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‘Nightbitch’ unmasks the challenges of motherhood

Ah, motherhood – it’s one of those notions that, in the minds of many, is sacrosanct, inviolable and beyond reproach. Indeed, they believe, there is no more noble a calling than this, a venture that every woman should feel honored to experience. But is that really the case? Is it truly everything it’s said to be? In fact, isn’t it possible that some women who find themselves in this role aren’t cut out for it and innately regret having taken that step?

Brent Marchant2025-04-25T04:11:38-05:00March 16th, 2025|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Movie Reviews|

‘Green Border’ makes a desperate plea for humanity

There are so many things that can go wrong in life that it hardly seems wise, practical or prudent to go looking for ways to make our existence needlessly grueling. Yet, if we’re truly honest with ourselves, there are plenty of situations that can all too easily yield undue stress, pain and difficulty – and all as a result of our own making, too. But why would we do that?

Brent Marchant2024-11-09T22:22:07-05:00August 30th, 2024|Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘The Hypnosis’ skillfully dissects changes in beliefs, behavior

Sometimes we can all use a little help in changing our behavior when we’re unable to do so on our own. There are many different approaches we can use for this, too, depending on our personal preferences. One of the most commonly employed practices is hypnosis, which has been successfully used for such things as losing weight and quitting smoking. But, in some cases, it can work so well that we may unintentionally end up overcompensating, prompting a whole new crop of issues to contend with.

Brent Marchant2024-07-14T19:20:39-05:00June 15th, 2024|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘All the Colours’ applauds the courage to be oneself

Discrimination is truly an ugly concept, no matter what basis is used to try and justify it. Those who become the targets of such inexcusable prejudice are left to endure the irrational ridicule inflicted upon them, treatment that often drives them into hiding, afraid to step forward and be themselves. Considerable courage is generally required to overcome those conditions, but even vast reserves of that attribute may not be enough when it means taking on institutionalized versions of such loathsome negative behavior. Nonetheless, those who are able to muster up the bravery to tackle such undertakings should be commended.

Brent Marchant2024-07-05T16:28:14-05:00June 7th, 2024|Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, LGBTQ+, Movie Reviews, Romance|

‘Black Box’ shows hearing is believing

We all have that little voice in our heads that we call “intuition.” We know it’s there, and sometimes its messages can be quite insistent. But how often do we actually listen to what it has to say? We frequently treat it dismissively, not taking it seriously. However, there are ways to give it more credibility

Brent Marchant2023-05-14T22:57:41-05:00April 7th, 2023|Action-Adventure, Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘Puzzle’ seeks to assemble the pieces of our lives

“Puzzle” (2018). Cast: Kelly Macdonald, David Denman, Irrfan Khan, Austin Abrams, Bubba Weiler, Liv Hewson, Audrie Neenan. Director: Marc Turtletaub. Screenplay: Polly Mann and Oren Moverman. Story Source: Natalia Smirnoff, “Rompecabezas” (“Puzzle”), 2009 Argentinian film. Web site. Trailer. Many of us look at our lives and see them as complete – only to discover not long thereafter that they’re not. Pieces may seem missing or out of place, realizations that we might view as frustrating, mystifying or even troubling. We could be tempted to ignore those shortcomings, hoping they’ll go away or resolve themselves on their own, but those “solutions” seldom work out as hoped for. It’s times like that when we must make a concerted effort to determine what’s [...]

Brent Marchant2019-11-13T07:55:35-05:00September 20th, 2019|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘American Empire’ takes a critical look at what has value

“The Fall of the American Empire” (“La chute de l’empire américain”) (2018 production, 2019 release). Cast: Alexandre Landry, Maripier Morin, Rémy Girard, Maxim Roy, Louis Morissette, Florence Longpré, Patrick Emmanuel Abellard, Pierre Curzi, Vincent Leclerc, Eddy King, Anoulith Sintharaphone, Ayana O’Shun, Kémy St-Eloy. Director: Denys Arcand. Screenplay: Denys Arcand. Web site. Trailer. We all have our priorities when it comes to determining what we believe has value. But what exactly are those determinations based on? Do they arise from rigorously scrutinized considerations, or do they stem from arbitrary, capricious, cursory examinations? Are they decided upon by consensus, or do they vary from one individual to another? And are they fixed or flexible, changeable as needs arise or forever rigid? Those [...]

Brent Marchant2019-07-17T23:00:43-05:00June 18th, 2019|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Us’ forces us to take a look at ourselves

“Us” (2019). Cast: Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker, Cali Sheldon, Noelle Sheldon, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Anna Diop, Madison Curry, Ashley Mckoy, Napiera Groves, Alan Frazier. Director: Jordan Peele. Screenplay: Jordan Peele. Web site. Trailer. Have you ever thought what it might be like to meet yourself? How we see ourselves can be an eye-opening experience, especially if what we observe doesn’t match our expectations. What we encounter could be significantly different from what we believe about our being, our attitudes and our behavior. But, on closer inspection, we may be surprised to see that it’s exactly who we are at our core, a scenario that gives us much to assess, some of [...]

Brent Marchant2019-04-24T15:59:37-05:00March 28th, 2019|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews, Sci-Fi|

‘Sorry to Bother You’ wrestles with destiny, integrity

“Sorry to Bother You” (2018). Cast: Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Omari Hardwick, Terry Crews, Danny Glover, Armie Hammer, Kate Berlant, Michael X. Sommers, Steven Yeun, Robert Longstreet, Forest Whitaker, Indigo Jackson, Elaine Clark, Patton Oswalt (voice), David Cross (voice), Lily James (voice), Rosario Dawson (voice). Director: Boots Riley. Screenplay: Boots Riley. Web site. Trailer. What does it mean to be in charge of your own destiny? Do you have a handle on what you want and what you’ve created for yourself? Or have you been swept up with the current, unwittingly fulfilling others’ agendas, bringing you material success but prompting you to compromise your values and integrity? And, if so, how do you proceed? Those are some of [...]

Brent Marchant2018-08-20T12:15:16-05:00July 10th, 2018|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Movie Reviews|