From the moment “Home On The Range” became the defining song of the American West, accusations of plagiarism over its lyrics cast a shadow over its success. Dr. Brewster Higley was eventually credited with the poem that became the eternal…
Read moreMichael Akkerman’s Reveille marks the feature-length debut of the writer-director. The World War II drama starts with the 1929 Geneva Convention standards for treating prisoners of war. The story begins when a squad of German soldiers gets into a quick bout…
Read moreHappiness for Beginners, directed by Vicky Wight and based on the novel of the same name by Katherine Center, is a poignant and heartwarming tale of one woman’s transformative journey through the Appalachian Trail. The film takes us on a…
Read moreDarkness, the brainchild of writer-director Emanuela Rossi and co-writer Claudio Corbucci, asks an insidiously clever question: what if the parent you are utterly reliant on for all your food and shelter isn’t a trustworthy person? This is the thought that…
Read morePORTLAND FESTIVAL OF CINEMA, ANIMATION & TECHNOLOGY 2023 REVIEW! Two elderly women fight off death, literally, in Idan Gilboa’s stop-animated short, Deadline. An elderly woman is having problems with a routine check-up at the local health clinic. She moves slowly because…
Read moreTwisted Vines marks the debut of director Jihane Mrad Balaa, as well as co-writers Corinne Sbeih and Tom Stohlgren. These newbie filmmakers have assembled quite the cast for their first film, including Michael Paré, Vivica A. Fox, and Jon Briddell.…
Read moreResident Evil: Death Island attempts to breathe new life into the iconic survival horror franchise but unfortunately falls short of its ambitious goals. This fifth installment in the movie series brings together a talented cast, including Matthew Mercer as Leon…
Read moreWriter-director Abdolrahman Sarraei’s Visualization shows that stories and art are not always about the narrative but the emotions they can evoke. In this experimental short film, the audience is placed in a dreamlike state, floating down a corridor of doors. Behind one…
Read moreIn one of the final scenes in writer/director Morrisa Maltz’s debut feature, “The Unknown Country,” the camera tracks the shadow of a moving car, following it as it bends around rocks and trees, constantly moving forward in its anonymity. It’s…
Read moreZoey 102 directed by Nancy Hower, is a nostalgic reunion of beloved characters from the classic TV show Zoey 101. However, this long-awaited sequel falls short of expectations, despite its heartfelt attempt to bring back the magic of the original…
Read moreNOW ON VIMEO! In Big Break, writer-director Julian Berger taps into that moment of our biggest heartbreak and then walks us through when we can put it behind us and move forward. Austin (Hudson Klass) is an up-and-coming songwriter and artist,…
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