‘I’m Still Here’ explores the virtues of hope

Hope is an undeniably powerful force, and a belief in it firmly cements our faith in it in our consciousness. It’s difficult to shake, too, hanging on persistently in our worldview. Admittedly, though, when circumstances challenge its validity and viability, that quality can come under fire, perhaps even prompting us to question its strength and resilience. But such conditions can also serve to affirm our convictions, to galvanize us in our views of the power of hope, particularly when it seems like that’s all we have going for us.

2025-03-10T03:39:18-05:00February 14th, 2025|Biography, Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘Exhibiting Forgiveness’ showcases the healing power of letting go 

Engaging in acts of forgiveness can be among the most difficult life tasks that any of us undertake. In nearly every case, we’re called upon to absolve those who have harmed us. In many instances, we might feel so violated by these misdeeds that we simply don’t want to extend any type of grace toward our transgressors, even if they’re contrite about wanting to make amends. And, the greater the degree of the offenses committed against us, the more challenging such absolutions can be. But, despite these inclinations toward holding grudges, we should nevertheless make the effort to ask ourselves, “What do we gain by holding on to the hurt?”

2025-03-05T06:08:48-05:00January 20th, 2025|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Wicked’ assesses the wisdom behind our personal power

Creating and leading a life of fulfillment frequently requires the judicious use of our personal power. That can be challenging in light of what it takes to pull that off. We must be suitably focused yet handle the particulars involved with a deft touch. However, if we fail at that, it’s easy to become frustrated, possibly overpowering our well-intentioned efforts and potentially yielding deleterious side effects, if not outright havoc, that could harm our surroundings or even others.

2025-02-14T06:55:19-05:00December 8th, 2024|Comedy, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘The Wild Robot’ explores exceeding our capabilities

There are times in our lives when nearly all of us exceed the limits of our capabilities (and often quite unexpectedly at that). But that can be a tremendous blessing, especially when we’re confronted by circumstances where such enhanced aptitudes are called for. When this happens, we might well surprise ourselves and those who know us, but such amazing revelations can produce miraculous results that benefit many in need.

2025-01-29T09:55:22-05:00November 25th, 2024|Animation, Conscious Creation, Movie Reviews|

Wrapping Up the 2024 Black Harvest Film Festival

The 30th annual edition of the Gene Siskel Film Center’s Black Harvest Film Festival is now in the books, having featured an array of narrative, documentary and short films. The event featured a strong lineup of offerings this year, perhaps the best I’ve ever seen at this festival. In all, I managed to catch six films during the festival’s two-week run. So, with that said, here’s my take on what I watched and what I thought.

‘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.

2025-01-20T14:48:22-05:00November 9th, 2024|Conscious Creation, Documentary, Movie Reviews|

‘Omni Loop’ asks, ‘What accounts for our greatness?’

There are many ways we can live our lives, but the one quality that most of us strive for is to find out what makes that existence – and, consequently, us – great. It’s not an easy question to answer, and we often spend considerable time trying to figure it out. So how do we ultimately arrive at a definitively fulfilling answer to this quest?

2024-12-12T10:01:55-05:00October 20th, 2024|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews, Sci-Fi|

‘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?

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