— by WILLIAM STERR — Those of us old enough to have lived through the turbulent latter decades of the 20th century will recall the KKK, the Weather Underground, the Symbionese Liberation Army and other home-grown terrorist organizations. But what about The French 75? The French 75 is a far-left anti-establishment paramilitary group fighting against […][...]
Review: All That’s Left of You
— by BEV QUESTAD — Two boys scamper, laughing on rooftops. Agile, they leap down to the street, not missing momentum as they race in delight through narrow streets. Healthy, happy best friends, their chase game is abruptly blocked by a street protest. Shots. One boy, Noor, seeking cover behind a car door, is shot […][...]
Review: Hamnet
— by BEV QUESTAD — Let’s talk about death. In one of the first stories about dying, the ancient myth of Orpheus and Eurydice (6th century BCE), Orpheus cannot accept the death of his beloved. His grief is so great that he travels to the underworld to bring his beloved Eurydice back out. But, he […][...]
Review: Jay Kelly
— by BEV QUESTAD — “Jay Kelly” made Barack Obama’s top 10 best films list. I suspect it’s not just because it’s the story of a parent whose ascending career involved family sacrifices, but because we see some fabulous storytelling and acting with an important message. By the time kids are 18 and train-tripping in […][...]
Review: The Voice of Hind Rajab
— by BEV QUESTAD — If there is no other film you see this year, see this one. It’s more important and more dramatic than any other. This is because it’s true, based on first-hand accounts, encompassing a moral dilemma, and its human response. Even if you’ve seen all the Golden Globe and Oscar-nominated films, […][...]
Review: Sinners
— by WILLIAM STERR — Who hasn’t dreamed of leaving home, making good somewhere in the wider world, and then returning to our roots to make a personal dream come true? That is the story of identical twins Elijah “Smoke” and Elias “Stack” Moore (both played by Michael B. Jordan), two black men who return […][...]
Review: Weapons
— by WILLIAM STERR — A parents’ worst nightmare: your children disappear without a trace. There is no ransom demand. Nothing. Seventeen children from Ms. Justine Gandy’s (Julia Garner – “The Fantastic Four: First Steps“) third-grade class disappeared at 2:17 a.m. on a Wednesday. One student, Alex Lilly (Cary Christopher – “An Almost Christmas Story”), […][...]
Review: Come See Me in the Good Light
— by BEV QUESTAD — Wellness Check In any moment on any given day I can measure my wellness by this question: Is my attention on loving, or is my attention on who isn’t loving me? That’s by Andrea Gibson. Straight to the core of the human experience. Stops me — can’t read another poem […][...]
Review: Cover-Up
— by BEV QUESTAD — Parents from the heartland reported that their kind son had returned from serving in the US Army a murderer. There had been a terrible atrocity in Vietnam that was being covered up. If you are over 70 years old, you remember it. The My Lai massacre was a United States […][...]
Review: Wicked: For Good
— by BEV QUESTAD — Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked: For Good” is a spectacle. It is to be seen like fireworks on the Fourth of July. Glinda’s dresses are filmy cotton candy delights and her transparent bubble mobile lets us gaze at her dreamy pink-hued superficially perfect life as the spokesperson for the deceitful Wizard […][...]