teenage daughter

Obliviousness scrutinized in ‘The Invite’

Nineteenth Century Irish novelist, playwright and raconteur Oscar Wilde, widely known for his witticisms and observations about life, is generally credited for the following arguably astute advice: “One should always be in love. That is the reason why one should never marry.” And it’s most fitting that those very words should eloquently serve as a cinematic epigraph at the start of a new comedy-drama about a casual, neighborly social occasion that goes awry while simultaneously providing its unsuspecting participants with new, eye-opening, revelatory insights about life, love, marriage, sexuality and a host of other topics, “The Invite.”

Brent Marchant2026-09-15T18:35:53-05:00July 13th, 2026|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, 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 Whale’ offers lessons in radical compassion

Compassion is something we could all use more of these days. That’s especially true for those who are trying to resolve difficult personal challenges. They need backing when it comes to helping them sort out the issues they face. But how do we offer support, particularly when we see others engaging in what we believe to be self-destructive behavior?

Brent Marchant2023-02-03T08:33:11-05:00January 9th, 2023|Character Study, Conscious Creation, Drama, LGBTQ+, Movie Reviews|

‘Fire in The Mountains’ ignites a feminist manifesto

To paraphrase Bruce Springsteen, it takes a spark to light a fire. But sometimes such blazes don’t take on the first strike. There’s not enough energy behind it to catch flame. In fact, it may take multiple sparks before a conflagration erupts, a concept that’s applicable both literally and metaphorically. But, when things finally come alive, watch out...

Brent Marchant2022-08-28T17:31:02-05:00July 26th, 2022|Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘Farewell Amor’ explores what makes relationships work

Our interpersonal relationships are among the most prized aspects of our lives. They’re cherished gifts to ourselves and to those we care about, and preserving them is of the utmost importance. But what happens when we drift apart, not necessarily because of intentionally malicious acts, tragedies or other negative influences, but simply because of circumstances brought about by separation of time and distance. Can those connections be sustained or, if needed, rebuilt?

Brent Marchant2021-06-11T12:19:20-05:00May 2nd, 2021|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Extra Ordinary’ urges us to broaden our horizons

“Extra Ordinary” (2019 production, 2020 release). Cast: Maeve Higgins, Barry Ward, Will Forte, Claudia O’Doherty, Jamie Beamish, Terri Chandler, Risteard Cooper, Emma Coleman, Mary McEvoy, Jon Cheung, Jed Murray, Aggie Ellis. Directors: Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman. Screenplay: Mike Ahern, Demian Fox, Maeve Higgins and Ena Loughman. Web site. Trailer. At times, it feels like the world around us is shrinking (especially these days). But, if anything, it would be to our benefit in many ways to explore and embrace a broader view, one that expands our horizons and helps us to consider a wider range of possibilities. After all, we might never know what could come from such an effort unless we try, including in areas of our lives [...]

Brent Marchant2020-05-19T05:19:27-05:00April 9th, 2020|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Movie Reviews|

‘Searching’ distinguishes what we know from what we think we know

“Searching” (2018). Cast: John Cho, Debra Messing, Sara Sohn, Michelle La, Joseph Lee, Alex Jayne Go, Megan Liu, Kya Dawn Lau, Ric Sarabia. Director: Aneesh Chaganty, Screenplay: Aneesh Chaganty and Sev Ohanian. Web site. Trailer. We can take comfort in knowing that certain aspects of our life are exactly as they seem to be. Or can we? Are we getting a clear, accurate picture of the people, places and things that make up our existence? Or are we falling prey to what we’d like to think we know about such elements of our reality? The result can be eye-opening – and disillusioning – as an anguished parent discovers for himself in the sizzling thriller, “Searching,” now available on DVD, Blu-ray [...]

Brent Marchant2019-05-31T15:50:43-05:00April 24th, 2019|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|