One of the things I liked about the original Star Wars (now Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope) is that we come into a story in the middle, yet it captivated audiences. That?s one of the reasons I wasn?t fond of the prequel trilogy. I never believed the backstory was...
When writer Diablo Cody and director Jason Reitman collaborate (as they did earlier in Juno and Young Adult), the result is always an interesting bit of social philosophy set within the institution of family. Tully is their latest work, with a special emphasis on the...
When motocross rider Aaron Baker broke his neck (C-4, 5, and 6) in 1999, the doctors told him he had a one-in-a-million chance to even be able to feed himself again. Dominic Gill?s documentary Coming to My Senses recounts Baker?s determination and work to regain...
What happens when all you?ve ever dreamed of is taken away? That is a question that many films ask, but few answer it as beautifully and spiritually as Chlo? Zhao?s The Rider. This is a partially fictionalized story set on the Pine Ridge Reservation. It blends fiction...
I recently had the chance to talk by phone with Academy Award winner Vanessa Roth about her new short documentary, The Girl and the Picture, that played at the Newport Beach Film Festival. The film tells the story of Madame Xia, who as an eight year old girl survived...
When a woman abandons her family, how are we to understand her? In Dominic Savage?s The Escape, we may be tempted to be judgmental. We may ask if being unhappy is enough of a reason in itself to destroy her family. We may look down at her?or perhaps we may ponder what...
As the Newport Beach Film Festival comes to a close, I want to express my appreciation to the festival for allowing me to take part in so much over the last week. I also want to thank the staff and especially the volunteers for all the work they put in to make the...
Why should people go to film festivals? Because it may be the only chance they get to see films like Meerkat Moonship. This South African film by Hanneke Schutte features wonderful cinematography and a story of overcoming fear to be able to embrace life. Young...
I began Tuesday by watching Cardinals, a film directed by Grayson Moore and Aidan Shipley that was the Canadian Spotlight film on Friday night, . It is the story of a woman who has returned home after years in prison after being convicted of killing her neighbor in a...