Author: Renee C

By Renee’ Collins Rating: 4.5 (Out of 5 Reels) Two families living side by side, but worlds apart, collide when pride and mischief inspire Chinese immigrant Tom Xia to challenge his American neighbors to celebrate Christmas without any Chinese products.  Fed up with toy and food recalls, the Jones family eagerly accepts the consumer mission-impossible… Continue reading SXSW 2013 Review: CHRISTMAS WITHOUT CHINA

By Renee’ Collins Rating: 4 (Out of 5 Reels) Before sunrise on August 29, 2005, Nolan (Paul Walker) arrives at a New Orleans hospital with his pregnant wife Abigail (Genesis Rodriguez) who has gone into early labor.  What should be one of the happiest days of Nolan’s life quickly spirals out of control when the… Continue reading SXSW 2013 Review: HOURS

By Renee’ Collins Rating: 5 (Out of 5 Reels) HAWKING is an extraordinary story of the planet’s most famous living scientist, Stephen Hawking, told for the first time in his own words and by those closest to him (SXSW). Immediately after I read the synopsis of this film, I knew I had to see it.… Continue reading SXSW 2013 Review: HAWKING

By Renee’ Collins Rating: 3 (Out of 5 Reels) Kate (Olivia Wilde) and Luke (Jake Johnson) work together at a craft brewery.  They have one of those friendships that feel like it could be something more (SXSW).  The only problem is that both already have significant others. This film is a somewhat interesting look into… Continue reading SXSW 2013 Review: DRINKING BUDDIES

By Renee’ Collins Rating: 4 (Out of 5 Reels) Sarah Moss (Brit Marling) is a brilliant operative for an elite private intelligence firm whose top objective is to ruthlessly protect the interests of their A-list corporate clientele.  She is assigned to go undercover to infiltrate an anarchist collective known for executing covert attacks upon major… Continue reading SXSW 2013 Review: THE EAST

By Renee’ Collins Rating: 4.5 (Out of 5 Reels) Short Term 12 is told through the eyes of Grace (Brie Larson), a twenty-something supervisor at a foster-care facility for at-risk teenagers.  Passionate and tough, Grace is a formidable caretaker of the kids in her charge – and in love with her long-term boyfriend and co-worker,… Continue reading SXSW 2013 Review: SHORT TERM 12