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.
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.
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.
