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Writer/Director Ninja Thyberg nails the film's opening as the film's lead character, Bella Cherry, portrayed by Sofia Kappel, is questioned at immigration as to whether she is in the United States for work or pleasure and she demurely coos, "Pleasure," with a devil-may-care hint of what's to come.

Unfortunately, Bella has trouble finding a job and eventually shows up to do an adult film audition. She's nineteen years old, attractive, with beautiful blonde hair, and is looking for some good times.

What transpires is the making of an adult film scene. The camera operator is crude and vulgar as he draws the silent ire of Bella. The male character continues the domineering behavior and Bella is trying her best to perform yet is quite awkward. She's paid $900 for the day's work.

From this first sex scene, Bella begins navigating the world of adult film. As the narrative bends into very raw and brutal sex scenes, Bella comes to the realization the adult film industry is about business and comes to the realization that the adult film "stars" are not as whole and authentic as the B-movie actresses that Bella broke in with.

I wasn't expecting Thyberg's hardcore approach to illuminating an industry often not thought very highly of and not given much attention. "Pleasure" is highly revealing and highly recommended.

Judas and the Black Messiah is a richly told story of the leadership, revolutionary activism, and eventual assassination of Black Panther Fred Hampton, and powerful addition to the social revolution films of the 1960s and early 1970s. Seeing history brought to life in a viscerally real and emphatic manner, made the work very compelling to me.

Fred Hampton was killed at the age of 21 on December 4th, 1969. The aggrieved parties would wait well over a decade for justice with a civil suit settlement of $1.85 million in 1982 after an initial coroner's jury inquest in January of 1970 found Fred Hampton's death justifiable homicide.

The writing pulls heavily from historical texts with Black Panther phrases such as "War is politics with blood. Politics is war without blood." King also manages to pose questions about how to make progress as his characters address the concepts of reform and revolution. While the film is set in 1968-69, these issues are still prevalent today. On HBO Max. Do yourself a favor and check it out. You'll be glad you did.

One for the Road is full of nostalgia as multiple genres come together including romance, buddy film, as well as sex-positive melodrama. The film had a wonderful soundtrack with some Cat Stevens music along with several mainstream hits, a strong production design, and a lovely mise-en-scene with exquisite cinematography and a touch of colorization. One For the Road follows a young Thai man, who is dying from cancer and has decided to make his final amends by delivering a parting gift to those closest to him on the earthly plane.

One For The Road is very visual, very visceral, and one I was sad to see it end after 136 minutes. But end it did and as the credits began to roll, there it was - a title revealing "Produced by Wong Kar Wai" - "... a filmmaker who specializes in making the evanescent tangible, in capturing fleeting emotions in a style that is always poetic, often ravishing and, despite his films' surface-level dreaminess, unerringly precise." I'm a huge fan of Mr. Wong's work so all I could do in that moment was sit and smile. What a wonderful gift. (Wong and Director Baz Poonpiriya worked together on One For The Road for three years.)

Director Baz Poonpiriya, a strong storyteller who has come into his own, had previously helmed Bad Genius the 2017 Thai box-office smashing and the record-breaking winner of twelve categories at the 27th Suphannahong National Film Awards (the Thai Oscars), before embarking on One For The Road with Wong. If you're a fan of Wong, this is a film you don't want to miss. And, if you're a fan of Thai film (Apichatpong Weerasethakul's 2010 Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives turned me on to Thai film), it's a must-see! Lastly, if you simply enjoy exquisitely told films, I highly recommend you see Baz Poonpiriya's One For The Road!

I was pleasantly surprised with Jockey's narrative as it did entwine some of the Seabiscuit narratives of the hardships of jockeying while also including seedier elements of what goes on when the race is over depicted in David Milch's short-lived (10 episodes,) Dustin Hoffman led HBO series, Luck. Much of jockey was shot on location at the Surf Paradise Racetrack in Phoenix, Arizona. In my opinion, what separated Jockey from Seabiscuit is the depth Bentley gets from the actors and the writing is excellent. Bentley shares a writing credit with Greg Kwedar, whose self-claimed mission is to tell stories of human connection in difficult places. Mission accomplished as Jockey orbits around a series of multi-faceted relationships with some profound emotional depths. And what separated Jockey from Luck is the intimate focus on the jockey and less focus on stable shenanigans. Very highly recommended viewing!

Written and directed by Philippe Lecote, Night of the Kings was screened outdoors at the Hollywood Legion Drive-in Cinema and the soft and cool breeze present throughout the film laid down an atmospheric ambiance that no indoor theatre could match. Blazing cinematography with vibrant red, orange, and yellow hues from cinematographerTobie-Marier Robitaille rivaled Roger Deakins Academy-award winning work from BladeRunner 2049.

Night of the Kings turned out to be a special Friday Night at the drive-in. In addition to the exceptional cinematography, epic (literally and figuratively) production design the stalwart performances, and the classic narrative combined with the writing and seemingly spontaneous choreography send this feature film into the stratosphere. Highly recommended!

Utilizing traditional documentary techniques of voice-over narration, direct interviews, archival footage and photographic stills, Trynauer exposes Cohn's malign influence and contextualizes him as a modern Machiavelli who influences our country today at the highest level.

Cohn first came into the public eye as an assistant to J. Edgar Hoover and handled the prosecution of Julius and Ethyl Rosenberg, a Jewish couple arrested, tried, convicted and executed for spying for Russia and securing Manhattan Project documents for the Russian government. Cohn, a twenty-three-year-old fast-rising attorney, claimed to have not only persuaded the presiding judge, Irving Kaufman, to impose the death penalty but also to have had Judge Irving assigned the case. Cohn's reward for the Rosenberg execution was an appointment as special counsel to the 1950's, US Senatorial demagogue, Joseph McCarthy. Tyrnauer provides compelling evidence Cohn was responsible for much of McCarthy's demagoguery and rise to power.

Cohn had refined his strategy well over the years as the primary press leaker during his McCarthy days gaining the friendship of the formidable press magnate, Walter Winchell, and a cadre of ambitious reporters. How Cohn had been able to pressure the judiciary was less clear. To me, his political clout emanated from his wide social circle of wealthy, influential friends. Cohn was known for throwing lavish parties and hobnobbed with almost every imaginable socialite of the day including then artist, Andy Warhol, and re-emerged as a New York power broker, mafia consigliere, white-collar criminal, and, eventually, the mentor of Donald J. Trump.

Following Cohn's lead, Trump began his flamboyant rise first on Cohn's shoulders and then his back. Eventually, Trump became the master of personal attacks, hyperbole, sensationalism, and utilizing the press to get out in front of the story. The similarities are uncanny and for me to say the likeness of these character trajectories are disturbing would be an understatement. One of the most powerful and politically revealing films of the festival.

America's Last Little Italy: The Hill, directed by Joseph Puleo and based on Rio Vitale's book, St. Louis's The Hill, was a walk down memory lane for me as a history buff with family ties to the area around The Hill, an Italian enclave and the last remaining Litlle Italy in the United States.

With America's Last Little Italy: The Hill Puleo provides an eloquent treatment of the Italian immigrant coming to America and settling into the area and becoming a part of the social fabric. Puleo utilized a plethora of black and white photographs, newspaper articles as well as a multitude of interviews with a wide-ranging assortment of Hill residents and extended family members sharing their experiences, strength, and hope. One of the story's prime drivers, Fr. Polizzi, arrived at St. Ambrose Parish in the late 1960s immediately immersing himself in the community. The early 1970s was a time of great social and cultural upheaval and brought changes to the area - think of Travis Bickle's opening voice-over monologue in Scorsese's Taxi Driver. Fr. Polizzi and the men of The Hill neighborhood took matters into their own hands to ensure the neighborhood was kept intact and the darker elements were kept out. The women did the same (and more), to keep their Italian heritage alive and thriving. The nearby Shaw neighborhood by comparison (a war zone) didn't fare so well.

Within a runtime of seventy minutes, Puleo covers all this and much more including how and why The Hill, named for its proximity to the highest point in St. Louis, is America's last Little Italy today. Highly recommended!

Form Errol Morris comes another masterpiece Errol Morris, with a tell-all story of Johanna Harcourt-Smith, a once young, Swiis born, Paris-raised, jet-setting, aristocratic, Jewish woman who cavorted with the high priest of LSD, Timothy Leary. My Psychedelic Love Story is the story of Harcourt-Smith and O'Leary as they circumvent extradition and indulge themselves in daily acid trips for a two-month period before Leary is extradited back to the US, incarcerated, and eventually released. Harcourt-Smith is a compelling storyteller. During her two-month jet setting romance with Leary, she recalls her conversations with Keith Richards and how she encouraged him to go to America and make albums with the Rolling Stones. And, the spur-of-the-moment trips to Switzerland, Afghanistan, France, and back again. Listening to her tell her tale coupled with Morris' use of image inserts of colorful Tarot cards and hypnotic music, I felt captivated and often wondered how could Harcourt have such a vivid recollection of her and Leary's travels on the run from the law. Nevertheless, My Psychedelic Love Story is quite a tale of what seems to have become a largely forgotten part of the turbulent 1970s. Don't fret, however, as Showtime will be airing it soon. Highly recommended!

Whirlybird is a seminal piece on the news gathering industry in Los Angeles and a fascinating, real-world tale of Los Angeles-based reporters, Bob Tur and Marika Gerrard, who revolutionized real-time news reporting from the air. Yoka crafts his work from 2,000 hours of recorded flight tape, direct interviews, news archives, still photos, and more. What results is a dynamic visual history of the biggest Los Angeles news events in the last 30 years. A must-see!

Wander Darkly is a relationship film challenging boundaries while seeking the answer for continuity. Miller in a tour de force performance crushes it as Adrienne pulling out all the emotional stops exploring grief, joy, and love. Luna is no slouch as Matteo either. Steadfast and earnest as he explains his flighty behavior with axioms of "for better or worse," and "you have to take the good with the bad." As contentious as the relationship is/was, watching the two come to a resolution was emotionally moving and deeply satisfying to watch.

Director R.J. Cutler delves into the life and persona of legendary SNL and comedy extraordinaire John Belushi with a biographical treatment combining traditional documentary techniques, animation, and a series of taped conversations from those who worked closest with John. Cutler's work reveals Belushi's motivations and his need for approval. Highly recommended!

Uncle Frank tells the story of a young, rural South Carolinian woman, Beth, (Sophia Lillis) a precocious spirit with a connection to her rarely seen Uncle Frank. Uncle Frank, portrayed by Paul Bettany, is a dashing figure seemingly dismissed at home and who lives and teaches Literature at New York University (NYU). When it comes time for Beth to go to college, she receives a scholarship to attend NYU. While there Beth learns of Uncle Frank's worldly ways including his partner, Walid. When a death in the family occurs, Beth and Uncle Frank embark on a road trip back to South Carolina. Along the way, Beth is exposed to bigotry and homophobia. And, once she and Uncle Frank are back in small-town, rural Creekville, South Carolina, the past reveals itself, and moments for self-reflection and overcoming imposed beliefs come to pass.

Actor Sean Penn was often characterized and stereotyped by early-career exploits of consistently making news headlines for punching cameramen, his political viewpoints, and marrying the world's most recognizable pop star of the time, Madonna. As Director Don Hardy, sometimes eloquently and sometimes pragmatically, reveals in CITIZEN PENN Sean Penn has diligently changed his image through extensive efforts to aid assistance to his fellow 'man' in war-torn, disaster laden, disaffected countries beginning in 2002 with the war in Iraq right up to the current COVID-19-infected United States

WOLFWALKERS, an Apple Original Film from Cartoon Saloon beautifully and breathtakingly completes an Irish folklore animated trilogy with The Secret of Kells (2009) Song of the Sea (2014). Utilizing two-dimensional hand-drawn techniques with a plethora of pastel colorations, and eye-catching geometrical patterns combined with Celtic music featuring harps, violins and a sundry of woodwind instruments, artists Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart take their previous efforts to another level, and, in my opinion, is their strongest work to date. Wolfwalkers made its US Premiere during this year's American Film Institute's AFI FEST presented by Audi and was the recipient of the festival's Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature. Wolfwalkers, steeped in historical significance, is a film the whole family can watch

The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart is informative, entertaining, and heart wrenching as Director/Producer Frank Marshall reveals the band's soul and the power dynamic that propelled the Bee Gees to superstardom. Highly recommended.

The title of the film, A Thousand Cuts, refers to a small cut that doesn't have much effect on the workings of democracy, yet when repeated over and over each small effect begins to damage the fabric of democracy until it becomes something else. An exceptionally well-made political documentary with a timely urgency and the soul democracy at its core.

Mossville: When Great Trees Fall resonates deeply with Maya Angelou's poem as the viewer becomes the witness to an egregious wrong perpetrated visibly upon a human being, a Brother of mankind, and invisibly upon the environment, the Mother of us all. Highly recommended documentary.

I imagined my second 2020 Mountainfilm Festival selection would be a Ken Burns-style documentary on our nation's public lands. Director David Garrett Byars begins Public Trust with a soft opening of luscious landscape photography accented by a voice-over narration of a man from Northern Alabama having relocated to a Western State pontificating on the joyous freedom of fishing and hunting in the vast open spaces in the West.

After the stunningly beautiful opening sequence, however, Public Trust, executively produced by Robert Redford, turned into a wild ride through the United States of America's exploitation of pristine public lands with roguish, jackaloon demagogues sowing fear and distrust in any receptive audience at their disposal. Truth is damned as greed, hate-mongering, and sheer stupidity rear their disgusting, revolting, and reviling heads as the public is duped time and time again with misleading rhetoric from politicians and Trump Administration department heads. Alaskan public lands are salivatingly seen as gravy trains with stores of oil, gas, uranium, and copper as mining revenues traditionally have been dispersed to Alaskans with royalty checks. As one commentator noted, "it's akin to a heroin addict getting a fix."

Utilizing recent news footage, present-day interviews with tribal leaders, historians, government whistleblowers, journalists, added perspective and insight emanate into the bold and brazen Trump Administration political appointees to the United States Department of the Interior. The once protected public lands are being moved under individual states' control to maintain - although the states cannot afford to protect and maintain the lands for public use. As a result, much of the land is being sold to the highest bidders, those with the deepest pockets. As one particularly ignorant pol snidely commented, "just let me know what my piece of the public lands is so I can sell it."

The newest Secretary of the Interior, David Barnhart, has relocated his office into the same building with Exxon and numerous oil and gas mining corporations after Ryan Zinke, who now serves as "an advisor" to Turnberry Solutions, a lobbying firm stacked with former Trump administration advisers and campaign aides, resigned in 2019 among numerous ethics violations. The powerful extractive industries, backed by similar regulation-slashing state legislators and federal agencies, believe public lands across America should be unlocked for mining and exploration with little if any, regard for the environmental scarring and cultural diminishing effects. And, these entities will say anything to get their way.

Interestingly, in closing Public Trust Byars leaves the viewer with pertinent questions about the future of America's public lands. For instance, who will have unfettered access to these lands? Because as it stands right now it appears the oil and gas industries, in conjunction with mining operations, will solicit more revenue-generating activities from the American people. Imagine futuristic concessionaires charging fees to take you and your family to the mountaintop for sunset while the surrounding lands are stripped until all profit has been removed, and the lands permanently abandoned in an unrestored, highly toxic state. It's the Trump Administration's vision of the new American Way of Life.

Public Trust is a very-well researched and thought-provoking documentary. For me as a person who has enjoyed public lands immensely, the film is revealing not only from a cultural and environmental perspective but even more so from a political perspective. Highly recommended.