A Plan for Living on The Cinema Scribe
Tune in for the latest Cinema Scribe segment on Bring Me 2 Life Radio, beginning Tuesday July 28, 2 pm ET.
This Week in Movies with Meaning
Reviews of "The Invite," "All That's Left of You" and "Marty, Life is Short" are all in the latest Movies with Meaning post on the web site of The Good Radio Network.
‘Life is Short’ presents a plan for living
For what it’s worth, celebrities are often regarded as vain, narcissistic, self-absorbed and unapologetically materialistic, generally consumed with their own ambitions, being the center of attention and lining their pockets. Seldom are they widely recognized for qualities like artistic integrity, personal fulfillment and noble intentions. But those generalizations do not always provide realistic depictions; there are individuals who indeed embody sincere motivations that drive their craft and their lives. But how do they defy the so-called model and turn out like that? Such is the point behind the new Netflix documentary profile of actor-comedian Martin Short, “Marty, Life is Short.”
An Ode to Friendship on The Cinema Scribe
Tune in for the latest Cinema Scribe segment on Bring Me 2 Life Radio, beginning Tuesday November 12, at https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-cinema-scribe--3455732.
‘Will & Harper’ presents a loving ode to friendship
Friendship is one of those subjects that doesn’t receive nearly enough meaningful attention in the movies. Yet, when we look at its prevalence in life and the many forms it can take, it certainly provides plenty of fodder for engaging storytelling, given that it’s a topic we can all ultimately relate to – and in myriad ways at that. Films that explore unusual and fascinating expressions of this concept are among the most engaging, as seen in a new documentary that examines what it’s like for old friends to get to know one another all over again in a new context.
For better or worse addressed in ‘American Symphony’
The now-famous opening line of the Charles Dickens classic A Tale of Two Cities – “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” – has become virtually synonymous for describing situations that are simultaneously both joyous yet difficult. In many ways, this is a scenario that seems almost unfathomable, one whose very existence is hard to imagine, let alone endure. Yet many among us have nevertheless experienced such challenging, ironic and contradictory conditions, circumstances that ultimately push us to find the means to survive and to overcome the ordeals posed to us so that we can truly enjoy the best of what life has to offer while putting the worst behind us.
Determination, Flexibility on The Cinema Scribe
Tune in for the latest Cinema Scribe segment on Bring Me 2 Life Radio, beginning Tuesday November 28.
‘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?
‘Don’t Look Up’ skewers willful ignorance, complacency
When faced with difficult situations, it may be tempting to want to turn a blind eye, willingly choosing to remain oblivious and ignorant. By tuning out and wallowing in our own complacency, we have an opportunity to lull ourselves into distraction and denial, hoping that the wishful thinking spawned from such practices will somehow materialize into a bona fide reality. But what do we do when we realize that’s not going to happen, when we understand that we’ve squandered opportunities to solve the issues facing us?
‘Passing’ wrestles with deception, intent and integrity
How far would you go to get what you want? In particular, how determined would you to be to fulfill your objectives if you felt you were being intentionally excluded from doing so? The temptation to succeed at any cost under such circumstances might be quite strong, and, if a path were to open up to make things happen seemingly easily, one could be seen as foolish for ignoring such an opportunity.