SXSW 2019: Extra Ordinary

Extra Ordinary is a wildly fun supernatural comedy with just a side of romance thrown in when it comes to this film set in a rural area of Ireland. It’s always fun when films find a fun way to combine comedy with the supernatural.  Anytime a film deals with the supernatural, it can go one of two ways.  In the instance of this film, filmmakers Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman aim to have fun. There’s…

"SXSW 2019: Extra Ordinary"

SXSW 2019: Pig Hag

Pig Hag is a film that lends a new perspective for what it means to be a woman and have so many expectations be placed upon you because of gender. Jodie (Anna T. Schlegel) does not have it easy.  This is a woman who deals with a lot of harassment over texts and whatnot.  Much of the harassment comes by way of text messages from Mitch Internet.  It’s fascinating how the filmmakers choose to use…

"SXSW 2019: Pig Hag"

SXSW 2019: Human Nature

Human Nature follows scientists, genetic engineers, and families following a biological gene editing breakthrough known as CRISPR. I don’t want to state the obvious here but I feel that it’s absolutely required to do so.  Since when did we not learn from InGen founder John Hammond?  Did anyone forget the tragedy that happened on Isla Nublar or even the San Diego incident?  Sorry, this only bears repeating.  I like that Revive & Restore co-founder and…

"SXSW 2019: Human Nature"

SXSW 2019: Well Groomed

Rebecca Stern’s documentary, Well Groomed, takes us into the particularly strange and rather unique world of creative grooming and expos. This film follows four different creative pet groomers over a period of a year, leading up to the largest creative grooming expo in Hershey, Penn.  For them, this is their Super Bowl.  All four of them are champion caliber groomers and they come from completely different areas of the nation.  We meet Adriane Pope of…

"SXSW 2019: Well Groomed"

Gloria Bell: More Roles Like This For Women

Julianne Moore brings quite the charm to Gloria Bell and this does not even take into account that the film is a remake of the award-winning original. An office worker by day, the divorced Gloria (Julianne Moore) rocks out at Los Angeles clubs during the night.  One such night, Gloria ends up meeting Arnold (John Turturro).  The two of them manage to bond over the fact that they’re both divorced.  Arnold for a year while Gloria…

"Gloria Bell: More Roles Like This For Women"

SXSW 2019: The Garden Left Behind

With a spotlight on one woman’s struggle to live an authentic life, The Garden Left Behind is a beautiful film that covers quite a bit of ground. The film focuses on Tina (Carlie Guevara) and her grandmother Eliana (Miriam Cruz).  The two of them are undocumented Mexican immigrants living in New York City.  Tina is a transgender woman and works to bring in money to pay their bills.  Meanwhile, Eliana stays home.  Obviously, there are…

"SXSW 2019: The Garden Left Behind"

SXSW 2019: The Shorts Program

The 2019 SXSW Film Festival had no shortage of laughs, thrills or outright drama when it comes to the shorts screening during the fest. Narrative Shorts Stepdaddy sees a reunion between Patricia (Lauren Blumenfeld) and Wyatt (Max Jenkins).  The quick backstory is that the two of them did a work study for the same professor during their senior year.  Anyway, Patricia brings wine so she’s more than a bit drunk.  All the while, Wyatt is…

"SXSW 2019: The Shorts Program"

SXSW 2019: The River and the Wall

The River and the Wall is going to be one of the most-talked about documentaries of 2019 because of its timeliness in the current political environment. Some filmmakers inject themselves into the story for one reason or another.  In this case, Ben Masters happens to be a wildlife filmmaker.  Masters is joined by NatGeo Explorer Filipe DeAndrade, ornithologist Heather Mackey, river guide Austin Alvarado, and conservationist Jay Kleberg.  Together, they make the journey down the 1200 mile trek of…

"SXSW 2019: The River and the Wall"

SXSW 2019: The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash

The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash is a beautifully made documentary that allows for the legendary singer to tell his own story. An audio recording of Johnny Cash reveals that his mother told him, “Don’t ever forget the gift.”  What exactly is this gift?  “Singing, writing for my voice–that’s the gift.” Through audio recordings from the 1990s, Cash discusses his childhood in Dyess, Arkansas.  While growing up, the radio would be a source of…

"SXSW 2019: The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash"

SXSW 2019: Breakthrough

If you’re unfamiliar with the story of 2018 Nobel Prize winner Jim Allison, you will certainly be familiar with his work after watching Breakthrough. Allison would take home the Nobel Prize in Medicine because of his role in curing cancer.  The immune system’s role if we’re going to be precise.  There would be plenty of non-believers along the way.  It makes a lot of sense when one sits down to think about it.  Science wasn’t…

"SXSW 2019: Breakthrough"