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Review: About a Teacher

— by BEV QUESTAD —

During his first year of teaching, Hanan Harchol tells his dad it’s like living in a war zone. “Yesterday one kid almost impaled another kid with a light stand.”

Based on his own first three years of teaching fimmaking at an inner-city New York high school, Harchol has produced a film that will resonate with most teachers’ first year (at least) experience.

Because Harchol was teaching a vocational arts class, a teaching certificate was waived. He sought out another teacher to learn behavior management. (CONTINUED)


Review: The Other Lamb

— by RON WILKINSON — The opening scenes of the concubine-like quarters of the 15 or so women under the control of Shepherd tell the whole story. Do not try to impose any kind of literal, rational interpretation on this movie. The message is allegorical, at best. At worst, it is exploitation; a revenge thriller […][...]


Review: What You Gonna Do When …

— by BEV QUESTAD — Two boys, scared in a small carnival funhouse with sudden pop-outs, mirrors, clown faces, and crazy laughs, reflect the lives of African-Americans living in southern America. No matter where they turn in the frightening, bizarre environment, they must first conquer their fears to press onward. In effect, they are caught […][...]


Review: Celebration

— by BEV QUESTAD — What is there to hide? Banned for 18 years, “Celebration,” an introspective on Yves Saint Laurent as a dress designer, has finally been released for all to view. Opening for a limited US run last October (2019), “Celebration” is streaming online this April. While the somewhat silent film itself does […][...]


Review: Vitalina Varela

— by RON WILKINSON — Now and then, rarely, a film appears that takes full advantage of the medium. This movie does that to such a degree that the complete lack of narrative dialog goes unnoticed. There is so much happening on the screen that the ear takes second place and the eyes are fastened […][...]


Review: Human Nature

— by BEV QUESTAD — The magic was here all along, and now, more than ever, it is ready to be used to eradicate congenital disorders, save coral reefs and possibly even help adaptation to climate change. It’s called CRISPR and it enables genetic engineering. Already it’s close to preventing sickle-cell anemia and closing in […][...]


Review: Run This Town

— by BEV QUESTAD — Beginning with a mock convention involving stand-ins for mayor and other local pols, “Run This Town” has an underlying satirical spirit. The intellectual acumen and clever arguments in the mock city hall hearings are entertaining. At random intervals, a washer or dryer spins, perhaps poking fun at the political spins […][...]


The Batman Production Shut Down

For decades, we’ve all liked to believe that Batman couldn’t be defeated. The Caped Crusader may not have supernatural powers in the same way that most TV and movie superheroes do, but that never mattered for Bruce Wayne’s alter-ego. Thanks to his resilient bat-suit, his wit and cunning, and his impressive array of technological gadgets, […][...]


Review: Human Capital

— by RON WILKINSON — Uncorking a big one, emerging director Marc Meyers spins a dynamic web of stories and viewpoints. The performances are there, with the chemistry between Liev Schreiber, Marisa Tomei and Peter Sarsgaard steaming off the screen. Even so, the viewer has to pay close attention; sometimes finding it difficult to impossible […][...]



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