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"Category: Film Festival
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"
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)"
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"
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"
A few eighth graders see their world change in A World Away when an overnight field trip takes them into another dimension. A quick prologue sets the stage for what’s to come before we find ourselves watching an eighth grade graduation. It’s here where Principal Garcia (Mary Lynn Rajskub) invites Thomas Landry (David DeLuise) to the stage for a raffle. A few lucky eighth graders will join him on an overnight trip to the Grand Canyon. …
"CIFF 2019: A World Away"
Funny You Never Knew is a comedic documentary inviting us to rediscover classic TV comedians Imogene Coca, George Gobel, and Martha Raye. Fred Willard and Kevin Pollack serve as hosts of this documentary. The comedy duo watch clips about three comedians from the Golden Age of Television. Interspersed with interviews, of course. It makes for a fun approach much to the credit of director Andrew Hunt. At times, both Willard and Pollack host Classic Comedy Report…
"Chicago Comedy 2019: Funny You Never Knew"
Olympians takes a satirical look at Greek gods as if they decided to live as immigrants in America under the current administration. The premise here is that Zeus (Mel Brooks), Aphrodite (Meghan Sunder), and Ares (Samuel Hunt) have immigrated to America. They are basically locked up in a beautiful house because they’re illegal immigrants. Suddenly, Aphrodite finds herself arrested and thrown in jail. The cops essentially treat her like a Mexican immigrant especially with the accents…
"Chicago Comedy 2019: Olympians"
Run This Town tells the story of late Toronto Mayor Rob Ford by way of city employees and an investigative journalist hoping to be the next Bob Woodward. The film starts out with Bram Shriver (Ben Platt) getting a job with The Record. Journalism isn’t what it once was yet it’s Bram’s dream job. He’s a guy who would rather be breaking the big stories like Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. The reality? Bram is…
"SXSW 2019: Run This Town"
The Day Shall Come may be a thrilling satirical look at America’s law enforcement community but it just might leave viewers angry. Set in Miami, Moses Al Shabaz (Marchánt Davis) runs The Star of Six Farm with his wife Venus (Danielle Brooks). Shabaz has big dreams ahead for the mission including overthrowing the American government. Him and what army? Oh, right–his army of four. This is an army that includes Farmer X (Malcolm Mays), Farmer…
"SXSW 2019: The Day Shall Come"