wealth – Brent Marchant

‘El Conde’ metaphorically skewers a dictator’s life

In the wake of the recent 50th anniversary of the 1973 Chilean coup d’etat that resulted in the overthrow of democratically elected President Salvador Allende, an effort led by the country’s military and backed by the US government, a number of film projects (both documentary and narrative features) have been released looking back on this event. These projects have taken a variety of forms, and one of the most unusual (and creative) among them has been a production that takes a metaphorical and wickedly satirical look at the life of Allende’s successor, dictator Augusto Pinochet (1915-2006), portraying him in a surreal but fitting milieu, as seen in the hilarious but insightful allegorical biography, “El Conde” (“The Count”).

Brent Marchant2024-01-30T11:26:22+00:00December 15th, 2023|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, Movie Reviews, Smart Horror|

‘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+00:00November 11th, 2022|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Movie Reviews|

‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’ underscores the perils of blind faith

It’s one thing to be an ardent, committed supporter, but it’s something else entirely to be an unwittingly blind follower. The former reflects a passionate faith and a stern resolve, while the latter is an unquestioned abrogation of one’s personal power. But certainly one can readily make the distinction between those two scenarios, right?

Brent Marchant2021-10-26T11:44:51+00:00September 22nd, 2021|Biography, Character Study, Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Shang-Chi’ charts the search for self

Who we are and how we determine that can be an arduous undertaking, one replete with doubt, uncertainty and even denial. But, if we’re to attain satisfaction and fulfillment in life, it’s a process we must all go through to discover just what makes us, us.

Brent Marchant2021-10-07T13:41:56+00:00September 12th, 2021|Action-Adventure, Conscious Creation, Movie Reviews|

‘Dick Gregory’ embodies the principle and practice of integrity

Living one’s truth is indeed a virtue – and one that some say is becoming increasingly rare in these contentious times. It’s unclear whether this is due to an unwillingness or an inability to do so. Either way, though, if we’re to revive this practice, we need inspiring examples to draw from

Brent Marchant2021-08-18T08:37:12+00:00July 10th, 2021|Conscious Creation, Documentary, Movie Reviews|

‘Dead Pigs’ connects the dots of daily living

There’s more that binds us than meets the eye, and the strings that connect us may take some surprisingly unexpected forms. It may not be possible to anticipate the impact they’ll have, either, but we should nevertheless make an effort to remain conscious about their existence, for the developments that arise from them can be quite striking – and startling.

Brent Marchant2021-07-16T07:18:18+00:00June 20th, 2021|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘American Empire’ takes a critical look at what has value

“The Fall of the American Empire” (“La chute de l’empire américain”) (2018 production, 2019 release). Cast: Alexandre Landry, Maripier Morin, Rémy Girard, Maxim Roy, Louis Morissette, Florence Longpré, Patrick Emmanuel Abellard, Pierre Curzi, Vincent Leclerc, Eddy King, Anoulith Sintharaphone, Ayana O’Shun, Kémy St-Eloy. Director: Denys Arcand. Screenplay: Denys Arcand. Web site. Trailer. We all have our priorities when it comes to determining what we believe has value. But what exactly are those determinations based on? Do they arise from rigorously scrutinized considerations, or do they stem from arbitrary, capricious, cursory examinations? Are they decided upon by consensus, or do they vary from one individual to another? And are they fixed or flexible, changeable as needs arise or forever rigid? Those [...]

Brent Marchant2019-07-17T23:00:43+00:00June 18th, 2019|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|