One filmmaker treks across the globe We Don’t Deserve Dogs to see how our four-legged friends are able to improve our daily lives. I’m a dog lover. There were two dogs in my house while I was growing up. Not at the same time, of course. It took quite some time following one’s passing when I was in elementary school. It wouldn’t be until the summer of 2001 when we brought home a border collie/husky…
"SXSW 2020: We Don’t Deserve Dogs"Tag: SXSW
My Darling Vivian offers a new perspective on the life of Johnny Cash’s first wife, Vivian Liberto, through accounts shared by their four children. Take everything you know from Walk the Line and pretend it never happened. Think of the film as a myth with all the illusions now currently shattered in front of your eyes. After viewing this documentary, one cannot watch the film in the same light ever again. It should certainly make…
"SXSW 2020: My Darling Vivian"
Coded Bias explores a researcher’s discovery of facial recognition algorithms and how they aren’t accurate for dark-skinned people. If you’re not familiar with facial racognition software, this film will quickly get you up to speed. It’s all because of MIT Media Lab researcher Joy Buolamwini. Her discovery led to some startling results and in some cases, lack thereof. Despite her best efforts, there is still no federal regulation of facial algorithms. Or at least, this…
"SXSW 2020: Coded Bias"
Some of the suggestions following the cancellation of SXSW this month is to hold an online film festival but there are some problems with this idea. While the headlining films will survive the SXSW cancellation, make no mistake that they would have benefited from the marketing that comes with playing SXSW. These films are also secure in having a distributor and a release date. Other films aren’t so lucky. There have been a few suggestions…
"SXSW: An Online Film Festival Isn’t The Same"
Dick Cavett and Robert S. Bader sat down with Solzy at the Movies during the 2018 SXSW Film Festival to discuss Ali & Cavett: The Tale of the Tapes. Almost two years after the film first held its world premiere during SXSW, audiences will be able to watch these two greats go at it against each other. The film is available to watch on HBO this evening and will later be available to watch on…
"Dick Cavett, Robert Bader talk Ali & Cavett"
The initial feature and episodic lineup has been announced for the upcoming 2020 SXSW Film Festival to be held this March in Austin, Texas. This year’s SXSW Film Festival is the 27th edition and it will run March 13-22, 2020. The festival announced 102 feature films and episodics in the initial release. Another SXSW announcement will come in early February with the rest of the lineup. Overall, over 250 projects are expected to be included…
"SXSW 2020: Feature, Episodic Lineup Announced"
Ashley Eckstein took to the stage during Star Wars Celebration for Sisters of the Force to celebrate the women of the Star Wars universe. Almost as soon as the voice of Ahsoka Tano took to the stage for the Sisters of the Force panel, she told the mostly female audience that “Star Wars is for everyone.” The actress couldn’t be more right. All one has to do is look at the online vitriol. This has…
"Sisters of the Force: My Star Wars Story"
A number of films that premiered earlier this year during the 2019 Sundance Film Festival are opening in theaters this weekend. I reviewed Adam earlier this year for Out Magazine. This film has garnered a lot of attention and controversy on social media. Most of the controversy has to do with what is in the book rather than what is in the film. The film has managed to spark a boycott movement–one of which I…
"Several Festival Films Opening This Weekend"
The Art of Self-Defense takes a dark comedic look at toxic masculinity but does so while grounding it in the world of karate. Accountant Casey Davies (Jesse Eisenberg) is forced to sign up for karate classes after a he gets jumped by a motorcycle gang. It’s only because there’s no more dog food. Man’s best friend comes first, right?!? Casey does the first logical thing he can think of when he leaves the hospital: buy…
"The Art of Self-Defense: A Dark Comedy"
Sword of Trust, brilliantly written by Lynn Shelton and Mike O’Brien, finds a way to mix both the political with the funny in this ensemble comedy. Pawnshop owner Mel (Marc Maron) has one of the most inept employees in Nathaniel (Jon Bass). When it comes to his shop’s customers, Mel is the type who deceives them. Mel hits the jackpot one day when married lesbian couple Cynthia (Jillian Bell) and Mary (Michaela Watkins) enter the…
"Sword of Trust: Wait, WHO won the war?"