— by WILLIAM STERR — Those of you old enough to remember, or inquisitive enough to care, will know about the notorious 18 and ½ minute gap in the Nixon Watergate tapes that were ascribed to a mistaken erasure by Nixon’s longtime secretary, Rosemary Woods. But what if another copy of those minutes existed? That […][...]
Review: Matter Out of Place
— by WILLIAM STERR — “Matter out of place” refers to any object or impact not native to the immediate environment. So begins this film about the production of societal waste, its collection and disposal, all within the environment we depend upon to sustain us. Prepare yourself for scenes of pristine beauty: a snow shrouded […][...]
Review: Wildcat
— by BEV QUESTAD — Harry Turner looks at his ocelot protege and kindly says, “We’re wild animals, me and you. We’re wild.” Though earning many awards and millions of dollars from Amazon, there has been controversy from critics over “Wildcat.” Perhaps some of the rougher comments caused a snub from the Oscars. Though it […][...]
Review: Back to the Wharf
— by WILLIAM STERR — Films for the People’s Republic of China (mainland China) have been making their way into international venues more and more recently. But that doesn’t mean they’ve been successful in selling tickets. The Chinese government and private companies have been pouring significant resources into the film industry, and officials are eager […][...]
Review: There’s Something Wrong with the Children
— by WILLIAM STERR — Nothing like a vacation with a couple you’ve known for years … especially if they’ve brought along their two darling, rambunctious kids. That’s probably what went through the minds of Ben and Margaret as they arranged with Ellie and Thomas to rent adjoining cabins for an isolated getaway, where they […][...]
Review: Where the Crawdads Sing
— by WILLIAM STERR — This is a film adaptation of the 2018 hit novel of the same name, written by Delia Owens. The novel features two story-lines, one of a young girl, abandoned by her family and brutal father and self-raised in the marshes of coastal North Carolina. The second story line deals with […][...]
Top 5: 2022 Documentary List for Congress
— by BEV QUESTAD — I am sending this list of five powerful 2022 documentaries to my legislators. I am also sending the list to selected columnists, politicians and people in the White House. Each documentary has well-documented, credible sources, first-person primary accounts, and a studied account of the opposition when available or appropriate. Why […][...]
Review: White Noise
— by WILLIAM STERR — Academia! That ivory tower where esoteric thought and meaningless, endless conversation about nothing substitutes for real life. If the words are big enough, the problems are made small enough. At least at the “College on the Hill.” This is the world we are temporarily transported into by writer/director Noah Baumbach […][...]
Review: Bad Axe
— by BEV QUESTAD — During the genocidal days of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, Chun Siev, ran for days through crossfire with his mother and five siblings to freedom in Thailand. At a Red Cross camp, they are asked where they want to go. His mother, Sing Mo Siev, firmly says, “The United States […][...]