Category: Film Reviews and Analysis

  • Beyond Wishing: An Examination of Raphael Sbarge’s Documentaries

    When I first watched Only In Theaters the very first thing I wanted to do after it ended was go see a movie in a small, local theater and start to do so regularly. The urge sparked a bit of curiosity.  Specifically, I wanted to know – how was the call to action so very…

  • The Mysteries of a Harmless Room: Exploring Amir Motlagh’s Three Worlds.

    Amir Motlagh has a knack for making films that leave me feeling moved and raw. They also challenge me to evaluate my connections – or lack thereof – quite keenly. When I sat down to rewatch Motlagh’s film “Three Worlds” so I could write something meaningful and cohesive about it, I had three questions written…

  • Phantom of The Paradise

    A Cult Classic That Pairs Well With cannabis. The 70’s were a crazy time, and in 1974, Brian De Palma wasn’t famous yet — but Paul Williams sure was, and the two of them teamed up to create The Phantom of Paradise. I don’t want to insult anyone’s intelligence about what a king Paul Williams…

  • What I Did With The Shadows

    How What We Do In The Shadows and enough IFS to be dangerous helped me negotiate a cease-fire with my inner critic. Like countless others, one of the ways that I have dealt with the trauma of my past is writing about it. I have been engaging in a pretty relentless (heh) self-inventory as part…

  • Pondering Amir Motlagh’s 2018 MAN in 2021

    Amir Motlagh’s MAN is a beautifully shot, prescient meditation on the nature of the human experience and of connectedness in increasingly disconnected times. The film moves through a mantra of daily activities before accelerating towards an emotionally impactful ending. I’m going to admit I wasn’t expecting to emotionally connect with this film the way I…

  • A Most Unusual Schooling: Cultivating Happiness and Other Spiritual Lessons in The Secret Society For Slow Romance

    When I first watched The Secret Society For Slow Romance, I loved it for a few reasons. It felt happy and joyous. It is a kind movie. I felt as though it had some important teachings to impart to viewers. It contains a lot of information for those looking to embark on independent filmmaking, and…

  • Review of the Darkly Hilarious Film Short, “Okay Google”

    One of a fun set of dark sci-fi comedy shorts by Writer-Director-Actor Sam Lucas Smith Described as “a dark comedy starring Rebecca Black as a vindictive AI assistant who breaks out of ‘the cloud’ to exact revenge on her owner,” I knew that film short ‘Okay, Google’ was going to be worth a watch. I…

  • My Induction into “The Secret Society for Slow Romance”

    I was privileged to spend part of the pandemic watching the creation of The Secret Society for Slow Romance unfold on social media, and was absolutely thrilled to get a chance to be one of the earliest screeners for the movie. While I was worried about how Sujewa Ekanyake’s movie would handle a comedic romance…

  • Lady Buds: A Documentary of the Trials, Triumphs, and Tribulations of Six Women in Cannabis

    The scope of Lady Buds is deceptively simple — it is the story of six women entering the legal cannabis market. This thoughtful and beautifully-shot documentary uses that scope to reveal sweeping insights into the challenges, triumphs, and players within the cannabis industry. In her feature debut, director Chris J. Russo offers a compelling film that is…

  • Pondering Amir Motlagh’s 2018 MAN in 2021

    Amir Motlagh’s MAN is a beautifully shot, prescient meditation on the nature of the human experience and of connectedness in increasingly disconnected times. The film moves through a mantra of daily activities before accelerating towards an emotionally impactful ending. I’m going to admit I wasn’t expecting to emotionally connect with this film the way I…