— 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 […][...]
Review: Black Box
— by WILLIAM STERR — You are on European Airlines Flight 24, from Dubai to Paris, just flying into French airspace. It’s 7:24 a.m. and breakfast is being served in all classes. You ask for coffee. Then any flyer’s nightmare begins. The plane begins to descend, rapidly. This is what you experience via “point- of […][...]
Review: I Am Gitmo
— by BEV QUESTAD — This review is the last in a three-part examination of films dealing with the Guantanamo prison situation. It’s a seemingly normal day in Afghanistan. A teacher and his family are in their small home in Kabul. A knock is heard at their door and men take the teacher for questioning. […][...]
Review: Prince Philip: The Man Behind the Throne
— by WILLIAM STERR — “Prince Philip: The Man Behind the Throne” is a loving, tender, indulgent biography of the late Prince Philip, consort to Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, to whom he was married for 73 years. The film begins with a description of Philip’s childhood. He was of Danish heritage, descended from […][...]
Review: My Little One
— by BEV QUESTAD — From the moment we see 10-year-old Frida, with red and yellow Indian war stripes streaked across her face, screech up in an old, beat-up and perhaps stolen truck, we suspect things aren’t exactly as they should be. We are assured of this assumption after we learn she has come down […][...]
Review: Death on the Nile
— by WILLIAM STERR — Imagine you are young, of good family, vibrant, intelligent and in love. Desperately in love with a wonderful man for whom you would do anything. This is at the heart of Agatha Christie’s 1937 classic “Death on the Nile.” The late (she died in 1976, two years before the release […][...]
Review: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
— by WILLIAM STERR — How often does a Nicholas Cage movie come along? OK, every few months. But this one is different – it’s Cage unleashed. OK, so he’s almost always unleashed (and without a muzzle). But how often do you get a Nic Cage movie with multiple Nic Cages? Ha! Got you there. […][...]
Review: Cow
— by BEV QUESTAD — “Cow” takes place on a big, kindly run English farm. There is no narration. We are simply observers of the life of a particular black and white Holstein (I think) cow, number 1129. The film begins with the camera on her face. We have no idea from her calm demeanor […][...]
Review: Hit the Road
— by WILLIAM STERR — “Hit the Road” is a small movie. It has a small cast, and most of the action takes place inside of a small car. It is also a movie with a big, big heart. This is the story of an Iranian family making a road trip across the mostly barren […][...]