After attending the 2021 Sarasota Film Fest’s Shorts Program, the hands down winner is the documentary Original Splendor. From the professional camera work, beautiful sweeping footage of Sarasota to the flawless and lean narration, Allen Clements directed doc details the restoration of Sarasota’s County Courthouse. Bravo to Triforce Pictures and Shaun Greenspan for an outstanding… Continue reading Sarasota Film Fest Shorts Program & the winner is…
Author: Goldie
Aspiring writer who has retired from the institution of education. I've written plays, three of which have been performed both in Rochester NY and here in Sarasota FL. I also write stand up and obviously, film critique.
My comment section does not work, so please email me your comments at irun2eatpizza@hotmail.com
Limbo: an eye opening look at refugees
Limbo, written and directed by Ben Sharrock, is a BAFTA nominated and even more importantly, one of the first films debuted in the post Covid, reopened Burns Court Cinema! Limbo takes a granular look at individuals in refugee crisis, specifically four men stuck in limbo on a Scottish island awaiting asylum approval. The four men… Continue reading Limbo: an eye opening look at refugees
Mind blowing is not hyperbole: Soul
You’re reading a review by an adult cynic…like animation!? Poppycock. Except….”I Lost My Body” and “Up”. So small group of exceptions. But add and in fact, move “Soul” to the number one position…in fact call me Kanye storming the stage if it doesn’t win the best Oscar animated film. And it makes perfect sense, since… Continue reading Mind blowing is not hyperbole: Soul
Voyagers, Doesn’t Pass Jordan Peterson’s Rule 6
I’m obsessed with Jordan Peterson’s wisdom in Beyond Order: 12 More Rules. So after half liking Voyagers, written and directed by Neil Burger (Divergent, The Illusionist), I changed my mind to a below 50% rating. Here’s why: in Rule 6, Abandon Ideology, Jordan warns against viewing things/people/ideas as black and white. Burger’s screenplay, a space… Continue reading Voyagers, Doesn’t Pass Jordan Peterson’s Rule 6
Just like a well crafted cocktail, Bad Trip is humorous taken one small dose at a time
I watched Bad Trip over the course of four or five evenings, like a nightly tonic of humor before bed. Hence, I disagree once again, with the fine NY Times critic Jeannette Catsoulis who probably took it all in one sitting. True, it’s the movie’s fault to not forewarn people about portion suggestions. Catsouils writes… Continue reading Just like a well crafted cocktail, Bad Trip is humorous taken one small dose at a time
City of Lies, in this film: LA, but applicable to many
I wish I had one of those wrong answer sound effects I could add to this blog as I point out the untruths in Jeannette Catsoulis’s NYT review of City of Lies. Wrong answer buzzer one: ‘the latest attempt to monetize the unsolved 1990’s murder of Christopher Wallace”? Really Jeannette? You think Brad Furman actually… Continue reading City of Lies, in this film: LA, but applicable to many
Doy! Vs. Joy, Take a Guess Which Decade Did Film Better
I watched the movie Happily written and directed by BenDavid Grabinski Friday and then had the joy of watching City Lights written and directed by Charlie Chaplin for two nights straight. And now you already know which was the DOY! as in the DUMB of the two films. To be fair BenDavid (a tellingly ridiculous… Continue reading Doy! Vs. Joy, Take a Guess Which Decade Did Film Better
The Mole Agent, Not a Dermatologist Film
Latin American Director Maite Alberdi is only 37, but obviously an old soul. Many of her films have dealt with nursing homes and aging. The Mole Agent was just nominated for an Oscar, so I had to take the bait to see what was worthy about it. Ok, I understand the sincerity and sentimentality of… Continue reading The Mole Agent, Not a Dermatologist Film
Hunger (2008), Beware the Yikes of March
The lovely ladies at Burns Court Theater (part of the Sarasota Film Society) were wonderful hostesses to a pre-St Patty’s Day event showing Steve McQueen’s Hunger from 2008. But let me tell you something…this was realism in all caps, like this: REALISM! Attending this film is as close to being in the Maze Prison in… Continue reading Hunger (2008), Beware the Yikes of March
Best Foreign Film List Complete: “Collective”
Since the onslaught of shut downs a year ago, I occasionally fall into a black hole where I fear the world is falling apart. A combination of Megyn Kelly’s disturbing news report on Bill Maher’s show last week and watching a best foreign film nominee, called “Collective”, I once again woke up in the middle… Continue reading Best Foreign Film List Complete: “Collective”