Another Cinderella Story (2008) Director: Damon Santostefano Screenwriter: Eric Patterson, Jessica Scott Starring: Selena Gomez, Drew Seeley, Jane Lynch Review: A Modern, Musical Take on Cinderella That Plays It Safe Another Cinderella Story attempts to retell the classic Cinderella folktale for a teen audience by wrapping it in pop music, high school melodrama and dance … Read more
Elton John has been a global icon for decades: a pop star, a creative force and for many a national treasure. Yet his life has never been as simply glamorous as tabloids suggest. For younger readers who never witnessed his meteoric rise firsthand, Rocketman offers a vivid, emotionally charged portrait of how Sir Elton John … Read more
Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) has announced the award winners for its 73rd edition. This year’s festival presented a diverse and ambitious programme, screening 121 new feature films, including 18 world premieres, drawn from 42 countries. The selection spanned shorts, documentaries and feature-length films, reflecting the festival’s ongoing commitment to international cinema and emerging voices. … Read more
Gramps Goes to College (2014) Director: Chip Rossetti Screenwriter: Donald James Parker Starring: Donald James Parker, Rusty Martin Jr., Courtney Lee Simpson, Carol Anderson, Kaitlin Borst Gramps Goes to College opens in a dimly lit gym with an awkward profile shot of two men working out. The film quickly establishes a low-budget aesthetic and often … Read more
Toy Story 4 (2019) Director: Josh Cooley Screenwriters: Stephany Folsom, Andrew Stanton Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale When I learned that Pixar was returning to the Toy Story universe with a fourth installment, I felt both excitement and hesitation. This franchise has been part of my life since I first saw … Read more
Firecrackers (2019) Director: Jasmin Mozaffari Screenwriter: Jasmin Mozaffari Starring: Michaela Kurimsky, Karena Evans, Callum Thompson, David Kingston, Tamara LeClair, Scott Cleland, Dylan Mask Jasmin Mozaffari’s feature debut Firecrackers is an energetic, emotionally charged coming-of-age drama that stands out in the independent film scene. Anchored by a raw, fearless lead performance from Michaela Kurimsky, the film … Read more
L’Empereur de Paris (2019) Director: Jean-François Richet Screenwriters: Éric Besnard, Jean-François Richet Starring: Olga Kurylenko, Vincent Cassell, Freya Mavor, August Diehl, Denis Ménochet, Fabrice Luchini, Denis Lavant, William Sciortino, Patrick Chesnais L’Empereur de Paris is a richly staged French historical epic from director Jean-François Richet that reframes the life of François Vidocq as a larger-than-life … Read more
Help! (1965) Director: Richard Lester Screenplay: Marc Behm, Charles Wood Starring: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Leo McKern, Eleanor Bron, Victor Spinetti, Roy Kinnear, John Bluthal, Patrick Cargill The Beatles’ 1965 film Help! often lives in the shadow of its predecessor, A Hard Day’s Night, and many viewers and critics have called … Read more
Venezia (2019) Director: Rodrigo Guerrero Screenwriter: Rodrigo Guerrero Starring: Paula Lussi, Margherita Mannino, Alessandro Bressanello Venezia (2019) is a contemplative film from writer-director Rodrigo Guerrero that places the city of Venice at the center of its story. The film follows a newlywed woman who becomes an unexpected widow and navigates the city while processing her … Read more
7 Reasons (2019) Director: Ray Comfort Screenwriter: Ray Comfort Narrator: Ray Comfort Ray Comfort’s 7 Reasons is another documentary from a polarizing figure in contemporary evangelical filmmaking. The film assembles a series of public interviews and commentary around seven common justifications people give for supporting legal abortion, and it presents Comfort’s rebuttals to each. While … Read more