— by BEV QUESTAD — “The Legend of Ygg” is an arresting 15-minute thriller art film that merges ancient mythology with current circumstances. Ygg, a nickname for the Norse god Odin, is the name of the Icelandic pony that takes a young woman to a midnight rendezvous in the inky black w[...]
Author Archive
Under Review: ‘Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work’
— by BEV QUESTAD — Frenetic, disciplined, scared, courageous, inappropriate, blisteringly angry, self-absorbed, vain, extravagant, financially observant, caring, gaudy, insecure and a workaholic – so many ways to describe Joan Rivers. Joan can give a great joke and then spin off into[...]
Under Review: ‘Letters to Father Jacob’ (aka Postia pappi Jaakobille)
— by BEV QUESTAD — This is a Finnish film with cold interiors that resonate the interior life of the wretched protagonist who believes there’s nothing good left in her life. This situation is juxtaposed by a vibrantly lush forest and scenic meadowland dappled with a sunlit path leading[...]
Under Review: ‘Son of Babylon’
— by BEV QUESTAD — Some films you just can’t rate. They are too personal, too heartbreaking and too true. But when you go to film festivals, that’s what the audience is asked to do. Rate each movie on a basis of one (low) to five. So what do you do about “Son of Babylon?” [&helli[...]
Trailer Talk: ‘The Nature of Existence’
— by BEV QUESTAD — This is The Big Life Irony. We try really hard for years to better ourselves, to advance, to be happy, to become financially stable, to be physically fit … and where does it get us? Why do we go through all the challenges, hardships, disappointments, calamities, [...]
Under Review: ‘Alamar’ (aka ‘To the Sea’)
— by BEV QUESTAD — A delicate, artistic visual poem, “Alamar” is graceful in both its beauty and its depth. There is little dialogue, but long visuals with just the sound of the surf and the lapping of water against a fishing skiff. A pudgy, kind-looking blond Italian woman meets a b[...]
Book vs. Movie: ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’
— by BEV QUESTAD — Hurt her and she’ll expedite, in a creative way, your karma. Brash, tough and perhaps a savant, Lisbeth Salander, with a photographic memory and Asperger’s-like social distance, is my new female model for justice in the 2000 millennium. And Millennium happens to be[...]
Under Review: ‘Casino Jack and the United States of Money’
— by BEV QUESTAD — The story about Jack Abramoff is not just a sad story of human failure, but a well-documented exposé of a capitalist democracy in trouble. Companies needing legislative favors, whether related to setting up Chinese sweatshops or deregulation of Wall Street, hire persu[...]
Poster Peek: ‘Casino Jack and the United States of Money’
— by BEV QUESTAD — Jack Abramoff was a DC lobbyist who is currently serving a five years and 10 months prison sentence for fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to bribe public officials. Eight others have also been convicted, including Republican Ohio representative Robert Ney. That’s[...]
Under Review: ‘Casi Divas’
— by BEV QUESTAD — Duplicity, estrangement, mistaken identity, passion and emotional upheaval: these are the hallmarks of a great comedy and “Casi Divas” lives up to it all. In addition, “Casi Divas” is complex and deep, making it as rich in its content as its color – of which [...]
Trailer Talk: ‘The University of Nuclear Bombs’
— by BEV QUESTAD — “It’s almost inconceivable to realize that every nuclear weapon the U.S. has ever had has been designed by one university, the University of California.” Any documentary featuring Daniel Ellsberg gets my attention. He’s the primary loan star whistle blower from[...]
Taking a Bite Out of ‘Food Inc.’
— by BEV QUESTAD, Ph.D., in conversation with ROBERT YUEN, M.D., related to the documentary “Food, Inc.” — Some things are just important to know. So declare a monthly Family Smart Night. Fix a wholesome meal, let the kids lead 15 minutes of exercise and then pop in the[...]
Trailer Talk: ‘When the Dragon Swallowed the Sun’
— by BEV QUESTAD — The clouds’ dark shadows spread like a conquering beast across the mountains of Tibet. The prayer flags whip in the face of the red sun sinking in a broodingly black sky. The artful cinematography of “When the Dragon Swallowed the Sun” transfixes the view[...]
A Look Back at the 33rd Portland International Film Festival
— by BEV QUESTAD — Film, video, art, lectures and jazz. Portland, Ore., hosts an entertaining, thought-provoking indulgence of quality film artistry that coincides every year with the world renowned Portland Jazz Festival, cutting edge exhibits at the Portland Art Museum and events[...]