The Eternal Mother – Ghost of love
?Happy memories here. Other memories here.? Joanna Hogg?s The Eternal Daughter is a film that is...
Tag: AFIFest
No Bears – In search of freedom
What do you do if the government forbids you from making films? If you are Iranian filmmaker Jafar...
AFIFest 2022 – Let the Show Begin!
I am always happy to take part in AFIFest. AFIFest 2022 is set to begin, running November 2nd-6th,...
Corpus Christi – The Body of Christ
?Each of us is a priest of Christ. Me, you. Each and every one of you.? Oscar-nominated Corpus...
Friday at AFIFest 2019
Welcome to Hollywood and AFI Fest Presented by Audi. I love coming to this festival and...
Looking Forward to AFIFest 2018
Just before what is generally thought of as ?awards season? comes the American Film Institute?s AFIFEST presented by Audi.
M*A*S*H – Showing the Folly of the Times
I was in college, of prime draft age, when M*A*S*H hit the theaters in 1970. That probably says a lot about what I found so appealing about that film when I first saw it.
In the Fade – Justice? Revenge?
Justice. Revenge. Are they the same? Are they even related? In the Fade from Fatih Akin is the story of a search for justice, and what happens when that justice is denied.
The Ballad of Left Brown – Clich? Western Rides Again
There?s a new Western in town: The Ballad of Lefty Brown. Once upon a time Westerns were a staple of the movie industry. Now when one comes out they create a bit of nostalgia.
What Will People Say – Culture Clash
What Will People Say was one of my favorite films at AFIFest this year. I wasn?t alone in my estimation of the work; it also won the Audience Award in the New Auteurs section. It is a powerful and engaging film in which two different value systems collide within the life of a teenager as she grows up with connection to two cultures.
I, Tonya – Whose Truth?
When I saw this film at AFI Fest, it played to a packed house. It wasn?t one of the films I was especially looking forward to. But I found it enjoyable in the absurd humor and the idiocy of the characters.
Summer 1993 – A Child’s Loss of Innocence
As Summer 1993 opens, children are playing in the street. One of them looks at six-year-old Frida (Laia Artegas), and asks, ?Why aren?t you crying?? Is that part of the game or does Frida have reason to cry?
Thelma – Spooky Self-Discovery
While I?m not a fan of supernatural events in horror films, this film does an excellent job of building tension. This is a spooky story as it plays out.