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I love you, now die: The Commonwealth vs. Michelle Carter (2019), directed by Erin Lee Carter, is a riveting two hour documentary which reads like a whodunit mystery about the famous suicide texting trial that scandalized America society and the world.

Carr has woven together many visual elements to create a compelling two-part documentary where teen suicide meets anguish, misery, heartbreak and the courts of legal and public opinion. The documentary is well-crafted making use of diverse angle shots, editing techniques, time lapse footage, first person interviews, third person interviews, archival and social media footage, still photography, superimposed images, and incorporates footage shot over a span of several years to create a compelling and powerful film about an egregious crime. It recounts the suffering and pain of Conrad Roy III, his relationship with Michelle Carter and his family, his previous suicide attempts, the impact of his suicide on his family, the culpability of Michelle Carter and a penetrative examination and analysis of her thoughts, psyche and mental health leading up to and following the suicide of her boyfriend. Did her mental health impinge on her ability to know the difference between right and wrong? How about her level of maturity and her decision making ability as a 17-year-old with a not well developed frontal cortex? Michelle Carter and her immediate family declined to take part in the documentary and present their side of the story; She opted to have her case tried by judge and not by jury, and refused to take the stand in her own defense. Do her actions imply guilt? You be the judge.

Carr has juxtaposed the narrative of the crime through the Massachusetts criminal justice system presenting both sides of the case and the legal arguments mounted by the prosecution and defense team against the backstory of the victim and perpetrator revealed through their text messaging and social media postings which are filled with twists and turns and reveal their toxic, unhealthy relationship.

It's a balanced documentary for the filmmaker explores the crime from the perspective of the victim and the perpetrator, and the irreparable damage and harm it has had on two young lives. Conrad Roy, III lost his life, and Michelle Carter, vilified in the American press and court of public opinion, is a convicted felon and a social pariah.

The documentary includes interviews with a distinguished cast of journalists including Marie Cogan, Jesse Barron, and professionals including Dr. John Suler, author of 'The Psychology of Cyberspace', and Joseph Cataldo, Attorney for Michelle Carter, and members of the public who weigh in and present a multiplicity of takes and viewpoints about the suicide of Conrad Roy, III, and whether Michelle Carter is culpable of the crime of involuntary manslaughter for telling him to get back into the car and to finish the job which frames the documentary in a broader context of the American criminal justice system and American teen life in the digital age.

If anything, I hope this heart-wrenching, emotionally moving documentary about a toxic teen relationship gone bad will spark a dialogue on the risks and dangers of virtual relationships.

Inga Can Hear (2018), directed by Kaspars Goba, is a character driven documentary about a 15-year-old Latvian teenager living in a rural community straddling two worlds, the hearing and hearing impaired. Born to deaf parents, Inga has become their advocate from an early age tackling any problems and issues they face. The film is in Latvian, Latvian Sign Language and sub-titled in English.

The documentary juxtaposes the narrative of a young teenager finding her identity outside the boundaries of her immediate family who yearns for a secondary education against the complexity of her relationship with her parents and to a lesser extent her two siblings who are also deaf.

The film begins with out of focus, hand held camera shots of an intoxicated Inga in her pajamas and slippers walking on a snow covered road late at night which speaks to her dark side. When asked where she lives, she points to her house. The film cuts to a shot of a house and then to a close up of a first person interview with Inga sitting on the couch introducing herself revealing an intelligent, charming, and articulate teenager. She speaks of her close relationship to her father who is supportive of her who is revealed sitting on the conch beside her petting the family cat. There is a cut away of the bookshelf displaying family photos showing pictures of Inga with her family providing a visual clue to her backstory. The camera lingers for a moment on a lovely photo of Inga as a young girl holding a monkey. The film gradually reveals the mother sitting on a chair beside Inga. They converse in Latvian Sign Language and Inga explains in Latvian while signing with her mother that her parents never planned to have her and that they were surprised to learn when she was an infant that she could hear.

The documentary follows Inga's life as she prepares to graduate from middle school, to preparing for and gaining acceptance into high school, her move away from home, navigating her first term in high school, dealing with her immediate family, her acting out, and the aftermath. It's a poignant documentary revealing the ups and downs of the turbulent life of a young teen trying to break free and facing issues of identity. One of the most powerful scenes in the documentary is Inga revealing her motivation in making the film. Her heartfelt words for advocating for the deaf are emotionally moving. Another powerful scene in the film is her coming out. The documentary resonated with me on many levels. We can all relate to Inga and her experiences as a young person wanting to spread their wings, exploring their sexuality, and forging a life outside the boundaries of their immediate family.

The director has woven together many visual elements to create an intimate portrait of Inga. Close ups and medium angle shots are interspersed with wide angle shots and the film incorporates day and night and interior and exterior footage and with footage shot over an extended period of time at various locations. I liked how Goba situated the story in a rural setting and within the confines of Inga's home, her schools, her classrooms, her dorm and her mother's apartment giving the film a context. I also liked the use of Latvian Rap music which adds another layer of depth.

Inga Can Hear is more than a labor of love. It is a film about a young person coming of age, and coming out and that explores the meaning of filial bonds and familial relationships.

Motel, directed and photographed by Jesse McCracken, is the story of an unusual motel called the Continental Inn located in Niagara Falls, Ontario whose business model is addressing a pressing social issue, providing affordable housing to people who need it.

When you come to think of it, how can it compete for tourist dollars when a plethora of upscale hotels like the Sheraton on the Falls, the Marriott Fallsview or the Embassy Suites by Hilton located down the road and which offer a plethora of amenities and services. It can't. Motel is about the people who manage the motel, Brian, the night manager who lives at the motel and who was a former journalist, and Linda, the day manager, who have put their heart and soul into their work caring for the well-being of the residents, and for the residents who call it home. The hard luck stories of the residents are told against a backdrop of an iconic city whose breathtaking views of the falls were immortalized in the film Niagara, a 1950s Hollywood film noir, and when motels like the Continental Inn had their heyday.

McCracken weaves together many visual elements to create an intriguing film where tourism meets misery set against the glitz and gaudiness of the city and the iconic falls. The film opens with a wide angle night shot of a spry elderly man, Brian, holding a flashlight making a security check of the motel grounds. It dissolves into a kaleidoscope of flashing coloured lights followed by fireworks and, than cuts to an image of Brian facing away from the camera looking up at the fireworks. Close ups and medium angle shots of Brian, Linda and the residents are interspersed with wide angle shots of the motel, the falls and the city. The film is narrated by Brian, Linda and the residents. The film incorporates footage shot over several seasons, shot at different times of the day and at night, and includes time lapses which give the film a richness and complexity. Some of the most powerful images in the film are scenes of the staff and residents sitting alone in their room.

I liked Motel for it is, in essence, a film about second chances not only for the residents who call it home and the staff who manage it but for the motel itself. McCracken has succeeded in creating an intimate portrait of the motel, its staff, and residents craving out an existence and sense of place against the backdrop of an iconic city.

This deeply meditative film by Aaron Wolf explores faith, family, community, memory, the legacy of the past, the impermanence of life, possibilities and the importance of conserving and restoring places of worship.

It's not only a personal documentary rooted within the backstory of its director Aaron Wolf and three generations of his family but the story of Wilshire Boulevard Temple, the oldest Jewish congregation in Los Angeles, California and a place of worship to former Hollywood studio moguls.

Wolf beautifully reveals the story of the temple and its history, its meaning to past, present and future congregants and its conservation against the wider phenomenon of historic houses of workshop closing their doors across the globe due to falling enrollment and a decline in religious affiliation.

Wolf juxtaposes the narrative of his family's history against the narrative of Wilshire Boulevard Temple. He weaves together many visual elements which include first personal interviews, archival film and video footage spanning many decades, Super 8 home movies, narration, first-person interviews, photography stills, and superimposed images to create an insightful documentary. Close ups and medium angles shots are interspersed with wide angle shots, and aerial shots and the film incorporates both interior and exterior footage shot over an extended period of time at various locations which add complexity to his documentary. By juxtaposing the narrative of his family and self against the backstory and future of Wilshire Boulevard Temple, Wolf creates dramatic tension that moves the film.

The film includes interviews with a distinguished cast of spiritual leaders and professionals who weigh in and present a multiplicity of viewpoints shining a light on its historic relevance, its conservation and restoration, and the impact a closure would have to the community framing the documentary in a broader social context.

Restoring Faith resonated with me on many levels especially on the importance of faith, family and community, and shines a light on the importance of conserving the past and historic places of worship. The documentary is a labor of love and is a beautiful memoir not only of the temple and its spiritual leaders but also of the Wolf family. It is a well-crafted film with much depth and explores the meaningful topic of conserving the past. Wolf has succeeded in creating an intimate portrait of Wilshire Boulevard Temple.

The Mummy which is directed by Alex Kurtzman stars Hollywood A-listers Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe in a film about an undead malevolent vengeful Egyptian princess with supernatural powers. And hell hath no fury like a scorned Egyptian princess. The reboot bridges the past with the present in a storyline about a mad, crazy Egyptian princess with double irises and supernatural powers with the ability to inflict death and destruction and who wants to rule the world.

Tom Cruise plays Nick Morton, a scientist, who unearths the sacrophagus of the undead Egyptian princess Ahmanet. While he transports her sacrophagus to London, he dies in a plane crash but is miraculously resurrected, and enlists in the fight to stop her from dominating the world. Cruise plays the hero against the antagonist Princess Ahmanet.

Russell Crowe plays Dr. Henry Jekyll whose alter ego Mr. Edward Hyde is a monster no less but, a good monster who fights evil monsters.

It's a thrilling and suspenseful film. Horror fans, lovers of gore, fans of Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe, and aficionados of The Mummy franchise will absolutely love the reboot. There is a lot of action set against a storyline of good versus evil with fascinating characters fighting it out.

The Tomorrow Man (2019), written and directed by Noble Jones, is a dramatic film starring John Lithgow (Ed Hemsler) and Blythe Danner (Ronnie Meisner).

It's a story where two lonely souls in the twilight of their years harboring secrets find romance set against existential angst and misery somewhere in small town America. Ed Hemsler is a retired systems analyst living a solitary life and preparing for the apocalypse. Ronnie Meisner is a widow still grieving the loss of her teenage daughter and living a somewhat solitary life but working part-time at a gift shop. They both harbor secrets which are revealed in the narrative of the film. The film co-stars Derek Cecil (Brian), Katie Aselton (Janet), Sophie Thatcher (Jeanine), Eve Harlow (Tina) and Wendy Makkena (Beverly St. Michaels).

During a trip to the grocery store, Ed spots Ronnie in the checkout line buying Moth Ice Crystals which get his spark plugs flashing. He thinks he's found a kindred soul like himself. He stalks her and seizes an opportunity to force an introduction which is a hoot to watch, and than, pursues her. Unbeknowest to Ed, Ronnie's secret isn't what he is supposing it to be, and Ronnie doesn't let on. Inspite of their psychological hangups and quirks, which reveal themselves in the narrative, they begin to date and things progress surprisingly enough. Ed who feels confident in his relationship with Ronnie goes so far as to share his secret hiding place with her which impresses her and even teaches her to shoot.

He invites Ronnie as his date to Thanksgiving dinner at his son's place where the simmering tensions between father and son are played out at the dining room table but Ronnie isn't fazed or reacts. To her, everything is copacetic. When invited back to Ronnie's place, he is horrified to learn her secret but passions prevail and they make whoopee in the chaotic mess. Just when you think they have a chance, tragedy strikes. Following his discharge from hospital, he insists they do something about their secret lives but Ronnie isn't interested and the relationship is sidelined. Will they get together again? Well, you've got to see the movie to find out, and what an ending, too.

It's a wonderful film made up of a stellar cast where Lithgow and Danner, two accomplished and seasoned actors, shine and run with their roles bringing a gravitas and dignity to their characters. Lithgow is marvelous in his role as a delusional crackpot set in his thinking and take on the world, and so is Danner, as a grieving mother, living in the past and coping as best she can. Their performances are so convincing and believable. Jones weaves together many visual elements to create a heartfelt film juxtaposing the narrative of Ed and Ronnie's relationship against the narrative of their individual lives and backstory, and juxtaposing two sides of the same coin, similar behaviours stemming from vastly opposing mindsets.

The film resonated with me on many levels touching on the healing power of love as seen through the changes in behaviour and cognitive thinking in Ed and Ronnie, and that we should take a stab at love no matter our shortcomings. What do we have to lose, really? I highly recommend the film for its superb acting and dialogue, and compassionate portrayal of two eccentric characters. It's a feel good movie and their romance will tug at your heartstrings.

Up or Out (2015) is a Dutch documentary by filmmaker Jona Honer which examines the world of investing. Honer has been given carte blanche by Hedge Fund CEO Sebastiaan Ratha to film the inner workings of his operations where he and his brother, Joshua Ratha, run Arete Caerus Technologies as it attempts to outperform the market and deliver positive results not only for themselves but for their investors. The two brothers have developed an ingenious twofold investment strategy run by computer algorithms that takes the human emotion out of their investing strategy and that secondly, attempts to profit from the fear and greed that characterizes stock investing of investors. Jetze Sikkema, System Architect, and Krispijn Te Riet, Trainee, complete the staff.

The documentary opens with a wide angle shot of Herengracht (Patrician's Canal), one of three of Amsterdam's most famous canals that evokes 17th century Holland and the Dutch Golden Age, where Arete Caerus Tehnologies is located in one of the swankiest mansions that line both sides of the canal. The documentary cuts to an interior scene of the office where we meet the two clean cut brothers immaculately dressed in suits sitting at computer terminals discussing trading strategy. As the documentary captures the inner workings of their hedge fudge operation as Joshua attempts to execute successful trades and Sebastiaan tries miserably to line up new investors, their investment strategy shows signs of cracking. Board meetings capture the grim reality of their dire situation as they become illiquid and are eventually forced to execute painful decisions as they have become "an empty shell with a lot of bills and people on the payroll".

Seeing their company go from an office of three to four and eventually down to two and seeing the two brothers discuss their move from Herengracht and discuss their future prospects visually reminded me of how dreams do blow up and how investment strategies fail to deliver and fall out of favour. The title of the documentary Up and Out is very appropriate.

I quite enjoyed watching Up and Out for it serves as a cautionary tale for investors of any stripe who attempt to outsmart an unpredictable stock market which is easily spooked, characterized by daily volatility, and unpredictable systemic and market risk. Kudos to Sebastiaan Ratha for allowing Jona Honer to film his hedge fund and kudos to Jona Honer for giving us an unbiased glimpse into the world of investing. It should be required viewing for any investor who imagines he or she can profit from the stock market but especially for banks, pension plans, and mutual funds who are entrusted with our hard earned savings to invest wisely and not get caught up with investment fades.

Us and Them (2017), written and directed by Joe Martin, is a British crime drama and thriller.

It's a film that dramatizes the life of an angry, working class, young man's attempts to affect some kind of change and seek retribution against the 1 % set against the pathology of the British class system. The film is well-crafted and helped by superb acting, an excellent script, terrific cinematography, and film editing.

The non-linear narrative of the crime and the simmering tensions and hostility amongst the characters are juxtaposed against the anti-hero's motivation, selected aspects of his backstory, and the plotting of the crime alone and together with his accomplices. It is full of twists and turns which fuel the narrative and create dramatic tension.

Martin weaves together many visual elements to create an intriguing film. Close ups and medium angle shots are interspersed with wide angle shots and aerial shots, and he uses interstitial titles to structure the film. The film is shot in color and includes black and white photography, voice over, underwater footage, super imposed images, the use of filters, zooms, fades to black, video footage, freeze frames, split screens, mise-en-scene long takes and fast paced editing, slow motion, the framing of scenes incorporating windows, and car mirrors, and backlit scenes to create a visually powerful film.

The film includes a touch of the famous British humour involving Glen (Paul Westwood) in the tool shed. I particularly like the shooting of the video documentary in the film and incorporating a close up of Danny's face framed within the video camera display in the foreground with his persona, out of focus, in the background. The film is comprised of a series of riveting scenes that give the film depth and complexity. They include the scenes involving the gun pointed at the camera in and out of focus juxtaposed with Danny's face in and out of focus, the dramatization of Conrad's and Danny's thoughts and feelings during Danny's interrogation of Conrad, and the juxtaposition of the pool scene involving Conrad and Danny and Danny's backstory about his dad. And the film is filled with memorable lines including "we all fuck; we all shit; we all die." The crime drama is superbly acted and Jack Roth's portrayal of Danny is intensive and riveting and he is matched in the performance of his nemesis, Conrad, played by Tim Bentinck. Martin creates an intimate and accessible portrait of Danny, an out of control young man, simmering with anger and hostility. I'd like to single out Andrew Tiernan's outstanding performance. He plays Tommy, Danny's mate and an accomplice. The scene involving him and Conrad in the upstairs bathroom sent shivers down my spine.

Are British dramatic crime thrillers your cup of tea? Well, if they are, then, you're in for a treat with Us and Them. It's a provocative film framed within the pathology of the British class system. It's an intriguing film that held my attention.

A Punk Daydream (2019), directed by Jimmy Hendrickx and co-directed by Kristian Van Der Heyden, is a poignant and powerful documentary which examines the Indonesian Punk scene in Jakarta, Indonesia set against the milieu of the most populous Muslim majority led countries in the world, with diverse ethnic groups and indigenous tribes, and a society which has experienced a litany of political and economic woes, social unrest, and terrorism.

Hendrickx examines the relationship of the Indonesian Punk scene by following Eka, the main protagonist of the film, and his fellow punks within the context of mainstream society which situates Indonesian punks within a cultural framework, past and present. Despite their identification with punk as an identity, its music, dress, piercings and tattoos, Indonesian punks are, as the film reveals, a gentle and non-threatening social group. They aren't menacing whatsoever as the film demonstrates, but are, in fact, the victims of mistreatment and abuse. The documentary has many layers which gives the film a depth and complexity. Indonesian punks identify with the indigenous tribes of Indonesia such as the Dayak tribe who are a tattooed people, whose way of life is to live in harmony with Mother Earth, and whose existence is threatened by economic development and manmade threats to their natural environment such as open pit mining and pollution. The filmmakers capture the beauty of some of the indigenous tribes of Indonesia in surreal shots situated within the context of nature, and the menacing threats they face. The juxtaposition of reality and elements of fantasy run through the film giving it another layer of complexity. They include re-enactments of Eka and his father on a theatrical stage to allow him to work out his emotional issues of abandonment on a psychic level, the re-enactments of his attempts to fit in such as his marriage and holding down a job, and his experience of imprisonment.

The film shines a light on their daily hardships and the prejudice Indonesian punks face because they are punks. They are not only shunned by their families and mainstream society but must eke out a living on the fringes of society. Under the Suharto regime, tattooed people like Eka and his fellow punks were seen as criminal and indiscriminately killed by government death squads. One of the most difficult scenes to watch in the film is seeing the mistreatment of punks by the Indonesian army. The documentary shines a light on a group of extraordinary young people whose punk identity sets them apart from mainstream society but who long for acceptance and a means to live a dignified life. They are paying a steep price for their self-expression.

The film is well-crafted and shot making use of diverse angle shots, cut aways, archival footage, first person interviews, narration, still photography, re-enactments, surreal shots, and editing techniques to create a powerful documentary. If you want to understand what's it like to live a marginalized existence for expressing yourself in a post-dictatorial and Islamic dominated society which holds conservative values, this documentary will serve as an excellent primer. The filmmakers have woven many visual elements to create a compelling film where individual expression or otherness meets marginalization and poverty. I applaud the directors and their team in crafting a poignant documentary on the marginalization of Indonesian punks, and their aspirations to live a dignified life. I highly recommend the documentary for you won't be disappointed.

MODALITÀ AEREO (Airplane Mode, 2019), is a wonderful Italian romp of a film. It's a dramatic comedy directed by Fausto Brizzi and produced by Luca Barbareschi. It stars Raolo Ruffini (Diego), Caterina Guzzanti (Maria), Violante Placido (Linda), Lillo Petrolo (Ivano), Dino Abbrescia (Sabino), and Veronica Logan as herself. The title of the film references the setting on a smartphone for use on board an aircraft in which the device cannot receive or transmit wireless signals to prevent it from interfering with the aircraft's communication systems. The film is sub-titled in English.

It's a story about Diego, a narcissistic egotistical fellow, who gets his comeuppance when he forgets his phone in the men's washroom after verbally abusing two airport cleaners and getting them fired. His smartphone is loaded with his personal information, contacts and credit information. Rather than turning the phone over to 'Lost and Found', they use the information on Diego's smartphone to teach him a lesson while enjoying themselves at his expense. When Diego lands in Australia, he finds his reputation has been destroyed and he is left to deal with the repercussions from Ivano and Sabino's actions. The film poses a number of intriguing questions. Can he survive the ordeal and redeem himself?

The film follows a linear narrative. Brizzi juxtaposes the narrative of Diego's time on the plane and his hysterical antics against the havoc Ivano and Sabino inflict on Diego's life and the fun they have at his expense. Brizzi juxtaposes the simmering tensions and hostilies amongst the characters to create dramatic tension that moves the narrative of the film, and then, flips the victim narrative on its head. Upon his return to Rome, Diego discovers who his real enemies are, and together with Ivano and Sabino and Linda's help, he embarks on a journey to regain control of his business.

Brizzi weaves together many visual elements to create a funny film that mocks the negatives of social media and technology. There are many funny scenes in the film which are a delight and are cleverly done and will leave you laughing at Diego's expense, at Ivano and Sabino, and at cross-cultural communication and stereotypes. The scene with Mr. Wang and his entourage together with Ivano and Sabino in the Cardini conference room is my absolutely favorite. I also loved watching Ivano sing one of Little Tony's pop song hits to his wife Maria to win back her affectations. There is so much to recommend the film especially the comedic antics in the film which are well executed.

The film which is superbly acted, well-written and nicely shot, appealed to me on many levels and is a cautionary tale too. Our reliance of social media and technology such as smartphones leave us vulnerable to hackers who can hijack our information and use it for nefarious purposes and leave us holding the bag. On another level, the film raises the concept of karma and its law and how they can come into play for one's misdemeanors and bite you in the ass when you least expect it.

If you are a fan of comedy dramas, you'll love this film for its slapstick humor and comedic scenes. If you are a fan of Italian films, like me, you'll love it for its style of cinematic filmmaking and story telling.

Hotel Coolgardie which is directed, shot and edited by Pete Gleeson is a fish out of water tale which shines a light on the attitudes of Australian men albeit in the Australian outback. Two young Finnish girls try their luck when they take a job working as barmaids at a pub called Hotel Denver City, in a remote mining town named Coolgardie, in the Australian outback. Although they are forewarned by the female recruiting agent in Perth that they are going to a somewhat isolated mining town and will be dealing with a lot of male attention, Lina and Stephanie take the job regardless, out of economic necessity.

Like clockwork, every quarter a new batch of girls arrive to work the bar at Hotel Denver City. Lina and Stephanie are replacing Becky and Clio who are wrapping up their three month contract. Interviews with the male regulars of Hotel Denver City reveal that they view the girls as the only game in town, and their is a race to bed them. Their employer, Pete, announces their pending arrival, on the sandwich board outside the bar with the words, "New Girls Tonite". The film documents Lina and Stephanie's attempts to see through their contract and hold it together while they fend off the unrelenting male attention. Gleeson creates intimate portraits of these two young women struggling to maintain their dignity in a sexually charged atmosphere. You not only feel their discomfort and alienation but are worried about their mental health. They are subjected to rude and insulting language and behaviour not just from the blokes but from their boss, Pete, who does nothing to stop it but adds insult to injury by belittling them in public. I was thankful for the presence of John, aka "The Canman", one of the few nice male characters in the film, who presents a different male perspective. I was touched by John's story and his benevolence and friendship with Lina and Stephanie. The dramatic tension in the film doesn't let up and if you want to find out what happens to Lina and Stephanie, well, you've got to see the documentary.

I found Hotel Coolgardie a fascinating documentary. Gleeson has done an excellent job editing his film as it moves fluidly between Lina and Stephanie allowing for two different perspectives, and by interspersing the entire film with day and night shots of Coolgardie and the Australian outback which situates their story in a cultural context. The film not only shines a light on shared attitudes prevalent among Australian men albeit in the Australian outback, but, is a metaphor for the outsider, the migrant, who far away from home, most often alone, must learn an unfamiliar language and navigate and adapt to new cultural contexts to eke out a precarious economic living.

Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017), directed by Simon Curtis, is a British period drama about the British author A. A. Milne, the writer of the celebrated and much loved Winnie-the-Pooh children stories, and the impact his widely successful creations had on his family and on his son, Christopher Robin Milne affectionately called Billy Moon. Domhnall Gleeson stars as A. A. Milne and Margot Robbie stars as his glamorous wife, Daphne. Kelly MacDonald stars as Nanny Olive called "Nou" by Billy Moon. Will Tilston stars as the Young Christopher Robin aka Billy Moon age 8 and Alex Lawther as Christopher Robin Milne age 18.

The film is sandwiched between the two world wars and dramatizes the inspiration and creation of the Pooh character by the PTSD afflicted writer. The film opens with a wide angle shot of Ashdown Forest, Sussex , England, 1941, the dappled light and green of the foliage saturating the screen. It cuts to a wide angle shot of a female bicycle courier in the background, to a shot of Daphne (Margot Robbie) gardening, to Private Milne (Alex Lawther) in uniform and off to war, to the bicycle courier delivering a telegram to A. A. Milne (Gleeson) about his son Christopher Robin, and then dramatically cuts to a scene of World War I on the Western Front involving the elder Milne in combat. Much information is gleaned in these brief snapshots.

The film is based on a true story which forms the basis for the film. The writing process and the development of the Winnie-the-Pooh stories are integral to the narrative and storytelling. The film dramatizes Milne's relationship to his young son, Billy Moon, and the impact the success of the books has his family. The public goes wild when they discover Billy Moon is the inspiration for the character, Christopher Robin, and his teddy bear Edward for Winnie.

The film's imagery not only captivates but stretches the imagination. It is such a visually appealing film especially the juxtaposition of real and the surreal (A. A. Milne's flashbacks of war), and the animated sequences when the Winnie-the-Pooh stories come to life.

The film shines a light on the highs and lows the successful Winnie-the-Pooh stories brought the Milne family. The director has woven together many visual elements to create a compelling film where success meets misery, sadness and disappointment set against the English countryside between two world wars. If you are a fan of British period pieces, biopics, or family dramas, you'll love this film. It is an inspirational film that celebrates the human spirit, and it is a beautiful film about the creation of art from illness and the power of art to heal and reconcile.

Curtis creates an intimate and moving portrait of the Milne family helped by the superb acting of Gleeson, Robbie, MacDonald and the child actor Will Tilston who is so wonderful to watch as the precocious loving young Billy Moon. You'll love not only the acting but the cinematography. They include the breathtaking wide angle shots of the Essex countryside, beautiful images of Ashton Forest, the backdrop to the narrative and where father and son bond and where the Winnie-the-Pooh stories take shape, the black and white footage of the Milnes' trip to New York City and use of archival footage to situate the film in time and space, and weaving within the storyline actual events such as the photoshoot of Billy Moon with Winnie the black bear at the London Zoo. Some of the most powerful and disturbing images in the film are A. A. Milne's flashbacks of war in the trenches of World War I.

I am fond of period pieces for they allow me to experience and escape into a world beyond my social and cultural experiences, and Goodbye Christopher Robin did that for me. It is a wonderful film and a must to see for fans of Winnie-the-Pooh and Christopher Robin.

Secondo Me, directed by Pavel Cuzuioc, is an intriguing film where high culture meets beauty in the mundane examined through the lives of three cloakroom attendants. They are Ronald Zwanziger who works at the Vienna State Opera, Flavio Fornasa who works at Teatro Alla Scala Milan, and Nadezhda Sohotskaya who works at the Odessa State Opera.

Without compromising their dignity, Cuzuioc, has not only created larger-than-life intimate portraits of the three cloakroom attendants but has challenged preconceptions people may hold about the people who do these jobs. Zwanziger, Fornasa and Sohotskaya are more than their jobs, as the documentary reveals, and their personal lives take front and center of the documentary. While Cuzuioc films them getting ready for work and performing their duties which includes taking coats, bags and other belongings from the people who visit the Opera houses, tagging them, storing them, and keeping them safe until they are retrieved, their jobs are relegated to a secondary role as are the Opera houses. Whispers of the operatic performances are heard as dins of background sound and never intruding on the footage.

Cuzuioc doesn't offer first person interviews of his subjects, and they never address the camera but on occasion they slip up and acknowledge the camera's presence. Cuzuioc films them living their lives, doing their chores, shopping, cooking, engaged in conversations with colleagues, and friends, relaxing and spending time with family and/or friends. By the film's end, you see them for the people who they are and not for the jobs they do. Sohotskaya, a widow, is a devoted loving grandmother and her grandson, Stasik, is the apple of her eye. Fornasa is an intellectual and loving father and husband. Zwanziger's daytime occupation is a librarian who moonlights as a cloakroom attendant.

The film is beautifully edited and transitions smoothly between each of the personalities set against the cities they live in. I loved the homage to the famous Soviet film director Sergei Eisenstein with Cuzuioc's lingering shot of the famous Odessa steps.

I offer up my thanks to Zwanziger, Fornasa and Sohotskaya for allowing us to glimpse their lives and showing us that we are more than our jobs. Kudos to Cuzuioc for breaking down psychological barriers and revealing that just because someone does a service related job does not make them servile and/or lowly. He has, through his film, subtly confronted hierarchical structures using the context of the Opera house and indirectly, chipped away at society's preoccupation to divide, and organize people, and assign worth based on their skills and status. I highly recommend Secondo Me.

A Home in Memory by Helena Ost is a meditative film rich with meaning which explores the process of letting go as two sisters face the daunting task of sorting through the belongings of deceased relatives.

The film opens with a close up of a composed still life of a faded black and white photograph of two lovely young girls smiling, a cell phone placed over a floor plan which is laid over a crochet doily over a coffee table. We hear two elderly women carrying on a conversation but we never see them. We also hear the dripping of a water faucet. The film fades to black and the title of the film appears in Finnish 'till minne av ett hem'. The film fades from black to a close up of a photograph of two mature women smiling and then cuts to a dining room table covered with piles of photographs, and a magnifying glass. Four chairs encircle the dining room table and a photo album lies on top of the chairs. The film cuts to a wide angle shot of an interior view of the apartment then cuts to an image of a calendar on a wall opened to the date December 2013.

We become acquainted with images of the apartment as the film moves from room to room. It is filled with stuff. There's furniture, glass cases bursting with knickknacks, time pieces in every room, bookshelves of books, cabinets filled with boxes of slides, and piles of photographs. We never meet the two sisters but only catch a glimpse of their former selves through photographs. We are privy to their thoughts and conversations as they reminisce, sort and go through their parents' and aunt's belongings now vacant since their 94 year old aunt has died. Their parents predeceased the aunt. Both sisters moved out in 1971 with one moving to South Africa. The dripping sound of water re-occurs throughout the film as a motif to symbolize the passage of time. As they sort through the family home, they are surprised to find more photographs of their family. As they reminisce and reflect, they come to terms with the meaning of a home.

Into three quarters of the film, we hear different voices, men's voices. One of the men says, "How many rooms?" One replies, "Seven, plus the kitchen." Frame after frame the homestead begins to shed its belongings until it is devoid of any personal possessions and furniture. The final image is of an empty apartment with some items packed in bags.

Ost has done a masterful job universalizing the experience of letting go through the voices of the two sisters as they sort their family's belongings and has captured on film the impermanence of life as the apartment once filled with meaning and treasured belongings becomes an empty shell and is to change hands. It is a well-crafted film with much depth and explores the meaningful topic of loss and memory. Do see it for you won't be disappointed.

Cheating Hitler: Surviving the Holocaust (2019), directed by Rebecca Snow, is a poignant documentary that narrates the stories of three child survivors of The Holocaust focusing on their childhood experiences during Nazi persecution. It's a character driven documentary focussing on the personal stories of Helen Yermus, Rose Lipszyc, and Maxwell Stuart. It's a deeply meditative film exploring loss, pain, memory, man's inhumanity to man, and individual courage and the triumph of the will to survive. The documentary is deeply rooted within the stories of these three elderly Canadians who survived the horrors of Nazi German persecution as children during the Second World War when Nazi Germany was hellbent to anihilate the Jews of Europe.

Snow weaves together many visual elements to create a compelling and insightful documentary where tragedy meets survival and individual heroism. Interstitial tiles are used to structure the film. The director knits together first person interviews, interviews with experts, archival footage, family photographs, narration, animation and recreated scenes from her characters' childhood experiences, montage editing, and mise-en-scene takes to make an emotionally moving and powerful documentary. The documentary incorporates both interior and exterior footage shot over an extended period of time at various locations which includes Canada, Ukraine, Lithuania, Poland, and Israel. Scenes alternate between Ms. Yermus, Ms. Lipszyc, and Mr. Stuart reflecting on their families, their childhoods, and their personal experiences of surviving The Holocaust, and as elderly senior citizens, coming to terms with their horrific traumatic experiences. The motif of loss, guilt, psychic pain weave themselves through the documentary giving the film depth and structure. Some of the most dramatic scenes in the film include Ms. Yermus's grandson visiting the site of her brother's execution at Kaunas IX Fort now a museum, Ms. Lipszyc visiting Sobibor Concentration Camp where her mother and siblings perished, and Mr. Stuart reuniting with the family of Janek and meeting Tova whom he rescued when she was an infant.

Cheating Hitler: Surviving the Holocaust is a powerful film documenting the moving stories of three elderly Canadians who as children survived The Holocaust. Their collective experiences shine a light on the experiences of many survivors of The Shoah and is a painful remainder of man's inhumanity to man but more importantly, is a testament to the triumph of the will and individual heroism.

The documentary is a labour of love and gives voice to the collective experience of the victims of Nazi persecution during the Second World War. Snow has not only created intimate portraits of three remarkable Canadians who triumphed over evil but has created a visual legacy which enshrines their personal stories which can be shared with future generations to educate them on the Nazi genocide inflicted on the Jews of Europe during the Second World War. The documentary has tremendous educational value and can serve as a vehicle to educate and promote social understanding and awareness. This documentary is deserving of your attention. Do see it!

Into Invisible Light (2018), directed by Shelagh Carter, is a Canadian drama starring Jennifer Dale (Helena Grayson). Carter and Dale co-wrote the film's script. It's a story where the death of a meaningful relationship meets grief, angst, loneliness, and renewal.

It's a story about an attractive, middle-aged woman who finds herself alone and at a crossroads following the death of her devoted husband. To complicate things, her late husband's business partner, David (Stuart Hughes), is romantically interested in her, and a former love, Michael (Peter Keleghan), reappears in her life, and stirs at her heartstrings.

It's a beautiful, artistic film. Dale shines as Helena bringing a gravitas and dignity to her character as the grieving widow unsure of herself who is caught up in the past. Carter weaves together many visual elements to create a compelling film juxtaposing the narrative of Helena's past against the narrative of her life as she mourns and processes her grief. The motif of grief and nostalgia weave themselves through the narrative stitching the film into a cohesive structure. Close ups and medium angle shots are interspersed with wide angle shots. The film is shot in black and white, and colour, giving the film a richness and complexity, contrasting Helena's interior life, grief and loss(black and white footage) against the narrative of her life (colour). The music and soundtrack complement the film moving it along and setting the dramatic tone. I really liked the location shots of Winnipeg contextualizing the narrative within the framework of the city which gives the film an intimate quality and feel. And there is more to the film than Helena's story as it touches on the lives of the people who are directly and indirectly involved in her life which adds to the film's richness and complexity. We see Michael, Lydia, Monica, David and her mother-in-law as they are, distinct, and not through Helena's POV.

The film resonated with me on many levels - intellectually, emotionally, and on a personal level. Whether we are aware or not, and as much we crave order and stability, life will throw us a curveball. The film shines a light on the curveball of life - the transitory nature and impermanence of life, and the importance of living in the moment which is easier said than done. Do we stop living when the life we have lived comes to an end? If nothing else, don't we owe it to ourselves to go on living and give our life new meaning? Shouldn't we consider and explore new romantic opportunities if they present themselves to ease the pain and loneliness resulting from the death of a meaningful relationship? The film poses many important questions about the philosophy of life and is food for thought. I also appreciated the theme of the film which cinematically explores the powerful emotion of grief in its various shades and how destabilizing and overwhelming the experience can be. I have been there, and the film struck an emotional cord with me. These intense emotions make us human and part of the human condition, and allow us to relate to Helena and to anyone who is experiencing loss. Her loss has left her vulnerable and in a state of heightened loneliness. When she re-visits her past and pursues her creative endeavours, she re-surfaces into the light of being and is able to move forward. Her example is a guiding light to all of us, and shows us the healing power of art.

There is much to recommend the film. It's superbly acted, and beautifully shot. Do see it for you won't be disappointed.

Random Acts of Legacy (2016) is a labour love by Ali Kazami who wrote, produced and directed the documentary, and the film title is very apropos. Kazami has beautifully created using found footage a visual memoir of the life of a Chinese-American family spanning the period from the Depression years to the post-war era.

Kazami has uncovered a retired engineer who has ingeniously found a way to salvage deteriorated 16 mm film footage (28 rolls of 16 mm films) that forms the basis of his documentary. He purchased the lot of 16 mm film from a seller. Furthermore, he manages to connect to the surviving daughter of Henry Silas Fung, the Chinese-American, who shot the footage. Irena Lum, Fung's daughter, provides a first-person narrative to the footage helped along by her husband, Ray Lum, and her cousin, Clara Chen. Kazami brilliantly weaves in first-person interviews from historian Henry Yu, a historian at the University of British Colombia to Chuimei Ho, President of the Board from 2002 to 2006 of the Chinese American Museum of Chicago to frame and contextualize this amazing Chinese-American family's life within an historical perspective and to the Chinese immigrant experience in North America.

I highly recommend Random Acts of Legacy for it's an excellent documentary that creates an intimate and moving portrait of the man behind the camera, and his wife Edythe who was a highly successful business woman. More importantly, it shines a light on the assimilation and integration of an extraordinary Chinese-American family, and the film has tremendous educational value to future generations which is inestimable. Kudos to Mr. Kazami who has made a most interesting and fascinating film using found footage.

Liberami/Let me Free (2016), written and directed by Frederica Di Giacomo, is a fascinating film on the subject of exorcism, the Catholic rite of expelling evil spirits. The film will have you completely engrossed starting with the opening shot, a scriptural quotation from the Book of Job. The concept of possession by demons is an accepted Catholic Christian belief but is shared by many other religious faiths. The film depicts the exorcisms of Father Cataldo, the main exorcist priest in the film, in his parish church in the City of Palermo, Sicily. The film is sub-titled.

The film raises many issues and it will leave you pondering exorcism's efficacy and relevancy. Di Giacomo doesn't weigh in and has structured the film to let you be the judge. Skeptics of exorcism and non-Christian believers would no doubt consider the practice barbaric and an expression of lunacy. And Di Giacomo's extensive footage of the erratic and disturbing behaviour of the true believers undergoing exorcism drives the point. While these images are most disconcerting, they are the most powerful visuals in the film and run as a motif throughout the film. When you see the true believers undergoing repeated exorcisms and some showing no signs of improvement, you cannot but wonder what is going on and whether their problems are psychological, socio-economic, emotional, biological or physical in nature or a combination thereof.

But, for these Catholic Christians who believe and see their problems as stemming from demonic possession, they seek help either from Father Cataldo or one of the other exorcist priests depicted in the film to save themselves. And for some, as we see in the film, exorcism does work and frees them and serves as proof of its legitimacy and relevance. The film revolves around Father Cataldo and his vocation as an exorcist priest. He quickly assesses each case before proceeding and rules out candidates he considers not suffering from demonic possession. And where he assesses demonic possession, he performs an exorcism. The film depicts him working tirelessly and performing countless exorcisms and masses of liberation. He doesn't let up in spite of his health problems and age. Di Giacomo creates a poignant portrait of a man on a mission waging war against evil. According to Father Cataldo and church doctrine, Satan is humanity's greatest enemy and he doing battle with Satan; he is a thorn in Satan's side. He even performs exorcisms by cell phone.

Exorcisms are on the rise and Di Giacomo ends her film with images from the Vatican School for Exorcist Priests which includes scenes of Father Cataldo in attendance having lunch in the cafeteria and on the school grounds. Liberami is a fascinating film with an intriguing subject. It is well-made, well-written and deserving of your attention. More importantly, it shines a light on a practice of the Catholic Church and the true believers in search of liberation from demonic possession which is causing havoc in their lives. I highly recommend it for you won't be disappointed.

Letter to Theo (2019) is a meditative film and a homage to the late, much celebrated Greek filmmaker, Theo Angelopoulos, who died tragically whilst in the process of making his final film on the economic crisis tearing apart the social fabric of his society. Greece was adversely impacted by the 2008 world economic crisis which left a trail of destitution, economic devastation, unemployment, social unrest and political chaos not only in Greece but across the globe in its wake. The documentary is directed by Elodie Lelu and beautifully narrated by Swiss-French actor Irene Jacob, the star of his 2008 film 'The Dust of Time'.

The filmmaker died on January 24th, 2012 on the set of his final and unfinished film where is was run over by a motorbike. Assistance failed to arrive because the ambulance sent to rescue him broke down on its way to save him. Tragically, he himself fell victim to the economic crisis gripping the country where services, upkeep, wages and pensions were cut. The documentary goes beyond addressing the fallout of the 2008 economic crisis in Greece but to include the refugee crisis it faces. Following the economic crisis, Greece, a gateway to Europe, saw the arrival of hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing war ravaged countries such as Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Upon the closing of European borders, tens of thousands of refugees became trapped in Greece, a country not only enmeshed in its own economic woes but saw the ascent of political power for Golden Dawn, a far right party, which became the third-largest political party in the Hellenic Parliament.

The narrative and subject matter of his last film and the plight of refugees in Greece and organised resistance of both Greeks and refugees working together are juxtaposed against the director's backstory, creative thought process, and motivation for making films, archival footage, clips of his famous films including The Suspended Step of the Stork, Ulysses' Gaze, Landscape in the Mist, and Days of 36, and the simmering tensions and hostilities ripping apart Greek society, past and present.

The director weaves together many visual elements to create a beautiful homage to the late director. Lelu uses interstitial titles to structure the documentary working back from the tragic day the filmmaker died on January 24, 2012. The film is beautifully crafted making use of long takes (homage to Angelopoulos who was know for his long takes in his films), verite filmmaking, narration, super-imposed images, archival footage, clips from the director's most famous films, and still photography to create a visually stunning and emotionally moving film. It is a beautiful testament to a celebrated filmmaker and shines a light on his humanity and philosophy and approach to filmmaking. Do see it for you won't be disappointed.

Provenance (2017), written and directed by Ben Hecking, is a British drama set against the picturesque town of Entrecasteaux, Provence, France and the surrounding sublime countryside. It's a film that dramatizes the tragic romance between an older man and a much younger woman. It is a story full of twists and turns which fuel the narrative creating dramatic tension, and climaxes in the denouement.

Hecking weaves together many visual elements to create a poignant film where love meets misery, shame and heartbreak. He juxtaposes the non-linear narrative of the romance against the burning and simmering tensions between the lovers and the jilted lover. Close ups and medium angle shots are interspersed with wide angle shots and aerial shots set against the idyllic town and countryside. The film is beautifully shot in colour, and the character Sophia is beautifully lit heightening her natural beauty. She is captivating to watch caught in the luminous light of Provence. Hecking frames and contextualizes the tumultuous love story against the idyllic French countryside which gives the film a depth and complexity. His well-crafted storyline evokes the Electra complex and he plays with its sinister connotations. The romance is played out to devastating consequences. The soundtrack beautifully complements the film and is integral to the storyline helping to set the tone.

The drama is superbly acted made up of a stellar cast where each of the main characters is allowed to shine and play complex scenes. Christian McKay's portrayal of John is intense and nuanced and he is equally matched in the performance of his love interest, Sophia, played by the talented Charlotte Vega. Hecking creates an intimate portrait of John, a burnt out, talented artist passing his time in EntreCasteaux who is fixated on his infatuation with a mysterious young woman. The talented Charlotte Vega plays a free spirited young woman caught up in her romance with John, an older man. Vega's performance is nuanced and complex infusing her role with erotic sexuality, vulnerability, innocence, charm, intelligence, and beauty. Harry Macqueen plays Peter, Sophia's former love interest.

It is a well-crafted film that artistically explores the theme of romantic love and sexual longing and desire, and the tragic consequences when we are oblivious or overlook a person's provenance. It's an intriguing film, and the title of the film is apropos to the text of the film. I highly recommend it.

Vancouver: No Fixed Address, directed by Charles Wilkinson, is a powerful film that shines a light on Vancouver's housing market, where prices keep escalating and have reached astronomical prices.

It is a film that examines the growing gap between the wealthy buyers of Vancouver's real estate and those priced out of the market, and how skyrocketing prices are adversely impacting the young, the old, families, First Nations people, and the homeless. But, for those who own property and want to sell, well, they have hit the jackpot. Wilkinson, much to his credit, presents a multiplicity of viewpoints and takes on Vancouver's real estate market, the fall out and outrage it has sparked. Many experts weigh in including the celebrated Canadian scientist, Dr. David Suzuki, Gregor Robertson, the Mayor of Vancouver, and Sandy Garossino, a former Crown prosecutor, to name a few.

Wilkinson weaves together many visual elements to create a fascinating and insightful film where wealth meets misery set against the natural and man-made beauty of the city. Some of the most powerful images in the documentary are images of Vancouver's homeless and homeless encampments. And some of the most breathtaking are the aerial shots of Vancouver's skyline and natural beauty. Who wouldn't want to call Vancouver home?

The film is a well-crafted, well written and exquisitely shot. It is about a pressing social issue, affordable housing and the lack thereof in one of the world's most expensive cities. If you want to understand what's going on with Vancouver's housing market, than Vancouver: No Fixed Address will give you a good understanding into this phenomenon.

The flow of capital, legal and/or illegal, into Vancouver's housing market, and the corporate agenda of developers, raises many questions. Upon reflection, I was left with this nagging feeling that Vancouver's housing crisis ain't going away anytime soon until housing is seen as a basic human right and there is the political will to tackle this social issue head on where no one is left behind.

The documentary has tremendous educational appeal and can be used as a vehicle to promote social change. I highly recommend it!

Food Fighter (2018), directed by Dan Goldberg, is a character driven documentary spotlighting the crusading efforts of social activist Ronni Kahn, CEO and founder of OzHarvest. Her mission is to stem the tide of food waste in Australia and internationally with the goal to making sure hungry people get surplus food and that it doesn't end up in the landfill.

Goldberg has successfully created an intimate portrait of a compassionate and driven individual who has dedicated herself and her skill sets to providing meaningful solutions to a global issue. And food waste has no fury like the social activist who is making a difference. Two million people in Australia suffer from food insecurity; 795 million of the world's population go hungry every day; and one third of food is going to waste.

Goldberg juxtaposes Ronni Kahn's backstory and social activism against the narrative of food waste and it causes in Australia. Australian farmers are discarding imperfect produce, a food chain is dumping edible food into its dumpsters despite its public commitment to reduce food waste, and then, there's the shameful behaviour of consumers tossing away good food. One in five shopping bags go to waste.

The documentary includes interviews with a diverse cast who weigh in and present a multiplicity of viewpoints on the social activist and the problem of food waste giving the documentary context and contextualizing and framing Ms. Kahn's efforts in a broader social context. It's a personal documentary rooted within the backstory of Ronni Kahn and her personal efforts to make a difference and reshape the narrative on food waste. By juxtaposing Kahn's narrative against the global issue of food waste, Goldberg creates dramatic tension that moves the film.

It's a gut wrenching documentary shining a light on the wasteful food habits of the food industry and consumers, and the crusading efforts of one brave woman, Ronni Kahn, to change the narrative. On a personal note, the documentary resonated with me on many levels and brought to mind one of my favorite quotes which is "waste not want not" which led me to be consciously mindful of my own food habits and not letting any food go to waste. The film raises the importance of social activism and supporting the efforts on NGOs to promote social change, and as a consumer, to do my part and to hold the food industry accountable for its wasteful ways. More importantly, the documentary shines a light that we can all be part of the solution.

Food Fighter is an engaging and compelling documentary deserving of your attention documenting the remarkable life of social activist Ronni Kahn and her humanitarian and compassionate work to end food waste, feed the hungry, and save the planet. Do see it for you won't be disappointed.

The Fare, directed by D. C. Hamilton, is a North American science fiction fantasy with an intriguing romantic storyline filled with twists and turns. It stars Gino Anthony Pesi (Harris), Brinna Kelly (Penny), and Jason Stuart as the voice of the Dispatcher. It's the story of a cab driver, Harris, who discovers that he is trapped in a time loop with a mysterious repeat fare.

The non-linear narrative commences when Harris recalls the name of his mysterious female passenger whom he has previously picked up on a barren stretch of country road. It's an intriguing film situating the narrative within a famous ancient Greek myth dealing with Persephone and her abduction by Hades to the underworld in a post-modernist setting. The theme of love is juxtaposed against Harris's backstory and his journey to self-awareness. The film is full of twists and turns which fuel the narrative and adds to the dramatic tension. The motif of love runs through the film and stitches the narrative into a cohesive structure. The narrative of Harris's quest to find the truth and save himself and his mysterious passenger is juxtaposed against the world of the supernatural filled with electrical storms and eerie phenomena.

Hamilton weaves together many visual elements to create a compelling film that will leave you in suspense. Hamilton frames and contextualizes the relationship between his two protagonists in the intimate enclosed space of the taxi cab. As Harris begins to remember and forges a romantic bond with Penny, he suddenly suspects her of concealing the truth which flips the narrative on its head. Besides being a science fiction fantasy, The Fare can be viewed as a coming of age film as Harris comes to terms with his reality but also as a road move. The repeated journeys allow Harris and Penny to connect over and over again, and rediscover the happiness they once shared.

There's much to recommend the film. Not only is it well-acted, well-written, and well-crafted with an intriguing dramatic story line, the film celebrates the notion of eternal love in a science fiction context with a twist. The film resonated with me on many levels evoking existential questions such as the meaning of life, and the importance of love and faith. If you are a fan of science fiction or coming of age or road movies, you'll love this film. Do see it!

The Rest (2019), directed by Ai Weiwei, shines a light on the current refugee crisis in Europe by giving voice to the refugees stranded in Turkey, in Greece, in Calais, France, in southern Italy and Germany. The film is sub-titled in English.

The motifs of grief, pain, physical suffering and vulnerability run throughout the film and are the threads that stitch the film together. They weave themselves throughout the narrative of the film against a backdrop of man's inhumanity to man, their exploitation by smugglers, the expression of strong negative feelings against refugees, and Europe's collective decision to stem the flow.

The film opens with an out of focus shot of a male refugee with his back to the camera sharing with us his numerous attempts to leave Turkey for Greece, eight in all, and telling us that he can never go back to Afghanistan. One of the most heart wrenching scenes in the film is the patriarch of a family sharing his experience of losing 13 members of his family in a failed attempt to reach Greece and his inability to gain assistance from the Turkish authorities to recover the remains of his family members. But even if the refugees make it into Greece, their plight isn't any easier as witnessed with the situation of the approximately 15,000 refugees stranded in Idomeni, Greece who are refused entry into Macedonia. In Calais, France, refugees are living in a make shift camp with hopes to make it to England but their attempts are stymied by the French authorities who are building a wall and have put up a chainlink fence to prevent them from accessing the shore to swim across the English channel. If they are caught, they are beaten. There are many emotionally charged and horrifying images in the film and one of the most powerful includes the dismantling and destruction of a make shift camp by the French authorities and the removal of the refugees from the site. In Italy, refugees who refuse to be finger printed are detained, and many refugees are living a hand to mouth existence without any regard to their physical needs. Even if they make it to Germany, they are passively punished. They are over-housed in cramp quarters and denied any possibility of work. The documentary makes clear that refugees are no longer welcomed in Europe. We witness the dismantling not only of the makeshift camp in Calais, France but also the camp in Idomeni, Greece to the repatriation of a refugee family back to Iraq which make this statement abundantly clear.

The director has woven together many visual elements to create a compelling and poignant documentary shining a light on the plight of refugees in Europe, and to a change in policy and support. The documentary raises many important questions: "Why are refugees being blamed for fleeing to Europe and seeking protection and security of their person?" "What has led to a shift in public policy toward refugees?" I applaud Weiwei by using his international stature to call attention to the refugee crisis in Europe, and to shine a light on the current state of affairs, and to continue to give voice to a dispossessed group of people. Do see it for you won't be disappointed.

The Wasting (2017) is a psychological horror film written and directed by Carolyn Saunders. It is based on a true story.

Lauren McQueen gives a stellar performance playing Sophie, the protagonist. She plays a young woman in love battling possessive parents, an eating disorder and an evil supernatural presence. The film dramatizes Sophie's attempts to break free from the controlling influences of her parents but things spiral out of control.

Alexz Johnson plays Grace, her devoted, best friend. Brendan Flynn plays Kai, Grace's boyfriend and Liam's brother. Sean Stevenson plays Liam, Sophie's love interest. Gray O'Brien plays IIyas, her overly protective and controlling Chechen father, and Shelagh McLeod plays Valerie, her loving and controlling mother.

The film opens with a wide angle shot of a long take of an overcast river landscape. Leaves are fluttering in the wind, and birds are chirping. The camera pans across to a girl sitting on a stone bench lost in her thoughts. She is in focus and as are her immediate surroundings but there appears for a fleeting moment on the greens in the background a blurred image of a person moving towards Sophie and then, the unknown person disappears from view. Sophie's father, IIyas shows up, and asks her to join him on a walk but she declines wishing to be on her own.

Sophie's attempts to break free from the controlling influences of her parents, her hallucinations and the supernatural occurrences weave themselves throughout the narrative creating fear, drama and suspense juxtaposed against the bucolic, quaint English countryside.

Johnson, Flynn and Stevenson give poignant portrayals of their characters. I was moved by Grace's unwavering support and advocacy for Sophie, and by Liam's love especially when he drew a small ink outline of a heart on her palm to symbolize his love.

The Wasting is a visually appealing film juxtaposing the real and unreal which leaves you guessing and questioning what is really happening. Is Sophie a young woman truly battling a supernatural presence or deeply disturbed? Is she sane or insane? Is she being perceived inaccurately by others? Close ups and medium angle shots are interspersed with wide angle shots of the English countryside. The continuous 360 degree camera shot involving Sophie, Grace, Kai and Liam sitting in a circle outdoors enhances the drama adding an additional layer of complexity to the film, and creating a feeling of motion sickness. And the scenes involving Sophie, Liam, Kai and her father IIyas trapped in the institution's decrepit, dank, and dark basement are both nail-biting and bewildering. If you want to find out what happens to Sophie, well, you've got to watch the film.

The Wasting is a provocative film. Fans of the psychological horror genre will love it. Saunders has woven many visual and sound elements to create a compelling film that shines a light on perception and reality.