Ása Helga Hjörleifsdóttir, director and screenwriter of The Swan (“Svanurinn”), a low-key Icelandic film (adapted from the 1992 novel by Guðbergur Bergsson) was asked in an interview how she tackled the job of transforming a novel written with a preponderance of interiority into a movie. The question can be answered by examining its cinematography, which…
Night Comes On is a powerfully told and emotionally intelligent feature debut from director Jordana Spiro. By focusing on creating a connection with their characters, Spiro and co-writer Angelica Nwandu infuse an otherwise typical story with not only originality, but also care and empathy. Night Comes On thus becomes neither a coming-of-age tale nor a…
Addiction is an ugly condition of the human psyche. As individuals we all have our forbidden vices that get the best of us as psychological barriers. Addictions vary but one of cinema’s most consistent depictions involves the bottle. Yes, alcoholism is among the top reigning addictive subject matters that have been explored on the big…
Choice. Consequence. Color. Cats. These and more make up the palate of Welcome to Happiness, a quirky and charming fable from debut writer-director Oliver Thompson. Blending Wes Anderson-esque quirkiness with a light spiritual touch, Welcome to Happiness uses bright visuals, a likable cast and delightful music to weave its tale about the choices we make,…
Finding fantastic art that captures your amazement can be an exhilarating experience. So many thoughts will sprint through your mind as you try to figure out how and why a magnificent piece of work came to be. But sometimes, we don’t have to be alone in that process. We often share things that are fascinating…
Writer-director Graham Jones (“The History Student,” “The Randomers,” “How to Cheat in the Learning Certificate”) can be astutely described as a lyrical Irish filmmaker with moving narratives that seem so personal and profound in dramatic simplicity. In Jones’s latest indie drama Nola and the Clones he helms yet another soulful exposition grounded in the given realities of…
Looks can be deceiving. Whatever has your attention is usually caused by a sexy surface that absorbs your mind, body, and soul. For some viewers, that sexy surface is the charismatic presence of a blue-eyed, slick-haired Hollywood leading man. For me, it was the characteristics of what seemed to be a really good movie and…
