Film Review: Refuge

Year: 2021 Runtime: 78 minutes Directors: Erin Bernhardt and Din Blankenship By Morgan Roberts How do we unlearn hate? How do we break past our prejudices to love those who look and live differently than us?  In the documentary film, “Refuge,” we see just that. Chris Buckley is a veteran who returned from combat, traumatized and looking to make sense of what he endured.  Instead, … Continue reading Film Review: Refuge

Sister & Sister (Las Hijas): SXSW 2023 Review

Year: 2023 Runtime: 80 minutes Director/Writer: Kattia G. Zúñiga Actors: Ariana Chaves Gavilán, Cala Rossel Campos, Fernando Bonilla, Joshua De Leon, Milagros Fernandez, Gabriela Man By Rosa Parra Latin American cinema, Central American cinema in particular, isn’t given the necessary attention and acknowledgment it deserves. “Sister & Sister” (Las Hijas) is an example of why this type of cinema should be talked about alongside the … Continue reading Sister & Sister (Las Hijas): SXSW 2023 Review

Art for Everyone: SXSW 2023 Review

Year: 2023 Runtime: 106 minutes Director: Miranda Yousef By Joan Amenn Disclaimer: I am not a fan of the works of Thomas Kinkade, who is the subject of this documentary by Miranda Yousef. Why am I reviewing it then? Because I am a fan of artists and films that tell their stories so I hoped to gain new insight into someone who I did not … Continue reading Art for Everyone: SXSW 2023 Review

Geoff McFetridge: Drawing a Life: SXSW 2023 Review

Year: 2023 Runtime: 80 minutes Director: Dan Covert Writers: Amy Dempsey, Dan Covert, Erik Auli, Tara Rose Stromberg By Joan Amenn Nominated for a Grand Jury Award at this year’s SXSW, “Geoff McFetridge: Drawing a Life” is an intriguing look at an artist who has managed to create ubiquitous images and yet, remain relatively unknown. Geoff McFetridge’s work can be seen everywhere from movie titles … Continue reading Geoff McFetridge: Drawing a Life: SXSW 2023 Review

Black Lake Director’s Cut: Renegade Film Festival 2023 Review

Year: 2023 Running Time: 90 minutes Written and Directed by K/XI By Brian Skutle Director’s Cuts are always a dicey situation for a film. Sometimes, they can help correct films that had studio interference, like “Blade Runner” (1982), “Dark City” (1998) or “Justice League” (2017), and sometimes, they are able to allow the director to give a fuller representation of their initial vision, like the … Continue reading Black Lake Director’s Cut: Renegade Film Festival 2023 Review