— by BEV QUESTAD — The film opens with soft, Monet-like pastoral landscapes around a Chinese village and progresses to clips of modern city life is Shanghai. These scenes represent the history of the secret script of Nushu, a language used during the old days of China when women’s feet[...]
Author Archive
Review: Nothing Compares
— by BEV QUESTAD — After Sinead O’Connor ripped a picture of Pope John Paul II’s picture on SNL in 1992 and announced, “Fight the real enemy,” I just chalked it up to a celebrity desperately craving notoriety. I had no idea she was protesting child abuse within the Catholic Churc[...]
Review: A Piece of Sky (aka Drii Winter)
— by BEV QUESTAD — It’s not a happy film and at times it moves too slowly. How long can we look at a chairlift? But “A Piece of Sky” does deal with a mammoth issue that I’ll politely refer to in general as mental illness. What do you do when your partner, your spouse, […][...]
Review: Ticket to Paradise
— by BEV QUESTAD — Thank you – Thank you – Thank you George Clooney and Julia Roberts for giving us such a fun film! It is a feast of enjoyment! David and Georgia Cotton are divorced but find themselves seated next to each other at their only daughter’s graduation. They hat[...]
Review: Fire of Love
— by BEV QUESTAD — One and a half minutes into the film you are told that tomorrow will be Katia and Maurice Krafft’s, the real-life volcanologists of this film, last day. Throughout the movie you are wondering who pushed who. They do admit their relationship is volcanic and they do wa[...]
Review: In Search of Bengali Harlem
— by BEV QUESTAD — This film is an introduction to the fabulous talent of Alaudin Ullah, writer, director, producer, and comedian. He uses his national origin, Islam, and social issues to introduce audiences to the Bangladeshi-American world. Fun clips of his stand-up savvy are intersper[...]
Review: Young Plato
— by BEV QUESTAD — What a fun documentary on a Catholic primary boys’ school! It’s all about the Elvis-loving principal, Kevin McArevey, who uses philosophy as a principle driver in the school’s success. The only acceptance criteria into Holy Cross Boys’ Primary School is the[...]
Review: Enough! Lebanon’s Darkest Hour
— by BEV QUESTAD with RAMEZ TOMEH (in Beirut) — Daizy Gedeon begins her film in a frustrated voice saying, “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be telling you this story.” For years, as you flew into Lebanon one of the first things you would notice appeared to be a massive w[...]
Review: From the Hood to the Holler
— by BEV QUESTAD — An irrepressible politician from Kentucky has got the fire and passion of a break-through progressive politician in a fiery red state. He’s opening the eyes of frustrated voters from his Louisville neighborhood all the way to the poor little towns in the hill country[...]
Review: Smyrna
— by BEV QUESTAD — This epic story of the majestic cosmopolis of Smyrna starring Mimi Denissi, Greek actress, writer, director and producer extraordinaire, will have a one-day-only showing in the US and Canada on Dec. 8, 2022. The film begins in contemporary time where too many people ar[...]
Review: Three Wishes for Cinderella
— by BEV QUESTAD — What have the Norwegians done to Cinderella? My best friend, Eileen Cho’an Sterr, dressed up as Cinderella this year and her brother went as Gus, her pudgy little mouse help-mate. Eileen and I are four years old when we are together. The rest of the time she remains [...]
Review: Sam & Kate
— by BEV QUESTAD — There are three reasons to see “Sam and Kate.” First, it is an interesting celebrity ensemble piece. Dustin Hoffman and his real-life son, Jake Hoffman, play father and son, while their romantic interests are played by Sissy Spacek and her real-life daughter Schuyl[...]
Review: The American Dream & Other Fairy Tales
— by BEV QUESTAD — Oh, how I love Abigail Disney’s films! She has an expectation for a better world and has constructive ways about how to get there “with a little courage and imagination.” She opens “The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales” by comparing the dynamics of wealth[...]
Review: Art & Krimes by Krimes
— by BEV QUESTAD — After seeing this film I immediately contacted a life-long friend in the art biz. You’ve got to do a show on prison art! Include work not just by those incarcerated, but also by ex-cons who are desperately trying to survive on the outside. Because they usually don’[...]