greatness

‘Maria’ plumbs the perils of indecision

When one achieves greatness at his or her craft, it’s difficult to walk away when the skills behind it begin to fade. Moreover, facing the hard truth that one’s peak may indeed be irretrievably in the past can be even tougher to accept, no matter how passionate one’s desire might be for it. At times like these, we must often begin making new plans for ourselves and our future, and some of the options open to us may indeed hold considerable appeal, especially if they involve unfulfilled dreams. But what if we have difficulty accepting the reality of such circumstances?

Brent Marchant2025-03-21T08:09:23-05:00February 18th, 2025|Biography, Character Study, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Problemista’ examines how successes flow from failures

Isn’t it amazing how failures can often lead to unexpected successes? Those missteps frequently have a way of opening meaningful doors, even if it doesn’t seem that way at the time they occur. But how readily aware are we that such developments can occur?

Brent Marchant2024-05-01T08:09:17-05:00March 21st, 2024|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Movie Reviews|

‘Nyad’ calls for blending determination and flexibility

It’s been said that it’s never too late to pursue one’s dream. But how many of us who are getting on in years actually make the effort to accomplish that? As time passes by, we may begin to feel like life is passing us by, too, sweeping away the opportunities to fulfill those aspirations and leading to relentless disappointment, frustration and depression. However, must it be that way?

Brent Marchant2023-12-31T23:23:17-05:00November 23rd, 2023|Biography, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Our Father, the Devil’ asks, ‘When is it too late to do the right thing?’

It’s truly astounding how mankind is capable of both tremendous greatness and despicable savagery. How can one species lay claim to both? What’s more, how can both traits be found within a single individual? Yet, in a surprisingly large number of instances, that ends up being the case.

Brent Marchant2023-10-22T16:28:53-05:00September 9th, 2023|Character Study, Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘The Phantom of the Open’ celebrates the underdog in us all

It seems like just about everybody is willing to cheer for a lovable loser. We know that these challenged individuals don’t stand a chance of coming out on top in their respective pursuits, but we pull for them anyway, hoping that their efforts will at least pay off in a modicum of respectability. At the very least, we admire them for their gumption, their willingness to try, even in the face of heavily stacked odds.

Brent Marchant2022-07-20T06:16:00-05:00June 22nd, 2022|Biography, Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Aniara’ seeks to provide direction to the adrift

“Aniara” (2018 production, 2019 release). Cast: Emelie Jonsson, Bianca Cruzeiro, Arvin Kananian, Anneli Martini, Jennie Silfverhjelm, Emma Broomé, Jamil Drissi, Leon Jiber, David Nzinga, Peter Carlberg, Dakota Trancher Williams, Otis Costillo Ålhed, Dante Westergårdh. Directors: Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja. Screenplay: Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja. Source Material: Harry Martinson, poem, Aniara. Web site. Trailer. Starting over can seem like a dual-edged sword. In some ways, it may appear to be a tremendous opportunity to begin afresh. In other ways, though, we might feel devastated, completely overwhelmed by what we find ourselves up against. And, in the midst of that conundrum, we could be beset by the feeling of being totally adrift, unable to find our way, emotions not unlike [...]

Brent Marchant2020-08-26T11:54:06-05:00July 31st, 2020|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews, Sci-Fi|

‘Miss Juneteenth’ cautions us on the dangers of stalemates

“Miss Juneteenth” (2020). Cast: Nicole Beharie, Alexis Chikaeze, Kendrick Sampson, Lori Hayes, Marcus M. Mauldin, Akron Watson, Liz Mikel, Phyllis Cicero, Lisha Hackney, Mathew Greer, Jaime Matthis, Margaret Sanchez. Director: Channing Godfrey Peoples. Screenplay: Channing Godfrey Peoples. Web site. Trailer. Being stuck in our circumstances can be a horrible fate. Such stalemates keep us mired in unsatisfying conditions, preventing us from moving forward. But what’s even worse is not realizing that we are stuck, an exercise in ongoing frustration examined in the new generational drama, “Miss Juneteenth.” In 2004, Turquoise Jones (Nicole Beharie) was proudly crowned Miss Juneteenth, the top honor in a beauty pageant staged in honor of the 1865 freeing of the remaining Black slaves in Texas, two [...]

Brent Marchant2020-08-01T14:50:01-05:00June 25th, 2020|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|