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‘Mr. Nobody Against Putin’ offers a profile in courage

Courage comes in many forms, some of them plainly apparent and others seemingly unlikely. Ironically, it’s those emboldened but unsuspecting heroes who often end up achieving the greatest victories in their endeavors, even when up against formidable opponents. And now the makings of such an implausible scenario provide the focus for an insightful first-person documentary, one in which an unassuming, mild-mannered David matter-of-factly takes on a daunting Goliath.

Brent Marchant2026-04-19T01:39:14-05:00March 8th, 2026|Conscious Creation, Documentary, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘Eddington’ analyzes beliefs gone wild

Some would say – and quite astutely at that – there’s plenty of madness to go around these days, and they’d be right. But where and when did this begin? Many would increasingly agree that a good place to start looking would be the COVID-19 Pandemic, a time when fear was ratcheted up, conspiracy theories ran amok, “protective” measures slid into excessive overreach, neighbors routinely spied on (and often made unsupported accusations about) neighbors, and people’s imaginations were let loose without restraint. What began as an alleged but widely legitimized public health crisis soon spilled over into myriad other areas of life as tempers, paranoia and disinformation flared to new heights. So why did this happen?

Brent Marchant2025-09-24T04:44:31-05:00July 28th, 2025|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

Wrapping up the 2025 Chicago Latino Film Festival

The 41st annual edition of the Chicago Latino Film Festival – the longest continuously running event of its kind in the US – is now in the books, having featured an array of narrative, documentary and short films in local theaters and community centers. Here’s my take on what I watched and what I thought.

Brent Marchant2025-06-04T02:29:50-05:00April 15th, 2025|Comedy, Drama, Film Festivals, Foreign, Movie Reviews, Sci-Fi, Smart Horror|

‘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 Old Oak’ searches for common ground

Getting along with others sometimes isn’t easy, even under the best of circumstances. Differences – of almost any kind – can become obstacles that impede communications and understanding, potentially making relations between individuals and groups problematic or even impossible. But conditions need not remain that way if we make an effort to get past them, an undertaking that generally calls for finding common ground and seeking solidarity.

Brent Marchant2024-07-07T01:29:11-05:00June 12th, 2024|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|

‘Róise & Frank’ celebrates undying devotion

The loyalty, devotion and love of our four-legged canine friends is nearly always undeniable. They’re there when we need them, offering us compassion, empathy and lots of licks, the kinds of qualities and gestures that can lift our spirits and make our days a little more bearable, even under the worst of conditions. In fact, such treatment might easily lead us to believe that they’re something more than just furry, little tail-wagging companions, almost as if they’re angels in disguise.

Brent Marchant2023-10-21T00:00:29-05:00August 24th, 2023|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes’ exposes the perils of deception

The truth can be hard to face. We may want to deny it, dismiss it or cover it up, but it inevitably comes back to us in all its unblemished fidelity, forcing us to deal with it, no matter how dire the consequences associated with it may be. Attempts at imposing deception may work for a while, but cracks in the foundation of such lies ultimately emerge,

Brent Marchant2022-07-21T09:05:27-05:00June 28th, 2022|Conscious Creation, Documentary, Movie Reviews|

‘Celeste Garcia’ explores how to get what we really want

“The Extraordinary Journey of Celeste Garcia” (“El viaje extraordinario de Celeste García”) (2018). Cast: María Isabel Díaz, Omar Franco, Néstor Jiménez, Yerlín Pérez, Tamara Castellanos, Veronica Diaz, Roberto Espinosa, Reinier Díaz, Andrea Doimeadios, Beatriz Viña. Director: Arturo Infante. Screenplay: Arturo Infante. Web site. Trailer. Much of our life is spent just trying to figure out how it all works. This leaves us little time to devote to attaining what we really hope for out of it. And, even then, we may not get it right through many attempts at doing so. But, at some point, we just might hit upon the right formula, one that gives us the happiness and contentment we seek. Such an odyssey is the stuff of [...]

Brent Marchant2019-03-25T12:20:14-05:00March 3rd, 2019|Comedy, Movie Reviews, Sci-Fi|