Interview: Actress Natalia Livingston Produces a Touching Documentary "In Their Shoes" About Men in a Prison Re-entry and Addicion Recovery Program - A Strong Message about Struggles, Society and Hope

A documentary on men in prison
by Natalia Livingston and
Cheryl Buchanan

Natalia Livingston, best known for her roles on the daytime dramas General Hospital, Days of Our Lives and Tainted Dreams  is not just an actor, an acting coach who owns an acting school but also a producer, having on her resume several shorts and shows. Far from the romance and typically light-hearted fare on daytime drama, her new documentary tackles a tough and disturbing subject, men in prision. And it seeks to send a message - showing us the human beings behind the bars. This documentary follows the lives of men in a prison reentry and addiction recovery creative writing program called Writers Without Margins. I had the opportunity to interview Natalia about this important and meaningful project.

Natalia first explained how this film seeks to understand - not glorify - those who have struggled with addiction, turned to crime to feed their addiction, served long prison sentences, and are now reentering society, struggling to recover from their addictions, and working to carve new paths in life. She hopes that this film helps people see the reality of the drug crisis, up close and personal, from the perspective of those who have lived it, thus the title "In Their Shoes." 

Interview: Writer/Director Caytha Jentis' Series The Other F Word Gets Picked up on The Girlfriend Platform: This Sex nd the City-ish Comedy About Life Over 40 stars Judy Gold, Steve Guttenberg

Caytha Jentis is a filmmaker, a writer, director and overall creative person who just never stops thinking, dreaming, doing and forging ahead. Prior to her latest project, The Other F Word, she wrote and directed three feature-length movies, Bad Parents, The One and Then Came Love. She was recently named to Good Housekeeping Inspiring Women to 50.

Her latest venture, or rather adventure, was creating The Other F Word, a series about life after 40. Use your imagination but the "F" can mean anything, and after the show started airing, she realized from viewers that the F can mean forty, fifty, fun, fearless, and more.

NJ Event Review: The Wedding Singer at Long Beach Island's Surflight Theater is a Joy for Any Fan of the Film but the Dancing and Singing Will Amuse Even a First-Timer

I am a huge fan of the Wedding Singer, well, almost any Adam Sandler movie. So when it was coming to the Jersey shore in a play version, at the Surflight Theater on Long Beach Island, I had to go see it.

It was a sunny beach day so the theater was not that packed but it was worth taking a few hours off the beach to see this. First, I did not expect it to be a true musical, you know, the kind with solo performers singing about what's going on and feelings and what not, so when it started I was a bit suprised. I was suprised because the Wedding Singer already had a lot of songs in it without adding more.

New Filmmaker: Bae Short Film Made by Jersey Talent Premieres At Jersey Shore Film Festival 2018

Bae Short Film

Bae is a short film made by Jersey talent. It's premiering at the Jersey Shore Film Festival in Asbury Park. Bae is a fun, lightheared short with a surprising twist. The film is about a woman looking forward to enjoying a quiet night at home with her Bae. It was shot in Keyport, New Jersey. The cast and crew spent two long nights preparing the location and shooting the film. 

The Creative Team Behind It

The creative team for Bae is Feyza Cakici, Anthony Janz, Gina Ziegler, Ryan Cervasio, Anna Tobia Pierotti and Jeff Naviello. Feyza plays a character named Anna who's looking forward to enjoying a quiet night at home, Anthony Janz plays a character named Vinnie and is one of the writers and camera operators. He is also the sound editor on the project. Gina Ziegler is one of the writers, set decorators and camera operators. Anna Tobia Pierotti is one of the set decorators and the script supervisor. Jeff Naviello is one of of the writers and camera operators as well as the cinematographer. Ryan Cervasio is the director, producer, editor and one of the writers.

Movie Review of Puzzle: Kelly Macdonald Fits Perfectly into this Female-Driven Drama about a Women Rearranging the Pieces of Her Life

Review of The Puzzle by Suzanne Ordas Curry

It’s 2018 and all over the news it’s been about the lack of females in certain jobs, especially in entertainment. One of the most curious statistics is the lack of female movie reviewers.

This movie, Puzzle, needs to be reviewed by a female because I think, a female will understand this movie on a deeper level.

The movie starts with a birthday party for the main character, Agnes, played superbly and believably by Kelly Macdonald. We see a birthday cake. Right off the bat, any woman can tell that this woman baked the cake for herself. We see her cleaning up during the party. Already as women we understand this scenario, we get a glimpse of her life.

Then we learn a little more about her. She gets a new Iphone as a gift, not that unusual, she gets a puzzle. We know already these are key elements in the movie, indeed they set the stage for the transformation of this character.

Casting: Casting Call for Extras for NJ-Based Movie A Case of Blue for NY and NJ Scenes

Want to Be in a Movie?

Casting Call for Extras for NJ-Based Movie A Case of Blue

Ridgewood, NJ  - A Case of Blue is seeking extras for two scenes. A Case of Blue, a full-length feature film,  is a drama revolving around a man, his wife and young artist. It is currently being shot in and around North Jersey and New York City. It is written and directed by Ridgewood's Dana H. Glazer. A Case of Blue stars Stephen Schnetzer (Another World, Billions, As The World Turns, Homeland), Annapurna Sriaram (The Blacklist, Billions), Tommy Beardmore (Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Shamless),  Ursula Abbot (Brooklyn Rules, Chapter 27), Tracy Shayne (Law and Order, Broadway) and introducing Natalie Foley (Shades of Blue).

Interview: Meet Model/Actress Messalina Morley - How She Started Her Career and Why She is Now an #InBetweenGirl

I met Messalina Morley onset of The Other F Word. Speaking to her about her career, I noted that her ability to talk about the world of modelling stood out as a brave attribute for a millenial. Read on to see how she got her start in the ferocious and exciting world of modelling.

What did you want to be when you were a little girl?

When I  was really little, I wanted to be a ballet teacher. I was obsessed with ballet! I couldn't think of a better way of spending my life than wearing a pink tutu every day. 

How did your modelling career start?

Indie Rock Band Zoochie Announces Summer Lineup - NYC's Bitter End, Soulsational Festival, Buffalo Ifnfringement Festival, Connolly's NYC and More

Zoochie, the indie rock band out of New Brunswick, NJ announces their summer lineup. The band will be playing throughout the tri-state area.

During the summer, Zoochie will be debuting its new songs, Look Back on It and Oil on Canvas.  Currently, two of their most popular songs, Matador and Three Missed Calls, are available on Itunes, Spotify and other streaming platforms.

The band is comprised of lead singer Libby Kallins, guitarists Shane Curry, Tyler Brick and Ray Young. Matt Ciliberto is on drums.

Review: Escape to Margaritaville on Broadway - Leave Your Port of Indecision, Sail On Over for Last Call and You'll Leave Happy

by Suzanne Ordas Curry

It's Hamilton for Parrotheads.

But even if you don't know what a Parrothead is,  you'll enjoy this escape.

I must start by saying I don't care for musicals. Musical movies, yes, Broadway no. I almost left after 5 minutes of Spongebob the musical, which critics love. I think I am the only one in the world that did not like that one. I did like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I need a real story and dialogue along with the music. WIthin the first few minutes of Escape to Margaritaville I knew I was in for a treat.

Interview: Actress and 9-11 Widow Iliana Guibert Talks about Life After 9-11 and Her Continuing Pledge to Live Each Day Fully

Iliana Guibert  is an inspiring woman, actress, writer, mother and 9-11 widow who one might says has made lemonade out of lemons. Embarking on a career in acting later in life, she is making her mark in the business with acting and writing, including being in documentaries on 9-11. A New York- based actress, who trained at NYU's Tisch, she has had roles on Blue Bloods, Quantico, Law and Order: SVU and many other series and films. She lives by the motto that "life is too short". Read more about her in this interview and catch her film Twice Upon a Time.

As The World Turns Trent Dawson Hosts Fun Fundraiser for His New Short, The F with a Bevy of His Soap Friends.. Martha Byrne, Michael Park, Anne Sayre, Terri Conn, Austin Peck, Colleen Zenk, Eric Sheffer-Stevens & More

"It will be a really fun night" said Trent Dawson, about his fundraiser for his new short film, The F. On June 22nd at the Freeman Studio in NYC at 6:30pm he and a bunch of his good friends from the soap world will get together for a night of nostalgia about As The World Turns (though Trent was recently on GH) and more.There will be a performance, music, a silent auction and a short montage featuring ATWT bloopers.

Trent wrote a play, and now he wants to make it into a short film. Without giving away what the "F" is - you'll have to come Friday to find out- we know the play takes place in a NYC subway station, and in one of those, anything can happen! I talked to Trent about his new play when I saw him at Cady McClain's play in NYC, and he promised the evening would be a good time.

NJ Event: Review of Half Time at Paper Mill Playhouse Starring the Mary Tyler Moore Show's Georgia Engel: Gotta Dance! Gotta See It!

Review by Beth Abramson Brier

They got sizzle. They got style.  But most of all, they got swag!  I’m not talkin’ ‘bout Beyoncé and her bae Jay-Z.  I’m talking Seniors (yeah, like the AARP card carrying  kind) and the east coast premiere of Half Time now at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey through July 1, 2018.  While a show about geriatric dancers may seem an unlikely theme, “this is not your father’s Oldsmobile®”!

Paint Made Flesh: A New Play by Howard Meyer, Directed by Cady McClain Premieres in New York City

Paint Made Flesh is a new play coming to New York City for a limited engagement June 12th, 14th and 15th at The Cell, 338 West 23rd Street in New York City.

The play is written by Howard Meyer and directed by Cady McClain (Seeing is Believing: Women Direct and Actress most well-known for All My ChiIdren). The play is a production of Evolutionary Media Group, Amanda Quinn Olivar, Eva Paris Cicinyte and the Axial Theater.

Interview: Playwright Howard Meyer Talks His New Play, Paint Made Flesh Premiering in NYC

Howard Meyer has a new play, Paint Made Flesh premiering in New York City in June 2018 at the Cell Theater. It's about Willa, a transplanted NYC painter that now teaches at American University in Washington, DC.  After ending a long and passionate relationship with a rising NYC star performance artist she is now about to marry a seemingly “normal guy” and “settle down.” Keir, her husband-to-be, is a Washington DC politician from a good DC family who is diligently working his way up the political ladder. He loves Willa and thinks he can create a stable life where she will be happy, but also has a huge secret from his college years that Willa is confronted with. I asked Howard about his new play and  what he's up to next.

Meet Houswares Designer Nora Fleming: Nora Fleming To Sign Her Stoneware and Accessories at Mango Jam in Ridgewood, NJ

Nora Fleming comes to Mango Jam 41 N. Broad Street in downtown Ridgewood, NJ on June 8, 2018. For those who purchase one of her pieces, she will sign it and the purchaser will also receive a special edition orange butterfly ornament for their piece. Refreshments will be served. The event is from 12:00 - 2:00.  

If you cannot attend, you may pre-purchase a piece and Mango Jam will have it signed for you.Signed pieces are collectables.

Nora Fleming is a line of home goods including platters, kitchen accessories and boards which have interchangeable ornaments. Her line includes stoneware, melamine as well as other types of homegoods.

Opinion: Twinkies and Tweets in the Age of Ambien - An Open Letter to Roseanne Barr

My Thoughts.....Exactly! Today's Topic

"Twinkies and Tweets in the Age of Ambien® "

By Beth Abramson Brier

Dear Ms. Barr,

As I suspect you have very few other offers as of late, you might want to continue reading before you discard this letter. Ever since Sanofi, the makers of Ambien®, have gone on record that “racism is not a known side effect of any of [their] medications”, it seems you are in need of a new (plausible) legal theory to defend your outburst on Twitter. Coincidentally I once practiced law in the pharmaceutical field and have some thoughts about alternative theories of jurisprudence*. Obviously some fall under the category of “legal fiction” but who can tell these days, right?

Interview: Actress Holly Fulger Whose Roots Are on the First Ellen Show Now On a Mission to Teach Young Women the Real Meaning of Beauty - GoFundMe Campaign for True Beauty Detective Underway

You may recognize actress, writer, and producer Holly Fulger from some of the shows she's been on. She played Ellen DeGeneres' friend, Holly Jamison on Ellen's sitcom way back when before Ellen was THE Ellen. She's also been on an impressive number of shows, including Thirtysomething, 7th Heaven, CSI, The Practice, John Larroquette Show, Dweebs, Anything but Love, Sable and more.  As of the past few years, Holly has been running the company True Beauty Detective. It s a media company and movement all about inclusivity, diversity and creating broad views of beauty. Having been an actress, who are often judged on their looks, she sees a need to change the beauty standard.  

Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival Wraps Up 2018 Festival with A Real Housewife of New Jersey, A Hollywood Producer, and Many Talented Filmmakers - 40 Exclusive Photos and List of Winners

Tony Damiano, RHONJ Dolores Catania
and Brad Forenza a the RGIFF 2018

The 8th Annual Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival was home to over 200 films over it's 8 days. The festival started with a a Human Rights Film Festival for 2 days, a 2 day Foreign Film spectacular and two nights of shorts, student films, docs and films by new and established filmmakers from the US and abroad at the Bowtie Cinema Theater in downtown Ridgewood NJ.

Hundreds of people attended the festival and its activities. Of special note during the festival was a highlight reel and then talk and Q & A by Hollywood Producer Scott Rosenfelt (Home Alone, Teen Wolf,  Mystic Pizza). This presentation was given as part of the Ridgwood Arts Council Artist Talk Series. Attendees heard inside scoop on some of his most iconic movies, including how Michael J Fox was almost not cast in Back to the Future and what MaCauley Culkin was like on set as a kid.

Crowds also enjoyed seeing Real Housewife of New Jersey Dolores Catania and her family on the Red Carpet and then starring in the film Breaking Points by NJ filmmaker Brad Forenza.

Film Review: Brad Forenza's Breaking Ponts is A Short with Big Meaning - Features RHONJ Dolores Catania

Brad Forenza

By Connor Moriarty

You’re at each other’s throats, but you’re on the same team, experiencing the same pain. Comradery in grief can be difficult to perceive and that’s exactly what affects the characters in Brad Forenza’s new film, Breaking Points.


Anthony and Devin have just lost one of their best friends to suicide. Devin wants only to forget the tragedy and move on as quickly as possible, even going as far as to condemn their friend for making, what he thinks, was a selfish choice. Anthony vehemently rejects this and wants nothing more than for his friend to be remembered and acknowledged.

UPDATE: In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month and LGBT Pride Breaking Points has been released for free via: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMyEZVjHEFA

Behind the Scenes Goes to London for the Royal Wedding: Our Exclusive Pip Pip!! Awards for Those Who Can't Get Enough Harry and Meghan and Still Want to Read More About it

By Beth Abramson Brier

[Author’s note: Yes, I know you have been bombarded with articles about the Royal Wedding. And yes, you may even have “Tiara Fatigue” but I did not cash in my air miles, travel 3500 miles to London and crash the Queen’s garden party for you to scroll down. So Stay Calm and Read On.]

This ceremony shattered box office records everywhere. Nearly two billion people* tuned in to see the American actress Megan Markle star in the role of a lifetime. (And one thing we Americans know is how important crowd size is.) It had everything- intrigue, backstabbing relatives, spectacular scenery, shocking twists and romance, romance, romance. The cameo appearances alone were enough to make audiences swoon. Yes, the Royal Wedding is deserving of its very own award show.

And the nominees for the PIP PIP!! Awards are:

How to Crash the Queen's Bash - An American Writer Comes Close to Being a Proper Englishwomen for a Day

By Beth Abramson Brier

By sheer happenstance I had a chance to be in London last week for The Royal Wedding.  In this case happenstance was defined as cashing in some air miles and glomming on to my husband’s business trip, determined to not only write about the nuptials but procure a proper hat worthy of the event.   We landed early Tuesday morning and decided to go for a stroll to conquer the jet lag.  This is how I came to be outside of Buckingham Palace a few days prior to the wedding just as a crowd of elegantly dressed people moved closer to me.  

I was so excited to be part of all the festivities (and find the right hat) that I literally accosted three women walking toward The Palace gates.  Before my husband could stop me I broke away, scooted under an iron guard rail (I’m rather short) and introduced myself to the women as a contributor to the entertainment blog, Suzeebehindthescenes.

Behind the Scenes Goes to the 45th Annual Daytime Emmys 2018 - Plus 50+ Exclusive Photos from the Red Carpet to the After Party

Eric Martsolf,. Kassie DePaiva and Thao Phenhglis
of Emmy-Winning Days of Our Lives

By Suzanne Ordas Curry

The 2018 45th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards took place on April in sunny Pasadena California at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Mario Lopez and Sheryl Underwood were the emcees. I went as part of the team of the Emmy-nominated Tainted Dreams, nominated for Best Digital Series.

The cocktail reception started at 2pm in the hall attached to the auditorium, but the action at that time was at the Red Carpet. The Red Carpet was well-organized. Actors and Emmy-nominated people were able to choose to walk it or not, and they had to wait in line for their turn. I really only saw one or two able to skip the line. All the actors posed for pics on the Carpet. Fans, even without a tickets, were able to view the actors on the RC at the beginning of the carpet or while they were waiting on the line, but for the rest of the RC the view was blocked by all the media.

Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival 2018 Highlight Reel - Features Home Alone Producer Scott Rosenfelt, Soap Star Cady McClain, RHONJ Dolores Catania and Young Filmmakers

The Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival 2018 ran for 7 nights. This year's theme was "The Impact of Film". Headlining the festival was a Q & A with Hollywood Producer Scott Rosenfelt (Home Alone, Mystic Pizza, Teen Wolf), a Panel Discussion on Females in Film with Emmy Winner Actress/Director Cady McClain (All My Children) who screened her two latest films and the premiere of Breaking Points by NJ Writer/Director Brad Forenza which starred RHONJ Dolores Catania who brought her family to the premiere. View the reel to see the talented filmmakers who attended  this growing festival.

View the Highlight Reel Here:
https://vimeo.com/270144374

You may also like -
Interview with RHONJ Dolores Catainia: https://www.suzeebehindthescenes.com/2018/05/interview-rhonj-dolores-catania-on-her.html

Interview: Actor Taylor Purdee Talks His Role on Batman and What's Next

By Suzanne Curry

Taylor Purdee, son of actor Nathan Purdee, is making a name for himself in the entertainment biz. He's written and directed a new movie due out next year and has been getting roles in webseries, other movies and now a role on one of his favorite TV shows, Fox's Gotham. In this interview he talks about his role and thoughts on the Batman phenomenon.

Interview: Meet Writer/Director Dana Glazer - Getting Ready to Shoot His New Film A Case of Blue with Home Alone Producer Scott Rosenfelt

Dana Glazer

By Elizabeth Murphy

He bounces into the restaurant for this interview like a kid home on college break, slides into a booth  across from a friend eager to hear his story and orders a glass of apple juice. He has a friendly grin on his face. He always seems to have a grin on his face. especially these days when things are going well for this young writer-of-movies. This particular morning, it's also reflecting a feeling of relief after his son has snapped back from an appendicitis operation. Dana Glazer is doing what he wanted to do since he was nine years old.

Interview: RHONJ Dolores Catania: On Her Second Acting Role as A Heartbroken Mother in Brad Forenza's Breaking Points Premiering at Ridgewood Guild Film Festival

By Suzanne Ordas Curry

Interview with Real Housewife of New Jersey Dolores Catania, on her latest role in the NJ based-movie  Breaking Points by Brad Forenza and how she got there, 

On Being A Tomboy and  Why she Doesn't 

Consider Herself a TV kid.

I wasn't a TV person growing up. we watched a lot of documentaries  or old movies. Growing up, there wasn't a lot of time. I I wasn't a TV kid growing up. I'm a tomboy I played outside a lot. I was either playing outside or when I got old enough I was working after school. I was also playing with the boys, I played a lot of football!

Film Review: The Blockbuster Avengers Infinity War: Merging Marvel Toward an Action-Packed Franchise Where Women Rule

By Kelly Byrne

After shattering box office records in a matter of hours, Avengers: Infinity War has everyone talking. It was a colossal effort by Disney’s Marvel to bring together superheroes from across franchises and planets (Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy alike) to tell a story that brought fans to speechlessness. Averaging roughly five plot lines at any given point without making it feel like drinking from a firehose is no small feat for writers Christopher Marcus and Stephen McFeely, and directors Anthony Russo and Joe Russo.

Film Review: Cady McClain Directs Butterflies Written/Starring Carlotta Summers: See this Short with A Big Message About Bullying at Ridgewood Guild Film Festival

Review by Beth Abramson Brier

Thirteen short minutes. A significant amount of time- adolescence perhaps-in the short few weeks of a butterfly’s lifespan. Enough time for a metamorphosis. Adapt. Evolve. Survive.

Butterflies captures and pins under glass for all to see the effects of bullying. There is limited dialogue. Little is needed. It is visually poetic and lyrical. The stunning cinematography depicts the painful transition from beauty and innocence to the scarred and profane. I was struck by images of blushing peonies so vivid they were actually fragrant and, later, skin scratched so raw it was painful. I looked down at my own arm.

The story line is all too familiar. A young girl, Melanie, enjoys carefree childhood days playing in the sun with her best friend. They each wear half a butterfly necklace that together make one. And then they become teenagers separated by the omnipresent “mean girls”. The girls who dismiss Melanie with stinging racial slurs. The girls who claim they are the ones who are misunderstood. The girls who tell Melanie she is not enough. The once best friend who tells Melanie that she is to blame.

Killian and the Comeback Kids Trailer Is Official Selection at Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival: New Folk Rock Film Stars Kassie DePaiva, Nathan and Taylor Purdee

Kassie DePaiva (Center) stars in Killian
and the Comback Kids     Photo Suzanne Curry

The trailer for the new Killian and the Comeback Kids movie  has been selected as as Official Selection for the Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival.  The video will air on Thursday, May 10 in a block of films beginning at 8:10pm. The festival takes place at the Bow Tie Cinema in Ridgewood, NJ. There will be a panel discussion after with one of the film's producers. A ticket for the screening, which will get you into all the films that night, is $10. Tickets can be purchased at the box office that night or through the festival's website at www.RidgewoodGuildFilmFest.com.

Killian and the Comeback Kids tells the story of a group of millenials struggling to find themselves and jobs after returning home from college to a rural town in Pennsylvania. In an attempt to raise money and find some success and hope, they form a band. The film is filled with original folk-rock music and features actors from TV, movies and stage. Kassie DePaiva (Days of our Lives) plays the mother. Veteran Soap and stage actor Nathan Purdee plays the father. Taylor Purdee, who wrote and directed the film, plays the son, Killian. Also in the cast are NY-based actors including Shannon O'Boyle, who starred in Kinky Boots on Broadway.

Meeting Candace Cameron Bure - Just Like Her Book Title She's Kind and Classy

Candace Cameron Bure at Bookends for
Kind is the New Classy
Photo Suzanne Ordas Curry

By Suzanne Ordas Curry

Well I was not expecting it, though I should have - that the line would be over 200 people long to see the Queen of Hallmark and Fuller House Fan Fave Candace Cameron Bure. I went to see her book signing at a local bookstore, Bookends in Ridgewood NJ,  Located a train ride from Manhattan, this book store gets all the A-listers. And this time, they had the former View co-host signing her new book, Kind is the New Classy, the day she was on the View because it was THE DAY her new book dropped.

I didn't even get the book as they sold out. I bought her other book, Staying Stylish.

Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival Hosts Premiere Screening of Film Breaking Points Starring Real Housewife of New Jersey Dolores Catania:Tickets Available for May 10th Screening

RHONJ Dolores Catania makes her
acting debut in Breaking Points

Update: Dolores Catania to Appear on Red Carpet at 6pm.

Breaking Points, starring Dolores Catania (Real Housewives of New Jersey), will receive its premiere screening at the Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival on Thursday, May 10 at 7:30pm. Breaking Points is the story of Anthony (Joshua Ray Garcia) and Devin (Leon Glover), two college roommates coping with the suicide of their friend. Breaking Points was written and directed by Jersey City’s Brad Forenza, in his directorial debut. The film addresses several timely and universal themes like sexuality and incomplete relationships:

“In Breaking Points, I play the mother of a young man who died by suicide. Breaking Points is deliberate in not revealing much about this young man’s identity, because the simple fact is that suicide can toucany family. Breaking Points is a heartwarming story of friendship, loss, and growing up. I am delighted to be part of its redeeming message.” ~Dolores Catania, Actress 

NY/NJ Event -8th Annual Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival Kicks off April 27, 7 Night Festival Include Shorts, Features, Music, Video, Student Films, Panels & More.. Home Alone Exec Producer Scott M Rosenfelt To be Honored

The 8th Annual Ridgewood Guild Film Festival begins April 27th. This local film festival is growing every year and is now 7 nights long. The theme this year is "The Impact of Film". The film festival this year welcomes renowned Hollywood Producer Scott M. Rosenfelt, producer of Home Alone, Mystic Pizza and Teen Wolf, who will give a talk on May 10th as part of the Artists Talk  Series presented by the Ridgewood Arts Council. 

NJ/NY Event: Candace Cameron Bure, Mackenzie Ziegler, Rashad Jennings, Journey's Jonathan Cain, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Miranda Sings and More Headline List of Authors Coming to Ridgewood NJ's Bookends this Spring

By Suzanne Ordas Curry

Bookends, the famous bookstore in Ridgwood NJ, has a great lineup of A-listers and personalities coming this spring. Authors include the Queen of Hallmark Candace Cameron Bure with her new book Kind is the New Classy, Jonathan Cain of Journey, Mackenzie Ziegler, NFL Player Rashad Jennings, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Al Roker, Retta, YouTube star Miranda Sings, and much more.

At this store you get a personal experience with the author. Sometimes they give a little talk, and most always you get a signed copy and a photo with the author. You will encounter a line sometimes but it moves fast and you will get your chance. They also have an extensive collection of signed books which can be ordered online as well. Come for dinner at one of the unique restaurants in the quaint but bustling downtown and stay for the author.

Visit their website for details: http://www.book-ends.com/

Egg the Film Premieres at TriBeCa Film Festival - Story and Photos - New Female-Driven Film Stars Alysia Reiner, Christina Hendricks, David Alan Basche, Gbenge Akinnagbe and Anna Camp - Is Traditional Motherhood a Thing of the Past?

Christina Hendricks & Alysia Reiner star in EGG
Photo Suzanne Ordas Curry

The Egg has hatched. Alysia Reiner's new movie EGG, premiered at the TriBeCa Film Festival 2018 on opening weekend.

Egg is a complicated film about the complications of surrogacy. Set in a funky New York City apartment and revolving around 2 couples and one surrogate, the complex issues of motherhood are presented in a sometimes humorous, and sometimes serious manner. Art is used as a physical backdrop to the movie yet is also integral in the storyline. Many issues are raised - motherhood, work, patriarchy, feminism, wealth, success, friendships, love, and marriage.


The movie leads a lasting impression on the possibilities of motherhood for the future because of science and new modelling and leaves the viewer questioning just where we are at in this day and age and how the availability of so many choices makes starting a family actually a much more difficult proposition than perhaps just 20 years ago. It begs to answer the question, can a woman still have it all?  And if so, how and to whose detriment or success?  This movie presents one scenario on how the traditional matriarchal and patriarchal roles co-exist, parallel and also collide with the new menu of motherhood choices. This is a must-see for the new millenium.

Interview: Catching up With Actress Alicia Minshew of All My Children, Tainted Dreams & More - What's She's Up To Now

You may remember the fabulous actress Alicia Minshew from All My Children or One Life to Live or the soap she's currently starring in, Tainted Dreams  streaming on Amazon for which she received a 2018 Emmy nomination for Best Actress in a Daytime Digital Series. In addition, she's done movies and more and still continues to act while juggling her role as a mother,  having completed two recent films. See what this talented lady is up to now.

NY/NJ Event: Morphmom Conference Comes to NJ with Inspiring Speakers for Women Who Want a Change

Do you want to make a career change, or start something new?

Morphmom comes to NJ. This successful conference is a day full of inspiration for women (men welcome) who want to make a change in their lives, and perhaps need some direction, motivation and solid advice. If you were wondering what Morphmom meant, hence the name of making a metamorphosis.

Kathleen Smith, founder, states, "It's a great event for those who are looking for their "next step" or wishing to make a change. Our first two conferences in New York City were a resounding success with over 150 women gathered each time to hear some great speakers and to network with each other."

Movie News: Sarah Megan Thomas and Lydia Dean Pilcher Team Up for New Film Showcasing Three Historic Female Spies in World War II Starring Stana Katic, Thomas and Radhika Apte

Sarah Megan Thomas

The next Hidden Figures is coming. In the same vein of showing intelligent and exciting women doing extraordinary things in history, Writer/Producer Sarah Megan Thomas (Equity, Backwards) and Director/Producer Lydia Dean Pilcher (Queen of Katwe) are beginning principle photography on an as yet untitled movie about three females spies that were part of "Churchill's Secret Army" in World War II. Though the film is fiction, it is based on actual stories and extensive research done by Thomas.

#FemalesInEntertainment: Exclusive Interview with Days of Our Lives Director and Tainted Dreams Creator Sonia Blangiardo on Her Evolution as a Female in the Changing World of Daytime Drama

Interview by Suzanne Ordas Curry

Sonia Blangiardo has been a female forging through the entertainment world since the 80's. She's been a writer, producer and director among other positions in the soap world on Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, All My Children and As The World Turns, being widely-respected for that talent on both coasts. Currently, she is a Director on NBC's Days of Our Lives that won a 2018 Daytime Emmy for Best Directing Team. 

She's also the creator of the online drama on Amazon, Tainted Dreams, which has just received another two Daytime Emmy nominations including for the second year in a row Best Daytime Digital Drama Series. In her spare time, she helps out those she knows by lending her talents directing other shows, like Ladies of The Lake and plays, like the My Big Gay Italian Wedding series which had a run in Atlantic City. She is the owner of The Usual BS Productions. Recently married, she's got a body of work to be proud of and is looking towards the future. In this interview she talks about how she succeeded in the male-dominated world of entertainment, what's going on today and what she sees as the future of serialized drama.

Movie Review: John Krasinski's A Quiet Place is Full of Hitchcockian Suspense and Sustained Palpable Tension - Will Horror Fans Flock to It?

Review by Connor Moriarty

Nailing the Suspenseful Set-Piece

Two men sit down at a fairly upscale restaurant and begin to discuss baseball. After about two minutes of conversation (Kaboom!) a bomb under the table explodes. The audience is left completely surprised, but the surprise is quick and their exhilaration fades after only a few minutes.

In telling this anecdote, Alfred Hitchcock subsequently suggests, that the filmmaker show the bomb under the table before the scene even begins. Taking this approach, fills every word of every sentence with dread and anxiety. Every second that the two men spend ignorant of the explosive beneath them, feels like hours of torture to the audience.

Review: Harry Connick Jr. Shines in New Musical Adaptation of The Sting at NJ's Paper Mill Playhouse - Fast-Paced, Dazzling and Overall a Deliciously Scandalous Performance (with Video)

Harry Connick Jr. and Kate Shindle star in THE STING

Review by Beth Abramson Brier

Psst... want a sure tip?

“You Can’t Trust Nobody” croon the two-bit swindlers in the opening number of the new musical The Sting. But trust me!-this swanky stage adaptation of the award winning film stage production is not-to-be missed. Directed by John Rando, the Broadway-worthy production debuted last night at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey. The sold out performance was every bit worthy of its Academy Award winning roots.

Interview: DriverX Movie's Patrick Fabian - Why He Relates to His Character in this Movie about Second Chapters and Chances

Patrick Fabian stars in DriverX, the first film
about the life of a ride-share service driver

Patrick Fabian - you've seen him all over TV. He's the handsome Nurse Dan in Friends, he's the dapper yet devious Howard Hamlim in Better Call Saul, and he's been on countless other TV shows, considering himself very lucky that he's a working actor. But Patrick's luck is also do to his ability to become the role he is assigned to. In his latest movie,  Driver X, produced by Mark Stolaroff and written/directed by Henry Barrial, he plays Leonard, a middle-aged man who loses his business as a record-store owner and is forced to find a 20th century job, in this case, as a ride-share driver. In this interview I talk to this accomplished actor about just how much the role parallels his own life. We spoke on a winter day..

March For Our Lives: Bergen County March on 3-24-18 in Hackensack Joins Others Throughout the Country

March for our Lives will be held in Bergen County, NJ on Saturday, March 24th, 2018 starting at 10am at the Bergen County Courthouse in Hackensack, NJ. This initiative was conceived by the students in reaction to the Parkland shooting. It is being held in  solidarity with other marches being held throughout the country on the 24th. The Bergen County March is hosted students from 18 Bergen County schools. There is no registration needed.

According to the March For Our Lives website, "On March 24, the kids and families of March For Our Lives will take to the streets of Washington DC to demand that their lives and safety become a priority and that we end this epidemic of mass school shootings. The collective voices of the March For Our Lives movement will be heard." For more info: https://marchforourlives.com/

Daytime Emmy Nominations for 2018 Announced: Did Your Favorite Make the List?

The 2018 Daytime Emmy Nominations were announced today. For a complete list of all the nominees.Here is the full list:
http://emmyonline.com/day_45th_nominations

Movie Review: A Million Happy Nows Is a Story of Enduring Love - Crystal Chappel, Jessica Leccia and Hillary B Smith Star in this Memorable Drama

By Beth Abramson Brier

“Love is Love.”  It’s a hashtag. It’s a T-shirt.  It’s a battle cry.   In its purest and most simple form, it is  the essence of this 2017 independent film. A Million Happy Nows is the story of a couple, Lainey and Eva, who come to terms with the devastating reality of Lainey’s early onset Alzheimer’s disease.  The fact that the two women are lesbians is the least remarkable thing about their struggle. 

I have to admit that not knowing anything about this film, I had no idea what to expect. Crystal Chappell, who plays Lainey is a Daytime Emmy award-winning actress but what I last saw her in was as one half of the hilarious duo of It Girls on the Stoop - a reality show best described as Absolutely Fabulous stumbles onto The Rachel Ray set after hours.   In A Million Happy Nows, this actress's core ability shines as she pulls from her own life - she plays a Daytime Emmy award winning soap opera actress who is relegated to a minor role when she suddenly is unable to deliver her lines.   Humiliated, Lainey and Eva (portrayed by Jessica Leccia) retreat to a beach house set far above the canyon. 

NY Event: Funny Women: An Evening of Humor Hosted by The Other F Word's Caytha Jentis and Sandi Marx Features Cynthia Kaplan, Alison Klemp, Pamela Weiler Grayson, Sarah Fearon and more.

Need a little lift to get you in a spring mood? Come to Funny Women: An Evening of Humor at the Goddard Riverside Community Arts Center in New York City on March 28th at 7:30pm - 9:30pm.. The event is hosted by Caytha Jentis, writer director of the hit comedy series The Other F Word streaming on Amazon, and also the movies Bad Parents (with Janine Garofola) and And Then Came Love (starring Vanessa Williams). Tickets are under $20.

Talking With the It Girls on the Stoop (Part Two): Crystal Chappell and Hillary B. Smith Talk #MeToo, Raising Children and Life Lessons

 

In Part Two of my interview with soap legends and now It Girls on the Stoop Crystal Chappell and Hillary B. Smith, we get off the subject of work and talk about what's going on in the world right now, families and hopes.

Suzee: Let's talk about the #MeToo movement. You have both been females with long, successful careers in entertainment. Have you ever been sexually harassed? Have you ever felt like you got lesser treatment because you were a female? Have you ever been paid less than your male counterparts? 

Hillary B. Smith:  YES YES AND YES to all of that!  Yes, I have experienced sexual harassment. Yes, I did feel like I had a diminished stature because I was female. Yes, I  was paid less. And yes, I did complain and I was severely punished. Metoo and Times up are fantastic movements.