A few grisly scenes that made me cringe but overall there were no goosebumps. I wasn’t spooked. The hair on my neck didn’t rise to the occasion. Nevertheless, this reviewer thinks what the filmmakers may have in mind for the long term – typical of independent filmmakers who make film shorts – could be a goosebumping-hair-raising SCREAM IF THINGS GO THEIR WAY.
– Article by Gregg W. Morris
Category: Film Fest News
2024 Hollyshorts Film Fest
2024 Hollyshorts Film Fest
A Hell of A Must-See
HOW TO SUE THE KLAN is a riveting tour de force by Director Jon Beder for a number of reasons but here is one standout. The meticulous and unflinching way he made the film makes the 35-minute short feel as if it has the aesthetic sweep and scope of a feature-length movie resonating with African-American philosophy, history, culture, activism. And lore.
Review, article by Gregg W. Morris
Waco Indie Film Festival 2024 announces Filmmaker Awards
The Waco Indie Film Festival, formerly known as the Deep in the Heart Film Festival, brings the Central Texas community together through independent film. Established in 2017, they engage audiences with films from major festivals and Texas talent. They build networks and careers through their industry education and promotion. Add in some chips & salsa with the Waco Indie magic, and they create one of the most unique experiences on the festival circuit. For more information visit www.wacoindie.com and Facebook.com and Instagram.com. – Article by Gregg W. Morris
FISHTANK Film Review
Director Wendi Tang’s FISHTANK: Winner of the 8th Tribeca x Chanel Through Her Lens Program. Winner of the 2022 Film Pipeline Short Script Competition. Audiences should be prepared for a surreal drama combining traditional narrative with experimental elements to challenge audiences’ understanding of the norms ingrained in society and expected of them.
I think I’ve pretty much deciphered the surreal and the enigmatic for a review article that doesn’t spoil nor despoil the cinematic surprises in Director Tang’s deftly made flick. However, FISHTANK also required a different approach to reviewing it – audiences may have to keep eyes and ears more open more than usual.
– Reviewer Gregg W. Morris
The Latest New York Asian Film Festival Alert: Thrill Seekers’ Delight: Five Chilling Films to Beat the Heat
ANUJA Film Review & Article – Part 2 of 2: Background Information
ANUJA Film Review & Article – Part 1 of 2
Director Adam J. Graves – “I wanted to capture that wondrous combination of magic and emotion, of innocence and mischief, which is part of childhood itself — these are kids after all, not statistics. Though every film is collaborative, this one was much more so than most. Were it not for the talent and support of the children of the Salaam Baalak Trust (especially our brilliant star, Sajda Pathan), we never could have brought this important story to the screen.” – Review-Article by Gregg W. Morris
A Pensive, Mesmerizing Eulogy About the Brazilian Teammates of a Downhill Skateboarding Icon – Allysson Pastrana – Coming to Terms with their Existential Angst Over His Sudden Death During a Downhill Speeding Competition
Inspired by one of the film’s directors, this is a bitter-sweet tale about downhill skateboarders coming to grips with the existential grief they are experiencing over the death of a teammate who died in a competition. This film is tagged as a documentary-drama-sport-movie yet it’s filmmaking is infused with a fierce spirituality that is cosmic, surrealistic and transcendent.
– By Gregg W. Morris
DRIVER: Director Nesa Azimi’s Beaut of a Documentary About Women Long Haul Truckers
“Cinema as a whole can be seen as a vehicle for empathy — in general, the goal of a film is to make the audience feel as if they have lived the experiences of the character onscreen, and can identify with their struggles,” writes H.R. Starzec on Medium.com. Starzec could have been writing about DRIVER.
“There’s a feeling of sensitivity and understanding at every level, and the filmmaker trusts that the audience is capable of extracting these feelings from film.” – A must see movie. Article by Gregg W. Morris
World Premier of MADE IN ETHIOPIA – Truly Compelling, Will Have Some Audience Members Mesmerized …
MADE IN ETHOPIA was filmed over four years and this reviewer was amazed at the considerable access the filmmakers had with interviewees and their families and the community as a whole. That kind of access occurs because of the incredible filmmaking finesses of filmmakers for dealing with people to tell incredible stories. – Review by Gregg W. Morris