theater

‘Late Fame’ seeks to rediscover one’s calling in life

Well-meaning optimists often nudge us to believe that it’s never too late to discover (or rediscover) our respective callings in life (and sometimes they’re right). At a time when many of us may have given up on our dreams or settled for a less complicated way of life, there are those who may nevertheless eagerly follow such inspirational advice and find the experience refreshingly rejuvenating. But, even with the best of hopes and intentions, what’s the guarantee, if any, of success at such undertakings? Those are among the themes explored in the new dramatic character study, “Late Fame.”

Brent Marchant2026-09-07T11:39:32-05:00September 7th, 2026|Character Study, Conscious Creation, Drama, Featured Post, Movie Reviews|

‘The End of Oak Street’ celebrates second chances

Movies about second chances are fairly common fare in the world of cinema. They provide opportunities to explore the value of themes like redemption and forgiveness. And these notions are usually examined within the context of interpersonal dramas or gentle comedies. So it’s truly unusual to find them as thematic underpinnings in as unlikely a context as science fiction. Nevertheless, such is the case in the new Spielbergian summertime blockbuster, “The End of Oak Street.”

Brent Marchant2026-08-24T00:53:57-05:00August 23rd, 2026|Action-Adventure, Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Featured Post, Movie Reviews, Sci-Fi|

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.

Brent Marchant2025-01-28T22:16:18-05:00November 22nd, 2024|Biography, Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Film Festivals, Foreign, Movie Reviews, Smart Horror|

‘Day One’ examines the lust for life at death’s doorstep

There are times in life when what we crave most is, regrettably, not available to us. That’s particularly true for those on death’s doorstep. While individuals experiencing such circumstances may understand and even accept the inevitability of the fate that faces them, there may still be a part of them that wants or needs to hold on, perhaps to complete unfinished business, address a task that has not yet been tackled or ensure the care and well-being of others.

Brent Marchant2024-08-27T08:40:36-05:00July 5th, 2024|Action-Adventure, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews, Smart Horror|

‘Thelma’ advises ‘Don’t mess with seniors!’

According to playwright David Mamet, “Age and treachery will always beat youth and exuberance.” The kind of wisdom that comes from experience can be tapped and put to use in many ways, particularly when others try to pull the wool over the eyes of those who’ve been around for a while and have had ample opportunity to stockpile such seasoned and shrewd sagacity.

Brent Marchant2024-08-22T08:49:23-05:00June 29th, 2024|Action-Adventure, Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘The Hypnosis’ skillfully dissects changes in beliefs, behavior

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.

Brent Marchant2024-07-14T19:20:39-05:00June 15th, 2024|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘Your Fat Friend’ seeks to rectify an unfair oversight

Imagine being systematically discriminated against and unduly ridiculed without those inflicting such hurtful and unfair acts suffering any consequences. Those in various minority communities can no doubt relate to such treatment, having been subjected to it for long periods before legal protections were put into place (and, in some cases, even after those safeguards were implemented). However, there’s one constituency that’s effectively gone without protection – and, in many respects, still continues to do so. That kind of vulnerability should make everyone squirm, whether or not they’re directly impacted by such blindly sanctioned abuse.

Brent Marchant2024-06-15T02:40:39-05:00May 29th, 2024|Conscious Creation, Documentary, Movie Reviews|

‘Viking’ stresses the need for flexibility, resourcefulness

When we take on challenging, risky or dangerous tasks, it usually helps to have a back-up plan in place. No matter how well we might plan for all conceivable contingencies, there may be times when things still slip through the cracks and need to be addressed. But, even with such a Plan B option, there may yet be occasions that defy even our best projections and sincerest intentions for trying to identify solutions for the unexpected.

Brent Marchant2023-06-04T21:31:09-05:00May 7th, 2023|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, Movie Reviews, Sci-Fi|

‘The Moon & Back’ wrestles with grief, creativity, adolescence

Where do we turn when the bottom falls out? That’s difficult enough at any age, but what is one to do when going through an impressionable time of life, such as adolescence? The coming of age considerations that teens face are often burdensome enough in themselves. However, when they’re compounded by a significant loss, starting over may seem impossible.

Brent Marchant2023-05-30T18:03:30-05:00April 27th, 2023|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Triangle of Sadness’ asks whether turnabout is fair play

We like to think that we’re fundamentally all equal, and, in idealistic terms, it’s hard to take issue with that notion. However, from a practical, realistic standpoint, inequality is unfortunately alive and well in so many contexts. It’s undoubtedly unfair that such differences have been allowed to continue to hold sway and that there are those who must endure such inequities. But can the situation be rectified?

Brent Marchant2022-12-11T04:32:32-05:00November 11th, 2022|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Movie Reviews|