By Gareth Jones For fans of John Carney’a ability to effortlessly integrate catchy music numbers effortlessly into narratives, oh and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Irish writer/director John Carney and Sundance have made quite the duo since he premiered his breakthrough film Once in 2007. That film launched the career of Carney as well as the unforgettable musicians/actors Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova.  Once established his uncanny ability to interweave immensely catchy songs […]

By - Gareth Jones For fans of Boris Karloff, late 50’s fun horror films, British character actors In 1958 Boris Karloff had been a star for over 27 years thanks to his perfect performance as Frankenstein’s monster.  Unlike Bela Lugosi, Karloff embraced the horror genre and was always grateful for the opportunities it provided.  He had three horror films released in 1958 including two directed by Robert Day and produced […]

By - Gareth Jones For fans of Gael Garcia Bernal, wrestling, queer icons I learned a great deal from my viewing of Cassandro.  I had seen pictures of the “exotico” wrestler from Mexico and knew that he was an important figure in both the queer and wrestling worlds.   However, this film gave me an insight into his life and the world of luchadors.  It is a fascinating and entertaining […]

By - Gareth Jones For fans of Marlon Brando, disabled representation, Stanley Kramer/Fred Zimmermann collaborations Released in 1950, The Men is the film premiere of one Marlon Brando.  Reportedly, he brought quite a chip on his shoulder to the production, but this unforced method acting proved to be effective in giving his character an added dimension.  Brando plays Ken “Bud” Wilocek, a recovering soldier who must deal with his injury […]

By - Gareth Jones For fans of Pixar, themes of friendship, Fellini comedies In spite of being absorbed by the Disney Borg, Pixar for the most part has still been able to release original films from new voices (I know, I am tired of all the sequels too.)  In the case of Luca, this voice and story is from director/co-writer Enrico Casarosa, who was born in Genoa, Italy and brings […]

By - Gareth Jones For fans of immersive documentaries like Leviathan, Mexican regional history and culture, fireworks Running at a tight 67 minutes, Brimstone and Glory is a breath-taking dive into the world of the south central Mexican town of Tultepec, home to the Mexican fireworks industry and the annual Pyrotechnics Festival.  With minimal dialogue, we are immersed in the lives of those who prepare for the festival.  This ranges […]

By - Gareth Jones For fans of Classic Hollywood, Kay Francis, William Dieterle Bio films, nurse representation on film Released in 1936 by Warner Brothers, The White Angel is a fascinating biopic about Florence Nightingale.  It is one of several biopics directed by German actor turned director William Dieterle including The Story of Louis Pasteur, The Life of Emile Zola, and Dr. Ehrlich’s Magic Bullet. It is a grand melodrama […]

By - Gareth Jones For fans of Christopher Guest mockumentaries, and well, … theater camp! This has been quite a year for Molly Gordon and Ayo Edebiri.  Both had fantastic performances in the acclaimed series The Bear.  Ayo Edebiri is also starring in multiple films at this time including another film at the Sidewalk Film Festival Bottoms.  She is very good in Theater Camp but her role is small and […]

By - Gareth Jones For fans of Folk Horror based on true stories, magical realism, and slower paced cinema such as Andrei Tarkovsky or Terrence Malick Based on a true story, the film is set in the 19th century on an island off the coast of Chile called Chiloe.  It is the story of a 13 year old indigenous girl named Rosa Rain.  She and her father work for German […]