By Mark Saldana Rating: 4 (Out of 4 Stars) From filmmaker Alan Ball (American Beauty, Towelhead, Six Feet Under) comes a moving and heartwarming film that is part coming-of-age and part coming to terms with the past. Ball offers some personal insight on the experience of being gay during the 1970s and what it is… Continue reading UNCLE FRANK
Category: MAIN
ZAPPA
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Four years ago, I was, for the first time, introduced to artisty and idiosyncratic behavior of one Frank Zappa. This introduction was not in real life, of course, but through a documentary titled Eat That Question: Frank Zappa In His Own Words. Though this solid documentary… Continue reading ZAPPA
THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) When one sees the Oscilloscope Pictures label before a movie, they should know that they’re in for a delightfully unsual treat. I cannot help, but sport a big grin whenever I see it and that’s how I felt at the beginning of this odd, but hilarious… Continue reading THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
SOUND OF METAL
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Opening in some theaters on November 20, 2020 and available for streaming on Prime Video on December 4, 2020, Sound of Metal presents actor Riz Ahmed as we’ve never seen him before. But enough with the cliches, this powerful and emotional film features one of the… Continue reading SOUND OF METAL
THE CLIMB
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Based on the short film of the same name by writer/director Michael Angelo Covino and co-writer Kyle Marvin, The Climb is an often uproarious, but also poignant portrait of two best friends during several stages of their adult lives. Loosely based on their real friendship, Covino… Continue reading THE CLIMB
Austin Film Festival 2020 Review: THE BADGER
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) From Iran comes a stressful and gripping drama that can has great writing, even greater direction and superb performances by the talented actors in the cast. Writer/director Kazem Mollaie uses a tension-filled abduction story to a make a commentary on the world today. This is actually… Continue reading Austin Film Festival 2020 Review: THE BADGER
Austin Film Festival 2020 Review: PAPER TIGER
By Mark Saldana Rating: 4 (Out of 4 Stars) We live in a sad and scary time when school shootings occur almost regularly. It seems like just when we are in the process of healing and recovering, another violent tragedy takes place. It is indicative of our inability to unite and help fight the causes… Continue reading Austin Film Festival 2020 Review: PAPER TIGER
Film News: Austin Film Festival Award Winners from the 2020 Entries
By Liz Lopez The 2020 Film Competition Jury & Audience Award winners, alongside the Script Competition winners, were recently announced by the Austin Film Festival. Audience members cast their votes for the Audience Award after each screening as their Festival favorites among the slate offered this year. The following Audience Award winners were selected by… Continue reading Film News: Austin Film Festival Award Winners from the 2020 Entries
Austin Film Festival 2020 Review: THE GET TOGETHER
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) A sort of spiritual relative to Can’t Hardly Wait, The Get Together focuses on a group of twenty-somethings at a house party facing scary and uncertain futures as they attempt to fully embrace their lives as true adults. Shot in and around the Austin, Texas area,… Continue reading Austin Film Festival 2020 Review: THE GET TOGETHER
Austin Film Festival 2020 Review: NINE DAYS
By Mark Saldana Rating 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) My festival officially began with this “Marquee” opener. I have seen several movies that envision or imagine the “afterlife.’ Never before had I ever seen a film that presents the “before-life.” Written and directed by Edson Oda, Nine Days gives its audience an visionary and highly… Continue reading Austin Film Festival 2020 Review: NINE DAYS