Thursday, August 27, 2020

Katonah Classic Stage Film Festival Held as Drive-In: Filmmakers Young and Older From Around the World Present Different Views of our Changing World - Now Set for 8-31

The show must go on! The new local theater for classics Katonah Classic Stage in Katonah, NY (outside NYC ) is presenting its first Film Festival on Friday, August 28, at 8:00pm. This film festival will be shown in in a Drive-in set-up at the Bedford Playhouse in Bedford, NY at 8:30pm. Tickets are available on the website. UPDATE: Due to weather conditions, the festival will be held the same time but on August 31, 2020.

Though Katonah Classic Stage's mission is to present in-person productions of Shakespeare and other classics, because of the pandemic founder actor/director Trent Dawson and his team had to think out of the box. Hence, the KCS Film Festival was born.

Review of Uncut Gems on Netflix: Adam Sandler's Standout Performance Leads this Edge of Your Seat, Nail-biting Thriller.. and it's Better the Second Time Around

By Harry Sherer

With the Uncut Gems’ arrival to Netflix, movie-watchers everywhere will have a second (and third and fourth) chance to watch the Safdie brother’s explosive collaboration with Adam Sandler. One of Sandler’s best acting performances in a decade, Uncut Gems was one of the best films 2019 had to offer, as well as indie-darling A24 Studio’s most successful film in the box office, grossing over $50 million domestically. From the first month of the film’s December 2019 release into early 2020, it felt like Uncut Gems was the film everyone was talking about.

With Sandler’s killer performance, the world-class editing, Kevin Garnett’s surprisingly polished acting chops, the ending that left theatres shocked, and everything in between, the film is an undisputed accomplishment for the Safdies, Sandler, and everyone else involved. 

The film quickly arrived on Netflix only a month after theatrical release and hasn’t left the trending page since. Given the boom of popularity surrounding the film’s release and it’s easy binge-watching access, this isn’t a review of what it’s like to watch Uncut Gems. This is a review of what it’s like to watch Uncut Gems for the second time. If you keep reading I’ll explain why this doesn’t really matter, but for posterity’s sake, I’ll warn you once: spoilers abound.

Review of Netflix Series "Down To Earth" with Zac Efron: Zac Efron and Darien Olien Travel the World and Provide an Entertaining and Unique Glimpse into the Possibilities for a More Sustainable and Better World

By Julia Colucci

In his Netflix show Down to Earth, Zac Efron proves to be much more than Troy Bolton from High School Musical, or that hunky guy from Baywatch. Efron and his close friend Darin Olien (or as many people refer to him, the “Indiana Jones of Superfoods”), travel the world, learning how to live more sustainably. They tackle some of the world’s biggest environmental problems and share ways that different countries are combatting them effectively.

 Part of the show’s appeal is getting to know the entertaining and humorous duo of Efron and Olien. The team visits eight incredible locations on their inspirational journey, and the ones that stood out to me the most include Iceland, France, Sardinia, and London.

 

In the pilot episode, Efron, Olien, and the crew explore the natural beauties of Iceland, a country that specializes in renewable energy. They tour a powerplant and learn that 100% of Iceland’s electricity is generated from natural, renewable resources such as volcanic activity underground and their 10,000 extraordinary waterfalls.

 

Friday, August 14, 2020

The Reel Woman's Network: Crystal Chappell's New Platform Showcases Work by Females including Beacon Hill, Tainted Dreams, Venice the Series and more Original Works by Women

by Suzanne Ordas Curry

In a world where there are new streaming services popping up almost monthy- though I think 2020 has been espcially busy with the advent of Peacock and Disney and more, there are also other platforms being started by entreprenuers to serve specific audiences. The Reel Women's Network is one of them.

Started by Crystal Chappell of Open Books Productions in partnershsip with Jessica and Linda Hill of Bella Productions. the streaming network is dedicated to content created by women. There is free content on it but it is a subscription service and you can also buy just specific shows.

Monday, August 10, 2020

Review of Hulu's Little Fires Everywhere with Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon: This Twisted Tale of Two Families Is Addictive Yet Heavy so Take Your Time Binging It


By Julia Colucci

Someone set fire to the house of a wealthy, prominent family in the small town of Shaker Heights, Ohio.

So begins the first scene of this Hulu original, which presents itself as a mystery, but quickly takes you back to the previous year, when everything started. With only one season and eight incredible, action-packed episodes, Little Fires Everywhere is easy to blow through in a week of binging. However, the content is very heavy and intense, so instead of watching it all at once, you might want to spread it out. I compare it to a rich slice of chocolate cake—it’s delicious but best in small amounts.

Little Fires Everywhere follows two families—one being your typical upper-class, nuclear family, and the other being an underprivileged, single-parent family. The show never portrays one family-type as better than the other, but rather highlights the beauty and struggles that can come with both. The families are shown in their most vulnerable states, so over the course of the show you see how their conditions and experiences shape them as people. This is one of the reasons I found the show so interesting; it gives a very intimate view of lifestyles that are so different from my own.