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‘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|

‘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.

Brent Marchant2025-01-29T09:55:22-05:00November 25th, 2024|Animation, Conscious Creation, Movie Reviews|

‘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.

Brent Marchant2025-01-20T14:48:22-05:00November 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?

Brent Marchant2024-12-12T10:01:55-05:00October 20th, 2024|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews, Sci-Fi|

‘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 Happy Families’ seeks a cure for dysfunction

An old saying maintains that we can pick our friends but not our family. But is that really so? It might seem that way at times, especially in situations where we struggle mightily to get along with them and put up with their annoyances and quirks. However, one could also contend that the individuals we incarnate with are present in our lives to help us learn valuable lessons in areas like cooperation and forgiveness.

Brent Marchant2024-06-29T14:31:48-05:00June 5th, 2024|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘The Miracle Club’ explores the power of pilgrimage

When answers are elusive, we often become frustrated that we can’t find them. That can be especially aggravating when the sought-after solutions are meant to address particularly difficult questions. We’re thus left wondering what to do. However, at times like these, we often resort to embarking on physical or spiritual journeys to tangible or metaphorical destinations that are believed to possess special qualities that serve as sources of inspiration and enlightenment.

Brent Marchant2024-06-12T11:29:51-05:00May 27th, 2024|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘We Grown Now’ explores the joys and perils of growing up

Childhood is the time of life when we form our views about how the world works and what it potentially has in store for us. It presents us with a variety of options for how we come to regard it, either positively or negatively or somewhere in between, a perspective often determined by the circumstances to which we’re exposed. But what matters most in all this is what we end up doing with our beliefs about these conditions and experiences, as they ultimately shape what unfolds going forward.

Brent Marchant2024-05-30T17:57:18-05:00May 1st, 2024|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Origin’ questions the validity of entrenched beliefs

Adjusting to new outlooks that override established beliefs can be difficult for some of us. We’ve become so entrenched in certain ways of thinking that it’s hard to embrace new ones. We may not understand the revised concepts, either because they’re too radical or esoteric for us to grasp or because they’re not explained in easily comprehensible ways, perhaps too vague or too overly intellectualized. Or we may simply be unwilling to adopt such new thoughts because they make us feel uncomfortable. But, then, there are also those who take to them readily, either out of curiosity or an undeniably instinctual awareness.

Brent Marchant2024-05-17T00:08:02-05:00April 12th, 2024|Biography, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘The Teachers’ Lounge’ charts a molehill’s evolution

We’ve all no doubt heard about the proverbial molehill unwittingly being made into a mountain. The inconsequential somehow manages to become overly (and unnecessarily) inflated, taking on undeserved significance. This usually comes about as a result of undue attention paid to it by those who have self-serving agendas that they want to see escalated and addressed to resolve petty or trumped-up grievances. And the result is a chaotic maelstrom characterized by overhyped shrieking and misplaced ridicule, often directed at the wrong parties or the wrong issues.

Brent Marchant2024-03-13T08:46:27-05:00February 18th, 2024|Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, Movie Reviews|