and how we determine that can be an arduous undertaking, one replete with doubt, uncertainty and even denial. But, if we’re to attain satisfaction and fulfillment in life, it’s a process we must all go through to discover just what makes us, us.

Brent Marchant2021-10-07T13:41:56-05:00September 12th, 2021|Action-Adventure, Conscious Creation, Movie Reviews|

‘Cicada’ chronicles the path to healing

“Cicada” (2020). Cast: Matthew Fifer, Sheldon D. Brown, Sandra Bauleo, Cobie Smulders, Jazmin Green Grimaldi, Scott Adsit, Michael Potts, David Burtka, Jason “Freckles” Greene, Beau Curran, Bowen Yang. Directors: Matthew Fifer and Kieran Mulcare. Screenplay: Matthew Fifer and Sheldon D. Brown. Web site. Trailer. Healing old wounds can be a long and painful process, especially if we’re unclear about the nature or source of the hurt. When we are, though, the path to overcoming trauma can be a seemingly unending one in which the anguish never goes away, leaving us feeling as if there’s no hope for recovery or a future worth looking forward to. But, many times, and often quite unexpectedly, something happens that sets us off in a [...]

Brent Marchant2020-11-23T19:28:27-05:00October 10th, 2020|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews, Romance|

‘The Last Full Measure’ seeks to rectify justice denied

“The Last Full Measure” (2020). Cast: Sebastian Stan, William Hurt, Ed Harris, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Plummer, Peter Fonda, Diane Ladd, Bradley Whitford, Amy Madigan, John Savage, Jeremy Irvine, Alison Sudol, Linus Roache, Dale Dye, Ser’Darius Blain, James Jagger, Zach Roerig, Ethan Russell, Cody Walker, Richard Seymour Cawthorne, LisaGay Hamilton, Asher Miles Fallica, Rachel Harker, Hannah Black. Director: Todd Robinson. Screenplay: Todd Robinson. Web site. Trailer. An old adage maintains “Better late than never.” But is “late” truly acceptable? In many cases, it’s used as an all-too-convenient excuse for careless oversights, intentional snubs or even willful, agenda-driven and often-indefensible denunciations. It’s at that point when efforts to make up for those shortcomings often emerge, some of which slowly fall by the [...]

Brent Marchant2020-10-07T13:57:41-05:00September 5th, 2020|Conscious Creation, Drama, 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|

‘Corpus Christi’ asks, ‘Who speaks for God?’

“Corpus Christi” (“Boże Cialo”) (2019). Cast: Bartosz Bielenia, Aleksandra Konieczna, Eliza Rycembel, Tomasz Zietek, Barbara Kurzaj, Leszek Lichota, Zdislaw Wardejn, Lukasz Simlat. Director: Jan Komasa. Screenplay: Mateusz Pacewicz. Web site. Trailer. Some of us are naturally inclined to feel the power of spirit, to experience its movement through us. As a consequence, we may well want to convey the essence of that divinity to others, especially those in need of comfort or guidance. But is it a practice for which we need the permission of authority figures? Or should we be free to express ourselves, regardless of whether we fulfill the “qualifications” supposedly required for carrying out this mission? Those are among the questions raised in the new fact-based Polish morality [...]

Brent Marchant2020-03-03T10:37:02-05:00February 6th, 2020|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

Wrapping up the Chicago Film Festival

One of the great joys of reviewing movies is the opportunity to attend film festivals. They offer moviegoers a chance to see multiple offerings in myriad genres from countries all over the globe, featuring everything from little-known independent productions to Hollywood blockbusters. And so it is with my hometown event, the Chicago International Film Festival, which just recently completed its 55th edition. The Chicago festival just keeps getting better and better every year. I’ve attended many of the festivals over the past 40 years (I started attending when I was 2…), and I’ve seen vast improvements in programming and staging in that time, efforts that have truly made this a world class event. Over 12 days, I screened 15 films, [...]

Brent Marchant2019-12-17T18:21:13-05:00October 30th, 2019|Movie Reviews|