?I have a better ending in mind.? What makes a film frightening? Is it a monster or sudden noises? Those can get the adrenaline flowing. But to really get people, you have to go for their minds. Black Butterfly seeks to create a story that pulls us in with the mind...
?Are all pirates this stupid?? It?s been six years since the last installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. (Tell the truth: did you miss it?) Captain Jack Sparrow et al. are back in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales with the same mixture...
?I have a hall. I have a dress. The apartment is almost ready. It?s a small task to God to find me a groom by the end of Hanukkah.? The Israeli romantic comedy The Wedding Plan is all about faith?especially believing in miracles. Michal (Noa Koler) is 32 and wants the...
Is it possible for something to build up and tear down at the same time? In The Commune, a group of friends form a commune in 1970s Copenhagen. It is an adventure that is both fun and challenging. Sometimes the differences between the residents are humorous, but all...
For those who enjoy film, the names John Ford, Frank Capra, George Stevens, William Wyler, and John Huston will be familiar. All are Oscar-winning directors (with a total of 14 Oscars between them). They were also part of the World War II war effort as military...
?My whole life I searched my body for scars because I knew something was missing.? It can be hard enough being a teenager, but for Ray it is complicated by being transgendered. At the beginning of the film he tells us his birthday wish each year is always the same: to...
When a historian from the year 2592 visits present day New York City, she has a lot to learn. Actually it?s not a planned visit. There was a time traveling accident and she was separated from her group and is alone in this world she has only read about. Tomorrow Ever...
I?ve reached the final day of the Newport Beach Film Festival. I?ve managed to take in a load of films, but there are a whole lot more I could get to. I finished off the week with a romantic thriller hybrid, a story of a police investigation that goes very wrong and...
It?s time to note the top films from the Newport Beach Film Festival. Like other film festivals, NBFF has awards. There are jury awards and audience awards. And, of course I have my favorites as well. We?ll start with my top films. Rather than noting a best of fest,...