— by BEV QUESTAD — Amidst a litany of unarmed African-American killings by police, Colin Kaepernick took a stand by dropping to one knee in 2016. My number one thought at the time: Why doesn’t everyone – spectators, media and other players in the stadium – join him? • Michael Bro[...]
Author Archive
Review: A Man of Integrity
— by BEV QUESTAD — I took a year-long course in moral philosophy back in 1969-1970 at the American University of Beirut. Grading was based on each student’s individual growth in moral development as demonstrated by a series of interviews and essays regarding values. Our final essay top[...]
Review: Vedette
— by BEV QUESTAD — There is much to learn about milk cows and their herd hierarchy. There is also much to learn about the similar ways we treat animals and each other. But, most dramatically, there is much to learn about Vedette, a queen cow with an instinct for battle. High in the Swiss[...]
Review: Hallelujah
— by BEV QUESTAD — “Hallelujah” opens with Leonard Cohen, in signature black trilby, dark gray shirt and black trousers, singing “Hallelujah” for the last time. It is December 21, 2013. At one point he is on his knees, his deep voice reverberating in the charismatic verses and ch[...]
Review: A Taste of Whale
— by BEV QUESTAD — A Faroese teacher who is also a pilot whale butcher explains, “I feel closer to nature doing this than going down there to buy my meat. I feel a little bit more proud that I know where it’s coming from … So, if I should make a statement, if you […][...]
Review: Echoes of the Empire
— by BEV QUESTAD — It’s a seductive title with alluring history. The haunting vast steppes of Mongolia, the fascinating life story of the relentless Genghis Khan, and the current precarious predicament of the Mongol people are juxtaposed in this scenic film of cinematic grandeur. Plus,[...]
Review: Delikado
— by BEV QUESTAD — I’m sold on the cozy little tourist town with a warm, aqua-blue Neverland lagoon. Add to that abundant wildlife, jungle mountains and a beach Condé Nast rated the “Most Beautiful Beach in the World.” Palawan, the largest island in the Philippine province of Pala[...]
Review: Fire in the Mountains
— by BEV QUESTAD — A sari-clad woman, Chandra, walks across a one-lane northern Indian bridge leading into Sarmoli, a tiny village close to both the Tibetan and Nepali borders. She successfully competes with a hotel hawk for a family just off a bus. Then she sets their suitcase on top of[...]
Review: Tigre Gente
— by BEV QUESTAD — When does a documentary become a thriller? It’s when the camera is allowed to follow a real-life, unscripted man-hunt with passion, risk, and danger. Elizabeth Unger, adventurist and National Geographic Explorer, convinced Chief Protection Officer Marcos Uzquiano to [...]
Review: Broken Wings
— by BEV QUESTAD — Hot Springs is just a normal little town in Arkansas. Jayne’s house perches right on the town highway in a two-story faux antebellum home with porch and rafters from which she can hang her wooden vulture cut-outs. She is famous in town for rescuing an injured vulture[...]
Review: Happening
— by BEV QUESTAD — In college, back in the ’60s, a friend attending school on a complete scholarship got pregnant. She heard of a place she could go to in another state. Friends pooled available cash, someone had a car, and she was back two days later, white, gaunt and weak. It tur[...]
Review: Big vs. Small
— by BEV QUESTAD — The tallest waves in the world are found in Nazaré, Portugal. The biggest wave ever recorded there was 80 feet tall. One of the smallest surfers, at 5-foot-1, is determined to conquer both these mega waves and her own demons. Haunting music with a sitar-like sound lur[...]
Review: Box of Rain
— by BEV QUESTAD — It’s 1985 and Lonnie Frazier is a very pretty high school girl. She goes out in a car with boys she’s known since grade school. Then something goes haywire. This one incident, though a hyper-example, is a core metaphor for the betrayal one can experience in formati[...]
Review: The Will to See
— by BEV QUESTAD — The film begins with a quiet pan of New York City and Central Park while a French voice-over intones, “This is where it all began. I am in New York City to defend the Kurdish cause and I receive a message from a stranger alerting me to the plight of […][...]