Austin Film Festival 2015 Review: YOUTH

By Mark Saldana  Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars)  Paolo Sorrentino, the critically acclaimed director of The Great Beauty, winner of the Oscar for Best Foreign Language film, is back with a wonderful film that is both poignant and rather amusing.  Sorrentino’s film focuses on the issues of aging, retirement, and reflection on one’s life. … Continue reading Austin Film Festival 2015 Review: YOUTH

Review: SISTERS

By Mark Saldana  Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars)  If one loves when Tina Fey and Amy Poehler host the Golden Globe awards, then have I got an awesome recommendation!  The witty and hilarious comedy duo portrays totally opposite siblings going through a midlife crisis, and their vain attempts at recapturing their excitement and energy… Continue reading Review: SISTERS

Review: THE DANISH GIRL

By Mark Saldana  Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars)  Earlier this year, for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything, Eddie Redmayne won both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Actor.  After watching his phenomenal performance in The Danish Girl, I believe that Redmayne has a strong chance at… Continue reading Review: THE DANISH GIRL

Review: MACBETH

By Mark Saldana Rating: 2.5 (Out of 4 Stars) I have only seen one cinematic versiib of Shakespeare’s acclaimed play, but it is a bit of a loose adaptation of the Bard’s work.  The 1957 Akira Kurosawa film Throne of Blood takes Shakespeare story and sets it in feudal Japan.  Because this film is a Japanese… Continue reading Review: MACBETH

Review: CHI-RAQ

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3 (Out of 4 Stars) Spike Lee’s newest film, like several of his previous ones, has a message, and in light of the amount of violence in the news this year, it is a highly relevant and important one.  Chi-raq keeps its commentary on violence closer to home and in the… Continue reading Review: CHI-RAQ

Austin Film Festival 2015 Review: LEGEND

By Liz Lopez Rating: B+ There are frequently films available about criminals that can keep viewers on the edge of their seat. Stories about real life criminals can be very intriguing and oftentimes, if it is not a criminal based stateside, U. S. audiences may not know the history of the characters. The new biopic… Continue reading Austin Film Festival 2015 Review: LEGEND

Review: THE GOOD DINOSAUR

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3 (Out of 4 Stars) Disney/Pixar has another hit family film with The Good Dinosaur, and one that should make for a fun trip to the cinema during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.  Written and directed by Peter Sohn, who co-wrote with Erik Benson, Meg LeFauve, Kelsey Mann, and Bob Peterson, this… Continue reading Review: THE GOOD DINOSAUR