In the 1976 British Open Championship golf tournament, an amateur golf enthusiast managed to get accepted as a competitor and made history as the worst scoring golfer in the competition’s history. That man is none other than Maurice Flitcroft. Flitcroft, a shipyard crane-operator by trade, apparently wanted to pursue a new career as a professional… Continue reading THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN
Author: Mark Saldana
LIGHTYEAR
Buzz Lightyear is back, but in not exactly in the way most fans remember the character. Most Toy Story fans know and love the character as a Space Ranger action figure who has belonged to children Andy and Bonnie. However, this is not another Toy Story movie. In the foreword of the film, it is… Continue reading LIGHTYEAR
Cine Las Americas 2022: MIJA (MY DAUGHTER)
This year, I was able to watch only one documentary, but I am certainly happy that Mija is that film. This United States entry tells the story of Doris Munoz, an ambitious and hard-working music talent manager, who, at the beginning of the film, has achieved some success managing successful Latinx artist Cuco. And while… Continue reading Cine Las Americas 2022: MIJA (MY DAUGHTER)
Cine Las Americas 2022: YO Y LAS BESTIAS (ME AND THE BEASTS)
From Venezuela, comes a musical fantasy that pretty a much comes across as an extended musical short. Writer/director Nico Manzano, with Yo Y Las Bestias, has created a visually striking film with very engaging music. However, when it comes to the narrative, that’s where the movie gets rather messy. This is very much an art… Continue reading Cine Las Americas 2022: YO Y LAS BESTIAS (ME AND THE BEASTS)
Cine Las Americas 2022: EL BUEN PATRON (THE GOOD BOSS)
In Austin, Texas, the Cine Las Americas International Film Festival finally returned, after taking a hiatus for the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After cancelling all plans for a 2020 festival, the great people in charge programmed a virtual version in 2021. It was awesome to be back in person, and we,… Continue reading Cine Las Americas 2022: EL BUEN PATRON (THE GOOD BOSS)
JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION
Well, hopefully this franchise will now finally conclude. It started off so well, but because people love action-packed monster movies, Hollywood hopes to milk this desire for every penny. Though I enjoyed (to various degrees) the first trilogy of Jurassic Park, I have never been a massive fan of the “reboot” trilogy that has struggled… Continue reading JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION
1982
From Lebanon, comes a very moving and affecting film that focuses on the human impact of the the 1982 Lebanon War, from the perspective of the people, simply trying to live their normal lives. Writer/director Oualid Mouaness tells a fictional story that feels very real and relatable by taking place within the confines of a… Continue reading 1982
SXSW 2022: DEADSTREAM
After getting revealed and called out as a phony, internet personality Shawn Ruddy (writer/director/actor Joseph Winter) hopes to redeem his reputation by spending the night in an infamously haunted and live streaming his experience. Ruddy gets more than he expects when the legends prove to be true. What follows is Shawn’s desperate attempts to survive,… Continue reading SXSW 2022: DEADSTREAM
SXSW 2022: SPIN ME ROUND
From Indie filmmaker Jeff Baena (The Little Hours, I Heart Huckabees) comes a sweet and charming comedy film that follows a woman in a dead-end job, searching for more meaning and purpose in her life. Allison Brie stars as Amber, a manager of a big chain Italian restaurant (strikingly similar to Olive Garden) who has… Continue reading SXSW 2022: SPIN ME ROUND
UNHUMAN
John Hughes teen comedy meets splatter, zombie horror is the basic concept in this new movie from Blumhouse and Epix. The previous entry in their streaming movie slate was the haunting and compelling Torn Hearts. So, I enthusiastically dived right in to Unhuman. While the film does have its exciting sequences, the comedy never quite… Continue reading UNHUMAN