— by BEV QUESTAD — What could be more fun for a movie than a mix of humans, aliens and furry anthropomorphic animals dressed up like humans? Especially adorable is Rocket, a furry racoon-like little guy voiced by Bradley Cooper. The premise in the the third of this three-part film series is that High Evolutionary […][...]
Review: Fast Charlie
— by BEV QUESTAD — “Fast Charlie” is a fun “Dirty Harry” meets “James Bond” kind of film. It is implausibility incarnate doused with a little wry humor and a quick-thinking, gun-slinging suave, nicely dressed, handsome guy. It all matches up except that Charlie Swift (Pierce Brosnan) is on the other side of the fence. […][...]
Review: Origin
— by BEV QUESTAD — I knew it as soon as I saw it. A nice-looking, clean-cut black boy wearing a dark gray hoodie sweatshirt on a clear night — coming home from a 7-Eleven with a bag of Skittles and a can of pop. He’s smiling and talking to his girlfriend on his cell […][...]
Review: District of Second Chances
— by BEV QUESTAD — Pete was 16 and living in Washington DC. He was already involved with drugs and violence in his neighborhood. He figured the way out of any trouble was through fighting. When confronted by another guy who pulled out a meat cleaver from his pocket, Pete started shooting and killed the […][...]
Review: The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
— by BEV QUESTAD — Tourists and locals stroll up the garden path winding through Telegraph Hill, soaking in the lush mixture of plants, bushes, trees, vines and colorful flowers. They see a long-haired man up in the sun-filtered tree canopy mobbed by exotically vibrant red and green cherry-headed conure parrots. He is feeding them […][...]
Review: Upon Entry
— by BEV QUESTAD — Elena (Bruna Cusí) and Diego (Alberto Ammann), a nondescript couple, are on a flight to New York City from Spain. Elena is able to sleep, but Diego moves to the tiny bathroom to swallow some kind of eye-dropper liquid. They land in New York City and end up being taken […][...]
Review: Playing with Fire
— by BEV QUESTAD — “Playing with Fire” is the perfect title for this film of passion because it is so full of combustion, from the conductor’s unruly canopy of red curls to her full-bodied physical expressions of the story associated with her score. It is no surprise her baroque ensemble is called Apollo’s Fire. […][...]
Review: 26.2 to Life
— by BEV QUESTAD — “26.2 to Life” opens with a black screen and these words in white: “The journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step.” — Lao Tzu The inmates featured in “26.2 to Life” are in for murder. They own it. But now what? “If you’re going to be locked up […][...]
Review: Kane
— by WILLIAM STERR — I always find it disconcerting when I run across someone who suffers from mood swings – a person who almost seems to shift from one personality to another. “Kane” is in a whole different league. Here, we have a gangland boss who actually suffers from multiple personalities – personalities so […][...]
Review: Miranda’s Victim
— by BEV QUESTAD — I think we’ve all heard it in a film or on TV. For sure, we don’t want to be the one to whom it’s directed: “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in court. You have the right to talk to a […][...]