worldview

‘I’m Still Here’ explores the virtues of hope

Hope is an undeniably powerful force, and a belief in it firmly cements our faith in it in our consciousness. It’s difficult to shake, too, hanging on persistently in our worldview. Admittedly, though, when circumstances challenge its validity and viability, that quality can come under fire, perhaps even prompting us to question its strength and resilience. But such conditions can also serve to affirm our convictions, to galvanize us in our views of the power of hope, particularly when it seems like that’s all we have going for us.

Brent Marchant2025-03-10T03:39:18-05:00February 14th, 2025|Biography, 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|

‘Living’ breaks the chains of limitation

Willingly taking ourselves out of our comfort zones is something that may make many of us squirm in discomfort. As creatures of habit, we like our lives filled with familiarity and predictability. So, when we find ourselves faced with having to make adjustments in light of our conditions, we might rail against those circumstances, especially if we feel the pressure of time constraints squeezing us into unexpected (and not necessarily welcome) alterations.

Brent Marchant2023-02-12T21:05:28-05:00January 15th, 2023|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Leonor Will Never Die’ explores reclaiming one’s power

When we feel like we’ve lost something, we often wonder if we’ll ever get it back. Those who innately see the glass as half full generally have the requisite optimism needed to reclaim it. But those whose worldview is less enthusiastic frequently treat their loss as permanent and irretrievable. But need things be that way?

Brent Marchant2023-01-29T03:01:03-05:00December 22nd, 2022|Comedy, Conscious Creation, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘The Fabelmans’ examines an artist’s roots

When we look upon the works of gifted artists – regardless of the medium involved – we’re often tempted to wonder where the abilities that gave rise to them came from. To be sure, much of the credit obviously belongs to these creative types themselves, but still there are other influences that help to nudge their talents to the surface, inspirations that bring out their innate skills and enable them to flourish.

Brent Marchant2023-01-22T23:06:44-05:00December 7th, 2022|Biography, Character Study, Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘Bardo’ takes a long, introspective look at life

How often do we seriously take the time to contemplate life’s bigger questions? We either preoccupy ourselves with everyday matters that unwittingly prompt us to put these issues on the back burner, or we may view these subjects as too daunting or scary, pushing them into the dark recesses of our consciousness for later handling (opportunities for which almost never surface). But how prepared do these approaches leave us for the time when we really will have to address them?

Brent Marchant2023-01-15T05:26:11-05:00December 2nd, 2022|Character Study, Comedy, Conscious Creation, Drama, Foreign, Movie Reviews|

‘Divine Love’ questions the nature of authentic faith

“Divine Love” (“Divino Amor”) (2019 production, 2020 release). Cast: Dira Paes, Julio Machado, Antonio Pastich, Teca Pereira, Emílio de Melo, Clayton Mariano, Mariana Nunes, Suzy Lopes, Thardelly Lima, Thalita Carauta, Tuna Dwek, Thiago Justino, Edilson Silva, Nataly Rocha, Calum Rio (narrator). Director: Gabriel Mascaro. Screenplay: Gabriel Mascaro, Richard Daisy Ellis, Esdras Bezzerra, Lucas Paraizo and Marcelo Gomes. Web site. Trailer. For many of us, faith is looked upon as central to our worldview and existence. Its form may vary somewhat from individual to individual, but its essence is generally the same. However, no matter how much we may proclaim we adhere to our faith, how authentic are we with ourselves when it comes to our practices matching our contentions in [...]

Brent Marchant2021-01-10T18:22:45-05:00December 12th, 2020|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews, Romance|

‘The 11th Green’ wrestles with the nature of truth, beliefs

“The 11th Green” (2020). Cast: Campbell Scott, Agnes Bruckner, George Gerdes, Leith M. Burke, Tom Stokes, April Grace, Ian Hart, Currie Graham, David Clennon, Monte Markham, Kathryn Lee Scott, Tom Connelly, Eli Cusick, Imani McNorton, Peter Tingstrom. Archive Footage: Harry S. Truman. Director: Christopher Munch. Screenplay: Christopher Munch. Web site. Trailer. We all know the truth when we see it, don’t we? After all, it’s a fixed, finite concept that’s applicable to all of us, isn’t it? Or is it something more nebulous, a moving target that shifts over time? Moreover, is it something that compliantly falls in line with our observations and beliefs, or is it subject to manipulation as a result of the influence of outside sources? Indeed, [...]

Brent Marchant2020-08-12T10:57:36-05:00July 4th, 2020|Conscious Creation, Movie Reviews, Sci-Fi|

‘One Last Deal’ examines how to go out on top

“One Last Deal” (“Tuntematon mestari”) (2018). Cast: Heikki Nousiainen, Pirjo Lonka, Amos Brotherus, Stefan Sauk, Jakob Öhrman, Pertti Sveholm, Kristoffer Möller. Director: Klaus Härö. Screenplay: Anna Heinämaa. Web site. Trailer. When we come into the home stretch of our lives, we hope to settle our accounts, make amends and, one would hope, make a splash while we still can. But that process may prove challenging, especially if we’re loaded down with baggage, have difficulty making changes and come up against unexpected obstacles. Can we persevere under those conditions? That’s the test put to an elderly businessman looking to wind up his affairs in the new Finnish drama, “One Last Deal” (“Tuntematon mestari”). Aging, ailing Helsinki art dealer Olavi Launio (Heikki [...]

Brent Marchant2020-05-07T09:27:22-05:00March 19th, 2020|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|

‘The Two Popes’ explores the evolution of one’s destiny

“The Two Popes” (2019). Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce, Juan Minujin, Luis Gnecco, Cristina Banegas, Achille Brugnini, Sidney Cole, Willie Jonah, Germán de Silva, Lisandro Fiks, Renato Scarpa, Federico Torre, Daniel Di Cocco, Josello Bella. Archive Footage: Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis. Director: Fernando Meirelles. Screenplay: Anthony McCarten. Play: Anthony McCarten, The Pope. Web site. Trailer. Getting to where we’re meant to be in life sometimes takes us down some unusual and unexpected paths. We may stand back and wonder why we’re going in a certain direction when we’re convinced we’re supposed to go another way. But, no matter how seemingly far afield we may wander, we often find we’re on exactly the right course, and the journey is one of [...]

Brent Marchant2020-02-10T17:48:56-05:00January 28th, 2020|Conscious Creation, Drama, Movie Reviews|