Category: Reviews

By Jan Hamilton Among the funniest films at SXSW this year, this one is a real charmer. The bad idea that two slackers have is to rob a stranger’s vacant house to make a big score. They have a pretty good way to get into a gated community, and easily find a key outside the… Continue reading SXSW 2017 Review: A BAD IDEA GONE WRONG

By Jan Hamilton Dependable Bill Pullman stars as Lefty Brown, former side-kick to three legends of the Old West, who have all gone on the better things.  Respect, fame and fortune have eluded Lefty, though he does not seem to mind.  Lefty works at the ranch of one of the trio, Edward Johnson (Peter Fonda)… Continue reading SXSW 2017 Review: THE BALLAD OF LEFTY BROWN

By Jan Hamilton In a pleasant exploration of Bill Nye’s story, this documentary follows his life as it leads to the world of science.  After getting a degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell, and working at Boeing, Bill found work in TV as a writer and actor.  His best known work was on the educational… Continue reading SXSW 2017 Review: BILL NYE: SCIENCE GUY

By Jan Hamilton In this dark but hopeful drama, the leading lady is also the writer and director of the film.  Luciana (Ana Asensio) plays a struggling immigrant in New York who is trying to get past the death of her child in Spain.  Tall, beautiful and graceful, Luciana works a series of demanding, low… Continue reading SXSW 2017 Review: MOST BEAUTIFUL ISLAND

By Jan Hamilton Most documentaries have lots of footage from the past, plus interviews with various people important to the subject’s life.  This rather delightful doc is different.  Actors are used to play the scenes from the life of George Lazenby, while George himself is telling his story.  An interesting life unfolds, with modesty, bragging… Continue reading SXSW 2017 Review: BECOMING BOND

By Jan Hamilton Lena Olin plays fictional poet and author Maya Darnel in this film of her last days before she plans to take her own life.  In the story, Maya has gone on NPR to make the announcement that she will leave her money, literary works, and legacy in the hands of the winner… Continue reading SXSW 2017 Review: A CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) At this year’s festival, I enjoyed two comedies about inter-cultural relationships and their impact on familial relations.  The first is a truly delightful indie film titled Signature Move, while the other is the Festival Favorite Headliner The Big Sick.  Both films deal with Pakistani-Americans from Muslim… Continue reading SXSW 2017 Review & Interview: THE BIG SICK