Documentary
Film Review – The Pleasures of Being Out of Step
Interviews with and about jazz critic and civil rights activist, Nat Hentoff, offer some glimpses of his big moments in music and social justice issues in The Pleasures of Being Out of Step, but are lacking in making a compelling argument of why this is…
READ MORESIFF Film Review – A Brony Tale
A Brony Tale is a journey into what makes Bronies love a kid’s cartoon and the voice actress who is uncertain what to make of the Bronies. Bronies, for those who do not know, are usually described as adults or teenagers (usually men) who love the…
READ MOREFilm Review – Life Itself
It’s tough to quantify how much Roger Ebert contributed to film. Through his writing and work on television, Ebert popularized movie criticism into how it is today (for good or bad). Whether you agreed with his reviews or not, there is no denying his influence.…
READ MOREFilm Review – Ivory Tower
When I am not writing film reviews or doing whatever it is that I do to fill my days (it’s not really that interesting), I volunteer as a mentor to high school students. (Shout out to Southwest Boys and Girls Club!) One of the most…
READ MORESIFF Film Review – I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story
Off the heels of Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey (2011) comes another documentary of perhaps an even more iconic Sesame Street character. As the title would suggest, I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story (2014) details the puppeteer who brought to life our favorite…
READ MORESIFF Double Feature: Bound: Africans versus African Americans and Leading Lady
Bound: Africans versus African Americans: Kenyan-born director and actress Peres Owino takes a look at the relationships between Africans and African Americans in this documentary that doesn’t shy away from asking difficult questions. Common ancestry does not make for instant friendships, and both groups of…
READ MORESIFF Film Review – #chicagoGirl: The Social Network Takes on a Dictator
Technology has made the world a smaller place. Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube has connected people in ways never done before. While some have used these as a means to share pictures of their cats, others have used them in a…
READ MORESXSW Film Review – Surviving Cliffside
According to IMDb.com, Jon Matthews, the director of Surviving Cliffside (2013), has a unique story of his own. Growing up in West Virginia, Matthews initially studied law, and was practicing for nearly seven years. At the age of 31, he decided to change careers, enrolling…
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