Mean Girls: Teen Comedy Classic Marks 15 Years

Mean Girls, the celebrated teen comedy written by Saturday Night Live‘s Tina Fey, celebrates 15 years following its release in theaters. When zoologists Betsy (Ana Gasteyer) and Chip Heron (Neil Flynn) relocate to Evanston after a dozen years in Africa, it means Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) would have to enroll in an actual high school.  No more home-schooling for their daughter.  Cady is certainly in for a rude awakening upon arriving at North Shore High…

"Mean Girls: Teen Comedy Classic Marks 15 Years"

Tribeca 2019: CRSHED

A college freshman’s bid to lose her virginity before the school year ends comes down to being invited to the Crush Party in CRSHD. The Crush Party is the big event at an Ohio liberal arts college as the year winds down.  All that Izzy Alden (Isabelle Barbier) and best friends Anuka Deshpanda (Deeksha Ketkar) and Fiona Newman (Sadie Scott) want to do is go to this party.  The price of admission comes with a…

"Tribeca 2019: CRSHED"

Tribeca 2019: Framing Agnes

Framing Agnes packs a lot of punch into 19 minutes but this important transgender documentary could very well be a feature-length film. The short film serves as both a documentary and a reenactment after co-directors Chase Joynt and Kristen Schilt were able to access sociologist Harold Garfinkel’s (Chase Joynt) archives.  While they knew the story of Agnes (Zachary Drucker), they didn’t know Garfinkel saw other clients.  These case files would be locked up for some 60…

"Tribeca 2019: Framing Agnes"

Tribeca 2019: Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound

Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound digs deep into the craft that make our favorite films what they are by looking at the sound design. More often than not, we think of sound design as being one of the technical awards come the Oscars.  The fact of the matter is that it’s more than just a tech award.  Sound mixing and sound design go hand in hand but without them, films wouldn’t be the…

"Tribeca 2019: Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound"

Tribeca 2019: Changing the Game

Changing the Game profiles three different transgender athletes who face various obstacles when it comes to being able to play sports. Among the trio of athletes, Mack Beggs may be the most familiar name.  This is because the transgender wrestler shot to fame in 2017 when he was forced to compete with the girls.  It just so happens that the laws in Texas were unfair to the wrestler.  The University Interscholastic League, which governs high…

"Tribeca 2019: Changing the Game"

Tribeca 2019: Flawless (HaNeshef)

Led by a stunning performance from actress/model Stav Strashko, Flawless also offers some serious lessons in this coming-of-age story. The film quickly sets the tone as it introduces us to Eden (Stav Strashko) and best friends Tigist (Netsanet Zenaneh Mekonnen) and Keshet (Noam Lugasy).  What her best friends don’t know about Eden is that she’s transgender.  Eden’s gender identity doesn’t become important until later on in the film.  This is how it should be and I’ll…

"Tribeca 2019: Flawless (HaNeshef)"

Tribeca 2019: A Woman’s Work: The NFL’s Cheerleader Problem

A Woman’s Work: The NFL’s Cheerleader Problem is yet another documentary that the National Football League doesn’t want you to see. The NFL has a running list of issues that are drawing fans away from the game.  These include CTE, a weak domestic violence policy, and fining players for kneeling.  Here’s another that should make you angry:  paying cheerleaders next to nothing while the game brings in billions.  In essence, the NFL is stealing wages…

"Tribeca 2019: A Woman’s Work: The NFL’s Cheerleader Problem"

Tribeca 2019: Come to Daddy

Led by a solid performance from Elijah Wood, Come to Daddy is a thriller from start to finish with a nice mix of comedy thrown into the mix. When we first meet Los Angeles DJ Norval Greenwood (Elijah Wood), he’s getting off the bus somewhere near the coast.  He’s visiting his father–a man who hasn’t seen in three decades–after getting a letter from him.  While the two appear to be hitting it off, things quickly…

"Tribeca 2019: Come to Daddy"

Chasing Portraits is Very Personal

Chasing Portraits is a very personal story for director Elizabeth Rynecki as she seeks to recover her great-grandfather’s lost artwork. Prior to World War 2 and the rise of Hitler, Poland had a thriving Jewish community numbering some 3 million.  Among those who died include Warsaw-based artist Moshe Rynecki.  The artist would be murdered at Majdanek, a Nazi concentration and extermination camp.  After the war, a mere ten percent or so would survive.  A once thriving community…

"Chasing Portraits is Very Personal"

Family has its moments, falls a bit flat

Family may have its moments but there’s no reason why this star-studded comedy doesn’t work any better than it absolutely should. Kate Stone (Taylor Schilling) is the career-oriented woman working for a hedge fund in New Jersey.  She’s firm in her beliefs.  One could say that this is how she climbed the corporate ladder to be senior vice president.  Kate goes as far as to tell new employee Erin (Jessie Ennis) to not make friends…

"Family has its moments, falls a bit flat"