Tag: Grief

Directors, Documentaries, Interviews

Interview with “Help Her Live” Filmmaker Frankie Kraft

By Morgan Roberts Frankie Kraft is an actor, writer, and director originally form New York City. He began performing off-Broadway until he moved to Los Angeles at age 10 with his family. Growing up in the San Fernando Valley, he attended performing arts schools before moving back to Manhattan to attend Circle in the Square Theatre School to study musical theatre. After his training, Kraft … Continue reading Interview with “Help Her Live” Filmmaker Frankie Kraft

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Documentaries, Short Film

“Help Her Live” Review

By Morgan Roberts Year: 2022 Director: Frankie Kraft When someone passes away and you read their obituary, after the short summations of a person’s life, you also see the section: “Survived by.” Because, when we lose someone we love, we survive that loss. To survive is to continue live or exist in spite of hardship. We continue to live as we carry grief beyond comprehension … Continue reading “Help Her Live” Review

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Film Reviews, Mental Health, Retrospect Reviews, Reviews, World Cinema

Mental Health Awareness Month, Retrospective Review: Cries and Whispers

The tagline for Ingmar Bergman’s “Cries and Whispers” sums up the plot nicely: Four women dressed in white in a mansion painted red…haunted by whispers and cries. The film’s runtime is just over an hour and a half, taking place in one location with four key players. By the end of the film, we see each woman for who they truly are: a product of their patriarchal society. Repressed, depressed, manic and dying. One can finally cry out and express their pain and torment. Another remains devoted and empathetic. The other two can only whisper as they struggle to contain their emotions and become consumed by them. Continue reading Mental Health Awareness Month, Retrospective Review: Cries and Whispers

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Film Reviews, Mental Health, Retrospect Reviews, Reviews

Mental Health Awareness Month: “Garden State” Review

“Garden State” (2004) is a mixed bag for a number of reasons. But some aspects of its depiction of mental health are very well portrayed, especially for its time.

Andrew (Zach Braff) returns to his home town to attend his mother’s funeral. He’s depressed with a lot of baggage, and is now dealing with grief as best he can in his highly medicated state. While there he meets Sam (Natalie Portman) who encourages him to see life differently. Over the course of a few days, Andrew works on closing a painful chapter in his life and reopening a new and more hopeful one. Continue reading Mental Health Awareness Month: “Garden State” Review

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31 Days of Horror, Directors, Female Filmmaker, Female Writer, Halloween, Women in Film

31 Days of Horror, Day 29: The Babadook

“The Babadook” is the type of horror flick I love; one where the threat — in this case, the monster — works as both an internal and external threat. The unique creature design is simultaneously whimsical and menacing. Think, the hybrid that one would get if they were to describe Nosferatu to a child and have that child illustrate the description. Continue reading 31 Days of Horror, Day 29: The Babadook

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